Page 26 of Unspoken Love

Yeah, he thought. It was.

But only when it didn’t feel so damn dangerous.

Chapter Nine

Could he see how bad her hands shook just being this close to him? God, she was such an idiot.

Why couldn’t she get it together around him? Each day, working side by side with him, felt like a dream.

It was stupid, really—how fast her heart beat when he brushed past her, how the scent of sawdust and whatever soap he used clung to her senses like a memory. Every step inside the house had her nerves buzzing, but she kept her face calm, and kept her voice light.

“This place is already looking amazing,” she said again when he showed her each room.

Nate gave her a grin over his shoulder, the kind that made her stomach flip.

“I got all the carpet out of the rooms already,” he said proudly, motioning toward the clean, raw hardwood floors that still needed to be sanded. “I still have to sand the bedrooms and then stain everything, but I’m not sure what color to use for the stain yet.”

She stepped further into the main bedroom. “The floors are beautiful plain if you want to just seal them or you could always do a light white wash or gray to tone down the brightness?” She tilted her head as she thought. “What color will you paint on the walls?”

He shrugged. “I haven’t gotten that far yet.”

“You could leave the floors raw until you know for sure,” she suggested.

“Not a bad idea. I’d have to cover them with paper to protect them during the drywall work and painting, then finish staining them once that’s all completed.”

She nodded in agreement.

He took her on a short tour—pointing out where he planned to knock down a small wall to open the kitchen up to the living space. Then he showed her on his computer the appliances that he’d ordered, including the farmhouse sink that she could just imagine on the island he planned on building.

“This place felt right. Like it was waiting for me,” he admitted as they stepped into the master bathroom.

Her eyes found his for a second too long. “It looks like you, too,” she joked.

He chuckled. “Worn in and needing a lot of work?”

“Rustic with good bones.”

He hesitated, then motioned toward the narrow hallway. “Come on, I’ll show you the rest.”

The other bedrooms were slightly smaller but cozy, and the main bedroom had wide windows overlooking the backyard.

“You could take out those windows and put some French doors that stepped out onto a large back deck,” she suggested after looking out the windows. “I bet you get a great sunset view from here.”

“I will after I clear out some underbrush growth out back. The doors aren’t a bad idea.” He stepped closer and knocked on the walls. “I might have to see if Parker or his brother can help with that bit. Opening a wall is a little out of my knowledge base.”

In the main bathroom, the outdated tile was chipped and broken in several places.

“Oh, I do love a good bathroom remodel.” She rubbed her hands together. “Are you going to film all this like your sister and my brother did?”

He laughed and shook his head. “No, this is for me.” He sighed and looked around. “Besides, I don’t have the following your brother does.”

“Right,” she felt a little deflated that she wouldn’t be able to watch the progress he made.

When they stepped out onto the badly damaged back deck, the sun had just begun its slow descent toward the water. The ocean breeze tugged at her hair and filled the air with salt and the faint scent of wild grass.

He leaned on the railing beside her, arms brushing against hers, and she gripped the edge of the wood so hard her knuckles went white.

If this was a dream, she didn’t want to wake up. He made her laugh without trying. He made her feel seen—even when she didn’t want to be. And the way he looked at her sometimes…