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And it only got worse as the morning wore on. Every time she bent over to pick something up or knelt down to hammer in a nail, it was like a lightning bolt to his crotch. Everything about the woman turned him on, even her eating a chocolate donut. He watched that little pink tongue lick the chocolate off her lips and had actually taken a step toward her. Pictured pressing her back against her ugly house and taking her mouth, sliding his tongue in to taste her.
Jesus, he was horned up. Where’s a bathtub full of ice when a guy needs it?
He had to put some distance between them or he was going to explode. He’d thought that trying to be friends would be easy, but the more time he spent around her, the more he remembered what she had going on under her clothes and the heat of her tight little—
“Hey, Blake, can you help me for a second?” Violet asked. “I can’t seem to pull this nail out.”
Dean caught Kline’s gaze as his friend started to stand up, but one firm shake of his head stopped him. A slow grin spread across Kline’s face, but Dean ignored it.
“I got it.”
Dean went to kneel next to her, distracted by the sweet scent of her. As his hand covered hers, she jumped, and he wondered if she’d experienced the same jolt he did when they touched.
She pulled her hand out from under his and let him have the hammer. He focused on wiggling it, loosening the nail from the board until it finally slipped out. He held it out to her, and their fingers brushed as she took it, the air crackling with tension as she let out a soft breath. He noticed the flush of her neck and cheeks, the rosy hue making her plump lips appear darker.
Someone kicked his ass from behind, and he almost fell on his face. Catching himself on his forearms, he glared over his shoulder at Daisy.
“Stop hitting on my sister and get back to work.”
One glance at Violet’s scarlet face told him that she had been just as caught up as he was, but as he stood up, he noticed a couple of the kids had realized there was something going on.
“You want to spend the afternoon doing up-downs?” he asked.
They scattered like rabbits, and he grunted at Daisy as he passed.
“Where are you going?” Kline asked. Dean could hear the laughter in his voice.
“Going to take over weed-whacking for Jorge.”
“Need to work out some frustration?” Daisy called after him.
Dean sent her a scowl at the same time Violet told her to shut up.
Chapter Sixteen
A FEW HOURS later, Violet was loading a bunch of water bottles into plastic bags to send with Dean and the rest of the guys and trying to ignore the bite of shame and humiliation. Dean probably thought she had money stashed away that she used on fancy mixers and stupid slippers instead of the upkeep of her home, but she had been telling the truth. For the longest time, she’d tried to keep the yard under control, but then she just didn’t have time for it all.
Besides, it technically wasn’t even hers. It was her father’s house—and if he ever came back, at some point he would realize that he could get a lot of meth from its sale.
But as she walked outside and stood back to admire their work, she couldn’t believe the difference. The dark, gloomy brown had been repainted a pretty blue-gray. The trim had been painted white, giving it a fresh, clean look.
Dean came up alongside her, the brush of his arm against hers raising gooseflesh over her skin. She wished she could forget about this reaction to him, but it had been a battle all day. Every time he came near her, it was like a magnetic pull drew her closer. He smelled of spicy cologne, cedar, and sweat—a heady combination that made her want to invite him in for a shower.
A long, hot shower where she ran soap over every inch of his body with her hands, watching droplets of water leave rivulets down his chest and abs.
God, what was happening to her? One freshly painted house and she was ready to rub her body against him like a cat in heat.
“I’ll come back tomorrow and paint the porch, but I think it looks good.” Dean’s voice was laced with amusement as he added, “Of course, it’s easier to see when you have your eyes open.”
Oh, God. She hadn’t realized she’d closed her eyes, and as they flew open, his deep rumble of laughter washed over her, drawing a blush into her cheeks.
“Sorry, I was resting my eyes. I think I might need a nap.”
“I promise tomorrow I’ll wait until nine,” he said.
Blake was loading up the boys into the van and gave them a little wave as he closed the door. “I’ll see you back at the program. Violet, it was very nice to meet you.”
“You, too.” Violet started to call for Daisy but noticed the Honda was gone. She must have snuck away when Violet was in the house.
