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“You can take it up with him, but I doubt he’ll accept any money.”
Her eyes roamed over his expression and then darted to his lips and then back to his eyes. She took a retreating step back, feeling the loss of his fingers under her chin.
“I’ll talk to him later then,” she said.
Orlando cleared his throat. “Why don’t we make a list and then head out?”
Memphis brushed by her, and she felt entirely too turned on by the man. She pretended she felt nothing at all and then prepped her workspace for some painting. She couldn’t help but to check out Orlando now too. He was very good looking with clean-cut, dark brown hair, very similar to actor James Franco.
Before he left, he gave her a wink, and she chuckled to herself. She knew the way relationships tended to work around town. It didn’t take being in Tranquility very long for her to realize that ménage relationships dominated the place. But she wasn’t interested in any relationships and definitely not with any soldiers of any kind. In fact, when she’d traveled from Houston to Tranquility, she knew she wasn’t even sure this was the right decision. Surrounded by so many soldiers, it would be easy to avoid another bad relationship like the one with Blaze. She knew better now to think she could change a person by being honest and sincere, which worked when dealing with sane people, not ones out to self-destruct, to become so immediately possessive and controlling that they would threaten life. No, she wouldn’t make that mistake ever again.
* * * *
Coast could hear the music blasting. It was the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s radio station they all enjoyed listening to. Creedence Clearwater’s “Fortunate Son” was playing. He opened the front door to find the longest, sexiest tan legs he had seen in quite some time. His gaze traveled up over the swell of a sexy, firm ass and a short tank top that barely covered her torso. The brunette was using a paint roller to paint the ceiling in the living room, her arms raised up, showing off some seriously toned arms and shoulder muscles.
“Hey, Coast, what took you so long?” Memphis yelled across the room.
The brunette lowered the roller and wiped her brow with the back of her arm.
“Great color. This looks amazing in here.” Coast walked farther into the room, taking in the sight of the cream color freshening up the old puke-green walls. They had gotten a lot done, and it seemed that Memphis and Orlando were taking their time fixing the electrical problems. They were in the kitchen.
“Thanks,” Cassidy replied then wiped her hands on the paint rag she had sticking out of her waist on the other side. The tank top she wore accentuated her large breasts, and when she reached out to shake his hand and introduce herself, he couldn’t help but take a peek.
“I’m Coast.”
“Nice to meet you, Coast. I’m Cassidy.”
She shook his hand and then went right back to working as if he meant nothing and wasn’t here to see her. Poor woman hadn’t a clue. Now he understood why the team was going crazy. Cassidy was a knockout.
He winked at Memphis then at Orlando, who nodded with a big smile on his face as if saying, “I know.”
“You guys need any help?”
“You could grab us some lunch,” Orlando teased.
“I think Red has that covered. I saw him on the way over. He said he would set up the table on his porch and that you should head on over.”
“Great. Let’s just finish these last two outlets, Orlando, then go eat,” Memphis stated.
Coast turned around to see Cassidy finishing up the ceiling. When she lowered the roller and pole, she stretched out her sore muscles.
“The ceiling can be the hardest part,” he said to her.
She looked at him as she squatted down and started unscrewing the roller from the pole. “It’s done, so I’m happy.”
“Looks great.”
“You mentioned that.” She smiled.
He chuckled. “I did, didn’t I?” He pulled his bottom lip between his teeth and held her gaze.
“You just about ready for a break?”
“You guys go ahead,” she said to them.
“You need some help?” he asked, and she looked him over.
“You don’t seem dressed to help paint, Coast.”
