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“What if I helped paint the inside? That would save some money, right?” I asked as Milo stepped onto the front porch.
“Of course, it would. I can buy you the paint at cost, then you can knock out as much of the inside as you can. You’ve got the time now, especially if you quit your job, which I still can’t believe you did.”
“Want to help in your free time…off the clock?” I asked, with a hint of flirting in my voice.
He raised a brow and smiled. “Are you flirting with me, Paige Miller?”
I smiled. “If I am, does that mean you’ll help me paint the inside and not charge for the labor?”
“Will there be beer and pizza included in this arrangement?”
“Yes, of course. Do you not know me, Milo?”
He laughed. “Consider it done. I don’t have much free time, but I’ll come over a few nights and help you.”
I was about to hug him when a familiar voice stopped me in my tracks.
“Well, isn’t this cozy. Ink isn’t even dry on the divorce papers, Milo.”
Lucas.
Milo turned and let out a laugh. I—on the other hand—shot Lucas a dirty look.
One, because he looked so freaking handsome standing there it was totally unfair. Especially since my body instantly reacted at the sight of him. I let my eyes move down his body and then chuckled when I found fancy dress shoes. Gone were the days of cowboy boots for Lucas Foster. In their place, preppy shoes that looked uncomfortable and so damn out of place on this property and in this town. Not to mention the khaki dress pants, which he was filling out quite nicely, if I was being honest. But this look wasn’t Lucas. At. All.
“Holy shit, Lucas Foster, the prodigal son has returned.”
Lucas’s eyes turned from Milo to me. I tried to hide it when my breath hitched. Just the sight of him made my insides quiver. I hated that he still had such a hold on me. He, on the other hand, didn’t have a single reaction to seeing me. Well, except for the scowl.
“I’m only in town long enough to settle up a…real estate issue.”
My arms folded over my chest as I narrowed my gaze on him. Looks like those ten extra pounds were not helping me in the sexy department because Lucas looked like he was sick simply at the sight of me.
Jerk.
He looked away, totally unaffected. If it didn’t hurt so much, I’d ignore him. But I knew how I would handle all of this. Later tonight I’d lie in bed for far too long and analyze every single second, starting with that look. Then I would compare myself to that stupid girlfriend before I finally snapped out of it and realized I may not look like a super model, but I did have a nice body. Even with a few extra pounds on my frame. I could still get guys to flirt with me. Take Milo, for example. Men asked me out at the office all the time. The answer was always no because I didn’t want to admit I still had feelings for a man who had walked away from me over a decade ago.
God. Again, pathetic. I really needed to dig deep and pull out my inner badass woman. The part of me that said, “Fuck Lucas Foster.” I knew what I was worth, and it had been his loss, not mine.
But still, the stupid heart wants what it wants. Ugh.
“What are you doing here? Planning a date?” Lucas asked, focusing back on Milo, who shot me a smile that said he wanted to have some fun with Lucas. I was down for that. Milo and Lucas had stayed pretty close, according to Jen.
“Just helping a friend out. I’ll give you a call later, Paige,” Milo said.
With a wink, I replied, “Thanks, Milo. I appreciate it. Remember, any free night you want to hang out, I’m here.”
Lucas and I watched as Milo walked down the old gravel sidewalk to his truck. Behind his truck was a Lexus. Of course; a Lexus to go with the khaki pants and dress shoes.
Once he drove off, awkwardness settled in. I realized I was alone with Lucas. I looked back at the car like a coward, too afraid of my reaction to him. “Where’s your girlfriend?”
“Bianca is at the bed and breakfast.”
Milo’s words about her being a screamer came back, and I hated my jealousy. The idea that she got to be with Lucas was maddening. And that pissed me off. I needed to find a guy to help release some of this built-up sexual energy. It had been a long time and being in Lucas’s presence wasn’t helping the situation out at all.
Moving my gaze back to Lucas, I found that he was staring at me.
