AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I walk into my office and Ellen occupies my chair as she feverishly works on the books. She knows there’s a possibility we may not be selling as much of our bestselling wine as we usually do.
I know she’s currently working on cutting costs because that’s what she does best. If necessary she can save us money without cutting jobs and without the tourists realizing we’ve changed our vegetable supplier when they eat at the restaurant.
“Hey,” I say as I walk in and Ellen’s head whips up and looks at me, flashing me a quick smile before returning to what she was doing.
Without looking up again, she says, “What do you think about hiring Jack for the maintenance position we have open?” She starts punching numbers into a calculator acting like she didn’t just send me into a tailspin.
She can’t possibly know that Jack and I kissed last night!
“Why would we hire Jack?” I ask, my voice abnormally high-pitched and I curse inwardly at myself for being so damn transparent.
Ever since Jack and I kissed, my body has been buzzing, a low hum that has me wired and on edge.
Our paths have yet to cross, and that’s partially because I’m avoiding him, but when they do I feel like it’s going to be totally awkward. He just walked away, left me standing on my porch in silence, yet I never said a word to him either. I just stood there like a damn fool.
“Um, because he’s been doing most of the stuff anyway,” she says nonchalantly like I should’ve realized that myself.
I want to tell her that I can’t think clearly because my head is a fucked up mess of wondering what would have happened if I had just invited Jack inside after that kiss.
That kiss.
Fuck me. Just the thought of it has me reeling all over again
“You’re the one who told me to pay him for cleaning out the gutters and I figured it would give him something to do while he waits for the parts to arrive.”
I nod my head, but I’ve barely heard her. Each mention of Jack has me picturing him shirtless and tanned and muscled, fixing roof tiles and weeding, his body sweaty and hot. I picture him in my shower, his dirty blonde hair wet as water droplets run in rivulets over his amazingly chiseled abs.
Oh my god this isn’t a fucking porno.
What is wrong with me?
It was one kiss, one simple kiss. I must be really lonely because I’ve turned a PG kiss into an X-Rated wet dream.
“It would be some extra money in addition to his daily rate we’re paying to retain him to fix the crusher,” Ellen drones on. She’s still fucking talking and she has no idea that I’m not even listening. “Obviously we’ll still have to hire someone once he’s gone.”
And there’s what pulls me out of this hazy daydream I’ve been floating around in all day.
Once he’s gone.
“Lauren!” Ellen snaps and I practically scream out loud, startled and shocked at the realization that I can’t possibly start a relationship with Jack. He’s going to leave.
He’s going to leave me.
It was just a kiss. Who am I to think it would even lead to more? He’s been here for a week and judging by his looks he isn’t used to going that long without female contact. I’m just another girl in a long list of girls he’s played.
“Are you even listening to me?”
“Yeah, yeah, um…”
“So, what do you say? You wanna talk to him about it?”
“He’s not going to be interested, Ellen,” I snip back at her, letting my thoughts run wild, making me crabby. I’m taking it out on her because she’s here. “And he’s not a maintenance man. He’s a wine maker and really good one at that. Again, he’s not going to be interested.”
“Really?” she questions, her eyebrow rising as she points out the window.
I look and find Jack hauling a ridiculous amount of broken branches and twigs, his flexed arms showing off just exactly how qualified he is for the maintenance job we have open.
“And I think he’s interested in more than just helping out around here,” she adds, elbowing me in the side as she stops to stand next to me.
