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HELEN
As I limped on my broken heel to the backyard, I started to get pissed.You know what, fuck this! Nothing can ever be easy with men, can it?One man, trying to control my life with his money. Another one, mocking my ambition by telling me I need a vacation. And now, a third, on my property, without my permission, looking hot enough to distract me from the fact that he was an entitled creep who does whatever he wants.
On the way to confront the intruder, I stepped in a low spot, and my already unsteady ankle almost gave out on me.I bet a man invented these shoes!I fumed as I marched over to the bearded hunk who had paused his branch trimming and was smirking at me.
“Excuse me,” I said. He smiled, cleared his throat, and opened his mouth to talk before I cut him off.
“Who are you?” I demanded.
He looked at me, his ocean blue eyes catching and holding my gaze. For a moment, my anger softened and I felt an electric spark in the air between us. Then a small smirk spread across his face and his eyes fell to my broken heel, and then slowly moved back up my body, pausing on my chest and lips, until finally meeting my eyes again. He still had that arrogant smirk on his face.
“Who areyou?”he asked.
“The new owner of this house, that’s who.” I finally broke the spell his eyes had on me and shook my head. “Do you mind telling me what the hell you think you are doing on my property?”
“Your property?” he asked, lifting an eyebrow.
“Did I stutter?” I seethed. “That’s what I said!”
“Old Dudley finally sold the place, did he?” He furrowed his eyebrow in what looked like annoyance. “I’m surprised he sold it to someone so…” he looked at me, tilting his head slightly, sizing me up. Did this asshole think I couldn’t afford it? I mean I couldn’t, but who the hell did he think he was?
“Someone so what?” I demanded.
“So young,” he said. “Congratulations.” Then that little smirk on his face turned to grin and I found myself almost softening.
“Um, thank you,” I said.
“I’m Brenton,” he offered with a single nod. A drop of sweat on his forehead started to run down his face and he lifted the hem of his white shirt to wipe it, giving me a peak at his rock hard abs.Stay focused,I thought. Wally’s warning echoed in my mind,no matter what.
“Helen,” I responded curtly. “Well, Brenton, you are officially trespassing and need to get off my property immediately.” I crossed my arms across my chest and stared hard at him.
He chuckled a bit, opened his mouth as if to talk, then shut it and stared back at me.
“As in NOW!” I could feel frustration raising in my chest, my heart beating fast. “Or I’ll call the cops.”
He put his hands up in surrender, then bent down to pick up his tools at the base of the apple tree. When he bent over his tight jeans hugged his muscular ass in just the right way.Look away, look awayI told myself. I shifted my gaze to the dirt around the tree trunk, it was lighter than the normal dark brown hue I’d seen in the flower beds in front. This man was taking forever to stand back up, so I just stared at that dirt until I heard heavy breathing coming at me fast.
Just as I looked up, a giant brown and black dog came bounding from beneath the trees next door and through the opened gate. I screamed as he jumped up on his hind legs and threw his front paws onto my chest, sending me tumbling to the ground. He showered me in licks and sniffs as I attempted to cover my face.
“Ewwww! Oh my god, EW!” I shouted.
“Samson! Off!” Brenton ordered the dog. Samson immediately acquiesced, trotting over to his owner and taking a seat. He now looked me over with innocent eyes and a dumbfounded stare, his tongue hanging from his mouth.
“Sorry about that,” Brenton offered a hand. “Let me help.”
“I’m fine,” I groaned, ignoring his hand as I looked down at my outfit, now covered in splotches of grass stains, mud, and dog slobber. “I just had this dry cleaned,”I said under my breath. I ignored his hand and tried to push myself off the ground, but my tight fitting pencil skirt was making it nearly impossible.Why do I always turn into such an awkward mess around hot guys? Even the ones that piss me off.
“Please,” said Brenton, taking a step closer. I rolled my eyes in disgust but before I knew it, his right hand had a firm grip on my hand and his left hand was on my back. His touch sent tingling sparks across my body. Then he lifted me up with so much ease, I felt like I was floating for the second time this morning. Suddenly, I was standing inches from him, his hand gripping mine, and my breath caught in my chest. I could feel his eyes on me, but because he had nearly a foot on me, I was staring into his broad chest, not knowing where to look. If he saw my eyes, I knew they’d betray me.
“It was nice to meet you, Helen,” said Brenton, squeezing my hand.
“I wish I could say the same,” I grumbled, snatching my hand from his and trying to brush the dirt off of my skirt. He laughed.
“Samson, we have overstayed our welcome,” Brenton said to his dog while staring at me. He held my gaze until I looked away, pretending to see a new patch of dirt on my skirt. When I looked up again, they were walking towards the open gate in the fence. I let out a huge sigh. How long had I been holding my breath?
I walked back to the front of the house, thinking that Dudley better have a hefty inheritance to make up for all this stress. I would have to call my boss and see if I could work remotely for the time being and I’d have to grab my things from San Francisco tonight. My phone began to vibrate in my pocket.
“Ah, so, there is some cell reception here,” I said to myself while digging out my phone. I sighed when I realized who was calling me.
