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Did hot guys get some sort of a memo about shirts and sleeve rolling?How was it sent?Should I feel this way about another man so soon after my break-up with Seb?
Then again, the lizard brain wants what it wants, I reasoned.
And at any rate, I wasn’t going to act on it, so it didn’t matter.
I could enjoy my filthy thoughts about sliding my hands under his shirt in private.
Rick knelt by my stuck leg and opened his toolbox.I watched his hands work.Long fingers, wide palms, scars over a couple of his knuckles.A metal chain hung around his neck, and what looked like dog tags flirted with the open V-neck of his shirt.
“You were in the Army?”
“Yep.”He took out a wicked-looking claw hammer.“Staff Sergeant when I got out.”
“Wow.”
“Yeah, I was in a long time.I liked it.Made some pals for life.”He shifted onto his knees and then wrapped his free hand around my ankle.Even through the jersey of my PJ pants, his touch was warm, firm.“Stay still, y’hear?”
“I’m very good at following instructions.AndI will do whatever you say as long as you get me out of this triffid.”
Rick chuckled.
“Oh, you got that reference?”
“Sure did.Who doesn’t love a yard full o’ plants that might eat you?”He set to work with the hammer, using the claws to tease apart the wood trapping my leg.The rotten parts bent and broke quickly, and when Rick gave the word, I eased my leg free.
“Thank you!Thank you so much!”
“No problem.You might wanna tell Jess to get that looked at as soon as she gets back.I gave her an estimate, but I’ll resend it to her email.”
“Oh, I will absolutely tell her.”I inspected my ankle.No signs of any splinters.“It seems weird to ask because you only live next door, but if you don’t have to go to work right away, would you like tea?Coffee?I just made—Oh, shit!”
“What is it?”
I dashed inside the house, where the kitchen timer I’d set was going off.I yanked open the oven, remembered at the last minute to get oven gloves, and pulled the brownies free.They were only burned at the edges, thankfully.
I silenced the vibrating alarm before it exploded.“Made some brownies before I put my stupid foot through the stupid decking.”
He breathed in audibly.“They smell great.Chocolate?”
“Dark chocolate, yes.And miso paste.A deeply savoury Asian food.You want to try one?”
His brows rose.“Hell, yes.”
I gestured to the stools by the kitchen counter.“Have a seat.Coffee, tea?”
“Coffee, if you’re havin’ one.”He settled onto the stool.He wassotall andsobroad and I was neck-deep in lust.
“Yep.”I twirled the coffee pod carousel.“What’re you in the mood for?”I asked, turning to look at him over my shoulder.
His gaze settled on mine for a long moment, before he finally replied, “Whatever you’re havin’ will be just fine.”
I swear I hardly absorbed the name of the two coffee pods I plucked from the carousel.Every one of my nerves was alive with just having Rick so close.He looked amazing.He smelled amazing.
“How do you have it?”
“Black with one sugar.”
I made the coffee as he worried one of the dog tags around his neck between his thumb and forefinger.
