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“I’ll get it,” Zara calls out and runs after the ball. Bailey and Jasper strain at their leashes, eager to also chase after it.
“You’re really getting the hang of this.” Troy grins, barely restraining himself from laughing at me.
I playfully smack him on the chest. “I know. Before you know it, I’ll be ready for the big time.”
That just makes him laugh, and the sinful sound of it sets off a cascade of heat bubbling in my belly.
The game ends, and I high-five the kids. I hold back high-fiving Kellan and Garrett, mostly because I still don’t have a full read on Kellan. There have been a number of times since I first met him when I’ve felt like he’s watching me, trying to get a firm grasp on who I am.
I turn away, unwilling to give him anything.
38
TROY
April, Present Day
Maple Ridge
Jess high-fivesthe kids on her street hockey team. Her smile is natural and genuine and beautiful.She’sbeautiful.
Something tugs inside me, and I almost gasp at the intensity of it. I want to kiss her. To taste her. I want to show her how special she is. Show her that…
Damn. I’ve never felt this way about a woman. Not the part about wanting to kiss Jess or taste her. What man wouldn’t want her? But that’s not what this is about.
I am falling for Jess. Falling under a spell I don’t think she even knows she’s casting.
Even though I want to pull her to me and kiss her senseless, kiss her until everyone knows she’s mine, I can’t.
Because she isn’t mine.
Not now. Maybe not ever.
My phone rings in my pocket. I pull it out and check who’s calling. JnZ Asbestos Removal. I accept the call.
“Hello, Troy Carson speaking,” I say into the phone.
A red Honda Civic pulls up in front of Lucas and Simone’s house.
“Hey, Troy. It’s Pete from JnZ Asbestos Removal. We have an opening on Tuesday that came up. We can fit in Jessica Smithson’s house then. Or we can leave it for the currently booked date of May fifteenth.”
“No, Tuesday’s good.” Then we can begin the renovations on her house sooner than originally planned. The asbestos is the one major hang-up that’s kept us from starting them.
Rose and Delores climb out of the Honda Civic and walk over to Simone and the rest of our group.
“As you know,” Pete continues, “she can’t stay in her house during the removal.”
“That’s right.” She can stay at my place. Maybe those few days are what Jess and I need for her to see me as something more than just a friend.
This is all new territory for me. I’ve never had issues finding women who want to have sex. And with the few relationships I’ve had, the women and I didn’t start out as friends. We’d dived straight into the dating and sex.
I finalize the arrangements to have the asbestos removed and end the call.
“Fred and I will be leaving tomorrow,” Delores is telling everyone when I join them. “Hi, Troy.”
“Hey, Delores. I’ve got good news,” I tell Jess. “The asbestos removal company had an opening come up for this Tuesday. So we won’t have to wait until May to get started with your renos.” We won’t have to wait another month.
“Asbestos removal?” Rose’s forehead crinkles. “Don’t you have to be out of the house when that happens? Because of the chemicals?”
