on. Yesterday had felt like a clean slate. Just two people who were attracted to each other having a little fun.
He knew she’d felt the same physical pull. He’d seen it in those sexy hazel eyes. What he didn’t know was whether the burning need for release had kept her awake last night, too. He’d taken care of himself once in the shower and then later in bed so he could finally get some shut-eye.
His venture into breeding Arabians had taken him out of town twice last month. He’d had the opportunity to hook up. He’d refrained, mostly because he wasn’t ready. But it reminded him that he’d become the subject of rumor and uncharitable gossip after Anne had died, which was yet another reason Bethany wasn’t right for him, whether she stayed or not. All he wanted was sex with no strings, period. If last names weren’t involved, all the better. He’d grown up loving his small town, but that love had vanished with the truth about Anne.
That left Bethany out. And yet, something about her drew him like a bear to honey.
He’d honestly thought that, after some sleep and distance, the feeling would go away. He wished to hell he’d been right.
* * *
“ N ATHAN? I T’S B ETH. Beth Wilson.” She plugged her free ear and hurried out of her office so she could hear. Of course, the hammering on the other side of the wall had started the second she’d made the call. “We met yesterday.”
“I remember,” he drawled in a mildly mocking tone. “What can I do for you now? You need nails? Hammers? Lunch?”
She grinned. “Really? Lunch? Dinner would be better so I wouldn’t have to come back to work, but sure, I’ll go to lunch.” At the expected silence, she pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. Until she couldn’t hold it anymore. “Relax, I know you were being sarcastic.”
He sighed, then after another pause, he asked, “Have you eaten?”
It was her turn to be shocked speechless. Her heart did a little two-step before she got it. Okay, he was teasing her back. Evidently he hadn’t made the connection between her and Liberty. But Beth wasn’t out of the woods yet. “Seriously, I do have a question. I’m horrified that I didn’t bring it up yesterday, but how do you want to handle payment for the lumber?”
“I thought we were doing a swap?”
“We can.” She glanced over her shoulder when the hammering grew louder, then took the porch steps and planted herself on the grassy area under the elm. “I’ve already paid Mr. Jorgenson, so that works for me. But if you have another order coming in Friday, I didn’t want the accounting to get complicated.”
She held her breath, hoping he’d take her explanation at face value. Even with all the craziness the day had hurled at her, she couldn’t stop thinking about yesterday. About him. About the possibility of them getting together. So she’d called to hear his voice, see if there was anything between them worth salvaging before she got ahead of herself. Before the subject of Liberty came up.
So far so good. Beth had teased him, he’d teased her back, so maybe...
“Since you’ve already paid him, I’ll let Jorgenson figure it out. I trust him.”
“Sure. He likes you. ”
Nathan’s gravelly chuckle made her skin prickle. “Still paranoid.”
“I just don’t like having my hands tied.”
“No?”
The deepening of his voice made the word sound suggestive. Okay, this was promising. If only she could think of a quick comeback...dammit.
“Your workers showed up,” he said, his tone shifting back to normal. “That has to be a relief.”
“You can still hear them hammering?” It was probably her heart.
“Nope. Not now.”
“I think I’ll have them for the rest of the week. Unless one of them stubs his toe.”
“And here I thought you were the glass-half-full type.”
Sighing, she leaned against the huge ancient tree trunk, thumping her head back a couple of times. “I shouldn’t have said that. I’m not
He knew she’d felt the same physical pull. He’d seen it in those sexy hazel eyes. What he didn’t know was whether the burning need for release had kept her awake last night, too. He’d taken care of himself once in the shower and then later in bed so he could finally get some shut-eye.
His venture into breeding Arabians had taken him out of town twice last month. He’d had the opportunity to hook up. He’d refrained, mostly because he wasn’t ready. But it reminded him that he’d become the subject of rumor and uncharitable gossip after Anne had died, which was yet another reason Bethany wasn’t right for him, whether she stayed or not. All he wanted was sex with no strings, period. If last names weren’t involved, all the better. He’d grown up loving his small town, but that love had vanished with the truth about Anne.
That left Bethany out. And yet, something about her drew him like a bear to honey.
He’d honestly thought that, after some sleep and distance, the feeling would go away. He wished to hell he’d been right.
* * *
“ N ATHAN? I T’S B ETH. Beth Wilson.” She plugged her free ear and hurried out of her office so she could hear. Of course, the hammering on the other side of the wall had started the second she’d made the call. “We met yesterday.”
“I remember,” he drawled in a mildly mocking tone. “What can I do for you now? You need nails? Hammers? Lunch?”
She grinned. “Really? Lunch? Dinner would be better so I wouldn’t have to come back to work, but sure, I’ll go to lunch.” At the expected silence, she pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. Until she couldn’t hold it anymore. “Relax, I know you were being sarcastic.”
He sighed, then after another pause, he asked, “Have you eaten?”
It was her turn to be shocked speechless. Her heart did a little two-step before she got it. Okay, he was teasing her back. Evidently he hadn’t made the connection between her and Liberty. But Beth wasn’t out of the woods yet. “Seriously, I do have a question. I’m horrified that I didn’t bring it up yesterday, but how do you want to handle payment for the lumber?”
“I thought we were doing a swap?”
“We can.” She glanced over her shoulder when the hammering grew louder, then took the porch steps and planted herself on the grassy area under the elm. “I’ve already paid Mr. Jorgenson, so that works for me. But if you have another order coming in Friday, I didn’t want the accounting to get complicated.”
She held her breath, hoping he’d take her explanation at face value. Even with all the craziness the day had hurled at her, she couldn’t stop thinking about yesterday. About him. About the possibility of them getting together. So she’d called to hear his voice, see if there was anything between them worth salvaging before she got ahead of herself. Before the subject of Liberty came up.
So far so good. Beth had teased him, he’d teased her back, so maybe...
“Since you’ve already paid him, I’ll let Jorgenson figure it out. I trust him.”
“Sure. He likes you. ”
Nathan’s gravelly chuckle made her skin prickle. “Still paranoid.”
“I just don’t like having my hands tied.”
“No?”
The deepening of his voice made the word sound suggestive. Okay, this was promising. If only she could think of a quick comeback...dammit.
“Your workers showed up,” he said, his tone shifting back to normal. “That has to be a relief.”
“You can still hear them hammering?” It was probably her heart.
“Nope. Not now.”
“I think I’ll have them for the rest of the week. Unless one of them stubs his toe.”
“And here I thought you were the glass-half-full type.”
Sighing, she leaned against the huge ancient tree trunk, thumping her head back a couple of times. “I shouldn’t have said that. I’m not
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