Lucky Break by Carly Phillips

you didn’t just admit who you were last night?”
    She had no rational reply. Last night, it had made a kind of crazy sense. She’d wanted to watch from afar, see him again and walk away. In the light of day it seemed plain silly.
    â€œWhy didn’t you just tell me you recognized me?” she asked instead.
    He shrugged. “You seemed to need the anonymity. And frankly, pretending to have sex with a stranger kind of turned me on.” The corners of his mouth pulled up in a wicked, sexy grin.
    His words set her entire body aflame, much the way his hands had last night.
    â€œYou look good,” he said, his voice thick.
    â€œThank you. So do you.” His dark hair was still as thick, his eyes still as blue and his body as hard and—
    â€œI heard you ask Burt for the name of a contractor?”
    She nodded, grateful he’d interrupted her thoughts before they could get X-rated. “Do you know of one?”
    â€œAs a matter of fact, I do. Jason Corwin, contractor, at your service.” He swept his hand through the air and executed a mock bow.
    Now that was a life change and she couldn’t let it go unspoken. “Listen, I heard about what happened—”
    He quickly dismissed the subject. “Forget it. It’s in the past.”
    She understood and respected the fact he wouldn’t want to discuss it. “I just wanted to tell you…1 believe you’re innocent. Jason, you couldn’t have changed who you are in here.” Unable to help herself, she reached over and placed her hand on his heart. “I just thought you should know.”
    At the unexpected touch, his nostrils flared, his pupils dilated and his heart rate kicked up beneath her palm.
    Lauren slowly lowered her hand. “So you’re a contractor?” she asked, severing the physical connection.
    â€œIt’s what I know best.”
    Next to snowboarding.
    Years ago he’d told her how he’d gotten into the sport. Once he’d discovered the alternative to skiing, he’d started a snowboarding club at school, arranging trips to Wachusett Mountain an hour away. He raised money for equipment and practicetime by working for his uncles in construction. A means to an end, not a passion. If anyone took fashion design away from her, she’d be adrift and miserable. She couldn’t imagine how Jason was getting by.
    But he wouldn’t want her pity.
    â€œI’m free to handle your job,” he said, interrupting her thoughts.
    But she couldn’t handle the temptation of working side by side with him, day after day for the next few weeks. Heat rushed through her at the thought, which was exactly the reason she couldn’t hire him.
    Lauren drew a deep breath. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but we can’t work together.”
    He’d be a distraction that would keep her from focusing on the house. And if that weren’t enough of a problem, she didn’t want to spend time with him, get to know him again, grow more attached and face the pain she’d lived through once before. She didn’t want to fall in love with him all over again.
    And she certainly didn’t want ties to this town after she was gone.
    He raised an eyebrow and shot her a knowing look.
    She ignored him. “Can you recommend anyone else?” she asked instead.
    â€œI can.” He shoved his hands into his pockets and shrugged. “But none as good as me.”
    She already knew that firsthand. Fire burned her cheeks and she hoped a blush didn’t give her away.
    He paused for a good, long time. So long she wondered if he was going to even answer. Finally, he said, “Got a pen and paper?”
    She dug through her purse and handed him what he asked for.
    He scribbled names and numbers on her small notepad. “There are two other local contractors, one in Perkins, the other one here in Stewart. We refer each other when we’re