Man at Work by Chanta Jefferson Rand

how to spoil a woman.”
    He grinned. “You have no idea.”
    “ Seriously, that was
sweet.” She pecked him on the cheek. God, he smelled so masculine.
She could definitely grow used to that scent.
    His eyes lit up in response. “Now, that is a
proper way to show gratitude. Makes me want to go back and get the
matching vest and a pair of boots.”
    “ Don’t push your
luck.”
    A deep chuckled rumbled from his throat that
warmed her insides. “Did you need me to put it on for you? These
things can be tricky.”
    She grinned. “I don’t know you well enough
to let you dress me.”
    “ Good point.” Playful
sparks of hunger danced in his eyes as he brazenly scanned her snug
t-shirt and form-fitting warm-up pants. “Besides,” he added, “I’d
rather spend my time undressing you.”
    Candace’s mouth dropped open. Before she
could think of a saucy reply, Candace heard a collective gasp
behind her. Her sisters and Toye rushed toward her.
    “ Girl,” Toye exclaimed,
“this house is overrun with men. What’s going on?”
    “ Gabe brought
reinforcements.”
    “ This is for us?” Toye
asked Gabe.
    “ Yep,” Gabe answered.
“Candace told me about her deadline and I figured you guys could
use a few extra hands.”
    “ Yes!” Ronnie and Marlowe
gave each other fist pumps.
    “ Thanks, Gabe,” Toye
offered. “You’re a lifesaver.”
    “ You’re welcome.” He
clapped his hands once. “Ladies, shall we get started?”
    Ronnie and Marlowe walked away, but Toye
lingered, staring at the tool belt in Candace’s hands. “What’s
that?”
    “ Gabe’s gift to
me.”
    “ I wanted to make sure
Candace had everything she needed,” Gabe told Toye. Then, he made
eye contact with Candace, and licked his lips. The action gave her
goose bumps. Gabe smiled before heading toward the kitchen and
leaving the two women alone.
    “ Yeah, looks like you have
what you need all right,” Toye quipped under her breath.
    Candace watched the firm lines of Gabe’s
butt wrapped in worn denim jeans. “I don’t know if I need it, but I
sure as hell want it!”
    “ Why do I get the feeling
we’re not talking about the tool belt anymore?”
    The two looked at each other and burst out
laughing.

    # # #

    Okay, maybe it was overkill. Candace’s house
had more men walking through it than a locker room at halftime.
Gabe divided the group into two crews. One to tackle the repairs
upstairs and one to complete the projects downstairs. Candace told
him she had plans to tear up the hideous shag carpet and install a
durable Berber throughout the home. That was a good plan,
especially if the family moving in had young kids. He knew Candace
had her heart set on hardwood floors, but even with Gabe’s army of
men, it would be pushing it to try to install wood floors upstairs
and downstairs in this eighteen hundred square foot house.
    Together, the two of them
started pulling up the carpet in one of the upstairs bedrooms. The
moment Gabe raised the rubber padding, his
heart sped up. He turned to Candace. “Jackpot.” He pointed to the
wood floors peeking from beneath the carpet. “Some idiot actually
covered up the hardwood with carpet.”
    Candace gasped. “Can you restore them?”
    “ It would be my
pleasure.”
    “ Oh, Gabe!” She threw her
arms around his neck and hugged him. “Now, I can have the wood
floors I wanted. Thank you.”
    Surprised by her display of affection, he
held her in his arms, not wanting to let her go. His hands slid
down her slender waist to cup her backside. He buried his nose in
her hair and inhaled her mix of perfume and shampoo. Even her hair
smelled good.
    Abruptly, she pulled back. “I’m sorry. I
didn’t mean to—”
    It was too late. She’d uncorked the dam. All
the pent-up desire he felt came bursting through. He placed his
forefinger over her soft lips. Then, he did what he’d wanted to do
since she’d opened the door four hours ago. He tilted her chin up
and claimed her lips with a kiss.