Her Mountain Home

by Marla Monroe

  “Me either, man.”

  “I don’t think I’ve ever been this attracted to a woman this fast before. It’s like she’s already a part of me, of the way I want things to be.” Austin looked over at Caleb.

  Caleb felt the same way. He already knew she was the one he wanted to be part of their lives. Hell, he didn’t believe in love at first sight, but he sure as hell believed in lust at first sight, and he wanted Selena in a bad way. There was something about her that called to him on a basic level. Then there was how sweet she seemed. She smiled so easily. He could look at her smiling face forever and not get tired of seeing it.

  “I know I said we needed to go slow, but it’s going to be hard as hell not to touch her every chance I get while we’re working on her shelves,” Austin confessed.

  “I’m with you on that. I want to wrap her in my arms and taste those perfect lips. Hell, I’d be happy just to hold her hand like some simpering teenager with his first crush.” Caleb huffed out a breath in disgust.

  Selena was making him think of stupid shit like sending her flowers and begging her to give them a chance when they really knew so little about her. What was up with that?

  “So, when are we going to ask her out again? Once these shelves are finished tomorrow, we really won’t have much reason to talk to her again,” Austin pointed out.

  “I think we should ask her out for next Saturday night. I hate giving her that much time to come up with a reason to back out, but Saturday night will be the next time we may have some time off from working. Don’t want to ask her out for a weeknight since we never know how late we’ll be working and we already agreed to cards with the guys tomorrow night,” Caleb said.

  “We could blow them off. They’d understand,” Austin said.

  “I think tomorrow night would be too soon. Like you said, we don’t want to push her.”

  “Right. Me and my big mouth.”

  Caleb chuckled. “You’re usually the voice of reason between the two of us. In this case, I think you’re right. If we go too fast, she’ll back off.”

  “I sure as hell don’t want that. I really like her, Caleb. I mean really.”

  “Yeah, me too. She just might be the one for us. Can’t fuck this up, man.”

  Chapter Six

  Selena was up at the crack of dawn, antsy about the guys coming again that morning. She knew she was being stupid, but she couldn’t help the sense of expectation she felt in the pit of her stomach. She was actually nervous about seeing them again. Surely, she wasn’t getting attached. They’d had dinner together. Nothing serious, right?

  I’m making more of a simple meal than it really was. Yeah, they mentioned next time, but guys are like that. They say stuff they really don’t mean.

  “What do you think, Maggie?” she asked the lounging cat.

  Selena pulled out another blouse and discarded it along with the five other ones she’d dumped on her bed. Nothing seemed right today. She couldn’t believe she was stressing over what to wear when it was just two guys building shelves for her.

  “So? Any ideas on the subject?” she asked, staring at the cat lying stretched out on her bed.

  The cat just closed her eyes and dropped her head to the bed in obvious disinterest. Selena sighed. She was making this all out to be more than it actually was. So what if they’d mentioned taking her to the steak house next time? When was next time? Men said things like that all the time. More than likely they hadn’t really meant it in the first place. And when would they ask her out again? Tonight? Tomorrow night?

  She checked the time for the umpteenth time and sighed. It was only eight. She still had a whole hour left to wait for their arrival, and she was still standing there in nothing but her jeans and bra. Exasperated, she picked up the discarded blouses and hung them back in the closet before choosing one at random and pulling it on. She buttoned it up and tucked it into her pants. There. She was dressed.

  “Come on, Maggie. I know you don’t want to miss your breakfast,” she said, staring at the seemingly sleeping cat.

  At the word “breakfast,” the feline’s ears perked up and she turned into a kitten, jumping off the bed and winding herself around Selena’s legs as she strode from the bedroom toward the kitchen.

  “Silly cat.”

  She pressed the button on her Keurig to get it to heat up the water, then poured a measured portion of kibbles into Maggie’s food bowl before topping off the water bowl. By the time she’d tended to the now-happy cat, she was able to start the coffee. It wasn’t until the first sip of the delicious brew that she felt a little more herself and a little less like a hormonal teenager.

  Really. She was a grown woman. Plus, she didn’t date. Why was she so excited about seeing the guys again when nothing could come of it? There couldn’t be a second date, and the first one had really only been a companionable dinner after they’d worked on her shelves.

  And another thing, they worked for her. She couldn’t go out with men who worked for her. That wasn’t ethical, right?

  She sipped her coffee, then pulled out eggs, onions, ham, and cheese. She’d make an omelet for breakfast. While she whipped it up, she watched Maggie finish up her bowl of food as if she’d starved for days, then sit next to it and look at her as though Selena hadn’t fed her at all.

  “Tough, cat. You had more than your portion today. If you’re not careful, I’ll cut back on dinner tonight to make up for it. Besides, you know I’ll slip you some ham later if you’re good.”

  The cat yawned and proceeded to clean her butt right there on the kitchen floor. Ugh.

  After cleaning up her dishes, Selena glanced at the clock and felt her belly explode into butterflies at the realization that it was only five minutes till nine. Would they be early again this morning? Part of her hoped so, and the other part of her was on the fence about it.

  At one minute till, her doorbell rang. Selena jumped despite thinking she was ready for it. She patted her shirt, making sure she hadn’t spilled anything on it, then licked her lips as she walked slowly toward the door.

  She checked the peephole just to be certain, then opened the door wide with a smile that rivaled it.

  “Hey. Come on in,” she said.

  “Morning, Selena,” Caleb said.

  Austin nodded toward her and smiled. “You look nice this morning.”

  She couldn’t help the grin that broke out at his compliment. The girly part of her relished it while the practical side of her poopooed her. Men said things like that all the time and didn’t necessarily mean anything by it.

  “Thanks.”

  “Going to finish up the woodworking part, then we’ll stain this afternoon. Will the smell bother you?” Caleb asked.

  “I don’t think so. I painted one of the rooms in the house, and the fumes didn’t bother me,” she told him.

  “Good. If we keep the door shut and open the window, it shouldn’t bother you if you stay in the kitchen,” Caleb said.

  “What about you guys? If you close the door, you’ll get the brunt of them,” Selena said, a frown pulling at her forehead.

  “That’s why we’ll open the window. It’ll pull the fumes out,” Austin spoke up.

  She smiled at the other man. He rarely spoke, but he had the deepest voice she’d ever heard, and it sent a thrill of vibrations down her back.

  “Got everything you need out of the office? We’ll get started if you do,” Caleb said.

  “I’m good. See you later.” Selena smiled and walked back to the kitchen, leaving them to their work.

  She struggled with the words for nearly an hour before she managed to tune out the sounds from the office. It wasn’t that they were particularly loud and bothering her. If anything, they were quiet, so she had to strain to hear most of them. That was the issue—she wanted to know what they were doing and be in there with them. Not to criticize their work, but to be near them.

  I’m so screwed. I need to be writing and not wishing I were close to them. They
aren’t for me. Besides there being two of them and me being attracted to both, I don’t get involved with men. They only lead to heartache, and I’ve had plenty of that to last me a lifetime.

  She was content with her life. It rocked along fine without a man to distract her and hold her back. She loved writing, and men didn’t see it as a job, just a hobby. She’d put up with that from her ex because she’d loved him and had believed that he’d loved her, as well. If he had and hadn’t proved to be a two-timing womanizer, Selena would have been fine writing when she could and not making it a full-time job. Now she couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

  “Ready for lunch?” Caleb asked, startling her once again.

  “Goodness. I didn’t hear you walk in,” she said, placing one hand over her heart.

  “You really get into your work. I’ll stomp my feet next time,” Caleb teased.

  “So, the shelves are finished?” she asked.

  “Everything except the finish. Want to see?”

  “Yes.”

  She smiled and hurried to follow his long stride as he led the way to her office. Once inside she couldn’t help but clap her hands together and bring them to her mouth at the sight before her. Even without the stain, they were a work of art. They stretched from floor to ceiling with beveled corners that wouldn’t hurt if you bumped your arm against them. The top shelf had gorgeous scrollwork that made it look as if it were built especially for the room with its crown molding along the top. They’d matched it perfectly so that it looked as if the shelves had been here when the house had been built.

  “It’s beautiful,” she whispered.

  “Austin is hell with a scroll saw. He can create just about anything,” Caleb said.

  “The entire thing is perfect. I can’t believe how good it all looks. You’re wasting your energies working like you do. You’d be the most sought-after carpenters in Boulder if you lived there,” she said.

  “Been there,” Caleb said.

  “Done that,” Austin added.

  “Didn’t like the rat race. Like working on our terms on our time,” Caleb explained.

  She smiled up at them. “I understand that. I like the small-town atmosphere myself.”

  “So, want to go with us to eat lunch before we get started on staining the shelves?” Caleb asked.

  “Oh, I was just going to eat a sandwich here. You two go on and relax. You deserve it,” she said, waving them off.

  “Nonsense,” Austin said. “You’ve been working away in the kitchen just like we’ve been in here. It won’t hurt you to take an hour or so. You need to eat, too.”

  Before she knew it, the guys had her out the door and in their truck. She wasn’t sure how it had happened, but they’d maneuvered her into the entire thing without her putting up too much of a fuss. What was wrong with her? Hadn’t she already had this conversation with herself about getting too close to them?

  “What’s that frown for?” Austin asked once they were on their way.

  “I’m just not sure how you guys get me to go with you to eat all the time,” she said.

  “It’s only the second time, hon. Not going to hurt you to eat out a few times.” Austin patted her leg, then left his hand there.

  She could feel the heat from his hand through the material of her jeans. It felt good. Right.

  “I would think you’d enjoy a little time away from work, and I’m work for you guys,” she said.

  “You’re not work to us,” Caleb said.

  “Then what am I?”

  “Pleasure, babe. Pure pleasure.” Caleb looked over with a smile before returning his eyes to the road.

  * * * *

  Once they were back at the house, Caleb watched Selena excuse herself to get back to work. He could feel her nervousness like a fluttering moth getting too close to the light. She was uncomfortable with how close they were getting. Yeah, it would be a good thing for them to wait until next Saturday to take her out, but they’d secure that dinner invitation before they left for the day.

  “She’s getting ready to run,” Austin said.

  “Yeah. We might have pushed a little harder than we should have. She was pretty good at lunch, but we crowded her too much on the ride home.”

  “Couldn’t help it. She smells so damn good. Fuck, I want her,” Austin said.

  “Same here. I was pushing against her just as much as you were. I’m sure being stuck between us like she was, it was overwhelming. Let’s not crowd her when we finish the shelves.”

  “We could knock these out in about two hours, but I want to drag it out,” Austin said.

  “Already on that,” Caleb said.

  They spent thirty minutes dusting, then wiping down the shelves with a dampened cloth that was just wet enough to pick up any stray sawdust. After letting the shelves dry for another thirty minutes, they started staining. The final product was going to be perfect. Once they had the first coat on, they’d add the gloss coat that would make the finish really pop. Usually they only had to wait an hour between coats, but they waited two, then applied the second one.

  At four thirty, they declared the shelves done. Best damn work they’d ever done, too, Caleb thought to himself.

  “What do you think?” Austin asked.

  “Fucking perfect.”

  “Yeah. Hope she likes them.”

  “Don’t think we have to worry about that. She loved them before they were stained.”

  “Wish she needed something else done.” Austin replaced the caps on the cans of stain and varnish.

  “Yeah, but since she’s just renting the place, I doubt she’ll want to do a full kitchen update,” Caleb said.

  “As much as I want her to stick around and buy the place, I almost don’t want her to so she can move in with us,” Austin said.

  “Whoa, you’re awful sure she’s the one, man.”

  “Yeah, I know it’s going fast, but she feels right.”

  “Maybe. But we need to find out how she feels about us and if she’s interested in seeing both of us as a package deal. You know how it feels to have a woman home in on just one of us. Fucks things up big-time.” Caleb gathered the rest of their gear and folded the tarp.

  “I know, but I really want this to work out.”

  “Me too.”

  Caleb carried the majority of their gear from the office out to the truck with Austin trailing, carrying the rest. They’d leave the stain and varnish in case she needed it to touch up a scratch.

  After they’d cleaned up after themselves, Caleb made it a point to stomp his boots as they entered the kitchen. It was well worth it to see the swift smile that lit up Selena’s face.

  “Heard me coming that time, didn’t you?” he asked.

  “Yeah. Thanks. All finished?”

  “All done. Come look at them. You’ll have to wait to put the books up for a few days, but the varnish should be cured and ready by Sunday afternoon or Monday if you can wait that long,” Caleb said.

  “I’ll wait as long as you think is safe. The books aren’t going anywhere,” Selena said.

  She followed them out of the kitchen toward the office. When she walked in and looked at the shelves, they knew she loved them. There were actual tears in her eyes.

  “These are the best shelves I’ve ever had before. I can’t believe how great they look in here. I’m never going to want to leave here,” she said, clasping her hands together. “Thanks, guys.”

  “Well, I for one wouldn’t want you to leave anyway,” Caleb said, smiling over at her.

  “I mean it, you guys are wicked with a saw. I bet you’re in high demand here. I can’t believe you got to me so quickly,” she said.

  “You were lucky. We had a couple of days between planned jobs. Worked out perfectly,” Caleb said.

  “It sure did.”

  Selena led them back to the living room, where she picked up her purse and pulled out her checkbook. This was the one part of the job he hated with it being Selena. He wanted to tell her
to keep her money, but he knew that would lead to all sorts of issues they didn’t want to deal with. Still, it bothered him.

  She wrote out the check and handed it to Caleb. “I really can’t pay you enough for that beautiful work. Thanks, guys. If I decide to stick around and buy this place, I’ll be calling you to make more changes for me.”

  “I sure hope you put down roots here,” Austin said. “And not just because of the extra work.”

  “Maybe. I don’t tend to stay very long anywhere. Not sure why, but I just get the urge to move on, so don’t expect it,” she said.

  “Maybe we can help you change your mind,” Caleb said.

  “Maybe.”

  “So, how about the steak house next Saturday? Are you game?” Caleb asked.

  She looked all flustered as her eyes widened and her mouth formed a little O. He waited for her to make some excuse, so it was a huge surprise, and a good one, when she smiled and nodded.

  “That sounds good. I haven’t been there yet,” she admitted.

  “Perfect,” Austin said. “We’ll pick you up at seven next Saturday.”

  “See you then,” Caleb said.

  He and Austin let her lead them to the door, then walked out to the truck and climbed in. Neither one of them said much on the drive back up the mountain. He was lost in thoughts of how to convince Selena to give them a chance. He was sure Austin would be having those same thoughts, as well.

  “I can’t believe she said yes without a fight,” Austin finally said.

  “Me either. I was all ready to convince her. Kind of took the wind out of my sails for a minute,” he confessed.

  “Know what you mean. But I’m happy that she seemed to want to go. That’s a step in the right direction.”

  “True.”

  “Now I feel like a girl because I’m already trying to decide what to wear. Do we look formal with button-down shirts or go with our usual T-shirts but buy new ones?”

  Caleb laughed. “Yeah, you are thinking like a girl. But damn if I’m not thinking the same things.”

  Chapter Seven

  Selena couldn’t believe she’d agreed to go out with them. As soon as she’d closed the door behind them, she’d leaned against it and crossed her arms over her belly. Frogs were jumping around as if something were after them. No, she’d actually wanted to go out with them, and the fact that it was with two of them hadn’t seemed all that strange until now.