A Touch of Passion (boxed set romance bundle)

by Uvi Poznansky

  When she slipped behind the wheel, her eyes met Gus’ in the rearview mirror. “Would you like me to stop for some lunch, Gus?”

  “Nah, Kate. I’m good. I’m actually done for the day.”

  Ten minutes later, after traveling northwest of town, they pulled into the parking lot of the offices of Callahan Construction. “Where, to, Gus?”

  “The warehouse is fine Kate. I have to talk to Dan about ordering some drainage pipe and fittings I’m gonna need at the campgrounds.”

  “Alright,” she said, pulling into the parking space nearest to the warehouse. “I’ll see ya next week.”

  “Nice to meet you, Murphy,” Gus said, as he opened the truck door.

  Murphy gave him a half-hearted salute. “Same, here, Gus.”

  Scooping up his toolbox and clipboard, Gus hopped out of the truck. “See ya, Kate,” he called, before entering the warehouse through an opened portal.

  “Okay, then.” Kate turned to Murphy with a puzzled frown. “So what are you wearing for work clothes? I recognized the label on those jeans right away.”

  “I’ve been wearing some older clothes that I brought along. But everything’s pretty grimy after my first couple of days. Luke had me clearing out brush and raking up debris around the cabins. I haven’t had a chance to make a trip to the Laundromat and wash my clothes yet.” Murphy admitted sheepishly.

  “Laundromat?” Kate shook her head in disbelief. “Michael Murphy, what are you trying to do – offend my mother?”

  His widened eyes met hers. “What do ya mean?”

  “We’ve got two sets of washers and dryers in the house. You’re more than welcome to do your laundry in the laundry room. You’re our guest. My mother would be horrified if you tried to go to the Laundromat!”

  Murphy chuckled. “Alright. I’ll bite. But where’s the laundry room?”

  “You know where the mudroom is – leading out onto the patio?”

  He nodded.

  “There’s a door immediately to the left when you step out from the kitchen. It’s right behind there. My parents decided they needed another washer and dryer upstairs because of the kids.”

  “I won’t be in anyone’s way?”

  “Nah. I’m probably the only one who regularly does laundry in there, now, anyway – since I don’t have a washer at the cabin.” She continued, “The laundry room also has a huge garden tub and shower. It’s nice to have a place to wash up and shower after coming home from skiing or lying out on the beach. In fact, why don’t I drop you off when we’re done here and you can take a shower? You can just leave your clothes and shoes soaking in the laundry tub.”

  Her gaze dropped to Murphy’s feet. “You’d better wait out here in the truck. I’ll go dig up those boots.”

  Before Murphy could answer, Kate was already scooting out from behind the wheel and on her way into the office.

  Damn. Murphy sighed. This was getting to be ridiculous – he hadn’t quit thinking about Kate since the first time he’d seen her. And now, he was becoming really, really attracted to her – her smile, her easygoing personality, and even her maturity. She was just so different from the women he’d always been drawn to.

  Kate was carrying boots when she came back out from the office five minutes later. “I found a couple of pairs for you to try on.” She held up a pair that appeared to be brand new. “It’d be nice if these fit. Dad bought them a few years back without trying them on, and they ended up being too loose. And then he forgot all about exchanging them.”

  Reaching over, Murphy pulled one of the boots from Kate’s hand. Unstringing the laces, he slipped it over his foot. “Hmm. It appears to be a perfect fit,” he said, stepping out from the truck.

  Kate had already worked out the laces for the other boot. After pulling it on and tightening up the laces, he took a quick stroll around the truck.

  Kate nodded her approval. “Make sure that you’re wearing a couple pairs of socks while you’re breaking them in. There’s nothing more miserable than being on your feet all day, on site, with blisters rubbing up against that stiffened leather.”

  Murphy grimaced.

  “Let me guess – you need some heavier socks too?”

  Sheepishly, he nodded. “I was planning on waiting until I got my first paycheck. I’ve been pricing clothing around town – everything’s a little expensive. I didn’t want to leave myself short on cash. I’m always a little tapped out financially once the semester ends.”

  Kate nodded. “Since this is a resort town, most of our locals go shopping in Eau Claire or even Rice Lake. How much do you think you can you afford to spend right now?”

  “Like fifty bucks?”

  She lifted a brow. “Do you mind second-hand?”

  Murphy was taken aback. “Sure. Why not?”

  She nodded decisively. “Okay. Hop back into the truck.”

  Five minutes later, Kate pulled into the driveway of the Callahan residence. “Make it quick. Feel free to use one of the robes hanging behind the door. I’ll just wait out here.”

  Scrambling out from the truck, he snatched up his shoes from the bed of the pickup.

  Fifteen minutes later Kate was pulling into a parking space along Main Street. Hopping from the truck, she signaled for Murphy to follow as she climbed up a steep row of steps leading up into an antiquated brick building. Built front and square on Main Street, the Farmer’s Store had been in business for over one-hundred years.

  Hearing the jingle of the bell from above the door, Gene Weldon peered up from his seat behind the counter. “Kate!”

  “Hey, Gene. How’s business?”

  “Kind of slow, now, Kate, since all my seed and fertilizer’s been delivered.”

  “Gene, I’d like to introduce you to my parent’s godson, Michael Murphy.”

  Grinning, Murphy reached over from across the counter to shake Gene’s hand. “Just call me Murphy.”

  “Nice to meet you, Murphy. What can I do for you two today?”

  Peeking at her watch, Kate nodded at the back of the store. “How about we just help ourselves, Gene? Michael, here, needs some work clothes.”

  “Go right ahead, Kate.”

  Murphy started. Michael? But noticing Kate was already moving on through the store, he quickly scrambled to follow. When they came upon a room filled entirely with clothing, she pointed out a fitting room enclosed by a curtain. “You’re probably gonna need something to eat before we go back to the worksite. Won’t you? Why don’t you just go in there and undress?” She eased over to stand near a rack displaying men’s jeans and workpants. “What’s your pants size?”

  Ruefully, Mike admitted. “Like a 34 by 36. I sometimes have problems with the fit, though, because of my thighs.”

  “Yeah.” Kate studied him thoughtfully. “You’d better try them on. How about we go for a relaxed fit?” Quickly sifting through the pants, she pulled out a pair and handed them over to Murphy as he stood waiting behind the curtain in the fitting room.

  Moments later, Murphy stepped out from inside. “Do these look alright?”

  Kate stilled. And she didn’t seem to be looking at his jeans, he noticed, as he stood before her, shirtless. Her eyes traveled down, and lingered, as she began to study his shoulders and arms.

  Kate looked dazed, as she cleared her throat. “Yeah, they look great.” She turned away and began sifting through the rest of the hangers lining the rack. “And they’re only eight bucks. You’re in luck – there seems to be another pair here, too-same size and everything. You’d better wear those jeans back to the worksite. I’ll go through the T-shirts. They’re only a couple of bucks apiece. You should have new socks, and maybe a hooded sweatshirt with a zipper, too. I’ll just drop off your other clothes and the things we buy today at my parent’s house sometime over the weekend.”

  “Thanks. I’d appreciate that,” Murphy muttered. He pulled on a navy blue T-shirt over his head. “Dan dropped me off this morning. He’s taking me out for a few beers and so
mething to eat tonight – so he’s picking me up at the campgrounds after work.”

  From the corner of his eye, he watched as Kate sighed when he put on his shirt.

  But, inwardly, Murphy was scolding himself. What in the hell was he doing, purposely strutting around Kate, shirtless? To think of all the shit he’d given his friends for behaving just like this. Despite the curtained barrier, though, there was something strangely intimate about taking off his clothing in the same room as Kate. Determinedly, he concentrated on pulling on and whipping off an assortment of T-shirts until he discovered the ones that fit. By the time they left the Farmer’s Store, Murphy had amassed an entire work wardrobe for under forty-five bucks.

  On their way back to the campgrounds, Kate whipped into the parking lot of one of the few fast food joints in town. “Any problems with eating fried chicken, just for today?”

  Murphy chuckled. “Everyone’s been warning you about my diet, huh?”

  Kate grinned. “Dan might’ve grumbled something about it the other day.”

  Murphy grimaced. “Yeah. Sticking to my diet and workouts, every day, has been a real pain in the ass. But those first couple weeks of practice in August are killer. You can bet I’d regret it if I didn’t stay in shape. But to answer your question – I’m active enough that going off my diet a couple of times a week and over the weekend shouldn’t make too much of a difference.”

  “That’s good. Because sometimes it can be pretty damned difficult choking down my mother’s cooking.”

  Murphy’s head jerked up, and his eyes met hers.

  “My mom was a bad enough cook before, when she was cooking easy stuff – like potatoes and macaroni. I can only just imagine how awful her meals must be – since she’s been attempting to follow recipes because of your diet.”

  Kate lifted a brow.

  Murphy snorted, eyeing her wryly.

  And in silent agreement, they both began to grin.

  “Lunch is on me,” Kate said. After handing over an order of chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, she exited the drive through.

  “Nothing for you?”

  “Nah. I’m meeting Dad after I drop you off. Go ahead and eat.”

  The chicken tasted great. Jen’s food was a little difficult to swallow at times. In fact, just to avoid her rather inedible pancakes, he’d been eating a giant bowl of cereal every morning before work.

  When Kate pulled into the parking lot of the campgrounds a few minutes later, Murphy finally broke the silence. “So.” He cleared his throat. “If your mom’s always been such a bad cook – how did all of you survive without starving to death?”

  Kate chuckled. “Thank God for Lucy. Mom and Dad were both trying to get their businesses established when we were kids, so Lucy began taking us in hand when we weren’t much older than Kelly and Jeff. My parents were always working – Mom in her hair salon and Dad in construction. Lucy was just as much of a mother to us growing up as Mom was.” When Murphy raised a brow, Kate chuckled. “Don’t worry. Not only was Lucy a fantastic cook, but she really loved cooking for us too. She’s always been into all things domesticated.”

  “And now Lucy has her own home and family?”

  “Yeah. Would you believe – she worked as her stepdaughter’s nanny before she and Gabe were married? Now that Lucy’s almost finished with school, she and Gabe are even talking about taking in some foster kids.”

  Just then, Murphy became aware of Brian Lancaster glaring at them from across the parking lot. “We’re not late, are we?”

  When Kate noticed Brian, she peeked at her watch. Uncomfortably, she cleared her throat. “Nah. You still have about ten more minutes.”

  “I’m not exactly sure what I might’ve done – but I think Lancaster has something against me,” Murphy muttered, jumping out of the truck.

  Appearing taken aback, Kate reassured him, “Oh, no. It’s not you, Michael. It’s me. We just broke up a couple of weeks ago.”

  “Ahh.” Thoughtfully, he studied her as, somewhat uncomfortably, she gazed at Brian. “Thanks again for your help. I really do appreciate it.”

  Kate smiled. “No problem. I’ll see you at the Dragonfly Pointe worksite on Monday – seven a.m. Just follow the signs to the Dragonfly Pointe Inn. We’re right down the road. Dan will give you directions, though, if you need them.”

  “Have a nice weekend.” But Murphy was attempting to still his racing heart when he finally turned away. Man. That woman affected his senses in the strangest way – especially when she smiled. He’d been totally tongue-tied. You’d think he’d have been able to come up with a little more intelligent conversation during their ride through town.

  Distractedly, Murphy heard the crunching of gravel as Kate slowly pulled the truck out from the parking lot.

  Brian continued to glare as Murphy approached him. “If you’ve got any ideas about Kate, you’d better put them on the backburner,” Brian growled. “That woman is mine.”

  Startled, Murphy halted, and momentarily remained silent. Apparently, Brian wasn’t acknowledging the fact that he and Kate had broken up. But Murphy knew better than to contradict Brian, especially with his eyes shooting daggers. He decided not to mention he’d be working for Kate beginning next week. Besides, Brian seemed to be his supervisor here at the job site, and Murphy couldn’t afford to go home with a poor evaluation – especially with that job awaiting him after graduation at Ryland’s.

  “Hey, I’ve already got a woman back home. Besides, I’ll be leaving here the first week of August, anyway. Cal loaned me a pair of work boots, and Kate was just showing me where to find some inexpensive work clothes.”

  Instantly, Brian became less aggressive. “Alright,” he said, looking Murphy over. “Let’s go find some work for you to do that you can’t screw up. Luke’s still pretty pissed with you right now. It’s a good thing it’s Saturday.”

  Turning away, Brian strolled briskly down the path that veered off in the direction of the trailer set up as an office.

  Grunting agreeably, Murphy followed closely behind.

  Chapter Five

  “C’mon, Kate?”

  Kate sighed, as she searched Brian’s eyes. “I don’t know, Brian. Why do I have this feeling that you think I’m ready to fall right back into your arms?”

  “It’s just dinner, Kate. There’s a really great band playing out at the Crystal Rock Tap. Julie says she hasn’t seen you, at all, since she came back a few weeks ago.”

  Kate did feel guilty, then. She had been neglecting her friend. Kate turned, gazing back at the Ivers’ worksite. Even she couldn’t have anticipated the shit load of problems they’d been running into. Currently they were reworking as well as replacing plumbing. And an invasion of tree roots had cracked the ancient clay waste pipes that’d been used for drainage.

  “Alright, Brian. But I meant it when I said that I just wanted to be friends.” It was hard to read his reaction since he was wearing his stupid mirrored sunglasses again. But there was definitely an uncomfortable tension between them.

  Abruptly, he growled, “How’s Murphy doing?”

  Instantly, she was on the defensive. Was he jealous of Murphy? Was that why he’d driven out here to the worksite? “Fine,” she answered. “He seems to be finally catching on. I’m sending him back to the campgrounds on Monday.” Her answer didn’t seem to improve Brian’s mood. “Why should you care?”

  “It seems like you’re spending an awful lot of time with him.”

  Kate gaped. “You’re kidding me. Right?” Putting her hands on her hips, she glared at Brian. “I’m not spending any time, at all, with him. I’m his supervisor, Brian, and he’s a friend of the family’s.” And, besides, since Kate had discovered Murphy had a girlfriend back home, she’d deliberately kept her distance. “Maybe going out with you tonight wouldn’t be such a good idea, after all.”

  “No, no, Kate. I’m sorry. I guess I’m just jealous.”

  “That’s the thing Brian – even if there was somet
hing going on between Murphy and me – and there isn’t – you don’t have the right to be jealous.”

  He clenched his jaw. “I’ll just pick you up at seven. Alright?” When he took off his sunglasses his eyes met hers.

  Was he even listening? Kate sighed. “Alright.”

  ❋

  With her clipboard in hand, Kate scrambled from room to room through the worksite checking off items on her list. Since tomorrow was Sunday, anyway, she’d probably just drive back out here tomorrow night and prepare her to-do list for Monday.

  “Shoot,” she muttered. “I forgot we’re going canoeing tomorrow.”

  Gus peeked out from the crawlspace. “Did you just say something, Kate?”

  “Just talking to myself, Gus. I’ve been doing a lot of that lately – since we’re at least a week behind. How’s it going down there?”

  “Fine, Kate. I’ll need a couple more days to finish installing the new plumbing. What’s going on with the water heaters?”

  “Did I forget to tell you? Dad approved the tankless ones you recommended.”

  “That’s great, Kate. This’ll be my first installation, so it may get a little tricky. They’re getting a five-star rating for energy efficiency, though.”

  “Sounds great, Gus. How’s Murphy been working out for us?”

  “I haven’t heard one single complaint from John Meyers, Kate. They were finishing up the drywall in the living room today. You may want to go take a look.”

  “I think I’ll just go do that. Since you’ll be the last one here today, Gus, could you lock up for me when you’re finished?”

  “Sure thing, Kate. See ya on Monday.”

  At least the kitchen was going in on schedule, she observed, studying the still-boxed up cabinets resting on the floor and arranged along the walls. When they’d ripped out linoleum and carpeting, the original pine planks had been a nice surprise.

  Kate moved out into the living room. The ground floor had been transformed into one large open space. She turned to the fireplace and sighed. Someone had apparently built a brick façade over the original. She was worried about what they’d discover once they removed the brick.