Hell, maybe it was.
“I’m gonna get out of here. Don’t kill each other. And, Tori, think about what I said.” Claire shot her friend a sharp look before slipping out the front door.
Chris waited for the sound of the door clicking shut to respond. “It’s a big house. You won’t even know I’m here.” Though he was certainly going to be aware that she was here. He could feel her presence in every bone of his body.
“Can’t you stay at one of your other houses?” she asked, a hint of desperation in her voice.
Chris fought a smile as he watched her spiral into full-on panic-mode. “You’d kick a man out of his own home?” He couldn’t help taunting her; she made it too easy for him.
Tori placed her hands on her hips and gave him her best I’m-not-kidding face. “I’m serious. This isn’t a good idea.”
He approached cautiously and leveled with her. “Charlie is staying at the house downtown, and Jake is at the other house. Those houses are much smaller, and besides, you smell better.” He leaned in closer, breathing in her sweet scent.
She pulled back as best she could on her hurt foot. “It’s not funny. Why are you acting like this is nothing? If you want to pretend in front of everyone else, that’s fine, but it is a big deal. I despise you. You despise me.”
“Don’t go putting words in my mouth. I find you perfectly delectable.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Is that what this is? Some pathetic excuse to tease me? Didn’t humiliate me enough the first time?”
Chris stared hard at her face. In what world had he humiliated her? He’d been the one to have to walk away knowing he couldn’t be what she wanted or needed at the time. It had nearly killed him. He was ready now, and he wasn’t going to let her push him away so easily.
When he opened his mouth to speak, she held up a hand. “Forget it. It doesn’t matter. Stay away from me.”
He watched her make her way to the stairway, limping on her ankle but holding her head high. Stubborn woman. Chris held himself back from helping her up the long climb. Patience. He had to give her time and space to come around. For the millionth time, he mentally kicked his twenty-six-year-old self for screwing things up the first time.
Tori fumbled her way up the stairs, her ankle throbbing with each step, determined to find a room and shut herself away from Chris. At the top landing stretched a long hallway leading to a set of closed double-doors. Tori could only assume that room was the master.
She entered the first bedroom she came to, situating herself as far away from Chris’ room as possible. The room was decorated in blue and white with a nautical feel. Ah, a private bathroom. That would help her avoid Chris in any awkward situations.
Tori collapsed onto the large bed, tossing the throw pillows onto the floor. The black duffle in the corner of the room reminded her she’d left her own bags downstairs. She slid off the bed, grabbed the black tote, and took it with her to the bathroom. As she had suspected, it had a few of Chris’ things in it. It looked like his gym bag, containing a pair of long basketball shorts and a t-shirt with the arms cut off.
She brought the shirt up to her face, breathed in his scent, and allowed herself this one small weak moment. What Chris didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her. Hopefully.
Chris racked the barbell and glanced at the clock. It had been nearly eight hours since Tori had stormed — or rather, haughtily limped — upstairs. If she was determined to hide out, he wasn’t going to go banging down the door. This was his house, and he wasn’t tiptoeing around to spare her feelings. As he skipped up the dark stairway, he peeled off his sweaty shirt and shorts. A hot shower before bed sounded great.
No light peered out from the master bedroom. Tori was either sleeping or pretending to sleep. Either way it was a pretty clear signal she wanted to be left alone. Chris turned the door handle to the room he’d claimed for himself. Inside, he closed the door quietly and stepped out of his boxers. He fumbled for the light switch, cursing as he tripped over a pillow lying on the floor. What the hell?
“Oh my God, what are you doing!?” A female voice screamed as the light flicked on, revealing a shocked Tori in his bed, pulling the covers up to her chin like a child.
Chris froze, momentarily taken aback by the woman in his room. Recovering quickly, he let her stare at his naked form. That’s right, sweetheart. Look all you want. A faint pink crept up her neck and into her cheeks, confirming that she liked what she saw.
Tori covered her head with the blanket, screaming incoherently.
Chris headed to the bathroom, smiling at the sight of her hiding under the covers.
“This is my room. I had planned on taking a shower and going to bed alone, but this is a nice surprise. Care to join me in the shower, or do you want to wait for me here?”
Tori flung the covers off and hobble-stalked after him.
“Shower it is, then?” Chris said as his eyes wandered down to her bare legs and back up to her chest, which was covered with his gym shirt. The cut-off sleeves showed just a hint of side-boob, making it next to impossible to look away.
She crossed her arms as she apparently recognized him openly appreciating her choice of clothing. The weight of her arms pressed against her chest pushed her breasts up higher. He’d never be able to wear that shirt again without picturing her in it.
“So where am I supposed to sleep?” she demanded, not looking at him.
“You’re more than welcome to sleep in my bed, but I made up the master for you. End of the hallway,” he said as he stepped into the spray of warm water.
She either needed to get her ass in the shower now, or he was gonna need a hell of a lot more than water to keep his feelings and something else from springing up.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Tori stormed into the master, flinging the wooden doors open with as much force as she could muster. Ugh, he was infuriating!
And oh, why did he have to look so good? The years had been nice to him. Too nice. He was even more muscular and cut than the last time she had seen him in his birthday suit.
Padding across the room in the dark, she guided herself by the faint moonlight that streamed across the floor. She flung herself across the large bed, wincing as her ankle came down at a weird angle, and curled into the fetal position attempting to block out the man down the hall and his full-frontal attack.
The light poured in through the massive windows on the far wall of the master. Tori sat up slowly, appreciating the beauty of the room. It was the biggest bedroom she’d ever seen, easily the size of her entire apartment, decorated in mostly whites with orange and navy accents. The man has a thing for blue, apparently.
She threw her legs over the side of the bed and carefully placed weight on her left ankle until she was sure it could hold her upright. Sore, but she’d finally be able to properly storm up the stairs if necessary.
Hot-pink caught her peripheral vision, and she turned, spotting two familiar bags just inside the door. Her bags. The man just couldn’t help himself.
Tori pulled the shirt up over her head and held it to her face one last time, breathing deeply. A trace of his masculine scent still clung to the fabric. The familiar ring of her cell phone came from the nightstand, bringing her back to real life. The one where she wasn’t allowed to let herself get caught up in fantasies.
“Hello.”
“Good morning. I see you made it through the first night.” Ryan’s cheery voice came from the other end of the phone.
Tori rolled her eyes, not dignifying his mocking with an answer. How could he have ever believed this would be a good idea?
“You want a ride to work?” he offered.
Tori pulled out a pair of leggings and a long-sleeve Fit Club t-shirt. Crap! Her car was still at Ryan’s house. Tori pulled on the leggings, holding the phone on her shoulder. “Yeah. I’ll be ready in ten minutes.”
“Make it five. I’m already on my way.”
Tori brushed her teeth and washed her face then g
rabbed her makeup bag so she could put on the basics in the car. She could hear Ryan’s and Chris’ voices downstairs. She’d hoped Chris was already gone for the day so she wouldn’t have to face him. Last night had been mortifying with him catching her wearing his old shirt. The way he had openly checked her out still sent shivers through her body. Not to mention the eyeful she’d gotten when he rolled into the room naked. Her face warmed, and she sat on the bed for a moment to collect herself before confronting him again. She was in trouble. Serious trouble.
Chris and Charlie walked through the muddy grass, surveying the land. The lot didn’t have quite the same view Chris’ did, but it was a great location for his brother’s house.
“How long will it take?” Charlie asked as he looked out over the lake below.
Chris shrugged. “How much extra do you want to pay?” He’d have no trouble finding guys interested in working overtime. He wasn’t above making his arrogant brother pay the difference. He had the money.
“Great. This is gonna be fun, little brother,” Charlie said, elbowing Chris in the side.
“I need you to come by the office for some paperwork and to work with my architect. I can recommend a designer and anything else you need.”
“What I really need is a date. Any single girls you can set me up with?” Charlie asked as they headed back to the truck.
Chris laughed. Charlie liked women, and they liked him. He never went too long without a new girl, and the girls didn’t seem to mind. They just lined up, hoping to be next.
“Pace yourself. Remember, it’s a small town. You can’t go through them every month here like you did in Chicago.”
“Yeah, yeah. I remember. I’m pretty sure that had something to do with why I left.”
Chris shook his head. His brother was a pig, even by Chris’ standards.
“What about Tori? She’s single now.”
Chris clenched his fist, eyeing Charlie to see if he was serious but unable to tell for sure.
“Relax, I was only giving you a hard time. Does she have any idea you have this big schoolgirl crush on her?”
“I don’t have a— You know what? Never mind. Just stay away from Tori,” Chris muttered under his breath as he stomped back to his truck. Charlie had some nerve.
“What?” Chris yelled into the ringing phone as he answered it.
“Chris?” Benny’s scratchy voice came through the phone.
“Yeah, sorry. What’s up, old man?”
“Got a fight for you. It’s a little last minute, but I think you’ll be interested.”
Chris ran a hand over his chin. He needed a shave and a strong cup of coffee. He’d slept like shit last night. Visions of Tori and her bare legs in his gym shirt were at the forefront of his mind no matter how many times he’d tried to shake them. She unsettled him. Eventually, he’d given up on sleep and spent the early morning hours in his garage gym attempting to exhaust his body and mind to the point it wasn’t capable of yearning for the blonde upstairs. It hadn’t worked.
“I don’t think so. Work is busy the next couple weeks.” Chris heard himself making excuses. If he was honest, he just didn’t want to miss an opportunity to be near Tori. He was turning into a sap and a goddamn masochist.
“Bah. Don’t answer now. Just let me send you the details. Look them over, and I’ll give you a call later,” Benny said and then hung up, leaving Chris cursing at the dead air of the phone.
Benny was relentless. They had an understanding that Chris only wanted in on fights that were a challenge, but the last couple had been too easy. He didn’t want to lose, but he wanted to feel the pain and hunger that were only brought on by being handed your ass a couple times in the ring.
When Chris arrived at the worksite, his men were already cleaning up the fire damage. He didn’t need to be here today, but Chris wanted to be near to make sure everyone was on their A-game.
The building was in rough shape. It needed far more work than what was outlined in the report if he was going to let Tori out of his house and back into it. Just the thought of what could have happened to her in that dump made him grind his teeth in frustration.
The girl had always been headstrong and stubborn, and it was likely she would stay in that apartment forever just to prove to everyone she could be on her own. She’d never ventured too far from Sweetbriar, but she’d bounced around a bit since college. Maybe it was to get out from under the shadow of Ryan and his success. But perhaps it was to get as far away from him as possible.
“Hey, boss.” Dax greeted him as he entered the office trailer.
Chris nodded in acknowledgement and headed straight for the coffeepot.
“Matt Letch is outside wandering around the building, giving the guys a hard time,” Dax said as he handed Chris a stack of papers.
“Perfect.” Chris tossed the documents and grabbed a hardhat instead.
They’d been on-site less than forty-eight hours, and the apartment owner was already being a major pain in the ass. Matt had been the apartment manager for the past twenty years. Chris had lived in the building with Ryan when they were just getting started in their careers. The building had been in bad shape back then, and Matt hadn’t been any more receptive to fixing the apartments up at that time than he was now.
Matt sulked toward him, waving his arms in front, as if Chris could miss him. Matt’s red face and the white belly sticking out from beneath his t-shirt might not have given him away, but the stale stench of cheap beer as he closed the space between them was a ringer that he was already several beers in for the day.
“Young man, we need to talk about the work being done. This is far beyond the damage done by the fire,” Matt said, patting at his damp forehead with a handkerchief.
“I sent over the updated list yesterday. The full inspection uncovered a lot more that wasn’t up to code.”
“Nonsense. This place just needs a little paint — that’s all. Looks worse than it is.”
Chris had no sympathy for the guy. He’d been putting off the work for years in favor of his Natty Light beer.
“Sorry, sir. You’ll have to take that up with the inspector.”
Old drunk. Chris walked away before the man could protest any more. Screw the mound of paperwork waiting for him in the trailer. Today, he needed the feel of the sledge hammer in his hands — heavy, brutal, and ready to break shit.
Tori held open the screen and rapped on the red door, biting her lip as she looked around the neighborhood. It was a nice subdivision, set behind Sweetbriar’s one-and-only strip mall. The houses were older, built in the ‘70s, with well-maintained small yards.
“Tori, what are you doing here?” Susan said as she opened the door.
“Sorry to show up unannounced. Can I talk to you for a few minutes?”
Susan stepped back, opening the door wider. “Sure, come on in.”
The small living room was cluttered but tidy. Pictures of Autumn were prevalent in the room, showcasing her growing up over the years. The spicy aroma of spaghetti sauce drifted in from the kitchen.
Tori relaxed as Susan led her to a table in the center of the kitchen. The house was welcoming and homey and fit Susan’s adorable little family perfectly.
“Any luck with the insurance agency?” Tori asked as Susan placed a glass of sweet tea in front of her.
“No. They aren’t budging. Listen, I appreciate your wanting to help, but I’m afraid there isn’t anything left to do. Autumn is a tough girl. She’ll be okay. I can hear her at night working on the things you taught her. Telling her dolls, ‘Don’t give up!’ Susan smiled, reaching across the table and squeezing Tori’s hands. “She’s gonna be okay.”
“What about if I came over here once a week and visited Autumn after school? She could show me her progress, and I could continue to give her things to work on by herself.”
“I don’t know. It doesn’t feel right, you spending your time working with Autumn when we can’t pay you.”
“It’s no
t just about the job. I like Autumn. Working with her is the best part of my week.”
“Alright, once a week,” Susan said, eyeing Tori carefully and extending her hand to shake on it. “And you’ll stay for dinner afterward.” She nodded with finality, stood and picked up a wooden spoon, then began stirring her spaghetti sauce while humming softly.
Chris slumped in his chair, exhausted from a day’s work of busting out walls and floors. The stack of paperwork on his desk had doubled since he’d neglected it this morning, but getting his hands dirty had been just what he needed. He felt a little less anxious and had successfully pushed his roommate out of his mind, if only for a little while.
“You still up for helping me tonight?” Dax asked, slouched down in the chair in front of him.
Chris had completely forgotten he’d agreed to help Dax put together a playset for his daughter, Autumn. Dax had promised a home-cooked meal and beer, a hard offer to refuse for a bachelor who mostly existed on freezer meals and takeout.
“Yeah, of course,” Chris said with more enthusiasm than he felt.
In truth, he wanted to get home and see what Tori was doing, but she was probably hiding out in the master bedroom. She’d made it clear she wanted to be left alone and as far away from his room as possible. She’d get her wish tonight. Tomorrow he’d figure out some way to show her how he felt. Damn, he was bad at this. He had no idea what he was doing. Working for the attention of a woman was out of his comfort zone.
CHAPTER NINE
“Can I get up now?” Autumn asked as she sat across from Tori on the front lawn.
“Just another minute. Put your hands in the bucket and let the sand glide through your fingers.”
Tori watched as Autumn hesitantly placed her hands in the bucket, took a deep breath, and scooped up just a tiny bit of sand in each. Playing in a sandbox might not seem like a big deal to most kids, but Autumn struggled with the grainy texture. If she could overcome her aversion, that was another opportunity for her to join the kids at school, which she desperately wanted.
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