13. Harle
HARLE
I hefted the axe, bringing it down with a satisfying thunk on the log in front of me. Sweat trickled down my back, soaking my shirt as I worked. The rhythmic chopping usually cleared my head, but today it wasn’t doing the trick. As if anything could.
That kiss with Cassidy kept replaying in my mind. The softness of her lips, the way her body fit against mine, the little gasp she’d made when I’d pulled her close. It was driving me fucking crazy.
I grabbed another log, setting it on the stump with more force than necessary. This arrangement was supposed to be simple. Help her have a baby, no strings attached. But now? Now I couldn’t stop thinking about her.
The axe came down again, splitting the wood clean in two. I tossed the pieces aside and reached for another log.
“Get it together, Robson,” I muttered to myself, lining up my next swing.
But it was no use. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Cassidy’s face, felt the ghost of her touch. The way she’d looked at me before we kissed, all wide-eyed and wanting. It was enough to make a man lose his mind.
I swung the axe again, harder this time. The satisfying crack of wood splitting did nothing to ease the tension burning in my gut. I needed to focus, to remember why we’d agreed this was a bad idea. But all I could think about was how right it had felt to hold her. How badly I wanted to fuck her.
I heard my phone ping and glanced at the screen. Cassidy’s car was approaching the gate. My heart rate picked up, and I wiped the sweat from my brow with the back of my hand. I pressed the button to open the gate, then turned back to the woodpile.
Grabbing the axe, I resumed my work. The rhythmic thunk of metal on wood filled the air as I tried to focus on the task at hand. But knowing Cassidy was on her way had my nerves jangling.
Hearing the crunch of tires on gravel, I kept swinging the axe, determined to look casual. Natural. Like I hadn’t been thinking about all the things I wanted to do to her since our kiss.
The car door slammed shut. Footsteps approached. The door knocker clattered.
I yanked off my work gloves and shoved them in my back pocket, wiping my hands on my jeans. My heart hammered as I walked through the house to the door. Reaching for the door handle, I took a moment to close my eyes and get my shit together.
Then I pulled the door open and there she was. Cassidy. Looking gorgeous and a little uncertain, her green eyes meeting mine.
“Hey,” she said softly, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.
My heart tripped at the sight of her. Damn, she was beautiful. I wanted nothing more than to pull her into my arms and kiss her senseless. But I couldn’t. We’d agreed this was a bad idea. I had to keep hammering that knowledge home to make it sink into my brain.
“Hi,” I managed, my voice rougher than I intended. I cleared my throat. “Come on in.”
She hesitated for a moment before stepping inside. The scent of her perfume hit me as she brushed past, making my head spin. I closed the door behind her, trying to ignore how right it felt to have her in my home again.
“How are you?” I asked, desperate to break the tension.
She turned to face me, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. “I’m good. You?”
“Can’t complain.” I gestured toward the kitchen. “Want some water before you…? Or coffee?”
Cassidy nodded. “Um, sure. Water would be great, thanks.”
I headed for the kitchen, grateful for the chance to put some space between us. But even with my back turned, I could feel her presence, electric and undeniable.
I grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator and left it on the bench, not even trusting myself to get close enough to hand it to her. “Everything you need is in the bedroom. I’ll be outside.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
Without looking back at her, I stalked out of the house, back to the wood pile.