Chapter 10
Gage
Monday came all too soon. I didn’t want it to, not after two amazing dates with Logan. I’d rather have gone on another date with him than attended the standard Monday meeting.
My mind kept flitting back to the last kiss we’d shared. Damn, I loved kissing that man. The taste of him, the way he practically purred, it lingered on my skin. There was something inherently delightful about kissing when your partner was so obviously enjoying it.
I might have regretted, a little, not sucking Logan off after our last date.
He’d made it quite difficult for me to keep my hands to myself.
I kept up my mantra in my head, because I truly wanted an emotional connection established before we pushed anything further.
Goddamn, that sexy ass man did not make it easy.
“—in wrap-up stage,” Riggs said with authority, flicking a page on his ever-present tablet. “I think the Casteo house will be finished in two weeks. Asher?”
“Yup, mostly on my end now, although I have a checklist for Cohen which needs to be done.”
I zoned out again when I realized none of this had anything to do with me. I got to see Logan again tonight, which hadn’t made Riggs happy, as I was skipping DnD, but priorities. My attention kept going back to Logan and the date we’d planned. Would it be too soon to jump him?
Ugh, probably. I did not like the whole being-a-responsible-adult thing I’d saddled myself with. Couldn’t I be completely irresponsible for a minute? Just so I could get the man naked and in bed with me?
No, I couldn’t risk it. I did not want to start us off on the wrong foot, especially now, when things were going oh so well.
I was doodling on my iPad when I heard certain key words come out of Shanice’s mouth.
“—framers’ boss is asking if they can come in and redo the work instead of paying us. I told him I’d get back to him, but I have a gut feeling you guys will say no.”
Sounded like I needed to pay attention. I looked up, already shaking my head. “He signed off on the job as being done before I went to go take a look, so no, I don’t trust this man. He’s trying to wiggle free, is all.”
“That’s what I thought you’d say.” Shanice pursed her lips and she made a note.
How, I did not know, as her fingernails were a good two inches long.
How did women work with those nails? “I don’t trust him either, so I’ll send a follow-up message saying he’s got until end of Friday to pay us.
After that, I take him to small claims court. ”
Riggs moved the meeting along, shoving his glasses up a little farther on his nose as he spoke.
“Just keep me updated. I have a new crew scheduled to come in, rip everything out, and rebuild the frame on Thursday. It has delayed the project a little, but not too bad, and I think we’ll still be done in October.
Just not the first week of October. Gage, your next project is the Lafferty home. ”
I nodded, having anticipated he’d bring up the project. “I go there later today. The house is very old and has gone through at least three documented renovations, so I’m expecting all sorts of fun surprises. Cohen’s coming with me to do an inspection, so we’ll know what we’re diving into.”
Asher lifted a hand. “Did they decide if they’re doing a full reno or a two-stage one?”
“Full reno,” Riggs answered. “Mr. Lafferty came into some inheritance this month and is choosing to get the whole house done rather than wait.”
The house in question was the family home, a very old Italianate house from 1842, with an addition that had been added on to the back for a full-sized kitchen.
It had the heavy cornice work and big brackets so well known for the style, still intact.
The family had done a good job keeping up with repairs.
Some parts of the roof needed an overhaul—not unusual with roofs of that style—and some woodwork on the trim needed to happen because of all the dry rot.
Still, the house was now basically a hundred and eighty years old. Who knew what all was hidden in the walls.
Asher smiled, appearing hopeful. “Can I come with you? I want to see it and get some ideas for colors and whatnot.”
“Sure.” I’d figured he’d want a walk-through at some point. “In that case, Cohen, you’re driving.”
He shrugged, knowing he was the one with the king cab on his truck. “Fine by me.”
“I want a solid estimation of the work when you have it.” Riggs looked as if he didn’t trust us, which based on history was fair. “I know they’re wanting back in before snow hits, but I wasn’t sure if we could promise that. We’re juggling multiple projects as it is.”
“Truly.” Cohen made a face. “I’m not sure how feasible that is either. Depends on what the structure is doing. That back kitchen is looking really…slanty.”
Uh-oh. I hadn’t seen the house in person, just pictures. “How slanty?”
“If you set a marble down by the door in the kitchen, it’ll be out the door before you can catch it.”
“That slanty, huh? Uh-oh.”
Asher mused aloud, “Bet you anything this was a porch originally, then renovated over into a kitchen.”
“That’s worse.” Porches weren’t built with the same kind of support a kitchen needed. Kitchens were heavy, especially modern ones. If this was a “Honey, I fixed it!” type of porch, it likely didn’t have the right beams or footings in place.
Damn, it was going to take time if we had to rebuild the kitchen from scratch. Time we might not have.
“Let me know,” Riggs repeated. “ASAP, if possible, because I need to schedule that house out. For now, any other questions?”
We all shook our heads.
“Dismissed.”
I stood but my brain was already on potential problems. “Asher, Cohen, can you leave now for the house?”
“I mean, I want my laptop first, but sure,” Asher said.
Cohen shrugged. “I’m topping off my coffee. Meet you at the truck.”
My phone dinged with an incoming message. I checked it automatically, then groaned.
Mom: Did you pay the mortgage yet?
I growled under my breath, frustrated as I typed out my response. Your mortgage, your money, pay your damn bills yourself. I’m not responsible for you.
Then I muted her chat. I couldn’t believe she still tried to treat me like her husband. I wasn’t responsible for paying her bills!
Logan would be proud of me for sticking to my boundary. I was proud of me, for that matter.
Shaking the message off, I focused on work, not wanting to keep the other two waiting.
We all grabbed things and met at the truck, with Asher playing nice enough to sit in the back to accommodate my long legs. Cohen typed the address into the GPS and we were off.
I received another text, but this time it was one I felt happy to see.
Kryptonite: Tonight still good?
Me: Still good. Can’t wait to see you
Kryptonite: Me too. Day feels like it’s dragging, waiting to see you
Asher leaned between the seats, and much like a gremlin starting mischief, said, “Soooooo? Things are still going well, clearly, and I’m too impatient to wait until DnD tonight to drag out all the details.”
“I’m not going tonight. I have a date.”
“Now I really demand details if you’re skipping.”
I was more than happy to dish them out. “Things with Logan are fantastic. In fact, it’s our third date.”
I didn’t think either man expected that, as they both sort of took a second, absorbing my words.
Asher recovered first, his voice rising with excitement. “Really?! Wow, you’ve not had a third date with someone in ages. All right, so what’s he like?”
How did you sum up someone like Logan? It felt like an impossible task.
“Genuine. I think that’s the best overall description of him.
He’s just true to everything. If he likes something, he’s not apologetic about it.
If he gives advice, he gives the best advice he can.
If he’s with you on a date, he’s very present in the moment.
I honestly enjoy his company and want more of it. ”
“Wow.” Cohen tapped the steering wheel as if he were playing victory music in his head. “Now that’s the best praise I’ve ever heard you give. No wonder you’ve got a third date set up already.”
“We’ve got tons in common, too. Same hobbies, to start with. He’s eager to join us for the one-shot next week.”
“We’ll make room at the table,” Cohen promised. “I’d love to get to know him better.”
“He’s worth knowing. Even if we don’t work out as a couple, we’ve got to keep him as a friend.”
“That said…” Asher poked me in the shoulder. “Sex?”
“Haven’t had sex yet.”
“Woah, really? You’re not doing that to spite me and the bet, I hope.”
“Pffft, I do not live to spite you, Ash.”
“Liiiiies.”
I ignored him. “We both made the decision—no sex yet. We want to see if we can build a relationship, and I need this to not be hookup territory. I’m glad we had our first date without sex involved. Instead, I spent time getting to know him.”
“Okay, fair. I can see why you made the choice. Nothing wrong with it,” Asher said.
“Yeah. That said, he’s hot as fuck, and I really want my hands on him.” I bit my lip and almost didn’t say it, but let’s face it, I needed to share and I could say practically anything to these two. “I, uh, I’m getting top vibes from Logan.”
Cohen nodded as we hit the freeway. “Yeah, same.”
So I wasn’t the only one? “I know this sounds insane, but I’m seriously considering bottoming for him.”
“Whoa,” Asher breathed, his expression stunned.
I understood his reaction and didn’t know what to say. Just shrugged.
“Okay, no, let’s pause here,” Asher insisted. “After your history of bottoming, I thought you wouldn’t even consider trying again. He’s not pressuring you, right?”
“Oh, no,” I said hastily, reassuring him. I could see why he’d ask. “We haven’t talked about sex at all, except agreeing we both wanted to date a while first. He’s not pressuring me or even hinting. That’s not why.”
Cohen cast me a quick glance, expression pensive. “Why is he different, then?”