Chapter 4 #2
I was doing one last round when I heard the back door to the shop open. I looked over to find Belle standing in the space we'd marked for the patio. There was soft dirt under her feet.
"What are you doing?" I stalked toward her, wondering why I couldn't just shout at her from afar. Why did I feel the need to get closer?
"I wanted to check in with you and see how things are going.
" She stood in her sensible flats, a corduroy skirt, and a yellow cardigan over a ruffled green shirt.
Her legs were encased in tights to protect her from the cold.
She looked cute and utterly delectable. I wanted to rip off those tights and discover if she wore panties under that skirt.
I stopped a few feet short of her and crossed my arms over my chest. "You shouldn't be outside. You're not wearing proper equipment."
She looked around, her arms folded over her chest. "I need a hard hat? Your crew is gone for the day."
I inclined my head toward her feet. "Boots at a bare minimum."
She tipped her head to the side, considering me. "Are you going to answer me?"
A muscle in my jaw ticked. "Work is good."
"You're a man of many words," she said dryly.
"We haven't run into any issues. Is that what you wanted to hear?" I growled, my heart beating hard.
She sighed. "I guess I thought there would be more collaboration."
"This is a patio, not a kitchen renovation. You gave me your plans, and my job is to make them real. There's no need to discuss fixtures or paint color."
"I wasn't sure what to expect. I've never done anything like this before. It's a big job." She looked out over the property.
I softened. "You're in good hands with me."
Her gaze landed on me. "Am I?"
"I'm the best in the area when it comes to stonework."
She chewed her lip.
"I'll clean up and get out of your hair. But we'll be here tomorrow bright and early."
Her brows rose. "On a Saturday?"
I gestured at the shop. "You're working, aren't you?"
"Well, yeah, Saturdays are a big deal for retail. But I didn't think construction workers worked weekends."
"I want to get the work done. I have other projects lined up." Then I wouldn't have to work so hard to ignore the shop owner.
She flinched, but I refused to feel badly that she'd taken it the way she had. It was easier to avoid her and these pesky feelings if I wasn't nice to her. She'd remember that I was a jerk and avoid me.
"It will go more quickly if there aren't any half-naked women on my job site."
She rolled her eyes. "So you've said."
"It bears repeating. I don't want anyone to get hurt." I wasn't sure why I was bringing it up again, except I couldn't stop thinking about how she looked.
She just stared at me as if she was a kid who was unimpressed with her father's use of the word no. Probably because I kept offering excuses instead of sticking to the boundary I'd set.
I rolled my shoulders back. "Hopefully, the noise hasn't deterred your customers."
She smiled. "The kids enjoy watching the backhoes and other equipment."
"I'm glad we could entertain them." I didn't care if the kids enjoyed watching us. I only cared that it made Belle happy. I wasn't supposed to be making her happy outside of the job I completed.
"I won't keep you. I'm so excited to see it all come together. The patio, the fountain… I can see the chairs and tables now. The people sitting and sipping their lattes and reading. It's going to be everything I've ever wanted."
I raised a brow, wanting to know more about her. "You've always wanted a patio?"
Her eyes shone with excitement. "I've always wanted to own a place where people could come and browse books, maybe read on a comfortable chair, or sit outside and enjoy the sun. A place where people can gather."
She had a way of making people share her vision, and I wanted to make it perfect for her.
"I almost forgot. I'm wondering if it's too late to add a fireplace to this area." She moved toward the space that was staked out for the four-seasons room. "Maybe here. And it could be two-sided. Or would that make the room too cold?"
My jaw tightened. "Probably."
"Hmm. Could we add a fireplace out here? I was reviewing at the designs you posted on your site—"
"You checked out my portfolio?" I couldn't help but ask, intrigued that she'd searched my work.
"Well, yeah. You're building me a patio. I wanted to see what was possible."
I cleared my throat, remembering my role. "What did I tell you about additions after the work started?"
Her nose wrinkled. "You wouldn't be happy about it, but you're always grumpy. Is this really going to make a difference in your countenance?"
She had me there. The fact that she was speaking to me had elevated my blood pressure. I ignored the voice inside me that said it had nothing to do with irritation or even anger. I wanted this woman, and a part of me was starting to tire of ignoring it. "Any additions delay the project."
Her lower lip protruded into a pout. "But this is my dream. And I want to do it right."
I raised a brow. "If a fireplace was your dream, why wasn't it in the original plans? You framed your designs on the wall, and there's no fireplace in them."
Her lips quirked. "You're right about that. It was something that just came to me. This is a Christmas-themed town. I'm sure it won't be hard to convince Eve that it's something we have to include."
I sighed. "You're used to getting what you want, aren't you?"
This time her smile was wide. "Actually, I'm not. But I'm finding that I get more of what I want when I'm really clear about it."
"If you get it approved, then we can add it." I hadn't even started work on that room yet. It would be easy to add.
She squealed and jumped at me, her arms going around my neck.
I'd like to say she knocked the wind out of me, but she wasn't that heavy. It was more like the air was lodged in my chest and I couldn't get it out. Her chest was pressed against mine, but the worse part was that she'd managed to wrap her legs around me, and my dick was reacting to her softness.
She squeezed me tight, and I didn't know what to do with my arms. Before I could act, she let go and dropped to the ground. "Sorry about that."
"Are you?" I was fairly sure she was doing stuff to drive me crazy at this point. What did she think was going to happen when she wrapped her arms and legs around me like a koala?
There was that pesky voice again, saying she felt soft and warm, that she was someone I wanted to bury myself inside of.
She smiled as she waved a hand in my general direction. "You can't bring me down."
There was something about her joy that tugged me out of my usual state, which was focus, concentration, and grouchiness. I liked being grumpy. It kept people away from me. And it used to work on her, but it didn't seem to anymore.
"Get it approved." I turned and walked away. I couldn't be in her presence. She was like a fairy who used her wings to spread magic. I needed to stay out of her reach.