Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
Aaron
“What are you working on?” I glance over my shoulder just as Amanda sits down at her desk. I notice the way she has the top two buttons of her shirt open, and when she leans in, her shirt gapes a little.
“The financials for the Grandview project,” I say, looking back to the screen.
Amanda is a little flirtatious, she was during her interview and has been every day since. She isn’t shy about it, she likes the attention.
She is also about ten years older than me, has two kids from a failed marriage, and is waiting for her second divorce to be finalized.
She is also very good at her job, which is why I ignore the lingering stares and the flaunting she does around the office.
Truth is I’m not around enough, doing most of my work from my home office.
When I’m not behind the desk wrapping up paperwork, I am on the job.
I love getting my hands dirty and will never be one of those company owners that isn’t out in the field with my guys.
I am and will always be hands on.
“Need any help?” she asks, leaning over and pulling off her heels. This only opens up the view of her tits as she lingers there a little longer than needed, rubbing her feet.
“I’ve got it handled,” I assure her, piling the papers and placing them into a file before closing my laptop.
“Actually just finished up,” I lie. “I’ll be out over the next several days, so if anything comes up, text or call.
I’ve got to follow up on a few projects, Dad is tied up at the convention in Houston. ”
Thankfully he decided to go and leave me behind this year.
“I’m gonna head home and get some shut-eye before I go out to the site by five tomorrow.”
Amanda literally pouts. “Sure you don’t want to stick around? I just ordered takeout. I’m more than willing to share.”
I know what she’s hoping for, but I follow one rule when it comes to work. I never, and I do mean never, cross the line between professional and personal.
“You enjoy your dinner,” I tell her as I stand and grab my bag. “I’ve already got plans.” Which I don’t, nothing more than cold beer and cold pizza, while finishing up the last of my paperwork before going to bed.
I offer her a nod, and she watches me leave.
Making it to my truck I toss everything into the passenger seat and start the engine as my phone beeps.
Chelsea: I wanted to tell you that I had a really nice time the other night. Hope we can hang out again real soon.
It isn’t her, it’s me. I have no idea what in the hell I’m doing. Why I preferred a woman that wants nothing to do with me and would rather argue and tell me all the reasons why we aren’t a good fit, more than being with one that is interested.
It would be easy with Chelsea. Besides her pushy interfering mother that is.
There wouldn’t be a constant back and forth, there would be calm.
The problem is, I am not wired for calm.
I can’t sit still, I’ve never been able to.
I choose not to respond, not now anyway. Instead I take the long way out of Montgomery, driving past Kendall’s father’s shop, hoping she’d be in sight. But it’s always the same thing, a shop full of guys, making it difficult to get her alone.
She is the only one of the girls that hasn’t moved to Hudson. She keeps her home life pretty quiet. Besides the crazy ass stories I’ve heard about her insane nosy neighbor.
I do know she rents a house on the east side of town, but that’s about all.
I turn up the radio as I head out of the city toward home.
My family owns a big piece of land right at the edge of Hudson.
Over seventy acres, where my parents built their home and there are several large buildings for equipment and materials to be stored.
It is the hub for the heart of O’Shay Construction.
But we do have the office in Montgomery.
That is where we meet with clients and handle all the office tasks.
Coming up over the hill, the lights highlighting the front of my parents’ house set by timers, come into view.
Rounding the corner, instead of turning right into the drive leading up to their house, I continue on and make the first left after.
I purposely chose the location when I was offered the piece of land.
It has three hills hiding the house built into the third one.
From theirs they could see the peak of my roof, and the backside of the upper level.
The layout puts my bedroom in the front, giving me privacy from prying eyes.
I love my mother, but at times she can be too involved in my personal life.
Hitting the button on my visor, the garage door starts to rise and I pull into the space next to my four-wheeler and a couple dirt bikes. A big kid at heart, I love to play when time allows.
Flipping on the light as I step inside I lay my bag on the counter and go for the refrigerator.
Pulling out the pizza box I grab a beer and make my way to the couch.
Turning on the television I stop on the news channel and toss it back down.
Staring at the pizza, I’m suddenly no longer hungry.
I grab my beer and lean back against the cushions.
Closing my eyes I am thrust back to the night I shared with Kendall. One single night that has been playing on repeat in my mind. A night that changed the trajectory of my life. Rerouting me in a direction I never thought I’d be going. Chasing a woman that seems to want anything but to be caught.
And I can’t let go.
I can’t accept that our night was that, only a once in a lifetime thing.
She walked away and I was left standing there feeling as though the ground was still moving beneath my feet.
I’ve never been the guy to not get something I wanted. Nothing has been handed to me, I worked for everything I have. But this, her, I have no idea how to get around the resistance. I swear the minute she sees me coming she is pulling on the armor, ready to shield herself from every advance.
How did we get here?
How did we get to the place that just me being near her sets everything inside of me on fire?