“Okay. I’ll run to the store after work,” he said easily, his dimple reappearing as he grinned at me.
“You look familiar,” I blurted out. If he were surprised by the sudden change in conversation, he didn’t let it show. “I don’t know. I just feel like I’ve seen you before. Are you from around here?” I asked. I wasn’t sure why I was still talking to him, asking him questions when I should be getting back to work, but it was something that had been niggling the back of my mind since I’d first met him.
“No, I’m originally from Boston. I just got here yesterday, but I think I may have seen you at the truck stop last night. I was there having dinner,” he answered.
“Yeah, maybe that’s it,” I replied. “Alright, well, I’m gonna head back around to the bait shop. Come on over when you’re done, and we can get started.”
“Actually, I only have these,” he said, holding up the suitcase and leather bag he held in his hands. “Give me just a second to put them in my room and I’ll go with you.”
I could’ve used a few moments to myself to get my head on straight, but I couldn’t very well say that to him, so I simply nodded instead. He gave me a cautious smile and then walked further into the room. I caught a whiff of something as he brushed by me. I wasn’t sure if it was his body wash or some type of cologne, but it was woodsy and masculine, and my cock stirred inside my jeans.
I stared after him as he walked down the hallway and into his bedroom. What was it about him that had me feeling all off-kilter? I didn’t normally pay that much attention to other people, preferring to keep my distance, but there was something about Jeremy O’Brien that I found intriguing.
I picked up the dustpan and dumped its contents in the trash, then I put the broom away and rinsed my hands in the sink. It would have to do since there was no soap available. I was just drying my hands off on the legs of my jeans when Jeremy reappeared.
“Okay, I’m all set,” he said. “You want me to drive?” I looked out the front window at the Jeep sitting there.
“Um, that’s okay. We better take my truck. We have some brush to move and we’ll need the bed to put it in,” I explained.
He followed me out onto the porch and I pulled a set of keys out of my pocket, handing them to him while avoiding his gaze. “These are yours,” I murmured, dropping them into his open palm.
I couldn’t help but notice how big his hand was and it sent a chill through me. Whether it was from fear or something else, I couldn’t be sure, but I took an instinctive step back. Hands that big could do a lot of damage, but something about Jeremy’s friendly demeanor told me that he would be the type to keep a tight rein on his anger. Of course, I knew better than most that looks could be deceiving.
I looked up and saw his brow furrow as he stared back at me. His eyes pierced through me and I suddenly felt very exposed, so I spun on my heel and darted down the steps, not bothering to stop until I was in my truck with the door shut.
Jeremy locked up and then climbed in next to me. I cranked my window down and turned the radio up to deter any conversation, then I backed out of his driveway and began making the slow trek around the lake.
The sun glinted off the windshield as I pulled to a stop outside the shop. “Hang tight, I’ll be right back,” I told him. I left the truck running as I opened my door and got out. After a quick dash inside, I returned.
“It’s gonna be a hot one and we have a lot of work to do. Thought you might get thirsty,” I said, tossing one of the water bottles to him. He caught it easily and grinned at me. I’d never seen anyone who smiled as much as he did, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.
“Thanks,” he said. “So, what’s first on our to-do list?” he asked cheerfully.
“Gotta get rid of a dead tree,” I answered.
I pulled around to the shed where Edith kept all the equipment for yard work, and we grabbed a couple of shovels and an ax, which we loaded into the back of the truck. Once we reached the entrance to the lake, we gathered the equipment and set about removing the small tree.
It’d been dead for quite a while and had begun to hollow so it didn’t take much for me to chip away at it with the ax. Soon enough, it fell to the ground and Jeremy pulled it over and tossed it into the back of the truck. He returned a few minutes later and helped me shovel, until we were able to remove the stump. He took that to the truck too while I used dirt from around the area to fill in the hole. I didn’t want anyone stepping in it and breaking their leg, and Edith certainly didn’t need a lawsuit.
We were both sweating by the time we were finished and had loaded everything back into the truck. We had worked silently, for which I was grateful. I was afraid Jeremy would want to talk the whole time, but he seemed just as caught up in his own thoughts as I was.
Jeremy grabbed his water and drank it down quickly, emptying the bottle. I tried to ignore him, but as I drank my own, he lifted the hem of his shirt and used it to swipe the sweat off his brow. I was suddenly being treated to the view of a firm, washboard stomach and a line of auburn hair that trailed down until it disappeared beneath the waistband of his jeans. My mouth watered at the sight and I had to force myself to turn away when I felt myself growing hard. This is bad. It’s so bad.
I tossed my empty bottle into the back of the truck, angry with myself. I’d never experienced that level of attraction to anyone else. It was instant, it was powerful, and there was no way in hell I could ever act on it.
“Hurry up! We have a lot left to do and we’re wasting daylight,” I snapped at him. His head shot up, no doubt surprised by the sharp tone of my voice, but I ignored him and got in the truck.
Neither of us spoke as we unloaded the tree onto the brush pile, but every so often, I could see Jeremy watching me out of the corner of my eye. I knew my behavior had to be confusing to him, but I had no explanation to offer. My reaction to him was confusing to me as well.
We spent the rest of the morning weed-eating the back half of the lake. It was impossible to talk over the sound of the loud motors, which was fine with me. I set Jeremy up on the left half while I focused on the right. We moved away from each other and with every step, I could feel it getting easier to breathe. I let myself get caught up in the task at hand and by the time I was finished, I was feeling more like myself again.
“Are we doing the front half next?” Jeremy asked as I picked up the extra lines and the small red gas can that I’d left along the bank.
“No, I just did it a couple of days ago. It doesn’t need it yet. Let’s take a break, get some lunch and then we’ll get back to it,” I said.
“That sounds good. I’m starving. So, where do you want to go? The food at the truck stop seemed pretty good,” he suggested.
“Actually, I’m just gonna go over to my place and have a sandwich. I’ll meet you back here in an hour,” I told him.
Jeremy nodded his head, but I could see his face fall as he turned to walk away, and I realized I actually felt bad for the guy. After all, he was new to the area. He didn’t know anyone, and it wasn’t like he had any food at his own place to eat. I rolled my eyes and let out a sigh as I called him back. He turned and looked at me expectantly.
“Come on, I’ve got enough for both of us,” I told him. I watched as he started to smile, but then it faded.
“Are you sure? I don’t want to impose on you,” he asked hesitantly.
Warning bells were going off inside my head and I knew I should tell him to forget it, but I heard myself saying something else entirely. “I’m sure. Let’s go before Edith starts yelling at us to get back to work,” I joked.
Jeremy’s face lit up and that damn dimple came back out to play when he smiled. I swallowed hard and turned my back to him as we put the equipment in the back of the truck, then drove over to my cabin.
“The bathroom’s right down the hall, same as yours, if you’d like to wash up,” I said nervously.
“Thanks,” he replied.
I turned and went to
the kitchen, tossing my keys onto the small table. I washed my hands in the sink and then towel dried them, twisting the fabric tightly in my fists to try and stop them from shaking. I had never had anyone in my cabin before and I wasn’t sure I was comfortable having a man like Jeremy invading my personal space. But I’d invited him, and I couldn’t very well go back on that decision. Not when he’d given me no reason to kick him out.
I busied myself with pulling lunch meat and mustard out of the fridge, then grabbed the loaf of bread and a bag of chips and laid everything out on the table. I was just pulling a couple of plates out of the cabinet when Jeremy walked in.
“I wasn’t sure what you wanted to drink. I have water, milk, and tea,” I offered, trying to sound like I had company over every day.
“Water’s fine, thank you,” he answered. I grabbed two bottles of water out of the fridge and set them on the table and then gestured for him to have a seat.
“I know, it’s not much, but help yourself,” I told him.
“This is perfect, actually,” he said sincerely. I looked down at the meager spread and then gave him a look that said I thought he was crazy. He laughed, and the sound sent a wave of desire through me. It was rich and smooth, like melted chocolate or warm honey.
“I meant the fact that I have company and don’t have to eat alone for a change,” he clarified. He smiled at me, but I thought I saw a hint of sadness in his eyes. I cleared my throat as I looked away, focusing my attention on making a sandwich.
“How long have you worked here?” Jeremy asked as we started to eat. My eyes shot to his and I wondered why he wanted to know, but I only saw a friendly curiosity in his gaze.
“About two years,” I said with a shrug.
“You like it?” I finished chewing the bite in my mouth before answering.
“Yeah, I guess so. Edith is a good boss and the work is alright,” I told him, stiffly.
“She’s definitely…something,” Jeremy said with a chuckle and I joined in.
Soon, we were both laughing as I regaled him with stories of some of the crazier things I’d seen her do. When we stopped, I was surprised to see that it had been an entire hour. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d spent that much time talking to someone else, but more than that, I’d been having fun. The feeling was so foreign to me that it left me momentarily stunned.
“We probably better get back to work. Now that I know more about Edith, I definitely don’t want to get on her bad side,” Jeremy joked as he stood up and began cleaning up the table.
“Yeah, I wouldn’t either, but on the flip side, there’s no one better to have in your corner,” I told him. He stared at me for a long moment.
“I’m glad you’ve got her in your corner,” he said quietly.
I wanted to ask him what he meant by that, but he turned and walked away before I got the chance.
I woke up before my alarm clock and pulled on a T-shirt and some sleep pants before wandering out to the kitchen. Edith had told me about a little town a few miles down the road and I’d gone there after work to pick up some groceries and a couple of items I would need for my stay at the cabin. At the top of that list was a coffee pot. I would need some of the strong brew if I was going to make it through another grueling day of hard work.
Not that I minded. I’d always been a very physically active person. I loved to feel my lungs burning and my muscles being stretched to their limits. When I was traveling, I usually took advantage of the fitness centers in the hotels where I stayed. If one wasn’t available, I’d go for a run.
None of that compared to the hard labor I’d done the day before. Not only had we removed the dead tree and done the weed-eating, but later we had also sanded down and stained the dock near the bait shop. It had worked a completely different set of muscles and I’d loved every minute of it.
I moved around the small kitchen space, making myself some scrambled egg whites and a piece of whole grain toast. Once I had my food plated up, I grabbed my cup of coffee and headed out to the front porch to enjoy my breakfast while watching the sun rise.
The porch wasn’t very big, but there were two chairs with a small table between them and I sat in one and leaned back, propping my bare feet up on the railing. I ate to the sound of frogs chirping and the occasional rustling of something in the woods behind me. When I was finished, I set my empty plate aside and rested the warm cup on my lap as I stared up at the stars. They lulled me into a peaceful state and I let my mind wander to the reason I was there.
Working with Zach had been interesting, to say the least. He’d spent the morning withdrawn, sticking to business and making it clear that he wasn’t interested in getting to know me. I’d tried relentlessly to get him to open up to me, but he’d refused, answering my questions with short, clipped answers.
Therefore, I’d been shocked when he’d invited me to have lunch with him in his cabin. He became even more guarded when we got inside, and I wondered if he regretted his decision. But after some gentle coaxing from me, eventually he relaxed, and I’d found myself caught up in the sound of his laughter and the sparkle in his eyes as he shared funny stories about our boss.
After lunch, he’d retreated back into himself, and not wanting to push too hard, I’d decided to give him some space. We’d worked quietly beside each other the rest of the afternoon as we’d sanded and stained the dock and then he’d dropped me off at my cabin and driven away.
As the sun began to make its appearance, a movement down at the water caught my attention and pulled me from my thoughts. I dropped my legs to the floor and leaned forward in my chair when I realized it was Zach. He swam out to the middle of the lake then stopped, and I watched as he leaned back and began floating on the surface of the water. His arms were stretched out at his sides and he looked completely at peace, not at all like the guarded man I’d worked with the day before.
I watched him for several minutes and then went back inside, feeling strangely guilty for invading his privacy. The irony wasn’t lost on me, given the fact that I was there to learn all I could about him and determine his true identity. But I’d read his file. I knew the injuries that had put him in the hospital, not to mention all the ones that came before. For someone to go through so much at such a young age and still be able to find peace seemed a miracle of sorts, and I refused to violate that peace any more than I had to.
After taking a shower, I pulled on some clothes and brushed my teeth then I went to the kitchen to clean up my mess. I was staring out the window and drying the last dish when I saw Zach walk out his door and climb in his truck. I hurried to put the dishes away and then left my cabin for another day of work.
“Good morning!” Edith called out as I walked into the bait shop a few minutes later. This time her hands were in a bucket of worms and she looked up at me with a grin. “I see you survived your first day.”
“Yes, ma’am, I did. And I even came back for more,” I answered her with a chuckle.
“Just can’t help yourself, can you?” she asked. It hit me then that I’d called her ma’am again. I opened my mouth to apologize, but she held her hand up to stop me.
“I know you didn’t mean any disrespect, I was just messing with you,” she laughed. “My husband was a military man too. He called everyone sir and ma’am, so believe me, I get it.”
“I’m trying not to, I swear. Some things are just so strongly ingrained, you know?” I shrugged my shoulders. She regarded me for several seconds and then nodded her head with a smile.
“I know,” she responded, turning back to the wriggling mass of worms in front of her. “Anyway, I’m glad you’re still here. Zach told me you’re a really hard worker, so I’d hate to lose you,” she informed me, closing the lid on the bucket.
“He did?” I asked. Edith glanced up when she heard the surprise in my voice.
“Yes. Does that surprise you?” she asked.
“Actually, it kind of does,” I answered honestly.
“Well, I trus
t his opinion, so if he says you’re doing a good job, then you are,” she said matter-of-factly.
I was shocked that Zach had said anything about me at all, but I felt myself smiling as I looked around for the man. “Speaking of Zach, where is he? I saw his truck outside.”
“He’s seeing what paint supplies we still have,” Edith answered. “I need you boys to go to the hardware store and get whatever we don’t have so you can start painting all the picnic tables. We’ve gotta get this place looking good for Memorial Day.”
“Okay. I’ll go out and see if he needs any help,” I offered.
The door opened just then, and two fishermen walked in. Edith waved me off and I headed out the door in search of Zach. I saw him coming out of the shed as I approached.
“Morning!” I called out to him, not wanting to startle him for the second day in a row. His head popped up at the sound of my voice. For just a second, he looked almost happy to see me, but then, I watched as the mask went firmly back in place.
“Hey,” he mumbled.
“I hear we’re painting today,” I said, hoping my cheerfulness would pull him out of his shell a bit.
“Yeah. Got to head to the hardware store first for some supplies. You can just wait here if you want. I won’t be gone long,” Zach suggested.
I wasn’t going to be dismissed that easily though. I needed to spend more time with him if I was going to determine his true identity. At least that’s the reason I gave myself. In truth, I’d enjoyed being around him the day before. He was a nice guy, intelligent with a good sense of humor. Even when we were quietly working side by side, it had been nice to have someone near.
“No, that’s okay. I’ll go with you. It’s not like I have anything else to do,” I said, shrugging my shoulders casually.
“Fine, we’ll take my truck.” I heard him sigh and I had to fight to hide my smile as I followed him across the parking lot.
We were quiet as we drove to the hardware store, and even while we gathered several brushes and sandpaper then waited for the man at the counter to mix our paint. So, I was surprised on the way back to the lake when Zach spoke up.
Found_Hamilton's Heroes series Page 4
