Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 68004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Matthew used the towel he had hanging across the back of his neck to wipe the sweat away from his face. Partially closing the billow, he lowered the flames as he turned the metal rod in them.
“I’m beat.”
Matthew spared a brief glance at Isaac, who was laying a completed iron spike on a worktable.
“Go ahead and go. I’m almost finished with this one.”
“You sure?” Isaac asked, using his own towel to wipe the sweat running down his chest.
“I’m sure. I’ve got it. This finishes the order—”
A knock at the door had them both turning their heads. Usually, everyone just walked inside.
“Come in,” Isaac called out.
Matthew held his breath, hoping it was who he thought it was. And when Alanna walked inside, the tight restriction in his chest eased.
“I was beginning to think you wouldn’t come.” Turning back to the iron spoke, he put the tube that controlled the blower in his mouth to continue twirling the end of the spoke in the flames in series of quick jerks with one leather-gloved hand, while using a sculpting tool to make the indentions he wanted in the iron.
“You can sit here.” Matthew heard Isaac showing her where to sit. “I was just leaving,” he told her. “Matthew won’t be long. He’s just finishing the last one we need to get done.”
“I can come back later. I don’t want to disturb his work.”
“You’re good. We’re used to having someone around. Fynn just left. He got a one hundred on his science exam, so he wanted to show it off. There are drinks in the cooler next you. Help yourself.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Matthew saw Isaac give a quick nod to Alanna before he left as she took one out. He forced his eyes back to the spoke instead of watching Alanna rub the cold bottle of water across her forehead.
“I should have expected it to be hot in here,” she said, curiously watching his movements.
Shutting off the blower, he took the spoke out of the fire. It was a piece of shit. He had lost his concentration the moment she had walked inside the building.
“We can go outside. I need to cool this down.”
She was on his heels as he moved toward the door.
“How do you work in this heat?” She waved her hand to fan herself.
Taking a pair of long-handled tongs, Matthew submersed the spoke in cold water that was in a barrel to the side of the workshop.
“I like the heat.” He shrugged, watching a drop of sweat roll down her neck to slide between her breasts. She looked as pretty as a picture today. Something was different about her, but he couldn’t pinpoint what it was.
“How’s your hand?”
“Blistered, but at least it doesn’t hurt. I wanted to babysit Freddy today, but Moses beat me to it.”
“You’re not supposed to start until Monday,” he reminded her, seeing the disappointment in her eyes.
“Are you sure it wasn’t because I seem to be accident prone around you guys?”
“You really can’t say an allergic reaction is an accident. You were unaware of your reaction, or you wouldn’t have gone near the goats.”
Alanna narrowed her eyes on him. “Ginny showed you the picture she took of me, didn’t she?”
Matthew pulled the spoke out of the water then laid it on the worktable set outside the window of the shop. “I refuse to answer on the grounds it will incriminate Ginny,” he teased.
“Anyway …” Alanna deliberately changed the subject with a moue of self-disgust at herself. “I’m really not accident prone. The goats were a fluke, and my burnt hand was the result of my gluttony.”
“Be careful. Gluttony is one of the seven deadly sins.”
“Really? Then I hope Deputy Porter is a churchgoing man.”
“Poor Greer,” Matthew mocked. “I wonder if he is aware of the affect he had on you.”
Alanna rolled her eyes at him. “Don’t you dare tell him. He already thinks I was trying to tempt him into breaking his marriage vows.”
“You’re joking?”
“I really wish I were. He told me he barely had enough stamina to satisfy his wife.”
“Greer always did think he was a ladies’ man.”
“Are we talking about the same man?”
“He didn’t appeal to you?”
“Noooo.” Alanna made an aghast face.
Matthew picked up the iron spoke. “What type of man are you attracted to?”
“I don’t have a particular type.”
Matthew tsked her. “Yes, you do.” Matthew started walking away. “Come on; let’s go back inside. It should have cooled off by now.”
It was still hot, but more bearable, as he had damped the fire before leaving the shop.
Laying the iron spoke on the worktable, he took off his remaining glove.
He turned and saw her standing by the iron door he had made, leaning against the wall. Striding quickly to stand next to her, Matthew prepared to pull her away if she so much as tried to lift a finger to touch it, regardless if she snapped at him or not.