Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 42171 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 211(@200wpm)___ 169(@250wpm)___ 141(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42171 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 211(@200wpm)___ 169(@250wpm)___ 141(@300wpm)
He gets a few feet down the gravel road, and I can’t hold it back any longer. Of course, I have to ask. “What do you mean, he doesn’t like women?”
I wait for him to explain, and when he doesn’t, I ask again. “He doesn’t like women?”
I’m annoyed at myself because I’m starting to sound like a broken record. It’s like I keep repeating it because I find it so hard to believe.
Finally, Beau shakes his head. “Nope. He doesn’t like women.”
I turn in my seat to look at him. “So you’re saying he’s… you’re saying that Asher is—”
Beau cuts me off. “He can’t stand them and wants nothing to do with them. I probably should have been the one to greet you this morning instead of him. I’m sure he gave you a hard time.”
I sit back in my seat with every emotion going through my head. I’m surprised, to say the least. I swear, even when we were arguing, I felt some undercurrents, and I thought for sure that the attraction was mutual. At least I thought he looked at me with interest, but I must have been mistaken.
I’m disappointed too because I am attracted to him, and even though he is a little grumpy, there’s something about him that makes me want to hug him.
And lastly, I feel… relief. Maybe this is for the best. I can do my job and do it well, without worrying about any kind of relationship or any kind of chemistry that was obviously one-sided.
CHAPTER 6
ASHER
She’s going to drive me crazy.
Or fuck, maybe I’m doing it to myself.
I seriously thought she was going to hate it here. I made a point to stay away from her all afternoon yesterday. I knew Beau would help her get started and so even though I watched—from a distance—I stayed out of the way.
She knows what she’s doing. That’s all I can say.
And she works hard.
All afternoon, she pruned trees, and when she came into the house at dinnertime, she washed up and then helped me finish preparing the meal. I thought it would be awkward since Beau was out and it was just Madelyn and me, but it wasn’t. She talked the whole time about the orchard and everything she saw and did through the day. It was refreshing, and even though I tried to be guarded and keep my distance, it was hard to not share in her excitement.
She helped clean up and then said she needed to get some sleep. I thought I’d finally get a breather, but all my thoughts still surrounded Madelyn. After a sleepless night, I came downstairs to drink my morning coffee and to mentally prepare myself for the day.
It’s an hour before I usually get up, but I knew that sleep was futile. I listen to the sounds of the house. I’m not sure what time Beau came in last night, but he’s young; he can function on very little sleep. Unlike me. I’m going to do my best to not be even more of a bear today.
I’m debating getting up and going to get ready when I hear the squeak of a door opening down the hall. My whole body tenses at the thought that I’m about to see Madelyn again.
She comes into the kitchen and jumps, startled to see me sitting here. All I can do is stare at her. Her hair is still mussed from sleep. She has on a white T-shirt that comes to the tops of her thighs. It’s obvious from where I’m sitting that she doesn’t have a bra on and her pebbled nipples are pressed against her tight shirt.
My mouth gapes open, and I unashamedly stare at her knowing she’s going to disappear. I’m waiting for her to run and hide her body from me, but she surprises me when she gasps and claps her hands together. “Coffee!”
She walks toward the coffee machine, and I watch as she leans up on her tiptoes to reach for a mug. Her shirt lifts, showing me the panty-covered globes of her ass, and something animalistic comes over me. I grip the edge of the counter I’m sitting at, and I fight with myself to do the right thing when all I want to do is go to her, lean her over the counter, and take her from behind.
A groan escapes me before I can stop it, and she looks at me over her shoulder. “What was that?”
Fuck! “Nothing.”
She pours her drink and then turns and leans back against the counter. She has both hands wrapped around her mug, and I watch as she takes a gentle sip and then moans when it hits her tongue. Every muscle in my body is pulled tight just watching her. I’ve never felt this strong of an attraction to anyone, and I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be able to keep it under wraps.