AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I lick my lips and cross my arms. “Is that so?”
“Yes!” She stomps one foot and windmills one arm to avoid falling.
I bite my lip. If I laugh, steam will rise from her head.
“And who might you be?” I ask cockily. I’m awfully intrigued to know who she is, especially since Dalton hasn’t told me that he’s planning on having a guest at that cabin yet.
Hayes used to have a lock on most of the construction work up this way, but Dalton never cared for my competitor, opting to hire me for the work he needed done. I’m supervising the installation of a new road this way, making it easier for the luxury cabins out here to be flipped for Dalton to rent. This spitfire’s cabin happens to be closest to where we are currently working on the project. It’s a shame she’ll have to put up with our noise and dust during her stay, but that’s on Dalton, not me. The man has millions, if not billions, so I can’t understand why he would find a guest prematurely.
“I’m Claire Rennard.” Her chin tips up higher yet, and I want to smile wider at her attitude. What, she thinks she can look down her nose at me? She’s a full head shorter!
“And you, Mr. Sawyer—”
She points that finger at me, and I catch it. “Mr. Cameron. Sawyer Cameron,” I clarify.
She didn’t take my hand to shake in the simplest version of polite manners, but now I regret offering to touch her at all. She’s sizzling in every way, burning me up with the feel of her wicked glare and the smooth, warm, softness of her skin. She has the silky kind of skin that needs to be caressed, kissed, and treasured, and I can’t help but notice the contrast of my filthy hand in her soft one.
She’s delicate, I can tell, but her sass suggests the opposite.
You’re one of those walking contradictions, aren’t you?
“And you,” she complains as she yanks her hand back to form a fist to put at her hip again, “need to quiet it down.”
“I can’t just stop a day’s work because you want a morning nap.”
She growls. “I’m not telling you to stop. Just keep it down.”
I lean in, getting mesmerized by her golden eyes streaked with brown. “We can’t exactly do this quietly.”
Her lips curl again, and she huffs.
“Take it up with Dalton,” I advise as she slits her eyes at me, honing her fury in a finely sharpened dagger.
“I will.”
I grin, curious how the man will react to this hotheaded complaint. He has no business telling a guest they can stay this close to the worksite without expecting noise.
As this woman turns, she doesn’t disappoint. She twirls around abruptly, likely eager to show me she’ll storm elsewhere to get her way, but she moves so quickly that she almost falls over—again. Her arms shoot up in the air, and her mouth falls open in a gasp. With wide eyes, she tips to the side, but I’m quicker. I grip her elbow, catching her before she can face-plant. Once more, I’m seared. A simple touch is all it takes to make me burn inside, and when her cheeks go pink, I’m guessing she’s feeling the same damn streak of electrical zing that I am.
That or a mighty hit of embarrassment.
She jerks her arm free and glowers again, probably wishing her evil eyes could smite me on the spot.
Mad, sassy, and cranky. It doesn’t matter which. She’s beautiful no matter what. I would be quick to say she’s gorgeous if not for that big ol’ chip on her shoulder.
“Hey, since you’re apparently the boss,” I tease, “you can keep an eye on my crew today.”
Among the hoots and hollers that rise up from my men at the taunt, I watch her walk away, teetering with her arms out due to the constant threat of tripping.
Unbelievable.
Barry sets his drill down and furrows his brow at me. “Why’s a guest at that cabin when Dalt knows we ain’t done with this part yet?”
I shake my head. “I’m not sure.” But I’ll be meeting up with him in an hour to talk about all the projects, and I plan to ask him about this development.
Now that the billionaire real estate mogul is done with the city and has moved here to live with his girlfriend, Aubrey, he’s got his hands full with similar projects here. His main focus is restoring the old hotels and ski resorts abandoned all over Summit County. It’s a solid source of work for me, but first, he’s prioritizing my crews completing residential work on his land. Once we’re done building this new road through his acreage, we’ll be able to connect it to a trio of luxury cabins nearby that are in the works as well.
“So, I met the one and only sexy Ms. Rennard earlier when she wanted to bitch about me for ruining her chances of a nap…” I say after I’ve brought him up to speed about where my crews are at.
