Page 57 of Manors & Mischief

“And what do you think I want?”

“I have a good idea it involves being horizontal.”

“It doesn’t have to be,” I tease, grabbing the back of her knees and pulling her toward me until she wraps her ankles behind my back.

“You’re killing me,” she says, after leaning over to kiss me again, her lips moving against my mouth. “I’m trying to do everything right. I don’t want to screw up my life here.”

I pull away a little. “You think getting with your handyman is a bad idea?”

“Since you’re the only one in town and your mom runs off everyone else? Yes.”

I can tell she’s teasing, but her reality slaps me in the face. “I’m not going to leave you high and dry. Promise.”

She swallows. “You certainly run hot and cold, Devon. We haven’t had much in between time where we’re just normal people around each other.”

“I’ve been known to go after what I want. Just like you. I’m trying to be someone you want to go after.”

She runs her hands across the stubble on my chin. “You might have to treat me with kid gloves at first. It’s been a while for me.”

“You think I have ladies lining up for me in Harvest Falls?” I ask, smirking.

“The way you walk around with your backwards hat and toolbelt? I’m certain you could find some ladies who were interested around here.”

I shake my head. “I’ve known the women here all my life. Things are different when you have that kind of baggage. Besides, I like snarky go-getters who play hard to get.”

“Is that what I was doing before?”

“I can’t think of another reason why it took us this long to go on our first date.”

“No? I guess it pays to have a bad memory.” She pushes me back and slips down until her feet hit the floor. “I’m glad you broke the ice though. Now we know where we stand. You want to have your way with me, and I couldn’t care less.”

The look she gives tells me she’s teasing. “I guess I’ll have to keep working on it.”

“By all means,” she says as she turns around and starts making the omelets. I don’t go too far, standing near her and sometimes stroking her hair away from her face while she works. “Let me guess, it was the beautiful dress that did it for you.”

“No, actually, it was that tank top you like to wear where the arm holes run big.” I whisper the next part. “You can see your bra.”

Her mouth drops open, and I shrug.

“You asked. Plus, I happen to like women who pretend not to like me.”

She narrows her gaze playfully. “You just like me for my house.”

“There’s that, too.”

She shakes her head and flips over half of the egg to make the omelet. I’m not really interested in watching her do that though. I can’t stop staring at her ass. Now that I’ve had it in my hands, it’s hard to think of anything else. I really might need to go home and take a cold shower.

She serves me the omelet so at least I have that to distract me as she makes her own. After finishing, she sits next to me and we have breakfast together. I get glasses from the cabinet and pour ourselves some orange juice. We talk about the manor. She also talks a little more about her family, and I tell her a couple of stories about growing up in Harvest Falls. By the time we’re done, everything feels a little more settled.

“Do you want to go to dinner tonight?”

She frowns. “Bea’s coming over and we’re going to watch horror movies, eat a bunch of junk food, and scare ourselves silly.”

She stands to do the dishes, but I stop her. “I’ve got those. Where I’m from, if you did the cooking, the other does the cleaning.”

“Your mama raised you right.” She sits back. “I’m free tomorrow though, if you want to go to dinner.”

“It’s a date.”