Page 11 of Take The Risk

​You know how in the movies there’s the moment when the main characters’ eyes meet for the first time and everything seems to freeze, the world narrowing to just them? It didn’t just happen in movies. I could hear the thump thump thump of my heartbeat in my ears, and it was a good thing no one was asking me my name.

​“Mom?” Lachlan gave her a strange look.

​Blinking rapidly, she startled, her cheeks turning an enticing shade of pink that made me wonder what other parts of her turned that color. “I’m sorry. I’m Ph—How can I help you?”

​“I’m pretty sure I’m here to help you.” Mentally, I winced. Way to make things awkward. “I mean, I’m Ty. My mom is Cady-Jo.” Again, not really an explanation either. Jesus, what the hell was wrong with me? “I’m one of the owners of Brockmann Construction.”

​“Oh!” Recognition lit up her face.

I was grateful she was able to figure out what I was saying from those fragments.

​“You’re the contractor?” Lachlan’s eyes lit up. “How long will it take for my airport to be up and running?”

​She let out a deep sigh. “Mr. Brockmann is here for the issues with our house. You’re not getting an airport.”

​“Damn,” he muttered.

​I leaned against the doorjamb. “There’s really not enough room for an airport, pal.”

​“I know,” he sighed, making his mother chuckle before she sent him up to his room to get ready for school.

​Once again, my resolution crumbled in the face of her laugh. It flowed over my skin and had my dick jerking in her direction. I had to remind myself that I was there to do a job and that she was Mom’s friend. At the thought of my mother, my cock stopped trying to break out of my jeans, and I was pretty sure it would crawl up inside me any moment. Finally.

​“Sorry about that.” She smiled sheepishly. “He’s living his best airplane life era right now.”

​“It’s all good. I went through a car phase, so I get it.”

​“I could handle it when he was into cars. His obsession is currently with building airplanes, not just flying them. He tried to actually source airplane engine parts online last week…” Her mouth closed as she rocked back on her feet. “I’m so sorry! I’m rambling; it happens when I’m nerv—I’m—I’m Phoebe.” She extended her hand. “Phoebe Lebonaire.”

​Nerv? Was she going to say nervous? I perked up, liking the idea.

​Taking her small hand in mine, I was startled by the strength in her grip. “Ty Brockmann.”

​I had to fight the urge to run my thumb over the back of her fingers and see if they were as soft as her palm. I let her hand go quickly before I could give in.

​“Thank you for coming. Your mom was really very kind to ask you.”

​“Shall we get started?” I asked, wanting to get down to business before I forgot all the reasons why I needed to keep this quick.

​“Of course!” She waved me inside, leading the way to the kitchen. “I didn’t know exactly what you’d need, so I pulled everything out.”

​Following her, I catalogued every single detail of the house from the bulging wall that should be straight to the way the floorboard shifted beneath my feet. I also couldn’t help but catalogue the soft sway of her hips, the way her rounded butt curved in those shorts, the hem tickling the backs of her thighs. I wondered if she was ticklish there…Jesus, fuck. Stop. Just stop.

​Mom’s friend. Mom’s friend. Mom’s friend.

​“So I have my home inspection report and then the report from Jerome…”

​“I’ll start with Jerome’s report.” Home inspectors were notoriously shit, and if Jerome had found violations, I knew her home inspector had fucked up.

​Our fingers brushed as she handed me the papers, and I held my breath to keep from reacting. What was it about this woman? Sure, she was hot. Sure, there was some kind of ethereal beauty about her, a vulnerability that put my protective instincts into instant overdrive, but the more I thought about why I was here, the more I realized I needed to keep a professional distance.

​The minute I learned where I was going, all the gossip I’d heard about Phoebe Lebonaire and her son came to mind. I knew firsthand she was in the middle of what was clearly a messy divorce that screamed she came with baggage. As much as I was attracted to her, an attraction that hit me on a level I wasn’t used to, I wasn’t in a place to have a relationship in my life. I also didn’t want kids, so a woman with kids was also a no-go.

​“Would you like some coffee?” She rounded the counterless kitchen island, picking up a freshly brewed pot of coffee from the back counter.

​“Sure,” I answered. Without asking, I sat down and started poring over the notes Jerome made, pulling her inspection report and lining up the errors. I did a double take when I hit the issue that changed everything.

​“Why the hell are you still here?” I got to my feet, my skin hot.