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The man’s eyes narrowed and a small twitch tugged at one side of his mustache. But he didn’t say anything. Or move out of the way.

Willow sighed, squeezing her Kegel muscles, willing herself not to pee her pants in front of this man. This infuriating and beautiful man.

“Look. I reeeeally have to go to the bathroom. Would you mind letting me pass? I brought cookies. Obviously I’m not taking the cookies into the bathroom. They’re over there.” She hooked her thumb over her shoulder in the direction of the bar. “Go ahead and take a tin home with you. I made a batch for everyone.”

The man glanced briefly at the bar, then back at Willow, his eyes skating over her features, his lips parting ever so microscopically.

He was so attractive, she momentarily forgot all about having to take a wee.

Then, after a long pause, he pivoted his body, pressing his back against the threshold, and leaving a small space for Willow to pass.

What was with this guy?

Willow’s current biological state didn’t afford her the time to speculate. But as she slid by him, there wasn’t the usual warmth one would expect from such close proximity to a man. Instead, she felt a coolness sweep over her, like the first day of autumn, or the chill one gets when drinking an iced beverage. Not entirely unpleasant, just surprising.

But the flame in her cheeks soon warmed her all over as her eyes snagged on his penetrating stare, and even as she walked down the hallway, feeling the weight of his gaze on her until she turned the corner, silently chastising herself for enjoying the encounter a little too much.

She really needed to work on her creep-o-meter.

When she finished her business, he was gone.Thank the Graces.

She spotted Kyle gathering up the last of his tools and wandered over to him.

“Everything looks great. Did all your workers go home already?”

She was trying to keep her curiosity in check. Was she being too obvious as she looked around to see where the green-eyed man had gone?

Kyle’s eyes crinkled as he smiled at her. “Not much work to do today. Just some finishing touches.”

“Do you think they’ll be back?”

“Nope. Not unless you need something else done. If anything’s not working properly, just give me a call. I guarantee all my work.”

“Oh. Good to know.”

Willow didn’t quite know how to ask about the men, if they lived locally, or if one in particular had a stick up his trousers.

“I’ll send the invoice to your email. Is that okay?”

“Great! Yes, that’s fine. And please tell the guys thanks. They did an awesome job.”

“That’s why I hired them.”

Kyle turned to leave but Willow called after him, thankfully remembering the tins of cookies on the bar.

“Wait. I almost forgot.”

She ran back to the bar, gathering all five of the tins in her arms. Kyle, the gentleman that he was, rushed over to help her.

“What’s this?” he asked.

“Cookies. Pumpkin chocolate chip, cinnamon rum balls, and chewy maple sugar. There’s one tin for each of you. I was hoping to give them out myself, but if you could take them with you, I’m sure you’ll see your men before I do.”

“How kind. I’ll definitely make sure they get them.”

“And they really should be eaten fresh. So, if they have kids. Or wives…”

Willow cringed inwardly at herself. She might as well have held up a sign that read,“I’m single and super curious about that Dapper Dan with no trace of a wedding ring on his finger.”