CHAPTER TWO
Cullen
After placing an order for the marble slats my boss wanted, I headed out to my truck. With a quick stop for lunch, I’d drive back over to the construction site and see what needed to be done.
I only started this job a couple of days ago, jumping on the opportunity as soon as it came. Before, I worked odd jobs here and there, but nothing steady ever appeared. Until Thane Stanton brought Stanton Construction to Apple Falls and employed a bunch of us guys to form an entire crew.
Now, the jobs were flowing, and I was busy. It gave me less time to work on my side hobby of building custom pieces of furniture, but I’d rather be busy making money than not.
Today was my first day visiting the Apple Falls Garden Center and something told me I’d be back a lot more. Not only because of work, but a certain beautiful woman I kept seeing in my mind.
Her green eyes so bright, her face covered in freckles, and the curves…my dick thickened just thinking about her sexy self.
But it was strange at the same time.
I haven’t wanted a woman in a long time, haven’t felt the need to date, or even have sex. As my forties were rapidly approaching in the next year, I thought maybe the family thing just wasn’t for me. I’m fine being alone, content even.
Yet this woman…
I nearly missed the turn to the construction site and swerved just in time to make it.
See? See how women already fuck up your life so quickly?
“How’d it go? Did you get the order in?” Thane asked as soon as I stepped out of my truck.
“Yep. Should be in by the end of the week.”
“Great. I need your help with some of this framework. You good to jump in?”
“You got it boss.” Framework was a walk in the park to me. Hell, I built my cabin from the bottom up, every beam, every slat, every window and door put in by me, while camping out in a trailer at night.
I grabbed my tool belt from my truck and slid it on. Hopefully the rest of the day passes without another thought of the gorgeous woman.
As the workdays went by in a flurry of nails and wood and framing, I came up with every excuse under the sun to stop by the garden center. We needed more nails? Sure, I’d go. More wood? The daily pick up? A new drill?
I came up with anything for a chance to see her. Ask her a question. Watch her like a damn puppy dog. I came in so much I was afraid they’d kick me out for being a weirdo.
And every time, I became more and more intrigued by the gorgeous green-eyed beauty. Smitten. Captivated. A complete and utter goner.
I hadn’t felt this way about a woman in a long time, and I never wanted to. But something about her kept me coming back for more. Until I could no longer hold back.
It wasn’t hard to find her, always near the garden area, watering or tending to plants and helping customers. I sauntered over to her, a grin stretching across my face. “Hey, how’s your day going?”
“Oh, hey, Cullen. Back for more nails?” Journey smirked, a light playfulness in her tone. I wanted to toss her over my shoulder, spank her ass, and carry her to my bed.
“Yep. When you’re building a house, you kind of need a lot.”
“I can imagine. Do you need help finding them?” She teased, a warmness to her tone, one that had me ready to fall to my knees and give her the damn world.
“Nah, I think I can remember. But I do have one more question?”
“Shoot.” Journey plucked a leaf off of a plant before spritzing it with water.
“Will you have dinner with me?”
Her body froze, noticeable by the way she stiffened, no longer spritzing the plant with water, but the ground. “What?” She choked out.
I held back my laugh. I couldn’t help it with how adorable she was.
“You know, the meal most people have later in the day, will you have it with me?”
Journey stepped back and placed the spray bottle on the cart next to her, the one she wheeled around with all of her supplies.
She crossed her arms over her chest, and I tried to ignore her ample cleavage on full display.
“Listen, Cullen, you’re a nice guy and everything, but I work here, my family owns the place, and it’s not a good idea to mix business and pleasure.
Been there, done that.” Her voice softened on the last few words.
The thought of her being with someone else lit a fire somewhere deep inside me.
And not a good one, either. I needed to quit before I found myself too invested.
But my mouth said words my mind didn’t think.
“It’s just dinner. One time, that’s it. I promise to behave.
” Behave as in keep my hands to myself during dinner, but after that, all bets are off.
“What’s the point of one dinner? Why bother?”
Smart and sassy. I liked it. A woman with a backbone was my type of woman.
“Maybe to get to know each other?” I tried to throw her off, but she was as quick as the snap of a whip.
Journey smiled and placed her hands on the cart handle. “Have a good day, Cullen.”
She moved forward and I reached out, my hand landing on her arm in attempt to stop her. “Wait, please let me take you out. As friends. No funny business.”
“So out of the blue, you ask me to dinner, and I’m supposed to think there’s no underlying intentions?”
“Is wanting to repay you for your kindness such a bad thing?”
“Most people would drop off a gift card or maybe a fruit basket.”
“I’m not most people. It’ll be fun, trust me.
” I sounded pathetic, like a guy begging for some attention.
But that’s what she did to me. Morphed me into a puddle of goo on the floor with no trace of a coherent thought.
As much as I told myself to stop, let it go, nothing good could come of this, I didn’t back down.
“Fine. But only one dinner. That’s it. And just dinner. Nothing after.” Journey said and if I wasn’t mistaken, the corner of her mouth turned up into a sexy grin, a molten look overtaking her eyes.
This was going to be fun.