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Chapter Two

Calder

I can hardly believe this is my former business partner’s daughter.

A slight wave of guilt washes over me for all the naughty thoughts that swirled in my head before I realized who she was.

On that ladder in her tiny little shorts.

The slightest crescent moon of soft flesh slipping out of the hem of her cutoff shorts.

The crotch of my jeans tightened up, and I haven’t been able to ease the tension.

I hope she doesn’t notice. I don’t want to come off as a pervert.

But goddammit, I can’t help myself.

“I haven’t seen you in like a decade.” She tosses a her dark hair over her shoulder, showing off the billowing cleavage from the top of her t-shirt—which isn’t helping my condition.

“Longer than that.” I don’t even remember much about the kid except for her green eyes, a shade of olive you rarely naturally see. “I thought your dad moved away after the divorce.”

“He did. We both did, but I got a job as a teacher here at the elementary school and bought a cabin right on the lake.” Her full lips twist as if she’s holding something back.

“Which one?”

“The old MacDonald place.”

My eyes nearly bug out of my head. “I heard it was a teardown.”

“I think it is, but I decided to fix it up.”

I try and keep my mouth shut, but I know for a fact that place was on its last leg last year when Mr. MacDonald asked if my construction company could repair some of the foundation.

The idea of her slipping and hurting herself inside brings about an unnatural level of concern for a woman I barely know.

“That’s dangerous.” My tone is gruff. Her curious eyes narrow.

“I appreciate your concern, Mr. Holden.”

“Calder.”

“Calder.” She corrects herself. “But I’m not that little girl running around playing with dolls anymore.” With her arms crossed over her chest, it’s nearly impossible for me not to stare at her full, sexy breasts.

“I know what I’m doing.” A beat passes between us. “Good to see you again.” She turns away, and before I can stop myself, my hand is on her shoulder.

“I didn’t mean to offend you, Juno.” Her skin is warm beneath my touch, and fuck if my cock isn’t even harder than it was before. I’m a grown man; What the fuck is wrong with me? She turns back around to face me, her gaze sending fire through every part of me. “Do you have anyone to help you?”

“I don’t need any?—”

“I think you do.” I step to her. “If I wasn’t here to catch you, you would’ve fallen off that ladder. What if that happened when you were in that death trap all alone?”

“It’s not a death trap, Calder. It’s my home.”

“No, it’s a hazard. But with my help, it can become a home. Your home.” I raise my palms in the air. “I can’t make you do anything, but I do this for a living, and I’m offering to help you out.”

She rolls her eyes, settling into one hip. My mind fights with my urges. How can this be the same little girl I barely noticed when her father was my ride or die? Is it wrong to feel this way? She’s a grown woman now.

“I can’t afford you.” Her eyes draw lines across my feet.

A laugh escapes me and against my better judgment, I don’t stop myself from tipping her chin up to meet my gaze. “Darlin’ I wouldn’t dream of charging you.”

“Really? “Why?” She swallows and a million dirty thoughts plague my brain. Because my body’s aching to press her down until she screams for mercy, my tongue anxious to taste her dripping wetness. Fuck, I need to get a grip.

“You’re my old friend’s kid.” I manage to say, suppressing my primal urges. A look I can’t read crosses her face. Maybe it’s disappointment? Maybe that’s wishful thinking.

She holds up the package still in her grip. “Do you know how to install a showerhead?”

A plosive laugh escapes my lips. “Yeah,” I say. “I think I can manage that.”

We walk through the store together. I point out some other things she might need for the mass of home improvement projects we’re about to embark upon together.

Together? The poor, sweet thing doesn’t even have a Phillips-head screwdriver.

I put together a toolkit for her and when we get to the front, I insist on paying.

Juno stands close to me while I pull out my wallet and hand over my card, smelling like warm amber. I breathe her in and grab the bag of goods, walking it out to her car for her. After it’s loaded, she turns to me, her lips spreading into a wide grin.

“Thank you for this, Calder.” The way she says my name drives me insane. “I’m sure my father would appreciate this, too.”

My heart sinks slightly. Of course. This is really about her father.

It’s stupid to think she’s agreed to this because she’s actually attracted to me.

I’m an old guy and she’s in the prime of her young adulthood.

Can’t be a day over twenty-five. What would she want with a forty-five-year-old man like me?

Help fixing up her cabin you fucking idiot.

“Anything I can do to help.” I nod, shoving my hands in my pocket.

“You know the address, right?”

“I do.” I lick my lips, defeated. “You want me to come over now?”

“Oh!” Her eyes do that thing again where she traces the ground at my feet. “I thought…that would actually be ideal. I’d die for a hot shower at the end of the day.”

Damn, my filthy fucking mind.

“If that’s not a problem.” Her fingertips brush my bare arm.

“No.” I pull away, not wanting to get all worked up over nothing. “I can meet you there right now. One question though.” The breeze lifts her hair, showing off her rounded, heart-shaped face. “You got coffee?”

Another killer smile from this sweet little angel. “Yeah. Plenty.”

“Then I’ll see ya soon.” I nod and head toward my truck across the parking lot.

As I turn the key in the ignition, I tell myself to get it out of my head that anything can happen between us.

She’s just my old best friend’s kid, whom I’m helping because her dad isn't around. But as I look in the rearview mirror, pining for one more glimpse of her before we go our separate ways, I know it’s going to be a lot harder than I think.