Page 5

J enny was just about finished with the bathroom floor when she ran out of glue. She was annoyed that she’d had to stop because it had been going along relatively well, then she told herself to suck it up.

With a frustrated sigh, she pulled on her jacket and grabbed her purse and keys.

Several people waved at her as she passed on her way to the hardware store on Main Street, and it lightened her mood and melted her aggravation.

She raised her hand to Stanly, who stood behind the counter at the hardware store.

She and the older man had become friends over the last few months she’d been living there.

He was someone she secretly wished was her father.

He was kind, helpful, and full of knowledge.

He’d taken over the store from his father fifty years before, and he was still going strong.

She grabbed a bucket of floor glue, walked up to the counter, and waited while he was checking out another customer.

A presence behind her caught her attention, and she turned with a smile.

It quickly froze in place at the sight of Mac.

She nodded and turned away, hoping he’d leave well enough alone.

“Hello, little lady,” Stanly said.

“Hi, Stan. How is your knee feeling today?”

“Better. That joint cream you told me about works great. Thank you.”

She set the small bucket on the counter. “Good, I’m glad.”

Stanly looked at the bucket. “Are you still working on the tile?”

“Yes. I’m just about done.”

“This is the wrong glue. Let me go get the right one.”

She held up a hand. “I can get it.” But Stanly walked away. The presence behind her seemed to grow, making her stomach twist and her body heat.

She pretended to study the back wall with the different stuff Stanly had hanging.

“Are you going to ignore me?”

Jenny stiffened. She took a few breaths, stiffened her spine, and turned. “Good afternoon, Mr. McKenzie.”

He grunted. “Is that the way we're going to play it?”

“I don’t know what you mean?”

His eyes narrowed. “I get it. You’re taking the fact I don’t trust your abilities as a vet, so you’re sore about it.”

She rolled her eyes. “If you think you’re the first person to doubt me, you’re wrong. I’ve had people bigger than you trying to put me down. I knew I would have to deal with skepticism when I decided on my career. I’m tougher than you think.”

He snorted. “You’re what ... five foot three?”

“And a half,” she added.

“And you expect me to believe you’re big and strong enough to pull a calf or fix a breech?”

“I don’t care what you believe. You’ve got other options for vets in the area. We don’t ever have to see each other again except in passing.”

She watched a muscle start to tick in his jaw. Now, why would he be getting angry about that? God, this guy confused her. She wasn’t belligerent or insincere, she was just telling him the facts. The stiffness relaxed when Stanly came back.

“Here you go.”

She turned back to him and smiled. “Thank you for catching that.”

“Oh, sure. I can’t believe you’re doing your own tiling.”

“Once you know how to do it, it’s easy.”

“Have you been tiling long?” Mac said behind her.

Stanly snorted out a laugh. “No, Mac, this is the first time she’d ever done it. She read how to do it, and now is just about done.”

“Don’t forget YouTube,” she reminded him.

Stanly threw his head back and laughed. “Yes, I forgot.”

Mac cleared his throat. “Where do you live.”

“She bought the old Smith place.”

“That small run-down house off Fourth?”

“Yes.”

She handed over the money and picked up the bucket. “Thank you again.”

“You’re welcome. Call if you have a question.”

She glanced at Mac and nodded. “Have a good day.”

She wanted to smile when he grunted.

Twenty minutes later, the sound of a car door closing got her attention. She grabbed a rag and stood when someone knocked. She was brought up short at the sight of Mac on the other side of the screen door.

Her head tilted to the side. “Can I help you?”

“Are you going to invite me in?”

“Why?”

He grunted, opened the door, and walked in.

She rolled her eyes. Jesus, is that all the man could do was grunt? “Make yourself at home,” she said sarcastically.

He smirked down at her. “Okay.”

“What do you need, Mac?”

“I was curious.”

“About what?”

“This,” he said as his gaze swept the room.

“Why?”

“Well, I know you’re wealthy...”

“How did you know that?”

He snorted. “Welcome to small-town living, Baby.”

She sighed and waited.

“So, I’m wondering why you’d pick a small, run-down house?”

“Why do you need to know?”

“I just do,” he said with a sliver of impatience in his tone.

“Okay, well, I don’t need a big house because it’s just me, and I wanted to learn how to do renovation because I needed a hobby, and it’s good to know how to do things on my own since I don’t have anyone here.”

“Anyone in town would help if you needed it.”

She nodded. “I’m sure they would, but I’m used to depending on myself. Besides, this is relaxing for me.”

“Doing construction is relaxing?” he asked in disbelief.

“Anything with my hands.”

He looked down the short hallway and saw the light in one of the rooms. He nodded toward it. “Is that it?”

She looked over her shoulder and nodded.

He moved around her.

“Hey, what are you doing?”

“I want to see.”

“Shouldn’t you wait for an invitation?”

He grunted and kept walking.

He stopped in the doorway and looked down at the floor. “You did this?”

She smiled at the disbelief in his tone. “Yes. I still have a few tiles to set, but then all I have to do is grout.”

He glanced at her and scowled. “I’m impressed.”

She bit back a smile. The way he complimented her sounded painful. She knew she could mess with him, but decided since they were actually getting along, she didn’t want to break the peace. She followed him as he walked back to the front door.

“I’m not convinced you can be the type of vet I need.”

She sighed. That didn’t last long. “And I already told you it’s fine. It won't affect me if you go to another veterinarian. I’ve got plenty of clients.”

The muscle in his jaw started to throb again, and she wondered what had pissed him off this time. He took the three steps to stand in front of her and then slowly cupped her face. He studied her for a moment, then his head lowered, and he took her lips.

The shock held her immobile for a moment, and then the taste and feel of his lips made whatever resistance she had disintegrate. Her breath caught in her lungs, and her heart and pulse pounded.

He tore his mouth from her, stared down at her with intent, and made a feral growl in his throat.

She blinked up at him when he lifted his head and inhaled raggedly. What had just happened? She licked her lips nervously and squeaked when his head dipped again.

A minute later, he tore his mouth from her, with his gaze frozen on her, and made a savage rumble in his throat.

He turned and walked out of her house without another word. She watched him drive away with dazed fascination. She’d never been kissed like that in her life, and she found she wanted more, which scared the hell out of her. The man didn’t even like her, so why did he kiss her?

She pressed her fingertips to her lips. But he kissed me , she thought. Maybe he really did like her, and he just hated that he did. Hell, she’d probably not find out the truth. The man was beyond bizarre.

She closed the door and walked back to the bathroom to finish the floor.

The rest of the day was spent grouting the floor and then cleaning her house. The problem was she couldn’t get Mac out of her head. And she really didn’t want him there.

She decided that time was the only thing that would push him out of her brain. Until then, she’d work.