Page 49 of All Because I Found You

“Will do. Thanks for this.”

Gene shrugged. “It’s technically your wood.”

It was easy to forget that he owned all of this, especially since he never visited this part of town. Even at night, he avoided this area. He’d always believed it would be too painful to return to the place where his parents spent most of their summer and fall. But being here now, seeing the fields on either side of the barn, seeing the farm stand down the road, it wasn’t painful at all.

If anything, it reminded him of a time when he was happy and gave him hope that maybe one day, he’d find that happiness again.

***

While the bath was absolutely amazing and the bath bomb was divine, anxious energy raced through Raelyn. She soaked for an hour, dried off, got dressed, and redid her makeup. Ryder still wasn’t back. Where could the man possibly be?

She yanked her cell out of her bag and called him. She waited with each ring until his voicemail picked up. Of course, it was the robotic one that came with the phone. She rolled her eyes and impatiently waited for the beep.

“Hey, it’s me, the woman you left naked at your house under the insistence I take a bath. Well, I am bathed, dressed, and ready to go, and you are still not back. My nice relaxing bath is becoming a faint memory as stress and anxious energy take over. Call me. Bye.” She ended the call and tossed her phone onto the couch before plopping beside it and George.

“George, do you know where he is? Didn’t think so.” She crossed her arms over her chest, then uncrossed them. She shifted from one cheek to the other, then jumped up. “I can’t sit here.”

She grabbed her bag and keys and hurried to the door. She flung it open and ran straight into a hard, sexy chest covered in… sawdust? Sweat beaded along his forehead, and there was a smudge of dirt along his cheek.

“You!” she exclaimed.

“Me.”

“Where have you been?”

He leaned in, kissing her neck. “You smell good.”

“You smell like wood.”

His tongue trailed along her neck, and her knees wobbled. “You taste good, too.”

No! She couldn’t be distracted. “It’s the bath bomb. But enough about that. Do I have a bar?”

“You will.”

“What do you mean, I will? Either I do, or I don’t. And if I don’t, I just wasted too much time soaking in a bath and waiting for you to come home.”

“It’s not finished yet, but it will be.”

Her eyebrow arched. “When?”

“Soon. I came to see is you wanted to come by and see what I’m doing.”

She pushed past him, heading for his truck. “What are you waiting for?”

He laughed. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

She hoisted herself up into the truck and fastened her seatbelt. “Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.”

“Ugh! I don’t have time for secrets. Just tell me.”

“I told you. I like to see you squirm, and you’re making it too damn easy.”

“I’m glad you’re getting amusement from my discontent.”

“Discontent? I can help you with that if we go back in the house.”

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