Page 24 of Pining for You

We were ten minutes from our destination when Chloe flipped the cover closed on the tablet and frowned. “Are you angry at me for something?”

How to answer that? “Not angry, no. Though I’m curious as to when you decided to apply for the job.”

Shit, I hadn’t meant to phrase it like that. Even I could hear the accusation.

“You think I used you to get hired?”

From the irritation filling her voice, I guess she’d heard it as an accusation too.

“I didn’t say that.”

“For your information, I didn’t apply for the job. John approached me. He said how shorthanded you guys were and you needed a good groundsperson. He knew I needed a job, and that I was good with tools.” She tilted her head in consideration. “How did he know that, do you think? I thought he and my father had been talking, but now I’m wondering, did you put him up to this?”

“No, I didn’t.” Shit, this really wasn’t going the way I’d planned. I had the woman of my dreams in my truck, possibly training to be my partner, not just at work but my life. I softened my tone. “I don’t have a problem with you working for PRP. I know you’re up for it. You surprised me, is all.”

“Going from your attitude right now, you don’t see me as a good surprise.”

Fuck. Me. “I don’t like mixing my personal life with my work life, all right? You’re my employee now. Everything I say to you, anything I do, might be misconstrued as sexual harassment. That puts me on edge. I like you, Chloe.” I more than liked her, but I knew this was not the right time to admit that I was more than halfway in love with her. “I was looking forward to getting to know you better, but now? I don’t know where we stand.”

She blinked, glanced out the side window for a mile or so before facing me again. “I don’t either. Know where we stand, I mean. I like you too, and I’d like to keep dating you.”

I blew out a breath as quietly as I could so I didn’t give away my relief.

“Does John have some rule against co-workers dating?” she asked.

“Damned if I know.” I lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “But it’s more than that. If something happens between us, if we get distracted because we’re fighting or something,” or me ogling her because let’s face it, she was a major distraction, my currently rock-hard dick a case in point, “that’s when accidents happen. I don’t want either of us to get hurt.”

“Are you talking about a blade slipping and one of us getting cut, or are you afraid I might be gunning for your job?”

More like she had the power to break my heart, but there was no fucking way I was going to say that out loud. To her or anyone.

Damn it, she was the one. I was certain of it. So why did life throw this obstacle into our way?

Was it an obstacle? Or was I being stubborn? Over what? She needed a job. She was good with tools and was capable, so why was I worried?

Because if she decided to break up with me, it would fucking destroy me to come into work every damned day and have to see her, to know she didn’t want me as much as I wanted her.

As for her gunning for my job? I shot her a quick smile. “You gotta put in three years of on-the-job training and over seven hundred hours of class work to become a certified arborist, Chloe. Right now, you’re a groundsperson and have lots of training ahead of you. So no, I’m not afraid of you gunning for my job. Frankly, if you want to go for your arborist’s apprenticeship, I’d welcome it. I’ve been after John to hire more trainees for years. The more arborists we have, the more we can expand the company, our range. Even as an arborist, you wouldn’t be a threat to my job. You’re be a welcome addition to the PRP team. It’s about time we have some female representation.”

She tilted her head, a question filling her expression. “You talk like you’re a part owner. Like John works for you instead of the other way around.”

“Nope, not an owner.” Yet. “I’m simply the lead arborist. That’s all. But for now, we need to figure out how we’re going to handle the fact that we are dating and working together.” And how to keep John from finding out, because I had a feeling he wasn't going to like it, even though he and Molly were literally married and had worked together for years. John wasn't always predictable with his moods, and it wouldn't be fair if Chloe lost a job she needed because she was dating me.

Chloe

I spent most of the trip to the work site staring out the window, analyzing Brad’s reaction to me working with him. For him. And whether the news of us dating could get me out of the job if I needed it to. I hadn’t even been on the job for an hour yet and I was already planning my escape.

Real good work ethic, Chloe, I scolded myself.

At a stoplight on the far edge of town, Brad broke the silence. “For now, I don’t think we should let any of the guys at work know that we’re dating, especially John. I think we need to keep things on the down-low.” He held up a hand before I could reply. “No, I’m not ashamed of you. I want to protect your reputation.”

Like my reputation was worth protecting. It had been shattered long ago. Not that he knew anything about that. That I knew of.

“Fine.”

Brad hmphed. “I’ve heard my mom and my sisters say ‘fine’ like that, which means it’s anything but fine. But for now, let’s get through this job and we can talk more at lunch.”

By lunch, I was dirty and sweaty, and really glad he’d insisted I wear the leather gloves PRP provided. I’d also been treated to nonstop lessons on types of trees and what to look for when assessing the health of a tree. That hadn't been part of my education with Dad, though Gramps could go on and on about evergreens. But mainly I’d been hauling brush and tossing it in the back of the truck.

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