Page 35 of Hooked on a Feeling

Her heart leapt into her throat at the words even though they contained fair warning. Thankfully, she was only on the third rung of the ladder. She turned to find John. He was wearing shorts and a T-shirt, and she couldn’t remember a time she’d seen a man look so beautiful. He killed her with his gloriously strong jawline. The way his hair was just long enough that it could stand every which way and look unkempt but perfect all at the same time. “Hey there, good-looking.”

His forearms were thick and tanned, and his hands were so large that when they gripped her hips, they sent delicious little thrills down her belly and into her toes. “Hey.” He tugged her flush against his body even though her feet were still on the ladder. She turned her head, and he captured her mouth with his. His tongue did wild things that made her think of more permanent things… like living here and being able to see him every day.

She pushed back from him. “Look what I’ve got done.” She gestured to the side of the marina where she’d finished painting the front and one side. “Impressive, yes?”

“I wouldn’t expect anything less. It looks amazing.” His gaze was on her, not the building.

“Are you talking about me or my handiwork?” She laughed.

“Both. You look better though.” He pointed to Timmy. “What’s he doing?”

“Fixing the slips.” She pulled out her phone and saw that it was past lunch. Nearing four in the afternoon. “Wow. So much for a simple fix. He said he’d be here for a few hours, not all dang day.” She stepped off the ladder and held her paintbrush up to John, pretending she was going to paint his face. “What did I do to be graced with your presence? You come to try and help me paint?”

“No, ma’am. I would never get in the way of a woman with a one-track mind.” He folded his arms across his chest. “I brought you some food.”

She glanced at his empty hands. “What did you bring?”

“Hungry?”

“Starved.” She tried to ignore the way her heart swelled from his good gesture.

“I thought you might be.” He gestured to Blue Horizon. “I can see you from my office.”

“Lucky you.” She put her paintbrush in the bucket and turned to him. “Show me what you got. I could eat a village.”

He started walking to the front of the marina, and she followed, finally falling in step next to him. “Well, I didn’t mention that there is a condition to my bringing you food.”

“Such as?”

“You have to kiss me again.” He gave her a sheepish grin. “And then after you eat too.”

“It depends on what you brought me for lunch,” she teased.

“I brought you one of those choppity chop chop salads. It has all that healthy stuff I knew you would like. I even had them add slivered almonds.” He opened his car door, took out the salad, and handed it to her.

“You are really going all out here. You definitely earned yourself a before and after kiss,” she said. He handed her some plasticware, and she led the way to her little bench. “Have a seat.”

When he sat, she leaned over and pressed her mouth against his in a hard kiss. He groaned under her lips, and she pulled back. “This was so nice of you.”

“I can help you paint, you know. Only if you want me to, of course. So you’re not tackling this big thing on your own.”

She swallowed her first bite of salad. “This is so good, and I appreciate the offer to help. But you know, I’m doing well on my own. At the rate I’m going, I’m hoping I’ll have it done sometime on Wednesday.”

“You’re moving along quick. You’re still planning to fly home Friday?”

“So far. Deanne is supposed to have papers for me to look through in the next day or so. Then the property will officially be on the market.”

“I’m going to make an offer. Just so you know.”

Starr nodded and spoke with her mouth full. “You have that right.”

Timmy walked up to their bench. “Sorry to interrupt, but the docks are done. Mind if I show you a few things?” Timmy stood with his hands on his hips, and Starr handed John her salad.

“Please do,” she told Timmy. “I’m sorry it took you longer than you expected.”

“Not a problem.” He led the way to the docks and pointed out the things he’d fixed on the lifts inside the dock slips and said they were good to go. He got to the last two that needed major repairs. “And then these ones. So we’re all square.”

Before Starr could get any words out, Timmy was walking off the docks, and she was left feeling grateful for him and Deanne.

---