Page 39 of A Little More

She cut off her sentence when she saw him asleep on the sofa. The soup half-eaten sat on the coffee table. Some men looked innocent when they slept. Like little boys that chased dogs and climbed trees. Not Nash. He looked dangerous to every female who encountered him. His full lips parted slightly as his breathing deepened.

She tore her eyes away, feeling like a creeper. Although she was fairly certain if he came upon her sleeping topless, he’d stare a little himself.

She continued toward two doors at the end of the hallway. One was the half-bath. At least the toilet was functional. The second led downstairs.

Might as well give herself the full tour. The small light bulb overhead turned on with a pull of the chain. As a child, she wouldn’t have ventured down into a dark basement. As an adult, she still had the same trepidation but now with the rational thought that ghosts and goblins didn’t exist. Even in an old house.

That still didn’t keep the goosebumps from rising on her arms when the damp, cool air brushed over her skin. She flipped a light switch at the bottom, and the brightness chased away the spooky atmosphere.

Two steps into the basement and the light bulb at the top of the stairs flickered twice and then cut out. She’d have to tell Nash to change that once he woke up. If the light above her stayed on, she wouldn’t have a complete meltdown like a two-year-old afraid of the boogeyman.

The basement held several more boxes and a few old pieces of furniture. Were they original to the house? Nash might let her investigate.

The footers of the house looked sturdy. The cross beams didn’t have any rot. No signs of water damage or anything that John had taught her to look for.

Above her head, the floorboards creaked. A muffled “Lexi” came through the grate to her right. She flipped off the only light and started to jog up the stairs. The door at the top closed with a bang, leaving her in complete darkness.

Her feet froze a millisecond before she shot up the stairs.

The door better open.

The door better open.

She screamed, “Nash,” as she reached for the doorknob.

It turned before she made contact. She stumbled into his arms. His laughing arms.

She slapped at his chest, her heartbeat thundering in her ears. “It’s not funny closing the door on someone in the dark.”

“I opened the front door, and this door closed on its own.” He pulled her to him again, even though she struggled. His quiet chuckles were pissing her off. “I wouldn’t lock you in the basement.”

“Yeah, well, it’s still not funny.” She did stop wiggling against him. She slipped her hands around his waist, pulling their bodies together in a hug. The fever reminded her of the risk of getting sick, too. Her fingers stroked up and down his spine as he held her. She laid her cheek against his shoulder. She’d take the risk for the moment.

“You do this to me now when I can’t even kiss you?”

She smiled, pressing a kiss to his hot skin. “You said I got to make the first move.”

“Damn. So, I did.” He moved his hands along the side of her body, resting low on her hips. They’d gone a few miles beyond the flirty country boy routine.

“We still need to keep this a secret. My job is on the line.” Which somehow made this decision exciting and stupid at the same time. “I don’t want it getting back to Julien.”

“Are you telling me to keep my hands to myself in public?” he asked as he slid them up and down the curve of her waist. “Cause that’s a hell of a thing to ask of me when you look this good.” His lips pressed a kiss against her neck. “And feel this good.” He kissed her neck again. “And taste this good.”

She looked at the ceiling, giving him better access. His fever soaked through her tee-shirt and jeans. The slow roll of his deep voice weakened her resolve further.

“I’ll try but don’t get mad if I mess up every now and then.” His teeth grazed across her earlobe. “Did you see everything you wanted to see?”

“Everything is solid.” She ran her hands over his thick, bare shoulders.

He chuckled against her skin, his scruffy cheeks tickling. “I’m glad.”

“If you’ll let me, I’d like to help you renovate the house.” His hold on her stiffened. His hands froze in their torment.

“You want to renovate the house?” he asked in a way that left little doubt he hated the idea.

She pulled away first, not wanting to feel the rejection and disappointment. “I mean, it would be for you. But I have some ideas…” She avoided eye contact and slid around him in the narrow hallway. “I’m going to get to the worksite.”

Wouldn’t make that mistake again. She’d wait until she had her own house. No big deal. Except it felt like a huge deal. It was her passion. Her dream. To find it here, with Nash, scared the crap out of her.

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