Page 40 of The Contractor & the Entrepreneur

Rhett set his cowboy hat on the entry table and shut the door behind him. His unique wood shavings, pine, and vanilla scent brushed close to her, adding to the unreal sensation. She was alone, in this spectacular house that he’d built, with the mesmerizing cowboy contractor.

“What do you think?” he asked, his clean breath touching her cheek. If she looked to the right and arched up, she could probably kiss him.

“It’s ideal,” she exclaimed. “Out of this world.”

She started describing the different things she loved—the layout, the hand-scraped wood flooring, the light fixtures, the moldings, and more. Slowly wandering into the main living area, she gasped in delight and kept oohing over the view, especially with the sun making the wetness on the trees and the river beyond sparkle, the spacious and well-decorated living room with leather furnishings and wood and rubbed bronze accents, the smooth off-white walls, the massive two-sided glass fireplace, the kitchen with concrete counter tops and walnutcabinets, and the classic decorations. He had to admit he’d hired someone to decorate.

She walked slowly around the main area, taking in every detail. She could smell warm bread. As she approached the kitchen, she saw a salad and dressings, bread on a wooden cutting board with oil and vinegar, and raw steaks in a glass container.

“Did you bake the bread?” she asked, remembering him picking up a loaf of sourdough from the bakery at the store.

“No.” He shook his head. “A little trick from my mama. Sprinkle a little water and rub some melted butter mixed with sea salt on the top and put it in the oven for a bit. It tastes fresh baked and makes the house smell good.” He ducked his head slightly. “My version of cooking.”

“I like it.”

“Are you ready to eat?”

“Sure.”

She walked with him out onto his patio to grill the steak. She admired the view again and the comfortable, wide back patio with outdoor couches and a table and chairs. She would’ve loved to eat outside if it were thirty degrees warmer.

The sun’s appearance made her optimistic. As if heaven above was endorsing her and Rhett spending time together and growing closer. Everything was going their way, the weather would warm and the ground would dry.

Despite the nightmare of Jaxon and Preston coming after her, Rhett protecting her and the strides she’d made with the contractors made her optimistic she could stay here in Montana. Being with Rhett made her optimistic that she could date an incredible man.

Time would tell, but so far Rhett Coleville had proven himself to be the best man she’d ever met.

Chapter

Fifteen

Rhett watchedSloan’s face light up. She was enchanted with his house. She’d said it was her ‘dream house’ and she’d gone on and on about every detail. He’d built the house last year and been particular about every detail. It had annoyed the architect and interior designer, but his men had been willing to do everything he asked. Great guys.

Dinner was delicious. They talked about some of the projects she’d worked on commercially and then she started asking more questions about each of his family members. She seemed hungry for details about his family and him. When he tried to turn the conversation around to her, she would deflect and go back to drawing him out about all things Coleville. His family was great, but what about hers? She’d said her mom died, and it didn’t sound like things were great with her dad. No siblings and her only cousins were the jerks who’d claimed they would kill her.

Who did Sloan have in her life? It concerned him deeply that she didn’t seem to have any lasting connections. What held her back from developing them? What had her dad done to her? She finally told him some stories about her best friend Kathy who’dbeen there for her since they were assigned to dorm together freshmen year at ASU.

Sighing, she leaned back in her chair, her plate almost empty. “Without Kathy, I don’t know that I could’ve stayed strong enough to escape my dad.”

“Escape your dad?” He pushed back slightly from the table and angled more fully toward her.

She looked out at the deepening dusk and the river flowing by.

“Sloan …” How did he delve into her relationship with her dad, and was it any of his business? He was falling for her, but he wasn’t certain if she reciprocated the feeling. Would he risk her pushing him away if he pushed too hard?

“Let’s clean this mess up,” she said brightly, standing and grabbing her plate, silverware, and cup and heading for the sink.

Rhett stood and they worked together in silence to put the leftovers away, load the dishwasher, and wipe off the counter and table.

When they finished, they each washed their hands and then Sloan turned from the sink and stared at him. “Thank you for dinner.”

Ah, shoot. She was done. She was leaving.

“Thank you for coming.” He searched his brain. “Would you like to stay and play Monopoly Deal?”

Monopoly Deal? That was really his best idea? He almost rolled his eyes at himself. Rhett didn’t date as often as his mama would like, but he wasn’t a tween newbie around women.

“What is Monopoly Deal?”

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