Page 53 of Beauty and the Bayou

Oh.Juliet felt her mouth drop open.But she shut it, pressed her lips together, shook her head, then said, “Chase told you?”Of course he had.It was bound to come up.

Sawyer nodded.He straightened, his arms going to his sides, but he didn’t step back.His eyes were still on hers when he said, “I can’t believe you’re here building a boat dock when you’re afraid of water.”

Something in his voice made her pause.It was rough and a little softer and…sounded like admiration.

Juliet wasn’t sure she wanted admiration.She was doing something she felt like she needed to do and she was…coping.She was doing the job in the way she needed to do it to get it done.She wasn’t being brave.She was just being her.

But she did like that soft gruffness in his voice.

The gruffness that also made her very aware of the fact that she was wearing only a tiny tank top and a pair of short cotton shorts.The less clothing the better around here.He’d said so himself.When it got hot, they took clothes off.She was fine with that when she was inside and out of the sun and away from bugs.Very fine.But she hadn’t been expecting a visitor.Especially one that made her all too aware of every inch of her skin whenever he was around, even when she was fully clothed and wearing a life jacket.

She crossed her arms, trying to hide her nipples that seemed to want Sawyer to be especially aware ofthem.“It’s really hot tonight.”

“It is,” he agreed.“But I gotta say, I’m on the side of no AC if that means you’ll keep dressing like that.”

She gave him a little smile that felt shy and flirtatious at the same time.“I’m okay,” she told him.“If you’re here to check on me.I’m fine.”

“That’s not totally why I’m here,” he said.“But yeah, I’m glad to hear that.”He frowned.“Actually, thatiswhy I’m here.”

“To be sure I’m okay?”

“Yeah.”He looked puzzled.

“Areyouokay?”she asked, a little amused.

“Me coming over here to be sure you’re okay is ridiculous.As ridiculous as it would be for me to hang out and supervise you with the tools.You don’t need any of that at all, do you?”

Juliet lifted her shoulder.“Not really.”

“Damn,” he said quietly.“She was right.”

“Who was?”

“Ellie.”

Juliet smiled.She loved Sawyer’s grandmother.Ellie let Juliet just do her thing but also definitely gave the impression that she was there if Juliet needed anything at all.Juliet had been looking for someone like that for a long time without even consciously realizing it.

“What was she right about?”

“That we don’t need to help you or take care of you,” Sawyer said.“That we should just…enjoy you.”

Juliet felt her heart trip in her chest and warmth flood through her.It was partly because that was a nice thing to say.She liked the idea that they might enjoy having her around.

But again, the way Sawyer said the words made it sound like something else.Something more.

Something a lot dirtier.Her nipples thought so, too.

She swallowed.“Oh.”She really didn’t know what else to add to that.Other than “get in here and take your clothes off.”

“You don’t have to build the dock, you know,” he said.Almost as if he couldn’t help saying it.“Not if you’re scared.”

“I’m good if I have my life jacket on.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah.Just like anyone with a disability, I need to do what I can the way I need to do it.”

“Fear isn’t really a disability, is it?”he asked with a frown.

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