Page 31 of My Mistake To Make

‘Really good, although my head would not agree.’

She grins as she opens her bottle of water and takes a sip, and my focus trains on her throat. The motion of her swallowing has me rubbing my hand over my face hoping for an intervention.

‘Well, you don’t really need to be here,’ I push up to standing and turn back to the house. ‘It’s just ripping out and clearing down right now.’

‘I want to help.’ Her voice is strong and full of that pep she seems to have in spades.

‘Cara.’ I turn to look at her, finding her close behind me, and I take a step back. ‘No disrespect here, but this is tough, nasty, dirty work. You’re paying me to do a job. Just let me do it.’

‘I will not get in your way, but I’m not afraid of getting my hands dirty, and I’m stronger than I look. Put me to work. Humor me, give me an hour, then I’ll get out of your way.’

She smirks,fuckingsmirks, and it undoes me. I release a low growl of all the different kinds of frustration I’m feeling and do as she asks.

‘That was fun.’

I glance across to a beaming Cara. She’s sweaty and dirty, and her once-neat braids are now messy, with hair coming out in all directions. She looks elated and ridiculously gorgeous.

Sheisstronger than she looks, and as she said, she’s not afraid of getting her hands dirty. She didn’t shy away from anything I asked her to do. I didn’t once catch her wiping her hands or checking for bugs before she picked something up. If something was too heavy or awkward, she simply asked for my help, no big song or dance about it. Something about the way she worked with me today reminded me of my mom and my sisters. Cara has these innocent eyes and an ever-present smile that makes her look like she’s this sweet little thing that needs protecting, but I was wrong. She is sweet, definitely, and she has these little quirky ways about her that I want to get to know, but she’s tough too, resilient, and she’s becoming harder to resist by the minute.

‘Glad you thought so. Now, we need some ground rules.’ I push up from the steps and turn to face her. ‘You employed me to do a job. I know this is your house, but if you want me to get it done, please let me get it done. I can’t work if I’m constantly having to supervise you.’ She opens her mouth to protest, but I double down. I need her not to be in my space all the time. I can’t stay away from her if she’s always right there. ‘Cara, this isa construction site now. It’s dangerous and going to get more so, the more work I do. You are the owner, not a worker. I can’t keep you safe here—my responsibility to every person who steps onto this site—and be expected to get the job done. You need to stay away until I tell you it’s safe to come up. Can we agree on that?’

‘But, if I’m not here, what am I going to do?’

The expression on her face is not one I expected to see. That strong, joyful woman is suddenly a lost little girl. I remember at that moment she just left her whole life to move here. She doesn’t have a job or family here.

‘I don’t know. Get a job, go spend some of that Reynolds money, stay in bed all day watching movies, go shopping, or get your nails done. I know you want to feel useful, but you can’t be here all the time. I can’t work with you around.’ I tried to soften the words, I tried to make them less of a blow, but I see the impact.

She stands and brushes her hands against the denim covering her thighs.

‘Got it.’ She starts to walk away.

‘Cara,’

‘Nope, it’s fine. I forgot for a moment that you’ve made your feelings about me clear, so I’ll leave you to it.’

I call after her as she walks away. ‘Let me drive you back to town.’

‘I have working legs, Doug. I’m capable of walking.’

And then she’s gone, back in the direction she came, and I realize every time I watch this woman walk away, I’m left feeling like a complete asshole.

As the hot waterbeats down on the back of my neck, I press my forehead against the tiles. The heat and the pressure feel good, but somehow, the tension there won’t release. I have the house to myself. Bowie is with Jessie tonight, and Mama is staying over at Merv’s, so my music is on loud, but not even Aerosmith is making me feel better tonight.

‘Alexa, skip the track.’ I call out, but she doesn’t hear me. I wait for the end of the track, and before long, my favorite song starts up. That’s something, at least.

I inhale the steam and reach for the soap, squeezing it onto my hands and starting to lather up my skin, washing off the dirt and grime from a hard day of satisfying work. I loved getting my hands on that house, finally. I’m exhausted, but I already can’t wait to get back there tomorrow.

I used my body in a way I haven’t in so long, and I already ache, but damn if it doesn’t feel good. It’s the other ache that’s the problem. Cara.

Everything she says and does surprises me. Just a few days ago, she showed up out of nowhere and pissed me off. Now the tables have turned, and I’m the one wiping the smile off her face.

She really believes I don’t like her. I know that’s how it needs to be for me, but damn, I want to show her how wrong she is.

I blow out a breath when my pulse quickens at the memory of her working her little ass off in those jeans.

She was on her hands and knees, working on the busted-up floorboards. I should have been working, but I couldn’t focus. The thought of taking her right there kept me dangerously distracted, and I went over and over scenarios, imagining pulling those jeans down to her knees and sinking into that sweet pussy.Fuck.

My dick hardens, and I grip it, the soap making it agonizingly slick. I close my eyes and give in to the thought of her big eyeslooking up at me while I fill her pretty mouth. I fist my cock, unable to stop myself now. I’m too far gone.

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