Page 3 of Burly Lumberjack

Igroan as the sharp buzz of my phone rattles me out of a deep sleep.

I fumble for it blindly across the nightstand. My hand knocks over an empty water glass before I finally catch hold of the phone and squint at the screen. Jax. I have to take it.

My voice is thick with sleep when I answer. “Yeah?”

“Morning, Rowan,” Jax says, sounding like a man who’s already halfway through his second cup of coffee.

I rub a hand over my face, trying to blink the sleep away—and then I shift.

Fuck.

My cock is rock-hard, straining against my boxers, so thick and full it feels like it might punch a hole through the damn mattress. I sit up slowly, trying to angle myself in a way that doesn’t make me want to grind my teeth in frustration.

“You alive?” Jax asks after a beat.

“Yeah,” I mutter, barely managing to sound normal. “Just...waking up.” Fighting yet another raging case of morning wood, more like it.

“Wanted to check on the porch. How’s Ophelia’s place looking?”

I clench my jaw and stare at the far wall, willing my body to behave. Even the mere mention of her name makes my boner worse. The way her dress clung to her soft curves was enough to have me needing a glacially cold shower. “The boards were in rougher shape than I expected. I’ll need more stain and some extra lumber to finish.”

There’s a pause on the line, then Jax continues. “You good with it? Need help?”

“I’ve got it,” I say quickly, shifting again. I’ve been fantasizing about seeing her away from the diner, and now that I have the chance, I’m not going to share that time with anyone. “I’ll be heading back over this afternoon.”

Every movement sends another jolt of pressure to my cock. The image of Ophelia, barefoot on her porch with the morning light catching in her honey-blonde hair, hits me like a punch to the chest. I can still hear the shy tremble in her voice when she offered me sweet tea and remember the way she tried to pretend like she wasn’t staring at me. I didn’t care, though, because she can damn well stare at me as much as she wants. I crave watching her lips part, her eyes sparkle, and that tiny gasp that escapes her plump lips when her eyes meet mine. I’ll take all of it, every day of my life.

I’m fucking dying over here. I shouldn’t be having these thoughts while talking to Jax.

“She doing alright?” Jax asks.

“Sure. She’s sweet,” I say, smiling at the memory of her.

Jax pauses and I hear someone talking to him in the background. “Right. I ran into Jake, from Ghost Security recently. We’ve got another build coming up at Silver Pine Ridge, if you’re interested in the work. I’ll send you the specs, but finish the porch first.”

“Yeah, I’ll take that project. Season’s nearly done here, and I’ll have more time on my hands,” I say. I don’t ever say no to earning more money.

When he hangs up, I’m left sitting there, cock painfully hard, my chest tight with more than just lust. Every time I look at Ophelia, my mind spins to imagining a lifetime with her by my side. What if I go for it and ruin everything?

What if I don’t, and I let her slip away?

I head straightfor the back aisle of the Heartland General Store, where I know I can find everything I need.

Boards. Stain. Nails. And some extra wood for another project.

My thoughts keep returning to the memory of the curve of Ophelia’s smile, the sway of her wide hips, the blush on her cheeks when she caught me watching her, the way sunlight lights up her hair like she’s a perfect angel. She’d looked away like she didn’t believe the desire she saw in my eyes—like she didn’t think a man like me could want a woman like her.

She’s wrong.

Jax’s sister Andrea is behind the register when I bring everything up front. She’s sorting screws into little bins like she’s bored out of her mind. When she sees me, her face lights up.

“Well, well. You’re back already?” She grins. “Let me guess—Ophelia’s porch needs more than a quick fix?”

“Yeah,” I say. “Didn’t grab enough yesterday.”

She starts scanning the items, but her eyes flick up to mine and I know she’s going to pester me. “You and Ophelia, huh?”

I keep my expression neutral. “What about us?”

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