Page 12 of Climb Me Maybe
I stomp my foot and give her a friendly swat on the butt.“You scared him away.He was doing so well.”
She smiles and flops onto the table.“He’ll be back.”
God, I hope so.
Even if my professional boundaries are eroding faster than a clearcut hillside.
Because Brady Tanaka, half-naked and wrecked under my hands, is impossible to ignore.
CHAPTER4
BRADY
Ican't think straight.
That's the only explanation for why I'm standing outside Connor's cabin at seven in the morning like a spooked animal.
The door opens before I can knock.
"Brady?"Connor's holding a steaming mug of coffee, looking confused."Everything okay?"
"I need to ask you something," I say, then immediately regret it."Actually, forget it.This is stupid."
"Hey, wait."He steps aside, gesturing me in."Come on in.Coffee?"
I follow him into the kitchen, where Teagan's feeding their son Jamie in his high chair.She looks up with a smile that falters when she sees me.
Damn, I must look like hell.
"Everything all right?"she asks.
Ugh.No way am I talking to Connor with Teagan and their baby right here.
"I'm just going to..."Connor jerks his thumb toward the door."We'll be on the porch."
I blow out a breath.Thank god.
Outside, Connor settles into one of the rocking chairs and waits.The morning air is crisp, pine-scented, and normally calming.Today it does nothing for my nerves.
"What’s up?"he says after a long moment."This about your massage yesterday?"
Heat crawls up my neck."How did you?—"
“Heard you sharpening axes by the equipment shed at the break of dawn.Probably murdering the whetstone in the process.”
I shrug.“Don’t worry, I didn’t decapitate any axes.”
"Sky mentioned you looked like you'd been hit by a truck after you emerged from Imogen’s cabin.”His mouth quirks up.“In a good way.”
I scrub my hands over my face."This is embarrassing."
“What is?”he asks.“You know, you can talk to me about anything.I guarantee I've been through worse."
I doubt that.Sure, Connor has been around.But a guy like him would have plenty of experience with women before Teagan.
And I’m…a virgin.
“Fine.Yesterday, during my massage.I...reacted."
