Page 10 of Love, Always and Forever
Chapter 4
“I don’t know about you, but I’ve pounded in enough nails for one day.”
Well, “pounded” was an exaggeration. He’d borrowed one of Jack’s nail guns to use. Regardless, Mikhail was ready to be done. Stretching his arms over his head, he swayed side to side to ease some stiffness in his back while he waited to see what Amy would say about calling it quits. The fact that his pretty neighbor watched his every move with hungry eyes didn’t have anything to do with his sudden urge to flex a few muscles. That brought back memories of his brothers and nephew striking stupid poses the other day and had his mouth tugging up in a brief grin. Jerks.
“I could keep working a little longer.”
And if she did, the first stiff breeze would blow her over. They’d made good progress. Enough that he wouldn’t feel guilty if they knocked off earlier than he’d originally planned. If she’d quit or at least take a long break, he would be only too glad to keep working. But she looked tired, and he didn’t have the heart to let her keep slogging along holding up the boards while he put in the first couple of nails. Those cedar boards were heavier than they looked.
Damn it, there she went picking up another one and carrying it over to the next spot in the fence. “Aw, come on, Amy. Can’t we quit now?”
Doing his best to look pitiful, he added, “Pretty please.”
She laughed at him as she leaned the board against the finished portion of the fence. “Have you forgotten I have four older brothers? I’m immune to puppy dog eyes, even pretty baby blues like yours.”
Okay, she thought his eyes were pretty. Good to know. He held up his hands in surrender. “All right, you got me. I’m hungry, and I’m in the mood for some barbecue. There’s this place I know that has outdoor seating and a nice view of the mountains.”
Amy sighed as she carefully carried the board back over to the pile and then covered the stack of wood with a plastic tarp. As she tugged off her work gloves, she smiled at him. “Sounds nice. Let me know when you’ve got time to work on the fence again.”
Obviously his message wasn’t getting through. “I meant for both of us to go. You’ve worked as hard as I have this afternoon.”
Damn, now she looked a bit skittish. Had he come on too hard or maybe too soon? Considering how long it had been since he’d had much interest in dating, maybe his skills were rustier than he’d thought. Not that he was asking her out, not exactly anyway. But he couldn’t relax and enjoy a rack of ribs if he thought there was any chance she’d be right back out there working on the fence by herself as soon as he left.
“It would be like two coworkers stopping off for a cold one on the way home from work. Although, in this case, the cold one will be lemonade. I don’t drink and drive, especially not when I’m out on my Harley.”
Amy’s expressive face lit up. “You have a motorcycle? Why haven’t I seen you riding it?”
Okay, she was nibbling at the bait. Time to reel her in. “It’s parked in the garage. I don’t ride it to work or for running errands, but it’s a great way to unwind after a long day. I even have an extra helmet that should fit you. Want to go?”
She worried at her lower lip as she considered his invitation. What was there to ponder? Either she liked barbecue or she didn’t. Well, he supposed it could be that she’d had enough of one Mikhail Wanjek for the day.
“I should probably tell you now that I’ve never been on a motorcycle.”
With four brothers? Seriously? “No one in your family has ever owned a bike?”
Her cheeks flushed a bit pink. “The twins have had bikes for years, but they never let me near them.”
Why the hell not? From the way she kept glancing toward the garage, she was interested. Would it have killed them to give their kid sister a quick ride around the block? She must have picked up on some of what he was thinking, because she shook her head.
“Don’t blame them. My folks didn’t think it would’ve been a good idea for me to go riding with them, especially when they first got their bikes. Looking back, they probably made the right decision.”
There was something in her voice that made him think she wasn’t entirely sure about that. However, if she wasn’t mad about it, then who was he to second-guess her family’s dynamics?
“I’ll tell you what. We can take a couple of loops around the neighborhood to see if you like riding on the Harley before we head out on the highway. If it’s too scary, we’ll come back and take my SUV. How does that sound?”
Her smile lit up her entire face. “Perfect. Can I grab a quick shower and change clothes first?”
Images of her lithe body lathered up with soap bubbles in the shower exploded into his brain. Too bad they couldn’t save water and take one together. He’d love to wash her back for her and then—
Whoops, she was still waiting for his answer. “Sure thing. I need one, too. I’ll meet you by the garage in half an hour.”
“I’ll be ready.”
“Make sure you wear jeans and a heavy jacket. Leather would be best if you have one. Sturdy shoes, too.”
“I will.”
They made quick work of putting away the tools and anchoring the tarp down with bricks before heading into their respective houses. He glanced back over his shoulder just in time to see her grin and do a little dance step before disappearing into her front door. Okay, then. She was definitely up for a bit of adventure. If he had to guess, the lady was going to love ripping down the road on the back of his bike.
