Page 70 of Strictly Business : A Lesbian Romance

fresh flooring or with brand new furniture in the room.

She swallowed back her doubts and annoyances and pushed open the

heavy steel door that led to the back. The first thing she noted was the rolls

of chain link fencing lying on the ground. Her eyes tracked from the neat

rolls over to the woman at the far end of the lot.

Taylor.

Her hair was up in a messy bun, as per usual.

She was wearing a

different plaid shirt, red and black this time, faded jeans, and the same

brown boots. Christina watched with gathering awe as Taylor planted some

kind of huge tool into the ground. She put all her might into it, then set the

tool aside, walked over, and grabbed a thick metal post. She stuck it in the

hole, stepped back, brushed at her glistening forehead with the back of her

arm, and smiled.

Christina was absolutely absorbed in the sight. Taylor wasn’t just

beautiful. She could work. Hard. She could handle tools and make a fence.

And god, she looked incredibly good doing it.

Annoyed at doing exactly what she promised herself she wouldn’t do—

staring— Christina ripped her eyes away and walked over. Taylor heard her

coming and turned sharply. Her smile faded and her face grew instantly

guarded. Her eyes snapped with awareness, but they didn’t roam over

Christina’s clothes or body. They stayed glued to her face.

“Nice hat.” Taylor grinned, but it wasn’t a grin for Christina. She was

clearly amused at the incongruences between professional attire and a

grimy hard hat.

“The guy at the front gave it to me. I’m surprised he didn’t force me to

wear a pair of boots. He did mention them.”

“Yeah?”

Christina nodded. “I can see everything’s coming along inside. But

don’t— uh— isn’t everything usually done in stages? Like, the framing,

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