Page 113 of Built of Strength

Although Red looked as delicious in worn jeans, workbooks, and a cap as she had in that sexy black number five years before.

“Tansy invited me.”

Shit and double shit. “You’re the carpenter?”

She nodded. “What about you?”

“I’m a friend of Tansy’s.”

Red didn’t look at him, kept her attention on the dog.

“That explains the callouses on your hands.”

Her head whipped up and those gorgeous hazel eyes locked on his. “What?”

He shook his head, forcing away the memory of those callouses running over his skin, igniting sparks everywhere they touched. He had to get his brain into gear so he didn’t blurt out whatever he was thinking.

Easier said than done with Red right in front of him.

“You want to head out to the lodge and see Tansy?” He extended his hand to help her up from where she sat with the dog, but she either didn’t see it or didn’t want it as she scrambled to her feet.

“I wanted to check out the sawmill first.”

“I’m using part of it for a shop.” And there he went again. Blurting out whatever he was thinking. At least he hadn’t asked if she wanted to have sex up against the back wall of the mill.

Red looked at the mill, and he heard her soft sigh. “It’s a big building.”

Clamping his jaw shut, Graham followed her as she walked around the building, Jetson bouncing between the two of them.

There didn’t appear to be any gaping holes in the structure. The boards weren’t rotting, and the windows were intact. Probably helped that they were all at the top of the building and therefore not accessible to your typical vandal.

Not like the assholes they’d just put away for kidnapping Tansy.

Red trailed her hand along the walls as they walked. The woman liked to touch.

Graham cursed his vivid memory and managed to keep his mouth shut.

They climbed over the rocks around the ancient waterwheel. What once must have been a decent creek was no more than a dry bed. Probably the reason the mill had shut down.

When they’d circled the building, they ended up back at her truck. An old Chevy that didn’t have a two as the first digit in its year.

“Your truck didn’t sound too healthy coming in.”

Red patted the hood. “Buffy’s worked hard to get us here. I’ll give her a rest and then find out if there’s a mechanic in Phail.”

“You’ve got issues with your tie rods or your ball joints.”

Red finally smiled, and it nearly knocked him flat on his ass. “Poor Buffy. That sounds painful. And expensive.”

“I can fix it up for you.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “You don’t have to do that.”

Graham shrugged and turned to the trail. He couldn’t do anything for the truck without new parts, so there was no point in staying. He was antsy and needed to move. “I’m a mechanic. It’s what I do.”

“So that’s why you want part of the sawmill?”

He nodded and pointed to the woods. “The lodge is this way. Tansy know you’re on the way?”

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