Hearing what sounds like a power saw, I come out of sleep and blink my eyes open, finding the bed next to me empty and the sheets cold. It’s Thursday, the day Harlen took off work to spend with me. I thought we would start out our day together in bed then spend most of the day right here, so I don’t know why he’s not here with me. I listen to the noise shut off and close my eyes, only to have them spring back open when I hear pounding start up. “What the hell is going on?” I ask no one as I sit up.
Looking toward the closed bedroom door like I have the power to see through it, my brows pull together when the pounding stops and the noise from earlier starts back up again. “What the hell is he doing?” I toss back the covers, scooting out of bed. I put my feet on the floor, grabbing Harlen’s shirt that he had on yesterday, and pull it down over my head as I go to the door. Opening it, I head down the hall, stopping dead in my tracks, blinking when I see Everret and another man I don’t know standing near my backdoor and Harlen through a hole in the wall. Yes, a hole in the wall near the floor. His eyes come to me through the hole and scan from my bare feet up my bare thighs to his shirt I have on, before he meets my gaze.
Seeing the look he gives me, I bite my lip then feel my eyes widen when heat hits my thighs—that heat not coming from him. I look up at Everett and the guy standing next to him, and I find them both looking at me, or more accurately, looking at my bare legs. “Babe, clothes,” Harlen orders, appearing suddenly at the open sliding glass door, and my glare shoots to him.
“What are you guys doing?”
“Clothes, now,” he growls, and my nose scrunches in annoyance. “Harmony.”
“Gah! Fine.” I spin on my bare feet and go back to my room, ignoring the laughter I hear behind me. Grabbing a bra from my dresser, I put it on under his shirt then pull on a pair of my sweats before I head into the bathroom. Bent over the sink, brushing my teeth, I look at Harlen in the mirror when he fits himself to my back.
“Not real fond of men I know, knowing exactly how good you look wearing nothing but my tee,” he says, and my nose scrunches up once more.
“I didn’t know that anyone was here besides you,” I retort through a mouthful of foam before spitting and rinsing my mouth. I shut off the water then dry my face with the hand towel I take off the hook and turn to face him. “What exactly are you guys doing? I thought we were going to spend the day in bed.”
On the word bed, the fingers of his hands wrapped around my hips dig in and his eyes darken in a really good way. “Putting in a dog door for Dizzy.”
“What?” I breathe.
“Been meaning to do it for a while now but didn’t have the time. Today, I have the time, so I asked Mic and Everret to help me get it done.”
“Oh,” I say softly, resting my hands against his chest, melting into him, and feeling my chest get warm. He heard me mention putting in a doggie door for Dizzy and went about getting it done. Yes, I love him.
“It shouldn’t take us to long. Once we’re done, you and I can get back in bed.” He grins, and I smile.
“Okay.”
“Made you a cup of coffee. It’s on the island.”
“You are so getting lucky,” I whisper, leaning deeper into him, and he laughs—only I’m not joking, not even a little bit.
“I’ll remember that.” He dips his head, brushing his mouth over mine, then grabs my hand and pulls me out of the bathroom and bedroom. “Baby, you know Everett, and that’s Mic.” He lifts his chin toward Mic, and I smile at him, seeing him return the expression.
“Hey, guys.” I give them a wave then bend to pick up Dizzy, who’s finally noticed I exist. Holding him to my chest, I look at the hole in the wall then the box leaning against the side of the door. “Thank you, guys, for helping with that.” I nod toward it.
“No problem,” Everett mutters, looking between Harlen and me.
“Not a big deal,” Mic states with a shrug, having no idea he’s saving me thousands of dollars, so it’s not just a big deal; it’s a huge one. Now, instead of saving for the door, I can buy a bed for my guest room.
“How much do I owe for this?” I ask, and Harlen’s fingers dig into my hip, so I look up at him.