She felt embarrassed as he said the words out loud. She took a few steps away in retreat from the possible fight she saw burning in Eric’s eyes.
“I don’t want any trouble. I appreciate your help, but please just go. I can do this myself.”
She saw Max tap Eric before he cleared his throat.
“Why don’t we help you with the shingles and whatever got you hopping like spit in a hot skillet up there on the roof. That way the dangerous aspects of your renovations are dealt with?” Max stated. Before she could reply, he was walking past her, and Eric was alongside him. She watched as they began to grab the shingles and other things they felt they would need.
There wasn’t much for her to do to stop them, so she grabbed her paint and supplies and headed to the opposite side of the house.
* * * *
“Why did you let her get away?” Eric asked as he followed Max over toward the house where the pile of new shingles were stacked and where Stacy nearly fell. His heart still hammered in his chest just thinking about what could have happened to her.
“You saw her reaction to you holding her when she wanted to walk away. You heard her ask you not to restrain her. She was scared, Eric,” Max stated as he looked back toward the direction Stacy left in.
Eric felt himself getting angry and concerned. “You think someone hurt her physically?”
“It’s a possibility. Every time one of us gets close to her she tenses up.”
“She wasn’t tense while I was kissing her.”
“I think that was part of what got her upset. I think she’s not used to that type of attention.”
“That type of attention? She’s gorgeous. She has to be used to men flirting with her.”
“I don’t even want to think about other men flirting with her. But maybe she isn’t comfortable with it. Maybe she’s shy or had some sort of bad experience. I don’t know what it is, but my gut clenches every time I see that look of fear in her eyes. Did you see the look she gave me when I asked her to let go so I could catch her? She was terrified to trust me.”
Eric ran his hand through his crew-cut hair and to the back of his neck as he clenched his teeth with concern.
“Let’s take things slow with her. She’s going to have to learn to trust us.”
“I don’t think that is going to be as easy as it sounds,” Max replied then began to climb the ladder as Eric passed material to him.
* * * *
Stacy came around the side of the house feeling upset and confused. She tore open her painting supplies and gathered everything she needed to begin painting the house. Thank God Ron let her borrow a sprayer, or this would be taking her all day. She started out with the rich navy-blue color. Then she would paint the window frames a bright white and add a fancy trim molding to every window. She’d already cut out the strips. Eric and Max would probably insist that one of them hang the wood molding. She cringed just thinking about how she slipped and nearly fell off the roof. That wasn’t cool at all. In fact, they may think she was a klutz or a troublemaker, considering this was the second time they came to her aid. Thinking about Gutry and what she had heard about the man, she supposed that it had been good that Eric and Max appeared when they had. She may not have been able to handle the situation. She thought about the way Max caught her and how it felt to be in such strong yet gentle arms. His embrace was comforting, not restricting, and she hadn’t felt exposed. It shocked her, leaving her guard down and room for not just Max to kiss her, but Eric as well. She inhaled then released a shaky breath. Boy, could those cowboys kiss. Her mouth never felt so thoroughly explored. She also never came from a kiss alone like she did when the men kissed her. Her damn panties were wet, and her clit actually throbbed. Was that normal?
“Stacy?” She was caught off guard hearing her name, and as she turned to see who it was, Eric was reaching for the sprayer nozzle before she accidentally sprayed the bushes instead of the house. She was once again caught daydreaming, except this time it was about Eric and Max. She felt her cheeks warm, and she wondered if they could tell that she was thinking about them.
“You sure do daydream a lot. I’m curious to know what is so amazing it occupies your mind to the point that you’re in another world?” Eric asked, still holding the nozzle with his hand covering hers.
“Maybe she’s thinking about us,” Max whispered, appearing on her other side. He gently caressed her arm. Stacy felt like she was in a dream. Were these guys for real? It was so strange to have not one, but two men flirt with her and with the same intensity in their eyes. What was stranger was that she wasn’t running for her life.
“Why did you call me? Is something wrong?” she asked, trying to avoid their persuasive tactics. She wouldn’t turn into some lovesick puppy going all goo-goo and gaga over two very sexy men with more assets than even an experienced woman could tackle in one fantasy. Yikes, I need to stop thinking these crazy sexual thoughts.
“Marie called my cell phone. She s
aid Millie is trying to get in touch with you. She got worried when you didn’t answer your phone,” Max stated, and she quickly handed over the sprayer to Eric.
“I’ll be right back.” She headed into the house.
Stacy walked into the cottage, glad to get some breathing room but now concerned that Mille was trying to contact her. She quickly dialed Millie’s cell number.
“Where have you been?” Millie asked.
“Hello to you, too.”
“I’m sorry. Hello. I was worried, especially after some investigator showed up from the District Attorney’s office.”