“We’re only breaking even,” I told him honestly.
I didn’t turn when I felt a presence behind me. Cameron. What the hell? I didn’t even hear him climb up the stairs. How did he do that?
With his massive size, you’d think he’d be clumsy or walk with dumb, heavy footsteps. Not a chance. He moved with catlike grace and stealth, sneaking up on me without warning. I should trip him next time.
“Cam,” Rick said.
Cameron didn’t say anything, just stood somewhere behind me, waiting.
“Son, why don’t you show Kara around the property?”
My head jerked up. Is this man up to something? Does he know about me and Cameron?
I couldn’t see Cameron having a heart-to-heart talk with anyone, but what did I know? I didn’t know him well enough to assume anything. In fact, I didn’t know him at all. Maybe he was more open to Rick. I wondered who he was in Cameron’s life.
You don’t want anything to do with him anymore, remember? Move on, sis.
“Introduce her to the guys. Get her a hard hat,” he said and grabbed his own from the desk and put it on. “Have you decided on that big project you were telling me about?”
“Still thinking about it. I would
need your help with it if I take it on.”
“Always here for you, Son. Just let me know.”
Son?
This was Cameron’s dad? But their last names were different, although having different last names didn’t necessarily indicate nonrelation. They didn’t look alike at all though, except for their height. Even then, Cameron was a tad taller. So maybe Rick just liked to call him that. What did it even matter? Ugh.
What kind of bad stinking luck did I have to be working at the same place as he did? And then I remembered that time when he wasn’t so reserved, he’d mentioned that he owned his business and that he also worked for a friend. Maybe that was Rick. Again, what did it even matter? Double that ugh.
“Welcome to the family, Kara. Come back to the shop after your tour and talk to Deb. She’ll tell you what you need to know.” Rick winked at me conspiratorially—as if we both shared a secret Cameron didn’t know and we were going to get him in trouble. He walked behind the desk and grabbed his jacket on the chair, shrugged it on. “I have to run to the site. Have fun, kiddos.”
Then he left. And I was alone with Cameron.
I could feel his presence on my back. The air throbbed with it. There were people below us. I could hear the buzz of conversation and movement, but they felt far away. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath.
Steel, baby. You are made of steel.
The instant I opened my eyes, I turned to face him.
The blue of his gaze felt like a sucker punch to my stomach.
I had already made up my mind that it wouldn’t affect me. I was so convinced that it wouldn’t, I underestimated his effect. So when his focus turned on me, when that piercing gaze fixed on me, it hit me unexpectedly.
His dark, curly hair was tied in a messy man bun—the first time I saw him wear it like that. He had a heavy five o’clock shadow on his jaw, as if he’d given up on shaving. There was a grease stain on his cheek, as if he’d been working on a vehicle. He looked rakish, a devil-may-care look about him. A man with rough edges and an angelic face.
A white hard hat was tucked under his arm and a backpack slung over his shoulder. He was wearing a black muscle T-shirt that emphasized his broad shoulders, the toned muscles of his arms. It was also stained with grease. The jeans and steel-toed boots he had on weren’t any better. He looked like a sexy construction worker about to pose for a racy magazine. And he’d have all the months in the calendar.
I hadn’t seen him in work clothes before. I hadn’t seen him work at all, and seeing him now showed me a different side of him that I didn’t want to see.
I didn’t want to see any more sides to him—especially the good sides. I knew that no matter how many times I told myself I was over him, how easy it would be to fall back again.
“Kara,” he said my name in that way of his. Softly, gently. It rolled off his tongue like rich, liquid dark chocolate.
I fought the delicious shiver that slithered down my spine.
No. Not again. Not fucking ever.