A Win-Win Proposition (Case Brothers 2)

Missy pretended as if she hadn’t heard the sly question. “Sebastian’s working with them?” Is that why he’d been dressed in a T-shirt and jeans earlier? She’d been too agitated by his presence in Crusade to notice how he was dressed, but now that she thought about it, she remembered he’d looked damned sexy in a snug cotton shirt that stretched across his chest and scarcely contained his biceps. “I didn’t realize he was handy.”

“Apparently he worked construction during college,” Helen said.

How had she not known that? She’d worked for the man four years. And yet, how much had she discovered about him in the past couple of months? As much as he’d learned about her? Or had her determination to keep him at bay prevented him from getting to know her in turn?

Missy’s pulse fluttered as Helen’s SUV stopped in front of a storm-battered house. More than just the roof had suffered from the high winds. Half the front porch was missing and a pile of wood stacked next to a gaping hole in the front yard hinted at a tree that was no more.

A dozen men swarmed the roof and yard. Missy had little trouble spotting Sebastian’s tall form as he jumped off a ladder and headed her way. She snatched her gaze from the worn denim riding his narrow hips and wrapping his powerful thighs. She’d never seen him in jeans before and found the view disconcerting.

His expensive business suits gave him the air of an aloof multimillionaire. Fascinating to look at but remote. The casual clothes made him much more approachable. Touchable. She wanted to hook her fingers into his belt loops and tug him close enough for a long, slow kiss. Heat bloomed in her cheeks as he stopped beside her.

“Hello, Missy.”

“Hi.” Her mouth had gone too dry to offer more. The clean scent of sweat, soap and something uniquely Sebastian was so tempting, she had to shove her hands into her back pockets to keep from reaching out to him. “Thanks for helping, but you didn’t need to.”

He, too, wore a hat. The wide brim shadowed his eyes, forcing her to guess at his mood.

“I’m happy to pitch in.”

“I didn’t know you could handle a hammer.”

“Figured me for a spoiled rich kid, didn’t you?”

Missy hunched her shoulders. “Can you blame me?” Surrendering to temptation, she took his hand and turned it palm up so she could trace the lines and contours. She discovered rough spots she’d never thought about before, old calluses that revealed he hadn’t spent his entire life behind a desk. “You don’t have a workman’s hands, but they’re not exactly soft, either.” Not like Tim’s hands. He’d never been one for physical labor.

“You’d better eat. We’re only breaking for fifteen minutes.” David held a sandwich in front of Sebastian’s chest and gave Missy a meaningful look. “Why don’t you get Sebastian a bottle of water?”

“Sure.” Missy sent her brother a meaningful look of her own and released Sebastian’s hand. When she returned a second later, her brothers had formed a crowd around Sebastian, blocking her from conversing with him.

Why were they keeping her and Sebastian apart? Was it to protect her or him? Watching the camaraderie between the five guys, she decided her brothers had come down on Sebastian’s side. Resentment bubbled. Even they didn’t think she was good enough for him.

And why was she so close to tears? Maybe it was because she agreed with them.

Twelve

Sebastian waited until Missy had driven away with her sisters-in-law before he returned to work. Repairing roofs hadn’t been the plan when he’d trekked halfway across Texas; but, now that he was here, he remembered how much he enjoyed the satisfaction of a job well done.

The afternoon flew by. A pleasant ache entered his muscles as he and Missy’s brothers accepted the homeowner’s thanks and packed up the leftover materials.

“We really appreciate your help,” Matt said, slamming the tailgate shut on his pickup.

David nodded. “Never would have gotten it done that fast without you.”

“I enjoyed it.” Sebastian joined Matt in the truck and leaned his arm on the open window. “How many more projects you got?”

“How many weeks can you stay?”

Sebastian laughed but gave the question serious consideration. How long had it been since he’d taken time away from the business to do something he enjoyed? Probably the last vacation had been his honeymoon. And he wouldn’t exactly call that fun.

The truck sped through town as Matt headed back toward the parsonage. Sebastian removed his hat and let the wind dry the sweat from his brow and temples. He liked Missy’s family. Discovering her father was a religious man had caught him off guard at first.

Why hadn’t she ever told him about such an important part of her? What was there to hide about her family? From what he could see, there was nothing to be ashamed of. Each brother was happily married with kids. They had successful careers, good standing in the community.

What else didn’t he know?

For four years she’d dressed and behaved in a manner he could only call conservative. Nothing flashy about her clothes or her lifestyle.

Then, in Las Vegas she’d unveiled a different side of herself he’d never dreamed existed. He loved both women. And now, after spending time with her family, he’d become that much more determined to keep her in his life.