Blue Dahlia (In the Garden 1)

"Looks like he's loading pavers. If it wasn't so cool, he'd pull off that jacket. Bet we'd get a real muscle show. God, I do love my eye candy. "

"That sort'll give you cavities," Stella mumbled. "He's not scheduled for pavers. He hasn't put in the order for pavers. Damn it!"

Hayley's eyebrows shot up as Stella stomped to the door and slammed out. Then she pressed her nose to the window, prepared to watch the show.

"Excuse me?"

"Uh-huh?" Hayley's answer was absent as she tried to get a better look outside. Then she popped back from the window, remembering spying was one thing, getting caught at it another. She turned, put on an innocent smile. And decided she'd gotten a double serving of eye candy.

This one wasn't big and broody, but sort of lanky and dreamy. And hot damn. It took an extra beat for her brain to engage, but she was quick.

"Hey! You must be Harper. You look just like your mama. I didn't get a chance to meet you yet, 'cause you never seemed to be around wherever I was around. Or whenever. I'm Hayley. Cousin Hayley from Little Rock? Maybe your mama told you I was working here now. "

"Yeah. Yeah. " He couldn't think of anything else. Could barely think at all. He felt lightning-struck and stupid.

"Do you just love working here? I do already. There's so much of everything, and the customers are so friendly. And Stella, she's just amazing, that's all. Your mama's like, I don't know, a goddess, for giving me a chance this way. "

"Yeah. " He winced. Could he be any more lame? "They're great. It's great. " Apparently he could. And damn it, he was good with women. Usually. But one look at this one had given him some sort of concussion. "You, ah, do you need anything?"

"No. " She gave him a puzzled smile. "I thought you did. "

"I need something? What?"

"I don't know. " She laid a hand on the fascinating mound of her belly and laughed, all throaty and free. "You're the one who came in. "

"Right. Right. No, nothing. Now. Later. I've got to get back. " Outside, in the air, where he should be able to breathe again.

"It was nice meeting you, Harper. "

"You, too. " He glanced back as he retreated and saw she was already back at the window.

* * *

Outside, Stella sped across the parking area. She called out twice, and the second time got a quick glance and an absent wave. Building up steam as she went, she pumped it out the minute she reached the stacks of pavers.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Playing tennis. What does it look like I'm doing?"

"It looks like you're taking material you haven't ordered, that you haven't been authorized to take. "

"Really?" He hauled up another stack. "No wonder my backhand is rusty. " The truck shuddered as he loaded. "Hey. "

Much to her amazement, he leaned toward her, sniffed. "Different shampoo. Nice. "

"Stop smelling me. " She waved him away by flapping a hand at his chin as she stepped back.

"I can't help it. You're standing right there. I have a nose. "

"I need the paperwork on this material. "

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Fine, fine, fine. I'll come in and take care of it after I'm loaded. "

"You're supposed to take care of it before you load. "

He turned, aimed a hot look with those mossy green eyes. "Red, you're a pain in the ass. "

"I'm supposed to be. I'm the manager. "