“A week or so maybe,” I said, shrugging my shoulders. “I have no idea yet how long it will take, but I will let you know.”
A sudden thought hit me then. It was late afternoon, and every day that I spent at the Smith ranch, Colt had devoted himself to the Iron Stallion. The only times I ever saw him were in the mornings or in passing.
“What are you doing here?” I asked curiously. “I thought the Iron Stallion was open tonight.”
Colt’s face visibly darkened at that. “It is supposed to be open tonight, but there is a problem with the plumbing. Don’t ask me what happened either.” He read the confused frown on my face. “Everything was fine a few months ago. Now, nothing works. The pipes are backed up, and my usual plumber is unable to come out for the next few weeks.”
“That doesn’t make any sense. There isn’t enough work around Green Point for one plumber to be that busy.”
“No shit,” Colt said, sighing. “I’m starting to think this is something else, but I don’t want to think that an old friend is turning on me.”
An icy wave crashed over me.
“Is this friend of yours good friends with Bill Coates?”
Colt’s lips thinned into a straight line. His eyes focused on something in the distance that I couldn’t see through the dining room window. Sunlight danced across the sharp features of Colt’s scruffy cheeks. It took all my strength to not reach out and drag my fingertips along the stubble on his jaw.
“He was a long time ago until Bill Coates refused to pay him for some plumbing work that he had done at the Coates ranch,” Colt said. “It doesn’t matter though. This plumbing problem is well beyond my skills. The Iron Stallion will be closed for the next few weeks. Unless I can reach a good plumber from another city.” He put a hand to his forehead like he had a headache. He looked stressed.
I laid a tentative hand on Colt’s upper arm. Strong muscles flexed beneath the fabric o
f his shirt. Colt’s eyes glanced down at my hand resting there before he let out a long pent-up breath.
“I’m sorry that things aren’t working out for you this week,” I said. “I know how it feels to have everything go against you all of a sudden.”
“You would know that.” His lips curved up into a smile. “I’m starting to think you are bad luck. Maybe it’s a good idea for you to come back here. I’ll keep those horses safe.”
He chuckled when I swatted him on the arm. “Very funny. What are you going to do with your few weeks off then?”
“Work at the ranch. I can help you out here too.”
“That’s what the construction crew is for,” I said.
The idea of having Colt around my house all the time made my heart race with nerves. We were treading on thin ice at this point. We were about plunge into the dark waters of lust, and judging from the look that Colt sent in my direction, he knew it too. He knew it well.
“You need the help around here,” Colt replied, leaning up against the window frame. “I can’t sit idle for the next few weeks. I already cut checks for my employees, so I need to do something to keep my head off the financial hit.”
“And you paid all my bills today? Colt—”
A strong and calloused finger pressed up against my lips. Rooted to the spot, I stared hopelessly up at Colt who smiled down at me. I could smell fresh autumn air on his clothes along with some sort of earthy spice. My heart galloped furiously in my ribcage.
“You really don’t make things easy, do you?”
I shrugged my shoulders because I didn’t know what else to say. The hair on the back of my neck stood on edge as Colt leaned in, closing the distance between us. I could see the orange and pink skylight reflecting in Colt’s eyes.
Warm breath puffed against my tinging lips. I parted them instinctively, but the sound of someone knocking on the front door startled us both.
“Electric company,” a male voice called out. “Anyone home?”
I took a hasty step back from Colt, who glanced over his shoulder in thinly veiled annoyance at the front door.
“Coming,” I called out. “Give me a few seconds.”
Colt’s eyes threatened to burn holes right through my back while I scuttled out of the dining room as quickly as possible. Danger. That was all I could think when I opened the front door to let the electric company in—thankful for another person to distract myself from what had nearly happened.
Chapter Sixteen
Colt