Too Hard (Too 1)

“Holy shit,” Sean mutters when he sees the kitchen. “The paint was barely dry, Harlow.” He shakes his head before running his hand through his hair.

“It’s fine.” Nellie waves a hand at the mess, pretending what I did to destroy the kitchen isn’t a big deal. “She has someone coming over to look at it.” Sean stands up a little straighter at that and I see his brow furrow.

“You don’t want me to fix it?” He’s not looking at me but at Nellie. She’s been handling all the contractor stuff when in the apartment. I say yes or no to things she shows me and write checks.

“It’s not that at all.” She drops her voice a little and steps closer to him. “Harlow likes the guy who came in last night and fixed the burst pipe and I want them to go on a date. So he needs to come back so we can make this happen.”

I narrow my eyes at her for a second because she’s telling people my business. Then I remember I don’t really care what Sean knows about me and it’s all true. I want to get close to Butch and climb all over his body. I want to see if the dream I had of his dick matches it in real life because it was big. In fact, I think it only fit inside of me because it was a dream. Otherwise I’m not so sure it would’ve worked. The thought turns me on and scares me, and my face flushes.

Sean looks over at me and raises an eyebrow. “You want a date?”

“I—” I begin to answer, but I’m cut off by a deep voice.

“Don’t you think you’re a little old for her?”

I snap around to face the hallway and I realize I’m still at the door and holding it open. Butch is standing there as handsome as I remember, but he looks bigger today. He’s not looking at me as he glares over my shoulder to Sean.

Chapter Six

Butch

I realize that I might have a few years on the guy standing in Harlow’s kitchen, but I don’t care. He’s standing closer to the other young woman in the room, but I don’t feel as protective of her as I do Harlow. For some reason her dark green eyes haunt me and I can’t seem to shake it.

“I wasn’t asking,” is all he says as he raises his chin to me. “You’re Butch Barton, right?”

“Yeah.” I grip my tool box tighter and wonder if I know this guy.

“I’m Sean, with Magnolia Finishings. I’m here helping Nellie.” He leans his head to the side to the girl I don’t know. She smiles and waves her hand a little but doesn’t say anything.

“Oh yeah.” I realize he looks familiar. “You’re down off seventeen on the west side of town?” I ask and he nods. “You’re a long way from home.”

“Like I said, I’m doing a favor for Nellie.”

“Why don’t you come back to the office and we can go over what’s on the list for today,” Nellie says and grabs Sean’s arm. He doesn’t put up a fight and goes along with her easily.

My hackles begin to relax slightly with him out of the room and I hate that I let that moment get the better of me. I’m normally laid back about everything. I have to be when I’m raising two teenagers. But everything about Harlow is turning me inside out and I can’t get it under control.

“Hey.” She looks up at me and steps back with her arm held out. “Come on in.”

I try to keep my distance as I walk by her, but her bare arm brushes against mine and I realize how soft she is. My tool belt is heavy on my shoulder and I focus on that weight as I go into the kitchen and set it down on the counter.

“I’ve got my materials in the truck, but I’ll need to unhook your water supply and take out the sink. If you don’t mind I’m just going to get started.” I keep my eyes on my belt as I strap it around myself and grab what I need.

“Sounds good to me.” Her voice is soft, but without realizing it she’s walked up behind me. “If you don’t mind I’m going to watch you work.”

“I think you might be bored.” When I turn around she’s right in front of me and I stare down at her bare shoulder. I wonder what it would feel like against my lips and then I remember that she’s too damn young for an old man like me. I’ve got jeans with more wear on them than she does and she doesn’t want someone used up like me.

“Maybe I’ll learn a thing or two.” She shrugs and her shirt slips down further to reveal more of her creamy skin. “You know, in case the sink decides to explode again.”