Read Online Hard Irish by Jennifer Saints - Free Book Online Page A

with the clipboard in her hand then frowned at him. “You had better get a hard hat before the boss lady chews your ass.”
    Jared raised a brow.  It would seem Roxanne McKenna was a force to be feared.  “I’ll do that,” he said and stepped to the side.  She went on about her business and he snatched a hard hat from a nearby truck then headed around the hotel’s perimeter.
    Sprawling live oaks, lush gardens, fountains, and cobblestone paths surrounded the hotel.  Absolutely beautiful and would need extra care not to damage during the renovation process.  He heard Roxanne’s voice as he turned the corner.  She and a man were standing with their backs to the hotel facing another man who had his gaze fixed to the ground.
    “We clear on this, Riley Scott?  I’m a fair woman, but I will not be disrespected on the job.  You have an issue with me or one of my decisions, then you make an appointment and the management will review your complaint.”
    A standard hard hat sat easy on her head.  She wore work jeans rather than the causal, form hugging ones she’d had on before, but the over-sized T-shirt was a familiar look.  This one was powerhouse red and barely gave a hint at the full curves he’d felt pressed to his chest last night.
    Now that Jared finally had eyes on her, he froze.  He knew who she was, but she didn’t know him from Adam and he was beginning to wonder if the whole apology thing was a bit over the top.  What if he was attaching more importance to the incident than she was?  Maybe he needed to feel her out about things first, and that wasn’t going to happen on a job site.
    He almost turned around to leave for now, but then decided to at least introduce himself and ask if she’d had trouble from her ex.  Jared had spent a restless night thinking about that jerk unleashing his rage on her.  His only consolation had been that the crew men hustling her out the door had seemed very protective of her.
    Three long strides into the twenty feet separating them, he heard concrete scrape then saw in horrifying slow motion a huge planter falling from the top floor’s balcony headed right at the group below. 
    “Watch out!” Jared sprinted and spread his arms as Roxanne and the man beside her looked over their shoulder at him, clueless.  The man facing them looked up and stumbled back.  Rather than take time he didn’t have to explain, he dove at the two in danger, hoping he had enough momentum to knock them to safety.  He hit them low, knowing from his football days that would send them farther out.
    Even before they slammed into the ground, pain shot up Jared’s left leg as a heavy weight pinned his boot to the ground.  Roxanne had been in the center of his tackle, which meant his face was now planted between her legs, just inches away from her delectable ass.  He didn’t have a clue as to where his hard hat had flown.  He just knew there was nothing to insulate him from her softness.
    She’d landed on her stomach hard and lay gasping for air, trapped beneath his weight.  Blue forget-me-nots and dirt surrounded them.
    The men recovered first, one scrambling to his knees, the other rushing forward.
    “Son of a bitch!”
    “What the hell happened?”
    “A planter fell,” Jared muttered.
    Roxanne squirmed, trying to twist around to see him.  “You again!”  She glanced at her men.  “Don’t just stare.  Help me up.”
    Sweat beading his brow, Jared planted his hands on each side of Roxanne’s hips and lifted his body up from hers.  He moaned as pain shot up his left leg.  “Hurry.”
    She scrambled free and gained her knees as she faced him.  “You’re hurt.”
    “Maybe.  Might just be pinned.  Boots are reinforced with steel.”
    “Dear God.  This is unbelievable.  Mack, on the count of three, you and Riley lift the planter and I’ll help him slide free,” Roxanne directed.  She slid in front of him and hooked her arms under his.  This left his head rooted