was in the middle of the
route.
Cortez. She frowned and sat up, flipping open
her accounting book. Alex had owed a Cortez five million. She
opened the newspaper and soon decided it was a coincidence: half
the town had a Cortez in their name, if the newspaper's Community
page was any indication. Graduations and marriages, small business
owners, local charity for the poor-- many of them were Cortezes.
Even Javier, whose full name was listed on his card as Javier
Enrique Garcia Cortez.
Aware she'd taken too long of a break
already, she tucked the BlackBerry into its place at her waist and
left the trailer, walking to the construction project to find
Eric.
Her phone buzzed. She touched the earpiece,
her nose wrinkling at the smell of spilled gas on her hands.
“Madeleine Winters.”
“Madeleine, this is Judith from finance.”
She held her breath. She spotted Toni, Jake,
and Eric a short distance away and was irritated to see none of
them working. Instead, all of them stood around three attractive
blonds, talking. Eric was stripped down to his T-shirt.
Jake’s broad, muscular back drew her eyes. He
wore jeans and boots and stood with his back to her. Caramel-hued
skin coated a thick layer of perfectly roped muscles, and once
again she wondered if he'd been a professional athlete. His arms
were thick and shapely, his shoulders and back wide, toned, and
gleaming with sweat. Her eyes traveled over the impressive upper
body down to his tucked waist and hips. His jeans were too loose to
show the shape of his behind or thighs, but she could imagine them
to be as perfect as the rest of him. She had the untimely memory of
being pressed against that powerful body, as she had twice within
the past week, but wondered how much more delicious it would be
pressed against that body with the both of them gloriously
naked.
She tripped, the movement jolting her out of
her stare. She forced herself to concentrate on Judith’s ramblings
and paused outside of earshot of the six before her.
“Approved?” she said suddenly. “You’re
certain?”
“Partial funding approval,” Judith answered with some
irritation.
She almost sighed. It was nowhere near what
she needed, but it would get her started! She would apply again
once Mr. Howard’s visit was complete. If happy with what he saw, he
would be more likely to give her free rein.
Jake was looking hard at one of the blonds,
who trailed her fingertips down one bicep. He didn't seem to be
happy, but he didn't move either.
Madeleine half-listened to Judith. It was
five-thirty, not quite quitting time for the tequila gang. Judith
finished finally, and Madeleine thanked her and hung up. She
approached the group, agitated.
“Excuse me,” she stated. “Eric, please join
me at the office. Jake, I know you have happy hour planned for six.
I’d appreciate it if you and Toni could straighten out the tool
area before you leave. It looks like a tornado hit it.”
To her surprise, Jake stepped away without
resistance. Eric snapped to attention at her voice and was halfway
to his suit jacket by the time she finished. Madeleine glanced down
as Duke sat beside her, one paw on her foot. She shook her foot
free.
“Ladies, this is not public property, and you
are not covered under our insurance policy should any of you become
injured while on Mr. Howard’s property,” she continued.
The women looked at her, amused.
“We’ll be gone with the boys at six,” one, a
beautiful blond with pert features and large blue eyes, assured
her.
“This is not a spectator
sport. If you’re not working, you don’t belong here. You can meet
the boys at the bar, but I don’t expect to see you here again,”
Madeleine countered. “Eric, escort them to their vehicles and
ensure they leave Mr. Howard’s private property
immediately.”
She turned away and answered her buzzing
phone, aware of the women’s looks. One muttered something she was
certain wasn't a compliment. For reasons she couldn't
route.
Cortez. She frowned and sat up, flipping open
her accounting book. Alex had owed a Cortez five million. She
opened the newspaper and soon decided it was a coincidence: half
the town had a Cortez in their name, if the newspaper's Community
page was any indication. Graduations and marriages, small business
owners, local charity for the poor-- many of them were Cortezes.
Even Javier, whose full name was listed on his card as Javier
Enrique Garcia Cortez.
Aware she'd taken too long of a break
already, she tucked the BlackBerry into its place at her waist and
left the trailer, walking to the construction project to find
Eric.
Her phone buzzed. She touched the earpiece,
her nose wrinkling at the smell of spilled gas on her hands.
“Madeleine Winters.”
“Madeleine, this is Judith from finance.”
She held her breath. She spotted Toni, Jake,
and Eric a short distance away and was irritated to see none of
them working. Instead, all of them stood around three attractive
blonds, talking. Eric was stripped down to his T-shirt.
Jake’s broad, muscular back drew her eyes. He
wore jeans and boots and stood with his back to her. Caramel-hued
skin coated a thick layer of perfectly roped muscles, and once
again she wondered if he'd been a professional athlete. His arms
were thick and shapely, his shoulders and back wide, toned, and
gleaming with sweat. Her eyes traveled over the impressive upper
body down to his tucked waist and hips. His jeans were too loose to
show the shape of his behind or thighs, but she could imagine them
to be as perfect as the rest of him. She had the untimely memory of
being pressed against that powerful body, as she had twice within
the past week, but wondered how much more delicious it would be
pressed against that body with the both of them gloriously
naked.
She tripped, the movement jolting her out of
her stare. She forced herself to concentrate on Judith’s ramblings
and paused outside of earshot of the six before her.
“Approved?” she said suddenly. “You’re
certain?”
“Partial funding approval,” Judith answered with some
irritation.
She almost sighed. It was nowhere near what
she needed, but it would get her started! She would apply again
once Mr. Howard’s visit was complete. If happy with what he saw, he
would be more likely to give her free rein.
Jake was looking hard at one of the blonds,
who trailed her fingertips down one bicep. He didn't seem to be
happy, but he didn't move either.
Madeleine half-listened to Judith. It was
five-thirty, not quite quitting time for the tequila gang. Judith
finished finally, and Madeleine thanked her and hung up. She
approached the group, agitated.
“Excuse me,” she stated. “Eric, please join
me at the office. Jake, I know you have happy hour planned for six.
I’d appreciate it if you and Toni could straighten out the tool
area before you leave. It looks like a tornado hit it.”
To her surprise, Jake stepped away without
resistance. Eric snapped to attention at her voice and was halfway
to his suit jacket by the time she finished. Madeleine glanced down
as Duke sat beside her, one paw on her foot. She shook her foot
free.
“Ladies, this is not public property, and you
are not covered under our insurance policy should any of you become
injured while on Mr. Howard’s property,” she continued.
The women looked at her, amused.
“We’ll be gone with the boys at six,” one, a
beautiful blond with pert features and large blue eyes, assured
her.
“This is not a spectator
sport. If you’re not working, you don’t belong here. You can meet
the boys at the bar, but I don’t expect to see you here again,”
Madeleine countered. “Eric, escort them to their vehicles and
ensure they leave Mr. Howard’s private property
immediately.”
She turned away and answered her buzzing
phone, aware of the women’s looks. One muttered something she was
certain wasn't a compliment. For reasons she couldn't
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