Read Online Only His by Susan Mallery - Free Book Online

allowed her to become everything. He’d been little more than her love slave. By the time he’d managed to escape, he barely recognized himself. No. Love was for idiots who didn’t know better.
    â€œYou’re going to be around here for, what? A year?” Ethan asked.
    â€œAbout that. I won’t stay through completion, but I’ll want to make sure the major elements are in place.”
    â€œEver spent any quality time in a small town before?”
    â€œNo.”
    Ethan laughed. “Brace yourself. It’s not what you think. Within a month, everyone will know who you are, what you do with your day and who with. You won’t be able to make a move without running into someone you know. Stay clear of the local women. They’ll eat you alive—and not in a good way.”
    â€œSounds worse than construction in a rain forest. Why do you stay?”
    â€œBecause there’s nowhere else I want to be. I grew up here. I belong. I want to know my neighbors, have them watching out for the kids and letting me know when a friend is in trouble. They have my back and I have theirs.”
    â€œI can’t relate,” Tucker admitted.
    â€œYou’ll get a taste of it. Be sure to head into town every weekend. Fool’s Gold is known for its manyfestivals. They happen regularly. The food is always good. Come winter, we can head up the mountain and go skiing.”
    â€œI’d like that. I haven’t skied in a couple of years.”
    â€œGood. If you think you can handle it, we’ll have you over to dinner. Or is that too domestic?”
    â€œI can survive a few hours.”
    Ethan grinned. “We could even invite a couple of the local single ladies. Let them fight over you.”
    â€œYou said to steer clear of them.”
    â€œMaybe you want the challenge. As long as it’s not my sister.”
    Tucker thought about Nevada. “Hands off. You have my word.”
    â€œI’d better.”
    Tucker took a swallow of his beer. Thirty minutes ago, he would have considered Nevada a hell of a temptation. Now, not so much. While he still found her intriguing, he’d already crossed the line once. He wasn’t a jerk. He knew when to back off, and with her, that was now.
    Â 
    N EVADA WAS SO EXCITED that despite not having slept, she needed no coffee to be completely wired for her first day of work. She arrived on the job site nearly an hour before she was expected and hung out in the main trailer, opening and closing the empty drawers in her new desk and going over the schedule for the week.
    The first order of business was to get equipment in place and start clearing. A part of that would include blasting a section of the east hillside. She flipped through the pile of paperwork required by the city,county and state. She saw that the Fool’s Gold Fire Department had to be notified of the blasting and have a representative on-site. At least that was something she could help with. She knew all the firefighters.
    Once the land was cleared, the plumbing would be next. Water in, sewer out. Due to some seriously impressive long-term planning on the part of the city nearly fifty years ago, the resort would be able to tap into the city sewer and water system. That would be a huge savings in money and effort for Janack Construction. The downside was a lot more permits, but they were worth it.
    She’d just started reading the environmental impact study when she heard footsteps on the trailer steps. Will Falk walked inside.
    â€œSomeone’s here bright and early,” he said before taking a long drink from the coffee carryout cup he held.
    â€œIt’s my first day. I couldn’t help it.”
    â€œEnthusiasm is good. It makes me feel old, but it’s still good.” He held open the door. “Come on. I’ll introduce you to the guys you’ll be working with.”
    She rose and grabbed her hard hat, then followed him outside.
    While