Read Online QuarterLifeFling by Clare Murray - Free Book Online Page B

wanted to, but finding the time is difficult.
Besides, going alone seems kind of dumb.”
    “I’d go with you.”
    Was he being flippant or was he just lusting after my car? I
laughed nervously. “Any destination in particular?”
    “Florida Keys. Then up the coast to New York City. Maybe
visit Niagara Falls. Then into Colorado via a scenic route.”
    “Sounds good to me.” I was smiling just thinking about a
trip like that. With him along, it would be nothing short of amazing.
    “It’s a date, then. I’ll call you.”
    I shored up my drooping smile. He’s joking, genius .
“Can’t. They take away your phone when you check in here.”
    “Well, what cabin are you in?” He shifted his clipboard from
one hand to the other, reaching for the pencil behind his ear. His closely
cropped dark hair was thick and straight, gelled slightly at the top. I really
wanted to run my fingers through it, muss it up a little bit.
    I clenched my hands tighter around my suitcase. “Number
seven.”
    Was he writing that down? His pencil scraped briefly against
the paper, and I forced myself to let go of the bag before I accidentally
snapped the handle.
    “All right. My name’s Jude, by the way.” He tucked the
pencil away. I got a whiff of aftershave and my knees went a bit weak.
    “I’m Alanna. Nice to meet you.” My voice came out fainter
than normal. I waved and set off again…only to come back a second later to pick
up my bag. “Have a, um, good afternoon.”
    “You too.” Thank all that was holy, Jude made no reference
to my awkwardness. If only I could communicate with him through text. I’d come
across so much better. Instead, I’d portrayed myself as a stuttering,
ever-so-slightly incompetent chatterbox.
    I hurried up, heading toward the footbridge in the distance
and the temporary refuge of my cabin.
    * * * * *
    Jude watched the woman go, wishing he could walk with her.
Although her car had been what first caught his attention, Alanna herself kept
him captivated. Maybe it was lust at first sight, but the feeling hit hard.
He’d kept his eyes off her gorgeous rack out of respect, but as she walked away
he checked out her ass unashamedly.
    Funny, he hadn’t expected to see such a normal -looking
woman here. He had taken on a contract to improve the retreat’s landscaping,
and from what he’d read, the place probably attracted women who were…well, not
exactly his type. Then Alanna had opened her car door and proven him one
hundred percent wrong.
    Her red-brown hair, shoulder-length and slightly curly, hung
tantalizingly loose, daring him to reach out and tidy up wayward strands. He
couldn’t see her eyes behind those oversized sunglasses, and it had taken a lot
of self-control not to lift them up and peek. If he’d done that, he would have
had to run his hands across her curvy body as well…
    “Everything okay?” Jude’s foreman came up, glancing at the
clipboard. “Got the location for the pond yet?”
    “Yeah, all set. They want it near the path, so I’ve mapped
out the most promising spot.” Jude tucked the pencil behind his ear again. “You
know, I think I’ll pitch in myself. Been a while since I was able to work
outside.”
    “Sure, boss. This kind of work tones you better than gym
stuff, anyway. I’ll start unloading the stuff from the truck.”
    The other man sauntered off, and Jude looked after Alanna’s
retreating form. There was no way in hell he could go back to his boring
office with a woman like her dangling in front of him. She’d been the perfect
combination of confidence and sweetness all wrapped up in a lusciously curvy
body that he longed to undress.
    A road trip with her? He’d settle for a tryst among newly
planted rhododendrons.
    * * * * *
    I dropped my bags and looked around the small cabin. The
place was comfortable but I resented the lack of WiFi. There was a kitchenette,
a surprisingly luxurious bathroom with a large Jacuzzi, and the bed was
king-size. Too bad I