Billi Jean Read Online Free PDF

then back again for rollers, drop cloths and paintbrushes, before driving back over for a ladder, which he’d convinced her she didn’t need and hooked her up with some extension thing that twisted on the end of a roller. Pretty cool, actually. She’d told him that when she’d walked in today she’d disturbed all three old guys from their talk and coffee. He hadn’t been pleased. But now, when she could use the little guy, he was where?
    Maybe he actually did do more than follow her around. Eyes back on the task. She sighed. So, chainsaw. Black ones, orange, some red huge-looking thing, but no pink ones. That made her laugh. Picking up a lightweight one, she hefted the thing, wondering how it would feel once it was switched on. The weight wasn’t too horrible. She was about to set it down when a deep voice behind her made her nearly drop the thing on her toes.
    “You’ve got to be joking.”
    Her heart fluttered like a butterfly on the breeze. Russ.
    It’d been two days since she’d talked to the handsome Russ Ryland. She’d spotted him yesterday when she’d had lunch with Irene, but he’d merely passed by the diner in his big truck, giving her a long, slow look. He’d tipped his hat when she’d glanced at him, but he’d not come in. And, of course, she hadn’t been the least disappointed that he hadn’t. Sigh. She had been, but he’d made up for it by tripping all over himself at the one and only little grocery store in town, when he’d turned down an aisle and seen her. He’d looked so cute, all big and pushing a grocery cart.
    She kept hold of the chainsaw and didn’t stop the happy grin from splitting her face when she turned to confront Mr Russ Ryland. She might get the thing, simply to see him have a small fit. The man was impossibly chauvinistic and more than a little arrogant, but sexy enough to take her breath away.
    Dark black brows went down at a sharp angle at the chainsaw, then zeroed in on her face. God, he was handsome. Such a bad boy. Why, oh why was she drawn to someone who looked like he could eat her for lunch? The idea of this man and his mouth between her thighs… She was not going there. Keep him off balance, not yourself, Lacey.
     “Good afternoon, Mr Ryland.” They had some kind of unspoken battle going on over the name. He kept telling her, quietly, that his name was Russ, and she just as quietly called him Mr Ryland. He’d done it at the real estate office but, when he’d done it again at the grocery store, she’d been tickled to watch him when she ignored his request to call him Russ. Each time his jaw would clench slightly, like he was gritting his teeth. It was fascinating stuff, but she felt a bit like she was bear baiting.
    “Listen, S—”
    “Hey! Major! What the hell are you doing back? It’s good to see you, sir.”
    She glanced away from Russ’ deep grey eyes to see a young man—a soldier, his look said—grinning and striding up. The short blond hair recently shaved to the scalp, the broad shoulders, lean body and the way he walked all said he was probably about a year out of boot camp. Long enough for him to feel like a man. Geesh. Her dad had loved to show them how they weren’t quite there yet.
    Her dad. All things went there, it seemed. Stilling the urge to sink into a self-pity party, she glanced back up at her big bear instead. Her big bear who had not looked away from her for more than an instant, it seemed. Her heart fluttered, but she still mouthed, “Major?” at him. She mocked a shiver at the forbidding look he gave her and turned back to set the now much heavier chainsaw down. To jerk his chain, she squatted down to examine the boxes on display, as if she was going to buy one.
    “Bud, good to see you. How was your stint? Heard you were headed back in a few.” Russ’ voice seemed to be more gravelly than usual. It made her shiver.
    “Yeah, it was good. Nice stint, sir. I have leave for a few weeks—elk season, and you know my dad.” His