top rung, she had to stretch onto her toes to find a footing near the skylight. Carefully resting one elbow on the ledge, she prodded the heavy top panel.
âYou need any help?â
âIâve got it.â With a dry creaking and a sprinkling of dead leaves, the skylight panel opened. Now Summer had to get outside without bringing the whole shed down on top of them. It was hot with the sun beating down and no breeze, so she stripped off her dark suit jacket, dropping it on the potting bench beneath her. Then she unbuttoned the top buttons of her shirt and rolled up her sleeves.
When she looked down, she swallowed hard. Gabe was pulling off his sweat-dotted tee shirt, revealing a tanned torso dusted with dark hair. Summer saw a scar she hadnât seen before, just at the center of his chest. âLandscape work must be dangerous.â
âI donât follow you.â
âYour chest and your shoulder.â Summer pointed down. âScars.â
Gabe wiped his damp shirt across his face. âAny job can be dangerous. It depends on how you do it.â
Summer felt the ladder move. âHey, hold on, will you?â
Gabe moved closer, one hand on the ladder. The other closed around Summerâs hip.
He saw her glare and shrugged. âJust making sure youâre safe, Ms. Mulvaney. Give it a shot before we sweat to death in here.â
Ignoring the hard fit of his fingers across her rear, Summer probed the ledge. When nothing felt shaky, she lifted herself up, balancing on one leg.
A big gull landed on the roof inches from her head, shrieking loudly, and Summer recoiled without thinking.
âEasy there.â Gabeâs fingers dug into her hips.
âDamned bloody bird.â Summer waved a hand. âShoo. Get away.â
The big white mass didnât move.
âGet going already!â
After a little squawk, the bird flapped its long wings and sailed back into the air, headed toward the beach. âCrisis averted.â Summer caught a breath and looked down.
Gabe was behind her, on the ladder now, his body pressed against her. Summer felt the damp brush of his chest on her arm and the flex of his thighs. Sheâd had some X-rated daydreams before, but this was better than any of them. âAll clear. Iâm going out.â
âBe careful. Ms. OâConnor will murder me if anything happens to you.â
Ignoring the beads of sweat skimming down his gorgeous abs, Summer swung around on the ladder and carefully braced one elbow in the skylightâs ledge. When nothing shook or caved in, she slowly put her whole weight on the roof beam.
Nothing toppled, always a good sign.
âThatâs the way. Nice and easy.â
When she pulled herself up and wedged her arms inside the skylight, Summer could see all the way to the house. No one was in sight. âIâm going,â she said tensely.
âGo. Iâve got you.â
Summer took a breath and wriggled through the ledge. The process was slow since she had mere inches to spare, and her breasts rubbed against the metal lip of the skylight with every movement.
âTake it slow,â Gabe muttered.
Summer was aware of his warm breath somewhere near her stomach. Her shirt had pulled free and when she looked down Gabeâs face was inches from her navel, his eyes hard as he looked up at her.
Something warm shot down through her body, but she refused to pay any attention. âIâve got to turn sideways,â she said hoarsely. âThereâs a metal ledge outside that I need to reach.â
The strong fingers tightened at her waist. âBon voyage.â
Summer wriggled back and forth, wincing as her breasts caught, wedging her in the tight opening. âDamn.â
âWhatâs wrong? Did you see something?â
âNo oneâs out there. ItâsâIâm caught.â
âYour shirt? Take it off. I wonât tell.â
âNot my shirt.â Summer