The minute Nick crossed the porch on his way to his truck, Fiona spun toward Eva and lowered her voice. “Something’s going on between you two. Don’t bother denying it. Sparks were flying just now.”
“Something’s going on.” She grinned. “I’ll tell you in a little bit. How about some virgin cider to take with us out to the porch?”
“I’d love it. I’m parched.” Fiona followed her into the kitchen. “I knew this would happen, but not so fast. How long has he been here?”
“Long enough.” She pulled two bottles of cider out of the fridge and handed one to Fiona.
“Obviously. You’re glowing.”
“I’m surprised I’m not levitating, too.”
“That good, huh?”
“Shh. He’s coming back through.” She raised her voice and called to him. “Don’t forget your water jug in the attic!”
“Thanks. I’ll get that next.”
“And my tape!”
“Yes, ma’am. I’m on it.” His booted feet carried him swiftly down the hall and out the back door.
Fiona glanced at her. “Why are you so fixated on that roll of tape?”
“I’m just teasing him.” She gestured with her cider bottle. “Let’s go sit out on the porch. Do you want to talk about the trunk first, or—”
“Are you kidding? I want to know what happened in the attic!”
Moments later, after Eva had given a redacted account of the incident, Fiona stared at her in amazement. “The smell of his sweat? That’s what put you over the edge?”
She shrugged. “What can I say? His raw, uncivilized body odor called to some primitive part of me and I couldn’t keep my hands off him for another second.”
“I smelled him a few minutes ago and I didn’t react that way.”
“It might have something to do with pheromones. It’s possible his are wildly attractive to me but not to you.”
“I don’t get it. You’ve been cutting his hair since March. Wouldn’t that pheromone thing have kicked in, even a little bit during his appointments?”
“I’ve thought about that. He’s always freshly shaved when he comes in and he uses some brand of pine-scented shaving lotion. It could have blocked his pheromones.”
“That could be why, then. And the salon is a fragrant place—shampoo, conditioner, hair dye, perms—the list goes on. Pheromones might not stand a chance. Did you notice anything different about him last night, without all the salon smells?”
“Well, yeah. After that dramatic ride, I saw him in a whole new light. Literally. When he walked me to the door, I suddenly realized he’s a very handsome guy.”
“Maybe the pheromones had a subtle influence on you even then.”
“Could be. I’m sure he got a little sweaty riding in. Oh, and then we line-danced twice.”
“I read one article that said pheromones are nature’s way of pointing you in the right direction.”
“This was more like a virtual shove. In the heat of that attic, the urge to grab him was overpowering.”
“Has this happened to you before?”
“God, no. I would have remembered.”
Fiona smiled.
“What?”
“Nothing.” She drained her cider bottle and stood. “Tell me about this wedding dress.”

Two hours later, Eva carried the cardboard box of Winifred’s sexy outfits out to Fiona’s truck. “I’m hoping Beth comes up with an idea for what to do with them.” She deposited the box on Fiona’s passenger seat.
“She might. It’s her specialty.” Fiona gave her a hug. “I’d tell you to have fun with Nick but that’s a foregone conclusion.”
Eva laughed. “I think so, too. I hope your date with Leo goes well.”
“It’ll be fine. Like Nick said, Leo’s a great guy.”
“Can’t wait to hear about it tomorrow night.”
“I have a feeling my story will be a yawner compared to yours.” She grinned and walked around to the driver’s side. “See you soon!”
Eva waited until she’d driven away before returning to the house. And Nick. Last time she checked, he was still working in the backyard.
When there was no sign of him inside, she headed for the back porch and opened the door. Her breath caught.
He’d retrieved a battered straw cowboy hat from his truck. It lay on the ground, along with his T-shirt, his pick and his shovel. His bare chest and shoulders gleamed with sweat as he tilted his head back, eyes closed, and gulped water from his jug. His throat moved in long, slow swallows.
Lowering the jug, he glanced in her direction and smiled. “Hey, there. Good timing. I just finished.”
She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Her brain refused to function but the rest of her was oiled up and ready for… anything he wanted. Nick was an Adonis. How had she missed that all these months?
“I took out plenty of rocks. Dug ’em up from other parts of the yard so there’d be enough to make a really nice waterfall.”
She tore her gaze from the splendor of his physique and focused on a waist-high pile of football-sized smooth stones in various shades of gray and brown. She cleared her throat. “Great job.”
“It was fun.” Putting down the jug, he picked up his T-shirt and yanked it over his head and down his chest.
She swallowed a cry of protest.
“Come over and take a look.” He grabbed his hat and put it on. “Wait. You’re still barefoot.”
“I don’t mind.” She padded down the wooden steps and started toward him. The grass that had survived was dry and prickly but not enough to bother her. “Next spring I’m giving this grass some love.”
“It’ll come back. I was thinking of building the waterfall a little to the right of where I have the rocks piled.”
She nodded. “Good placement. And maybe add some stepping stones leading from the porch to the waterfall area.”
“I like that idea. Something smooth and cool that feels good to walk on.” He glanced down at her bare feet. “Your toenails match your hair. I didn’t notice that before.”
“Your mind was on other things.”
“Still is.”
Shading her eyes with her hand, she glanced up at him. “Fiona’s gone.”
He sucked in a breath. “I figured. I’ll leave in a few minutes, too.”
“You don’t want a bowl of chili?”
“I want a whole lot more than a bowl of chili.”
The husky note in his voice sent a shiver down her spine. “Then why leave?”
“Because, no matter how much you love the way I smell, I can’t even stand myself anymore. I desperately need a shower and maybe a shave. A change of clothes is on the list, too.”
“Okay, if you must. I’ll get cleaned up, too. But you’re coming back, right?”
“If you still want me to.”
“Absolutely.” She smiled. “I could never eat all that chili by myself.”
“Then I’ll take off. But first, let me know what you think of the flowerbed. Make sure it’s what you want.”
She crossed to the curved strip of turned earth which now looked like a potential home for tulips and daffodils. “Just what I wanted. Perfect.”
“Good.” He tugged on the brim of his hat. “I tilled the soil a little. I can bring you compost from the ranch to give it some extra zip.”
“Great! I’ll pick up bulbs this week. Can’t you just picture it? Flowers, green grass and a waterfall.”
“A slice of paradise.”
“Exactly. A couple of comfy wicker chairs, or maybe one of those old-fashioned gliders with a canvas top, something cool to drink….”
“Someone hot to kiss….”
She turned her head. He was looking at her the way a chocaholic looks at a piece of fudge. “Are you sure you want to leave right now?”
He took a ragged breath. “Yes, ma’am. At least my head’s sure. My package is telling me something different, which is why I’m not going to risk a goodbye kiss. I’m outta here.” He grabbed his pick and shovel from the ground. “I’ll be back before you know it, shaved, clean and sweet-smelling.”
“Hey, would you do me a big favor?”
“Anything.”
“Don’t put on your shaving lotion.”
“You don’t like it?”
“I like it a lot. It’s a very nice scent. But it covers up your natural scent, and I like that way better than pine.”
“Huh. Okay, then. No shaving lotion. Any other instructions?”
“Don’t take too long.”
“Believe me, I won’t.” He started toward the porch steps and turned back to her. “By the way, I haven’t given you the full twelve hours of labor. Technically I still owe you about six.”
“That’s okay.”
“Not in my book.”
“Well, there’s the waterfall project.”
He nodded. “That might do it.”
“And the mirror’s still up in the attic.”
“No, it’s not.”
She stared at him. “Where is it?”
“In your bedroom. I finished taping it and carried it down while you were out on the porch with Fiona.”
“I thought you needed someone to help you move it safely.”
“I thought I did, too, but then I realized that if I could haul you down those stairs without incident when my jeans were pinching me something fierce, I could certainly handle that mirror. It didn’t wiggle and it certainly didn’t smell as enticing as you.”
“I doubt I smelled enticing after what went on in the attic.”
“Then you don’t know guys any better than I know women. When I brought your clothes to your door, I would have happily stuffed your panties in my pocket. That sweet aroma was working for me. I was supposed to entertain Fiona, or I might have.”
“Then maybe I should just take a quick bath and let it go at that.”
“Maybe you should.” He hesitated. “Ah, to hell with it.” His shovel and pick hit the ground with a clatter and he closed the distance between them. “I’m just kissing you. Nothing more.” Cupping her face in his work-roughened hands, he took command of her mouth.
As he plunged his tongue deep, a red haze of lust blotted out everything but a burning need to touch his incredible body. She fisted her hands in his shirt and two fingers went right through. She tugged hard.
The harsh rasp of cotton tearing brought her to her senses. Dear God, what was she doing? Gulping, she wriggled away from him. “I… I didn’t mean to—”
“Rip my clothes off?” Breathing hard, he looked down at the gaping hole and flashed her a grin. “Not that I mind.”
“I’m so sorry. I don’t know what came over me. I’ll buy you a new shirt.”
“Don’t even think about it. I rubbed a hole in the material while I was carrying rocks. The shirt was done for, anyway.”
“You’re just saying that to make me feel better.”
“Did it?”
“No! I deliberately destroyed your shirt. I wanted to rip it. There’s no excuse for that.”
“Sure there is.” He held her gaze. “It shows how much you want me. I’d sacrifice a hundred shirts to find that out. See you soon, Eva.” Picking up his tools, he left, his stride more purposeful this time.
She stared after him, her lips tingling from his kiss, her body throbbing with anticipation. This affair, if she was ready to call it that, was only hours old. Yet she craved Nick more than any guy she’d dated, craved him enough to destroy his clothes.
That wasn’t like her. Or it hadn’t been until now. Where was this headed? No telling, but she couldn’t wait to find out what happened next.