Page 23 of Shadow's Surrender
An eerie hush followed them as she and Clara made their way toward the workers. The men stopped whatever it was they were doing to stare at them as they approached the construction zone.
A dark-haired man with piercing blue eyes walked over, meeting them halfway. Tattoos covered his muscular chest and arms, and Scarlett watched in fascination as the ink danced when he flexed his arm to wipe the sweat off his face.
“Hi,” she said. Tilting her head to Clara, she said, “It’s so hot that we thought you’d like some ice cold lemonade.”
The man darted his eyes from her face to the two pitchers she carried in her hands. A slow smile broke out over his face, revealing a slight gap between his two front teeth.
“That’s real nice of you,” he said, his gaze slowly running up her body. “I’m Smokey—the contractor.”
His stare made her self-conscious and she wished she would’ve changed into her jeans. Masking her discomfort, she put the two pitchers down, took the plastic cups from the tray, and poured lemonade into them.
She pointed over at a small wrought iron table. “Please put the tray down on that table, Clara.”
Several men came over as Scarlett and Clara handed out the refreshments. Scarlett filled several more cups, and when she looked up to hand them out, her gaze locked with Shadow’s. One corner of his mouth hitched up in a cocky smirk, and her heart skipped a beat as a rush of nerves flowed through her.
“Hey,” he said.
“Your lemonade,” she whispered.
His fingers brushed hers as he accepted the drink. Their gazes met and held. For a moment, neither of them moved.
Scarlett’s stomach fluttered, clenched, and fluttered again. He drew his hand away from hers very slowly and took a sip from the plastic cup. She watched as he swallowed, mesmerized by the way his Adam’s apple moved up and down.
He wiped his full lips with the back of his hand and returned the empty cup to her. “That wasrealgood. I’d even say it might be the best I’ve ever had.” The deep timbre of his voice sent shivers along her spine. “Thanks.” He winked and stepped back, and two workers quickly took his place in front of her.
“Clara, I’ll fill the rest of the cups and you can hand them out, okay?” She hoped her voice didn’t betray her nervousness.
“Yes, Miss Scarlett.” Clara came around front and Scarlett took her place at the table.
After she finished pouring the lemonade into all the cups, Scarlett scanned the area looking for Shadow. She saw him standing next to a sawhorse, his dark hair shining under the sun like spilled ink. She couldn’t believe he was here … at her house … so close to her.
He looked more rugged than he had at the party, but not any less handsome. Coarse stubble covered his chiseled jaw, and more tattoos than she’d seen that night decorated his arms. As Shadow picked up a wooden plank, she noticed the corded muscles in his chest strain. She tried to look away, but there was just something too magnetic about the man, and her eyes swept back to him. They traveled over his broad shoulders and chest to the tight lines of muscle that rippled like waves as he worked. Her gaze skipped down to a narrow waist and rock hard abs, and she groaned inwardly as she pictured her tongue running up and down the rigid dips of his magnificent body. A deepVof muscles disappeared beneath the waistband of his low-slung jeans, and knowing what was below them sent a frisson of excitement through her.
He’s so damn sexy.Images of them together made Scarlett clench her thighs together and fan herself with her hand. Occasionally, Shadow would look over, his heated gaze lingering on hers before moving to her mouth and landing on her breasts. A few of the workers, including the contractor, seemed to notice that something was going on between the two of them. Smokey walked over to Shadow and it looked like they were talking about her because the dark-haired man would glance over at her from time to time.
I hope Shadow’s not telling him what we did. I’ll die of embarrassment if he is.
“The lemonade is gone, Miss Scarlett,” Clara said as she picked up the silver tray.
Scarlett tore her gaze away from her hunky hookup then removed three of the empty pitchers from the tray. “Carrying them all is too heavy. Let’s head back to the house.”
Scarlett walked toward the house and could feel his eyes staring at her. She held open the back screen door for Clara, but before Scarlett went inside herself, she glanced back at Shadow, his eyes met and locked onto hers. For a long moment neither of them moved while desire wove between them like a sparking current. It was only when the contractor stepped in front of Shadow, blocking him from her sight, that Scarlett was able to turn away. She quickly entered the house and closed the door, then walked into the study and sat down. Scarlett leaned forward in her seat, placed her elbows on the desk and rested her chin on the back of her hands. She stared at the books lining the shelves of the custom-made cases and waited for her body to calm down. Seeing Shadow was a shock, but seeing him shirtless with his muscular chest and arms gleaming with sweat in the summer heat was a delicious treat. Of course she couldn’t keep her eyes off him. And she knewexactlywhat he was packing between those muscular thighs of his. She had seen it, touched it, and … Shivers danced over her skin as the memory of him thrusting inside her flooded her mind.
“I have to stop thinking about him!” She leaned back and pounded her fist on the desk. But the truth was that as hard as she tried, Scarlett couldn’t get the sexy man out of her thoughts. For the next few hours, she tried to concentrate on the upcoming fundraiser that she was chairing. It was to raise money for a charity that was dear to her: the Sheridan Center for Children. The organization’s mission was to empower children who have experienced abuse or neglect or trauma in an effort to bravely and safely change their life’s story. Much to her mother’s chagrin, Scarlett had been active with the Sheridan Center for the past two years. Her mother had pushed her to be involved with the more prestigious charities like the Children’s Hospital or the theater, but Scarlett had fallen in love with the work that the Sheridan Center was doing. She’d always felt blessed to have been born into a privileged family, and she never lost sight that so many people didn’t have the same opportunities she’d had as a child. Scarlett just wanted to give back any way she could.
A knock on the door made her jump.
“Come in,” she said. Her muscles tensed up as she stared at the door, hoping Shadow would be behind it. Her shoulders sagged when Heddy stood in the doorframe.
“Would you like anything else before the staff and I leave, Miss Scarlett?”
Scarlett took off her reading glasses and rubbed her eyes lightly. “Is it five thirty already?”
“Yes,” she answered.
“I didn’t realize the time had passed so quickly. Is my mother home?”
“No, Miss Scarlett.”
