Page 51 of Smokey's Distraction
“She’s still pissed at you for not going to Dad’s funeral.”
“I know, but I don’t give one fuck about it.” Smokey glanced over at him. “I’ll take you home tomorrow and tell her how it’s gonna be.”
“Thanks,” Ryan whispered before leaning his head back and closing his eyes.
In the silence enveloping the ride home, thoughts of Ashley ricocheted Smokey’s mind. At that moment, he’d like nothing better than to have her in his arms again, their lips and bodies fused together.
Shifting in place, he turned the radio on low, ground his teeth, and banished the black-haired vixen from his mind.
9
Ashley wassound asleep when the doorbell rang. Groaning, she buried her face into the pillow to drown out the noise, but the ringing wouldn’t stop. Cracking open an eye, she cringed at the daylight pouring through the half-open blinds. The clock read eight thirty.
“Who the hell is making all this racket so early in the damn morning?” she muttered as she scrambled to sit up.
Covering herself in a bathrobe, she walked to the front door in her bare feet, disengaged the alarm, and opened the door. Staring back at her was Mark Ames, and behind him was a man in overalls carrying a toolbox.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, stepping back.
“I’m here to work,” Mark replied.
“Don’t you believe in calling?”
“Zach set it up. Can’t help it if he didn’t tell you.”
His piercing gaze unnerved her so looking away, she said, “I have plans today.”
“That has nothing to do with me.”
She looked up at him, straightening her spine. “I mean, I won’t be home.”
“That’s not a problem.”
“I should be in the house while you’re here.”
“You don’t trust me?” His voice was slow and steady, but there was a thread of anger slithering through it.
The fine hairs at the nape of her neck rose and she swallowed, her words stuck in her throat. An awkward silence stretched on for several seconds.
Mark began to reach for his back pocket. “I’ll call Zach.”
“No, don’t do that. It’s just … I didn’t know you were coming over today.” She unlatched the screen door. “Come in.”
Mark opened the door wide and Ashley backed away, clutching her bathrobe tight. Without saying a word, he walked past her, the fellow behind him following suit, avoiding her eyes.
“If you could start working in the family room first, that’d be great.”
“How long are you going to be out?” Mark asked.
“I don’t know—maybe a few hours. How long will you be working?”
“We’ll put in eight hours today.”
“I’ll be back before you leave.” Ashley smiled at the man in the overalls and extended her hand. “I’m Ashley.”
He took her hand in his. “Gage.”
“So you work with Mark?”
