Strictly Business (9 page)

“Going on? Nothing. I think, umm, maybe I was just a little
homesick.”

He rolled his eyes at her. “You’ve been gone less than two
weeks. Why don’t you try pulling the other one.”

She grimaced.

“Tell me what’s up. I’ve known you for over a decade, and
I’ve never seen you cry. So, what the hell is going on up here?”

Jess knew she had to tell him. But she didn’t want him to
quit this job. She needed him here. She needed a friend, not to mention the
best construction foreman she’d ever met, if she was going to get this done on
deadline. “Okay, but you can’t quit. Promise?” He nodded, and made the little
‘cross your heart’ motions. “The landowner, our client, is an ass. Of epic
proportions. He thought I was a man, was furious and tried to fire me when he
found out I wasn’t. And, he brings out the worst in me. I spend most of my time
yelling at him.”

Mike lifted his eyebrows, like he couldn’t believe it.

“Yes, I know. But trust me, I’ve never met a client like
him. He’s horrible! Just awful. And I think, just seeing you actually here,
knowing that I have a friend, just kind of, I don’t know... I think it was just
relief.” She took a deep breath, and looked over at him. “So, do you hate me
for dragging you into this project?”

Mike leaned over, and kissed her head again. “Nope, not at
all. I get to build a log cabin. And I’ve never been to Wyoming.” He smiled at
her. “So, I see you have on your standard ‘don’t even look at me’ attire.
Aren’t you hot? And the eyes? Isn’t it tough wearing those damn contacts all
the time? It seems a little dusty out here.”

She looked at him, her smile getting all watery again. She
was
so
glad to have a friend here. “You have no idea. I don’t take my
contacts out until at least midnight, and I’m
always
hot. I have the
thinnest shirts I own up here, but it’s still too much. And don’t even get me
started on my hair! I’m actually giving thought to cutting it for the first
time ever. My hair has been up since I got here, and it’s giving me a massive
headache.” She thought about her one night on the porch, talking to Cody.
“There is one guy here I think you might like. Or, maybe there's more. I
haven’t gotten to know any of the hands really, except Cody. He’s Jake’s best
friend. He’s a rodeo rider, a great dancer and a terrible flirt. But he’s fun.
I think he’s only here another couple weeks, but he’s at least nice to me.”

“So, you hooked up with a cowboy? There are plenty of those
in Texas, why’d you come all the way to Wyoming to nab one?”

She laughed. “No. No cowboys. He’s one of those ‘gets
everyone he wants’ kind of guys. But I don’t think he sees me like that. He’s
actually just kind of nice to me. Not the hitting on me kind of nice, just
plain old-fashioned nice.”

After a long pause, which actually made Jess nervous coming
from Mike, he finally spoke up again. “Jess, I bet I can tell you how to make
this client be nicer to you. But you won’t like it.”

“At this point, I’ll try anything. You really have no idea
how horrible this is. I can’t even put it into words.”

“Well, then. Quit hiding.”

“What? I’m not hiding. Just because I avoid being in small
confined spaces with him, where I might have to engage in conversation, does
not mean I’m hiding!”

Mike laughed. “Wow, it really is bad. But that’s not what I
meant.” She glanced over at him. He was smirking. “I meant, take off the
grandma clothes. Take down your hair, wear some of your more stylish clothes
and take out the eyes.”

“Mike, you know I don’t want to get ahead by using female
trickery. That's why I dress the way I do. It just seems more civilized to work
for what I achieve. Not to mention the attention my figure does draw is never
good. And the eyes are creepy.”

“Jess, it’s not trying to get ahead. You’ve already got the
job. Your bosses aren’t here, so you can’t possibly be trying to earn your
partnership that way. And maybe if he was busy drooling over you he’d be nicer
to you.”

She glared at him.

He laughed again. “Babe, you’re beautiful and you’ve always
covered it up. Everyone uses their assets, maybe it’s time you use yours. And
your mother is wrong, sweetheart. You do not look cheap or trashy, or anything
else she has ever said to you. She’s just jealous. Like I’ve told you before.”

Jess thought about what he’d said. No one at work would ever
have to know, they would still see her as the consummate professional. Would
Jake be nicer to her if he found her to be an attractive woman? He was awfully
nice to that girl, Bethany, at the bar. Of course, he was nice to everyone
except her. Would it help? He
had
kissed her. But he hadn’t been real
happy about it afterward. She also remembered the furious expression he’d had
when he’d ripped off her flannel in the barn. Somehow, she didn’t think he’d be
any nicer. She looked sideways at Mike. “I’ll think about it.”

When they finally got to the ranch, it was just after noon.
She took Mike in to Marsha and asked which room to put him in. She was
beginning to understand the need for all the guest rooms at the new house. Mike
took the last available bedroom in this one. Once he was unpacked, she led him
outside to show him the horses. Especially Lady.

As they got closer to the stables, she spotted Ben, Cody and
Jake all in the ring with the most beautiful chestnut horse she’d ever seen. He
wasn’t huge, maybe sixteen hands, but strong. “That has to be Demon,” she
muttered under her breath.

Mike looked over at her. “Demon? They named a horse Demon?”
Just then the horse reared up on his hind legs, nearly bringing them down on
Cody, who quickly rolled out of the way. Jake grabbed the reins, yanking the
horse's head back around, talking to him in a soothing voice as he quieted back
down.

Jake handed the reins over to Ben. “Take him in, cool him
down.” Then he turned his glare on Jess. “He doesn’t take well to people.
There’s a reason I told you to stay the hell away from him.”

Mike started forward, most likely to try and defend Jess,
but she put a hand across his stomach, saying in a cool detached voice, “I’m so
terribly sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt. I just thought you might want to
meet your foreman before he breaks ground on your new home.” She waited a half
a beat, then, “Of course, if you would rather he build your house without your
ever meeting him, that can be arranged.” She muttered under her breath, “It
might make his life more pleasant.” Then she smiled at Jake.

Jake glared at her for just a second. She could see the fury
blazing out of his eyes. He then turned a calmer, more civilized expression
toward Mike. “Call me Jake,” he said reaching out his hand. “Sorry about the
horse. He’s temperamental,” he glanced over toward Jess, “a trait I thought was
usually reserved for females.” Jess’s eyes flared and her forced smile turned
to a glare. “Horses that is… female horses.”

At that Jess couldn’t keep her mouth shut anymore. “And I
thought that a horse’s ass was strictly reserved for horses as well. Apparently
it can also be a human trait.” She turned on her heel and walked to the barn.

Mike caught up with Jess in the barn, where she was petting
Lady and sneaking her bites of apple. She turned when he walked in.

Jess rolled her eyes. “Don’t say it. I know. Completely
unprofessional. I can’t seem to stop myself. He just pisses me off.”

Mike walked over, put his hands on her shoulders and turned
her to face him. “Do you have a thing for him?”

“What? No. God, no! I don’t even like him. He’s just horrible.”

“Well, yeah, he doesn’t seem to be the nicest guy. I’ve
never seen you go off like that, though.”

“I know. Haven’t you ever met someone that just rubs you the
wrong way? I just can’t stand him. Are you starting to understand my avoidance
policy on this one?”

Mike laughed, and pulled her into a hug. “Yeah, that might
be best all the way around. I’ll tell you what, Saturday night let’s you and me
go out. We’ll go to a nice dinner, get a hotel room somewhere totally swanky.
You can take out the eyes, let your hair down. Relax a little. Maybe we’ll even
do that spa crap you like so much on Sunday. What do you think?”

Even though she had just been in Evanston, the chance for a
whole night away was just too tempting to pass up. “Yeah, that sounds good. My
treat, okay? I owe you at least that much since I dragged you up here. Maybe
while I spa you can get a massage. Meet some pretty little masseuse? You’re
going to be here for the next few months, might as well have some fun.” She
waggled her eyebrows at him.

Mike freely admitted he was a little bit of a player,
although always casual relationships. Jess just loved to tease him about it.

“Ha ha! Now, let’s go take a look at those plans.”

Jess ran back to the house, grabbed her sketches and the
blueprints. They asked Bobby to saddle a horse for Mike while she saddled up
Lady and they took off toward the home site. She showed him around, showed him
the access road, he made his own notes and they headed back to the house.

They were using a local construction crew and local
contractors. Jess knew that Mike had already talked to all of them, told them
when and where to be Tuesday morning. He didn’t like using crews he didn’t
know, but these were reputable companies and they all came highly recommended.
She had helped with the research as soon as she'd gotten here. Now that he’d
seen the designs, he seemed almost as excited as Jess. It’s not often they got
to do a high end house like this.

Friday evening, Jess ran into town and rented a movie,
picked up some microwave popcorn and settled down in the family room to watch
the horror movie she’d picked. Mike and Cody came in with her, although Marsha
declined saying she was “too old for that nonsense.” Jake and most of the other
guys had gone out to the bar in town. Jess went in and changed into her
pajamas, a camisole tank top and cotton pants. She left her bra on since Cody
was there, but knowing it was just the three of them, she did finally take her
hair down.
God that felt good
. She was standing in her room, with the
door open, rubbing her head when Cody popped his head around the corner. He
walked in and took over for her. At the pleasure of her hair loose, plus his
fingers rubbing, she found herself leaning into him, moaning softly.

“You have no idea how good that feels. My head is killing me
from leaving it up all the time.”

“So, leave it down. Your hair is beautiful, and this long,
it’s sexy as hell.”

“Cody Whitaker, are you flirting with me?” She smiled softly
at him.

He smiled back. “Nah, not right now. Just statin’ the facts.
I actually wanted to talk to you, if you’ve got a minute?” He stepped backward,
flopping down on her bed. It was really the only available surface in the room,
so Jess sat next to him.

“What’s up? Why didn’t you go into town with everyone
tonight?” Jess had been wondering about that, but wasn’t sure she should pry.

“Well, I wanted to talk to you. I’m leavin’ tomorrow
morning. There’s a rodeo in Texas I was able to get into kind of last minute.
So, I wanted to stay and say goodbye. I don’t always get back here that often,
so I’m not sure I’m goin’ to see you again.”

She leaned in and hugged him. “Cody, I’m really sorry you’re
leaving. I’ve hardly gotten a chance to know you. Here…” she reached over and
grabbed her business card off the desk, quickly scribbled her cell phone and
address on the back…, “You call me when you’re down my way, and we’ll get
together and do dinner or something.”

Jess grabbed her hair tie off the desk as well, fighting
back the sigh as she forced herself to twist her hair back into a knot, wishing
she could simply leave it loose.

“Sure, thanks. So, there’s somethin’ else I want to talk to
you about.” Cody hesitated, seeming unsure for once. Finally he just kind of
blurted out, “Be nice to Jake. Please?”

Jess was stunned. “What?”

“Look, I give him crap all the time and I tease him, 'cuz I
can. He’s more brother than friend, so it’s kind of my job. I know he hasn’t
been exactly nice to you, but I think… I think he’s kind of attracted to you.”

At that Jess laughed out loud. She actually guffawed. A very
unladylike sound. “Jake hates me. We can’t even be in the same room together.
He is
not
attracted to me.” But the memory, the one she’d been trying to
forget, rushed forward. Sitting on his lap, kissing him. Just thinking about it
was enough to make her nipples tighten, her breath shorten.

Despite her body's reaction, she recalled the end of that
meeting as well. Anger rang through her next words. “He thinks we slept
together. That first night after the bar? He thinks that I’m sleazy enough to
sleep with you after I’d only known you for a few hours. Cody, he doesn’t like
me, doesn’t respect me. If he does find me attractive, I’m sure the negative
far outweighs the positive.”

“Well, yeah. About that… Look, I kind of led him to believe
we had slept together. Or rather, I didn’t correct him when he assumed that. I
was just tryin’ to gauge his reaction, so I’m sorry about that.”

She was trying to stay mad at him, but Cody was using that
little boy with his hand in the cookie jar expression. She sighed, laughing
despite herself. “Fine. It’s fine. I’ll tell him it’s not true.”

“No, don’t. Not unless you actually care what he thinks of
you. Personally, not professionally.”

Her confusion must have shown, because he took a deep breath
and continued. “He’s been married. Did you know that?” She shook her head ‘no’.
“He was married for a little more than a year. There’s a lot to the story, but
among other things, she cheated on him. He’s kind of been under the impression
that all women sleep around since Karen. It’s not that he doesn’t respect you.
So, what I’m trying to say is, if you aren’t interested in him, then don’t
bother correcting his assumption.”