Read My Love at Last for Free Online Page B

spine. His voice. She heard him before she saw him. She turned to her right and caught sight of him climbing up onto the seat of a tractor. Halfway in he stopped, as if he’d heard something in the distance that told him to wait. Hanging on to the wheel, he swiveled his hard body in Olivia’s direction.
    The only thing that moved was her lips, which parted ever so slightly to gather some air.
    Connor jumped down, snatched his thick work gloves off his hands and jammed them into his back jeans’ pocket while he strode toward her.
    Olivia clenched her fist, digging her nails into her palm. The mildly uncomfortable action snapped her back to the reality of where she was and why. She was not here to snatch this fine specimen of a man by his leather belt and haul him into one of these deserted buildings. That was not her assignment.
    “Olivia,” he said in greeting, making her name sound like a hymn.
    “I should have called or something, but I did want to get started. Maybe we can work out some kind of schedule.” She wished that she could see his eyes behind his dark shades.
    The left corner of his lush mouth inched slightly upward. “It’s not a problem. Really. You can come… whenever you want.”
    Her clit jumped at the double entendre.
    “We can work out a schedule tomorrow night — at dinner.”
    Her eyes widened for a fraction of a second, but it wasn’t lost on Connor.
    “We’re still on…?”
    “Yes. Sure. I’m looking forward to it,” Connor said.
    He studied her for a moment from behind the shield of darkness. “So… where do you want to start?”
    “Well, I thought I’d begin by matching up the drawings with the structures that are standing — do some sketches. Then, going forward, examining each of the buildings, the areas around them, checking for artifacts, note taking, more pictures.” She grinned. “Ideally, I need to get in before any major restoration is done. I’d also want to examine any debris.”
    “Whatever you need.” He cleared his throat. “I’ll get Jake to take you around.”
    Why was she disappointed? She forced a smile. “Great.”
    “He’s on the other side. Follow me.”
    Connor walked a step or two ahead of Olivia and she cataloged the confident, long-legged swagger that could part a crowd or the seven seas. She drew in a “get it together” breath and matched his pace.
    “What time do you want me to pick you up?”
    “Oh, um, seven, seven thirty.” She glanced at his profile.
    Connor gave a bare nod, then lifted his chin. “Over this way.”
    Jake was in the midst of reviewing the blueprints with one of the crew when Olivia and Connor walked up.
    “Connor. Dr. Gray.” His greeting held a questioning note. He glanced from one to the other.
    “Dr. Gray wants to get started with her research. We’ll work out some kind of schedule, but I told her that you’d give her the full tour in the meantime.”
    A brief shadow of confusion passed over Jake’s face. He gave a slight shrug. “Sure.” He flashed a look at Connor, but couldn’t penetrate the dark lenses.
    “When you’re done, come back to the main building,” Connor said, and strode off.
    Olivia watched him leave and juggled the conflicting emotions that followed — dismissal, disappointment, uncertainty.
    “Ready?”
    Olivia blinked and turned her focus on Jake. “Yes.” She adjusted her tote on her shoulder and fell into step with him. “I hope this isn’t too much of an inconvenience.”
    “Not at all. What the boss wants the boss gets. We can start up on the ridge and work our way down and across,” he quickly added, before Olivia could respond to the “boss” comment.
    “Lead the way.”
    “You do a lot of these, I suppose,” Jake said.
    Olivia smiled. “I’ve had my share. You?”
    “Working with Connor is a lot different from what I’d been doing.”
    “What was that?”
    “Basic construction work, apartments and office buildings mostly.”
    “So… how did you and Connor