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hands shoved in his back jeans pockets and exhaled in that way men did when they thought the womenfolk had screwed up big. “Do you have tools? Supplies? Labor?”
    More than likely he wanted to ask if she’d lost her mind but he was smart enough to keep that one inside. “I have that car and a bag full of whatever Uncle Ned ordered from your store.”
    “I’m not sure how a house plant is going to help you here.”
    Which brought up a new problem. “Me either since I’ve never had a plant without killing it. Tried talking to them and my voice apparently scared them to death.”
    He was openly gawking at her now. “That is strangely fascinating.”
    “I swear one of those mini-rosebush things actually shook when I sang to it. Then I ran out and bought some more. I tried ignoring the plants, thinking they wanted quiet time or something, and they shriveled in horror at my neglect.”
    “Please tell me you never had a cat or anything with paws and a heartbeat.”
    As if she’d endanger an innocent kitten. “No, but I got a cactus because I read no one could kill one. Apparently no one told my cactus that. It committed suicide by jumping off the table to its death.”
    He put his hand over his mouth and cleared his throat. “Not exactly the Suzy The Homemaker type, are you?”
    Hard to deny that one, even if he was on the verge of laughing at her. “I have other skills.”
    “No way am I commenting on those after your earlier death-by-rock threat.”
    She shot him a narrow-eyed warning. “Smart man.”
    “But, with your admittedly limited carpenter skillset in mind.” He stopped and took a deep breath. “What, and don’t go nuts on me here, qualifies you to fix up and run this place?”
    Desperation . “My last name is Payne.”
    She touched the mattress and when it sank under her palm and not in a normal way, she pulled her hand back fast. The move had him staring at the bed, which is exactly where she didn’t want his mind wandering. Not that she planned on rolling around on that thing, alone or with a partner, any time soon. But, man, one look at his face and she remembered every other sinfully delicious part of him.
    “That’s it? Your qualification is some biological connection?” he asked.
    She decided he was much more handsome when he wasn’t rapid-firing questions at her. “Yes. I have biology on my side and the bag in the car that may or may not contain a house plant. I didn’t check, so I’ll believe you there’s one in there unless I already killed it just by transporting it.”
    He walked around the open room, which took all of ten seconds but showed off how well he filled out those jeans. He stopped again in front of her. “You have some problems here.”
    “Aren’t you the king of understatement?”
    “Does the electricity even work? Is the wiring safe?” He dipped his head low and glanced out the dirty window. “The sun is about to go down soon and these woods get awfully dark unless you get that fire you were wanting.”
    Two more minutes of this happy talk and she’d walk back to Philadelphia. Screw the income and reputation problems there. “You are a joy to have around.”
    “Not the first time I’ve heard that.” He clapped his hands but his mind appeared to be off and running. He scanned every inch of the walls, floor and ceiling, as if mentally compiling a list and making plans. “Okay, so I’ll have some supplies dropped off tomorrow and—”
    “Why?”
    He focused on her again. That the-man-is-thinking-here serious look disappeared as his eyebrows snapped together. “Excuse me?”
    Time to jump in and set the ground rules since she’d skipped that part and went right to the striptease last time they stood like this in a quiet room. “We’re not sleeping together again.”
    A smile broke across his lips. “Did I mention sex?”
    “As if you’re not thinking it.” Good grief, why could she not stop thinking about it all of a sudden?
    “To the extent I was,