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and I’m not admitting that’s the case, seeing this room killed it.” He leaned in until his breath brushed against her cheek. “Mostly.”
    She wanted to ignore the last word because there was nothing but danger there, but... “You can deny all you want but this is not my first day on the farm.”
    “I think we’ve established it kind of is.”
    She waved off his joke and his charm. Also tried to picture him with a bag over his head so she didn’t have to see those sexy eyes and the perfect face, but that image wasn’t working so well. “My point is that I’m thinking you’ll want to be paid for your services.”
    Both of his hands went into the air, palms up and all amusement gone. “Whoa.”
    “I’m just—”
    “Stop that thought. I never suggested a mattress quid pro quo.”
    Since she needed to banish all mattress thoughts and references, she reached out to lower his hands. Then she remembered how good it felt to run her palms over him and stopped right before they touched.
    Her arms dropped to her sides. “I need you to understand that despite our earlier meeting and my lack of clothing at the time—”
    A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth again. “Meeting? That’s how we’re referring to those days?”
    “I’m trying to forget them.” Even though that was so not happening.
    “Good luck with that. So you know, my memory is working just fine.” His fingertips brushed against her chin. “In fact, I seem to remember doing some inventive things with a bathrobe belt.”
    The alphabet scrambled in her brain at his touch. She breathed in deep and counted to ten before she could form a sentence. “I need you to know I normally do not jump into bed with strange men.”
    “I’m not that strange.”
    “What?”
    “Lila, is that what I should call you?” His thumb traced her bottom lip as she nodded, unable to do anything else. “I was in that hotel room with you. The bed, the shower, the—”
    This time she put her hand over his and gently pushed it back into his personal space and as far out of hers as she could get when they were standing almost on top of each other. “Get to the point.”
    “I’m not judging what we did or how we did it, and I sure as hell don’t regret a minute of it.”
    Her brain fizzled. “Oh.”
    “For the record, I’m offering to bring supplies and labor and work out any permitting details to get you started without expecting anything in return because that’s what we do around here.” He reached over and opened the bathroom door and slammed it shut just as fast.
    She didn’t want to know what was inside, so she didn’t ask. She could barely concentrate on the conversation as it was. “You mean in the Thomas family?”
    “In Holloway.” He glanced into the sink. “This town has issues, just like any other place. Some people are nosy and annoying and there is a crowd that spends hours a day gossiping and making up crazy names for shit, but at its soul the people here are good. They’ll help out.”
    That all sounded nice but she didn’t live in Holloway and she was an outsider. “I can’t ask you to do that for me.”
    “I offered.”
    “Why?”
    “Other than the reason I just explained, I also owe Ned.”
    “But you shouldn’t—”
    “Lila.” His hands landed on her shoulders. “Stop fighting me. Take the help and say thank you.”
    It was so tempting to be lured by his voice, to fall into the reassuring feel of his strong hands. “This kind of assistance usually comes at a price.”
    “Have you always been this skeptical?”
    “I learned to be.”
    “We’ll work on that while we work on the cabins.” He squeezed her then let go. “Let’s head out.”
    Just when she’d caught up to the conversation he jumped again. “What?”
    “You can’t stay here. Not until it’s safe. We’ll get you some dinner and put you at the Crossley Inn.”
    When this guy took control, he really took it. “I’m not going to waste money on a