Sassie tucked a strand of wild hair behind her ear. “R.P., about that…”
He held up his hand. “I don’t want any explanations. It’s not my business. I just want to make sure he’s not lying naked in your room while I check things out.” The thought made him sick to the stomach, but it was better to be prepared.
“No, he’s not here. He had to take the truck back to Wyoming, and then I don’t know where he’s headed.” She bit her bottom lip and looked at him from under long lashes.
The blood went straight to his groin and he turned from her. It had been too long since he had her in his bed, and his body was protesting her absence. Damned if he knew what he was going to do if he couldn’t work it out between them.
“I need my tool belt; give me a minute.” Riley walked out to his truck to grab his belt and rearrange himself before going back in. Last thing he needed now was a raging erection, but he couldn’t deny she had that effect on him. At least the belt would cover him to some degree. After a moment on his own, he felt comfortable to go back in.
“Okay, let’s start in the kitchen, shall we, since he has marked that as having had work done.” Riley turned to her. “What did he do on the stove?”
“Um, he said he had to rewire the connection. I saw him with the cover off the main wiring.” She pointed at the box behind the Aga.
“Should have replaced it—it’s cracked.” Riley got out his screwdriver and undid the cover, placing it on the countertop. “Where’s the main switchboard?” He was looking at the two naked wires almost touching that had obviously not been screwed down properly.
“In the hallway by the front door. Is everything all right?”
“Can you go and flip off the main switch, please? Don’t touch anything on the way, just hit that switch and tell me when it’s done.” Sweat was rolling down his temple. It would take only a minute surge of power to make this damaged connection arc and cause a fire.
Her footsteps sounded on the polished boards. “Okay. It’s all off.”
Riley tapped the wire, waiting for the kickback. When he got nothing, he unscrewed the port for the positive wire and hooked it in before he replaced the plate. He did the same for the negative wire, breathing a sigh of relief when it was done. Sassie stood beside him, leaning on the counter, watching him with a frown on her face.
“That one is safe for now. I want to check every light and power point. You could have lost this place at any time just with that power connection alone. The house would have gone up as fast as the stables did. You need to call in someone else to redo that certificate.”
“I thought I had someone who knew what they were doing.” Sassie sighed. “You’d better give me the number for someone you approve of.”
That wasn’t exactly the point. He wanted her to be safe above everything else. “I’ll give you a business card for someone you can trust when I finish up here.” She might not want him, but the least he could do was make sure she didn’t get hurt or lose all her hard work to a loser like the last electrician.
His emotions were all over the place as she hovered over him while he worked, and as much as Riley wanted her, he couldn’t bring himself to beg her to give him another chance. Finn had put paid to whatever hope he’d had of making things right with Sassie.
* * *
“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize he was dodgy.” She lifted her head and a sheen of tears blurred her vision. “I’ve made a mistake, R.P.”
“I know, but it’s okay. I found out before anything happened.” He lifted his hand and stroked it down her cheek. “You’ve done a great job with this place, Sassie, and you deserve all the happiness you can get.”
“That’s not the mistake I was talking about.” She gripped his hand. “I meant the mistake I made with Finn.” She held up her hand when he tried to speak. “No, listen, please. You need to let me say this, and if you can’t find it in your heart to forgive me when I’m finished, I’ll understand.”
“Okay then.” Riley put his screwdriver in his tool belt and folded his arms.
Taking a deep breath, Sassie said, “We grew up together, Finn and I. Best buddies ever since we could walk. Always in trouble together, friends through thick and thin. He was always there for me and me for him. I never had a best girlfriend. I had him. When Da died, I saw it as my opportunity to get away from home. My brothers were stifling me. But most times, it was the other way around. Finn was just as bad some days, and I took that as my cue to leave and find my wings.” She laughed; she missed her family so much. “Anyway, I had no idea how he thought of me until the other night when he arrived. I always considered him my best mate and nothing more. Apparently, he didn’t think the same and once we got that sorted out, we hatched a plan. His presence obviously stirred you up, and I thought if you got jealous, you might realize you wanted more from me than just sex.”
“But you were the one who suggested that kind of relationship.”
“I know. It’s because I made such a fool of myself in LA. I thought I could have you and keep you at arm’s length. I couldn’t bear the thought of a broken heart again.”
“And?”
“I can’t, R.P. You mean more to me than anyone ever has, even Finn. I’ve never felt this way before. I don’t want to lose you.”
Riley gave a bitter laugh. “It was all an act?”
“Yes. I’m
