Beatrice and Douglas by Kelly Lucille Page B

first thing and were able to get right to work on the
replacement boards.  Besides a few looks from the guys when Douglas leaned
a little too close or brushed up against her when he passed, there was none of
the teasing she had expected.  At least not in front of her.  Douglas
had been right about that at least.  Apparently, it was a guy thing, and
since it was equally a guy thing to tease unmercifully, she was not surprised
to hear a few off-color remarks when she chanced to be within hearing distance
and unseen.
    “I don’t get it.  Clearly she’s slumming.”
    “Taking pity on the poor boy.”
    She recognized the voices.  Andrew and Duffy were both
among the newer workers, which meant they had only been working for the company
for about five years, as opposed to the old timers who had been around longer
than Beatrice.
    “It’s like one of those movies where the hot chick takes
pity on the retard and takes him under her wing.”
    “You are all hilarious, but if we could get back to work, I
don’t know about the rest of you, but I have plans for after we’re done here.”
    “Ooh, he’s got plans.”
    “In a hurry all of a sudden.  Anyone remember Douglas
Bruce trying to get done early for any other girl he was dating? 
Anyone?  At all?”
    “Nope, from what I remember he rarely made plans until he
was done with work, then he’d make a call and hope to strike gold.  But
no, I don’t recall him ever trying to finish early before.”
    “Must be love.”  The codgy old voice was Dodger and
Beatrice wondered how many of them were standing around just to give Douglas a
hard time.
    She made sure to make noise when she came around the corner.
By the time she got to the back porch, everyone was making noise again. 
Only this time doing actual work.
    “Hey, Dodger, did you separate the wood for the upstairs
from the delivery.” 
    “Sure did, darlin’, and the porch pile was moved over to the
tarps.”
    “Great.  If you all are through gossiping like old women,
maybe I could borrow Douglas for a few minutes to go over the workload for
tomorrow.”
    “Sure, the workload for tomorrow,” Andrew muttered under his
breath and then made sure to be very busy when Douglas turned his way. 
Dodger cleared his throat with a warning look towards the younger man.
    “Give me ten to finish the banister and I’ll be there,”
Douglas said, a gleam in his eyes that worried Beatrice enough she was blushing
before she could do anything to stop it.  Douglas noticed as he noticed
everything and he gave her a slow sexy half smile that had her rolling her
eyes.  Clearly, she was not the only one remembering the last time they
were together in the trailer.
    But if he thought they were going to make a habit of daytime
nookie, he was in for a rude awakening.  They were going to keep it
professional if it killed her.
    Beatrice entered the trailer and moved to the to-do file she
had been ignoring. There was a pile of bills to be paid and a few letters, one
in particular she recognized as registered mail.  There was a small sticky
note on it that said it was forwarded by a lawyer’s office in Sacramento. 
Jack had added that it was the same people trying get hold of him by phone and
that they were getting more and more impatient and pushy about it.
    She heard the door behind her open and she called back.
    “Hey, there is a lawyer letter here for you.  It looks
important.”
    Before she could say anything more, she felt a hand grabbing
her hip and pulling her back into hard thighs.  “I’ve been waiting for this
all damn morning.”
    She pushed his hands back and partially turned, leaning far
enough back that she could keep space between herself and his persistent
sexiness.  “We are not having sex at the job site.  It’s completely
inappropriate.”
    “Very funny.”
    She pushed his hands away again. “I’m not laughing.”
    “Neither am I.” He lifted her up by her hips and placed her
on the table.