Blown Away: A Small Town Military Romance (The Moore Brothers Book 1) by Abby Brooks

little unsure as to whether or not he was joking, Juliet tapped out a quick response.
    I said no such thing, silly.
    And then, while she waited for his response, staring at the phone as if she could physically will his answer to come in faster, tires crunched on her driveway and the throaty rumble of a four wheel drive engine startled Lulu, who’d fallen asleep on Juliet’s lap. She looked up, laughing nervously at herself as Ian parked his truck and hopped out.
    “You most certainly did say no,” he said, arching an eyebrow and shutting the door with a heavy thunk. Lulu ran up to him, yipping and yapping her greeting. “Mornin’ Chopper.” Ian reached down and scratched her between the ears.
    Juliet stood, inwardly chastising herself for the surge of anxiety his texts had brought her. Ian is not Michael , she reminded herself. “I said no such thing silly boy.” Juliet joined him near the truck in case he needed help carrying anything. “You hit me with a Top Gun quote, so I hit you with a Top Gun quote back.”
    “Yeah, and my quote was me asking for permission to come by. Your quote? You told me no. I don't like being told no, you realize that, don’t you?”
    “It's all very tough and strong to make comments like that, you know,” said Juliet. “But let’s be honest. No one likes to be told no. So you can put your little macho, tough man act aside.”
    He flipped open the tailgate and unveiled a mess of tools and wood and who knows what other kinds of renovating materials that Juliet didn’t have names for. “You think this is an act? You saying you don’t think I’m a man?” He drew a huge saw out of the truck. “This is a man’s tool, Juliet.”
    Juliet widened her eyes and made a surprised face. “It’s so big and long!”
    “You better believe it is.”
    She took the toolbox he handed her and held out the other hand to indicate she could take something else. “So, Mr. Manly Man, I don't know what you call early out here in Bliss, South Carolina, but seven a.m.? It's not that. I've been up since four, ready to go, just waiting on your lazy ass.”
    Ian hoisted several long pieces of wood onto a shoulder and grunted under their weight. “Four a.m., huh?”
    “Yep. That's how we get up early in the city. Not this silly, after the sun’s already up stuff.”
    “And how do you think you’ll feel come lunchtime?” Ian led the way around to the back of the house and Juliet followed. “You think you’ll still be rip-roaring, ready to go? Ready to work like a man, with a man?” He dropped the wood near the deck and it clattered onto the ground while Ian flexed and contorted his body like a bodybuilder, even going so far as to growl.
    Juliet placed the toolbox down on the ground and shook her head, trying to look disapproving while her heart jumped up and down gleefully, inviting the butterflies in her stomach to join in. This man, this wonderful man. Everything felt okay when she was with him. Better than okay. Easy. Right. Natural. She swallowed and squashed those thoughts. You’re just his latest project, remember? Another puppy who needed saving. Enjoy him, but don’t get too attached. “Is everything a competition with you?” she asked, pushing all those thoughts away because they made her feel sad. And she was so tired of feeling sad.
    “Why do you ask? You afraid of losing?”
    Juliet laughed. “I don't think I even know how to lose. Not sure that's happened to me very frequently.”
    “New town, new home, new guy, new rules.” Ian turned and faced the water, watched the morning sun glisten and gleam like diamonds scattered across the surface. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath in through his nose.
    Juliet wasn't sure what to make of that last comment. New guy? Did that mean he considered himself a replacement for her old guy? That was a little presumptuous of him, considering she wasn't even in the market for a new guy.
    Oh, come on now , she told herself, you spent the