Nearly Departed in Deadwood by Ann Charles

The round-eyed look Addy bestowed upon Wolfgang mirrored one of those crazed, poodle-skirted Elvis fans of the late ‘50s. I couldn’t blame her. The way he was warming up to my twins had my bobby socks in a twist, too.

          “Violet?” Natalie rounded the back corner. “We have a little prob—” She noticed Wolfgang and her eyes practically bugged out of their sockets. She recovered in a blink, her lips curving into her trademark sex-kitten grin. “Well, well, well. Wolfgang Hessler, you’ve grown up.”

          Wolfgang’s gaze zeroed in on Natalie’s mouth before lifting to her eyes. “Do I know you?”

          Somehow, Natalie made slipping off her leather gloves an art akin to pole dancing. “Sixth period, study hall, your senior year. I was the freshman who sat in front of you.”

          “Ah, yes, your hair was shorter then.” Wolfgang rubbed his smooth-shaven jaw. “Natalie something.”

          “Beals.” Natalie held out her hand to shake. “You were a lot thinner back then.”

          Wolfgang shook it. “And you weren’t quite as curvy.”

          The jealousy bug nibbled on my ass. I shot Natalie a glare. “Nat, did you take a look under the back porch?”

          Natalie shook her head, her eyes still gobbling up Wolfgang’s gorgeous face, her hand still gripping his.

          “Well, then, maybe you need to go check for termites and remember your sabbatical vow.”

          The word “sabbatical” made her recoil. She sighed and let go of his hand. “Damn, I sure picked a bad time to quit men.”

          Wolfgang watched Natalie stomp around the side of the garage and out of sight, then turned to me, his brows raised. “Quit men?”

          I waved him off. “It’s complicated.”

          He caught my arm and didn’t let go, his smile mesmerizing. He must whiten his teeth. They couldn’t be that blinding naturally, could they? “You haven’t quit men, too, have you?”

          Was he flirting with me? “Um, no.” I’d just taken an involuntary layoff.

          “Good.” His thumb skimmed my wrist.

          Okay, he was definitely flirting. A little voice in my head chanted my mantra of not mixing clients and sex—until I taped its mouth shut. Maybe just this once. It’d been too long. I was just mortal, after all.

          I cleared my throat and pulled my arm free. “Addy. Why don’t you go see if Natalie has something in her pickup to make a nest with.” I handed Layne the baby bird and nudged him after his sister. “Take the bird and go help.”

          After they’d trudged off, I focused on Wolfgang again. “I hope you don’t mind that I brought my kids along. I couldn’t find a sitter.” Or hadn’t tried—almost the same thing.

          “They’re cute kids.” He shoved his hands in his pockets, leaned his shoulder against the garage wall. “I didn’t notice Natalie when I came around the house.”

          “She was probably down in the grass, inspecting your foundation. She’s the only contractor I could find on short notice. Natalie has been working with her hands since she was a teenager. Her grandpa owned a contracting business out of Nemo. He just recently retired and moved to Arizona.”

          Jesus, I was babbling. I wiped my damp palms on my shorts, took a deep breath, and clamped my teeth together to cage my tongue before it spilled all of my dirty secrets.

          “If you trust Natalie can do the job, then I’m a believer. My house is in your hands.”

          Wow, he knew just what to say to a girl. “Thanks.”

          “I’m planning on returning to San Francisco at the end of the month.”

          End of the month? Why so soon?

          “Do you think Natalie will be able to have the place ready to sell before then?”

          No way in hell . “Definitely.”

          “Good. What about