“That’s what I want,” I made myself say, even as a voice inside me called me every name possible. He let my words hang in the air, then gave me a clipped nod as he stopped the car in front of a pretty ranch house surrounded by a huge field.

Theo

Alba Serena Duarte tested every fucking rule I’d set for myself to its breaking point.

“I shouldn’t be more than ten minutes,” she said over her shoulder as she jumped down from the Tesla and headed up to the porch of the house. I didn’t even respond because I knew it was beyond me to deny this woman anything.

“So how do you know this lady?” I asked in an attempt to distract myself from looking down at the curve of her ass in that dress as I followed her to the door.

“It’s from a website where people post secondhand furniture,” she explained vaguely.

“You mean Craigslist.”

She cut her eyes at me and rang the bell. “Yes, Craigslist, and I’ll have you know that I find all kinds of good stuff on there for my makeovers. And these chairs are perfect for the signature piece in this Bookish project I’m working on.”

I wanted to ask what book it was inspired by, because even though I thought she needed to cut way back on how much she worked, I loved hearing her talk about those bedroom makeovers. But before I could the door opened and an older blonde woman wearing a pink robe and holding two tiny dogs appeared and pinned her sights on me.

“Well, hello there, cowboy,” she drawled, not bothering to hide the very thorough assessment of my person she immediately engaged in.

“Ma’am,” I said, having been indoctrinated in the proper Texan salutation etiquette.

“You’re a lot to take in on one sitting,” she told me in a pronounced twang. I couldn’t say for sure, but I was pretty certain she smacked her lips after saying that. Beside me I heard my companion splutter with laughter. I pinched her ass in retaliation, and she jumped, with a satisfying squeal.

“Hi, are you Miss Susan?” she crooned, after shooting me a nasty look. “I’m Alba. We talked on the phone this morning, I’m here for the two Jeannaret chairs.”

“Oh, that’s right. You can just call me Susan.” The woman smiled, extending a hand to Alba before turning her attention back to me. “What’s your name, sugar?”

“I’m Theo, ma’am. Just here to help.”