The Messy Maiden Read Online Free Page B

Her heart was beating too hard and too fast. He was just flirting. She should be enjoying it instead of being paranoid.
    She really needed to get out more and spend some time with real guys, not internet watchers.
    But did she need a boyfriend?
    Her friends spent most of their time griping about theirs. Moving too slow, moving too fast. No, she didn’t need a boyfriend but it would be nice to have one, even a casual one. Maybe what she actually needed was a friend with benefits arrangement.
    The conversation swirled around her. She put in the occasional comment but for the most part they were talking work. Gradually it shifted to sports, family and plans for the weekend.
    Ian looked at her. “What are you up to?”
    “Oh, not a lot. A bit of gardening.” That was true. A bit of rain and a bit of sun and the weeds started to take over. “And I’m contemplating painting my bedroom.” The whole house was the same shade of cream. Great for the camera, but boring.
    “Any color in particular?”
    “Dunno, yet I might spend some time at the hardware store checking out paint samples. Maybe even some of those fancy finishes.” Something sparkly or shiny, maybe in green or blue…or orange. She had no idea but she needed a change. Maybe that was all she needed. A week off temping to redecorate the bits of her house that were never on camera.
    “Don’t do the fancy finish. You’ll have to sand back the wall if you choose to repaint.” One of the other guys said.
    “What about you?” Did he have any hot dates planned? She’d already checked his left hand for a wedding ring. She’d done that on Monday. She was so tragic.
    He shook his head and sipped his beer. “No plans at the moment.”
    But there was something in his eyes that suggested he’d very much like to make plans. That nervous flutter was back and spreading. If he asked her out she might just say yes, just for something different.
    She leaned forward. “What do you do when you aren’t at work?”
    “I usually go for a ride on the weekend.”
    “Motorbike or pushbike?”
    “Pushbike.”
    She hadn’t ridden a bike since she was about fifteen.
    “Sometimes he rides to work and we get to see him in riding get up.” One of the other women smiled at him. Ian didn’t seem to notice because he was looking at her.
    “Seeing your boss in leggings.” The guy shook his head. “Not good.”
    She wouldn’t mind seeing that at all. Not that she was going to admit that in front the others. It was kind of annoying that they were here. She almost wanted them to vanish so she could get to know Ian better.
    That would go really well until he wanted to know why she was unavailable over the weekend when most people went on their dates.
    The Messy Maiden was why she didn’t have a social life. The last guy she’d told—her boyfriend when she’d lost her real job and started the business—had called it cheating and told her to quit. She’d pulled out his porn magazines and he’d said that was different because he was man and that he didn’t want his girlfriend being seen by other men.
    She’d chosen her business over him.
    The other guys had all been short term and she’d never told them what she did.
    Maybe she could have Ian for as long as the job lasted. A few weeks to scratch an itch with someone who was smart and handsome and apparently fit. Her fingers pressed against her wine glass as she imagined peeling his suit off.
    Probably not the thoughts she should be having about him.
    Some of the people went to get more drinks and somehow she ended up next to Ian. He was taller than her, but only by a few inches. Someone bumped into her and he put his hand on her lower back to steady her. Even through her shirt she felt the heat of the contact.
    Lust had certainly bitten her on the ass.
    He smiled. “We should do something.”
    “I don’t ride.”
    He watched her for a moment, and she became aware of how close they were standing. Did he not care what his