FLIRTY SITUATIONSHIP

  ELSIE JAMES

  Copyright © 2024 by Elsie James

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real persons or places is coincidental.

  Contact: Elsiejamesauthor.com

  CONTENTS

  1. Winston

  2. Kylie

  3. Winston

  4. Kylie

  5. Winston

  Epilogue, One Year Later

  About the Author

  CHAPTER 1

  WINSTON

  “Finish up out here and call it a day.” My boss Bear Buckner claps me on the back with a smile.

  “Sounds good, boss.” I put on my anti-noise headphones and fire the chainsaw right back up.

  Bear is not a man of many words, but it’s obvious how much he loves his sister by the way he’s made her new plant store a priority for all of us. The chopped log runs the length of the building beside it and I take my time carving a seat into a massive bench.

  When I asked why a plant shop would need seating for one million people, Bear didn’t have a clue. But his sister mentioned it so he wanted it done before she got back into town, so here I am. It takes me another forty minutes to finish the job.

  By the time I’m done, this Stump and Stem Plant Shoppe has enough seating space for the whole town of Lumberjack Lagoon. I walk up the gravel path toward the barndominuim and push open the massive doors. But when I step in, there isn’t anyone here. I use the opportunity to get my first good look at the stunning space.

  Bear did one hell of a job in here.

  Wooden beams float high in the vault of the main room. Floor-to-ceiling windows paint a picturesque view of the forest. The walls are lined with narrow wooden shelves containing potted plants of every variety.

  But it isn’t the plants that get me. My eyes flick to the fat, fluffy, snarling orange cat that hisses at me from beneath a massive green leaf. I’ve always been a sucker for cats. I grew up with them, so I can’t help it. As I get closer he lets his resentment be known with a series of sharp growls that do absolutely nothing to deter me.

  “Well hello to you too. Welcome to the neighborhood.” I reach down and pull him out of his hiding spot.

  He hisses as I tuck him close to my chest. For a moment, the big guy relents. There’s no purring, but he goes dead weight in my arms and even lets me scratch him behind the ears. I don’t have room in my life for anything else to take care of, but that doesn’t stop the urge to take this guy home from swelling up inside of me.

  “There you go buddy, see, we can be friends.”

  He looks up at me and his eyes narrow. Something in me tells me our bonding moment is coming to an abrupt stop. But before I can put him down, the little asshole bites me right on the cheek.

  “Hey!” I kneel and release him on impulse.

  He takes another swat at me on his way down my plaid shirt. Then he darts underneath the bottom shelf and lets out one last hiss for good measure. I reach in for him again, determined to make friends.

  A woman’s voice comes from behind me. “You’ve got to watch yourself with that one, he isn’t nice. I found him outside the night I arrived and I felt bad for him all alone out there. Once he came in, he’s been kind of the worst. He needs a home, but he doesn’t like it here and he also doesn’t want to leave. Of course that doesn’t mean he wants me to touch him. Bear?”

  I stand up and turn around to face the voice. When I do, my breath catches in my chest. The most striking woman I’ve ever seen stares back at me. She’s got a massive potted tree on a metal hand truck and it falls to the floor with a thud when our eyes meet.

  Her long hair is tied into a bun. Her tall body is thick and curvy in the right places. She isn’t from Lumberjack Lagoon, there’s no way. I would remember meeting someone like her. Then another thought hits me. Please don’t be Bear’s sister. Please, please don’t be Bear’s sister.

  She stares at me for a moment too long. Then her smile reaches the corners of her eyes as she holds out her hand to mine. “Oh, you’re not my brother at all. Sorry, you guys all look the same in your uniforms. Hi, I’m Kylie Buckner.”

  Buckner, dammit.

  When I take her hand in mine, heat bubbles low in my stomach and crawls up my arms. I have to shake it out of my fingertips. “Hey, I’m Winston. It’s nice to meet you. I work on Bear’s crew as a lumberjack.”

  “And here I thought you just carried around the sawdust for fun.” She winks at me with a playful giggle. Then she brushes the dust off of my shoulders in a touch that somehow sizzles, even through the flannel of my shirt.

  I pick up the massive potted plant and maneuver it back onto the hand truck. “Where are you heading with this?”

  “Right over there, thanks.” She walks in the direction of the cash register and I follow behind her.

  It’s not easy to tear my eyes away from the sway of her round backside. But finding your boss's little sister hot as fuck is not a great career move. Still, my attraction to her is impossible to ignore. “It’s a nice place you’ve got. It looks good in here. But it makes sense, you’ve got a good brother helping you with the project. He’s been here day and night putting in the work. From the way he’s been acting, I’d guess he really wanted you home.”

  “Yeah, I get the feeling he did. I’m really lucky to have him. Bear is the best… It’s Beau you have to watch out for.” She bites back a smile.

  A chuckle escapes my lips as I wedge the massive pot between the counter and the window. “I know that’s right. There isn’t a dude in Timber Logging who hasn’t had at least one hell of a night partying with Beau.” I reposition the pot and then turn to face her. “And what about you Kylie, do I need to watch out for you?”

  “I watch out for myself these days.” She takes a step towards me and when our eyes meet, all the air in the room disappears. My heart rate ticks up and the tension between us is palpable. But she pulls back in an instant. Her eyes move to my cheek. “It looks like someone needs to watch out for you. You’re bleeding. I think the cat got you pretty good. Hold on, if I know Bear he’s left me an emergency kit with a bandage somewhere under here.”

  “That little shit.” I chuckle as I put a hand to my cheek. When I pull it away, sure enough, there’s a dot of blood.

  I walk to the sink in the back of the room and flip the water. It only takes Kylie a minute to reappear from beneath the front counter with a bandage and a bottle of water. I reach to take the Band-Aid from her, but she doesn’t hand it over. Instead, she reaches across me and fixes it to my face herself. The cool touch of her fingertips along my jawline sends goosebumps rippling through me.

  “Thanks.” I shake off the heat of her touch.

  “Any time.” She gives me a warm smile. “Any chance you want to be the one to give that little angry ball of fur a permanent home? He’s not the friendliest, but you are the first person he’s let come more than an arm’s length.”

  “Nice try, I can’t have anything else with a heartbeat living in my house. I’m stretched pretty thin as it is, but he’s a character. I think he might be your store’s permanent mascot. What are you gonna name him?” I take a sip of water.

  “I never thought about naming him because I didn’t think he was going to be staying long. Hell, I’m not staying long once this place is up and running. I’m out of here. I can’t bring a cat with me because I don’t know where I’ll end up.”

  “Yeah, that’s trouble for sure.” Even though it makes no sense, my heart sinks a bit in my chest at the realization that she is leaving.

  I’m ridiculous.

  I don’t even know her. She could be married although there isn’t a ring to be found. But what I do know is that she’s related to Bear and Beau Buckner. One of whom is my boss and both of whom would probably kick my ass for having the thoughts that I’m having about their little sister.

  “Trouble… I like that maybe I’ll call him Trouble. Just for the time being.”

  “Well, Trouble, welcome to your temporary home.” My phone vibrates in my pocket and I don’t have to look at it to know I’ve got to be on my way. “Your brother says you have just a couple weeks or so until you open the doors, is that right?”

  “Something like that.” She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear.

  “In that case, you let me know when there’s something I can do for you around here. I want to do my part. I’ll make sure you have plenty of good seating and plenty of stumps to put your pots on. But if there’s anything else let me know. I’ve got to head out, but it was nice meeting you.” I turn and head for the door, then pause. “The yard I work on is just out behind your property line so I’ll be around.”

  “When?” I don’t miss the way she chews her bottom lip as she looks up at me.

  “When what?”

  “When will you be around? Tomorrow?”

  My heart thuds in my chest. “I can be around tomorrow. Is there something I can help you with?”

  “Yeah, I’ll find something by then.”

  CHAPTER 2

  KYLIE

  “Ouch! Damn you Trouble. I’m trying to make you a permanent fixture at this plant store and you’re over here taking swipes at me.” I look down to find the stupid, adorable, cat left a ma

rk on my shin this time.

  He looks up at me, eyes widening but I don’t by that act for a single minute. Today alone he’s knocked a plant off the shelf and broken a terracotta pot by spastically jumping inside of it. He’s earned his name even if he is melt-your-heart cute.

  “You want to live back on the mean streets of Lumberjack Lagoon, don’t you?”

  “Oh stop, we both know you are incapable of turning that little guy out into the woods.” Ash sprays the back window with a glass cleaner and starts wiping. “I don’t know why you don’t want to stay here. The endless stream of hot lumberjacks cruising by the back window is an unexpected perk.”

  My face reddens. For a moment, I wonder if Ash can read my mind. Has she somehow caught onto the fact that Winston has been here every day after she leaves since we met? Can she tell that I’m obsessed with him? That I watch the window she’s cleaning right now just on the off chance he’ll walk by like some kind of teenager in love?

  Of course, she can’t. Just because she has known me since college doesn’t mean she has some kind of superpower. I haven’t mentioned a word about Winston to anyone, there isn’t any reason to mention him. He’s just someone I love flirting with while I’m on this brief intermission from my real life. Besides, I don’t know anything about Winston’s real life and I definitely don’t want my brothers knowing anything about mine.

  Our father left when I was young and Bear stepped into the role before I was old enough to know the difference. He carried the burdens of our family so I didn’t have to. I think he’s forever going to see me as a child. So as far as I’m concerned, the less he knows about my love life, the better.

  Beau on the other hand will fall all over himself trying to bro-up anyone he thinks I’m remotely interested in. With him, it’s all shirtless fist bumps and invitations to golf on a Saturday. There’s a reason I moved away, this town can be stifling. But I know coming back until things with Mom settle was the right decision.

  “Thank you for helping me get this place up and running. The one thing my hometown can guarantee in return is big beards and even bigger… axes,” I let out a giggle and unpack the pet water bowls that will live permanently outside of our front door.

  “I hope to find that out for myself sometime before I go back to the city.” Ash winks and I shoot her a look. “They don’t make them like this anywhere else and I’m away from my kid so it seems right I should get a lumber-snack.”

  “No jugement here,” I laugh. “If that’s your goal, meeting it shouldn’t be too hard. Just stay away from my brothers. Bear’s still angry from his divorce and Beau’s… well, he’s Beau.” And please stay away from Winston, not that I should care, but still.

  “I haven’t met them yet so I can’t promise anything.” She lets out a laugh. “It wouldn’t hurt you to take a look around for a lumberjack of your own.”

  “Thanks for the reminder.” I roll my eyes and shake my head. “That won’t be happening any time soon. I’ve got actual work to do if I’m going to get this place up and running. I’m going to figure out how to set up this point-of-sale system in the back. Try to keep it in your pants while I’m gone.”

  “No promises,” Ash laughs.

  I’m one to talk. I haven’t thought about how lonely life in the city is since the moment I met Winston. I’ve been too busy thinking about… climbing him. I’m trying to keep it uncomplicated while I’m here, but the man is breathtaking. He’s one hundred percent pure muscle with a heart of gold. The heat between us is building and I don’t know how much longer I can take it before I erupt.

  I’ve made up the most useless tasks to get him back in here and today is no exception. I check the clock over and over again willing time to speed up. I step into the bathroom and give myself a once over, reapplying my lipgloss. When the clock finally hits four, I leave the shotty excuse for a cash register and head out front. I’ve got to get Ash out before Winston strolls in.

  When I step out of the backroom, I see Ash through the window. She’s between the treeline and our Stump and Stem Plant Shoppe sign. As I get closer I find she’s dragging a tray of seedlings into the plant rehab area inside of our greenhouse.

  “Hey, are you taking off for the night? You know, call it a day early, have some Netflix and chill time?” I pull my hair out of the tight bun and smooth it behind my ears.

  “I’m enjoying the scenery, but yeah, I’m going to head out. But first, what about him?” Ash points to a large man in jeans and a yellow safety vest.

  I take the tray from her. “That’s the last thing I need. If this situation with my Mom wasn’t… what it is, then I wouldn’t be here in the first place. Soon this little Stump and Stem Plant Shoppe will be up and running with a full staff and I will be sitting on a beach looking for my next adventure.”

  “More like burying your head in the sand.”

  I shoot her a look. “Thank you for your help.”

  “I’m just wondering if you’ve talked to her yet?” She clears her throat. “Like, have you physically seen her?”

  Her question knocks the wind out of me and I swallow hard. “What, did my brothers put you up to asking that question? No, I have not gone to see her. I will deal with it in my own time. Right now I have a plant shop open so that I can continue to afford my life.”

  Ash holds up her hands in defense. “Got it, I’m going to leave you to it. I’m just going to say before I leave, you’ll feel better once you stop running and actually face it. Okay, I won’t bring it up again, don’t kill me, remember I’m taking my precious weeks of non-kid time to be here helping you. I love you.” Her voice goes sing-song at the end.

  “Thank you. I love you too. Get out of here, see you tomorrow.”

  Ash disappears out of the front door and even Trouble is relieved that she’s gone. The grump lets me stroke his fur for a full fifteen seconds before scampering off into the corner and taking a full mouth bite of cobwebs.

  The last thing I need to do is open a can of worms I’m not ready to deal with. But just the mention of my mother’s situation has me in a mood. All I want to do is forget about the real reason I’m here. Ten minutes pass and I’m still shaking myself out of it when Winston opens the door.

  “Hey.” He looks sexy as ever in a black T-shirt and his work jeans. His mouth pulls into a slow-growing grin that sends electricity whipping through me.

  “Hi, thanks for coming by today.”

  “Best part of my day.” He leans against the countertop and runs his fingers across Trouble’s back. “Is everything okay? I know you’re only about a week away from opening. What can I help you with?”

  “You can help me forget.”

  His eyebrows furrow in confusion as I press my body close into his chest. His heartbeat pounds so intensely that I can feel it in my own chest. Winston doesn’t say anything. He holds me and I disappear into him. I look up at him and when I lean even closer his eyes darken.

  I rock up onto my toes and press my lips to his. The kiss sends fire coursing through me. I put a hand on his cheek and nibble at his bottom lip. It seems to light a fire in Winston. His hands lock on my hips and before I know it, he’s parting my lips with his tongue and taking my breath away.

  The heat is intoxicating and I’m desperate for more of him. I run my hands under his shirt and up across his rock-hard stomach. But Winston pulls away from me, lips pink from the kiss and out of breath.

  “Sorry.” The word rips out of me before I can stop it. “I put you in a weird spot. You don’t want to do this and I don’t even know anything about you. Oh my god, you’re probably married. You are married, aren’t you? I’m gonna be sick, I⁠—”

  He puts his hands on my shoulders. “Stop it. No, I’m not married. “I want to do this. You have no idea how much I want to do this, but you don’t know what you’re getting into with me… I have a kid. He’s fourteen and a handful.”

  “Okkkaaayyy.” I search his eyes looking for the problem. “You have a kid. Is the kid here?” I look over his shoulder.

  “What? No, of course not. He’s staying with his grandparents after school.”

 

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