Untouched: 2 (Rough Boys) (7 page)

The vibrations of the saw ran up his arms and through his shoulders. He squinted up at the treetop, assessing it once more. Never could be too careful. Loggers died every year. Even those with a ton of experience like him had accidents.

He tried to shift his night with Eva from his mind so he could focus on bringing down this white oak. The top was heavy on the right side but he didn’t want it to fall that direction. If it did, it would take out a solid thirty-incher that could be cut in a second wave.

He wanted this particular tree to shoot the gap he’d cleared to the left, which meant some fancy saw work was needed.

The wind was nonexistent and the air still after his regular faller, Tommy Cook, had just felled a tree. Two hundred yards away, he was busy select cutting too.

Mason approached the tree and set his saw blade at an angle. The teeth cut through the thick bark and wood like a hot knife through butter. He pulled the blade back and dug in again, drawing the saw upward to cut a wedge from the trunk. Wood dust showered his arms and coated the backs of his gloves. It burned his nose and he sniffed deeply, loving the scents of the sap and the pull of exertion in his veins.

Using the point of his saw, he tapped the notch he’d cut. It dropped to the forest floor soundlessly, disappearing into the shallow drift of snow around the trunk. Circling the tree, Mason set his boots precisely, prepared to jump back in the event that the log kicked out.

Then, glancing around quickly to ensure no one was within distance of this tree, he set the blade at an angle on the backside of the cut. As the trunk was severed in two, it tipped. Cracking and popping noises sounded even through his hearing protection. He felt the smile of satisfaction spread across his face.

With a scream, the white oak plummeted, the top branches ripping through the limbs of other trees, brushing them in farewell. It slammed to earth with a resounding wallop.

A cheer went up from across the clear-cut. Mason looked up to find Tommy sending him a wave of camaraderie. He cut the power on his saw and thwacked his hands against his thigh to dislodge the sawdust from his gloves. The cracked brown leather gloves had been his father’s and one of the only things Mason had saved of the man’s personal possessions.

He’d found them on a high shelf in the entryway. Drawing them down, he’d brought them to his nose and inhaled the tang of leather and sawdust. Both scents he associated with his dad.

He set his saw on the fallen trunk and pulled off his glove. A shock tore through him as the sweet aroma of Eva’s arousal struck him. He’d spent all night loving her. Even this morning he’d fingered her to completion before allowing her to climb from his bed. Christ, he could hardly wait to get home to see if his sheets smelled of her.

He’d barely kept himself from begging her to stay longer. Returning her to Osborn’s house to pick up her little car had spurred that deep possessiveness in him again. Osborn had come outside to harass them about where they’d gone. Mason had put a stop to it, but not before Eva was as flushed as a Christmas rose.

He brought his fingers to his nose and inhaled. His balls clenched instantly at the scent of her he caught there. He’d promised to call her later tonight, but he felt like a goddamn teenager, dying to pick up the cell and call her now. Immediately.

What was she doing? Now that he knew she had a child to care for, he envisioned her in several different scenarios—the boy nestled on her lap as she read a story or seated on the floor building a block tower with him.

Why hadn’t he seen it before? She wore her motherhood like she displayed her femininity. She was always caring for people. Even hand-feeding Osborn a tartlet last night.

Mason wanted to jump in his truck and race to her house right now, and that scared the hell out of him. He’d never known such longing, even with his ex-wife. Eva and his ex were like heartwood and rotted wood though. One was strong and beautiful, something wood connoisseurs prized. Mason knew heartwood when he saw it.

Trouble was, he wasn’t going to stick around Salzburg Springs for long. He’d already contacted the company he’d left when his dad died a year ago and been told he always had a job with them. In fact, they wanted him as soon as possible. His roots weren’t firmly entrenched in western Pennsylvania, but they were plunging deeper after last night.

He mentally kicked himself. He never should have toyed with Eva. She deserved much more than a bachelor with a bent for rough play in bed.

Fires flared in him at the memory of her response to that heavy hand. She’d come unglued when he pinched her nipples so hard. And her skin had lifted to him when he tugged on her hair. How far could he push her?

He was drooling to find out. Though she’d obviously enjoyed his lovemaking skills, she’d taught him a few things too. Like how much he loved her gentle kisses and fluttery caresses.

The crash of a tree brought his head up. Tommy stood back, watching it hit. Snow and mud splashed up around the man. Pride lit the logger’s face. He lived for this, but did Mason?

He didn’t mind the hard work or even the paperwork. With Eva to take up the slack in the office, Dorsey Forestry was running smoothly. Could he make a life of this though?

Thinking of his apartment in Seattle, he tried to place himself there once more. After a year with these hearty and good-natured people in the town where he’d grown up, could he return to the pettiness and shallow life of a city dweller?

This morning he’d stopped at the diner for a real logger’s smorgasbord—ham, fried eggs, hash browns and a stack of pancakes taller than a small child. Or almost. Friends had flanked him at the counter and Karen, the waitress who’d been there since he was a kid, had poured him a cup of coffee on the house.

Then they’d settled in to talk about the weather and old Osborn’s retirement party, the amount of snow expected on Christmas and the way people seemed to fall in love when they were stuck inside in winter.

He’d caught on to that quickly, staring down Karen until she burst into a peal of laughter. It didn’t surprise him that she’d already heard about him leaving the party with Eva.

Running a hand through his hair, he fought to concentrate on the task at hand. Typically his crew didn’t work a Saturday, but they were behind. And frankly, Mason needed the distraction. Sitting at home, he’d only find himself longing for her.

Damn, how had it happened? One minute he was her boss, the next her lover. But he’d be lying if he said he’d rather return to simply signing her paychecks.

To his right another tree struck the snow. In the distance, a big truck rumbled to life and headed their way. Wait—was that another vehicle he heard? He pulled his ear plugs and strained to hear above the roar of the saw and the heavy equipment.

Could it be—?

His cock hardened instantly at the sight of the little white compact car driving into the clearing.
Eva.

Quickly he emerged from the woods, dumped the saw in the back of his truck and continued toward her. “You have no business on these bad roads in that car.” Giving her hell was the closest he could come to telling her he was fucking overjoyed to see her.

Before she could respond, he grabbed her and pinned her against the car. Her body conformed to his, sweet and soft in all the right places. Her arms came around his neck and she turned her face up to his. God, she smelled good. Of vanilla, something freshly baked and feminine woman.

He claimed her mouth, taking advantage of her gasp and sweeping inside with his tongue. Moaning, he tasted her for long minutes, allowing his hands free rein over the body that was swiftly becoming as familiar as his own.

When she grazed his lower lip with her teeth, he loosed a growl. Tearing away, he stared at her, letting her see his passion. “What are you doing here?”

“You going to keep on giving me hell, Dorsey?”

Her comeback brought a grin to his face. Damn, she was stunning. Her body was concealed in a pair of worn jeans, lace-up winter boots and an oversized parka, but he knew the curves that lived beneath the layers. The cold reddened her cheeks and her dark hair waved down her back.

“Am I giving you hell, baby?” He pressed his arousal against her belly suggestively.

She laughed, a hearty sound that made his synapses fire. “I thought you might be happy to see me.”

He brushed his lips over hers. “I am. But I’d be happier to see you in a four-wheel-drive truck.”

“When the truck fairy drops one at my house, I’ll happily drive it. Until then, I have this.” She thumped it with one gloved fist, making a hollow sound.

Once again, the state of her livelihood rose to the fore. How did she support a child on her meager income? She deserved more pay, that was for sure. Without or without a small mouth to feed, she earned more than Mason paid her. The fact ate at him. However, giving her a pay raise now would look as if he was paying her for her services.

“How did you get away? I thought you said the sitter was off today.”

“She is. But a girlfriend of mine asked if Brady could come over to play with her son and I thought I’d take the opportunity to come up here. Is that okay?” Her voice held a note of uncertainty, which he staunched immediately.

Lifting her onto tiptoe, he captured her mouth. Plundering it for long minutes was pure bliss—and torture. He had men around them felling logs. The bucker was on the white oak Mason had just dropped, his saw zipping as he sliced the length into manageable pieces.

He didn’t care who saw them making out, but he wanted her naked. And he didn’t want to share that with anyone on earth.

“You taste like syrup,” he murmured. Pulling away, he stared down at her.

She smiled. “I had pancakes for breakfast. Brady’s favorite.”

“I had some at the diner too.” With all his heart, he suddenly wished they’d had breakfast together.

A bellow sounded and he looked up sharply. His faller was running toward his bucker. Mason whirled around and took off sprinting, his mind racing with the possibilities. Dorsey Forestry hadn’t had an accident in several months, and that had just been a finger smashed between two logs. Nothing major.

He leapt over a shallow ditch filled with running water and sloshed through the snow toward the men. The bucker was holding his knee and blood drenched his fingers.

“What the fuck happened?” He drew up before him, assessing his complexion. The man didn’t appear to be ready to pass out, but he couldn’t be too careful. “Get him down. Sit, man!”

Tommy grabbed him around the chest and lowered him. “The saw kicked back and grazed him, boss.”

“Shit.” Mason hissed this, his gaze glued to the streaming gash. He dropped to his knees in the snow, his pocket knife in hand. He flicked open the blade and set the point into the fabric above the bucker’s knee. With a swift jerk, he sliced the cloth.

Relief welled in his chest. A flesh wound. Superficial. But still bleeding like hell. He clapped a hand on the man’s shoulder. “It’s not deep. Nothing major’s cut but you need stitches.”

Suddenly Eva was there, her cell phone in hand. “What happened? What can I do?”

“Did you call for an ambulance?” Mason asked.

She shook her head, a dark stain mottling her face and throat. Tears sparked in her eyes. “No. My phone’s…dead.”

He stared at her hard. What was the matter with her really? There wasn’t time to consider it. He had to get the crew member to the hospital.

“Tommy, help me get him to the truck.” They positioned themselves on either side of the bucker and, using a two-man carry, got him into Mason’s truck. Eva trailed behind, looking torn and more than a little upset.

Before he climbed behind the wheel, Mason grabbed her and drew her into his embrace. Kissing the tender spot between her eyebrows would have to be enough for now.

“I’ll call you later.”

“Okay.”

“You going to make it home all right in that soup can you call a car?”

She waved a hand in dismissal. “Of course.” Watching her take off toward said vehicle with her head down, his heart squeezed hard. He didn’t want to see her walking away, let alone not know what was troubling her.

“Eva!”

She twisted around.

“You’ve got an accident report to fill out. Come over later.”

* * * * *

Dead. Eva’s phone was dead—the service cancelled because she was two months in arrears with her payments. God, what was she going to do now? She didn’t even have a landline. What if there was an emergency with Brady? Or what if her car skidded off the back road and no one came by, which was a very real possibility in this remote area.

She dropped the phone to the passenger’s seat with disgust and absolute despair. Now Mason couldn’t even call her.

The tears that burned in her eyes finally blurred her vision and spilled down her cheeks. She needed some extra cash, and fast. If she didn’t continue to give half of her pay to compensate for Bill’s crime, she might be able to get back on track. But that meant the black cloud hung over her head forever. And eventually Mason would discover it.

The total amounted to about thirty thousand dollars. Not much to some, but to her, it was a fortune. Even putting half her check back into the account, it would take her years to pay it off. She couldn’t last years in this state.