Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

"Yo! Aria, where do you want the drywall stacked?" Philip the nice young man from the Easton Home Improvement asked.

I glanced around the mostly gutted room and pointed to the middle of the space.

"On the drop cloth, if you would."

"Sure thing." He nodded. "I saw the video you posted about the break-in and vandalism. Sucks, sis, people are assholes."

Philip and a million other people saw that video. After what happened yesterday I was thinking about halting posting any more videos until Smith figured out what was going on. And that sucked. Big time. YouTube wasn't a huge source of income, but I was a budding real estate mogul and every little bit helped. Besides that, the thought just plain pissed me off.

Why should I have to alter my life because some jackass broke into my flip? Why should I have to alter the course of my life because someone was mailing the old owner weird letters? And seriously, why the hell had someone been following me?

"People are motherfucking assholes," I corrected.

"Comin' in hot on a Monday morning."

"Is there a day of the week I don't?"

Philip chuckled and doubled down with a shake of his head.

"Fair. I'll let you set up and tell the guys you're ready. Same crew as always."

I watched Philip walk out the door thinking about how much I liked him. He was older than me by at least five or six years. No gray in his dark hair but the slightly leathered look of his face told the tale of his love for the outdoors. Incidentally this didn't detract from his good looks. It only made him look rugged—the rough and ready kind that said he was up for a good time, whenever that was to happen. He also was a good guy, just plain good. He'd never treated me like I was less than because I was a woman—and yes, that had happened plenty of times with other men in the industry. There was still a backwards ass mentality of, ‘don't pitch the bitch' that I'd run into. Nor had he looked at me funny when he asked about my cameras and I explained I was filming the reno for YouTube—and, yes, again, some of the subs I'd had to contract for electrical and plumbing had given me looks and made comments.

Philip was totally game to be on camera. Plus he was a wealth of knowledge and was for hire for side jobs, which I'd taken advantage of when I needed an extra pair of hands to move lumber or drywall.

In other words, I knew him enough to feel comfortable cursing in his presence and sharing honestly my thoughts and feelings about someone breaking in.

By the time he and John carried in the first three pieces of sheet rock—which was impressive they could carry three at a time, that shit was heavy—I had two cameras in different corners of the room filming. Since all the men had signed off on being filmed, I let the camera roll for the next half hour while they unloaded. I knew better than to offer Philip help. He'd deny me with a shake of his head and a smile. This was not because he didn't think I was capable, but I paid for delivery and that included delivery into the house. So instead of hanging around watching drywall pile up, I went upstairs to survey the damage now that I wasn't red-hot pissed to assess what repairs needed to be done.

Not-so-pissed didn't last long when I walked into the bedroom I was in the process of gutting to turn half of it into a master bathroom and the other half into a much-needed, kickass walk-in closet. I'd tear out the existing closet in the master, giving the room more square footage.

"You up here?" Philip called.

"Yeah."

"You got a visitor. Name's Smith, he said you were expecting him."

My smile wasn't due to Philip playing security, which I appreciated. No, I was smiling because Smith was at least a half hour early.

"You can send him up!" I called back.

I should've known, Mr. Team Guy, former SEAL would be prompt if not early. But I couldn't be sure. Most men who looked like Smith, talked like Smith, and had his swagger and confidence knew they could keep a woman waiting, therefore they did.

Guess the Team Guy side of him won out. Which was both good and bad. Good because I wanted to see him again. Also bad because I was desperate to see him again. The guy was just sexy. Sexy and fun to banter with. He had trouble written all over him and I wanted to know what kind of trouble he wrought. My guess was the heartbreak kind, but before that he'd show you a really great time. It was the good time I was after. I knew better than to allow myself to fall in love.

Nope.

Love led to pesky emotions. It led to compromise and selflessness. It led to making concessions and checking in and children and all sorts of other shit I had no interest in. But that didn't mean I wasn't in the market for an extended, exclusive good time—so long as there was an expiration date.

That meant with all those thoughts running through my head I was still smiling while Smith came into the bedroom looking positively delicious. I wanted to lick him from head to toe.

But first things first.

"Don't you know it's rude to show up to a party early?"

Smith glanced around the mess before his eyes landed on me. I was thoroughly enjoying the top to toe expectation, especially when his eyes landed on my chest and lingered. One could say I was busty. When I was a teenager, this was not fun. I'd complained endlessly to my mom. She'd rightfully elucidated one day I'd appreciate what God and genetics had granted me. She wasn't wrong. I filled out a dress nicely—not too big to give me back problems but big enough to be fun.

I'd carefully chosen today's outfit. My normal threadbare work jeans that did wonders for my booty and a black, ribbed tank. Under the tank I had my best hot pink push up bra, not that Smith would see the bra itself but he could see the miracles it produced.

So, yeah, I didn't mind his gaze lingering. And I knew he'd caught onto my play when he smiled. I didn't mind that either. I loved a good game of cat and mouse. I didn't even mind being the mouse if my opponent knew what to do when he caught his prey and I had a feeling Smith knew exactly what to do and he'd do it spectacularly.

"I didn't know we were having a party," he returned with a wide smile.

"With me, every day's a party," I educated him.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?"

"Because I'm fun and witty and a joy to be around," I said with a shrug.

"Yeah, baby, that's why."

What I wouldn't give to hear him calling me ‘baby' while he made good on a couple of his previous threats.

"Damn," he muttered going back to the room.

"As you can see, whoever did this hit the stud." I pointed to a broken two-by-four. "So that whole wall has to be stripped down and inspected."

I could practically hear the cha-ching of profit floating out the window.

"Can you sister it?"

"No. It's load-bearing, code doesn't allow scabbing or sistering."

I glanced at the offending sledgehammer leaning against what was left of the broken drywall.

"Did you put that there?"

"Nope. That's where it was left."

I moved to pick it up but stopped when Smith grabbed my arm.

My heartrate spiked when Smith leaned in close and muttered, "Leave it. I want to bag it."

Before I got a lock on my body's reaction to his nearness I blurted, "Why doesn't it surprise me you smell like musk and man and something that hints of forbidden."

I felt Smith stiffen before he let go of my arm and stepped back.

"Be good, Aria, you have people downstairs."

Did that mean I got to be bad when they left?

I didn't get a chance to ask.

"I watched the video you made about the break-in and the one you posted a few days before about demoing this room. This is going to be a bathroom?"

I gave myself a moment to digest the news he'd watched my channel. I was proud of the videos I posted. I took pride in my work, including the post-production of the footage. But for some reason, knowing he'd watched made my belly feel funny.

"Yeah, and a closet."

Smith looked at the damaged wall again and my eyes followed.

"They pulled the insulation out," he noted.

I bit back a curse.

"Yep. That'll have to be replaced, too. Thankfully there's only one outlet on that wall or I'd be redoing electrical, too. Which would be a waste and piss me off."

Truth be told, had the asshole not hit the stud, the repair would be a quick, inexpensive fix. But now the wall had to be braced while the framing was restored to code. That had to be outsourced and inspected before I could continue.

His gaze went to the undamaged half of the wall, then back to the smashed drywall.

"Someone was looking for something."

"What?"

Smith walked around me and crouched down to examine the hole. What he didn't do was answer.

"Why do you think someone was looking for something?" I tried again.

"Because if someone broke in here and was just fucking around they'd swing the sledgehammer over their shoulder and the damage would be higher. And there'd be holes all over the room. Someone swung low at the bottom of the wall, then pulled the sheet rock away from the framing, opening up the wall. The insulation is pulled out." He pointed to the small pile of mangled pink fiberglass. "The damage is contained to this area only. So, yes, Aria, someone was looking for something."

Smith stood and turned to face me, before he dropped a bomb. "Now the question is, did they find what they were looking for."

"Aria!"

I startled at my name being yelled from downstairs.

Smith's expression went from concerned to uneasy. It reminded me of the way he looked last night over dinner when told me he was meeting with his team first thing in the morning to get started on tracking down who owned the red Tesla. Weird his unease didn't worry me. The opposite actually. If Smith was uneasy he'd do something to fix that and in the process fix whatever was going on with my house. Knowing that settled the anxiety his declaration had brought.

"Coming!" I called back. Then to Smith, "Be back."

I went back downstairs, then to the cameras to stop them from recording. After that I stopped in front of Philip and took the receipt for the drywall.

"Thanks—"

"Everything all right?"

My gaze shifted to the staircase.

"Yeah, Smith is a friend of my father's."

Seeing as Philip did four years in the Army and had been deployed twice during his enlistment, he knew I was a Navy Brat and my father was still active duty. I'd also confided in him that my dad was a tad bit overprotective.

"Can't say I blame him. I'd send a friend to check in on my daughter, too, if she had some asshole messing with her."

I didn't know Philip had children.

"How old is your daughter?"

He gave me a sheepish smile.

"I don't have one. Got two boys. But if I had a girl and me or one of my boys couldn't get to her I'd call in any favor available to me." He paused and suddenly looked uncomfortable. "This street's nice. Seems quiet every time I've been here. Houses are spaced apart so there's no one close, but still seems to me people around here pay attention."

I didn't know where he was going with this topic but still I answered.

"You're right. Neighbors on both sides came over and introduced themselves the first day I started work."

"Right. So nice street, nice neighbors, quiet. This house doesn't look abandoned and never did. Doesn't seem to me like it would be a smart pick for some punks to come in and vandalize."

If Smith hadn't already given me this same hypothesis, Philip giving it to me would've caused mild panic. But since I was already having a mini freakout I simply nodded.

"Smith thinks the same thing."

Philip nodded. "I see you got a camera for the front door. Do you have one on the back?"

I didn't but I had a feeling by the end of the day, Smith would be installing one.

"Not yet, but it'll be done."

Another nod and he looked more uncomfortable when he said, "I've watched your channel. In some of those videos it's dark outside. I live about twenty minutes from here. If you're working late, call me."

That was sweet but unnecessary.

"I couldn't ask?—"

"You didn't ask, Aria. I'm offering. It's no skin off my nose I get my ass off the couch and come over to make sure you're safe while you're working or walking out to your car. I looked, you got no flood lights, just the porch light, and that don't cut through the dark."

But if I had a girl and me or one of my boys couldn't get to her I'd call in any favor available to me.

"My dad would like you," I told him. "I have no plans to work late but if I do, I'll call."

I lost Philip's attention when I heard footsteps on the stairs.

Then Philip ratted me out. "She doesn't have lights out front. No camera at the back entrance. There's also an egress at the side into the garage. I checked, lock's shit."

I wasn't sure why Philip was filling Smith in on the state of my house but I didn't get a chance to comment when Smith joined the conversation.

"How often have you delivered materials?"

"About once a week."

"Have you noticed anyone watching you, a neighbor, someone walking their dog, car slowing?"

Philip shook his head.

"Can't say I've paid attention but no, nothing caught my notice. From now on, I'll be paying attention."

I wanted to sigh at their protectiveness that I feared would turn suffocating if I didn't put a stop to it. I didn't sigh, I cut in.

"You know I can…"

Smith's silvery-blue eyes landed on me in a dare. Normally, a look such as this would send my blood pressure skyrocketing, but there was something behind his challenge that had me clamping my mouth shut. There was no condescension, no arrogance, nothing that asserted no matter what I said he'd contest the validity and argue.

"You can what?" Smith prompted.

Not ugly. Not antagonizing. Not patronizing.

There was something there, in his tone, in his posture, and in his eyes but I couldn't place it. It looked like he was bracing for the worst.

I looked between the two men and changed course.

"I appreciate you both looking out for me. I don't like someone broke in. I hope whatever they wanted, they found, and won't be back." My gaze slid back to Philip. "I have the outside lights in the garage. I wasn't going to install them until after I replaced the siding. But I'll do that today."

I had to admit I was proud I'd conceded without gritting my teeth and growling my irritation.

"I know it's extra work, Aria, but I think it's smart."

Philip was correct, it would be extra work, but that wasn't why I was annoyed. I didn't like the meddling—the intrusion on my life and my plans. Though the timeline of the project was less bothersome than the invasion of my privacy—even if I didn't live in this house and broadcasted updates, it was still mine and no one had the right to intrude. But because someone had, now I had to adjust my life.

I didn't like that.

At all.

"And it doesn't matter you have lights outside, I'm serious about you calling me."

Yeah.

I seriously didn't like having to adjust my life but I really hated someone else having to adjust theirs.

That made me a burden.

"I'll call you if I'm working after dark," I begrudgingly confirmed.

Goodbyes were said then Philip was gone, leaving me with a Smith I had yet to meet.

The man I'd spent time with in my kitchen and more time with last night at dinner and the one who'd shown up this afternoon was nowhere in sight. Gone was the teasing, playful, and downright sinful Smith I'd flirted with. This wasn't the same man who talked to me on the phone for hours keeping me calm.

This was a whole new side of Smith.

And he kind of scared me.