Free Loving Lauren by Jill Sanders Page A

on it. The new green sheets almost sparkled in the dying sunlight. The entire roof was done. How had someone done it all in one day? And without her notice? And who had done it?
     
    Then her eyes squinted and instead of seeing green, she saw red. “Alex, you'll have to walk the rest of the way. I have to go kill someone.” Alex looked over at her, her eyes still huge from seeing the new roof on the house.
     
    “Lauren, I'm sure he didn't mean—”
     
    “Out! Now.” She playfully pushed her sister. “I'll deal with him and what he did or didn't mean myself.”
     
    Alex quickly gathered her bag up and stepped out of the car. “Lauren, I'm sure he was just trying to help. His father and our pa were best of friends. Don't really kill him, okay?” Her sister bit her lip, but smiled at her.
     
    Lauren put the car in reverse without another word. She didn't trust herself to speak just then. She glanced at her sister in the rear mirror, then she drove as quickly as the little car would on the dirt road full of potholes.
     
    When she reached the ranch house, she saw Chase out on the front porch leaning against the post with a smile on his face. He looked like he'd been expecting her. He wore a crisp white shirt tucked into his light colored jeans, and dark brown boots. His hat covered his eyes, but she was sure he was laughing at her.
     
    She pulled the car to a quick stop, spitting up dust as the tires skid in the dry dirt. By the time she jumped out, she'd built it all up in her head and she knew there was no talking herself out of killing him.
     
    “How dare you!” She slammed the car door and marched over to him, stopping less than a foot away from him. As she looked up the small step towards him, his smile got even bigger.
     
    “Hello, Lauren. My, you are looking mighty pretty tonight.” He tipped his hat up a little and she got a good look at his dark eyes. She was right, he was laughing at her. Pulling her arm back, she let it fly.
     

    Chase wasn't really laughing at Lauren, more like he was laughing because he'd pulled it off. It had taken a crew of ten men, including himself, to get the new metal roof on. They'd finished the cleanup and the crew had driven away an hour before Lauren was going to be off her shift. He'd had time to get home, shower, and dress, and he’d just walked out on the front porch when he’d seen her car tossing up half the dust on the driveway.
     
    Now he easily caught her fist and pulled her body close. Smiling down at her, he took a good look at her. Her hair was a mess, she had ketchup stains on her blue uniform, and she smelled like a greasy diner. Her eyes were wild and he could feel her temper vibrating through her.
     
    Dipping his head, he placed a soft kiss on her lips and was shocked when she bit his lower lip. Pulling back, he laughed. “Lauren, you are a hellcat.” He chuckled as he held her arms down as she tried to fight him. Then, when he had her arms safely tucked so he could avoid getting hit, he was rewarded with a swift foot to his shin. He was wearing boots and she had on a pair of tennis shoes, so she really didn't do any damage, but he pushed her back a step and held up his hands.
     
    “Okay, okay. Give me a minute to explain.” She blew a piece of her hair out of her face and glared at him.
     
    “Explain? Explain how you crossed the line? How you went against our deal?” She crossed her arms over her chest and he watched her shirt tighten with the motion. Hell, he knew he was in trouble when she looked and smelled like she did and all he could think about was taking her inside and having her.
     
    “Listen...” he began, only to be interrupted.
     
    “You had no right. You broke your promise.”
     
    “Actually, if you think about it, you're the one who broke our deal. Six years ago, to be exact.” He crossed his arms over his chest, matching her stance.
     
    Her arms dropped away slowly and her chin dropped. “What? What are you talking