Free DAC_II_GenVers_Sept2013 by Donna McDonald Page B

cheek. “Hello, handsome.”
    “Jane, you still have the best legs of any woman I know,” Harrison said. “It was very kind of you to share such an incredible sight with an old man like me today. Gets the ticker beating harder.”
    Jane snorted. “You big flatterer,” she said, running a hand over Harrison’s shoulder as she smiled.
    “If you’re passing them out today, where’s my kiss?” another male voice demanded behind her.
    Jane straightened, turned, and blinked at Walter’s teasing grin. He didn’t see her surprise because his gaze was trailing down her legs. Since she was thoroughly enjoying the sight of Walter in his tight jeans and polo, she could only conclude that Harrison was right. Walter’s long denim encased legs definitely got her heart doing double-time. Those shoulders of his were appealing also. She remembered exactly how nice they had felt under her hands.
    Seriously glad now that she had spent time looking for her best shorts and fixing her hair that morning, Jane let a laugh escape to lighten the moment. It didn’t help much though. Sucking in a breath, she walked over to where Walter stood in the doorway. She motioned for him to bend over and then chastely kissed his cheek. He smelled like aftershave and heat. Lots of heat. Her lips quivered with regret as she pulled away.
    “Hello, Walter. I thought I would see if you have time for a tour today,” she said, wondering if she sounded as breathy and silly as she felt.
    Walter felt his heart pounding hard as he straightened away from Jane. He congratulated himself on not doing something totally dumb, like crushing her to him and devouring her in single bite. Or worse, dropping to his knees to run his hands over those incredible legs of hers.
    “I was hoping you would show up this morning,” Walter said.
    Jane lifted her quivering hands in the air for a shrug, laughing nervously at how self-conscious she suddenly was. And quivering hands? When did that start happening? “Well. You can stop waiting, Walter. I’m here.”
    “You’ve come at the perfect time,” Walter said, trying to bank the longing her words had evoked. “The architects are still looking for the best places to drill. Now you can meet them.”
    “Sure. Sounds interesting,” Jane said, dropping her hands and shoving them into the pockets of her shorts, hoping Walter hadn’t noticed her discomfort. She was always cool. Always collected. Always. Like a woman who was almost forty was supposed to be.
    “Aaaaah!” Jane called out, yanking her hands from her pockets after feeling Walter’s fingers on her arm. “Sorry, Walter. Guess I shouldn’t have had that second cup of coffee this morning.”
    Walter grinned, reached down, and took her hand gently into his, tugging her toward the door. “I wouldn’t know. I don’t do caffeine much. Come on.”
    He looked at Amanda. “Heads up,” he said, tossing her the keys to his van.
    Amanda laughed and caught the keys. “At least you throw straighter than Daniel. He usually beans me in the face.”
    Jane wrinkled her face as Walter propelled them out the door. Daniel? Who was Daniel? She heard Harrison laughing again, but couldn’t quite catch what he said.
    “Going completely off the grid is not possible in most established locations. When I did the feasibility study. . .”
    “You did a feasibility study?” Jane asked.
    Walter laughed. “Well it seemed like a good idea before I started spending thousands of dollars doing more renovations on North Winds. You did quite a lot before I bought it.”
    Jane swallowed. “Yes. I did. Of course. . .I didn’t mean. . .” She halted her speech when she and Walter cleared the door of the building.
    “Jane,” Walter said, laughing as he looked down into her wide scared eyes, “do you want me to kiss you until Mrs. Cochran over there starts blushing. . .”
    Jane’s gaze swung to the older woman, walking toward the pool house with her flamingo beach towel over one