Nothing exciting ever happened on the lake-not until Noah moved into the small boathouse on our property. Our first encounter was embarrassing, to say the least.īut despite that, I found myself waking up every day with a newfound energy. Things didn’t exactly get off on the right foot with Noah Cavallari. Well, apparently, you make a fool of yourself-over and over. What do you do when a sexy, older man moves into your family’s summer rental?

He disappeared into the house, leaving me on the porch to wallow in his lingering smell and feeling like a complete and utter idiot. “Good.” He made his way toward the door, turning around one last time. Disappointment washed over me as I cleared my throat. And I will not be asking you out, propositioning you, or going anywhere near you, for that matter. “I was not insinuating anything by offering to help. Instead of answering, he took two steps forward. I’d pegged him as early thirties, though I truly had no idea how old he was. Really? That’s how he saw me? I knew he was older than me…but he didn’t seem that old. “I’m practically old enough to be your father.” Maybe his cologne and cigar smoke were going to my head. I admit, that was ballsy, but being around him brought out my flirtatious side. Suddenly feeling bold, I said, “I thought maybe you would want me to go out with you in exchange.”ĭid you hear that? It was a record screeching. “People don’t always have to have ulterior motives.”

It wasn’t like there was anyone else knocking down our door to help. It would be dumb not to take him up on his offer. I like to keep busy.”īiting my bottom lip, I shook my head. I came for a change of pace, but the truth is, too much quiet isn’t good. “You’d be stupid not to take me up on it. I imagined those hands doing a lot of things-mostly to me. He’d lost me at pretty good with my hands. I’ll see if there’s anything I can help with while I’m here.” “You mentioned some stuff around here needs to be repaired.

His nearness was doing things to my body I hadn’t ever felt. The same smell saturated the shirt I was wearing. A breeze blew his scent-a mix of cigar and cologne-in my direction. I was reminded of just how tall he was as he towered over me. When he returned, he remained standing across from me. Noah stood up and walked off the porch to put his cigar out on the cement.

When august ends penelope ward