Chance Meeting + Smouldering Hot Repairman = Author Fodder

By H K Carlton (Guest Blogger)

So, I met a guy. A younger man. The classic tall, dark and handsome. Piercing blue eyes. A slight cleft dead centre of his chin.

It was just a chance encounter while I was running errands. I was in a hurry to get things done. It was hot that day. An incredibly humid and sticky, day here in Ontario. I nipped into the bank, hoping it would be a quick stop, in and out. But the line was long. I just wanted to get my tasks finished up and get back to the air-conditioned car and get home, out of the intolerable heat. I was impatient with the slow moving line-up; probably tapping my foot in annoyance.

As I waited, my gaze wandered over the other irritated customers and the bored-looking tellers behind the counter. But as I scanned, my attention strayed to a set of broad shoulders, encased in a standard issue blue work-shirt. I assumed he was a repairman of some sort, even before I saw him tossing his tools into a toolbox. I enjoyed the play of his shirt, as it pulled tight across his back. I admired the snug navy work pants as they hugged his nicely toned backside. He shut the box lid, grasped the handle and turned. I quickly read the patch on his right chest pocket; unfortunately it wasn’t his name, but the company logo. He looked straight in my direction, as if he’d known that I’d been watching him. The corner of his generous mouth turned up and he gave me a slight nod. Trying to be cool, I returned the gesture then swiftly averted my stare, trying to maintain an air of indifference. He moved out from behind the counter and I restrained myself from watching him leave.

I continued on, with the business at hand and after my turn at the wicket, I made my way towards the exit. As I reached for the door handle the gorgeous repairman appeared, his hands full, his toolbox in one, an aluminium ladder in the other.

Yes, I could have just pressed the massive automatic door swing button, for his convenience. And, it would have held both sets of doors for him, but I didn’t, I opened them manually, instead.

He grinned. “Why, thank you.” His voice was deep, just as I’d hoped.

“You’re welcome.” I followed him through to the next door and held that one, too.

He thanked me again and held my gaze.

“It’s another hot one, huh?” he said, looking off towards the horizon for a second then he zeroed back in on me.

Hot. Yes, it was freaking hot and I wasn’t thinking about the climate. “Mmm, it’s rather nasty, isn’t it,” I responded, admiring the distinct colour of his eyes, and the light scruff of dark hair on his cheeks and chin.

He stepped off the curb and began to walk in the direction of his service van. “Thanks for your help,” he said, almost over his shoulder.

“My pleasure,” I replied, heading towards my own vehicle.

“You have a good day now,” he smirked, as if he knew exactly what I was thinking.

“You, too, Techo-Co,” I replied, using the company name that I’d read off his shirt.

He threw his head back and laughed out loud. It made me smile.

I hurried to my car and surreptitiously, watched him load the back of the service truck, as I fiddled with my keys, the ignition, the radio, the air conditioning. Anything, I could think of that would keep me there just a little bit longer.

Temptation in a blue work-shirt, that’s what he was.

Once he hopped into his van and I could no longer see him, I drove out of the parking lot and continued on with my to-do list. But all day, his smouldering good looks, were right there, in my mind’s eye. The cocky little grin, the knowing gaze.

So, that night, I started a very sexy story, about a character named Techo-Co, with clear blue eyes and a nice young hard body.

So, please, let me introduce you to my Techo-Co, Billy.

My lovely repairman may never know that he was the stimulus for Hard and Fast or the prequel Gave Good Face, but it did earn him a nice dedication and a few hard core fantasies in my dirty little mind, to boot. Thanks for the inspiration, handsome!

Blurb

Josslynn Rossdale has dedicated the last ten years of her life making her sister’s dreams come true, and happily so. But now that Pasha is on the cusp of taking the fashion world by storm, Joss realizes she needs some time apart from Pash to find her own direction. Temporarily breaking away from the fast-paced modelling industry, Joss returns to their hometown and decides that opening her own agency is the way to go.

An overly hot and humid summer season has kept repairman Billy Maas more than busy. But when he attends a routine service call, he doesn’t expect the most beautiful woman in the universe to answer the door, let alone allow him to service more than just her air-con unit.

But Joss isn’t looking for a simple fling. After seeing how happy her sister, Pasha, is with her husband, Lot, she wants some of that. Billy is fun and exciting, but their lives and interests are very different. So when Joss begins to have real feelings for the adorable Billy, she sees no alternative but to distance herself from the younger party boy—leaving the bewildered and lovelorn repairman with a crisis he can’t fix.

Here’s a little snip from Hard and Fast (it might sound familiar)

Josslynn Rossdale stood in line at the bank. Another scorching day with the humidity so high that one perspired just standing still. Most of the other customers appeared to be melting, each with that fine layer of sheen and flushed complexion. In a lightweight cotton blouse, beige short shorts and sandals, Joss attempted to beat the heat.

“Next,” the first vacant teller drawled.

Joss stepped forward.

“Hey, Joss, how are you?” She’d been in the savings and loan so often lately that the employees knew her by name.

“Good, Tracey, and you?”

“It’s so much better in here now that they’ve got the air conditioning back up and running.”

Joss noted the serviceman in the standard blue work shirt, placing his tools back into his box. “Mmm, should suggest him for my building. AC’s on the fritz at my apartment too. I put in a call to the building manager but I’m still waiting.”

The repairman was tall, with short dark hair and nice broad shoulders. Snug, navy workpants showcased his well-toned glutes. As if he knew that he was being scrutinised he turned and zeroed right in on Joss. He had the most piercing blue eyes. Too cute, and too young. He couldn’t be more than twenty-five, she guessed. Somewhat used to a certain amount of healthy male attention herself, she smiled, totally aware that he was checking her out too. He grinned in return and the action brought out a charming dimple in his left cheek. He sported a fine layer of stubble as if he hadn’t had time to shave that morning. Joss liked it. It gave him a rugged appearance. Yes, he was a very attractive guy.

“What can I help you with, Joss?” Tracey snagged Joss’ attention back. “He’s really freakin’ hawt, right?” Tracey said under her breath, just as the young workman set down his toolbox on the countertop next to her workspace.

“Actually, I was hoping to catch Tom,” Joss answered. “I’m not sure if he’s in, but he said he’d leave some paperwork for me at the customer service wicket. But your man Tech-Co here is using it to store his tools at the moment.” Joss read the company name off the guy’s shirt.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt. I just need a signature and then I can get out of the way.” He said this to Tracey but kept his gaze trained on Joss, grinning, the corner of his mouth curling adorably.

“I’ll get the manager. I’m not taking responsibility for anything,” Tracey scoffed, leaving her post.

“Hi,” Tall, Dark and Handsome said simply. He had a pleasant, deep baritone voice.

“Hi,” she responded.

“It’s another hot one, huh?”

“Sweltering,” Joss agreed.

He peered directly into her eyes. She liked it but it was also a little disarming.

“I hear it’s supposed to be this way all weekend,” he added.

“That’s what I hear.”

His lips were nicely shaped, the bottom one nice and full.

“I guess I shouldn’t complain. It keeps me busy.”

“I imagine.”

On even closer examination, under that dark and grainy stubble was a slight cleft. Joss was a sucker for a man with a dent in his chin.

“Here we go. The manager is on the way,” Tracey said to the repairman. “And, Joss, here’s the portfolio Tom put together for you to go over.”

“Thanks, Tracey. I’ll probably see you again in the next week then.”

“Yep, see ya then. Next!”

Joss glanced back at TD&H. “Have a good day then,” she said lamely.

“Yeah, you too.” He nodded as the manager joined him.

Joss began to walk out when one of the other financial managers stopped her to make sure she’d been waited on. She assured him that she had, thanked him kindly then continued to the exit, arriving as the rugged repairman did. It just so happened his hands were full—toolbox in one and a ladder in the other. Joss held the first door open for him.

“Well, thank you,” he said with a wide smile. He had excellent teeth too.

Joss rushed ahead and opened the second door.

“Thanks again.” He squinted up at the sky. “Whoa, it is hot out here. Being in there, in the cool, makes you forget for a while.”

“I know. It’s nasty, isn’t it?” Joss let the door swing closed and she turned in the direction of her car.

“Take care,” he said then continued on his way.

For shits, Joss peeked over her shoulder, and to her delight, he was doing the same thing. How sad had her life become that she was now thrilled by such a little thing?

* * * *

Joss woke up early the next morning, too sticky and hot to remain in bed and called the superintendent about the air conditioning. She’d been trying to get it to work since she’d returned and now that she needed it, it wouldn’t even turn on.

After taking a cool shower, she put on a thin tank top and a pair of sleep shorts as she puttered around, unpacking from the trip to Hawaii and her sister’s wedding that she’d been neglecting.

There was a knock at the door. She expected it to be the super. Her building was a secured one, so folks couldn’t come and go without being buzzed in. But when she opened the door, it was most certainly not the manager. Instead she met the amazing blue eyes of the man that had occupied her thoughts all night long.

His handsomely rugged features showed surprise as well. The corner of his mouth turned up boyishly. His gaze skimmed over her scant clothing, heating her up again. In a smooth, smug gesture he leaned against the doorjamb.

“You’ve got to be kidding,” Joss commented, amused.

“Did you call for a service, ma’am…?”

Joss snorted at his choice of words and he turned five shades of red then began to back track and trip all over his tongue to correct himself.

“I meant a service man, ma’am. Er…aw, fer fuck! Oh, shit, again, I’m sorry.”

Finally he just hung his head. Joss waited until he peered up at her through his lashes. He was too cute.

“Did my friends put you up to this? You’re not like a male stripper or something on the side, are you?”

“No. I’m really here to repair your AC unit. Your super let me up. I had no idea who lived here.”

Shaking her head at the impossibility of it all, she stepped back and let him in. “This way,” she said, very aware of him at her back. Visions of him doing the most delicious things to her body invaded her mind, just as they had last night while she’d tried to sleep.

*****

If you’d like to continue reading Joss and Billy’s story, the links are below. FYI, the scene following the one above is what earned this book the title Hard and Fast. 

Thank you for having me back, Lisabet!

Buy Links : Hard and Fast  Totally Bound     All Romance     Amazon US     Amazon UK     Amazon Canada     Kobo

And the prequel to Hard and Fast—meet Joss’ twin sister, Pasha and the irresistible, Lot Reardon Gave Good Face

 

 

 

 

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