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