Not Really the Outdoor Type(3)

He’d been so busy trying to ignore his hard-on he almost didn’t hear her ask for a job. To say he was surprised was an understatement. The last he’d heard, she was working in the marketing department at some big-time advertising agency in LA. He wondered what had brought her back to Copper Canyon. Back in high school she couldn’t wait to get away from here.

Since then, he’d alternated between kicking himself for letting her get away and thanking God he’d been too chicken to ask her out. Because while being with her would have been beyond amazing, she would have broken his heart for sure the day she’d left Copper Canyon for the big city. And something told him you didn’t simply “get over” a woman like Kendall.

Which was why he was damn well going to keep his distance this time around, too, no matter how hard it was. And considering they were going to be working together every day, it was going to be hard as hell.





Chapter Two



Kendall arrived promptly for work the next day. She had to admit that throwing on jeans and the standard-issue Outdoor Outfitters T-shirt was a nice change from the business suits she wore at her old job. The ad agency didn’t do casual, on Friday or any other day.

Nicole, the red-haired girl she’d met yesterday, was behind the counter, and she looked up as Kendall walked in.

“Hey,” she said. “Jason said you’d be starting today.”

Kendall returned her smile. “Is he here?”

As if in answer to her question, he came walking out from the back of the store. He was dressed the same as he’d been yesterday, in jeans and a button-up shirt, only today the shirt wasn’t plaid, but a chambray blue that brought out the color of his eyes. He grinned when he saw her.

“Ready to get started?”

She had been when she’d walked in a few minutes ago, but now she wasn’t so sure. Something told her that working alongside a hot guy like him was going to make it difficult to concentrate on anything but those broad shoulders of his. Damn, he was seriously built. Clearly, working in the great outdoors did a body good.

She stifled a moan and nodded in answer to his question.

“Come on,” he said. “I’ll show you around.”

Though she tried not to, Kendall’s gaze automatically went to his jean-clad butt as he led the way. She’d always thought her ex Keith had a great ass, but not compared to Jason. And she hadn’t even seen him naked. Yet.

Yet? She made it sound as if she was going to sleep with him.

Okay, she needed to get hold of herself. She worked for Jason, which meant she shouldn’t be entertaining thoughts of sleeping with him. Outdoor Outfitters probably had some policy against that, right? Even if they didn’t, getting involved with him when she was going back to LA soon would be stupid. Besides, she had a rule never to get involved with anyone when she was on the rebound.

Trying to focus on the real reason she was there, she followed Jason into the back of the store and through the door marked Employees Only. As they made their way down the hallway, her new boss pointed out the different rooms on either side of them, including the restroom, employee breakroom and his office. Beyond that, was the stockroom, which was filled with boxes and boxes of various items the store carried.

After he’d shown her around in the back, he gave her a tour of the store, taking her through the different areas to familiarize her with each section. Though Kendall really did make an effort to pay attention to everything he said—especially since she didn’t know the first thing about most of the stuff—she spent more time listening to his sexy voice than focusing on what he was saying. His rough, husky timbre seemed to have established a direct connection with her erogenous zones. Sort of like a verbal vibrator. The more he talked, the more insistent the purring in her pussy became until she was sure she was going to have run to the restroom to play with herself. She was about to do just that when he said something about showing her how to work the cash register.

Kendall almost sighed with relief. Maybe if he went back to his office, she could get control of her lust. But instead of passing her off to Nicole or one of the other employees so they could show her the ropes, Jason did it himself. Which made learning anything hopeless. The minute he launched into a discussion about inventory software, she could only stare at his sensuous mouth and wonder what it would be like to kiss him. A few days around him and she’d be saying, “Keith who?”

Having him hovering near her elbow while she was taking care of customers later that morning was almost more than she could take. She’d already shortchanged one and given another too much money back. If she kept it up, Jason was probably going to think that he’d hired a total idiot. But apart from a slight frown, Jason made no comment about her math skills—or lack thereof.