Home for the Holidays Read Free Page A

Which meant excitement, adventure and probably women, and that confused her even more because she couldn’t recall ever knowing anyone quite like him. Then why did she find him so…familiar?
    Cait herself had a quiet nature. She rarely ventured out of the comfortable, compact world she’d built. She had her job, a nice apartment in Seattle’s university district, and a few close friends. Excitement to her was growing herbs and participating in nature walks.
    The following day while she was studying the construction worker, he’d unexpectedly turned and smiled at something one of his men had said. His smile, she decided, intrigued her most. It was slightly off center and seemed to tease the corners of his mouth. He looked her way more than once and each time she thought she detected a touch of humor, an amused knowledge that lurked just beneath the surface.
    â€œIt’s driving me crazy,” Cait confessed to Lindy over lunch.
    â€œWhat is?”
    â€œThat I can’t place him.”
    Lindy set her elbows on the table, holding her sandwich poised in front of her mouth. She nodded slowly, her eyes distant. “When you figure it out, introduce me, will you? I could go for a guy this sexy.”
    So Lindy had noticed that earthy sensuality about him, too. Well, of course she had—any woman would.
    After lunch, Cait returned to the office to make a few calls. He was there again.
    No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t place him. Work became a pretense as she continued to scrutinize him, racking her brain. Then, when she least expected it, he strolled past her and brazenly winked a second time.
    As the color clawed up her neck, Cait flashed her attention back to her computer screen.
    â€œHis name is Joe,” Lindy rushed in to tell her ten minutes later. “I heard one of the men call him that.”
    â€œJoe,” Cait repeated slowly. She couldn’t remember ever knowing anyone named Joe.
    â€œDoes that help?”
    â€œNo,” Cait said, shaking her head regretfully. If she’d ever met this man, she wasn’t likely to have overlooked the experience. He wasn’t someone a woman easily forgot.
    â€œAsk him,” Lindy said. “It’s ridiculous not to. It’s driving you insane. Then,” she added with infuriating logic, “when you find out, you can nonchalantly introduce me.”
    â€œI can’t just waltz up and start quizzing him,” Cait argued. The idea was preposterous. “He’ll think I’m trying to pick him up.”
    â€œYou’ll go crazy if you don’t.”
    Cait sighed. “You’re right. I’m not going to sleep tonight if I don’t settle this.”
    With Lindy waiting expectantly in her office, Cait approached him. He was talking to another member of the crew and once he’d finished, he turned to her with one of his devastating lazy smiles.
    â€œHello,” she said, and her voice shook slightly. “Do I know you?”
    â€œYou mean you’ve forgotten?” he asked, sounding shocked and insulted.
    â€œApparently. Though I’ll admit you look somewhat familiar.”
    â€œI should certainly hope so. We shared something very special a few years back.”
    â€œWe did?” Cait was more confused than ever.
    â€œHey, Joe, there’s a problem over here,” a male voice shouted. “Could you come look at this?”
    â€œI’ll be with you in a minute,” he answered brusquely over his shoulder. “Sorry, we’ll have to talk later.”
    â€œBut—”
    â€œSay hello to Martin for me, would you?” he asked as he stalked past her and into the room that had once been Cait’s office.
    Martin, her brother. Cait hadn’t a clue what her brother could possibly have to do with this. Mentally she ran through a list of his teenage friends and came up blank.
    Then it hit her. Bull’s-eye. Her heart started to pound