Taming the Montana Millionaire Read Free Page B

room.
    When they came out again, there was a truck parked behind hers with the words Cates Construction painted on the side. His twin brother, Matt, hopped out.
    â€œHi, Haley,” he said.
    â€œMatt. I guess you’re here to bail out your brother and make good on his promise?”
    â€œNope. I just brought the stuff he asked for. He’s on his own. I’ve got work to do.”
    Marlon helped Matt unload everything, thanked him, and watched him drive back to the construction site for Connor McFarlane’s new house.
    Haley was staring after the truck, then met his gaze. “When you look at your brother is it like staring into a mirror?”
    He laughed and shook his head. “We’re pretty different. My mother doesn’t have any trouble telling us apart. Although she did admit to being challenged when one of us calls her on the phone.”
    â€œDouble trouble,” Haley murmured. “Okay, hotshot, let’s see if your burly body can cash the check your big mouth wrote.”
    â€œOh, ye of little faith.”
    He let down her truck’s tailgate and settled the two sturdy planks side by side about the width of the dolly’s wheels. Then he put it in the bed, hauled himself up and muscled the refrigerator onto it. He strapped it on, tilted it back, and wheeled it easily down before rolling it toward the open door.
    â€œWhere did you want this?” he asked.
    â€œIn the storage room. There’s an outlet in there to plug it in,” she explained.
    He moved it inside and followed her instructions. The sound of the fridge humming made him grin when he met her gaze. “Anything else?”
    Her sheepish expression was satisfying. “Thank you very much.”
    â€œYou’re welcome.” He arched one eyebrow. “Is there anything more you’d like to say?”
    â€œIt’s not very gentlemanly to make a woman grovel.”
    â€œHmm.” He leaned an arm on the dolly’s curved handle. “I believe I warned you about mocking me.”
    She rubbed a finger across the side of her nose. “Okay. I’ll say it. I was wrong, Marlon. I appreciate your help.”
    â€œWhat would you do without me?”
    â€œSame as I do when you’re not here,” she answered. “Wing it.”
    â€œThe thing is, Haley, I’m here now. Let me help you out.”
    â€œThat’s okay. I’m used to handling things on my own.”
    Marlon wasn’t used to women turning him down and that was twice she’d told him no. It was really starting to tick him off. The next time he asked she would say yes.
    She just didn’t know it yet.

Chapter Two
    H aley waited for Marlon to take the hint and leave, despite feeling kind of bad about it. He really had saved her a whole lot of time and a great deal of trouble.
    â€œLook, Haley—” His easygoing manner didn’t change, but something slid into his dark eyes that looked a lot like determination. “With my help, you can accomplish twice as much in half the time.”
    There was no way to refute that. She was racing against the clock, even if it was her own self-imposed deadline. But the Marlon she remembered wasn’t all that enthusiastic about helping others. And the Marlon standing in this tiny storage room seemed to fill up the small space.
    She could smell the pleasantly masculine fragrance of his skin and feel the heat from his body. Either was enough to short-circuit rational thought, but the combination made her lightheaded and jumpy. She walked out into the big, empty room with its half-finished mural.
    â€œTwo heads are better than one,” he continued, following her.
    â€œAnd that would be helpful—how?”
    He rested his hands on lean hips and looked around. “I assume you’re going to put something in here.”
    â€œFurniture,” she confirmed.
    â€œI could help.”
    â€œUh-huh.” If he was around—and that was