Bottled Up: April Fools For Love by Roxy Mews Read Free Book Online Page B

going to leave it be.”
    At least he was going to do that until he just found out he was working with Betty’s roommate.
    “By best friend bylaws I am required to tell her you’re working here.”
    He’d been afraid of that. “Are you sure that’s best?”
    “Are you planning on quitting?”
    Nate thought about the commission he’d racked up with one sale. “Probably not.”
    “Then I’m not going to be caught hiding this from her. Or…”
    Nate watched the woman’s face change, and ice ran through his veins. He’d seen that look before, and it never worked out in his favor.
    “I never did get to play a good April Fool’s Day prank on her. You killed that one for me, sport.”
    “Sorry?” Nate really didn’t like where this was going.
    “Oh don’t worry. You are going to help me fix it.”
    “How?”
    Nate was worried this was all going to backfire, but by the end of his shift Angela had him convinced it was going to work out. He was convinced the whole night, and the whole next work day as she promised him it was a great idea.
    He was absolutely positive he was about to sweep his dream girl off her feet. Until he knocked on her door.

CHAPTER NINE
     
    Betty screamed and slammed the door in Nate’s face. She was having a Groundhog Day nightmare. She was really going to have to lay off the cheap wine before bed. She was still scrubbing the morning goop from her eyes. Maybe she was still dreaming? Nope. Her heart wouldn’t be racing like this from a dream. She wouldn’t be able to feel her skin tingle like this from a dream.
    Nate Dallas was in her hallway wearing his plumber’s uniform. The man who got away, and the man she’d run away from was here again. Her body was ready to rip her clothes off and hop on the counter to demand he finish what he’d started.
    Her body’s plan wasn’t going to be easy to carry out since the man she wanted to strip for had just had the door slammed in his face. He was probably already leaving. That was all there was to it. She’d have to get over him. She’d have to take down all his pictures and quit having all these dreams about him. Because she’d just screamed at him.
    No man would stick around after getting tossed out of her apartment twice.
    There was a knock against the door she was leaning on. No way.
    “Ma’am? I’m was told you had a clogged drain. Do I have the wrong apartment?”
    What the hell?
    Betty opened the door. “What?”
    Nate Dallas walked around her and into the kitchen. He took a deep breath and straightened his shoulders. “I was told you had a clogged drain and that the last plumber from our service left you hanging. A real man makes sure he calls to check on his customers. I’m really sorry if we didn’t take care of you like we should have.”
    Betty shut her door, because there were other people walking up and down the stairs and she didn’t want to be a source of gossip. Their building was worse than a sorority sometimes.
    “Nate, what are you doing?”
    He put down the same toolbox he’d brought with him when he’d been about to strip for her and opened the cabinet doors. “Looks like the problem was taken care of. Your roommate did tell me you’d been upset with my performance, and I wanted to make it right. Is there any way I can make it up to you?”
    Betty gave him some serious side eye. “Did Ang hire you again?”
    Nate came up to her. “Ang told me I should call. But we both agreed it would be awkward. She suggested we have a do-over. So I’m giving us a do-over. And I brought you something.”
    He pulled a small bottle out of his pocket. Black grains shifted inside. As he held the tiny cork-topped glass out to her, Betty’s hand started to shake.
    “It’s from the Muriwai beach. We hiked there during the photoshoot for Vitaboost. It was where I went after we…” Nate cleared his throat. “I couldn’t throw it away. Look, Ang wanted me to come in here and seduce you, but I want more than