The Girl in the Hard Hat by Loretta Hill Read Free Book Online Page A

gentle caress.
    And then reality hit. What are you doing? Why are you still here?
    She pulled away and this time did curl her fingers into a hefty fist and punch him in the face. ‘You arse!’
    The red mark on his cheek almost made her feel guilty until she saw that smile of his again.
    ‘Okay, I deserved that one.’ He nodded. ‘I really shouldn’t have done that. It’s one of my worst faults actually. Kissing girls who don’t want to be kissed. You’ll have to accept my apologies.’
    She had absolutely nothing to say to this brazen remark so turned to go.
    ‘Don’t suppose you’ll have dinner with me some time, will you?’ His voice struck her from behind, right between the shoulder blades.
    She spun back incredulously. ‘ What? ’
    ‘Well, that is why I followed you.’ His tone was finally apologetic. ‘To ask you out. Guess I kind of botched it, didn’t I?’
    With hands on hips, she eyed him with utter contempt. ‘Yeah you did.’
    ‘No worries.’ He nodded and then, without saying goodbye, jogged off down the hill again, which couldn’t help but infuriate her even more.
    She was the one who was supposed to make the dramatic exit.
    She had wanted to leave him standing there staring like a stunned mullet, not the other way around.
    Dragging a hand across her lips, she symbolically tried to wipe away his touch. But the smell of him still clung to the air around her, or more like the sweat from the jog they’d taken. She shook her head with disgust. I need a shower.
    Whoever he was, she hoped he worked for TCN or in a hole in the ground somewhere where she wouldn’t run into him again anytime soon. Embarrassment didn’t even begin to cover how she was feeling right now.
    After she’d allowed five minutes to crawl by, she jogged down the hill to the showers. There was only an hour left till the mess closed and she needed to get some dinner before bed.
    It was her first time in the mess since she’d arrived. Given the gossip about her that was already circulating, she was expecting to make a bit of a stir. However, the reality was still a bit galling. All she wanted was a low profile, especially after her experience on the hill, but she felt like a thousand pairs of eyes followed her into that mess hall. From the rows and rows of trestle tables they watched her walk across the room to the buffet. They nudged each other when she took a spoon of mashed potato, followed by a side of beef and gravy.
    Why was that controversial?
    She wished she’d tied her hair up after the shower, but it was wet, so she’d left it out to dry. It felt too feminine now, having it all loose like that.
    With shrug of rebellion she put another scoop of mash on her plate and turned around. After the evening she’d had, she was done dancing to the tunes of men.
    To her surprise, two women sitting at a trestle table by themselves were waving at her. A redhead with laughing blue eyes and the prettiest honey blonde she’d seen in a very long time.
    They beckoned her eagerly.
    With the impossibility of her day getting any worse, she decided to join them.
    ‘Hi, Wendy,’ the redhead greeted her. ‘I’m Sharon.’
    Her mouth fell open in surprise. ‘You know my name?’
    ‘Honey, word travels faster around here than nits in a classroom.’
    She didn’t know whether to be flattered or worried. Instead she lowered her voice. ‘I just wish they’d stop staring at me.’ She sat down slowly, self-consciously tucking her hair behind her ear.
    ‘They will in a minute. First they had to see what you’d get for dinner. There’s been a bet going round you were going to just eat a salad over the roast.’
    She was startled. ‘Really?’
    ‘Skinny thing like you.’ Sharon chuckled. ‘You’ve had them all confounded. I think that lucky guy over there’s made $175 on your mash potato grab.’
    ‘Seriously?’
    The honey blonde laughed. ‘Oh yes, and it’s quite made up my mind about you.’ Her green eyes danced.