For the second time of the night, Jamie wondered if there was some sort of funky hallucinogenic mold playing games with her head. First the ruby stashed in her wall and now a gorgeous man who looked like he had walked right out of a Calvin Klein ad. Jamie shut her mouth and tried not to stare.

“Do you know what time it is?” He asked, frowning. ‘Calvin’ towered over Jamie’s 5 foot 3 frame, sandy brown sleep-mussed hair falling across his forehead. A shadow beard covered a strong jaw. He wore a white t-shirt and baggy red plaid sleep pants, tied with a drawstring at his trim waist. She opened the door a little wider.

“Uh, I think it’s almost one,” Jamie said, looking up at him. The first warm pulse bloomed deep in her belly. It had been a long time since Jamie had felt that zing of instant awareness. A really long time.

“My house is just on the other side of the trees at the back of your property. I can hear your saw and all the racket like it’s in my backyard. Actually, it is in my backyard.”

“I didn’t know I had any neighbors.”

His deep blue gaze raked over her and Jamie was suddenly self-conscious. She’d been working for at least 10 hours and had to be a mess. She’d pulled on her oldest pair of jeans that were just a little too tight to wear out in public and a loose, white tank top, sans bra, that had once belonged to her ex-fiancée. She’d pulled her long, wavy black hair up into a messy ponytail and tied an orange bandanna around the whole thing to keep it off her face while she worked. She rarely wore make up and was sure her fair skin must be shiny and dirt-streaked by now.

She tugged off her gloves and held out her hand. “Jamie Francis, new owner of the as-yet-unnamed wedding chapel.”

He didn’t shake her hand. “Brock Wilder. Pissed off neighbor.”

Jamie frowned. Just what she needed. Making enemies already and she’d only been here a couple weeks. Usually it took at least a month. If he was pissed now, he was really going to be irate when she broke out her blowtorch and grinders. If she ever got this place up and running and found the inspiration to get back to sculpting, that was.

“Look, I’m sorry; I didn’t know you were so close. When I bought this place, it seemed to be pretty much secluded.” She set down the saw. “Maybe we can come to an agreement. A kind of lights-off curfew sort of thing while I’m at the heavy work.”

“How about 5 PM.”

Jamie sighed. He was going to be difficult. “I know I’ve woken you and I’m sorry for that. But I have to get this place in shape. My first booking is in less than three weeks. And let me tell you, my  big sister can make the wicked witch of the west look like Mother Teresa when things don’t go as planned. If I have to pull a few all-nighters to get the place in shape, then that’s what I’m going to do.”

But he was no longer listening. He was staring at her chest. That was a first, since Jamie’s breasts had never been the round globes that inspired male ogling. She looked down and realized that he wasn’t mesmerized by her breasts, but by the ruby necklace. The ruby felt warm, even through the thin layer of cotton. The warming sensation radiated outward through her body.