Excerpt: The Pile Driver

Do you know what a pile driver does? Wanna find out?


Excerpt from The Pile Driver

Eric stepped inside, his white tee no longer white and a fine layer
of black grime covering most of his exposed skin. Even so, Dawn had
to admit that it was part of his appeal, and it was all she could do
to keep from sneering as his fan club of the day ran up and tackled
him, one on each side. Not that he couldn’t handle it. Six foot two
and all muscle, the man had the body of a professional wrestler. Dawn
had been fantasizing about it since she started working for the
construction company three years ago.

Not that he would notice. Dawn turned back to her computer screen and
pretended to be working. The man was a chick magnet – a new woman on
his arm nearly every night. But not just any girls – he always seemed
to come back with the good looking, fake boobs and impossible heels
sort. Never just your average woman…and certainly not one who still
wore flannel shirts long after the trend was over.

From the corner of her eye, Dawn saw him pick up both twins at once
and swing them around in a circle. She shook her head, tapping away
at her spreadsheet even though she knew full well she’d have to redo
it when the office quieted down.

“We’re headed to Elmo’s for dinner,” Eric said, putting the
girls on their feet. At least they looked like they were of age this
time. “Anyone wanna come? Dawn?”

She shook her head and waved him off, a pencil between her teeth.

“Suit yourself,” he said, and shortly afterward she let out
the breath she’d been holding as the door banged shut behind the
trio.

The architect left too and Harry Stanton, the builder, approached her
desk. “You know everyone knows you have a thing for that man,”
he said, smiling kindly. She shook her head, putting the well-chewed
pencil in a cup, smiling in spite of herself. Harry was like a father
to her, though sometimes he took his role a little too seriously.

“Now don’t go spreading lies, Harry,” she said, giving him
a stern look. “There’s no way I’d date a construction worker.
Eric Daniels is off limits, and it’s just as well, given how he seems
to go through women like tissues. I think those two were the sixth
and seventh just this month.”

Harry winked. “Not that you’re counting, right?” He shook
his head. “I think you’d be surprised if you got to know him.
He’s smart under all that brawn. Give the man a chance.”

“Give what man a chance?” Eric walked back in and picked up
his wallet from the table, holding it up by way of explanation.
“Forgot this. Are you having man troubles, Dawn?”

“No, I am not,” Dawn said, thankful the lighting was dim,
given how warm her cheeks were. She shot Harry a warning look. “You
stay out of my love life.” Then she forced herself to look Eric
in the eyes. “And you mind your own business. Don’t you
have…two girls waiting for you?” She barely managed to refrain
from calling them bimbos, but judging from the way he was looking at
her, as if he could read her thoughts, he already knew her feelings
on the subject.

“Girls, yes.” He leaned against the doorway; his expression
taking on a quality Dawn didn’t quite know what to do with. The
intensity made her want to squirm in her seat – in a good way – as he
continued. “A woman, no. So if you wanna take their place, say
the word and they’re gone.”


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