Harem Investment System: Getting Money And Women

Riley exhaled, the tension in her shoulders melting away as she stepped closer. "You did bail on me yesterday."

Ethan chuckled, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Had some stuff to deal with."

Instead of pushing, she simply smirked. "Well, you're here now. That means you're working today, right?"

Ethan gave her a long look, as if actually considering his options.

Then, with an exaggerated sigh, he said, "I guess I can get my hands dirty for a bit."

Riley rolled her eyes, but a small smile played on her lips. "How generous of you."

They made their way deeper into the site, the morning air still crisp but warming under the rising sun.

The site was alive with activity — workers hauling materials, welding sparks flying in the distance, the rhythmic pounding of hammers filling the air.

They had finished the drilling and foundation yesterday.

Ethan grabbed a pair of gloves from a nearby workstation, slipping them on with practiced ease.

"So," Riley started as they walked, "what's the plan for today?"

Ethan nodded toward a section of the site where steel beams were being positioned.

"We're reinforcing that side of the structure first. Then we need to check on the supply deliveries."

Riley nodded, already mentally preparing herself.

She had a habit of immersing herself fully into whatever task was at hand, and Ethan respected that about her.

They spent the next hour working side by side.

Riley handled measurements, making sure everything aligned perfectly before giving the go-ahead for the beams to be locked in.

Ethan assisted with securing them, using his strength to hold things steady as the workers welded them into place.

It was tiring work, but neither of them minded.

Occasionally, Riley would glance over at Ethan, watching the way he worked.

Despite his casual demeanor, he was efficient — he knew exactly what he was doing, no wasted movements, no unnecessary fuss.

"You're surprisingly getting better at this," she remarked at one point, wiping a bit of sweat from her forehead.

Ethan smirked. "Surprisingly?"

Riley gave him a look. "Come on, I didn't exactly peg you as the hands-on type when I first met you but after a few days of work, you've gotten far better."

He leaned against a stack of metal beams, crossing his arms. "And now?"

She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "Now I think you're actually be useful."

Ethan chuckled, shaking his head. "High praise."

After a while, they took a short break, finding shade near one of the temporary site offices.

Ethan grabbed a couple of water bottles from a cooler and tossed one to Riley, who caught it effortlessly.

She took a long sip, letting out a satisfied sigh.

Ethan watched her for a moment before speaking. "You really like working here, don't you?"

Riley looked at him, surprised by the question.

She thought about it for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, I do. It's not just a job for me."

Ethan tilted his head. "Why's that?"

She hesitated, then gave him a small smile.

She couldn't say that it was now mostly because she enjoyed his company.

That would be creepy on so many levels.

"It's a chance, not everybody is perfect and I'd be damned to think I'm perfect. Every job for me is a new opportunity to learn something new."

Ethan nodded.

He understood that feeling more than most people probably would.

Riley looked around.

The workers were scattered around the site, taking refuge in whatever shade they could find.

Some sat on overturned crates, drinking from water bottles, while others simply leaned against materials, wiping sweat from their brows.

Even the foreman had taken a moment to rest, reclining against a crate as he sipped from his bottle.

The air smelled like metal, dust, and cement — scents Riley had oddly grown fond of over time.

Ethan tossed a small rock between his hands absentmindedly, his sleeves pushed up to his elbows.

He looked relaxed, yet Riley could tell he was still running numbers in his head, calculating the progress of the site.

She took a deep breath, then, before she could stop herself, spoke the words that had been lingering at the back of her mind.

"I missed you."

The words were soft, almost lost in the ambient noise of the site.

Ethan's gaze flickered to her, his fingers stilling around the rock he had been playing with.

There was a moment of silence, the kind where the world seemed to slow just a little.

Then, to her surprise, he echoed her words.

"I missed you too."

Riley's cheeks warmed instantly.

She quickly looked down, pretending to be very interested in the dust on her boots, but there was no denying the way her heart skipped a beat.

It was now beating so fast she thought Ethan could hear it,

But, for once, he didn't tease her about it.

Instead, he simply leaned back against the crate behind him, stretching his arms out.

"Didn't think you'd admit it first," he said, smirking slightly.

Riley rolled her eyes, though the blush still hadn't faded. "Don't make it weird."

The silence that followed wasn't awkward.

Between them, there was an understanding, an ease that didn't need to be filled with unnecessary words.

Riley stole a glance at him, noting the way he stared ahead, lost in thought.

'What are you thinking about?'

She wanted to ask but held back. Instead, she sighed and leaned her head back, closing her eyes for a moment.

Ethan noticed.

"Tired?"

She hummed. "A little."

He shifted, resting his elbows on his knees. "Long night?"

Riley hesitated before answering. "Not really. Just… couldn't sleep much."

Ethan raised a brow. "Thinking about me?"

Her cheeks turned red. 'That was accurate as hell!'

She scoffed. "Don't flatter yourself."

His smirk widened.

The break didn't last long. Soon, the foreman clapped his hands, signaling that it was time to get back to work.

Ethan stood first, offering a hand to Riley. She hesitated for a second before taking it, letting him pull her up.