by Sandy James
That list had started so simple, and he’d been correct in his first appraisal. The place had great bones. Everything else, however, was shit. Thanks to his frugal nature, he’d been able to do far more than he’d anticipated. Didn’t hurt that Mallory had seen the slow but steady changes and scraped together more money for the renovation budget.
She had great taste and knew exactly what she wanted done. A refreshing change from the ladies who couldn’t make up their minds on paint colors or what type of countertop to pick. Mallory never hesitated to tell him what she wanted, and she also took into account his suggestions. She was the perfect person to work for.
“Thanks, again,” she said as she handed him a glass. “I’d be glad to finish the dishes so you can get home to your daughter.”
“Nah. I always finish any job I start.”
Ben had never enjoyed this kind of domesticity with Theresa. Not that he wanted to compare Mallory to his ex. Hell, they weren’t in the same league.
He’d seen the dark circles under her eyes when she’d come home for a short time after school. She’d put away some groceries, mostly yogurt cups and lettuce. He’d almost suggested she catch a nap, but she’d said something about having to go back to school for an open house, probably the same type he’d attended for Amber over the years.
It had never dawned on him how exhausting it was to be a teacher. Whenever she was home, she was grading papers. The woman seemed to have no clue how to relax. No wonder she always looked so tired.
After she’d headed back to work, he discovered she’d left one grocery sack on the kitchen table. A frozen dinner, one of those diet things that probably had nothing but an ounce of meat and a few wilted vegetables. No way he’d let Mallory eat that after working her ass off all day.
Ben pitched it in the freezer and made a list. After he’d mounted the last of the crown molding and put up his tools, he’d booked to the grocery. Chili was quick and easy, and according to Amber, it was one of his best dishes. He’d barely finished the meal when Mallory had returned.
Her wide eyes and openmouthed gape had been worth every minute of his effort.
They’d enjoyed easy conversation as they ate, discussing the plans for the master bath and how much equity the house was getting now that it was slowly coming together. Nothing of great importance had been done, yet her home was infinitely more comfortable. And natural. Just like when they’d danced.
Ben dried the last of the silverware while Mallory cleaned up the sink. When he laid the damp dishtowel on the counter, she grabbed it and headed to the laundry room. He followed as though she were some irresistible force. The woman had him firmly under her spell, and he didn’t care if she knew it.
After she tossed the towel in the washer, she turned and almost plowed right into him.
He cradled her head in his hands, stroking her temples with his thumbs as he smiled down at her. “Did you enjoy your supper?”
“Yes. Thank you.” She nibbled on her bottom lip. “Are you sure this wasn’t the date?”
Instead of answering, he drew her closer. Then he settled his lips against hers. A quick kiss. Nothing more. Even if he wanted to ravage that sweet mouth, she was tired. Besides, he had no business starting something neither of them was ready to finish.
When he pulled back, her chocolate eyes stared up at him, filled with curiosity.
“What, Mal? What do you want?”
“I want to know why.”
“Why what?”
“Why you went to all this trouble.”
That statement answered every question he’d ever have about her ex. “Because you needed someone to take care of you tonight.”
Her eyes still searched his, and he wished he knew exactly what she was looking for. Since she’d obviously been married to an inconsiderate jerk, she might not realize that some guys took care of the women they loved. If he asked her what she wanted from him, she was likely to raise that firewall that had just begun to drop. So instead of guessing, he kissed her again. Another short kiss, but sweet nonetheless.
When he pulled back, her eyes were closed and her lips curled in a smile.
“I should go,” he said, unable to mask the sensual huskiness of his voice. The kisses hadn’t left him unaffected, either. “It’s getting late.”
“Your daughter will be worried.”
“Nah. I called her hours ago. She was munching on leftover Chinese and finishing a paper for her English class.”
“You can stay. If—if you want. We could… I don’t know… watch some TV.”
What he wanted to do was sweep her into his arms and carry her up the stairs. Then he’d make love to her until she fell into a blissful slumber.
He really needed to grasp a little self-control. She’d just freed herself from a marriage that was clearly one-sided. The best he could hope to be was a rebound guy.
Ah, but he had other plans in mind. Sure, the timing might suck. Didn’t mean they were doomed from the start.
That thought brought a smile to his face. “I should go.” For now.
Mallory gave him a quick nod. Damn if she didn’t look dejected, and damn if that didn’t make his smile broaden.
“How about Saturday?” Ben asked.
“What?”
“Saturday. We could go to the mixer at Robert’s church again.”
“You want to go on a date to a singles mixer?”
“Sure. We can dance. I love dancing with you.”
“But don’t people go there to meet new people?” At least she smirked so he didn’t have to address her rhetorical question.
“This town doesn’t have a lot of good places to go on a first date,” he insisted.
“What about a movie?”
“Two hours of sitting together and not talking?” He shook his head.
“Miniature golf? Or does the prospect of me beating you frighten you?”
He enjoyed her sense of humor. “Puhleeze… You’d get mad when I beat you.”
When she laid her hand against his chest, he sucked in air like a teenager with his first girlfriend. Her smile meant she’d heard. “Well, then I guess a dance it is.”
Chapter Eight
After seeing how crowded the mixer was, Mallory wished Ben had chosen something more intimate.
“There are a lot of new people.” She was glad to see Juliana, although she was well occupied with a tall blond who appeared to have spent a little too much time in a tanning bed.
Didn’t he know those things caused skin cancer?
From the speed her hands were moving as she spoke, Jules was relating one of her many adventures, probably a humorous tale about the pitfalls of traveling overseas with students. Why the woman let herself get roped into chaperoning the school’s biennial trip to France, Mallory would never understand.
She’d always wanted to see Paris, had even added it to her bucket list. As soon as the renovations were done and paid for, she’d start saving for that goal. But she sure as hell wasn’t going with students tagging along. She wasn’t even sure she’d share the trip with Juliana, Bethany, or Danielle. This was something she wanted to do for herself. If she was extra frugal, she might even be able to squeeze in a few days in London on the same trip.
Her gaze wandered the large room. Of all the new people, the majority—a good two-thirds—were women. She had to swallow her apprehension when all of them seemed to stare at Ben. Not that she could blame them. Dressed in a baby-blue polo and Levi’s that fit him perfectly, he certainly stood out from the other guys. Many of them were older forty-to-fiftysomethings, balder, wider in girth, and casting an air of desperation. The blond talking to Jules was an exception, as was Robert. At least there were two friendly faces in the crowd she could ask for a ride home if Ben decided to search for greener pastures.
“More women than men tonight.” Mallory tried to keep her tone from revealing her attack of nerves. She ran her fingers through her short hair.
“Yep. But you’re my d
ate,” Ben replied, giving her other hand a squeeze. “You dance with me. Only me.” A few seconds passed by before he added, “Right?”
She squeezed back, touched that he seemed as insecure as she felt and secretly enjoying the possessive tone of his voice. “I don’t want to dance with anyone else, Ben. Only you.”
Robert raised his beer bottle in a silent toast when his gaze fell on them.
“Not even Robert?” Ben teased.
“Not even Robert.”
Mallory couldn’t stop the heat rising on her cheeks as Robert leveled an intent gaze at them. She’d always kept her private life out of school. With the exception of the Ladies, she wasn’t even sure most of the faculty knew about the divorce or—
“It’s a slow song, Mal. Wanna dance first? Then we can grab some drinks and talk to Robert and your friend. Julie, was it?”
“Juliana. Or Jules.”
Ben held out a hand. “So can we dance?”
“Sure.” She let him lead her onto the empty dance floor, looking around to see if anyone was gawking at them. With no one else out there, she felt as obvious as if a spotlight shone on them.
Ben tugged her into his arms. While she loved being so close to his strong body and arousing scent, she couldn’t force herself to relax. Every eye had to be turned their way. She hated to be everyone’s focus, at least anywhere but her classroom.
Leaning down, he whispered in her ear. “What’s wrong?”
“Why would you think something’s wrong?”
He snorted. “You’re as rigid as a two-by-four.”
“Nothing’s wrong. Really.”
“Ah, ah, ah.” His warm breath caressed her skin. “We have a rule about that. Remember?”
She released a sigh, wondering how often her promise to always be honest with Ben would bite her in the ass. “Fine. I don’t like being the center of attention.”
“Is that what you think you are right now, the center of attention?”
“I don’t think I am. I know I am. Every woman here has already zeroed in on you and is probably plotting how to get you away from me.” She raised her chin so she could see his face. “By the way, you look great tonight.”
A smile reached his dark eyes. “I’m supposed to tell you that. Which, by the way, you do.”
With a shrug, Mallory dropped her chin. Jay had given her compliments all the time. Words didn’t mean much when there weren’t feelings backing them up.
Ben raised it with his finger. Then he touched his lips to hers. “I came with you, Mal. I’m leaving with you.” He gave the air a quick sniff. “Love the perfume. What is it?”
She found a genuine smile. “Twirl.”
With no warning, he let go of her and did a quick spin. “Ta-da!”
How long had it been since she’d laughed?
She gave him a playful slap on the chest, resisting the urge to run her fingertips over the firm muscles she found there. “No, silly. The name of the perfume is Twirl.”
Chuckling, he pulled her close again, and she surrendered to the love song by laying her cheek against his shoulder. How easy it was to pretend that he belonged to her, that the safety she found in his embrace was something more than a fleeting comfort.
But he didn’t belong to her. She wasn’t ready for a real relationship. Not until she was whole again.
Ah… but for tonight, he was hers.
The song ended, but Ben made Mallory stay with him on the dance floor when another slow tempo song filled the air.
A brazen bottle blonde tapped her on the shoulder. “How about I cut in?”
Trusting that he didn’t want to be disturbed any more than she did, Mallory shook her head. “I don’t think so,” she replied, loving Ben’s responding grin.
“But—but this is a mixer,” the woman insisted. “You’re s’posed to be meeting new people. Two dances with one girl isn’t fair. Probably against the rules.”
“Yeah, well…”
Ben flashed her a crooked smile. “Sorry. I guess the lady and I don’t play by the rules.” Then he did a few turns, moving them farther away from the intruder.
The possessive gesture made Mallory deliriously happy.
A chuckle made his chest rumble, a sound she heard clearly because he pressed her head back down on his chest. “Rather pushy, wasn’t she?”
“A little.” A lot.
Content, she hardly noticed when the next song began.
“Wanna grab a drink?” he asked. “Disco isn’t my thing.”
What she wanted was for the DJ to stop playing songs that were recorded before she was even born. “Mine, either.”
He wrapped his hand around hers and led her toward the bar.
Juliana cut them off before they got there. “You two having a nice time?”
“Yeah,” Mallory replied. She rubbed her cheek against Ben’s upper arm, loving how tall he was and how warm she felt just being close to him.
The smile on Jules’s face was the faux one she plastered on when dealing with clueless parents. “Gonna make this a weekly habit? I’m sure the new ladies would love that.”
“Why not?” Ben smirked. “Seems like you’re here every Saturday.”
The sparks flew between them, but not the same type that Mallory shared with him. This tension was pure hostility, and she didn’t have a clue as to what caused it. They seemed fine at the last mixer.
“Too cheap to spring for dinner and a movie?” Jules asked. Since sarcasm was a lifestyle for her, that reaction wasn’t surprising.
Ben’s was. “You’ve got me all figured out.”
Horrified that her best friend and her date were getting off on the wrong foot and having no idea what caused the antagonism, Mallory scrambled for the right thing to say. “Ben likes dancing. Not too many places to do that in Cloverleaf. So… here we are.”
“You’re a dancer, Ben?” Jules asked.
“Not particularly. Just wanted a place where Mallory and I could come to listen to some good music, have a drink, and dance a little.”
Mallory leaned in to whisper to Juliana. “What’s wrong with you?”
Jules shrugged.
“Stop being an asshat. Okay?”
With her lips pulled to a solemn line, Jules nodded.
What was she trying to accomplish? Judging from Ben’s stiff frown, all she was doing was pissing him off. Perhaps one day Juliana would learn exactly how abrasive she could be.
Mallory needed a minute alone with Juliana to figure out what was going on in her friend’s head. “How about a glass of wine, Ben?”
“Preference for red or white?” he asked.
“White. Please.”
Jules finished her drink and handed the glass to the blond, who was still hovering at her side. “Do me a favor, Patrick? Refill?”
His whole face lit up like a child on Christmas morning. “Sure thing, honey.” He trotted after Ben.
Mallory barely waited until he was out of earshot. “What’s with you? For pity’s sake… you wanted me to go out with him.”
“I did. Now I’m not so sure.”
“Why not?”
She took a long time before answering. “I just wanted you to get back into the swing of things. I didn’t think you’d like the guy. You’re not ready for that.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Who do you think you’re talking to?” Jules asked. “I know you better than anyone, and I saw the way you were dancing with him.”
“So what?”
Jules heaved a sigh. “You were supposed to date him a couple of times, have a nice time, and then cut him loose. That’s all. Not… not… this.”
“This what?”
“This relationship. You’re already in too deep. I don’t want you to get hurt again, Mal.”
Her temper rising to a slow boil, Mallory knit her brows. “You’re assuming an awful lot after watching a couple of dances.”
“I told you, I know you. I know exactly how you think
. I’d bet my bottom dollar you didn’t tell him everything. Right?”
“It’s our first date!” Mallory insisted. “Besides, he knows about Jay.” As though that would satisfy Juliana…
Thankfully, Ben and Patrick came back with glasses of wine and bottles—Patrick’s beer and Ben’s water.
Juliana threw her a this-is-far-from-over look that made Mallory glad the next day was Sunday. She’d have a day’s reprieve from any more interrogation or insinuation.
Ben handed Mallory her drink and then gave Juliana a wan smile. “Look… I’m not sure why you were giving me a hard time, but… I’m sorry I rose to the bait. I was out of line.”
Jules huffed and took her drink from Patrick, who kept nervously shifting his weight between his feet.
“I know you’re Mal’s friend,” Ben continued, “but I just don’t know why you’re being so… so…”
“Hostile?” Jules shook her head. “I didn’t mean to be so rude. Just looking out for Mallory.”
“Then we have something in common,” Ben added. “Because I’m looking out for her, too.”
“Here’s to friends, old and new.” Mallory raised her glass, clinked it against Ben’s water bottle and then held it out for Jules, hoping she’d catch the hint.
After a couple of tense seconds, Jules clinked her glass against Mallory’s. “To friends.” She arched an eyebrow at Ben.
He touched the lip of his bottle to her glass. Then he looked over his shoulder to see Patrick walking away, shaking his head. “Didn’t mean to scare off your date.”
With a dismissive wave, Juliana said, “Just met him. Guess he decided I’m not his type. How about we get some pretzels and sit down for a nice long chat?”
* * *
Mallory folded her hands in her lap after Ben threw the truck into park.
Thankfully, he and Juliana had worked past their earlier dislike. While she had no doubt Juliana was simply trying to protect her, Mallory didn’t need that kind of protection. Sure, she might have been fragile when her world went in the crapper, but she’d pulled herself up, dusted herself off, and got on with surviving. Jules had helped her all along the way, but the time had come for Mallory to truly live again.
