by Lora Lindy
Lana took one final deep breath before heading to the house. Glancing back, she wanted one last look at that incredible sight.
As Lana shut the back door she could hear Mike working on the furnace like a busy little beaver. She noticed he added wood to the fire and she thought that was a thoughtful gesture. She could hear him putting tools in the toolbox, and she wondered if he finished.
In the kitchen, she put the kettle on and looked in the fridge to find something for supper. Grill cheese and chicken noodle soup sounded great.
Mike walked in the room just as she poured herself a cup of tea. He pulled a paper towel off the rack and wiped the muck off his hands, wiping off as much grunge as he could. Then he washed them, using lots of soap and scrubbed them under the hot steaming water. “I have good news and bad news, and which do you want first?” He asked as he scrubbed between his fingers and under his nails.
She frowned and said. “Neither.”
He laughed and told her anyway. “The part is not a stock part and it won’t be in until tomorrow or maybe the next day. They had a part that I thought might fit and unfortunately it didn’t work.”
“What’s the good news?” She held up a mug to ask if he would like some tea and he nodded.
“There is plenty of wood in the bin.”
“I’m supposed to get up in the middle of the night and add wood to the fire?” She noticed Mike didn’t look at her face as she walked by her. He stared at her tight sweater.
He cocked his left eyebrow and answered her. “I’ll bring you some wood in and set it near the fireplace. All you have to do is throw it on the rack.” He went through the motions as if he was throwing wood in the fireplace, but it looked more like he was shoveling coal. With his boyish grin he added. “I’ll come put it on for you if you want me too.”
She thought for a minute he might be serious, or at least she kind of hoped. Please stay and hold me all night and keep me warm, she thought. In her heart she wanted him to stay and talk, but she also needed to listen to her brain. How should she word this? “Mike you are more than welcome to stay for supper, I plan on cooking grill cheese and soup. But I don’t want you to think you are obligated to stay to put wood on the fire.”
He didn’t answer right away and she could tell he was in deep thought. Maybe he didn’t like soup or grill cheese, or maybe she overstepped her boundaries.
After a long thirty seconds he finally spoke. “I feel bad that you fixed lunch and now your offering me supper, and I know you wanted to get away to be alone.”
Maybe he didn’t want to stay and he didn’t know how to tell her. Panic knotted up in her throat and her body stiffened. Rarely did she make such offer’s especially to a man she hardly knew. She glanced up to meet his eyes and he looked like he was trying to think of the right words to say. She decided if he wants to stay, she offered, if he doesn’t want to stay he could move on���um���no big deal.
He turned away from her and picked up his tools.
Her emotions felt vulnerable because she just made a fool out of herself. She fought back the tears and turned away from him. Her weak legs wouldn’t allow her to move. She grabbed hold of the edge of the countertop. She was hurt and mad at herself because she totally misjudged him.
He walked out the door.
She felt bewildered and foolish.
Within a few seconds, he walked back in and walked over to the TV cabinet in the living room and pulled out the game Scrabble. He then spun on his heels and said. “I’ll stay if you play me a game of Scrabble, maybe two or three, but I forewarn you I am the best in Massachusetts.”
Sudden relief inundated her and she reciprocated his enthusiasm by throwing her hands on her hips and said. “Well I’m the best in Tennessee, so this could be a long and challenging game.”
A great big beautiful bright smile crossed his face as he set up the game.
She went to the kitchen to start supper. Within a few minutes, he joined her and started helping. They chattered up a storm. She never dreamed in a million years she could talk so freely about nothing and everything with a virtual stranger.
They took their time as they cleaned the kitchen and Lana relished every minute. While she did the dishes he walked past her every chance he got. There wasn’t much room between the bar and sink and she noticed he took the long way around to the refrigerator. He did this so he would have to squeeze by her. She also noticed he put everything away, one item at a time.
Finally Mike laid down the kitchen towel, put his arm around her waist and asked. “Are you ready to lose?”
“You sound confident,” she coyly answered. But her heart fluttered and her mind dwelled on how nice and inviting his arm felt around her waist. Every touch sent shivers throughout her body. And with each passing minute it seemed to intensify. If he stayed very long this evening, she didn’t know how her heart would make it.
After he finished putting a few more logs on the fire, he sat on the couch. She sat on the floor across from him, near the fire. The Scrabble game was in the middle on the coffee table. They drew their tile letters and Mike said. “Ladies first,” he said with a grin. He looked squarely into her eyes and that showed he permeated confidence.
She panicked. “No, I insist you go first.” If the truth be told, she didn’t have the best letters and she hoped she could play on his. Plus she needed more time to think.
“If you insist,” he said and without delay he played the word nastier up and down on the board. She couldn’t believe it. The first word and he played all seven tiles.
Her stress level shot out the roof. She could already tell this game was probably the most challenging scrabble game she ever played. No one ever played all seven letters the first play. She looked at her tiles, and she arranged them, then rearrange them, and then came her eureka moment. She played diamond of the ‘I’ in nastier. She looked over at him and he stared right at her, grinning. “Take that Mike.”
He wasn’t going to be outdone, not Mike. He pulled another word out of his hat. Off the ‘r’ in nastier he plays report.
They toggled back and forth for hours and he’s right, he’s good. During the ardent games she noticed several times he glanced her way. When she caught him looking at her, she blushed. She thought she turned red more in the past two days than she had the past twenty years.
“What’s the score?” Mike asked after the third game. He hoped she wanted to play another game. He wanted to stay, no doubt about that. He wanted to look at this enticing and beautiful woman. Every time she looked at him, his heart turned cartwheels. He didn’t play as well as he normally played, she distracted him.
“I’m winning and do you really want me to tell you the score to make you feel bad?” She held the paper with the score behind her back.
“Are you really going to go there?” That move made him happy. It was an excuse to get close to her, to wrap his arms around her.
“Go where?”
Mike stood up and walked over to her and it was not a challenge for his long monkey arms to reach behind her. He didn’t even have to stretch to get the paper. He looked down at the paper and raised his left eyebrow at her. “There is not one word written down on the paper.”
Her eyes danced with excitement as she teased him. “I forgot?”
Mike laughed hysterically. “You nut.” Then he gave her a long intense hug. Neither one wanted to let go. The air got thick with sexual tension.
Taking a deep breath, she wrapped an afghan around her shoulders and stood near the fire. She noticed the crocheted design was a scalloped loop, and like the rest of the house the colors were the deep the earth tone of browns and white. She needed a warmer blanket, but she didn’t want to leave Mike to find one.
The wind howled letting them know it would be a cold night, and it sounds creepy. But it didn’t bother Mike. He went outside and brought in a bunch of wood and laid it on the fireplace stoop. “Do you think this is enough wood? I have some at the side of the ho
use I’m going to bring to the bin. I don’t want you to have to go outside during the night.”
“I think that’s more than enough,” she answered.
He walked over and stood in front of the fire next to her. Electricity was evident between them and neither of them said a word. She wondered what was on his mind. They shyly glanced at each other like two elementary schools kids with crushes not knowing what to say.
He walked behind her and deliberately rubbed her arms rapidly as though to warm her. His strong hands rubbed a little too hard, but she didn’t say anything. She didn’t want him to let go of his embrace.
Without seeing her face he asked. “Do you���” he paused and loudly swallowed. “���think this is enough wood for the night?” He chickened out asking, do you want me to stay?
She whispered with a cracked voice. “I slept on the couch last night and I slept just fine, so I’ll be alright tonight.”
“Yes, but tonight will be much colder.” God, he didn’t want to leave her, he wanted to take her in his arms and keep her warm.
She could feel his breath on her hair and she closed her eyes picturing him behind her. It was like his emotions transferred from his heart to hers, through his fingertips. She licked her lips. They seemed dry all of a sudden. She knew he could feel her shaking, or maybe it was him. Should she lean back onto his chest? Oh God she wanted to, she wanted to melt into him.
Finally, he let go but stood in the same spot for a few more seconds. He took a deep breath then walked outside and brought in more wood, piling it high on the stoop.
He piled it so high, she knew she had to be careful taking wood off or it might fall on her foot. She walked over and gave him a hug as a good will gesture, to thank him for being thoughtful. He held her for a few seconds, but it wasn’t long enough. Every ounce of her body seemed to melt.
He backed up and longingly looked down at her. “I hate to leave you without a heater,” he whispered.
She thought he was trying to find an excuse not to leave at all. She broke their stare by saying the most stupid remark. “Our ancestors managed just fine without a furnace, and I don’t think one night without a heater will kill me.”
He gently took hold of her shoulders and looked down into her green eyes. “If you get cold or you think you need me, you have to promise to call.” Never did he look away from her gaze, wanting an answer from her. He hoped the answer might be an invitation to stay.
Nervousness prevented her from giving him an honest answer, I want you to stay. She couldn’t deny the spark of chemistry between the two of them. Surely he felt the same way or he wouldn’t be so concerned for a total stranger. Maybe he just felt obligated to take care of her. She tried to be light hearted about it. “Now Mike, you are the only person I know here, so you know I would call you.”
He reached down and ruffled her hair and said. “Well in that case I’ll head on home and I brought in a lot of firewood. You should be fine until morning.” He picked up his coat and took his time walking to the door. “I’ll be back in the morning with breakfast, but not before eight. Is eight fine with you?”
“Oh absolutely and I will take you up on breakfast,” she answered. After all this bantering and he still didn’t stay, nor did she get a kiss.
He gave her a long close hug, and then he left.
She stood in front of the fire and sort of laughed at herself. She came to Plymouth to heal and right now she was sad. Not sad because her cousin died, but because she realized she met the love of her life, and he just walked out the door.
Right now she was tired and she would have to pull a Scarlett O’Hara, I’ll just have to worry about that tomorrow. Oh cuz, she wished he were here so she could call him. He always talked sense to her. God bless him, and she knew he looked down laughing at her��� and wishing her the best.
*****
Mike coaxed his Dodge to start. He knew how cold natured she could be. He let her sit for a few minutes to cough out the cold. She sputtered just a little and then she would be ready to take the familiar journey to Boston. As ole Bessie, as he called his Dodge, choked so did his heart. What just happened in there? Even with the cold outside he didn’t feel it. His heart raced with excitement. Just the thought of Lana made every muscle in his body rigid. This green eyed blonde captured his heart and there wasn’t anything he could do about it. Nor did he want to oppress those feelings.
Yesterday the moment he saw her, that was it! The minute this voluptuous blonde got out of her car, he knew she would be the one for him. The blonde hair is what he noticed first. Then he noticed her size, short and tiny. She almost looked like a child standing there with obvious energy and bubbly. Once she came in the house and she took off her coat, he noticed her large chest and tiny waist. It was obvious at this point she was not a little girl, but a desirable woman. Her blonde straight hair flowed down her back with no curl. She had a pointed nose and small squared jaw line. He towered over her so he knew she couldn’t be more than five-foot-four. Her tight sweater showed every curve including her round butt. But what he noticed the most were those big bright beautiful green eyes. He thought back and he couldn’t remember ever dating a girl with green eyes, his loss.
He knew in his heart he would pursue this gal. Nobody since his wife Kathy has made him feel so virile. He liked that feeling. Since his wife, he hasn’t pursued anyone. Many women have pursued him, but he could have cared less, until now. Just thinking about her caused manly enthralling. He took a deep breath when he thought about having sex with Lana. It would be more than sex. There would be caring and love. The better term would be called making love. Yes, he knew it would be special and loving. Making love to her would not be like it was with other women. It would be better, much better. The rest of the drive to Boston his body ached for her.
When you’re smitten nothing else matters, and that’s the way it should be. He was major smitten!
Chapter 8
4:38 a.m.
A bumping noise woke Lana from a restful sleep. She crawled out of bed, and she thought the noise came from the back porch. It was windy, but she didn’t think it’s windy enough to make such a racket. It sounded like someone at batting practice in a batting cage.
She wrapped the heavy flannel housecoat around her shoulders, and curled her arms next to her body to keep warm. Without pulling back the drapes, she stood near the back door and listened, she heard nothing. She quickly threw a few logs on the fire and walked through the house, peaked out the windows and doors, nothing.
About that time her phone rang. She jumped out of her skin and looked at her phone to see who would be calling this early. When she looked she realized it was only her alarm. She laughed and told herself she needed to stop acting like such a scaredy cat. But she did peak out the curtain. The only odd thing she noticed was a piece of wood lying on the ground near the back door. It had fallen about five feet from the bin. She decided Mike sat it there to bring in, forgot about it and the wind knocked it down on the porch.
Standing there bewildered and trying to decide if she wanted some tea when suddenly there was a tap on the front door. Her heart skipped beats thinking Mike came back for some reason. Although she didn’t hear the usual sound of the truck driving on the gravel, she hoped. She ran to the front of the house and peaked out the window, nothing. Again, she looked out all the windows and nobody was there. She decided she had lost her mind.
She went back to the couch and crawled under the covers and left her housecoat on because it had already warmed her. She watched the fire for awhile and dozed off thinking I don’t remember setting my alarm for four-forty.
Chapter 9
Day 3
October 17, 7:50 a.m.
Today started out as one of the most wonderful days of her life and she wanted to look the part. She looked through the few clothes she brought, and what she brought wasn’t suited for dating. There were only three cute tops and she decided to go with the red striped sweater. After inve
ntorying the wardrobe she knew she needed to shop. Not realizing she would meet someone all she brought were sweats, sweaters, a couple of pair of jeans, and t-shirts. She didn’t bring anything to dress up and all her clothes looked drab. Her size six jeans were a little loose, and she knew the last few weeks she lost weight, but she didn’t realize she lost that much. The mirror’s image wasn’t so bad, but she knew she had to buy a couple of things.
The clock said seven-fifty and Lana felt like a school girl when she heard his truck driving down the gravel road. When he knocked she ran to the door unable to control her enthusiasm. When she opened the door she was so nervous, but one glance at him and all her nervousness went away.
My God he looks good, she thought. He had on tan cargo pants which showed off his thick muscular legs, and he wore a navy blue sweater with long johns on under it. The sweater was tight on his arms showing off the outline of his triceps and biceps through both layers of shirts. The cutest part of him happened to be the furry camouflage colored hat he wore covering his head and ears completely. He was definitely dressed for cold weather or in his case a cold attic.
My God she looks good, he thought. He noticed how cute she was with only a little makeup, she didn’t need much. What little light that came through the front door made her eyes look even greener, piercing green, melting his heart. Her shape made him take a deep breath. Admittingly he hasn’t dated too many women with large chests, but she made up for his loss.
“The coffee is brewed, and what did you bring?” She added as an afterthought since her mind was preoccupied on the goodies in the bag.
“Hold your pants on little lady, it’s a surprise.” He teasingly answered while taking off his hat. His hair stood on end since there was so much static electricity in the air. He pushed it down as he walked in the kitchen, and he could have cared less how his hair looked.
