by Roxie Odell
He blinked, feigning innocence, even when she knew better. “I just need to track down the source of the leak,” he said. “Funny that my mind is on your attic, while yours is in the gutter. Now, do you mind if I check it out or what?”
“Actually, I do mind,” she said, wanting to wipe that cocky grin off his face, and hating the fact that he was right. Her mind was in the gutter around him. “Mr. Titus already checked it out. I’m all set. He’s a professional, and whether you’ll admit it or not there are other good contractors in the world besides you.”
“Suit yourself,” he said with a shrug, trying to be nonchalant but unable to hide the stress from his voice. Then, he had the audacity to make himself at home. He took his coffee from her, plopped down in her overstuffed chair, and stretched his feet out casually over the ottoman. “I mean, if you’re all set with Mr. Tight-ass…” he mocked.
“Titus,” she corrected, “and that’s enough, Thomas.” She tried to sound angry, not wanting to give away the fact that his presence in her living room again was like a present under her tree on Christmas morning. It was such a wonderful surprise, but her pride wouldn’t let her say so. Unfortunately, when she sipped the coffee, the face she made because it was so good gave her away. “Thanks,” she said when she saw him staring at her smugly.
“Yep. Good, huh?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s because I know what I’m talking about,” he argued, “coffee, leaky ceilings, whatever.”
She rolled her eyes, realizing she’d walked right into that one.
“Why are you going with another contractor when you know you can trust me?” he complained. “Plus, you know I’ll cut you a deal.”
“Look, Thomas, I don’t think it’s a great idea for you to be here, let alone be involved with my home repairs,” she said gently. “No offense, but it’s kind of none of your business.”
“What did he say you your problem is?” Thomas inquired, still smug as ever.
“Did you just hear me? I’m handling it, Mr. Graham,” she said.
“Let me guess. He told you it’s a terminal case of roof-itis, huh? The grim and expensive prognosis is that you need a whole new roof, right?” he asked with a smile in his voice.
Cheri flinched when he pegged Mr. Titus’s exact words. She felt a bit foolish for just accepting what the other contractor said, but she wasn’t about to let Thomas know that. She did her best to maintain a poker face. “And that’s not your solution?” she asked coolly.
“Uh, no. Usually, when water appears with no obvious direct source, the culprit is little more than a leaky or loose seal. The wind’s been gale-force lately. It probably forced the rain in, the water traveled to a low spot, and voila!” he said, pointing at the stain. “It came in that way and is coming out there. See? It’s gotta be a flange.”
Cheri crossed her arms across her chest. “And what, pray tell, is a flange?” she asked.
Thomas answered patiently, “A type of vent. Your roof and the sides of the house have a number of them. I can show you if you let me.”
“That won’t be necessary,” she said. “What would your suggested fix be?”
“You fishin’?” he asked with an arched brow.
Cheri soaked up the sight of Thomas’s luscious form lounging cozily in her living room. He was so handsome, and everything in her screamed her attraction for him. Sadly, she knew there was just no safety in admitting it. She wondered if he knew that, while he was trying to get close to her, she was checking him out.
“I’d install a new flange, tighten the seal, and replace that drywall up there. It’d probably run a couple hundred bucks, tops,” he said confidently. “Of course, I’d only charge you for materials.”
“And you know all this without looking?” she teased. “He walked the property.”
“Well, for one thing, you won’t let me look, and for another, all I gotta do is look. Don’t forget it’s not my first day on the job. As I said earlier, I know what I’m talking about,” he said.
“What about my roof?” she asked nervously.
“What about it? It’s only a couple years old, right?”
“Yes, I think.”
“Well, if it was put on correctly, which I’d guess it was, it should last you a good while longer.”
“I’m sure he’s not just trying to rip me off,” she argued. “He seemed nice.”
“He can’t rip you off unless you let him, and it pays to be nice,” replied Thomas.
“Well, when I need a second opinion, I know who to ask, but right now I’m not asking,” blurted Cheri.
“Well, well, aren’t you the smart one?” he said with a smirk.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked, her eyes narrowing.
“By the way, why aren’t you working? Did you take off because of this drippy nonsense?” he asked.
“Smooth change of subject.”
“I always aim for smooth, honey,” he said, winking at her in a way that weakened her knees instantly.
“I just didn’t sleep well, and yeah, I was worried about this,” she answered, quickly regaining her composure.
“This what?” he asked sensually. “You and me?”
Cheri could hardly stand that tone of voice as it wafted into her ears, sweet agony that it was. She knew he was tripping her up on purpose; he could have talked about something as trivial and stupid as a vegetable garden and made it sound as sexy as hell. Even as he spoke about the leak in her ceiling, she could think of little more than dragging him up to her bed and the two of them twisting the sheets into knots beneath them with all their passionate writhing and touching.
“No, Thomas,” she with a hitch in her voice. “There is no you and me anymore. I mean the leak in the roof.”
“I guess that serves you right, not being able to sleep,” he said softly. “You should have had me over last night, when I offered. I woulda fixed everything, even the leak in your ceiling, and that would have been that.”
“I-I…” she stuttered. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t know what?” he asked, stalking her, sensuality gathering, darkening his eyes.
“I’m sure I still wouldn’t have gotten any sleep then,” she said faintly.
“I guarantee you wouldn’t have,” he said.
“You need to stay away from me.” She laughed nervously and made a cross with her fingers, as if she was warding off a vampire.
“I’m not going to,” he said, “and that’s not gonna work.”
“Thomas…” she begged.
“We’re just two people sharing a cup of coffee,” he said, “nothing to squirm over. There is something between us, though, Cheri, something rare, even if you won’t admit it for some damn reason. I can’t stop thinking about you, and I know you feel the same way about me.”
“Wow. That’s short, sweet, and to the point,” she said.
He looked at his watch. “I’d like to take you to dinner and let you know what’s been going on with me since I saw you last. Plus, I wanna hear all about you,” he said. “Please say yes.”
She couldn’t believe this was the same man she’d met ages ago, the one who wouldn’t even tell her his last name. It was a 360-degree shift in his personality. When he first met her, he did everything in his power to push her away, and now he was relentlessly pursuing her. She still wasn’t sure about them, and her face betrayed that, but she knew she could not deny him, especially as she stared into his eyes, those hazel gems. The nearness made her want to take his beautiful face in her hands and kiss him, especially since his eyes held a haunted, sad look.
“Maybe you just don’t want us to be lovers. No, correction… Maybe you say you don’t want us to be lovers, Cheri, but I’m no fool. Maybe the adult thing to do here is just be friends,” he said.
She turned her head and pretended to contemplate his offer, even though she was ready to jump at it. “Okay, I’ll go, anyplace but Carmine’s,” she said, accepting his invitati
on.
“Doesn’t have to be Carmine’s,” he said. “Hell, I can make you dinner if you want.”
“Tonight?” she said in a panic, fearing that would be far too intimate, romantic, and over the top, destined to lead them right back out of the friend zone.
Thomas moved across the room, until he was face to face with Cheri. “Neither of us is gonna get a wink of sleep until we hash this out,” he acknowledged.
Cheri opened her mouth but said nothing.
“You aren’t gonna argue with me on that, are you?”
“No,” she replied weakly.
“Good. I’ll pick you up later then,” he said quickly.
“No,” she said sharply. “You expected an argument, so on that point you’ll have one. Just in case things get…uncomfortable, I need an exit plan. Tell me where, and I’ll meet you there.”
He sighed. His magnificent eyes glittered with a mixture of joy and sadness, a sadness obviously older than whatever had gone on between them.
One day, I’ll figure out what that’s all about, she vowed, wanting to understand him.
“We can go across the river to Thomasandria,” he said, “neutral ground, maybe somewhere in Old Town. You ever heard of Gadsby’s Tavern?”
“Have you ever taken anyone there before?” she asked quickly as a surge of jealousy took hold of her. It pained her to imagine sitting at a table he had shared with another woman.
“No, as a matter of fact, I have not,” he replied humbly.
“So I’m not gonna run into some goofily-smiling chick you have a history with?” she asked, arching a brow.
He sighed in frustration. “I really don’t think so,” he said, tightening his lips.
“Right. I’m sure we’d have to go out of state to prevent that,” she said under her breath.
“Cheri!” he practically growled.
“I’m sorry. That was uncalled for,” she admitted, knowing it really was. She had battered him enough, and it was time for her to let up.
“It’s okay. I’ll live,” he said, stroking a thumb down her soft cheek, “but can we call a truce, make that the last hit? Can we communicate directly and specifically, instead of taking jabs?”
“Yes,” she agreed, feeling guilty that she’d gone too far. “That’s fair.”
“So are we on for Gadsby’s then?”
“Yes, in separate cars,” she said, nodding. “That’s the best I can do.”
“That’s all I’m asking,” he said with a smile. “I’ll see you tonight then.”
Chapter 3
Thomas’s departure left Cheri more anxious than when she went to bed the night before. If he hadn’t stopped by and made plans for that evening, her day off would have simply consisted of a meeting with the contractor and relaxing. Now, she had a date hanging over her head, along with that ever-growing splotch on the ceiling.
She somewhat resented the way he usurped a free day off. For the longest time, she almost worshipped Thomas, and she didn’t want to fall into that mindlessness again. She didn’t want to give up herself for anyone, didn’t want to get lost in anyone. This time, Cheri wanted to remain true to herself.
She dealt with her breakup with Thomas, in large part by simply walking away and letting time do its thing, heal all wounds like it was supposed to. Seeing him again and interacting with him put a quick stop to that and stirred the pot again. That aside, she insisted on looking great for their dinner date without laying it on too much, without looking like she was desperate.
She had heard of Gadsby’s Tavern before, but she had never been there. Thomasandria was another of those quiet, uber-rich pockets outside D.C. Out of curiosity, as well as to get some idea of the expected dress code, she searched the restaurant on the internet and checked out the menu. Seafood was not her favorite, and the cuisine was a little on the rich and heavy side. She scanned for the lightest thing she could find, a seafood salad, and decided she would have that. I can nibble if I have to, or even fill up on iced tea, she told herself. While the food didn’t exactly thrill her, the place looked like a wonderful setting for a nice dinner. She would be gazing into the crystal-clear eyes of the most handsome man she had ever been face to face with, and she was sure Thomas would have her so worked up that she wouldn’t even have an appetite.
Cheri then turned her focus on evening attire. Now that she knew where she was going, she mentally reviewed her wardrobe for something suitable. She had a lavender satin slip dress she was dying to wear, and it would go perfectly with her buff leather stacks. Thomas was nearly a foot taller than she was, so it was perfectly acceptable for her to break out the super-high heels. She hooked the dress hanger on the doorknob of her closet and set the shoes on the floor below it.
She then got to work on something productive to ease her anxiety. For some odd reason housecleaning always made her feel better, a handy and productive distraction. She stripped her bed down and changed her sheets. Halfway through making her place spic and span, though, she realized she was preparing her home for company, to invite Thomas over.
She nearly wore herself out doing so. Between the humidity and the workout, Cheri was coated with sweat. She made sure her place was locked up, as the fact that Wayne Titus had walked her second floor unescorted had left her with a delayed sense of creepiness. She then ran a bath and filled the tub almost to the brim with warm water, pouring in a big dollop of her favorite bubble bath. She dunked under to soak her hair, then emerged, feeling fresh and rejuvenated as the air-conditioning came into contact with her bath-heated skin. She lathered her body with cocoa butter-infused body wash, then shaved and massaged her feet with oil and scrubbed them with a pumice stone, till her whole body was smooth as glass and twice as radiant.
She released the bath water and turned the knobs for a fresh refill. She poured shampoo suds in her hair, scrubbed a while, then rinsed her mane under clean water. Feeling completely renewed, she stepped out of the bath and let it drain. She swaddled her head in a thick, comfortable towel and her body in a terrycloth robe, then reclined on her bed to take a moment to relax.
A short while later, Cheri sat up and towel-dried her hair so she wouldn’t wreck her pillow; she never blow-dried, because she couldn’t stand frizzy beach hair. When she was all clean, warm, and comfortable, she couldn’t help but doze off, the lackluster sleep from the night before finally hitting her. She sank into a deep, intense slumber almost immediately.
At first, her mind swam with powerful, clear images of her house and her neighborhood. Cheri didn’t realize she was actually asleep, for it felt very much like she had just placed her head on the pillow and skipped the nap to go into real time.
In her dream she stood at the top of her stairs, her hair in a towel turban, her body sheathed in a towel gown. Thomas was in the entryway, reaching upward, urging her to take his hand. Cheri did as he asked and practically floated down the stairs.
In the next beat, they were running together, flying with ease in long, flowing strides through a lush forest. Her hair was dry and bouncing in soft, romantic curls, flowing behind her as her body pushed forward to keep up with Thomas’s long legs. Her towel dress morphed into a gauzy peasant strapless frock, gathered in taut elastic around her chest.
Thomas sported a bright white shirt with no tails. His cuffs and collar were crisp and formal, but he wore it unbuttoned down to the middle of his chest, offering a teasing preview of his amazing tan form beneath it. His longish hair, though still not quite conforming to a rigid style, was brushed as civilly as ever, the perfect complement to the style of their almost pirate-like apparel.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“To dinner,” he said. “This way.”
As his strong, large hand held hers, the power of their connection flowed through her with aching intensity. It awakened every animal urge within her and gathered at her core. Everything about Thomas aroused her. He was so much taller, something that turned her on even more. She ran a few steps behind hi
m, so she was gifted with a sumptuous view of his wondrous backside all the way.
He stopped at a large tree, and a proud smile washed over his face. “We’re here,” he said, then leaned down and kissed her.
When his muscled arms embraced her, she felt so at ease, as if she belonged there, curled up against the warmth of his body. He held her as her face craned up to meet his. When his lips touched hers, Cheri’s head and heart rushed with the heat of explicit memories of all the things those sweet lips had done to her in the past. Her skin livened with erotic recall, and it felt as if his lips were in a thousand places on her at once.
The sunlight spilled through the leaf canopy above and glistened like stars in broad daylight. Cheri’s eyes were closed, but she sensed the brilliance. It was like she was in two places at once, both inside her body and up above, looking down on them both. Peace traveled down her spine, and she was filled with contentment as his tongue wrapped over hers. He was sweet, warm, and wet, and she adored the way he smelled. It was such animal reaction, but that musky scent made her shiver and she could not get enough of it.
With all her might, she lazily pulled away from him. “I thought we were going to dinner,” she murmured.
“We’re here,” he repeated, more enthusiastically this time, like it was all part of a great idea. “You just have to go get what you want,” he said, pointing up.
Somehow those words seemed to align reason for her, and it all made sense.
Thomas stooped and laced his fingers together to create a makeshift step for her. Cheri placed her hand on his shoulder to steady herself. When his lips were at her midriff, he extended the tip of his tongue to her navel. Cheri startled and shot up in the air, toward the treetops, propelled by the surprise. She was even more taken aback to find that the trees were suddenly filled with apples. She was airborne for a moment before landing softly in a soft bed of forest debris.
Thomas’s beautiful face loomed above her, and the trees themselves seemed to be leaning to peer down at her. “Get up! Get up!” he repeated over and over, in the most sensual voice she’d ever heard. “Get up, Cheri.”
