“You sure?”
“Even Ted Bundy didn’t choose his victims by whacking them in the head with a car door.” And, to be honest, at this point she really didn’t care. If Geoff was cheating, life as she knew it was pretty much over. “Lead the way.”
He took her elbow again, and she gave him points for courtesy and manners. They walked about fifteen steps to the left and stopped in front of another door. Liv was relieved to see no wreath this time, just a metal plate that proclaimed it to be number 217.
Mike wiggled the key in the lock a few times before getting it to turn, then bumped the door hard with one hip to pop it open. Liv peered inside, taking in the strange sight before her.
The place was teeny—the whole thing was smaller than her living room. It was also the strangest-looking apartment she’d ever seen. It even had a bed sitting in plain view over in the far corner. At least she thought it was a bed, but she couldn’t be certain since it was covered with wrinkled clothing and newspaper pages—not unlike the rest of the place, actually. She glanced back at Mike, who had the decency to look a little embarrassed.
“Must be the maid’s week off.” He gestured for her to enter and kicked the door shut behind them before stacking the newspapers to one side in an attempt to clear a spot for Liv to sit on the mud brown sofa.
“Why don’t we just adjourn to the kitchen?” She laid a hand on his arm to stop his frantic cleaning. “I imagine that’s where you keep your ice.” And she desperately wanted something to put on her head. Her tired brain was sandwiched between two throbbing bruises, one on her forehead from the car door and one on the back from the asphalt.
“It’s this way.” He led her through a short path in the debris, into a tiny kitchen with barely enough room for the two of them to fit. He helped her into a cracked vinyl chair that looked like it had been purchased at some corner diner’s going-out-of-business sale and swiveled to reach into the olive green refrigerator. She was puzzled at first—where was the ice dispenser? The door to the appliance appeared to be just a door. She’d never seen one without a dispenser in front.
Mike reached inside, pulled out a plastic tray, twisted it and popped out a few ice cubes. Oh. So that’s how he did it. She made a mental note of it and smiled when he stuffed the cubes inside a plastic bag, wrapping it in paper towels before handing it to her.
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to change out of this before I stain something.” He tugged at the greasy coverall with stained hands. “I’ll be back in a second.” He strode toward a door Liv assumed was the bathroom, then turned suddenly and added, “Make yourself at home.”
With a glance at the dirty dishes in the sink and a roll of her eyes, she pressed the makeshift ice bag to her forehead. It was too cold on her bare skin, so she shifted it to the lump in the back and then realized she couldn’t feel anything through the wig.
The wig! She plopped the bag down on the table and dug for a mirror in her purse. Was the wig still in place? Mike seemed like too nice of a guy to mention if she looked a little lopsided.
She pulled out her compact and flipped it open, trying to see her reflection in the tiny mirror. From what she could see, the wig was fine, but she had a grease mark on her forehead, and had smears under her eyes where the last bit of makeup had run.
She used a corner of the paper towel to wipe away the black circles, then pulled a tube of lipstick in a nice neutral cocoa from her handbag and applied it to her dry lips. She fluffed the hair of the wig a little, patting it back into place, when a movement on the floor caught her eye.
She lowered the compact slowly, watching in terrified fascination as a man’s slipper moved across the floor toward her, apparently of its own volition.
Chapter Two
A scream built in the back of Liv’s throat, bubbling up until it burst out in a short shriek. The sound surprised her. She didn’t think she’d ever made such a loud noise in her life. She looked about for some kind of a weapon, grabbed a nearby magazine and rolled it into a bat. She held it with two hands, fully prepared to do battle should the slipper get any closer.
It continued its slow and steady move forward. When it was a mere six inches from the tip of her toe, she whacked at it a couple of times with the magazine, gave another scream and jumped up onto her chair. Her legs quivered beneath her as she crouched and waited to see if the thing could climb. Liv was unable to pull her gaze away from it, finding it impossible to move but desperately wanting to run from the kitchen.
Mike burst into the room, shirtless and holding a hand towel. He looked around wildly. His hands were up and fisted and he looked ready to take on the world. “What’s wrong?”
Saved! Without a thought or the slightest warning, Liv leaped at him. The chair slipped backward from the force of her push-off. He caught her reflexively and pushed her behind his back, still glancing around for the danger. Liv slid her hand with magazine around his waist and gestured toward the black lump on the floor. “It moved.”
Mike squatted with Liv glued to his back. He lifted the slipper off the floor and she squeaked, a soft sound of fear. She gripped Mike’s shoulders, her neatly manicured nails biting into his flesh.
Underneath the bit of black felt crouched a light brown lump with a long tail and beady eyes that glared at Liv. It looked rumpled and was certainly more than annoyed at having been swatted. But, it shouldn’t have terrorized her. Served the weasel right.
“Meet Rett.”
“What is it?” Liv held her magazine bat up higher, still fully prepared to defend herself if the thing leaped at her. She wouldn’t put anything past something that looked like it lived in shadows or holes in the ground.
“He’s a ferret.” Mike scooped the beast off the floor and turned around to hold it out toward Liv.
She edged around Mike and pulled back as far as the tiny table at her derriere would allow. “Ugh.”
“He’s harmless.”
“If you say so.” She unrolled the magazine and placed it back in the pile of junk on the table, but ignored the ferret Mike pushed in her direction. “Please, take him away. I don’t like ferrets.”
Mike’s eyebrows rose at her words. “Just what animals do you like, Olivia?”
“I don’t. My father thinks they’re dirty and noisy and demanding.”
He lifted the creature up to his chest, cuddling it. Liv watched him, suddenly realizing her host was half-naked. His damp hair was slicked back from his face and spots of shaving cream still flecked his square jaw. He must have run straight from the bathroom when she screamed.
Her hands recalled the feel of his skin when she’d huddled behind him and she curled her fingers into her palms to stop the phantom sensation that sent tingles of desire along every nerve. How could she possibly feel attraction toward this man she’d just met? She wasn’t a hypocrite and she wasn’t a cheat.
She saw the set of red crescents on the front of his left shoulder and was shamed she’d marked her host when he’d only been trying to help.
Liv told herself to stop staring at him, that decorum demanded it, but she couldn’t drag her gaze away. The sight of his huge hand caressing the tiny ball of fur against his well-muscled chest was mesmerizing. She noted idly the ferret was the same color as the small thatch of hair covering Mike’s chest in an elongated V. She followed the trail of hair down to where it dove into the waistband of his unbuttoned jeans.
“How are you feeling?” His voice jerked her thoughts back to her injury and away from the forbidden territory of his body. Her cheeks were hot when she lifted her head.
“Pardon?” He couldn’t read her mind, could he? He couldn’t know she was dry in the mouth with her heart pounding so fast, she wouldn’t need to work out with her trainer tomorrow. She was getting her cardio workout without a treadmill.
Mike’s lips curved in a slow smile and he cocked his head to one side. Without the grease and scruffy beard, he was nearly handsome—though not as good-looking as Geoff, she tacked on q
uickly, feeling somehow unfaithful to her fiancé.
“Are you feeling any better? Headache gone?”
“Oh. Yes, thank you.” She wandered back into the living room. “I suppose I should be going.”
Liv jumped at the sound of a slamming door and she shot a glance at Mike, wondering if she should be concerned.
“Uh oh.” He sighed. “Here we go again.”
“What?” Liv was confused. “What was that?”
“My guess? Daisy’s boyfriend just showed up next door. The guy can never walk through the door without heaving it closed. Give it a second and we’ll know for sure.” He turned his head to stare at the living room wall, and Liv automatically followed his gaze, though she hadn’t a clue what she was looking for.
One minute passed, and then another and another. Liv began to think Mike had lost his mind and was simply staring blankly at the wall.
“Mike—”
“Shh…it’s starting.” He pointed. At that moment, a soft, rhythmic thumping started against the wall. Liv was mesmerized by the picture that hung there, watching as it lifted a hair’s-breadth away from its resting place and settled back down, over and over, its soft thudding an echo of the sound from next door.
She didn’t understand what the significance of the sound was, and so lifted her eyebrows at Mike.
He rolled his eyes and said, “Daisy’s bed is backed up to that wall.”
The meaning of his words took a few seconds to sink in, but when it did, Liv was mortified. You didn’t talk about sex, especially other people’s sex, with a person you just met. That was the final straw. She was leaving.
Just as she turned to go, Mike added, “The last month or so the old headboard’s been knocking regularly. It seems she has a new man.”
“The past month?” The words fell out of Liv’s mouth before she could stop them. This affair of Geoff’s had been going on that long? Dear heavens.
“Yeah. Almost every day. I used to have a whole collage of pictures up there, but that’s the only one that’s managed to make it through all the fun she’s having.” Mike set the ferret down on the back of the sofa and patted its rump to send it scampering away. “Lucky her.”
“Yeah. Lucky her.” To her horror, tears built behind Liv’s eyes. She pressed her fingers firmly against her closed lids until white dots swam in her vision. She would not cry.
But…the past month? She’d hoped Geoff’s fling with Daisy was just that—a fling. Was it more serious? Was he in love with her?
Mike’s hand grabbed her arm, startling her so badly she yanked it away. “Are you okay? Maybe you have a concussion. Are you dizzy? Feel like puking?”
Yeah, she did, but not for the reason he thought. “I need to sit for a minute.” She sank down where Mike had cleared the spot on the sofa. The thumping against the wall kept time with the pounding in her head until she could barely tell them apart. “How long is that going to go on?”
“Not long. Guy doesn’t have a lot of staying power, though with a gal like Daisy, that’s no surprise.” As though the couple heard their conversation, there was one last, loud smack against the wall and then silence.
“Oh? First-hand experience?” Liv was surprised she was truly interested in his response.
“Hell, no.” Mike flopped down beside her, shoving more papers to the floor to make room. When he came across a T-shirt crumpled in the corner he sniffed it, shrugged and pulled the wrinkled bit of cotton over his head. “I like sex as much as the next guy, but a little conversation is nice, too. Daisy is a sweetheart, but she isn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer, if you know what I mean.”
The subject of their chat drew Liv’s attention to the queen-sized bed pushed up against the wall to her left. The blankets were rumpled, a pair of pajama bottoms tossed on top, the morning paper spread out as if asking to be read. She couldn’t help but let her imagination take flight.
Mike sprawls on the bed, sleeping. The blanket has slipped down to his waist and his muscular chest rises and falls silently with each breath. He isn’t wearing his pajama bottoms, and the lowered blanket shows just a bit of skin below his waist.
A slim hand appears from behind him and slips around his back in a gentle caress. Mike’s eyes open and he smiles, turning over to face Liv…
Liv jumped to her feet and shook her head to erase the ridiculous vision from her mind, swaying a bit from the pain the sudden movement caused. “I should go.”
Mike stood beside her, a puzzled expression on his face. “Okay, I guess. I mean, if you’re feeling better.”
“I am.” Actually, she felt worse considering the news he’d unwittingly shared with her, but that was none of his business.
Liv looked around for her pocketbook and spied it sitting on the kitchen table. She walked over, stuffed her compact and lipstick back inside and slung it on her shoulder. Though it seemed silly to feel bad about the mess from her ice pack since the whole place was a dump, she still took the time to empty the cubes into the sink and throw away the paper towel and baggie. As an afterthought, she reached for a few new towels off the roll and wiped down the counter. There, the place already looked a little better.
“You don’t need to do that,” Mike protested, but he didn’t try to stop her.
“It’s done.” As Liv dried her hands on her jeans, a knock sounded at the front door.
Mike opened it and she heard him talk to whoever was on the other side. She edged over a few steps to lurk behind the door, peeking through the tiny opening between the wall and the door. It was Daisy, looking flushed and pleased. She was barely wrapped in a silky kimono, with enough flesh still showing it was a wonder she’d bothered to put anything on.
“So, you can take care of him while I’m gone?” Liv noticed the woman ran a finger down Mike’s arm as she talked. If, as Mike said, they hadn’t been involved before, it was evident she wouldn’t mind a little romp in the hay at some point in the future. Deep inside Liv, rage built. That tramp was after anyone, and she wasn’t going to get one more guy Liv knew. Liv forced down the possessiveness she felt toward this man she’d only met. It was foolish and unnecessary. Surely Mike was able to make his own decisions, and hadn’t he mentioned he wasn’t interested in Daisy?
Still, what kind of woman comes from making love to one man only to flirt with another a few minutes later? Did Geoff know how promiscuous Daisy was? Did he care?
“Sure thing, Booboo’s no problem,” Mike answered and pulled his arm away from Daisy, clasping his hands behind his back.
Liv smiled at that telling gesture. Daisy’s powers of seduction weren’t working on Mike.
“Thanks, Mike. You still have a key?” Daisy purred the words.
Liv gritted her teeth at the sound. Did the woman ever stop flirting? Stealing one man wasn’t enough for her?
“Of course.” He flicked a finger at a key chain that hung on a wooden peg just inside his door. “Have a great trip.” He shut the door, turned and ran smack into Liv where she stood a few inches away. He grabbed her shoulders to steady her before she fell. “Oh, geez, sorry. Second time today.”
“I’m fine.” Liv pulled away from his touch. “So who’s Booboo?”
“Booboo is a fat white fur ball who lies around all day and eats her plants. Plants I’ll also need to water if she’s gone very long.” Mike sighed, as if just thinking about the task exhausted him. “Come on, I’ll walk you to your car.”
A seed of an idea germinated in Liv’s mind, taking root tentatively. Mike lived next door to her nemesis. This nemesis would be gone for a couple of days and Mike had a key to her place. His apartment would be the perfect place from which to spy on Daisy and figure out if she really had something going on with Geoff.
“Mike, hang on a second. I’m starving. Can we grab a bite to eat?”
“Here?”
Liv nodded.
Mike’s gaze raked her up and down. “You don’t look like you have a huge appetite. I’ll call for a pizza. Anyth
ing you don’t like?”
“I’m not terribly fond of goats’ cheese or eggplant,” she said. “I hope that’s not a problem. If it is, I’ll manage.” Should she mention her love of sun-dried tomatoes?
Mike stared at her like she’d grown two heads. “W-ell, I think I can do without eggplant just this once.” He grabbed the phone off the receiver and used speed dial to call the pizza place.
He murmured into the phone for a moment and then hung up. “The food will be here in about thirty minutes, or I can go pick it up if you’re in a hurry.”
“No, that’s fine. Mike—” Her cell phone rang, interrupting her. She grabbed it out of her purse and looked at the caller ID. Geoff. This could be interesting. She flipped open the phone. “Yes?”
“Hello, Lee Lee.” Geoff’s smooth voice reached out and stroked her, but instead of soothing her it only annoyed her further.
“What do you want? I’m a bit busy right now.”
“I just wanted to say how sorry I was to have missed our lunch today. If I didn’t have to leave town for our New York office tonight, I’d come to dinner with you at your father’s.”
“My father’s?” All she could think about was that Geoff was leaving town tonight, and so was Daisy. How interesting you’re leaving town on the same day that floozy is going away with her boyfriend, she thought and wanted to scream at him: Was that you with her just now next door?
“Isn’t tonight when you usually have dinner at Stewart’s?”
She’d completely forgotten it was Wednesday, but she wouldn’t let Geoff know that. It was utterly unlike her to forget an appointment. “Of course.”
“I’ll have my cell phone if you need me, but I won’t be spending much time in the offices there.”
I’ll just bet. Where are you spending it? In your hotel room with Daisy? Liv rolled her eyes, and noticed Mike watching her closely. “When will you be back?”
“By the weekend. I wouldn’t miss our date night for the world.”
“Fine. I’ll see you then. I need to go.” Liv didn’t wait for a response before she hung up the phone, wishing she could slam it down in his ear, just for the satisfaction. Now she needed to call her father and cancel tonight.
One Love for Liv Page 2
