Intimate Stranger

by Jan Springer

  The kitchen had been redone but the living room looked as if he’d never left. The same white-painted wood walls. The electric baseboard heaters he’d installed under the giant gable windows and the green overstuffed leather sofa strewn with the same buttery yellow pillows they’d fought with on several occasions made him smile as the memories rushed over him like a warm blanket.

  There was a new addition though. The braided oval rug that covered most of the living room floor gave the room a bright, informal atmosphere that welcomed Chance and he found himself relaxing for the first time in years.

  Chapter Two

  The moment the stranger slipped into the next room Emily headed straight for her kitchen phone. Dialing quickly, she inhaled a breath of thanks when her sister-in-law’s sleepy voice answered after the first ring.

  “Hi, Jo! It’s me,” she kept her voice a low whisper so the stranger wouldn’t hear.

  “What’s wrong, Emily?” Jo was instantly alert.

  “Can’t pull one over on you, can I?”

  “Not at this hour. What’s up?”

  “Chance Donovan is here.”

  “Chance?”

  Silence followed and Emily’s stomach hollowed out as a shot of terror zipped through her. Jo didn’t know who she was talking about? Had she been too naïve in believing the stranger when he said he knew Daniel and Jo? Had she fallen ploy to him and let him back into her home so he could sneak up on her and kill her while she was on the phone?

  She cringed as she imagined the stranger’s hand clamping over her mouth and dragging her away into the bedroom.

  “Chance is there? Oh thank God.” Surprise and relief etched Jo’s voice and Emily once again found herself relaxing. Okay, everything was good.

  “I gather you know him.”

  “Yes. We do. He’s actually right there? With you?”

  “Bold as life. In the living room. I caught him sneaking around in my house!”

  “Oh my goodness. That’s great news.”

  Great news that a strange man was lurking around her house? Emily blinked in stunned disbelief, her heart picking up a mad beat as she had the feeling she’d just been dropped into The Twilight Zone or something.

  Jo continued. “We were wondering where he’d gotten off to. Hold on. Daniel wants to talk to you.”

  “Emily, it’s me. You said Chance is there? How’s he doing?”

  Emily frowned into the receiver at her brother-in-law’s concerned and frantic voice.

  “He seems fine to me. Pretty hungry.”

  Daniel laughed. “Well, I’ll be damned. That’s a good sign.”

  A good sign? The man had let himself into her house with her emergency key for God’s sake. That was a good sign? Definitely Twilight Zone night here. Emily struggled to keep the anger out of her voice as she continued.

  “He said you told him about me and he decided to drop in for a visit.”

  “You sound rattled. Why don’t you tell me what happened, Emily?”

  Quickly she explained how Chance had used the emergency key to access her home at midnight and how she’d discovered him stealing her food.

  “He’s harmless,” Daniel said warmly. “Just down on his luck and looking for a place to stay.”

  “He says he knew Steve.”

  A slight hesitation before he spoke.

  “Oh yes, he knows Steve. I mean he knew Steve, and the rest of the McCullens. He knows us very well. He’s been staying with us for a while. I mentioned you were living all alone in that big empty lighthouse and suggested he come over and you’d put him up.”

  Shit! So Daniel really was behind all this.

  “You what?”

  “I invited him to stay with you for a while.”

  Emily blinked, not believing what she was hearing.

  “It’ll be great,” Daniel continued. “He can help you fix up the lighthouse before you put it on the market.”

  “Daniel! I don’t even know him!” she hissed into the phone.

  “He is a very shy fellow. Like I said, down on his luck. I’m sure your home cooking will cheer him right up. He’s nothing to worry about, Emily. Truly. You know you can trust me, right? You won’t even know he’s there. Listen, I have to go. Sweet dreams.” A split second later the line went dead.

  Frig!

  Emily frowned into the receiver. What in the world was going on with him? She told her usually overprotective brother-in-law that a total stranger let himself into her home and all Daniel said was “sweet dreams”? Ever since he’d gotten married, Daniel had been in seventh heaven. Maybe all his newfound happiness had clouded his judgment?

  She remembered all too well that euphoric feeling of being in love.

  Twenty years old and innocent, she’d been swept off her feet by the handsome twenty-five-year-old investigative journalist Steve McCullen. He’d moved into her New York apartment days after they met and they were married a few weeks later, coming to her uncle’s Shipwreck Island lighthouse for their honeymoon.

  At first, Steve didn’t like it here. He complained about the smell of rotting seaweed and the chapped lips the ocean breeze constantly created. He said the island was far too isolated, being a half an hour boat ride from Prince Edward Island. On top of that his mind was tormented over the recent death of his mother, a woman Emily knew for only a few short weeks and the closest she’d had to a mother since her own had died when Emily was young.

  When the honeymoon was over, they’d returned to New York and Steve had immersed himself in his work. She’d been too lenient with her new husband, allowing him to leave on those overseas assignments. He was gone for weeks on end and when he came back home, their time together was intense, romantic and too short.

  Finally she’d put her foot down, demanding he stay home more often. To her surprise he agreed. They’d only recently moved into the tiny lighthouse, after her uncle died and she inherited it, when they’d decided to start a family. It was shortly after that tragedy struck and Steve died. She should never have married Steve McCullen. She’d been too deeply in love. A love that clouded her thinking. Love was nothing but pain and she vowed never to fall in love again.

  “Do I pass the test?” The stranger’s hoarse voice made Emily’s breath catch in her throat.

  God, she loved his raspy voice.

  Whirling around, she found him standing in the doorway, his arms casually folded across his wide chest. He’d removed his jacket and was wearing a wrinkled blue turtleneck that fit over his broad shoulders like a second skin.

  The blueness of his clothing enhanced the blue in his eyes and Emily found herself mesmerized by his strong gaze. His cute mouth, which was inching upward into that heart-wrenching crooked grin, made her insides quiver with excitement.

  No man had made her feel this feminine or sexy since her husband, and damned if she would let this stranger make her feel this good.

  “Do you make it a habit of listening in on other people’s telephone conversations?” she snapped.

  His eyebrows lifted in surprise. Obviously he hadn’t expected her to be so rude. Well, tough. She was pissed off. Pissed because Daniel had set her up with this guy in such a horrible way. Ticked because he reminded her of how Steve had made her feel and at how she should be feeling when a guy interested her.

  No! She was not interested in him, she chastised herself. No frigging way!

  “Just wanted to let you know your kettle is whistling Dixie.”

  “My kettle?” What was he talking about?

  “For the tea.” He nodded toward the kettle she’d plugged in earlier.

  She grimaced at the shrill whistle piercing the air.

  “Oh for heaven’s sake. I didn’t even hear it.”

  Angrily she reached out to pull the plug and inadvertently breezed her inner wrist right against the hot metal at the side of the kettle. Scorching pain blasted against her skin, making her yelp as she pulled her arm away.

  God that hurts!

  Before
she knew what was happening, the stranger’s hand splayed across the small of her back and he led her toward the kitchen sink. Remaining silent, he maneuvered her burned wrist underneath the tap. Cold water splashed against the painful red welt, bringing an almost instant relief. With the relief came some unbelievable fiery tingles where his fingers held her wrist.

  When she looked up at him, she spotted a soft tenderness brewing in his eyes, which made her breath back up into her lungs and had her shifting uneasily at his concern. If he noticed her uneasiness, he didn’t let on. Instead he focused his attention on the water blisters forming on the burned area.

  “Could have been worse. I’ll get a bowl and fill it with cold water so you can soak it while you sit, it’ll be more comfortable for you.”

  So, he had noticed her move away from him. Did he think she was still scared of him, or did he know she was suddenly totally aware of him as a man? Oddly enough since the telephone conversation with her in-laws, her fear of him had mysteriously vanished, leaving her with this sudden…quite nice attraction.

  A moment later he had her situated snugly on the living room couch, her wrist soaking in the cold water, her mind and body sparring over him while he moved around in the next room. Making tea. For her!

  She’d always had a weakness for tall, lean, sexy-looking men and Chance Donovan was all of those and much more. His perfectly shaped lips were so kissable-looking, not to mention what she’d like to do to that cleft in his chin. His long fingers where he’d touched her still tingled very nicely. But it was a pleasant feeling compared to the burn screaming through her skin.

  Goodness this man excited her.

  A noise from the kitchen forced Emily to steady her erratic heartbeat by taking some deep breaths. Heaven knew she didn’t want Chance to find her all flustered because he’d know why. A man always knew when a woman was thinking about him. At least it had been that way with Steve.

  When she heard Chance’s heavy footsteps approaching, she straightened to attention. He placed a tray laden with two steaming mugs of chamomile tea on the coffee table and her heart sank when she spotted the chocolate-potato brownies she’d made for the Halloween fair’s bake sale. All cut up and ready to eat.

  “I hope you don’t mind. I found the brownies stashed at the back of the fridge. I thought it would go perfectly with the tea,” he said.

  “That’s fine,” Emily replied tightly. Thank God he hadn’t found the pie.

  When he sat down on the couch beside her, she became fully aware of his dangerous scent as it swarmed all around her. Suddenly she was trembling with excitement like a young teenage girl who suddenly realized why guys existed.

  “How’s your wrist?”

  Before she could answer, he reached out and lifted her hand from the cold water. A wonderful sizzle of pure heat shot through her again as his fingers carefully turned her wrist around so he could get a better look at her injury.

  His cute lips turned down into a concerned frown. “Looks worse than before.”

  “Doesn’t feel so bad. Just stings a little,” she lied.

  “Do you have something to put on it?”

  “I’ve got some ointment I can put on later.” The last thing she needed was for him to start applying slippery ointment on her with his fingers.

  “Burns need moisture to heal. Don’t let the air get at it. Keep it in the water for a while longer it’ll help ease the burning. Then lather lots of ointment on it. Do you have gauze?”

  “Yes.”

  “Tape the gauze over the ointment. It’ll prevent the burn from getting dried out or dirty.”

  His genuine concern touched Emily, making her feel guilty at the way she’d yelled at him earlier. “I’m sorry I snapped at you before when I was on the phone. It’s just…”

  What could she say? His crooked grin and fantastic scent got to her? Not to mention she felt angry because she shouldn’t be feeling this excited about this man, especially since she was getting married to another man in a few weeks.

  “No need for apologies, Mrs. McCullen. Like I said earlier, I’m the one who was rude for barging in on you. If I might ask, who vouched for me on the phone?”

  “Jo and Daniel.”

  “Ah yes. The newlyweds. Daniel said something nice on my behalf?” His luscious lips turned upward into an amused smile, and she found herself mesmerized at how pleasant he smiled.

  “Daniel speaks very highly of you and you seem to have made quite an impression on Jo.”

  “Jo is a very nice woman. A perfect match for my…friend.”

  “I don’t recall seeing you at their wedding this past summer.”

  “I couldn’t make it. Other commitments.”

  He took a giant sip of tea and Emily noticed how his large hands dwarfed her delicate teacup. She needed to rummage around and produce one of those big mugs Steve loved.

  She watched him pick up a giant brownie and shove the entire thing into his mouth. He grinned and said between bites, “This is fantastic!”

  “Glad you like it. Um, Daniel mentioned you were looking for some work?”

  “He did?”

  “You sound surprised.”

  Shoot. Had she misunderstood Daniel? Was her brother-in-law matchmaking?

  An angry burst of wind shook the glass panes in the south windows and Emily noticed him tense at the harsh sound. He sure was a jumpy fellow. He reacted the same way earlier when she’d brought food to him outside on the deck.

  Her curiosity about this stranger notched up a few degrees. “I do have some work that needs to be done. If you are interested?”

  Indecision flashed in his eyes.

  “I need someone to repair my dock. I need some help with the seaweeding. It’s just a few days of work.”

  “I don’t want to intrude.”

  “You already have,” she teased, suddenly wanting this guy to hang around and help her fix the place up. It would mean her fiancé wouldn’t come over and she would have just a little bit more alone time before remarrying.

  Okay, so alone time wasn’t quite the word if he stayed. But at least she didn’t feel obligated to kiss him hello and goodbye like she did with Skip.

  “You can use the room upstairs. Sheets are clean and there’s a bunch of quilts and blankets up there in case you get cold. Breakfast is usually at six a.m. sharp. Are you interested?”

  He bit his lower lip and when she got the impression he might say no, her heart sank. Then he nodded yes and she was surprised at the waves of happiness shooting through her.

  He drained the rest of his tea then stood.

  “I thank you very much for your offer. I think I’d better let you get some sleep, Mrs. McCullen. Don’t forget about the ointment and the gauze to keep the burn moist.”

  “Thanks for the advice, Doctor Donovan.”

  He smiled and reached for a couple more large brownies. “Two more for when I go upstairs.”

  Emily laughed. “I’m glad you like my cooking. Good night, Mr. Donovan.”

  “Good night.”

  She listened to his footsteps as he walked up the steep staircase to the spare bedroom. A moment later the quiet click of the door closing echoed down the stairs. In a flash her thoughts returned to the very interesting telephone conversation she’d had with Jo and Daniel.

  Daniel had been thrilled to hear Chance was hungry. The newcomer was a bit on the thin side, but he certainly didn’t have a problem with his appetite. Daniel also mentioned Chance was down on his luck. Had he been in some sort of accident? Lost his job? Or maybe he’d lost someone he loved? Maybe that explained why she sensed an overwhelming loneliness coming from him.

  And why were Jo and Daniel so concerned about him? Obviously they cared deeply for him. But if he was so close to the McCullen family, then why hadn’t anyone ever mentioned him?

  They’d been very relieved to discover he was here with her. Had they sent him over as some sort of matchmaking ploy? Daniel made it no secret that he believed Skip wa
sn’t right for her. But lately she’d grown closer to Skip. A few weeks ago he’d stated he wasn’t getting any younger. He wanted kids just like she did, so why not get married?

  It wasn’t a romantic proposal. More like a business deal. But she’d said yes. Oddly enough the thought of getting married didn’t hold too much appeal as it had when he’d first mentioned it. Skip Cole didn’t whirl up the intense feelings of wild desire or even the love she’d experienced with her late husband. On the other hand, Chance oozed masculinity and he definitely got her motor running again.

  “Who are you, Chance Donovan? And why does your crooked smile and your touch make my insides jump like a live wire?” she whispered beneath her breath as she headed to the bedroom to get the supplies to tend to her burn.

  * * * * *

  Chance sucked in a surprised gasp as he stepped into the cozy upstairs room. Immediately he fell in love with the room’s casual nature and the delicious aroma of pine.

  When he’d left, this room had been Emily’s pink walled frilly room with a white princess bed and white furniture when she’d grown up here. But now it was decorated in a bower of blue shades. The small room was anchored by a beige iron double bed pushed against the wall beneath the sloping ceiling. An old ladder leaned against a nearby wall with an assortment of colorful quilts layering its rungs. Covering the entire length of another wall hung a rope fishing net decorated sporadically with hand-sized pieces of odd-shaped driftwood ornaments and crusty seashells.

  Crossing the pine-planked floor, he headed straight for the night-blackened window and looked out. Aside from the silvery rain dropping like sheets, all he could see was his reflection staring back at him.

  A stranger’s face. A stranger’s eyes. He didn’t think he’d ever get used to the shocking blueness of those eyes. Eyes that had once belonged to someone else. To whom? He didn’t want to know. They had belonged to someone who’d died a tragic death in order for him to be able to see again. But now they were a part of him, just as his new face was a part of him.