by Debra Webb
He clicked on the light and moved back into position, his chest pressed against her back, his pelvis rubbing against her lush bottom. Ignoring the bombardment of sensations, he went to work. “Jeez,” he muttered, “who plumbed this thing?”
“My guess would be a five-year-old kid who used a jungle gym for a model.”
Joe chuckled softly. “That’s a good guess.”
With Lisa holding the flashlight, he slowly started to detangle her silky hair and the fragile gold chain.
“Why don’t you tell me how you managed this unusual predicament?” he inquired in an attempt to help her relax. He could feel the tension vibrating through her.
“I was attempting to turn on the shutoff valves. The owner obviously forgot to do it.” She huffed in frustration. “As you noticed, it’s a jungle under here.”
His smile widened. “You’ll get no argument from me.” That she even knew what a shutoff valve was, much less where it was located, gave him a sense of pride. His new bride was obviously pretty handy.
“I can’t believe I did something so stupid,” she muttered, disheartened.
“Hey, look at it this way,” he suggested cheerfully, “it’ll make a great tale to tell our grandchildren.”
His fingers stilled when she remained oddly silent. Why was it that nothing he said was ever right? He continued with the task, telling himself that all newlywed couples likely went through this, though maybe not on the honeymoon. But everyone he’d talked to mentioned an adjustment period.
At last she was free. They eased out of the cabinet and collapsed against it. “Thank God.” Lisa pushed the hair back from her face. “You’re a lifesaver, Ripani. Not once but twice.” She smiled unexpectedly and Joe’s heart reacted.
Damn but she was beautiful when she smiled.
“It’s my job,” he murmured, wishing like hell he could slow the heat rushing through his body. Just touching her had him fighting to resist his baser urges.
He wanted to take her in his arms…wanted to kiss her until she grew pliant beneath his assault. Then he would carry her to the bed and show her how much he wanted her…needed her.
As if she’d read his mind, she raised her fingers to her lips. Those heavy-lashed lids swept down over her eyes, banishing the desire he’d seen reflected there.
“Good night, Joe.”
Before he could say a word, before he could tell her how glad he was that they’d come here, she was gone.
Joe sighed and hoisted himself to his feet. Fat lot of good that run had done him. He moved to the shower and turned on the water—the cold water.
This was just something else he’d have to get used to.
Cold showers.
CHAPTER TEN
BY WEDNESDAY of the following week, Lisa felt “moved in” at Joe’s place. All her worldly possessions were now under the same roof as his. As were the mound of wedding presents, still unopened. Her mother and Joe had stacked all the boxes in the second bedroom. She would get to those eventually, which also meant thank-you cards. In fact, she had a lot of thanking to do—to Shannon in particular.
Still, getting fully moved was a major accomplishment, which would not have been possible had she not taken a couple days off from the clinic. Greg had insisted the moment he saw her on Monday morning that she should go home. She imagined she must have looked beyond exhausted. Depressed, too.
It wasn’t that she hadn’t enjoyed the weekend retreat to some degree, but there had just been so darned much tension. She felt stressed to the max.
Nothing she’d attempted to do seemed to relieve it.
Thankfully, moving had helped. Greg had been right. Her life had been in such disarray that she’d needed the time to pull it all back together. The physical exertion had helped, as well as the mental closure of walking away from her small cottage and the past it represented.
With Joe on a double shift at the firehouse, meaning forty-eight hours, she’d scarcely seen him. She wondered if the extra shift had been necessary because someone was out sick or if he’d simply needed time away.
As much as she hated to admit it, she was grateful he was. Joe had probably needed a little distance, too. She’d sensed the continued tension, though she suspected that his came from a different source.
He couldn’t stand that she wasn’t prepared to enjoy a physical relationship. But she just couldn’t go down that path yet. Why couldn’t he understand that?
It just didn’t feel right…
But as her mother so aptly put it, men did have needs. It wasn’t fair for her to deprive Joe. They were married, after all.
Lisa lifted a skeptical eyebrow. Pardon her French, but bullshit. His needs weren’t any greater than hers, and she wasn’t about to sacrifice them for him.
Feeling empowered by her little “go Lisa!” rally, she headed into the living room to start hanging pictures. A house didn’t feel like a home until photographs of relatives, dead or alive, were hanging on the walls.
When she’d finished with her own, she scrounged around until she found a few of Joe’s family. Wedding photos of his brothers and their wives, and a great shot of his mother and father years ago.
Perfect.
Completion of the task required a trip to the local super-center for more frames and picture hangers. Lisa deftly slipped her hair up into an old-fashioned knot and checked her jeans and T-shirt. She looked just like the gals on the craft shows on her favorite home decorating-channel.
She slid her feet into comfortable shoes and headed out. A quick mental checklist and she could be in and out of the store in twenty minutes. Today would be Joe’s first day back home since they returned from the mountains. She wanted everything in place for him.
A smile lifted the corners of her mouth when she thought about the lovely family heirloom quilt she’d decided to use on their bed, and the lace curtains. It made the room almost as romantic as the one at the cottage they’d shared this weekend. She still needed to pick up bath mats for the two bathrooms, and linens more appropriate for the second bedroom.
Scratch that, she decided. That room would be the nursery.
An entire revamp would be necessary in there from paint to floor covering, curtains to light fixtures.
But would any of the changes make a difference? Would Joe notice? Would he realize that she was making his house their home? For them as well as their baby? She wanted desperately to form that kind of bond with him. To feel that they were making a new home together. But what if it didn’t happen? What if the only level they could relate on was physical? Stop right there, she ordered. She wasn’t about to let anything ruin her day. She’d taken this time off to pull her life with Joe together. A little optimism was in order.
She’d have to buy Greg lunch for insisting she take the time off. He’d been so right about it. Hadn’t she read that pregnancy brought on the nesting instinct? Well, she was determined to make her nest as eye pleasing as it was functional. Joe had a nice home—they had a nice home, she amended—though it was a little drab.
Other than painting, there wasn’t much she could do about the paneling in the living room. But a few splashes of color in the drapes and accessories would make a big difference. She mentally added those to her shopping list. Making a cozy home was the first step toward a more cohesive relationship, she hoped.
She glanced at the clock on the dash of her rental car—11:40. She might as well take Greg out to lunch today, if he was available. With so many of her appointments rescheduled to accommodate this time off, there was no telling when they’d have the opportunity again.
With speed dial she had Nancy on her cell phone in mere seconds. And Lisa was in luck, Greg was available and delighted at the invitation to have lunch with her. They agreed to meet in twenty minutes at the Courage Bay Bar and Grill.
The food was great and the atmosphere was relaxed.
Perfect.
JOE PARKED in his driveway and frowned when he noted Lisa’s rental car missing. Had sh
e changed her mind and decided to go back to work today?
Damn. He’d volunteered for that extra shift to give them some space. But now he looked forward to spending some time with his wife. Maybe take her on a picnic at the beach. She liked picnics. She’d told him that before.
Instantly, the thought of being alone with Lisa was like a blast to his senses. He took a moment to get himself back under control before he got out of his vehicle. If by some chance she was home, he didn’t want her to see him sexually aroused yet again. It seemed to be a perpetual condition when he was in her presence. Or, hell, whenever he just thought of her. So far as he could tell, she didn’t appreciate his problem.
He didn’t get that. Didn’t she like the fact that she affected him? Why would she resent his physical desire for her? He had to find a way to figure out what he was doing wrong. So far, as a husband, he’d totally bombed.
Joe strolled up the walk to his front door and unlocked it. Stepping inside, he resisted the urge to shout, “Honey, I’m home.” Not just yet. She might not appreciate that bit of humor.
His whole life now appeared to revolve around what Lisa would and wouldn’t like. He tossed his keys onto the table. When was he supposed to get what he liked?
The word never flitted through his mind, but he squashed it like a bug. His time would come, that certainty was all that kept him sane.
The change in his living room wasn’t noticeable until he did a double take. She’d hung pictures on the walls, and not just one or two. They were family photos. Her mother. Her father. Her sister and brother-in-law. Her niece and nephew. Her grandparents. He peered at the photo in question. He remembered meeting the elderly couple at the wedding.
On the coffee table he found a half dozen or so photographs of his family.
He shrugged. No problem. He didn’t mind having pictures of his relatives around. There were worse things.
He trudged into the kitchen and opened the fridge. The bulb glaring back at him was about all it contained. Why hadn’t Lisa gone shopping for food? She’d been at home for two days. Joe ate so many meals at the firehouse or at his mother’s house that he didn’t keep his own fridge stocked. But he thought Lisa would want to have groceries around.
Then he checked the cabinets.
Nada. Except for his own basic supplies.
Didn’t the woman eat?
The book he’d been reading on pregnancy emphasized the importance of nutrition. Lisa was a smart lady. Surely she would know that and be watching her diet. Then he remembered the pizza she had ordered on their wedding night and the fact that he’d done all the cooking over the weekend.
Well, so much for eating a home-cooked meal with his wife today, or maybe any other. She might not even like to cook.
He’d have to talk to her about that. But he’d have to be careful. He didn’t want to sound critical.
He scrubbed a hand over his stubbled chin. Man, he needed a shave.
Something in the corner of his eye snagged his attention. A dish towel on the counter. He picked it up and scrutinized it. Definitely not his. He didn’t do flowers or ducks. He opened a few drawers and found more of the lively towels with matching oven mitts. Lisa had brought over her plates, too. As he peeked behind one cabinet door after the other, he found a full set of stoneware. Glossy white with bright flowers adorning the center. At least there were no ducks.
Tablecloths. Coordinating cookware. The whole works.
No problem. The kitchen was her domain, anyway. Well, it was supposed to be. He’d have to be careful not to judge her by his mother’s standards. Women were different now. Lisa ran her own business. Maybe he should count on doing the shopping and cooking—or at least some of it.
He strode toward his—their—bedroom to see if she’d made any changes there. Might as well check the place out while he had a chance without Lisa there to see his reaction.
His eyes bulged when he halted in the doorway to the bedroom. “Holy cow,” he muttered.
Gone was his nice plaid comforter, the down-filled one that he loved. And where the hell had those lacy things on the windows come from?
He walked to the closest window and touched the flimsy fabric. Good thing there was a pull-down shade behind them. The thin stuff wouldn’t give any privacy whatsoever. And he had very private plans for the near future.
There were coordinating framed prints on the wall. More flowers. Well, he could live with them.
Might as well wash up while he was here. Maybe he’d shave. Spruce up a little before Lisa got home. Oh yeah. He’d tell her how great the house looked and win himself a few points.
Shoot. He had this game nailed. He knew all the right moves. Well, most of them anyway.
He opened the medicine cabinet and a shower of products spilled out.
“What the…?”
Prenatal vitamins. He’d read about those. Mascara. Tweezers. Aspirins, pills for bloating and PMS. Lisa wouldn’t need those for a while. Various creams in tubes and bottles. Antiwrinkle cream that contained sunblock. Night cream. Undereye cream. Hair-removal cream. Something called concealer. He read the label on one or two of the other creams and his eyes widened in disbelief. Damn, there was some hefty upkeep to being a woman.
Joe shoved all the products back into the medicine cabinet and decided he was glad he was a man. All men did was wash and shave, for the most part. His wide grin faded as the realization that all of his stuff was missing sank fully into his brain.
Dropping into a crouch he surveyed the cabinet under the basin. Tampons, panty liners, hair gel, mousse, hair spray, hot rollers, curling iron, hair dryer. What the hell was she going to do? Open a beauty parlor?
Surely it didn’t take all that stuff to keep a chick looking like a hot babe.
And what was up with all the tampons and stuff? That action wasn’t supposed to be happening for the next few months. Thank God. His brothers and pals had warned him that women were not happy campers during that time of the month.
But none of this explained where his stuff was. He moved to the cabinet over the toilet and found the meager products that kept him fit for mingling with society. Shaving cream, a little aftershave, his razor and deodorant, toothbrush and toothpaste. He needed nothing else. Big deal if she’d exiled his stuff to the holding shelf over the john. He was a guy.
His stomach rumbled, diverting his thoughts from grooming products and decorating. Since it didn’t look as if Lisa planned to come back anytime soon, he might as well go catch up with his buds at lunch. The squad had planned to rendezvous for lunch at their favorite haunt.
Sounded like a good plan to him.
Maybe Lisa would surprise him with a home-cooked meal tonight. She might be out shopping right now, planning a welcome-home dinner for her man. He could deal with that.
“YOU DON’THAVETOBUY my lunch,” Greg insisted, a gentleman to the very end.
Lisa had made up her mind. She was going to find him a girlfriend and soon. Playing matchmaker might be fun. There were lots of women who would love to snag a great catch like Greg.
“Forget it.” Lisa waved away his protest. “This is my treat.” She turned to the waitress, “One bill only.”
The waitress smiled and hurried away to place their order. The rooftop and dining room were filled to capacity, so they’d been relegated to a small table in the bar area. But Lisa didn’t mind. She wasn’t going to let anything get her down today. She’d even decided to go grocery shopping after lunch. She’d never been one to keep a stocked kitchen since she rarely bothered to cook at home, but things were different now. A wife was expected to prepare meals at least part of the time. Keeping the kitchen stocked would be just as much her responsibility as Joe’s. There were so many things they needed to talk about, to work out.
“Now, tell me what’s been going on at the clinic since last Friday.”
Greg had closed the clinic at noon on Friday so that he and Nancy could attend her wedding. He’d been so sweet about that. She wou
ldn’t have blamed him if he’d refused to come.
“Well, let’s see.” He considered her question for a moment. “Audra Hailey brought her cat in again. And once again I couldn’t find a thing wrong with him.”
Now, there was a good starting place. Audra Hailey had a huge crush on Greg. She was always bringing her cat in for some symptom that the animal only seemed to suffer in her presence.
Lisa nodded knowingly, though she doubted Greg had a clue what was behind Audra’s visits.
“Oh, and we had another dog left on our doorstep.”
Lisa had long ago put the word out that if anyone in Courage Bay decided they could no longer keep their pet and had no one else to take it, the animal was welcome at her clinic, even if space was limited.
“You know, Joe’s house is pretty big and there’s a fenced backyard. I can always bring the dogs home with me if need be.” She’d only just now thought of that. Another reason to like her new home. A warm feeling spread through her as she thought of the man who went with the house, and she suddenly knew, without doubt, that things were going to work out for her and Joe.
“It may come to that,” Greg admitted. “Space is getting rather tight around the clinic. Come summer, more people will be looking for pets, so it would likely only be temporary.”
“Not a problem,” Lisa assured him. “I’ve got plenty of space now.” Her cottage had been tiny inside and out. The lease agreement wouldn’t allow her to put up a fence in the minuscule backyard. But her new home was perfect.
The waitress delivered their drink orders and Lisa took a long draw from her lemon-garnished water. “Did the accountant finish up our taxes?” She’d delivered the last of the receipts to him the day of the earthquake. Surely he’d completed the final paperwork by now. His office hadn’t suffered any damage from the quake, and the partnership forms were due in by March 15. But then, the accountant would know that.
“He delivered them today,” Greg told her. “You could stop by and sign them on your way home. Or you can wait until you come back into the clinic tomorrow.” He fiddled with his glass and cleared his throat. “You are coming back, aren’t you?”
