“You’re doing great, kiddo.” He playfully rubs my back, and I’m not sure whether to be unhappy about being called kiddo or elated that he touched me again. “That living room is dark and needs a lot of light brought in. And maybe you’ll go nuts with the furniture. Imagine!”
His smile is contagious.
“Maybe I will. Maybe there will be”—I pause for a minute—“a couch or two in a soft parchment shade. Throw pillows with the exact richness of crème de cassis.”
“I like the way you’re talkin’.” His hand hasn’t left me, so I think I’m on the right path with this color thing. “Cassis. As in the liqueur?”
“Yes. I’ve never had it, but Kir Royale was my grandmother’s go-to drink. When I was young, I’d watch her make one and think how fancy nice it was,” I say with a laugh.
“Oh, ‘fancy nice,’ huh?” He pulls me in and laughs. “I’m down with ‘fancy nice.’ Integrating it into my vocab straight away.”
Not that I want to break the moment, but I am eager to keep going with the house stuff. Which is way less hot than the way Danny Schroeder’s touch is burning up my skin, but still important.
“I maybe, perhaps, possibly mentioned to Paul the idea of adding three large iron-framed windows that will look out onto the creek. Along with a sliding door or something at the bottom of the stairs,” I say, laughing.
He rolls his eyes. “Well, that will solve your light problem. And keep me working for longer and you in town for longer. Meaning no complaints.”
It’s all I can do to hide my smile as I lead us to another section in the store. “Okay, now, prepare yourself. I don’t want your head to explode, okay? Now, I’m not normally a wallpaper fan, but even with new tile, that bathroom is pretty damn boring. What if we did some kind of bold pattern?”
“I like where you’re going with this. Keep talking.”
“I mean, if we’re doing the blue tile, I don’t want more crazy color on the wall.”
“Well, yeah, after this craaaaaazy-colored floor, sure.” He winks, and I push him away jokingly.
“Baby steps, baby steps!” I implore. “But I was wondering about a big black-and-white print?” My hands touch samples as we stroll together. “Like this? It reminds me of giant black peonies.”
“I love it,” he says decidedly.
“And obviously, a new sink, toilet, and washer and dryer because those are old as hell.”
“I guess we have some orders to place.”
“Yes. But I’m not looking at toilets in front of you. I’ll do that another time.”
Danny shrugs. “Why? You’re here. Might as well.”
“It’s creepy and weird. I cannot think of anything less sexy than perusing toilets with someone, much less you.”
“Huh. Well, this is interesting.” He leans against a shelf and crosses his arms, unable to conceal a teasing smile. “So, you’re looking for sexier pastimes with me?”
Shit. Why did I say that?
Danny would probably come up with five ways to describe the color that floods my cheeks, and it doesn’t help that his stance only tightens his T-shirt across his chest and arms. I look down, but now, I’m looking at the way his jeans gently hug his waist and thighs. And more. Not too tightly, not too loosely.
“I meant that I’m not shopping for a toilet withanyone. It’s a solitary activity.”
“Just like using one!” he replies with too much delight.
“Oh my God. I’ll order one online. Hey, maybe one of those old-timey ones with the tank up top and a metal chain that pulls to make it flush. Ugh! I’m stopping now!.” It’s hard not to be appalled at how excited I’m getting about toilet possibilities. “Could we please talk grout and stuff? Anything but this conversation that has gone horribly sideways.”
“We can for sure be done talking about toilets.” He moves in and throws an arm over my shoulders, pulling me against him. “Maybe not other stuff.”
It feels as though I’m not alone in my attraction, but I can’t indulge in this. Not only am I going to be leaving at some unnamed point in the not-too-distant future, but I’m damaged goods, as they say. Like, a true mess. And Danny is…well, Danny is all cool and skilled and hot and together. Opposites might attract but not like this.
We’re checking out when I say confidently, “I need to rent a tile saw. I’m going to be, you know, cutting tiles. Tiling various rooms. ’Cause that’s what I do. It’s my thing.”
Danny cannot pretend that I’m not totally lying. “You need to stop talking.”
