Page 52

I don’t do well with a lot of noise in my head; it makes me anxious and uneasy. I crave silence to think through problems and concerns and clear my mind of unnecessary clutter. It’s something I’ve always sought solitude and isolation for, but to my pleasant surprise, Rick’s presence doesn’t seem to infringe on my ability to do so.

It’s a bonus and—along with the intriguing glimpses of muscle flexing under the T-shirt he stripped down to as he moves the ladder to move on to the next section of wall—goes a long way to negating any reservations I have against getting involved. Most of those circle around my own insecurities, but the mere fact he is here again, showing up on his own accord and sticking around to help me rip down wallpaper, is enough to silence most of those. He wouldn’t be here if he didn’t want to be.

“What’s the deep sigh for?” he asks from his perch on the ladder, as I fold the last of the towels.

“It’s a satisfied sigh,” I explain, picking up the stack of laundry to carry upstairs. “The kind that comes with being able to check a box off my list.”

A faint smile appears on his lips.

“You’ll have another to check off soon,” he offers. “I’m almost done here.”

I’ve been so busy studying the man, I failed to notice how quickly he’s made his way around to the last remaining wall of the dining room.

“I see that. It looks amazing.”

I glance around the space, mentally noting some patch work that will need to be done, but at least the horrific wallpaper is gone and the walls will be ready for some paint soon. Maybe I can do some of that after work this week.

“Let me run these upstairs real quick, and I’ll help with the cleanup.”

My linen closet sports organized stacks of linens and towels, everything sorted by type and size. I guess I’m a little anal, but I love when everything has a place. It makes life so much easier.

Maybe that need for predictability is why my life had become such a rut before Mom’s health took a nosedive and forced me to pivot and adapt. But that process also showed me there is so much more to life if you can be open to change. That kind of flexibility takes time though, and like a muscle that has been dormant for a long time, it needs to be used and exercised.

I’m working on it.

Half an hour later, I haul the last garbage bag stuffed with discarded wallpaper to the back porch. Leaning over the railing, I twist my head to look up at the sky, which is studded with stars. I missed the sun going down, and the temperature must’ve dropped about fifteen degrees. It’s cold out, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we drop below freezing tonight.

Inside, I find Rick in the kitchen with a serious expression on his face. He may have been watching me.

“You have to go…” I guess.

He shakes his head in response and slowly approaches. His hands slide around the sides of my neck as he tilts my chin up with his thumbs. His eyes are deep blue pools I find myself drowning in. His voice is low and his words send a delicious shiver down my spine.

“I wasn’t planning on going anywhere.”

Closing my hands around his wrists, I lift up on my toes until my lips almost touch his.

“Yippie,” I whisper, before taking the initiative.

I tilt my head so my mouth can effortlessly fit his and moan at the taste of him, as my tongue leisurely explores. He lets me, but I can tell it costs him not to take over the kiss.

Craving more contact, I press the length of my body to his, humming at the friction of his chest against my hard nipples. Abruptly, he pulls back with a grunt, leaving his forehead resting against mine.

“Before you make me lose all control, I need to grab my bag from the truck and hop in your shower,” he mutters.

I nod against his forehead, not trusting myself to speak, because I have no control left and am ready to climb him right here and now, but I could probably do with a shower myself.

As soon as he releases me and heads out the door, I dart to the stairs.

I’m already stripping down and stuffing my dirty clothes in the hamper when I hear him return. As I stand here naked as a jaybird, I feel a brief moment of panic when I hear his footsteps come up the stairs, but I’ve come this far already and I will not let last-minute jitters turn me into a coward. Straightening my shoulders, I turn on the shower and step into the large tub.

No way back now, especially since I left the bathroom door partly open, in what I hope is a clear invitation. My hands are shaking as I take some shampoo and work it into my hair. My back is turned when the shower curtain is pulled aside, and I can feel the heat from his body as he steps in behind me.

“Jesus, Dana,” he mumbles as he strokes his palm all the way down my spine and around the curve of my ass. “So damn gorgeous.”

Then his hands come up to brush mine out of the way, and his strong fingers begin massaging my scalp. It feels amazing, and my body and mind instantly relax, releasing all the tension I was holding.

I let him wash my hair and then my body, as he presses kisses along my shoulder and to the nape of my neck. It’s a slow, but determined, seduction as he builds my confidence with every careful touch. When I finally swing around to face him so I can touch and explore his body in return, there are no lingering insecurities left.