Love by Design (Crystal Falls Book 1)

by Lee, Lynette

  “You’ve got a little something,” she said, holding back a laugh as she ran her finger over his bottom lip, pulling it away to show him the red stain of her lipstick. He laughed too and she handed him a tissue from her pocket.

  “That was some talk, huh?” he said, leaning next to her over the sink and wiping her lipstick from his mouth.

  She laughed and met his eye in the mirror. “Seems like we just can’t keep our hands off one another.”

  She bumped his hip with hers and gave his hand a squeeze, grinning as she turned and walked out the door.

  At least she seemed to be in a better mood than when she’d arrived. It wasn’t much, but it was something he could work with. What he needed now was a way to get her to his place. He threw the tissue in the toilet and gave himself one last look in the mirror, straightening his glasses and running a hand through his hair before going out to talk to the tilers.

  Lily was outside chatting with a couple of the men when he came out. One of them turned to him with a smile.

  “Hey boss! Paul said you had some work for us?” Noah glanced at Lily who raised her eyebrow at him.

  “Yeah, remember, the tile? Lily says it’s the right one.”

  The man gave him an odd look but then shrugged. “Whatever you say, boss.” Noah breathed a sigh of relief. Lily probably wondered at the inconsistency, but at least the man hadn’t contradicted him outright. He moved down the steps and to the side as the tilers began to grab handfuls of the tile and move it inside.

  “So we didn’t get to finish talking back there,” Noah said to Lily as she turned toward her car to leave.

  “No, I guess we didn’t.”

  His heart pounded. He wondered if she’d figured out that he lied about the tiles and was mad at him again.

  “You think we could finish now?”

  She looked at her watch. “I’ve really got to go, I’ve got things I need to finish.”

  He grabbed her hand. “Please, Lily. I can’t keep doing this. We need to talk.” He rubbed her knuckles with his thumb. “Let me at least make you dinner.”

  She pulled her hand away but gave him a sideways smile. She looked unsure and she fiddled with her keys until he reached over to nudge her with a smile.

  “Come on, you know I can cook.”

  She shrugged. “Tonight isn’t good for me.”

  “Tomorrow night, then.”

  Sliding her sunglasses back on, she gazed at the sun beginning to set over the tops of the pines.

  “Okay,” she said, shrugging.

  “Yeah?”

  She laughed at the eagerness in his voice. “Yeah.”

  “I’ve got a new place though,” he told her, his heart beating uncontrollably. He couldn’t believe she was agreeing to come to his place.

  “Oh? Where at?”

  He tried to keep his excitement in check as he gave her the address to his new house. He would finally get to spend some real, uninterrupted time with her. And show her the house he’d built for her.

  “Eight o’clock okay with you?” he asked.

  She smiled. “Sure.”

  “Great, I’ll see you there.” Squeezing her hand gently before letting her go, he watched as she got in her car and turned down the drive.

  Now he needed to high-tail it back to his place and make sure he had enough furniture and food. The last thing he wanted for his perfect evening was for them to have to sit on the floor. Or worse, sleep on it. The thought of her sleeping beside him made his flesh tingle and he felt himself begin to harden. He was finally going to have her again and he wanted the night to be perfect. Which meant he needed a bed. With sheets.

  Chapter Eight

  After spending an entire morning between the phone and internet Lily still hadn’t tracked the stone artist down and she was beginning to worry. She was ready to abandon the specific artist and take any she could find, but her searches didn’t uncover anyone doing the kind of work she’d seen at the craft fair a few months before. She began to wonder if she’d imagined the artist and his stone sculptures. The thought terrified her; she had no idea what she would do if the stone headboard couldn’t be made. She certainly wasn’t going to buy another fabric headboard, but the project deadline was getting close and Lily definitely felt the pressure.

  She worked through lunch, guzzling down an iced coffee to keep her going, sifting through dozens of websites and images of stone art, leaving notes on art message boards and sending emails to a handful of people she knew in Denver and Boulder, hoping someone else had seen the man with the stone wall hangings.

  Finally, with her stomach growling and her head aching from staring at her computer for so long, she decided to call it a day. She still had a few hours before she would need to leave for Noah’s but she wanted to have plenty of time to prepare for their evening together. She’d been saving a cute white cocktail dress for something special and tonight seemed like just the occasion. She didn’t want to look like she was trying too hard, but she wanted to wow him, make him really remember what he was missing.

  It would have been easy enough to come up with an excuse not to go to his place for dinner. But the truth was, Lily wanted to give Noah another chance. Maybe not a chance at a relationship. But, damn, the chemistry they had was too hard to resist. A girl needed to have some fun every now and then, after all. She would worry about what it all meant later.

  She grabbed a quick bite before stopping in at the hair salon. With all the work she’d done since Mrs. Upton first contacted her, she hadn’t had time to do much for herself, and she knew her hair could use a trim and some serious highlights. While she sat in the chair, the chemicals bleaching strands of hair, she tried to sort through her complicated feelings about Noah. The last thing she wanted to do was go to his place and let him sway her before she’d had time to make up her own mind how she felt about him and if she was ready to give him another chance. She knew how persuasive he could be, how easily she would give into those big hands, those beautiful green eyes.

  She thought about calling Rachel for a second opinion but still didn’t feel like the time was right. What was the use of discussing it before she knew if she wanted him back? It would only confuse her more.

  His explanation had made a kind of sense. Forgiving him didn’t seem like a Herculean effort any longer. And the few times they’d made out in the last few days reminded her of just how much she had missed him. But a part of her felt that if she gave in and took him back she would be caving, something she wasn’t really comfortable with.

  And there was still the matter of the things he’d said the night of the breakup, the things that still stung. Drunk or not, he’d known how much those words would hurt her and he’d used them anyway. Calling her a coward, telling her she was hiding. True or not, could she forgive such harshness? And would there be a time when he could hurt her that much again? She wasn’t sure she was willing to take the risk.

  The fact was, it was those harsh words that had pushed her to quit her job and start out on her own. No matter how much he had hurt her, in the end what he’d said had helped her immeasurably. Although she’d only had one client, she knew there was no way she’d ever go back to working for someone else. Her dream was becoming a reality. Would she be able to say the same if Noah hadn’t pushed her?

  As the stylist blew out and curled her freshly highlighted hair, Lily decided that for the time being she would start seeing Noah again. But she also decided that she wasn’t ready to lose herself in their relationship again. She wanted to keep part of herself back, hidden from the possibility of being hurt again. She would sleep with him, and oh, the thought of that sent delicious chills down her spine. But she would keep her heart to herself, at least until she felt that she could trust him not to break it again.

  It didn’t take long for her to change into her dress and reapply makeup. She stopped at the mini-mart to buy a bottle of wine, although if she knew Noah, he would have something with a much higher price tag chilled and
waiting.

  It was almost dark as she went out to her car again and programmed his address into her phone. She was surprised that he’d moved - when they had dated he’d had a penthouse condo downtown that took up an entire floor. The place had been classy, if not very personal, and she’d loved the many nights she’d spent with him there, looking out over their small town, making love in his big bed. She wondered when exactly he’d moved and what his new place would be like.

  Lily followed the directions from her phone up the same winding road she took to go to the cabin, but instead of going all the way, she turned onto a side road halfway up. The forest was dark and the road was narrow. She turned her headlights on bright and slowed down. Hitting a deer was the last thing she needed.

  After three more turns onto increasingly tiny roads she finally found the mailbox and a dirt road heading into the trees. There was a sharp curve left and then she saw it, the most gorgeous house she had ever seen.

  Interior lights blazed through the glass house and she could see high ceilings and slate floors. Despite the lights, the place looked empty and she double-checked her GPS to make sure she was in the right place. The driveway wrapped around the side of the house and she followed it until she saw Noah’s truck and she breathed a little easier.

  One last minute lipstick check and a fluff of her hair and she was out of the car and walking up a granite slab walkway glowing dimly with solar lights. Noah opened the door before she got to it and stood leaning against the frame as she picked her way gingerly over the steps in her very high heels.

  “You have any trouble finding it?”

  “It’s pretty dark out here. But I found it. You need some lights out by the road. Or at least put a bigger address sign up. I almost passed it.”

  “Sorry about that. I just moved in. Haven’t had time for all the little touches.”

  “Oh, but it’s the little touches that really matter,” she said as she slid past him into the house, her body brushing against his seductively.

  His heart fluttered. Quite a change from the way she’d greeted him only a few weeks ago.

  “You want the grand tour?” he asked as he followed her into the main living area. She had set a bottle of wine down on the counter and was shrugging out of her coat.

  “Here, let me take that,” he moved to her and helped slide the coat down her arms, leaning over her as he did and putting his nose to her hair. He felt himself grow hard, her body so close to his. He could just turn her around and kiss her, trap her body against the wall and do all the delicious things he’d wanted to do to her. But he chose to wait. They had plenty of time and he wanted to take it slow. He wanted it to be the perfect evening.

  She turned around and he raised his eyebrows at the slinky white dress she wore. He could tell she wasn’t wearing a bra and the thin straps of the dress were just begging for him to slide them off her shoulders.

  “I like your hair,” he said and moved to one of many empty closets in the house where he laid her coat on a shelf.

  “Thanks. It’s been a while, so I got it done today.”

  “I like it. It’s lighter than it used to be. I’ve got some white wine chilling. Would you like a glass?”

  He took her cheap bottle and slid it into the refrigerator.

  “Sure, that would be great. And then I’d love a tour.” She gave him a smile and joined him in the kitchen.

  “You really did just move in, didn’t you?” she said as he handed her a glass of deep yellow wine.

  “Yeah, didn’t get the keys until a couple of weeks ago. Sorry there isn’t much furniture yet. I don’t even have a dining table but I figured that we could eat at the bar or on the couch.”

  “It’s fine.” She ran a hand through her hair and walked into the main room.

  “So this is the living room,” he said, following her with his own glass of wine. “And you’ve seen the kitchen and the dining area.”

  He took her hand and she gave him a smile. “Let’s see the rest of it.”

  The hallway in front of them turned sharply to the left. “It’s hard to tell in the dark, but the house is designed in a U-shape. There are two wings on either side branching from the main living area.”

  He walked her through a tall door and into the master bedroom. He switched on a row of lights that were recessed into shelving around the room. A huge fireplace took up almost an entire wall. Before she had time to stop and take it in he pulled her to the double glass doors and flicked another switch. Lights came on all around a beautiful pool that ran from one end of the house to the other. Plant life and patio space was everywhere. Across the patio were windows to the other side of the house. She put a hand to her chest.

  “Oh, my God, Noah. This is gorgeous.”

  “You like it?” He leaned in and kissed the top of her head gently. “Wait until you see the bathroom.”

  He walked her in and stood back to watch her inspecting every detail of the marble and granite space. When she got to the shower he couldn’t keep the smile from his face.

  “Shit, Noah! This looks like the one at the cabin. Better even. Did you design this place?”

  He just shrugged and sipped his wine smoothly.

  He walked her quickly through the rest of the house, showing her mostly empty guest rooms and office space. When they got back to the kitchen he pulled a bar stool out for her.

  “Have a seat. Let me make you some dinner.”

  Lily took her time to inspect the living room more thoroughly before sitting down. The ceilings were arched and glass was more common than solid wall in the main living area. The night was dark and she couldn’t see out but she suspected that they were surrounded by the privacy of pine trees. Her heels clacked on the marble floor as she moved to the bar stool he’d pulled out for her.

  As he took ingredients from the refrigerator he told her more about the design of the house, how he’d managed to cut into the mountain to pour a foundation that allowed him to use the rock as part of the structure.

  She nodded and took a sip of her wine, closing her eyes a moment with pleasure. Damn, it had been too long since she’d had a really good glass of wine. Noah always did have good taste.

  They chatted about the work that each of them was doing at the cabin as he grilled two steaks, filling the kitchen with salty aromas that had Lily’s mouth watering. Green beans sizzled as they hit a hot saute pan and her stomach rumbled in response. It only took a few minutes before he slid a plate in front of her and refilled her glass of wine.

  The first bite she took was exquisite, perfectly crisp on the outside, juicy on the inside. He’d melted a pat of butter on top to finish it, and she dunked her vegetables in the sauce as she ate each one. Except for Lily’s occasional moans of joy and words of praise for the meal, they were mostly silent as they ate side by side.

  Lily was surprised that she’d eaten the entire steak. She wiped her mouth on her napkin and squeezed his hand with a smile. “Thanks for dinner. That was amazing.”

  He smiled back and returned the squeeze. “More wine?” he offered.

  She hesitated. If she was going to stay the night with him it wouldn’t matter. But if she planned to leave she couldn’t have any more.

  “I’ll have some if you do.”

  He placed their empty dishes in the sink and opened a new bottle of wine from a full-sized wine refrigerator in the corner. “Let’s go sit by the fireplace,” he said, pouring them each a full glass and motioning with his head toward the living room. She took the glass and followed him to the single couch that made up all the furniture of the big space.

  Lily was stunned at the beauty that surrounded her. No wonder he’d given up his downtown condo.

  Sinking into the leather, she kicked off her heals and watched him as he stooped over the fireplace. His body captured her attention and she couldn’t look away. He turned the gas on and a second later the logs blazed to life. He dimmed the kitchen lights using an app on his cell phone, making the fi
relight dance off the walls and windows. Lily raised an eyebrow.

  “Fancy toy you’ve got there,” she gestured at his phone.

  “I integrated all the latest smart tech into the house. You have no idea what I can do with this puppy.” He waggled the phone back and forth before sliding it onto the coffee table and sitting beside her.

  “Maybe I’ll show you more later.” His eyebrows went up as if he were proposing something dirty and she laughed.

  “Cheers,” she said, holding her glass out to him. He clinked his to hers and the mostly empty room carried the noise. She took a sip and closed her eyes briefly, letting the alcohol linger on her tongue and the sound of the crackling fire lull her.

  “So, do we need to talk any more about the break up?” Noah asked, leaning back against the side of the couch to face her.

  She frowned and looked out at the dark night. “I don’t think so. I’m ready to put it behind us, if you are.”

  “Does that mean you want to get back together? Or is this just going to be a fling?”

  She puffed out a breath of air. “God, Noah. I don’t know. Do we have to decide what it is right now?”

  He shrugged. “I guess not. I’ll take anything I can get from you. But just to be clear, a relationship is what I want.”

  “I know. But I’m just not ready to commit to something like that. Life is too crazy right now and this is all happening so fast. Let’s just take it a step at a time and see what happens.” She stretched her legs out, placing her feet in his lap and taking a sip of wine. “Okay?”

  He smiled and grabbed her foot, massaging it gently. “I guess I have to say yes.”

  They sat silently watching the fire as Noah rubbed her feet. She leaned back and let his strong hands knead the stress that she’d barely noticed building away. Her eyes began to close as his palms slid up and down her ankle and then her calf. She felt the slow burn of arousal begin its course through her body.

  Suddenly her eyes popped open.

  “Did you make up the story about the waiting tilers yesterday?” she asked.