"You're going to add another full bathroom?"
"It's on the plans. Unless we hit some kind of snag, you'll have two baths on the main floor," she said.
"How did you get into this?" he asked. "Don't you think it's odd for a woman to be a contractor refurbishing houses."
"No, and I love it."
The lawyer was already sweating, and even though his muscles were toned and strong from his workouts at the gym, she could tell he was not used to working with his hands. Well, at least not with tools.
A grin crossed her face. That had been a magical semester, the first time she fell in love with Victorian ladies. "In college, I renovated a house in one of my classes and became hooked on refurbishing old homes. Since then, that's all I've done. I'm fortunate it pays the bills."
For the next hour, they demolished the kitchen, pulling the cabinets off the wall and smashing the countertops.
In some ways, this was always a fun day. Getting rid of a little frustration while tearing out a kitchen or a bathroom. When all but one cupboard lay busted up all around them, they took a break.
"This is hard work," he said breathing heavily.
"The destruction is easier when the entire crew is here. They'd be finished in no time."
Drew stood leaning against the one remaining counter. Chloe jumped up and sat swinging her legs over the side, gazing around at what all they had accomplished, sipping on a bottled water.
"The other day, I explained to you why I did the Cupid dance. You said you danced to fulfill a bet but who made such a wager with you," she asked, needing to understand why he would take the risk.
Sure, men were known for being exhibitionist, but still, the risks of being caught by the law... Especially a lawyer. The judge would make an example out of any attorney brought before him.
"Obviously, you don't have brothers or male friends. Cody bet me and Jim and Kyle that if he proposed to my sister and she said yes, we had to run around the Cupid statue. If she said no, he would take us all to Las Vegas, expenses paid. What we didn't know was he and Kelsey had been dating."
"You're right, no brothers or sisters."
Unfortunately, her mother had never conceived again after her birth. Chloe had longed for siblings, but she also received more since she was the only child. Still, family would have been nice.
"The other two did their run a month ago. Jim is marrying Shadow next week and Kyle and Tempe eloped and now run the veterinary clinic together. Both of them found perfect partners after they ran around the statue."
"And you didn't," she said, knowing the superstition.
"No, I'm not searching for someone to marry. In fact, I did the dance to honor my word with Cody, nothing else."
"According to the superstition, I'm your true love," she said, thinking it sounded so awkward.
Leaning on the counter top, he turned and moved toward her. The green in his eyes had darkened to a deep hue that sent a sizzle of heat scurrying up her spine. There was something so determined in his steps that she knew--absolutely knew--his intentions.
Stopping in front of her, he pulled her down from the countertop until her feet hit the floor. Trapped in between him and the cabinet, her pulse beat a little faster.
"Yes, according to the legend you are the love of my life. Maybe we should take a little spin before we make up our minds. Sure, we kissed the other night, but it was a way for me to shut you up. But now..." his mouth hovered over hers, her heart pounding in her chest. "We need to know before we go any further. Is there desire between us?"
His lips covered hers, teasing and tantalizing her as his tongue slipped between her lips and he pulled her tightly against him. Sure, she'd been kissed before. But never like the man wanted to consume her and she was his tasty morsel for the taking.
A heat began to build in her center unlike anything she ever felt before. The feel of his manhood pressed into her, hard and rigid. An explosion of need rocketed through her, sapping her strength and turning her legs into rubber. She feared they were going to buckle, but he held her up.
The kiss seemed to go on and on, and yet, she didn't want him to stop. For the first time in her life, she wanted more.
Suddenly the front door opened.
"Chloe?" her foreman called. "We're here early to help with the demolition.”
With a shove, she pushed him back. "Crap."
Taking a step back from her, she barely had time to straighten her shirt and pull herself somewhat together.
"Ricardo, you guys made it. Why don't you take care of the bathroom upstairs and the one in the hallway. Then tomorrow we can start with the construction," she said, sounding like a marathon runner, her breathing rushed.
The foreman looked between the two of them.
"Okay, we'll get started," he said and turned to give the directions to the rest of the men.
Blushing profusely, her cheeks a flame, she turned back to Drew, feeling awkward.
He leaned in close. "Just so you recognize right up front, your kiss is very tempting, but I don't believe in that Cupid statue nonsense. And I don't intend to ever walk down the aisle."
"Great," she said and veered into his face. "Stop wasting my time."
"If that's how you want to think about it. I like to think that was a mighty fine kiss we just shared, and we'll soon share even more."
The sheer confidence about him, pissed her off. How dare he lock lips with her till the point of no return for his own perverse pleasure.
"Not hardly. I'm not sleeping with the bad boy in town who is notorious for his carousing. We took a spin around the block and it came up lacking."
As he stared at her, his head tilted. "Oh, honey, that kiss was anything but lacking. I'd say that kiss was a scorcher. Probably a ten and if your workers hadn't arrived, we would have made it to first base, at least."
"Dream on, Drew. You're not into marriage and I'm not a girl who dallies with men like you. In fact, I want everything you don't, so you'd be a waste of my time. We should get back to work."
Turning, she walked away, frustration with the male species mounting with every step.
Shortly after the kiss, Drew left, leaving her alone. As he walked out the front entrance, she wanted to throw something at the door, but didn't want to damage the old wooden threshold. Tears pricked her eyes and her chest clenched in pain.
Of all the arrogant men she'd ever met, he took the cake. It appeared her bad luck with men continued. Even after running around the fountain, her first meet was with a man who didn't want to settle down. Who didn't believe in the superstition, who let her know right up front he had no intention of ever marrying.
And he kissed like the devil. Never had she become lost in the power of a man's lips. The intoxication of the spell he created, she never experienced before. But he was all wrong for her.
At least, he didn't wait until she was emotionally involved to tell her he would never marry. The most frustrating thing was she believed in the legend and felt attracted to Drew. She could see herself as his wife. She could easily fall in love with him.
Picking up the sledgehammer, she slammed it against the cabinet. The breakup with Austin had been painful and if she didn't want to experience that kind of hurt, she needed to put distance between her and Drew. Time to back away and shut down this growing attraction. Nip these feelings in the bud and make their relationship strictly business.
With the second blow, the cabinet split in two and she began to pull the wood from the wall. Pulling the pieces, she saw what looked like a leather-bound object on the floor.
Dropping to her knee, she picked up the book and wiped the dust from the jacket. Pressing the button that unlatched the lock, she opened the binder and realized it was someone's diary. Flipping through the pages at the front, she saw the line for the owner’s name was blank.
She wondered who it belonged to. Probably one of the Perkins girls left it behind when they moved. But it seemed older than the young girls’ ages. Later, s
he’d skim through, looking for names, then return it.
Chapter 4
Drew glanced around at the people at the church picnic and wondered once again why he was here. This was his third Sunday at church and the first time he attended regularly since his mother's funeral.
Raised to be there every Sunday morning, he'd stopped attending after her death. Two family members dying so close together, it just wasn't fair. Then again, like he told his clients, life wasn't always fair.
Walking up behind her, the smell of a delicate flowery scent came to him as he breathed in her aroma. How could a woman who smelled so soft and appeared so feminine wield a hammer better than most men? When he looked at her, she was certainly not what he expected.
"Good morning," he said.
Chloe whirled around, her eyes narrowing at him. "Morning."
They had barely spoken since the day she told him he would be a waste of her time. And he understood her reasoning, but that didn't mean he wanted to stop pursuing her. For some reason, he longed to spend more time with her and thus why he returned to church.
"Wow, three Sundays in a row," she said. "What's bringing you back?"
The question bothered him. The first time had been after their Cupid dance, looking for her, and now, he was here again. But he would never tell her he felt drawn to her. Not yet anyway.
"The place to be on Sunday morning," he responded. "Besides this picnic is the best eating in town.”
A light spring dress seemed to shimmer on her when she moved and it was a contrast from her jeans with the tool belt around her waist. This woman was such a dichotomy that intrigued him more than she should.
She shook her head at him as they walked through the food line, filling their plates.
"How's the house coming along?"
"Yesterday, the electrician redid the wiring, which I told you had to be done. Tube wiring is too dangerous and no insurance company in the world would insure you," she said. "Tomorrow the plumber will be out to replace old iron pipes and test the pressure."
Leaning in, she whispered, "Don't get any of Mrs. Burns homemade pickles. You've been warned."
"Thanks," he said, "for the heads up."
With his plate full, he followed her to a table. "Don't you sit with the other young people?"
"Oh no," she said. "Four of the men sitting at that table are exes and considered a dead zone."
A chuckle rumbled from his chest. "Is that why I feel like I'm being watched, with even a few whispers thrown in?"
"Just part of hanging with the PK kid."
How difficult it must have been to grow up, being scrutinized by the congregation and every time you got in trouble your world knew. Always being held as an example of how a child is supposed to behave.
"From the curves you carefully concealed beneath that dress, I don't think you're a child anymore," he said as a blush spread across her cheeks. That clingy scrap of silk made him want to act boldly. As he gazed at her lips, he remembered their touch, even her taste.
"Here is not the place to discuss my curves," she said in a low whisper.
"Maybe not, but you see, I know things about you these other randy bucks don't," he said, teasing her. The last time they were together, she'd been the one to make him uncomfortable and now he was enjoying his payback.
"What do you mean randy bucks?"
"Oh, come on, Chloe, you're beautiful, you're intelligent, you're fun, and these men are crazy for not dating you," he said, wondering why one of them had not snatched her up.
"Because I'm the preacher's kid, my personality should be wild and reckless with no regard to authority? Especially church rule?" she said.
"Strange, I haven't seen this side of you. Have you been holding back on me? This Chloe sounds like the type of woman I take out," he said.
A sarcastic laugh escaped her. "That's the problem. I'm me, not some stereotype everyone expects. Including the boring men sitting at that table. Some wanted the crazy PK kid, some wanted a religious church lady to keep them in line, and some just put me to sleep.
“Why is it so hard to find an interesting man? Someone who you can talk to about anything, who is more of a friend, and then becomes your lover."
"Maybe your expectations are too high? Most men are only interested in the physical side of things."
"Too bad," she said. "After the sexual side cools down, then all that's left is the friendship."
Drew frowned. None of his relationships lasted very long. Once the attraction cooled, he was gone. Quickly, he grew bored, like a child with an attention span of about thirty seconds. It sounded like Chloe had the same problem – she, too, became easily disinterested.
"Drew," a woman screamed. Sara Green ran to him and hugged him, pulling his face between her ample breasts. "I heard you were back in town."
"Long time," he said awkwardly, sitting at the table with Chloe while Sara gave him a head lock to her chest. "Been back for almost a month now."
As soon as she released him, he pulled back. "Drew, you bad boy. Call me and we'll get together and have some fun."
Oh yeah, he understood exactly what this girl had in mind. A tempting morsel that in the past he would’ve jumped at. But not now.
Sidestepping her invitation, he felt like he was walking on glass. "Great to see you, Sara."
Smiling at him like she wanted to pounce on him, she finally seemed to get the hint and walked away.
"Awkward," Chloe said. "Nothing like witnessing a booty call in action."
Holding up his hands. "There will be no response on my end," he said, knowing the old Drew would have been tempted to run after her, but he refused, determined to make a new start in his home town.
"I've never been so carefree with the opposite sex the way you are." Her blue eyes studied him and not in a good way. "You obviously feel comfortable in your own skin and don't mind sharing it."
Why the hell did he continue to hang with this woman? Why did she have the ability to make him aware of his shortcomings, yet, he enjoyed the challenge she represented. In fact, gazing at her, he speculated on how to respond without incriminating himself. All he could do was stare at her full lips and wish he could taste them once again.
"What's wrong with feeling good in my own skin? Do I think I'm handsome? You bet. Do I think I'm a man women want? Yes, it's been proven time and again. What's bad about that?"
Sapphire blue eyes flashed at him. "Nothing, but I don't want what everyone else has sampled."
That right there was the reason why he made the decision to slow things down a bit. There were only so many one-night stands a person could experience before they realized they were meaningless. That hour spent in a stranger’s arms still left him lonely.
That brief moment of pleasure didn't leave him satisfied, but created a craving for something more. So, he slept with the next woman hoping to find that missing element. Hoping this time his loneliness would be satiated. This time, he would find a woman who wasn't as shallow as rainwater running down the street.
Why did Chloe seem to make him think about his weaknesses?
"Okay, Miss Prim and Proper Virgin, if you knew me before, you'd realize I'm no longer quite the gigolo. Since moving to Cupid, there has not been a single one-night stand, a steady girlfriend or even a date. These last couple of months, I concentrated on setting up my business, buying my grandmother's house and starting the remodeling. All thoughts of women were put on hold."
The glare she gave him let him know she didn't like what he called her. "Well, Mr. Gigolo, I'm proud of you not continuing your philandering ways. You'll live longer."
With a chuckle, he wanted to hear her response. "Why is that?"
"One day you'll find a woman who has a husband or boyfriend who didn't appreciate the fact you partook of their woman. Remember, Texas is a gun-toting state. All you have to do is turn on the TV and see it all the time on the news. Jealous boyfriend shoots man. Jealous husband shoots boyfriend. Jealous woman kills man."
"Well, thanks for being concerned about my safety."
Her brows rose and she gave him a look more derisive than accepting. "Always looking out for you."
"And I rescued you from the sheriff."
"We'll always have the Cupid dance," she said.
The urge to kiss her all but overwhelmed him, but he only sat there, his memory replaying how much he enjoyed kissing her. What was it he was missing? Why was he so attracted to Chloe?
The man, the lawyer, who dated beautiful models, actresses and a few rich socialites, no longer wanted that kind of woman. What had happened to him that now a blue-eyed temptress sat across from him and all he could think about was her innocence.
After their kiss, she seemed more remote and withdrawn while he wanted to experience more and she refused to even give them a chance.
Chloe strolled around the picnic grounds, saying hello to many of the parishioners, especially the elderly. It wasn't that she disliked being her father's daughter and remembering her duties to the people of their church, in many ways she enjoyed the fellowship. The helping of one another.
In every congregation, there were always one or two who found fault with whatever she did. Those few made her want to toss aside all her teachings, but instead, she took a deep breath and responded kindly to them.
Over the years, she learned to keep her real thoughts to herself. Only occasionally she let them slip, especially with the troublemakers like Judy Holloway.
"Mrs. McCloskey how are you today? You look so bright in that floral shirt. It makes your eyes shine."
The older woman sat in a chair and smiled up at Chloe and took her by the hand, giving it a squeeze. The lady lived across the street from her and guarded her like a hawk.
"Thank you. Why are you talking to that Lawrence boy? That one's a hellion. It's rumored he slept with half of the girls in his high school graduating class. There's no telling how many women he's been with since he left home."
The woman always had the worst to say about everyone. It kept her questioning what she said about Chloe behind her back.
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