Finally she sat down at the table and put her head in her hands. Oh, Eli, what have you done to me with just one kiss?
***
After spending the afternoon with Mari, Eli was lying on his bed feeling as tight as a jaguar ready to spring. Ben had given him one of his dirtiest looks when he came in, and Eli had actually felt sorry for the kid. He knew why Ben was attracted to her, and unless he was reading her all wrong, Ben didn’t have a chance.
Eli was used to getting any girl he wanted, but this time he wanted more than a night. He wanted nights and days and months and years. Patience wasn’t his best trait, however; he wanted it all now. Leaving when he did had been imperative.
Kissing her had tested the waters, but it was also a test for himself. Could he touch her, care for her, help her without demanding more? He’d never sat on a bed with a woman before yesterday without it being part of a seduction. And he had never yet set out to seduce a woman and been disappointed.
He closed his eyes and thought about her sweet, moist lips on his.
Chapter 6
Mari was pushing the last of her salad around on her plate, lost in thought. She had been doing nothing but thinking ever since Eli had left—thinking about life, about direction... about Eli.
She had dated quite a bit when college was a new thing for her, but as she had gotten older, the college students she shared classes with got younger. And she hadn’t met a man yet that was someone she’d want to spend her life with, any more than she’d found a career she wanted to spend her life with.
When she first met Eli, he was easy to dismiss as a charming playboy. Someone who was nice to look at and maybe joke around with, but you’d never let yourself fall for him. He had heartache written all over him.
But the last two days had been different.
Yeah, he was still charming and flirtatious, but there was something more. Comparing personal spaces yesterday had started out as a game, but Eli had taken it a step further and actually seemed to care about what he “read” in her chaotic decorating. And buying her art was something she never expected.
She put fingertips to her lips. His kiss had been so gentle and giving, and it had nearly turned her insides to mush. Does he really care, or is this just how suave men like him operate to get women like me—women who are totally inexperienced—into bed?
Elbows on the table, she closed her eyes and massaged her forehead with the heels of her hands, willing her brain to stop the replay of his fingers sliding into her hair so carefully, tentatively. If she were to follow up on the feelings he evoked in her...
Jumping to her feet, she carried her plate to the sink. She looked down at the fingers that were starting to turn white and feel numb without even venturing out into the frigid night air. Is he right? Will I be running headlong into another dead end with zoo keeper technologies? She went into the living room to retrieve her mug for another cup of tea.
She had spent over ten years trying to find her path—trying to find that special something that would make her yell, “This is it!” After the last degree she threw in a drawer, she took a test to find her interests. It suggested working with animals, and the zoo keeper plan was born. When her research brought up the program at Colorado Springs in the shadow of the beautiful Rocky Mountains, it had seemed perfect.
But if I can’t do the zoo, I’m right back where I started career-wise. She filled her cup with water and set it in the microwave. Why is this so hard for me? None of my brothers had any trouble figuring out their lives.
Jerry had followed in their dad’s footsteps and went into banking. Sam worked his way up to be the manager of a sandwich shop, while Nathaniel was a computer programmer. Noah followed in their mom’s footsteps, pursuing a realtor’s license, and Alex, the youngest of the five, worked in construction. Four of them were married with children, and Alex had been dating someone seriously for about four months.
Only Mari was at loose ends.
Filling her mug with water from the tap, she felt a sudden need to get her impressions of the day shopping with Eli out of her head and into her hard drive. And that kiss... She knew she’d be writing about that at length.
While the water was heating in the microwave, she thought back to the moment sitting on her bed with Eli when she had almost told him about her passion for writing. She was glad she hadn’t spilled those particular beans, but she couldn’t help wondering what his reaction might have been. Would he be like the people that want to read something and then pretend it’s good, or like the people that are sure you couldn’t possibly have any writing talent, so they move slowly away, nodding and smiling.
She smirked —Since he wants to kiss me again, I’m guessing the former— and rinsed the rest of her salad off her plate and started the disposal. After just a few seconds, she felt her stocking feet getting wet. Looking down, she realized that water was pouring out of the cupboard below the sink. She gave a little squeal, slammed off the disposal switch, and flipped the faucet off. Opening the cupboard, she was greeted with the sight of a large quantity of water with the remains of her salad floating in it. Ugh! She ran to the bathroom for towels.
***
Joe had just finished a plate of nachos and a turkey sandwich when the doorbell rang. Slipping his plate into the dishwasher, he made his way to the door, wondering if the Olson kids had lost their cat again. Pulling it open, he was surprised to see their new little neighbor, Mari, bundled up like she had been sledding instead of just walking across the lawn.
“Mari, come in.” She stepped in, obviously a bit nervous. “What can I do for you?”
“I’m really sorry to bother you. I tried to call my landlord, but he isn’t answering.”
“You’re not locked out again, are you?”
“Oh, no, Ben replaced my doorknob with a brand new one, so that shouldn’t happen again... Is Ben here? Or Eli?”
“I’m afraid not. Ben goes bowling on Thursday evenings, and Eli... I don’t know where Eli is, but he wasn’t here when I got home.” Mari’s brow furrowed. “Is there something I can help you with?”
“I really don’t want to be a pain—seems you guys just do nothing but bail me out of trouble...”
Joe put his hand on her shoulder. “Mari, what’s the problem?”
“I’m not sure, but I think my disposal broke. Anyway, water goes everywhere under the sink in the kitchen.”
Joe reached past her to take his coat off the hook. “Let’s go have a look.” He slipped it on, and the two started across the lawn following a now well-worn trail in the remaining snow.
“I’ve never actually met my landlord; I’ve just dealt with a real estate company. So I’m not really sure if he’s the kind that takes care of problems like this or not.” They stepped up onto her small porch landing, and Mari opened the door and stepped in with Joe following close behind. She kicked off her shoes by the door.
“Your landlord is Walter Merriman, and he’s a real nice guy.” Joe hesitated on the rug. “Do you want me to take mine off?” He was pretty sure that would be a bad idea. He wasn’t known for the sweet aroma of his feet.
“No, you’re fine,” she assured.
Relieved, he wiped his feet diligently before taking any further steps. “Anyway,” he went on, “this little house was the first house he and his wife lived in after they were married.” Joe slipped out of his coat, and Mari hung it and her own on the standing coat rack. “I don’t think he could ever bear to sell it, so he rents it out. He’s probably in his late ninety’s by now, though, so he doesn’t do repairs himself anymore.” Joe grinned. “Guess who he hires?”
Mari’s eyes widened. “You?”
Joe nodded and headed for the kitchen. The cupboard was standing open, so he squatted down to see if the problem was obvious. Taking hold of the disposal, he gave it a small shake, and the whole thing came off in his hands—a jagged edge of rusty metal rimming the top. He heard Mari’s small gasp of surprise and pivoted on his heels. “This is
definitely done for.”
Mari scowled as Joe rose to his feet. “Rats. Is there someplace still open to get a new one?”
“Probably.” Joe looked around for somewhere to set the defunct disposal. Mari took it and put it in her trash can. “But coincidentally, I just bought a new one for our kitchen this afternoon. I can install that one here and pick up another one tomorrow.” He headed out of the kitchen. “I’ll run back and get it and my toolbox.”
Mari followed. “But what if yours springs a leak? I’ll feel terrible.”
Joe looked back before opening the door. She really is a cute little thing, all big brown eyes. He smiled. “Ours isn’t that far gone yet; it’s just not chopping like it should. It’ll last until I can get a new one.” He winked and closed the door behind him.
Mari crossed to her settee and plopped down. Dazzling Joe, angel of maintenance. She giggled until it turned into a laugh then slid onto the floor and laughed till she cried. These angels of hers were practically moving in.
Having nothing on her windows, she was aware when Joe came striding back across the lawn, a large metal tool box in one hand and a box under his other arm. The streetlight glimmered off his blond bare head. Mari pulled herself up and took a few deep breaths before opening the door.
Joe went right to work, ridding her sink of the remaining piece of her old disposal. Mari sat down on one of her wrought iron chairs to watch, her hands wrapped around her hot mug of tea. He wore a navy t-shirt, and Mari was mesmerized by his muscles in action. Joe looked back at her. “If you have something else you need to do, don’t feel like you have to keep me company.”
Mari started to rise, feeling as if he were privy to her thoughts. “I’m sorry. Would you rather I didn’t watch?”
Joe laid the rusty rim on the old towel he had laid down to protect the floor. “No, you can watch if you want to. I’m just thinking you may have more important things to do.”
She sat back down. “Not really. Being new to town, I don’t have much of anything to do until the school semester starts, and I’m not much of a TV watcher.”
Joe sat flat on the floor to open the box containing the new disposal. Tawny appeared to rub on him, and he scratched her behind the ears. “I hear ya there. Not much worth watching, in my book.” He pulled out the instructions and laid them aside then pulled out the new appliance. Tawny jumped into the empty box. “So what will you be studying?”
She shifted and pulled a knee to her chest. “Well, I was going to enroll in Zoo Keeper Technologies...”
Joe glanced up. “But...”
She put her chin on her knee. “I don’t know. Eli thinks I’m crazy. He thinks it will be just another degree in the drawer that I won’t use.”
Joe pulled his toolbox over and searched through his tools. “I didn’t realize that Eli knew you so well to be telling you what to do with your life.” Then his brow furrowed, and he looked up and stared. “Did you say ‘just another degree you won’t use’?”
She grimaced. “Yeah, I don’t have a very good track record for choosing a career.” After Eli’s analysis this afternoon, she didn’t feel like elaborating further. Joe was still looking at her, though, so she said the first thing that came to her mind. “Not knowing when the dawn will come I open every door.” His open expression changed to a question. “Emily Dickinson. Sorry, I sometimes spout spontaneous literature quotes.” Joe couldn’t quite hide his grin, but thankfully, he found the screwdriver he wanted and proceeded to attach the collar that would hold the new disposal in place.
“So, how about you? How did you know you wanted to do construction for the rest of your life?”
Joe chuckled. “My dad put a hammer in my hand almost before I held a rattle. He was a master craftsman—still is, actually. His specialty is custom cabinetry, but he taught me everything right down to basic plumbing.” He flashed her a smile that set her heart thumping. “He let me work on real jobs by the time I was thirteen.”
He tightened the last screw and set the screwdriver down. Attaching the main part of the disposal was just a matter of twisting it into the collar using an allen wrench for leverage. Rising, he started the water running, then the disposal.
Mari rose and came to his side, feeling suddenly very short. The top of her head only reached his shoulder. She bent her head back just as he looked over at her with a satisfied smile, his eyes flashing. He turned everything off and squatted back down to gather his tools. Mari couldn’t resist pressing him further on his career choice. “So you never actually made a decision about a career; you just kind of grew up into it?”
Joe snapped his toolbox shut and stood with it in his hand. “I guess that ’s a good way to put it.” He turned and left the kitchen.
Mari followed. “So what about Eli and Ben?” Joe set down his box to put on his coat. “Do you think they love their chosen fields as much as you do?”
Joe narrowed his eyes almost imperceptibly. “What are you getting at? You don’t think they’re happy? Have you guys hung out together 24/7 for the past couple of days or what?”
“No, it’s just a topic that’s come up—I guess because of my choices—and I’m wondering how to choose something I can live with. I’ve done so badly in the past, and I feel like this is my last chance to get it right.”
Joe looked down at her intently, and Mari wondered what he was thinking. He probably thinks I’m an idiot.
After a few long moments, where Mari felt like she was under a microscope, Joe broke the silence. “Well, unlike my brothers, I don’t think I should give advice to someone I barely know. But if I were you, I guess I’d pray about it.” The corners of what she was now calling “those perfect Rhodes lips” turned up in just a hint of a smile; then he turned and let himself out, throwing a “Good night, Mari” back over his shoulder.
Mari followed him and whispered a “Good night, Joe” to the closed door.
Then turned and tripped over his tool box.
Chapter 7
Joe, in a brown plaid flannel shirt, was reading the morning paper alone at the kitchen table when he heard a loud thunk on the front porch. He read the last line of the article he’d been reading then meandered toward the door. Opening it, he saw his tool box sitting right at the top of the porch steps. What’s that doing...? Didn’t I...? He glanced up in time to see Mari making her way back to her house. “Mari! I’m sorry I forgot the box. Thanks for returning it.”
She turned and waved, then went back to limping toward her house.
Limping?
Joe watched her step gingerly onto her porch and disappear inside. He shook his head. That girl has trouble following her like a hound dog.
Closing the door, he turned just as Ben was making his way down the stairs in blue plaid pajama pants and a gray t-shirt. “Who are you yelling at so early? You woke me up out of a really good dream.”
“Hmm. I don’t suppose it involved a cute, little lady with brown eyes and curly hair.”
Ben stopped on the bottom stair and grinned; then his smile slid abruptly off his face. “Hey, why are you calling her ‘cute’? You’re not interested, remember?”
Joe started toward the kitchen with Ben right behind. “I don’t have to be interested to see the obvious.” He sat back down and snapped his paper back up in front of him. “Now that I’ve seen her when her hair isn’t a disaster, I can plainly see that she’s adorable.” He lowered his paper just long enough to raise his eyebrows up and down a couple of times.
Ben sat. “You’re not serious, are you? I mean, you’ve got Beth. You’re still going to marry Beth, aren’t you?”
Joe lowered his paper with a look of disgust. “Of course I’m still going to marry Beth. Can’t you tell when I’m kidding.” He folded it and set it aside. “Unlike you and Eli, I can spend the evening with the woman and not fall madly in love.”
“You spent the evening with Mari?”
“Who spent the evening with Mari?” Eli was stumbling down the stairs, shirtle
ss above black lounge pants with an honest to goodness bed head, weaving like a kid on Christmas morning.
Joe got up to rinse out his coffee cup. “Just mention her name, and you two start drooling like dogs.”
Ben leaned in. “Why did you spend the evening with her, Joe?”
Joe turned and looked thoughtful, leaning back against the counter. He hadn’t had this much fun messing with his brothers in years. “Well, since she first asked for you two, I guess I got her because you two weren’t here.”
Eli stood by the table rubbing a hand around his jaw looking every bit as if he really hadn’t woke up until he reached the kitchen.
Ben put his head in his hands. “I knew I should have stayed home last night or asked her to go along.”
Joe shook his head. It’s even worse than I thought.
Eli blinked and finally looked like he’d made it to the land of the living. “What did she want?”
Joe pushed off the counter. “Her disposal was leaking. I replaced it.”
Eli’s smile was lop-sided as he sat. “Oh.” He slapped Ben on the shoulder. “Take it easy, Ben, Joe may have earned some points, but we know what a conversationalist he is. They probably didn’t say two words to each other.”
Joe smiled as he left the kitchen. “Oh, you’d be surprised, Eli. I’m pretty sure we bonded.”
Ben turned on his chair. “I’ve got dibs on lunch with her.”
Eli rose and went to the cupboard. “Sorry, kid.” He pulled out a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. “We’re having lunch together before we go to the zoo.”
“The zoo! It’s freezing out there!”
Joe’s phone rang, so he stepped into the living room to answer it. “Rhodes Construction. Joe speaking.”
“Joe, it’s Tony Marshall.”
“Tony, how’s your daughter?”
Rocky Mountain Angels Page 7