by Rhonda Shaw
She climbed out of her car, stepped up the cement steps to the front door and knocked. Even though she’d been told the owners would not be home, she’d learned her lesson after catching some homeowners in compromising positions.
When no one answered after a few seconds, she punched in the lockbox code and pulled out the key.
Stepping inside, she looked around. Crap, Karen thought, immediately realizing it was a no-go. The only way Jerry would possibly like the house was if he were eighty years old. It was one thing to keep things neutral, but whoever had decorated this place had gone overboard. Everything was boring, with bland brown carpeting throughout the whole house. The walls were painted beige and there wasn’t anything of character anywhere—no artwork, no photos, no anything. The furniture was plain and simple, could be described as nothing other than functional and gave no life to the rooms. There weren’t even any throw pillows to add color or texture. All the ceilings were low and the doorways small, and if she felt claustrophobic, then Jerry was definitely going to.
“Snore,” she murmured as she walked through the place, turning on lights, hoping to show its best side, whatever that was.
She stepped into the dreary living room and stopped at the sliding glass door overlooking the backyard. It was big, and surrounded by a nice wood fence, but there was no landscaping, no trees, no hedges or shrubs. Just grass and that was only a nondescript square.
Hearing the low rumble of a car engine before it shut off, Karen made her way back toward the front of the house and stood at the screen door trying not to stare as Jerry pulled his tall, powerful frame from the small confines of a silver Porsche 911 Carrera. He slowly removed his dark aviator sunglasses as he surveyed the outside of the place, standing casually with his hands propped on his hips. Dressed in jeans and an untucked navy button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled to just below his elbows, he was a nice combination of the boy-next-door with a little bit of Hollywood mixed in. He wasn’t simple, but he wasn’t outrageous with his celebrity-ness either.
Nope, definitely not the place for him, she concluded.
Jerry spotted her in the doorway and that big, toothy kid-at-Christmas grin of his spread across his face as he made his way toward her. She tried not to notice how her heart skidded at the sight of him and how her palms dampened, chiding herself that a stupid crush on a professional ballplayer wasn’t for people her age. She needed to ignore any attraction she felt toward him and concentrate on the job at hand. She had to get him to buy a frickin’ house and she couldn’t do that if she was drooling all over him the whole time.
She opened the door for him as he came up the steps. “Hey there.”
“Sorry I’m late.”
“No problem,” Karen said, trying to step into professional mode. “Feel free to walk around, take a look and let me know what you think.”
He walked in and stopped next to her, enticing her senses with the light scent of his cologne as he shoved his hands in his jean pockets. He glanced to his left and then to his right before he turned and arched his brows. “You’re kidding, right?”
“You didn’t even move from the front door.”
“Come on, Karen. Look at this place,” Jerry said as he waved one hand. “Am I a senior citizen or something?”
Her mouth gaped as he expressed her exact sentiments, but she quickly recovered and gave him a sheepish grin. “Okay, that was what I was thinking, but you never know. You could have loved it.”
“If I had no taste whatsoever. What’s next?”
“Uh, okay. Let’s see. It’s about a mile or so away from here. Let me turn off the lights and you can follow me over there.”
He put on his sunglasses and walked toward the front door. “I’ll drive.”
“I can’t leave my car here.”
“You should. It would add some color to this place,” he said with a smirk. “There’s a store at the corner where we can leave your car. I’ll follow you there.” He stepped out the door, not waiting for her response.
“Huh. Okay,” she said watching his back through the screen as he strolled down the driveway before stepping onto the road and into his car.
She wasn’t used to someone else calling the shots and she wasn’t exactly sure how she felt about him taking the control out of her hands. She was the professional, not him, and this was her show, not his. But she did want to get inside that Porsche, so she would let it slide for now.
Closing and locking the front door behind her, Karen got into her car and backed out, catching him ease in behind her as she passed him. She pulled into the parking lot of the corner convenience store and gathered her papers from the front seat as he parked in the next spot.
Walking over to his car, her attention on making sure she had everything, she didn’t notice that Jerry had gotten out. He stood holding open the passenger door for her and she nearly collided with him before she realized he was there.
“Oh!” she exclaimed as she stopped abruptly, just before the top of her head crashed into his chest. “What the hell? You scared the crap out of me.”
“I guess chivalry is dead in your eyes then, huh?” he asked with a grin.
Karen hesitated and a puzzled look crossed her face. Chivalry? This wasn’t a date, it was business. “Whatever. Like a guy named Smutty could be chivalrous.”
He laughed and closed the door behind her after she settled in her seat. Tickled that she was sitting in Jerry Smutton’s car, she snuggled in, enjoying the way the soft gray leather fit around her like a glove. She ran her hands over the interior, appreciating the smooth, silky feeling. He’d left it on, and the powerful engine rumbled promisingly.
When he’d settled his long body into the small space, she batted her eyelashes at him. “So, when are you going to let me drive this baby?”
“Probably not anytime soon,” Jerry said as he put the car in gear and pulled out of the lot.
“Turn right at the light,” she said as she pointed. “What do you mean not anytime soon? Does that mean sometime?”
“I mean not anytime soon, like never.” He smirked as he glanced at her, his eyes hidden behind the sunglasses, but she was sure they were laughing at her.
“Go to the next light and turn left on Howard Drive. I don’t understand why not. I’m a good driver.”
“Oh, I’m sure you are...in your eyes. Fast and aggressive don’t equal good by my definition.”
“I’m defensive, that’s all.”
He let out a snort. “Defensive, my ass. There’s nothing defensive about you, Karen. You’re all about offense.”
She huffed and turned away from him. “Whatever, Smutty.”
“You know, I’ve noticed that whenever I strike a nerve with you, you call me Smutty instead of Jerry. Why is that?”
“Why is what?” Karen asked, bummed that he wasn’t going to let her drive his awesome car. “What the hell are you talking about? Turn right here. The house with the sign in the front.”
“Why you go between calling me Jerry and Smutty,” he answered patiently as he turned where she directed.
She turned her cool blue eyes on him while he stopped in front of the house. “What difference does it make what I call you?”
He shifted the car into park. “I guess it doesn’t matter, really, but it just seems weird hearing Smutty coming out of your pretty mouth.”
Karen raised an eyebrow even though her stomach quivered a bit. “Are you flirting with me?”
“You’re impossible.” He grinned as he shook his head. “No, I’m not flirting with you.”
“Okay, good. Let’s go look at this house.” She opened her door and climbed out.
* * *
Good? Jerry thought with a frown as he watched her walk up the driveway to the front door. What the hell did she mean by that? Why wouldn’t she
want him to flirt with her? She didn’t have to act relieved when he’d denied flirting with her, he thought with some sting to his pride, even though he’d been lying.
She was the one who’d had a crush on him to begin with, not the other way around. He’d heard about how he was her favorite, so why wasn’t she acting like it now? Not that he wanted her to hang all over him, but still. Some recognition of the spark that he’d felt between them on Opening Day or at Chase and Maddie’s would be nice, rather than acting as if he was an annoyance. The woman was confusing, that was for sure. It had to be an act on her part, Jerry was sure of it. Now he just had to figure out how to prove it.
Stepping out of his car, he walked up to the door and stood behind her while she worked the lock. His eyes trailed downward, from her slender neck, on display since she had her hair pulled up, to her slim waist and hips, both outlined by her pinstriped suit jacket. Her tight navy skirt stopped just above her knees and the generous slit in the back gave him a great view of her tanned, nicely toned legs.
Done with the flirty games, Jerry decided on the spot he was changing his mind. He was going to test the waters with her, and he absolutely was going to get his hands on her. If he played it right, she would be melting before she knew it.
* * *
Karen tried to take a deep, discreet breath while she fumbled with the lock, replaying the conversation in her head. It certainly had sounded like he was flirting with her and that had sent butterflies fluttering around in her stomach. And why would it bother him that she called him Smutty? She thought it was a cute name, so it didn’t make sense to her why he wouldn’t like her using it. Maybe it was some territorial guy thing that she didn’t know about, like only his buddies or teammates could call him that, just like only a girlfriend could call him Snookums. Whatever.
She opened the door and Jerry followed behind her, glancing around. This place was definitely a step up from the last one, but she could tell he still wasn’t wild about it.
“I picked this one because it has the yard I think you’re looking for as well as a finished basement. Well, at least partially finished,” Karen amended as she turned and found him watching her with a look of contemplation on his face. “What?”
She stood in the middle of the kitchen, which was mid-size but in desperate need of updated appliances, countertops and cabinets. She worried that he was thinking she looked as washed out as she felt, surrounded by such drabness.
“What do you think?” Jerry asked.
“I’m not the one buying, Pookie.”
“Pookie?” he asked with a chuckle and a puzzled frown.
“Yeah,” she said with a small shrug. “You don’t like me calling you Smutty or Jerry, so I guess I’ll go with my own nickname for you.”
“And you came up with Pookie?”
“Hey, I didn’t have much time to work with.”
He laughed again as he leaned his elbows on the counter. “Okay,” he said before turning his deep brown eyes on her, all humor gone. “What do you think? Would you live here? Why did it bother you that you thought I was flirting with you?”
“Jesus,” Karen exclaimed. “How many questions can you ask at once?”
“I could ask more.”
She blew out a breath and looked at him, her blue eyes strong on his. “Well, okay. Uh, what do I think? It’s better than the last one, but I don’t think this is it. Would I live here? No. Why did it bother me? It didn’t bother me. I was just trying to figure out what you were doing.”
Jerry studied her for a moment before standing up tall and running a hand over his dark hair. He looked around the place once more before putting on his sunglasses again. “You’re right. It isn’t right for me and you could never live here. Let’s go to the next one.”
“What the hell...” she muttered as she watched him walk away. “Why do I always get the crazy ones,” she mumbled as she closed up the house.
“Where to?” he asked when she got into the car.
“It’s over on Westwood. About two miles from here.”
They rode in silence, with the exception of her relaying directions. Karen watched the passing scene out her window, thankful for the quiet as she tried to piece together what in the hell was going on. He bounced around from topic to topic so quickly that she had trouble keeping up with him. It was as if Jerry was purposefully trying to keep her off balance so she couldn’t be sure of his next strike. Why he would be doing that, she couldn’t figure out. Did he want to flirt with her or was that just his nature? She had no idea, but she was certain that he’d believed she was telling him to back off when she’d called him on it.
Truth was, she was all up for flirting with the Smutster, if that’s what he wanted, and she could admit it would be a boost to her ego if he did find her attractive. He would be fun to hang out with, but she needed to make sure they were on the same page. She wasn’t Maddie, looking to settle down. If he was trying to follow the same path as Chase, then he was barking up the wrong tree.
When she pointed out the house, Jerry pulled into the circular driveway and took off his sunglasses as he looked out the front windshield. “Holy shit. This place is huge.”
“I wanted to show you what you could get in certain price ranges. I think we’ve already established that the other two are not for you, but I’m thinking this one might be more your type.”
“And why’s that?”
“It’s flashy. Big and roomy. More space for you to play.”
He looked at her. “Awfully big and roomy for one person, don’t you think?”
“You’ll fill it up one day. Come on, let’s go.”
* * *
Jerry got out and followed her, looking up at the huge house. It was more his type, all decked out in redbrick and tan stone, with staggering levels of peaks and arches. The landscaping in front further complemented the house with large, flowing flower beds that he knew would soon be filled with big, colorful flowers. He could practically see them already, sprouting out of the ground toward the spring sun.
The driveway continued around the side and out of sight, leading to where he was sure he would find at least a three-car garage. He glanced back at his Porsche and thought about his truck sitting in storage.
Karen opened the front door and he stepped inside the spacious entryway, his footsteps echoing quietly off the glistening white marble tiles. He walked around and assessed everything, the click-clack of Karen’s heels just background noise. It was easy to envision himself in a place like this. It was big enough without being too overwhelming. The high ceilings made him feel like he could breathe, that his tall frame wouldn’t have any problems moving around.
A sliding glass door in the family room overlooked a sprawling wood deck with stairs leading down to the yard. He opened it and went outside, easily picturing having a barbeque and throwing a ball around. Off to the side sat an in-ground pool with a hot tub at one end, and a slide and diving board on the opposite side. He could make good use of that as well, and imagined coming home after a rough game and submerging himself in the steamy, jet-propelled water. He leaned down on the railing and took it all in.
He could see it all, but it still didn’t feel right. It needed more. It needed a family and a dog or two before it would feel like a home. Until then, it would be a museum, cold and desolate, with just him alone inside of it, not even around for most of the year. Jerry stood up and tried to shake off the feeling of loneliness that had suddenly settled in his bones.
This was his choice and he was happy with his life. He did what he wanted, when he wanted, and his career was what was important now. He could have the rest later. There was plenty of time for that, Jerry reminded himself.
He rolled his shoulders as if to dislodge the invisible weight and wondered where the unexpected bleakness had come from. Not liking where his thoughts were
going, he sought out a distraction.
Stepping into the living room, Jerry looked for Karen and found her going through the huge gourmet kitchen. He stood quietly watching as she moved around, running her fingers lightly over the light oak cabinets and black granite countertops. She definitely belonged in a place like this. It was striking and expressive, just like her.
He leaned against the counter. “What do you think?”
“Why do you keep asking me that? That’s my question to you.”
“Just doing your job for you, you’re too slow.”
Karen swatted his arm and laughed. “Right. So, what do you think, Jerry?”
He paused while he held her gaze. “I think you’re an intriguing woman, Karen.”
He saw the surprise flit across her face before she quickly recovered and scowled. “Of course you do. I am, but I believe I was asking you about the house.”
Jerry gave her a lazy smile. “I know, but I was answering your other question.”
“I didn’t realize I had another question.”
“You do, or you will,” he said with a lopsided grin, displaying his dimple. “But I do like the house and I like the way you look in it.”
She puzzled over his words for a second with one crooked brow. “You’re a very odd man.”
“I am,” he agreed. Jerry pushed away from the counter and walked toward the front door as he called out over his shoulder. “This is on the keep list, but let’s look at some more. However, we have to head back now because I have practice. Let’s go!”
His plan was working well so far. He’d managed to get her off balance, which was going to be the strategy with getting to her. Just like in a game, he had to keep the batter guessing, never really sure what was coming at them. They had to be expecting the fastball while he tossed up a breaking ball, catching them off guard and leaving them swinging at nothing but air. That way he was always one step ahead of them and closer to the out.