It was the first time he’d mentioned the location of his home. After they’d sat and ate for a while, she asked, “Do you usually walk to the store then?”
He shrugged. “I have no vision on the left side. I can drive, but it’s a whole lot easier to walk, especially in a crowded downtown. Besides, the exercise is good.”
It was comforting to know he was so close. It shouldn’t have been, but it was.
He leaned in and kissed her hard on the lips. “Now I’m going to get dressed and head out, before it gets too busy on the sidewalks. Right now, nobody’s likely to see me duck out of here in my uniform. Your reputation will be safe for at least one more day.” At that, his smile came back.
“Time for the walk of shame, huh?” She finished the last swallow of her coffee.
Sig shook his head, still grinning. “I’m not ashamed in the least. It doesn’t matter to me if the entire town sees me leave. I was thinking of you.”
With those words, one of her reservations vanished. She was a grown woman. If she wanted a friend-with-benefits, she could have one. To hell with what anyone else thought. At worst, the other single women would be jealous. She smiled back and shrugged. “Doesn’t matter to me, either. Take your time.”
He brightened like a kid with a new bike. “In that case, I’ll come by before you close and walk you to my place.”
Taking a deep breath, she jumped off the edge of sanity. “I’ll pack a bag for morning.”
His eyes darkened and he kissed her again, so hard and deep she could feel it in her toes. “Okay. Leaving now. Before I don’t.”
Damn and blast the lack of protection! She wanted nothing more than to drag him back to bed. Instead she nodded and said through clenched teeth. “Buy condoms.”
“Oh yeah.” He dragged in a deep, rough breath. “The biggest damn boxes I can find.”
True to his word, he dressed, waited until she’d showered, then walked her down to the store and kissed her good-bye on the doorstep, waving cheerfully to a handful of other people out and about on the street. With his uniform jacket slung over his shoulder and his beret tucked into his belt, he walked away, whistling. Badly. The man could not carry a tune in a bucket.
Elsie didn’t care. She watched him go, grinning like an idiot. His olive trousers fit snuggly over his toned ass and she sighed in appreciation.
“Hmm, somebody’s all smiles this morning. I wonder why?” Gladys, the owner of the florist shop next door, chuckled as she paused beside Elsie. “That young man does have a mighty fine backside. You’re lucky I’m not ten years younger.”
“I think I’m just lucky.” Elsie felt heat warm her face, but she kept her gaze glued to Sig’s departing ass. Once he turned the corner, she looked over at the nice older woman with bright orange hair. “Ten years? Gladys, he’s only in his thirties. You’re sixty.”
Gladys waggled her eyebrows and shrugged? “So? I’m still pretty agile. I could’ve kept up with him.” The teasing glint in her blue eyes made Elsie giggle. “Of course, since his mother’s one of my best friends, it might have gotten a little weird.”
“I’m not sure I can now.” Elsie shook her head. “But I’m sure as hell going to try.”
Gladys gave her a quick hug. “You do that. The boy’s had eyes for you since the first time he set foot in your shop. It’s about time you noticed.”
“I noticed.” She’d been too big a chicken to do anything about it.
“Well, that shows you’ve got a pulse at least.” Gladys turned back toward her shop door. “You be good to him, now. Boy’s had enough trouble in this life. Don’t you go and break his heart.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Somehow Elsie was pretty sure it was going to be the other way around.
***
Sig couldn’t help but sing along with the radio as he finished the last of the trim paint in the half bath he’d built under the stairs in the Craftsman-style home where he’d been raised. With Elsie coming tonight, he wanted to get as much done as he possibly could. Buying this place from his mom and restoring it had been the best damn therapy, physical or psychological, he’d had since his injuries. Watching the place—which had always been well cared for, but never updated—come to life in a gleaming blend of new tech and old grace was the biggest pleasure in his life. Well, until last night.
Sig’s paintbrush dripped and he swore. Thinking of Elsie was too big of a distraction. Everything about her sent all the blood in his body straight to his dick.
He wiped the dripped paint, did a few deep breathing exercises to get his body back under control, then finished the final piece of molding. Done. Dinner was already in the oven, and the flowers he’d bought waited in the middle of the table. Now all he had to do was clean the master suite. Once he’d been healed enough to take the stairs every day, Sig had turned the third floor attic into his own private sanctum, complete with a sitting area, walk-in closet, and a jetted bathtub. He hoped Elsie liked it.
Halfway through scrubbing the toilet, he heard the house phone ring. That meant either a random phone solicitor, or his mother—which was unlikely since she was on a cruise in the Caribbean. Everybody else in the world called his cell.
Fortunately, he’d installed an extra phone line here. He rinsed off his hands and sat on his bed to answer. Of course, it was his mother.
“Gladys Everly called me.” His mom didn’t even bother to say hello. “We’re in port today, so we get cell reception.”
“Why am I not surprised?” He’d waved at Gladys as he left Elsie’s and figured she’d run to tell his mother, although he’d expected it to take a little longer due to the cruise.
“Ray and I were at the ship’s casino until we docked.”
This was only the lead-up, so Sig settled back against his pillows for the inquisition. “Win anything?”
“No, but it sounds like you did.” Martha Nowicki sniffed.
Sig hummed happily. “Yep. What of it?”
His mom’s voice softened. “Are you seeing her again?”
“Tonight.” He paused and added, “Be nice, Mom. She’s a great person. She doesn’t deserve any crap.”
“I suppose.” She sighed. “Gladys likes her a lot, anyway. I worry about you, that’s all. Is this something serious?”
“It could be.” Sig said. “I think I’d like it to be. But it’s way too early to tell.”
“I understand.” There was a long pause before she said, “Be careful, dear.”
“I will, Mom.” He’d given her enough to worry about while he’d been in combat. But he was a grown man with a life, and he needed to live it. “Say hi to Ray for me.”
“He says hello, too.” Martha made a kissing noise into the phone. “Keep an eye on your sister. I told her if she goes into labor early, I’m flying home.”
“Yes, ma’am. I promise to rat her out if she doesn’t call you.” Not that Mindy would even think of not calling.
“Good boy. Otherwise, I’ll see you in a week. Love you.”
“Have fun on the rest of the cruise. Love you, too.” Sig stared at the ceiling. One thing about small towns—even if you were a fricking soldier, some folks still treated you like you were riding around on training wheels. They meant well, but it could get smothering from time to time.
The cell phone in his pocket started chirping. “Now who,” he muttered as he dug it out. The display showed a local number, but one he didn’t recognize. With a shrug, he answered. “Nowicki.”
“Hey, Sig, this is Blake Kendall. We spoke last night.”
Sig chuckled. “And before that we played high school baseball together and both got dumped by Lily Parrish. I know who you are, dude. My brain’s not damaged. What can I do for you?”
“Did I mention I’m the current owner of Haven Rocks?” He named the town’s local FM radio station.
“I think someone did,” Sig said. “Glad to hear it. Hope business is good.” What the hell did this have to do with him?
“Did you also know
I own the AM station?” Humor laced Blake’s smooth baritone. “And if you did, have you ever listened to it?”
“Sure.” Sig hadn’t ever thought about who owned it, but he had a general awareness of his local media. “I like your sports talk and news programs. Listen a lot while I’m working on the house.”
“Excellent. Have you ever listened at night?” Thanks to the smugness of his tone, Sig could practically hear Blake rubbing his hands together. What was he up to this time?
“Some. Especially during baseball season.” Sig said cautiously.
“How about the ten pm to midnight slot?”
“The advice show? Can’t say I have.” Sig didn’t have much of an interest in hearing some so-called expert who thought he could solve people’s problems in five minutes on the air.
“Listen to it tonight,” Blake urged. “Then, tomorrow, I’ll have a proposition for you.”
Sig laughed. “Sorry, pal, you’re not my type. And I’ve got a date tonight.”
“Ohh, two in a row, huh? Elsie again?” Blake chuckled back. “If I wasn’t married, I’d give you a run for your money. She’s hot.”
“Watch it, Kendall….”
“Chill, big guy. She’s a good friend of my wife. I like her. Nothing more.” Blake paused. “Look, if you can’t listen tonight, I’ll give you the offer anyway. Dr. Lee, the shrink who’s our current host, got word today that his mom is dying in Florida. He was about to move down there in a month or two anyway, but now he wants to leave at the end of the week. I’ve got nobody at all to replace him. What would you think about becoming Haven’s new call-in advice host?”
Sig couldn’t believe his ears. “Me? You’ve got to be shitting me. No way in hell am I qualified to do anything like that.” He snorted at the absurdity of the very idea.
“The thing is, Dr. Lee and I both think you do. We’ve heard you speak, Sig. Your thoughts are always spot on. You have a natural empathy and you’re not afraid to say that the problem’s over your head and recommend professional help. The folks who call in are mostly depressed and lonely. All they want is someone to listen and you’re a great listener.”
“Hmmm.” Elsie had said something similar yesterday—that Sig had a gift for listening. Maybe this idea wasn’t so far off after all. “Granted, I have a face for radio, but I’m not sure I want to be that kind of public persona.”
Blake snorted. “You already are. Might as well make money at it.” He named the salary and benefits that would go with the job and Sig gulped.
“Damn.” He’d been looking so hard for a second career. Could he afford to throw this chance away? “I need to think about it. Can we talk tomorrow?”
“Noon. Come into the station. I’ll loan you some recordings of Lee’s broadcasts, so you can start prepping. But I’m going to need an answer by then.”
“Deal.” Sig hung up, not sure whether to be elated or freaked out. Meanwhile, he went back to scrubbing the bathroom and changing the sheets. He even opened the jumbo box of condoms and set a few on the nightstand to save a step later on. Finally, he changed and went down to finish dinner, remembering to stuff a couple in his pockets before he went. Just in case.
He whistled again as he went down the stairs. At 6:30, he left the ratatouille and fresh bread in the warming drawer of his commercial-quality stove, tucked the salad into the fridge, and walked downtown to meet Elsie, singing under his breath.
Chapter Six
Elsie’s heart beat double-time as evening approached. She closed at seven, so she expected Sig shortly before. At six, she’d run upstairs to grab a clean sweatshirt and her tote bag, which she stuffed behind the counter. She’d fed everyone and cleaned all the cages for the night. Now all she had to do was deal with any customers who came in, and wait.
She’d spent all day waffling over her decision to go ahead with this—affair, for lack of a better word—with Sig. Ultimately, she came to the conclusion that denying both of them wasn’t only foolish, it was downright mean. They deserved the chance to be happy, for however long it lasted.
Bluebell squawked loud enough to wake the dead when Sig finally walked through the door. Sig smiled at Elsie, but said. “Hello to you, too, Bluebell.”
“I still wish you’d take him home.” Elsie reached for her jacket and tote.
“Nah.” Sig came around the counter, scratched Bluebell and kissed Elsie in a way that made her knees melt and her pussy wet. “You need the company. Admit it, you’d miss him.” Sig took her tote while she shrugged on her fleece-lined denim jacket.
“I guess I would.” She flipped the sign to closed and locked the door behind her. Stepping out onto the street, she sniffed the brisk autumn breeze. “I love this time of year. Not thrilled with shoveling snow, or baking in 90 percent humidity, but you can’t beat Michigan in spring or fall.”
“No, you can’t.” Sig took her arm and waved cheerfully at passers-by with his other hand. “I have no urge to live anywhere else. Not anymore.”
“Haven must have been a fun place when you were young, with the beach and so close to Grand Rapids for shopping or concerts and so on.” She enjoyed living where she could run into a city in under an hour, but then go home to peace and quiet.
“It wasn’t bad. If I ever have kids, I’ll want to raise them here.” He looked off into the distance as he spoke.
Elsie froze in place. “So you want kids?” Her throat had gone as dry as the maple leaf drifting by her foot on the wind. Once upon a time, she’d dreamed of having a family, but she’d lost that dream somewhere along the way.
“Someday.” He shrugged. “I’m not too far from forty, so probably sooner rather than later. What about you?”
Elsie started moving again. “I doubt it. Not long-term relationship material, remember? And I have no interest in being a single mom.” She didn’t trust herself to protect a child—having failed at that so badly once before. “That’s one of the reasons I work with animals. They’re a lot easier to take care of and you don’t have to save for college.”
Sig gave her a look that said he wasn’t buying her bullshit, but he dropped the subject and instead regaled her with stories about the neighborhood. She could see him as a scrappy little boy with perpetually skinned knees. It made her long for what couldn’t be. Tonight wasn’t for regrets, though, so Elsie forced the gloom away and thought instead about how wonderful it was going to be when she got him in bed again.
That did the trick right quick. She smiled at him when he paused.
“So, what do you think?” He nodded toward a pale brick house. The glowing porch light highlighted bright green shutters and door. A few evergreen shrubs poked above the mulch in neatly-tended flower beds, and a green swing graced the wide front porch.
Now her smile wasn’t forced. “It’s beautiful. I’ve passed this house dozens of times and loved it. Especially the rhododendron bushes. You must be a fabulous gardener.” Elsie had itched to get her fingers on those flower beds. Gardening wasn’t something she could do in her space above the shop, other than a few window boxes.
He actually blushed. “Not a bit. But my mom is. She takes pity on me. Comes over now and then to tell me what to do and touch up my mistakes.”
“Well, however you manage it, it looks great. Now can I see inside?”
He nodded. “Remember, it’s not finished yet.” He led her to the porch and opened the door.
“Unlocked?”
Sig laughed. “I walked four blocks there and back. Besides, everyone on the street looks out for one another. I’m not worried.”
Yet another thing she’d never quite get used to about small town life. “Maybe if you had a big dog,” she pondered. “One that would scare away burglars before they got inside.” She stepped into the foyer, then on to the living room and forgot her train of thought. It was too late for sunlight to stream through the leaded-glass windows, but during the day, the big room would be filled with sunshine. A wide archway led to a dining room, with a marvelous bui
lt-in china cabinet and a big cherry wood table.
“There’s a little bathroom there, if you want to wash your hands before we eat.” Sig pointed to a door beneath the stairs, which had probably once led to a closet. “Be careful, the paint on the shoe and crown molding might still be tacky.”
“I doubt I could reach the crown molding if I tried. But I’ll watch my feet.” She was touched that he’d obviously hurried to get the project done in time for her to see.
When she emerged, Sig leaned against another archway, this one leading to the kitchen. Off to the side of the dining room, pocket doors were partially open to a study. She glanced in and saw the pièce de résistance. “Oh my goodness, your fish tank!” Forgetting dinner, or even to ask if it was all right, Elsie rushed forward to look.
Dominating the back wall of the room, the wide aquarium had been built in with wood paneling to match the rest of the house. Three hundred gallons of salt water—she’d ordered the tank for him—teemed with brightly colored fish, corals, tiny crustaceans, and more. The lights in the lid gleamed enough to cast the entire room in a rippling glow, making it feel as if she were in a marine grotto instead of a house. “Sig, this is amazing. My goodness!” she marveled, watching the clownfish she’d sold him last week dart around a piece of fan coral.
“I’m glad you like it.” He stood behind her, his lips close to her ear. “You have no idea how much this has helped me readjust. Having something depending on me, something to care for—it made a huge difference in my recovery.”
“You’re giving the fish too much credit, but I’m glad they helped.” Breathless, she turned and looped her arms around the back of his neck. She lifted onto her tiptoes and kissed him, letting him feel all the pent-up sexual tension that had been building in her throughout the day.
Sig wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her, even while he was tracing her lips with his tongue. She wound her legs around his waist and held on as he moved over to sit in one of the matched pair of dark leather recliners. He sat, bringing her down onto his lap, and she rubbed her aching pussy against his erection.
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