"I'm taking precautions."
"And I'm helping her do that," Charlie said.
"I'm sure you are, which is admirable. But look what's already happened. You're missing work."
"The world won't come to an end." But Charlie felt guilty about it. He should have at least left a message on the company voice mail sometime during the night.
"I'm sure it won't come to an end. But you seem like a nice, steady guy. Don't let yourself get sucked into this. Instead of aiding and abetting, you should be helping me convince her to stop this nonsense. Then we'd all sleep better at night."
"Thanks for the advice." Charlie looked at Eve, who seemed to be trying hard to maintain a brave front in the face of her big sister's assault. "And for the record, I slept great last night. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll go locate my cell phone and call the office."
As he walked back to Eve's bedroom, he tried to sort through the waves of concern and envy that poured from Denise in equal amounts. After meeting Denise, who had a key to the house and was a very smart woman, Charlie was no longer sure that Eunice was the prime suspect.
Chapter Twenty
He's cute." Denise gazed after Charlie as he ducked into Eve's bedroom.
"He's temporary," Eve said.
Denise glanced sharply at Eve. "What do you mean by that? Isn't he good enough for you?"
Eve sighed. She didn't know why she and Denise couldn't have conversations like normal sisters, the loving sisters that inspired all those gooey e-mails that circulated on the Internet. "He's perfect for me," she said. "But he's not staying in Middlesex. And I am."
"Which is something I'll never understand, you in this backward little town."
Eve decided not to respond to that. Denise had put her finger precisely on the problem. She would never understand Eve. Eve was beginning to wonder if Denise had ever tried. "Listen, do you want some coffee? I could go for some." She started toward the kitchen, stepping around beads to make sure she didn't end up on her fanny like Denise.
At first she'd been horrified, but Denise was in one piece, so now Eve could see the funny side of it. She would love a video of Denise barreling through the door ready to organize the troops and falling flat on her ass.
"Don't you think we should pick these beads up before we think about coffee?" Denise asked.
"You know, I think we should have coffee first." Eve continued on into the kitchen. For one thing, she wasn't wearing anything under this shirt of Charlie's, and bending down to pick up beads would have interesting consequences.
"Then I'll do it."
Eve paused in her retreat. With her back toward Denise, she was free to mouth a pithy swear word. "Just leave them, okay?" she said brightly. "You're a guest. I'll do it later."
"It'll only take a minute. Someone could come along and trip on them like I did. You could get sued. I'll bet you don't have an umbrella policy in force, either. Accidents like that can wipe you out if you're not careful."
Eve closed her eyes and bit back her response, mostly because she didn't have an umbrella policy. She didn't think it would cover accidents connected to the hovercraft, anyway. Much as she hated to admit it, the hovercraft did have the potential to be dangerous. That was part of the excitement. Besides, she was the only one who would climb into the cockpit until the hovercraft had been thoroughly tested.
"I'll bet you bought these because you thought you'd get into the beading craze, didn't you?" Denise didn't waif for an answer. "They're pretty, though. I'm sure you'll want to save them. Somebody might be able to use them someday. Do you have something to put them in?"
"Denise." Eve turned back, ready to take a stand on the stupid beads, which could stay on the floor until hell froze over, as far as she was concerned. This was her house, and if she wanted beads on the floor-—or trained monkeys swinging from the light fixtures, for that matter—she- had that right.
"What?" Crouched on the floor, Denise looked up. She'd laid her leather jacket neatly over the handle of her rolling suitcase and she'd already picked up a handful of beads. "Anything will work. A bowl or a pan. Anything. Look, I've already picked up about thirty percent of them. I can get the rest is no time."
The fight went out of Eve. What was the point? Denise was never going to change, and the sootier Eve stopped letting it get to her, the better. Knowing Charlie believed in her and her project helped. It helped a whole hell of a lot. No matter what happened between them in the future, she would always be grateful that he'd given her feat confidence.
"I know exactly where to find a pan," she said. "Be right back" She walked into the kitchen and grabbed one of the pans from the floor where she and Charlie had arranged them before going into her room to have great sex. And it had been great—providing the kind of full-scale orgasms that a girl could become dependent on.
He knew his way around the oral sex routine, too. Maybe it wasn't fair to judge a guy on whether he was good at that, but she did, anyway. Lyle had never been very enthusiastic about such activities. Until this moment she hadn't admitted to herself that had been another reason she'd run screaming from a commitment to him.
But Charlie ... now there was a man who had all the moves she could ever want, even when he was a little disoriented by the round bed. Thinking about those slow, deliberate thrusts he'd used in their last encounter got her very hot and bothered. She wondered how Charlie felt about morning lovemaking. Morning had never been a prime time for her, but that was before Charlie. She could easily imagine—
"Eve, I thought you said you were getting a pan?" Denise called from the entryway.
Eve blinked and stared at the pan she'd been holding for at least a minute. "Coming!" she called out. Then she had a fit of giggles, because the potent memory of Charlie between her thighs had nearly made her do exactly that. She pinched herself to make herself stop laughing, but she was still grinning as she walked out of the kitchen, pan at the ready.
And there was Charlie, on his hands and knees next to Denise, helping her pick up beads. As he moved, his hair fell down over his forehead and his glasses slipped down his nose, which made him look boyish. But the rest of him was all man.
Crawling around on the floor made his biceps stand out and the muscles in his back flex. Then there was that sexy little gap in the waistband of his jeans where the small of his back curved in and the denim didn't. A wave of heat hit her. If Denise hadn't been there, Eve would have dragged him off to the bedroom to have her way with him.
He glanced up. She decided that she liked the rakish look of a beard starting to grow. He was the kind of guy who would wear a beard well, and it might make for a fun tickle factor on her face and ... elsewhere. Maybe she'd suggest that he not shave it off.
As he pushed his glasses back into place and met her gaze, he seemed amused. Maybe he was beginning to appreciate the humor of the situation. But the lust Eve was feeling must have shown on her face, because his expression gradually changed. If eyes could actually smolder the way romance novels claimed, then that was what Charlie's were doing. They were producing enough heat to start a charcoal grill, no problem.
Although Eve was loving this scorching exchange, she didn't want Denise to catch them at it. She looked away and cleared her throat. "Here's a pan for the beads."
"Oh, thanks." Denise glanced up. "I finally figured out I could pat them in my pockets."
"You know, you're welcome to these beads if you can make use of them." Keeping her distance from Denise, Eve walked right up to Charlie and held out the pan. If he could see up her shirt while she was doing it, so much the better.
Denise resumed her bead gathering. "Oh, I don't have time for anything like beading, unfortunately. I've agreed to chair a task force that's looking into making some major changes in the university's Investment portfolio. I don't have to tell you how critical that is."
"Nope, sure don't." Eve smiled down at Charlie.
"Thanks for the pan." Charlie's voice bordered on husky as he sat back on his heels
and reached for it. He looked as if he'd like to reach for something else.
"Did you contact your office?" She had the urge to pat her bare foot on his shoulder and give him a real show, but of course she wouldn't dare. In fact, she'd better get out of there before Denise picked up on the sexual vibes swirling through the air.
Charlie swallowed. "Yeah. I said something had come up."
She pressed her lips together hard to keep the laughter inside. Did he realize what he'd said? She couldn't be sure. "Any problems?" The question came out kind of strangled.
"Nothing major." As he gazed up at Eve, he seemed to have completely forgotten the pot he held is one hand and the beads he clutched in the other. "I'll go over there this morning, but once everything's under control, I'll take off the rest of today and tomorrow. I think we need to get busy on the hovercraft."
"Great." Maybe Denise was a blessing, after all. Without Denise around Eve and Charlie would get busy, all right, but it wouldn't have anything to do with the hovercraft. "I guess you need your shirt." To tease him, she started on the top button.
"Um..." He stared at her as if he couldn't believe she'd do it but was halfway hoping she would.
She wouldn't do it, but the impulse was there, not only to taunt Charlie but to shock Denise. Fifteen minutes into Denise's visit and Eve was already reverting to the little sister who was always doing crazy things and getting into trouble. She was trying to outgrow that image, but having Denise around wasn't helping.
"That's the last bead," Denise announced, standing and brushing dust from her knees. "Now it's safe to go in and out your front door." She took the pot Charlie still held and emptied her pockets into it with a clatter of beads.
"Thanks, Denise," Eve said.
"No problem." Denise held the pot out to Charlie, who snapped to attention and dumped his handful of beads into it. "I couldn't just leave those beads all over the place."
"So I noticed," Eve said.
"And now I'll go make some coffee. Is your phone book in the kitchen? I can call somebody to repair your washing machine."
"Fine," Eve said. "Phone book's in the drawer closest to the back door." She was definitely reverting to her ten-year-old self. As a kid, she would have made that mess in the washer on purpose to get Denise in a tizzy. This time the mess was premade, and all she had to do was wait to enjoy Denise's reaction.
Charlie looked alarmed as he got to his feet. "Eve, don't let her call anyone. I'll take care of it. After all, I'm the one who—"
"Let Denise handle it," Eve said. "I don't want to waste your talents on a silly old washing machine."
"Yeah, but there's all that-—"
"Stuff to do," Eve finished for Mm. "On the hovercraft. I know. Denise can supervise the repair person while we work. How about that for a plan?"
He frowned and glanced toward the kitchen where Denise was clattering around making coffee. "Look, I won't pretend that I understand the dynamic here, but I have a feeling if I get in the middle of it, I'll end up roadkill."
"Eve," Denise called from the kitchen. "Is this pre-ground the only coffee you have?"
"Yep," Eve called back. "Which is fortunate, because I don't have a coffee grinder."
"I knew I should have brought my own. Oh, well, I'll make do."
"Thanks, Denise!" Eve motioned Charlie into the living room and lowered her voice. "I think this is the best way to deal with her. As you can see, she has to march in and organize everything. I don't want her interfering with the hovercraft project, so if she has something else to straighten out in my life, maybe she'll leave that part alone."
"Don't count on it," he said quietly. "She's riddled with jealousy. I think she's concerned about you, but that jealousy is powerful. I'm wondering how far she'd go to keep that hovercraft from, ever getting off the ground."
Eve's tummy started to hurt, because she'd been wondering the same thing. In spite of that, she shook her head. "She wouldn't break down my back door, not even to throw us off the track of suspecting someone who had a key. She's too neat to do anything so crass as pry open a door with a crowbar. That's not her style."
"Unless she's desperate to keep you from succeeding."
Eve couldn't bear the thought. "I know we're not as close as sisters could be, but I refuse to believe she'd sabotage me."
"Are you kidding? I'll bet she's been mentally sabotaging you all your life. Why not add some physical intimidation?"
"Because she's my sister, that's why."
"Right, and in addition to the sibling rivalry, she's genuinely afraid you'll hurt yourself, so she could convince herself that her actions are necessary to protect you."
Eve looked into his eyes. "We think so much alike it's scary."
"So you agree it could be her?"
"It could, but I can't let myself believe it is."
Charlie held her gaze for a long time. "Okay," he said gently. "But just in case, I've got your back."
Almost immediately, the weepies threatened to swamp her. She blinked, determined not to turn into some out-of-control water faucet because of such a simple statement. But the thing was, nobody had ever had her back. Mostly she'd felt all alone in the world, unsupported and misunderstood.
She swallowed the lump in her throat. "Thanks. You're... a good guy."
"No, I'm not. I'm just—"
"You are too, so don't argue. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll go change into something less comfortable." He nodded.
"Want to come and help?"
"You know I do. I think I'll stay right here."
She took a long, shaky breath. "I appreciate mat you're taking time off from work to help me. We really are going to get that hovercraft working."
"You'd better believe we are."
"And nobody is going to stop us."
He held her gaze. "Not if I have anything to say about it."
She smiled at him, "Then it's as good as done." Turning quickly, she headed down the hall toward her bedroom. She didn't wait him to pick up on the sudden grief that had come over her as she thought about the hovercraft project
He would make sure he helped her finish it. That much she knew for sure. After that, he'd be on his way out of town. As his friend, the person who owed him the best she could give, It would be her duty to help him leave.
Charlie wasn't wild about abandoning Eve with Denise was there, but he couldn't see arty way around it. He needed a shower and a change of clothes, plus he needed to pick up his prescription safety goggles so he could help Eve with the hovercraft. In his initial excitement the night before, he'd forgotten them.
Then he had to stop by the power plant and tidy things up in preparation, for leaving for a couple of days. Last of all he wanted to find Rick and tell him what was going on. Eunice was still very much on Charlie's list of suspects, and Rick needed to know that before night fell and Eunice drew him back into her alien web.
So once Charlie had his shirt back, he declined Eve's offer of coffee, put on his chaps and leather jacket and hopped on his motorcycle. As he buckled on the chaps tie avoided looking at Eve. He wondered if he'd ever wear them again without thinking of her. Probably not. '
Minutes later he was back in his apartment. Before hitting the shower he decided to call his cousin. Fortunately Rick answered his cell phone right away, and Charlie quickly arranged to meet him at the Rack and Balls for lunch, adding that he'd like Rick to come alone. Then he finally headed for the shower.
As he started to throw his flannel shirt into the hamper, he paused and held it to his nose. His shirt smelled like Eve. The scent made his groin stir, but the reaction went deeper than that. Memories of loving her went beyond sex, beyond the incredible time they'd had in bed. He heard her laughter, saw the sparkle in her eyes, felt her vulnerability when she'd told him she'd flunked out of high school.
She was fast becoming an essential part of his life, and he didn't know how to stop that process. He didn't even know if he wanted to stop it. That kind of human connec
tion didn't come along very often, and he was smart enough to realize that. He knew they also had a problem with no solutions. It wasn't enough to keep him away from her.
He tossed the shirt in the hamper. Keeping it unwashed for sentimental reasons was-goofy, even for him. He'd wash the shirt and wear it again, just as he'd keep wearing his chaps whenever he rode his bike. They'd remind him of her, but so what? He wasn't ever going to forget her, anyway.
An hour and a half later he'd squared away everything at the power plant. Good thing he'd asked Rick to meet him for lunch because he was starving. A few pieces of cold pizza were all he'd had since lunch the day before, and he'd burned a lot of energy recently. Good energy, though. Despite the lack of sleep he felt great. Fantastic sex could do that for a guy.
The Rack and Balls was deserted this time of day, which was exactly the way Charlie wanted it. Archie used the daylight hours to do routine maintenance around the place. Today he was on a stepladder dusting the large set of elk antlers that hung above the bar.
Charlie walked over to the bar. "Hey, Archie, how're they hanging?"
"Nice and loose, Charlie. And yours?" Archie's grin peeked out from his bushy gray beard.
"Couldn't be better." Charlie had never meant that more than today. Funny how a woman like Eve could put a spring in your step.
"Hey, that's good to hear." Archie climbed down from the ladder and stuck the feather duster into his back pocket. "Anybody I know?"
Charlie laughed. "Nice try."
"That's okay. You don't have to tell me. I admire a man who can keep his mouth shut." Archie washed his hands at the bar sink. "What'll you have?"
"Coffee." Charlie felt terrific, but sitting on a stool in the dim bar, relaxing for the first time in many hours, he could feel his energy level dipping.
"I just put on a new pot. It'll be done in a few minutes." Archie leaned his forearms on the bar. "I never see you in here during the day. What's up?"
"I'm meeting my cousin Rick. We have a few things to discuss. You got anything cooking back there?"
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