by Mitzi Kelly
He remembered her comment about wussy arms. She definitely did not have wussy arms. They were firm, strong, smooth, and silky with elegant shoulders attached to a graceful neck. His hands could probably circle her slender waist with his fingers touching, and his hands could also slide up—
He drew in a quick breath and steered his thoughts elsewhere. Jack. Yes, Jack was a safer thought. He was enjoying working with the big dog. He’d taken it upon himself to train Jack, and he’d made some progress the past weekend, but that dog was almost as stubborn as his mistress. Almost being the operative word.
Greg pushed through the door to the office and stopped short, his grin slowly fading. Gerald was at Ginger’s desk. She was talking to him animatedly with her hands, and Gerald was smiling and nodding his head. They both stopped and looked at Greg when he came through the door. “What’s going on here?” he asked. Immediately he followed with a lopsided grin, trying to turn his sharp words into a joke when both their eyebrows rose.
Ginger shifted in her seat to face him. “Greg, I’m sure I mentioned the remodeling I’m doing in my bathroom,” she said with a pointed look. “I told Gerald about it, and it turns out he has a brand-new sink he wasn’t able to use in a customer’s house. And get this. It’s mauve-colored. It’s going to match the tile perfectly!”
Gerald nodded. There was a noticeable twinkle in his eyes when he said, “I’m going to bring it over to Ginger’s house tomorrow and install it.”
“I really appreciate this, Gerald. I’ll text you my address.”
Greg picked up his phone messages from the corner of Ginger’s desk and pretended to look at them. Strange. She’d been so steadfast in her desire not to involve anyone at Tucker Construction in her home project. Then again, Gerald was a sub-contractor, exactly what she’d been looking for in the beginning.
“There’s no reason for you to go to that trouble, Gerald.” Better tread carefully until he knew what Ginger did—and did not—want revealed. She had this hang-up about keeping her personal and business life completely separate. “I had planned to pick Ginger up and show her some of the jobsites tomorrow. I can get the sink from you and install it myself when I take her home.” His words were casual, but his tone was firm. No way was he going to let Gerald install the damn sink. The bathroom wasn’t that big. Ginger could trip in the small area just as she did before.
And then Gerald would naturally reach out to help her. He would feel the fireworks explode at the feel of her in his arms. He’d be drawn into the soft, floral scent that seemed to be uniquely hers. He’d catch his breath at the sight of her slender, toned legs as she regained her balance.
No, Greg was not about to put either Ginger or Gerald in that awkward situation. Gerald might not be able to work with her and stay detached from the crackle of electricity in the air as he had been able to.
Gerald cocked his head, a tiny smile playing on his lips. “As far as I know, you haven’t done plumbing work in quite a while. Are you sure you don’t want me to do it?”
“I’m sure.”
Before Gerald could reply, his cell phone rang. He unclasped it from his belt and looked at the number. “Excuse me. I need to get this. Let me know if you change your mind,” he said to Greg as he backed toward the door, a wide grin splitting his face.
Greg grimaced. He’d just made an ass out of himself. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked at Ginger. “I thought you didn’t want anybody to know about your house.”
“I don’t. And I didn’t tell Gerald about the overall condition of my house. And no, I didn’t tell him you’ve been helping me. We just started talking about work, and one thing led to another. I knew he’d never actually see my house, though.”
“What are you talking about?”
She stood up and grabbed her empty coffee cup. “I knew you’d never let him come over to install the sink. You’ve already done a ton of work, and you’re not about to let someone else finish it. You’re too selfish about your projects.” With a wink, she turned and headed for the break room.
He dropped his head and groaned. He had just been played. Big time. It would serve her right if he didn’t show up tomorrow, but even as the thought crossed his mind, he knew it was an empty threat. He would be there.
And he was not selfish about his projects!
****
It took all of Ginger’s strength to keep Jack from pulling her off her feet as she attempted to take him for his first walk on a leash. Greg had a valid point about teaching the big guy some manners, but that was easier said than done. Evidently, his previous owner hadn’t taken the time to train him at all, so now, at a hundred pounds or more, Jack was being asked to calm down, walk slowly, and eat as if it wasn’t his last meal. So far his answer had been a big, flat no way. At least he always said it with a smile and a wag of his tail.
She half-skipped, half-ran down the sidewalk, trying to keep Jack from pulling her arm out of its socket. Part of her mind was on the job at hand, and part of it was on the gorgeous sunrise. She’d always been an early riser, eager to start the day before normal activity required she conformed to its demands.
The mornings were still a little chilly in April as spring fought against relinquishing its welcoming freshness to summer. The air was crisp, the sky was clear, and everything seemed to be on the right path in Ginger’s world with a new job, progress on her house, and new friends.
Everything was on the right path except her dog’s conduct, that was.
She gritted her teeth and planted her feet. “Enough, Jack!” she commanded firmly. He stopped and turned to look at her as if wondering why she couldn’t keep up. She shortened the lead on his leash and wrapped the nylon cord several times around her hand so Jack had to either walk right beside her or carry her on his back. “Now we’re going to do this as if we know what we’re doing,” she told the dog. “You will slow down and show me some respect, and I’ll let you sniff a few bushes for a reward, but this running haphazardly at ninety miles an hour is going to stop. Do you understand?” The tail wagging meant either yes or don’t count on it.
Squaring her shoulders, she started walking as if she were in full command. She had no idea if bluffing worked on dogs, but it was worth a try. Thankfully, Jack seemed to realize she was serious, and after bumping against her legs a few times, he fell in beside her at a brisk, straight pace.
She was soon able to let her thoughts drift. Greg appeared determined to help with her house projects, and she was having trouble deciding if she was more excited at the prospect of accomplishing the work or at the opportunity of seeing Greg so often. Last weekend they’d installed squares of tile around the entire bathtub. She had sat on the ledge of the tub while he had sat on the floor, applying glue to the tiles before handing them to her. They’d kept up a steady conversation about everything and anything, and she was amazed at how easy he was to talk to.
She’d learned that even though he and his brothers often bought homes to fix up and sell, they intended to keep their current home, which had sat vacant for many years, explaining its lapse into disrepair. When Ginger mentioned helping him again, Greg had changed the subject. Well, she could be as stubborn as hell when she put her mind to something, and there was no way she was going to let Greg spend his energy and time working on her house for absolutely nothing. Whether he liked it or not, she would be helping him with his house.
Jack suddenly stopped and angled his big body directly in front of her so she had to stop or risk flipping over him. She frowned and looked at him. The fur on his neck stood on end, and a low growl erupted from deep in his throat. Puzzled, she placed her hand on Jack’s head and followed his gaze, searching for what could have upset him. They were at the end of the block, and there didn’t seem to be anything amiss. Traffic was almost nonexistent, and it was too early for most people to be out of bed.
Then her eyes fell on a man sitting motionless in a metal chair on the front porch of the house directly in front of them. He was s
taring right at her, but she couldn’t believe that would cause Jack to become defensive. He had never before shown any sign of aggression, and the man certainly had a right to sit on his porch if he wanted to. She had to admit, though, she was becoming a little uneasy. The man continued to stare even though he had to know she’d seen him. How rude that he wouldn’t even acknowledge her. Well, just because he was acting like a Neanderthal didn’t mean she had to.
“Good morning,” she called out, lifting her hand in a wave.
For a moment, it seemed as if the man hadn’t heard her, or he was purposely choosing to ignore her. Finally, though, he cocked his head slightly and pushed himself out of the chair. He raised his hand in greeting and walked down the porch steps toward her. “Good morning,” he said with a chuckle. “I’m afraid you caught me daydreaming.”
Jack leaned his big body against her legs, his tail straight up as the rumbling in his throat started again. “Jack, it’s okay,” she said quietly, keeping her eye on the man, hoping Jack wouldn’t pull against the leash. She still couldn’t understand her dog’s behavior. If he were developing an overprotective characteristic, she would have to work with him and expose him to more people while at the same time not forcing him to lose his sense of safeguarding. No easy task when she couldn’t even get him to sit on command.
“That’s a beautiful dog you have there.” The man wisely stopped a few feet away. He was tall, a few inches over six feet, slightly overweight with sandy-blond hair and blue eyes. He was more cute than handsome with a friendly smile and a low-pitched voice.
“Thank you.” Ginger continued to rub Jack’s head gently, but she could still feel his tension. “This is our first walk, and I’m afraid he’s not really used to people yet.”
“I understand. I won’t pressure him to make friends. What’s his name?”
“Jack,” she said proudly.
“Well, if you continue to walk him, he’ll get used to me eventually. My name is Rick Thornton, by the way. I’d shake your hand, but I’d like to pull back more than a nub.”
She laughed. “Ginger Carmichael. It’s nice to meet you. Do you live here?” She nodded toward the house.
“Technically, yes, but I don’t own the home. My aunt recently moved into an assisted living complex, and since I’m her only living relative, she asked me to house-sit until she can get all her affairs in order. I’ve only been here a little over a week.”
“Well, I hope you enjoy the neighborhood. I’m rather new to the area myself, but I already love it here.”
“That’s good to know. I’m still trying to get familiar with the town and the house.”
“Oh? Where are you from?”
He hesitated slightly. “Nebraska. I think I’m really going to like Texas, though. You live just down the street, right? Do you have family here?”
Something in his tone bothered Ginger. It came across as a forced casualness. Then she reasoned he was only trying to make friends. He was alone, just like she had been when she first moved here. Already her circle of friends had grown, and she hoped that would be the case for Rick, too. Still, she was not in the habit of advertising she was single and living by herself. Sidestepping the question, she turned and pointed down the street. “About six houses down, the one with the red brick and white trim.”
At just that moment Greg’s truck turned onto the street, and a sudden jolt of happiness shot through her. “I’m sorry, I have to go now.” She watched as Greg pulled into her driveway. Jack had obviously noticed him, too, because his tail started wagging, and he turned and strained against the leash, urging her to take him back home.
She looked back at Rick with a laugh, surprised when she noticed a scowl on his face. In the next second she told herself she must have imagined it because he was now smiling and his words were friendly when he said, “I enjoyed meeting a new neighbor, Ginger. I hope to see you and Jack again.”
“Oh, you will. I’m determined to teach this big guy the difference between walking and making a mad dash from house to house.” With a wry grin, she gave him a quick wave goodbye.
Jack strained to get to Greg who was now walking toward them. Her smile faltered when she noticed the frown on his face. At first, she thought he was upset because she was having trouble making her unruly dog behave, but as he drew near, it was obvious he was looking directly at Rick.
Ginger and Greg met halfway to her house. If he noticed the questioning look she gave him, he ignored it. Instead, he bent down to pet Jack who was wagging his tail so hard it appeared he was ready to take flight. Then, to her utter surprise and shock, Greg leaned over and gave her a proprietary kiss on her mouth. Before she could even react, he reached over and took the leash from her hand, wrapped his other arm around her shoulders, and guided her suddenly frozen legs toward her house with Jack happily leading the way.
She tried to wrap her mind around what had just happened. Her lips still tingled from the pressure of Greg’s lips on hers, and the warmth spreading from the top of her head to the soles of her feet was embarrassing. Her reaction was very inappropriate for so small a gesture. Then she remembered the look he’d sent Rick, and the warmth transferred into simmering anger.
She kept her mouth shut until they were inside the house. “Just what was all that about?” she demanded, clenching her hands into fists.
He released Jack’s leash and gave her a look. “What are you talking about?”
“You know what I’m talking about! The…the kiss.” She stumbled over the word as heat rose in her face. “That was totally uncalled for. And the way you held me was intentionally meant to send a message to Rick, and I want to know why.”
“Rick, is it? Well, you must know Rick pretty well.”
“I don’t know him at all! He’s new to the neighborhood, and today is the first day I’ve ever seen him.”
“And that’s why I sent him a message.”
She was fast losing patience. “This isn’t funny, Greg.”
His eyebrows rose. “I’m not trying to be funny. I was trying to protect you. A single woman living on her own is easy prey for someone who could be the slightest bit unbalanced. Until you get to know this Rick guy better, I wanted him to know you are not alone, you have someone who cares about you, and there will be consequences to pay if anything happens to you.”
She blinked. In the silence that followed his speech, she hoped he couldn’t hear her heart pounding against her chest. She knew the words of protection came from friendship and nothing more, but still, he genuinely cared, and that did strange things to her insides.
The last people who had shown such concern for her had been her parents, people who had loved her unconditionally, and she hadn’t realized how starved she was for that same sense of security until Greg uttered his comments. If he were willing to go to such extremes for a friend, what would it be like to have him as a lover?
The thought brought her up short, and she blinked a second time as tendrils of awareness danced along her spine. Clearing her throat and mentally shaking her head, she started to brush past him. “I can take care of myself, thank you very much.” She was pleased her voice had not come out as a squeak. “Rick seems like a nice man who recently moved into the neighborhood. He is not some slimeball waiting to pounce on me. He didn’t even know I existed until a few moments ago.”
Wait a minute. Rick had known where she lived. And then she brushed the thought aside. Greg’s paranoia was contagious. If Rick sat out on his porch on a regular basis, he must have seen her coming and going. She didn’t have time to ponder the situation any longer, though.
Greg reached out and grabbed her wrist, moving quickly to stand in front of her. “How can you be sure?” he asked, his voice soft and seductive.
Her gaze flew to his, and her lips parted in surprise and protest even as her feet moved backward in tandem with his leisurely forward motion.
Her back abruptly pressed up against the door, but he didn’t stop. He moved until his whole bo
dy gently touched hers, and then he applied firm pressure until she was pinned against the door. He smiled a slow, sensual smile as he caught her other wrist and brought both hands up above her head. Her breath came in short gasps, her chest rapidly rising and falling at the feel of his strong body merging with hers.
She couldn’t pull her eyes away from his dark, hypnotic gaze as all sound evaporated into the suddenly dense, heavy air. She was aware of the growing desire to wrap her arms around him and pull him even closer, to allow the sight and presence of him to devour what was left of her senses. The only thing that mattered now was that the craving seeping through her body be satisfied.
Ever so slowly, he lowered his head. “What if he did this?” he whispered hoarsely as his lips teased the side of her neck. “Or this,” he breathed into her ear, his tongue lightly tracing her earlobe, his breath warm and moist as it shimmered over her skin. He then trapped both of her wrists in one hand. “Or maybe even this.” His other hand trailed down her arm and rested just beside her breast. With his thumb, he gently traced the lower fullness.
She closed her eyes, biting her lip to keep from crying out. She had never felt such sweet torture, but she wasn’t the only one affected by the game he was playing if his obvious arousal and ragged breathing were anything to go by. One of them was going to ignite soon and engulf the other one in flames.
If only he would release her hands, she would show him she was ready and willing to jump into the fire, to throw caution to the wind and gladly succumb to the waves and waves of passion coursing through her veins. Never before had she experienced this level of intensity, this craving for the touch of a man…
She stilled, and her eyes opened slowly. Maybe she’d never felt this same level of passion before, but it wasn’t that long ago she’d believed herself to be truly in love, ready to share her life, her heart, and her soul with a man who cruelly betrayed her. Todd had never come close to stirring her emotions the way Greg just did. Maybe that comparison wasn’t fair. She hadn’t even known this incredible longing to merge her body with another was even possible. She’d felt desire before, but never to the point where she was dangerously close to losing all control.