Lindsay's been hired by Jared to renovate his kitchen. He never expected her to renovate his heart and life as well.
Enjoy.
A week later, Lindsay had a rough plan drawn up for
Jared’s renovation. Held down on the counter with soup cans on each corner to
stop the edges from rolling back up, they both studied the design outline.
“We agreed to take out this wall.”
She waved in the direction of the wall separating the kitchen from the living
room. “I’ll lay an ‘I’ beam to support the second floor, or if you like, I can
put some type of decorative column for load bearing.”
“I like the idea of columns, but
whatever you think is best for this space.” He speculated what kind of shampoo
she used. Something with citrus, he was sure of it.
“What kind of cabinets do you
want?”
“Hmmmm?” A little bit of floral, or
was that her perfume?
“Cabinets. What type of wood do you
want?”
The look on her face made him
wonder how many times she’d asked the question while he’d day dreamed about her
hair, her body.... Pierre was right. He was
acting like a ravenous wolf, but in her denim shirt, figure-hugging blue jeans
and steel toed boots, she looked almost good enough to eat.
Just a taste. He only wanted a
taste of her sweet lips.
A hint of pink began to slide up
her neck from beneath the collar of her shirt and he realized he’d been staring
at her mouth.
Pull it together Kane. She isn’t Red Riding
Hood, but her lips would probably taste like...
“Honey.”
“Did you just call me ‘honey’?” The
pink darkened and her cheeks began to take on a rosy hue.
“Maple. I’d like honey maple for
the cabinets.”
Inside his head he cringed. He
hated honey maple, preferring a richer wood color. Now he’d have to live with
the yellow toned wood forever. All because his hormones were taking a walk
through the enchanted forest.
Her eyebrows raised a notch and she
said, “Maple is great for kitchens, but a honey tone wouldn’t match the décor
of the rest of your house.”
“You’re right. Let’s scrap that
suggestion.”
That was close.
She scribbled in her notebook and
then set it down. Immediately, he recognized the coil bound book and remembered
the checklist. ‘As creative in the
bedroom as he is in the kitchen’, came to mind and given where his mind had
just been that was a dangerous path to tread.
“I thought we’d go with a dark
cappuccino for lower cabinets, and a soft cream for the uppers. That would keep
the room bright, yet elegant,” she said, making a small notation on the design.
He ran an experienced eye over the
plans and mentally envisioned what she suggested. He liked the concept for his
new kitchen, without honey maple cabinets. She had talent and DeVane would be a
fool not to hire her for his development, although he didn’t like the idea of
that randy Irishman anywhere near her.
“What about the island? Do you have
any suggestions for that?” He brought his mind back to the task at hand, which
was renovating his kitchen. Not worrying about DeVane. Not fantasizing about
kissing his new contractor. And especially not
about fulfilling a few items on her checklist.
“Keep the base dark, with a light
counter to contrast and two squared columns, here and here.” She pointed out
where she’d outlined where the columns would be placed. “If this were my
kitchen, I’d have granite counter tops.”
“I like the idea of this whole
space being opened up.” He shifted the plans so he could look at them closer.
“I could place some under counter bar stools at the island for when friends
come over.”
“That’s the whole idea. While
you’re busy in the kitchen, you can still visit and not miss all the fun.” She
turned to face him, her eyes bright with enthusiasm.
“By the time this renovation is
completed, I might have someone in my life. Maybe a wife and the little woman
would do that for me so I can stay out of the kitchen. Remember. I’m the
barbeque guy.”
A look of fake horror broke out on
her face at his sexist remark. He loved the fact she had a sense of humor.
“Ha! If you’re a good husband,
you’d help your wife in the kitchen.” She poked him on the shoulder. “It takes
two to make a marriage work—” Abruptly, she broke off in an awkward silence.
He had an instant vision of him and
Lindsay, working side by side, making sure their guests were having fun. He
waited for the kernel of panic to set in whenever he thought about his future
being tied up with one person, but it never came.
She started to back away and
without hesitation he reached for her. Her eyes had an endearing edge of
vulnerability to them and his heart squeezed. Oh yeah, this one was definitely
trouble.
~~~~~
He invaded her space, closing the
distance between them, lifting his hand and taking her chin in his fingers.
“Trouble”, was the only word she heard before his mouth claimed hers. The kiss
rocketed through her body all the way down to her toes.
She curled her fingers into his
shirt, intending to push him away, but somehow, they spread open and moved up
to his broad shoulders. He pulled her close and changing the angle of his
mouth, deepened the kiss. His fingers tangled in her hair and she heard
moaning.
Her moans. When had she ever moaned
while being kissed?
Never, but then she’d never been
kissed like this before. Slowly he pulled back and touched his forehead to hers
while they both caught their breath.
“I’ve wanted to do that for days,”
he said, his voice as gravelly as a dirt road.
“Only days?” she murmured and looked
up. She’d wanted him to kiss her for weeks.
“I lied.” His eyes glittered
darkly. “It’s been months.”
He swooped in for another hot kiss.
When his hands began to roam across her body, touching her in places that ached
for more and turned her blood into molten lava, for one teensy moment she
considered letting go.
“Wait,” she mumbled against his
lips, pushing gently away from him.
