Authors: Cerian Hebert
“Well then, I won’t stop you from your new lady. Hope she’ll get her money’s worth.” With a wink, Shelly slid past him, her backside rubbing lightly against him. Eli grimaced but continued on through the crowd. He caught sight of Mark Demers with Gwen at his side. And the woman with the fat bank account.
His high bidder was a good five foot nine and very shapely. She wore a pair of pale gray cargo pants, and a black scoop-necked tee that enhanced her hourglass figure. The clothes were simple enough, but they weren’t ordinary. Nothing about her was ordinary. She was laughing at something Mark had said and her face, with its wide cheekbones, gorgeous, sensual lips and enormous eyes, seemed to light up in delight. Thick, dark honey hair tumbled over her shoulders in loose curls perfect for entangling his fingers.
How in Hell’s name was it possible to want someone without even knowing them?
And while he was there, staring at her like a fool, she’d noticed him and stared right back, her perfectly arched brows raised in question.
It only took Nell a second to notice Eli standing on the edge of the crowd, his gaze locked on hers. She held onto the conversation with Mark and Gwen for a few moments longer before turning to him. She didn’t want him to think she was some eager chick who’d run up to him just to feel his big bulging muscles.
On second thought, those muscles looked pretty good. But she wouldn’t let her cool slip, not for this man who had seen her awkward side too often when she was a teenager. He stared at her without a spark of recognition in his dark eyes, as if she were a stranger. That worked for her.
Finally, she smiled at him. After all, she’d have to provide some sort of explanation as to why she paid a thousand dollars for his company.
Apparently, he took her smile as an invitation to join them. Not wanting Gwen or Mark to ruin her cover, Nell stepped away and met Eli half way, her hand outstretched to take his. His grip was firm and warm, sending electric thrills straight up into her heart where they gathered and sizzled.
“I don’t know quite what to say,” he said, not releasing her hand. He tilted his head and studied her closely. She could see the wheels turning as he tried to work things out. “Do I know you?”
Relieved, she held the smile. “I don’t believe so. Nell Moreno. I’m a friend of Gwen’s.”
Hoping she could pull this off, she glanced at Gwen, who now stood at her elbow. Nell could only trust her sister would go along with the whole thing. The smile she bestowed on Nell seemed to be one of cooperation and conspiracy.
“Nell is here to help me get my mom’s house ready to put on the market. Listen, I have to, um, scoot now.” Gwen smiled at the two of them, squeezed Nell’s arm and pushed Mark through the crowd away from her and Eli. If Mark had been unaware of the whole plot, he could’ve said something to blow her cover.
“That was a pretty generous bid you made,” Eli said.
His gaze stayed locked with hers, a trait she approved of. Most of the men in her acquaintance tended to have wandering eyes. It was difficult to have an intelligent conversation with a man who was more interested in her cup size.
“It’s for a good cause. Besides, I have plans for you. I’ll get my money’s worth.”
Eli shifted his feet. “What kind of plans? One thousand dollars is a lot of dinners.”
With a shake of her head, Nell smirked. “Actually, that’s not what I had in mind. You look like a strong guy and a good worker.” She touched the tip of her finger to his bicep. Just as she thought, hard muscles rippled beneath the dark blue fabric of his dress shirt. Flirting with him was good. She’d probably get more out of him if she came on to him.
Nell brushed away the wicked little thought and contained the smile pulling at her lips. “The truth of the matter is that Gwen needs help with her mom’s house before it can go on the market. You look like you’re good with a hammer and paintbrush.”
“That’s it?” Eli looked down at her fingers, which traced a fold in the fabric of his shirt. “You don’t want a home cooked meal?” He sounded rather relieved. “You know what kind of auction this is, right?”
“Honey, I’m not looking for a date.” Nell dragged her gaze up and down his body. “Though if I were, I’d definitely consider you. But I don’t plan on being in town too long.”
“My loss.”
The way his dark eyes seemed to meld with hers heated her entire body. He was good-looking, but she wasn’t prepared for the extent of the attraction she felt. Everyone else in the crowded gym faded away into an inconsequential, gray fog.
Get back in the driver’s seat, Nell
. Having to remind herself not to let his good looks and muscular arms sweep her away from her purpose was annoying enough. Slowly she withdrew her hand and willed the rest of the room to intrude on their moment.
Taking a step back helped a little. “Well, what do you say? Are you free this weekend?”
Eli nodded. “I’m all yours. You name the place and time and I’ll be there.”
“Highgate Road, Saturday. Nine a.m. until whenever. I’ll make lunch.”
Eli held his hand out. Without hesitation, Nell took it in a firm grip.
“I’ll see you then.” Eli’s voice, smooth and low, caressed her senses. He released her hand, his fingers slipping through hers until she felt cool air where they had touched her skin. Without another word, he turned and melted into the crowd, his dark head visible above the majority of the people as he weaved around them.
As soon as he was out of earshot, Gwen moved back to her side. “Are you crazy, Nell? You’re passing yourself off as a friend?”
“He didn’t even recognize me, or my name. I went to school with him since third grade and he didn’t know me.” Nell wasn’t sure how to feel about that. On one hand, it was a testament to the changes she’d gone through since escaping Harper’s Grove after high school. On the other, it was rather sad to realize she was so non-existent to him that he wouldn’t have one iota of a clue as to her true identity.
“What happens if he does recognize you? You think he’ll appreciate being fooled?”
“Don’t worry, hon. I’m not proposing marriage or offering to have his baby. By the time he realizes,
if
he realizes, I’ll be gone. Listen, Gwen, I won him fair and square. We’ll get him to do some work at Mom’s. No harm, no foul.”
Gwen studied Nell closely, her lips pinched.
“What?”
Her sister shook her head. “Don’t try to fool me. If all you wanted was some help on Mom’s house, then you could have hired a handyman for what you spent on Elijah. There’s a heck of a lot more than you’re saying, Nell. I’m going to figure it out. Let’s get going.” Gwen rubbed her lower back and shifted from one foot to another. “My feet are killing me and Mark said the guys are cleaning up.”
Nell looked around the crowd. It seemed no one had recognized her.
Beyond the sea of heads, posters were taped on the white cinderblock walls. Bright green and yellow represented the Harper Thunderbirds. “Thunderbirds Fly,” and “We Got the Power,” amongst a half a dozen other banners intended to raise school spirit and inspire the various teams to victory.
There was one corner of the gym, in the bleachers where the light didn’t quite reach and the walls had always been cast in gray. Nell’s spot. Little Miss ‘Always Picked Last.’ Not even Mrs. Clough, the gym teacher, had pushed her to participate. What the woman’s motives were, Nell didn’t know. Maybe it had been her way of being kind to the fat kid in the class, to save her from humiliation.
The spot in the corner still had that gray funk to it. But it remained empty. Even the little kids who ran up and down the bleachers avoided it.
With a heart heavier than she’d intended, Nell followed her sister out of the gym and away from the other memories threatening to burst through the protective, yet gossamer wall she’d built over the years.
Chapter 2
Eli couldn’t remember a time in his life when he was so fixated on one woman, not even Shelly at the height of their romance. But ever since the night of the firefighter’s auction, there was very little he could do to get Nell Moreno out of his head.
He had to wait two days until he could see her again, though the temptation to pay Mark and Gwen a visit was strong. He didn’t have any good reason to go over there, so he stayed put and got some work done, finishing an oak cabinet for a couple who spent their summers on Long Bow Pond. He also had his kids over for the week. He and Shelly traded off during the summer, and every other week Emma and Dylan stayed with him at his cabin on the pond.
When he wasn’t working, or when there wasn’t a situation requiring the volunteer fire department, Eli took the kids out on his fishing boat, or hung out at their little private beach. It wasn’t a glamorous life, not what he’d imagined when he was eighteen, but it was satisfying and that was more important than the dream of being a pitcher for the Red Sox.
Shelly picked the kids up at eight Saturday morning. She reminded him of a little blonde tornado, the way she marched into the house, rounded up Emma and Dylan and took off. Today she left without more than a half dozen words for him. Preoccupied with thoughts of the day ahead, he barely noticed.
He was familiar with the house belonging to Gwen Demers’ parents. Roland Goodwin, Gwen’s father, passed away four years ago and Edna, her mother, had begun to spend more time in Florida than New Hampshire. It was about time she sold the house. Chances were she wouldn’t be returning, and Gwen had no use for the old place. There was a lot of work to do before it would attract any buyers.
Why would Gwen’s friend put up so much money to obtain the help of one man? Male ego insisted she wanted more than a handyman for a few days, but that was no reason not to get to know her better before she left town.
First, he’d have to convince her to have dinner with him.
After spending more time in front of the bathroom mirror than usual, Eli grabbed his keys and headed out the door, intent on stopping at Matteo’s Bakery for coffee and muffins. Maybe he could woo her with pastries.
“You’re acting like an idiot, Knight,” he mumbled, but pulled into Matteo’s anyway and loaded up on a variety of their fantastic muffins and a box of coffee. Even if he couldn’t win her over with breakfast delicacies, at least he’d impress her with his good taste.
Whistling an eighties pop song, Eli headed toward the outskirts of Harper’s Grove and the Goodwin’s old farmhouse where the beguiling Nell awaited.
Harper’s Grove, New Hampshire was typical of most small New England towns. With a population of roughly four thousand, the town spread over about thirty square miles of woods, granite-strewn fields, and ponds surrounded by trees and summer cottages. The only signs that progress had seeped into the pastoral town line was the new Wal-Mart and Taco Bell out on the highway. Large parcels of land in the general vicinity were being cleared with promises of more big business moving in.
Eli had mixed feelings about the intrusion. The convenience of not having to travel half an hour to pick up groceries had its advantages, but so did the quiet of a rural community. As long as the new businesses stayed near the highway, he wouldn’t complain too much.
Sometime over the past fifteen or so years he’d turned into a small town guy, complete with a business he ran out of his garage and a position as a volunteer firefighter on the town’s force.
Probably too country for a woman like Nell.
Not much to be done about that. She’d leave soon anyway, so getting all wrapped up in her wouldn’t be the best idea.
But, for a few days . . . what would be the harm in spending time in the company of that beauty?
Mark’s Dodge Durango was parked in front of the ancient barn and the front door to the house stood ajar. The air was fresh and no doubt Gwen wanted to get as much breeze through the place as possible. Every window on all three floors was wide open.
Already a quarter of the house was painted in a fresh slate blue, a vast improvement over the dull off-white it had been for the last few decades. Shutters had been removed and stacked neatly against the front porch.
Eli got out of his truck and looked at the empty yard. There was certainly a lot to be done. Nell had only “purchased” him for one weekend. How much he could get accomplish in that time he didn’t know, but he would try to assure she got her money’s worth.
The protesting screech of the side porch door brought his attention back to the here and now. He swung his gaze to where Nell strode down the four old wooden stairs.
His mouth dropped open.
Lord have mercy on my soul.
Suddenly
w
eak-kneed, he blinked quickly to keep his eyes from falling out of their sockets.
Faded blue denim shorts hugged her hips and thighs, and he imagined a very well-shaped derriere. She sauntered across the lawn with a sway made to make a man lose his cool. Wearing a rust colored halter top styled to draw attention to her full breasts, Nell looked as tempting as a sweet piece of fruit. Two honey-blond braids fell over her bare shoulders and gave her a sense of innocence, but sin radiated from her voluptuous body.
Eli couldn’t speak. He swallowed hard as a smile curved deliciously across her face.
“Almost thought you wouldn’t show,” she said. In her hands were two ceramic mugs filled with steaming black coffee. “I didn’t know if you took cream or sugar, so I left it black.”
Eli took the mug from her, brushing her fingers with his. He gained some satisfaction from the momentary flicker in her eyes, and the way her smile faltered for a split second.
So, the beautiful Ms. Moreno isn’t impervious.
The thought satisfied him to no end and helped bring back his confidence. It wasn’t like him to be tongue-tied around a woman. Not that he’d been with many in his life. After divorcing Shelly, who’d been his girlfriend since they were about twelve, he could count the number of women he’d dated on one hand and still have two fingers left over.
And none of them had ever left him needing a cold shower with just the lightest touch.
Nell was in no way prepared for the way her body reacted to the feel of Eli’s skin brushing against hers.
Traitor
, she accused her heart. Her senses hadn’t been overwhelmed like this in ages. Now was not the time, and Eli not the man, she wanted to start with.
Instead of surrendering to the inner battle, Nell pasted on her best flirtatious smile, and wondered where the hell this little game was taking her.
Surely he was interested. She could see it in the way he smiled, like a young kid who’d finally summoned up the courage to talk to the girl he had a crush on. It was kind of endearing, but Nell struggled to remind herself he was one of the “A” crowd who had taken great joy in contributing to her misery.
That was a long time ago.
Scolding the grating little voice inside her head seemed to help.
“I’ve brought some coffee too, and there’re muffins in the truck, just in case.” Eli nodded his head toward his pickup.
“Well, I’m sure we won’t let it go to waste. Why don’t we bring it into the house?”
With her most provocative walk, Nell moved past him and headed toward his truck, leaving him to follow. And hopefully admire her butt. Turning to him, she could have performed an inner touchdown dance when she caught his eyes checking out her lower anatomy. A distinct pink tinge took over his cheeks, and Nell’s smile broadened.
“We’re going to start on the back of the house. I hope you don’t mind heights.”
Eli laughed and grabbed the box of coffee and the white paper bag, which Nell held out to him, giving herself another chance to touch his fingers.
“Um, no, I’m fine with heights. Find it helps when I work with the fire department.” He winked at her.
“Duh, of course,” she returned. “I guess ladders come with the territory. Well, let’s get going, shall we?”
The morning flew by quicker than Nell wanted. Eli and Mark took on the painting with gusto and the whole back of the house was finished by the time they took a break for lunch.
“At the rate you’re going, you two are going to have this place done by the end of the day.” Gwen stared at the house with approval.
“That’s the plan. Giving Nell her money’s worth.”
For the second time that day he winked at her. Mr. High School All-Star Quarterback and Best Pitcher in the Region, Voted Best Looking, was actually flirting with Ms. Nobody. Ms. Pudge.
Outstanding!
And to tell the truth, she really enjoyed his company. Which put her in a predicament. How was she supposed to work him into the ground if she actually liked being around him?
After lunch, Nell helped Gwen clean up the kitchen while the guys went back to painting. Nell parked herself in front of the sink with a soapy sponge and the dirty silverware. It was the perfect spot to look out the window and lust over the sight of Eli as he carried a five-gallon bucket of paint across the lawn. He’d removed his shirt and the sun glistened off his tanned torso. She could practically see each drop of perspiration bead down his chest.
“You’re drooling on that fork.”
She’d been so fixated on Eli, Nell hadn’t noticed Gwen at her shoulder. She dipped her head quickly to look at the sponge and running water, scrubbing off the fork vigorously.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she replied, ticked when her voice came out all breathy and without much conviction.
Gwen snorted and leaned up against the faded yellow Formica counter. “Puh-lease. Give me a friggin’ break, Nell. All day I’ve watched you get weak in the knees over that guy. What happened to the bitchy, business-oriented, no nonsense woman I’ve grown to love?”
“Again, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” But Nell glanced out the window in time to see Eli disappear around the side of the house.
“Behave, Nell. He’s a nice guy. I don’t want to see him get hurt.”
Nell swung around on her sister. Her blood pressure rose a fraction and she had to bite back on the sharp reply that pushed against her lips. Gwen was worried about him getting
hurt
? Was her sister really that clueless as to how growing up had been for her?
“I’m not going to hurt him.” The guy deserved to be dropped on his ass. A little payback might be good for both of them. Heavy lifting and hard work was one thing, but it would still leave his heart intact.
Gwen scowled. “I’m not convinced,” she retorted. “I know enough about your past relationships to understand you wouldn’t be any good for Eli. He’s a family man, not some single guy from the city like you’re used to.”
Nell wiped her hands off on the damp towel and tossed it on the counter. “I’ll keep that in mind.” She tried not to glare at her sister. It wasn’t Gwen’s fault after all, there was no need to snap at her, but Nell had no desire to continue the conversation. And she resisted the urge to slam the door behind her.
Outside, she pulled the warm, fragrant air into her lungs. The scent of grass and leaves lingered with the aroma of fresh paint and lumber. No hint of exhaust from cars anywhere. No noise except for the sound of the radio playing on the other side of the house. It surrounded her, the peace and quiet. She breathed it in as if it were an intoxicating perfume.
Closing her eyes, Nell let her mind drift away from the present, and remembered life when she was a kid and this was the safest place in the world to be. Everything beyond the property line was hostile and alien. Her mother urged her to get out more, play with other kids in the quiet neighborhood, but Nell had dug her heels in and refused. Instead, she retreated from everyone in the little playhouse she’d fixed up for herself behind the old barn.
She opened her eyes and looked over to the woods that were slowly swallowing up the old structure, and wondered if her playhouse still stood. She used to keep all sorts of treasures back there. It was the place she went to write in her diary and she couldn’t recall ever taking the stuff out when she left for college.
Nell started toward the barn. No one would miss her for a few minutes if she decided to take another trip down the rocky road that was her personal Memory Lane.
She would’ve done well to have a machete to cut a swath through the undergrowth and many years’ worth of dried autumn leaves, but she used her arms and hands to push back the tangle of branches. Once there’d been a little path, one she’d worn down herself, but that was long gone.
A rustling sound behind her brought her up short. It was the only indication she was no longer alone. Nell whipped around, her bare arm swiping against the rough wood of the barn.
“Ouch!” She pressed her hand over the abrasion, but it was soon forgotten when she lifted her eyes to meet Eli’s dark brown gaze.
“You all right?” He stepped over a piece of twisted rusty metal, in a slow approach. “Let me see it.”
Nell didn’t move her hand. “No, it’s okay. You startled me.”
Eli stared at her with the same intensity she’d been feeling all day. The same desire she longed for when she was a teen. She couldn’t break the connection. It didn’t exactly make her feel uncomfortable, but the moment definitely fell into the ‘this is just a little too weird’ category.
“What are you doing back here, anyway?” Eli finally asked. His voice was low and rough.
Nell broke their eye contact first, dropping her hand from her arm to glance at the abrasion. Her skin was pink and several slivers of varying sizes bristled out.
Dang
. She and Gwen were going to be spending some quality time with the tweezers in the bathroom.
“I can clean that up for you. I’m a trained professional, you know.” More leaves crunched on the ground as he closed in on her, but she willed herself not to look up until he reached out and lifted her arm to get a better look.
Nell’s heart battered at her chest mercilessly. He was so close she could have sworn he’d hear it, but his attention was intent on her arm, his fingers skimming across her flesh.
Her breathing sped up, a little too erratic. She lifted her eyes to his profile, noting the dark stubble on his jaw and his rumpled hair.
So this is what he must look like when he first rolls out of bed.
At least he’d put his shirt back on. A bare chest would’ve done her in.