Chapter Four #2
“I used to try and spend the bigger holidays with them, but I wasn’t able to do that last Christmas because they were stationed in Hawaii. And it looks like I’ll be staying in Brighton Valley again this year, too.”
He had a feeling that she wasn’t happy about it, so he said, “That’s too bad.”
“Do you...” She paused, and her cheeks turned a rosy hue. “I’m sorry. I was going to ask about your family and their holiday traditions.”
He shrugged a single shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. I wish I had an answer for you.”
Chloe reached out and touched his arm, sending a pulsing shot of heat through his veins. He glanced down at the delicate fingers that rested on his sleeve and warmed him from the inside out.
She wasn’t wearing any jewelry. But what about her other hand?
He fought the compulsion to check out her left ring finger—something he’d neglected to do earlier. But he didn’t want her to catch him in the act. So he looked into her eyes instead, nearly losing himself in her intoxicating gaze.
“Christmas always makes me homesick,” she said.
“My mother really does things up big. Probably to make me and my brothers feel as though we had a real home and more stability in our lives. But I’m stuck here this year.
And apparently, you are, too. So we’ll just have to roll with that and create a down-home, country-style Christmas for the two of us.
That way, maybe we can help each other make a brand-new memory. ”
Her suggestion caught him off guard, although he wasn’t sure why. The fact that his brain was still healing, maybe. And that she’d removed her hand from his arm, stealing the warmth of her touch.
But as she continued to peer into his eyes, to search his expression, to silently plead her case, he gave in. “Sure. Why not?”
He’d been tempted to shake off her offer for more reasons than one. But as he thought about it, he realized that he actually liked the idea of making new memories with Chloe.
When the buzzer on the dryer sounded, Chloe retrieved the last load of laundry. After folding the small batch of towels and linens, she carried them down the hall to put them away.
Before placing them in the linen closet, she decided to make a quick check of the guest bathroom to make sure there were plenty of clean washcloths for Joe to use.
She reached for the doorknob and gave it a turn. The locking mechanism made a click-click sound, but the door swung right open, releasing a bit of steam.
And revealing Joe standing at the counter, his face lathered with shaving cream, his body bare other than a small white towel wrapped around his waist.
Her cheeks warmed. “Oh, my gosh. I’m so sorry. I—”
“It’s okay. I’m practically dressed.”
No, it wasn’t all right. And he was naked underneath that towel. All it would take was one simple little tug at the waist...
Reining in her sexual thoughts, she gathered her wits. “The door. You didn’t lock it.”
“Actually, I did. But apparently it isn’t working.”
Yeah, well... She supposed she could cast the blame on the lock—or on everyone else, including the man in the moon, but that didn’t cool her cheeks. Nor did it hide the handsome man who was a sight to behold.
She swallowed—hard. It was nearly impossible to think, let alone speak, so she nodded, turned and shut the door.
As she put away the folded washcloths into the linen closet, she fought the urge to slip outside and find some chores to do in the yard so she wouldn’t have to return to the house. But that wasn’t feasible. She’d have to go back inside eventually. So she may as well deal with the embarrassment.
Still, just living with Joe here, knowing that he was sleeping down the hall, just two doors away from her bedroom, sent her thoughts scampering in an unexpected direction.
She blew out a ragged sigh. The flash of physical attraction she’d initially felt had magnified and left her feeling awkward and uneasy.
After placing the washcloths on the shelf where they belonged, she returned to the kitchen. It would be lunchtime soon, so she might as well whip up something to eat. She wondered if he’d like a tuna-salad sandwich.
She pulled the can opener from the drawer, a small mixing bowl from the cupboard, and mayonnaise, pickles and celery from the fridge. Then she searched the pantry for a can of tuna. She’d no more than shut the door when Joe said, “The bathroom is free now.”
If she could have gotten away with pretending she hadn’t heard him, she would have done it. As it was, she slowly turned to face him, her cheeks warming all over again.
She glanced down at her feet, willing herself to cool. When she looked back to his freshly shaven face and those striking blue eyes, her breath caught, her heart thumped and her cheeks warmed all over again.
“I’m sorry about walking in on you,” she said. “I should have realized that you might have been in there.”
“Like I said, it wasn’t a big deal. I was covered up.”
Yes, but just barely.
Fortunately, he was dressed now, although in Dave’s clothing. The pants were at least an inch too short, and the T-shirt, which stretched across his broad chest, didn’t hide the rippling muscles underneath.
“I promise to knock next time,” she said.
Joe chuckled. “And I’ll put ‘Repair the Bathroom Lock’ at the top of my to-do list.”
“Good idea.” She offered him an appreciative smile, then turned her back and continued her search for the canned tuna.
Now that she’d seen the handsome marine in the buff—or pretty close to it—fixing that door lock would only solve half her problem because the image of him wearing only a smile and a skimpy towel was engrained in her mind.
And that was one breath-stealing memory she wasn’t likely to forget any time soon.
Joe couldn’t help enjoying Chloe’s obvious discomfort. In fact, ever since she’d walked in on him shaving—and up until the time they sat down to eat lunch—she seemed to avoid making eye contact with him.
A couple of times, he’d been tempted to tease her, but he decided to let it go. No need to stir up those kinds of sexual thoughts when he wasn’t in any position to do anything about them.
As Chloe stood from her seat at the kitchen table and picked up their empty plates, she asked, “Do you need anything in town?”
Some clothing that actually fit him would be nice. But since he didn’t want to ask any more of her than he had already, he said, “I can’t think of anything. Why?”
“I’m going to visit a friend who’s living in a nursing home near the Brighton Valley Medical Center. Afterward I’m going to stop at the market and run a few errands. I thought, since the sheriff didn’t want you to go into town that I could pick up anything you might need.”
“I can make do with whatever is here.” He just hoped that he and Dave actually were friends. If not, and the guy came home to find Joe staying in his house, wearing his clothes and using his shaving kit, things could become awkward.
“All right,” she said. “I won’t be gone too long. And when I get back, I’ll fix dinner.”
“Is there anything I can do for you while you’re gone?”
“If you happen to see Tomas, will you ask him to bring in the plastic storage boxes filled with Christmas decorations? I think Teresa kept them in the hayloft.”
“I can get them for you.”
“No, I’d rather you took it easy and rested today. Believe me, there’s still going to be plenty for you to do once you’re feeling better.”
“I feel better already.”
“Is that right?” She crossed her arms and tossed him an impish grin. “Then why are you still taking that pain medication?”
“Okay. So I’m not quite back to fighting weight. But I’m definitely better.”
“I have no doubt about that. Still, I’d rather have Tomas bring in the decorations when he has time. I’ll save you for bigger, more important things.”
“Like what?”
She flushed again, and this time he couldn’t resist teasing her. “What’s the problem?”
“Excuse me?”
“Your cheeks are red, and you keep looking at everything except me. Are you that bothered about walking in on me in the bathroom?”
“You’re wrong. It didn’t faze me a bit.”
He didn’t believe her. In fact, he suspected she was still reeling from having seen him half-dressed. And since she seemed to be so flustered by it, he found it a bit flattering. But he didn’t want her to feel awkward about it.
“Don’t be embarrassed,” he said. “Those things happen.”
“I’m not.” She stood a little taller and lifted her chin. “It’s a hazard of being blonde and fair. I flush easily—and usually for no reason whatsoever. It’s really no big deal.”
“Good. I’m glad to hear that.”
She might claim to be immune to him, but he wasn’t buying it. Still, it was nice to know that her body easily displayed the effects of heating up.
Without any conscious effort on his part, a vision came to mind—her curvy, fair-skinned body stretched out on his bed sheets, pink and rosy from his caresses, her hair splayed on his pillow, her eyes glazed with passion.
“So,” she said, her voice interrupting his erotic daydream, “since you don’t need anything, I’ll take off and run my own errands. Try and get some rest while I’m gone.”
He’d try, but he doubted he’d get much rest at all, especially if he was plagued with any more sexy visions of her. But on top of that, he also had something that would keep him busy for a while.
“By the way,” he said, “I noticed a computer in the den. Would it be okay if I used it while you were gone?”
Her movements stilled, and her eyes grew wide. “Do you remember how?”
Judging by the way his thoughts had veered off course a few seconds ago, he also remembered how to make love to a beautiful woman. But there was no point in making Chloe any more uncomfortable than she already was.
“I still have all my same abilities,” he said. “The only thing I’ve forgotten is the past.”
“What do you plan to use the computer for?”