“The Forresters’ touchup work is done, and I’ll have the invoice to you by Monday, close of business. I can get my painters started on the O’Connor job as early as Friday. Why don’t you and I meet at the house on Thursday early? Seven?” Jack scrolled through his laptop calendar.
The morning sun glimmered through the gauzy curtains, illuminating the buttery yellow walls of my home office where Jack, Michelle, and I were seated around a black painted wood table. The fabric whispered as I shifted on the padded chair, easing my foot out from beneath Sirius’s sleeping head. The office space was originally a formal living room that I converted when I moved into my mid-century rambler.
“Seven works for me.”
“Do you have a key to the O’Connor house?” he asked.
“Nuts. No, I don’t, and I forgot he also has a gated driveway. I’ll leave a message for him. We’re going to have to work something out so you and your guys can get in. I think his schedule can be erratic, so I don’t know he’ll always be there to let you in.” I held the cell phone to my ear, waiting for voice mail to pick up.
“Good morning, Sophie.” Ian’s voice rumbled over the phone lines right down my spine.
My mind went blank and it was a few seconds before I came back to earth.
“Uh, hi, Ian. I was expecting your voice mail.” Smooth, Soph, really smooth.
“Would you prefer me to hang up and let you speak to the machine?”
Michelle gave me a strange look, and I made an effort to pull myself together. I didn’t want to let my team see how much he affected me.
“No. Sorry, I don’t want to interrupt you when you’re on the job.”
“We’re on a break right now. Waiting for the lighting crew to set up this next shot so I have a few tics. What’s on your mind?”
“It’s your security system. Jack, my general contractor, can have his paint crew start as early as Friday. He and I need to stop by Thursday morning so I can go over the design plan with him. Will you be home? I’d like you two to meet.”
“What time Thursday morning?”
“Seven.”
“Hold on.” He must have covered the phone with his hand because I heard mumbling in the background. “Can you make it six thirty?”
I looked over at Jack. “Can you do six thirty on Thursday?”
He nodded.
“Six thirty’s fine. We need to talk about the rest of the job. I understand your schedule can be erratic. How do you want to work this out?”
“What do your other clients do?”
“Well, either there’s a lady of the house who doesn’t work, or some of my clients have housekeepers or onsite security to let us in, and others just give us a key to come and go at will.”
“For a woman who won’t go on a date with me, now you’re asking for a key to my house. I don’t know … it’s a big step.” He sighed. “I thought you said we had to wait five or six weeks.”
My face burned with embarrassment, and I didn’t answer.
“Sophie?”
I cleared my throat and put on my business demeanor. “What would you like to arrange, Ian?”
His chuckle rumbled through the phone. “So serious. Thursday morning I’ll give you a key, and we’ll program security codes in the gate for you and your foreman. Will that work?”
“That will be fine. Thanks. We’ll see you bright and early Thursday morning.”
“I look forward to it.”
Grinning, I rolled my eyes and pressed end. I glanced up. Michelle and Jack stared at me. Jack’s left eyebrow was raised and his mouth, crooked.
“What?”
Michelle giggled. “Sophie, you’re as red as a beet right now. I think you like our Ian O’Connor.”
I gave a nervous laugh. “Watch yourself with him, Michelle. He loves women and is a dreadful flirt. He says the most outrageous things.”
“Was he flirting with you on the phone just now?”
“Yes.” I couldn’t hold back the huge grin that split my face.
“Hmm. This could be fun to watch.”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“You’re always so self-possessed. With most guys you brush off their passes without breaking a sweat. This fellow flusters you, and he’s a hunk.”
“Men don’t make passes at me. And, he doesn’t fluster me.”
“Oh, yes he does,” Jack interrupted.
“I’m a thirty-year-old woman. I don’t get crushes or flustered by pretty boys.” I shook my head.
He laughed. “I’m with Michelle. This could be fun.”
I giggled like a schoolgirl. “Cut that out. We need to get back to business.”
• • •
Jack’s white Chevy truck idled noisily outside Ian’s gate. I drove alongside and lowered the window. “Hey, you been waiting long?”
He shook his head. “Only a few minutes.”
I pulled ahead and pressed the buzzer.
“Yes?”
“Morning, Ian.”
“Soph, I’m still getting dressed. The door is open, so come on in.”
A vision of Ian naked flashed through my mind. Mm. Nice way to start the day. Jack followed me through the gate and parked next to the CR-V. He held the front door as I juggled my tote and a cardboard tray of coffee.
“Christ on a crutch!” He exclaimed as he followed me into the kitchen and got a glimpse at the hideous blend of wall colors. “What on God’s green earth are people thinking?!”
Placing the coffee on the island, I snorted then handed him an espresso. “Here. You’ll probably need this. I know I do.” I retrieved my skinny pumpkin spice latte and breathed in the coffee aroma.
Jack walked around inspecting the walls. “We’ll need to put two coats of primer on the striped walls to keep it from bleeding through.”
“There’s black paint in the master. You might have to do the same thing there, too.” We discussed the flooring plans and lighting design in the main living area, and then I took Jack outside.
He gave a low whistle as the dawning sun lit the natural vista of craggy hills and Stone Canyon Reservoir splayed before him. “I can see why O’Connor brought the property. The view alone sells it.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
My heart gave a quick jump at Ian’s voice. Jack and I turned as one. Ian, drool-worthy as always, stood in a pair of dark jeans and a light blue button-down shirt.
I smiled. “Good morning. This is my main contractor, Jack Blumberg. Jack, Ian O’Connor.”
They shook hands. “Fantastic place you have here, O’Connor.”
“Think you and Sophie can fix it up?” Ian crossed his arms.
Jack nodded. “Sure, sure. It’s mostly cosmetic. Knock down a wall, flooring, paint.” He ticked off his fingers. “No problems. Just be glad the kitchen’s already been reno’d. A kitchen reno is hell to live through.”
I laughed at Jack. “You haven’t seen the main floor guest bath. That’s a gut job.” Ian and I exchanged a knowing look. “Don’t worry, Ian. I promise you’re in good hands.” I gently placed a reassuring hand on his forearm.
He gave a speculative look at my touch. “I have no doubt I’m in good hands.”
I snatched my hand away then quickly took a drink of coffee to cover my discomfort. He gave me a wolfish grin.
“I brought you a cup of joe. Why don’t we go in and get situated with the security codes?” I led the way back into the kitchen, the men following.
“You didn’t get me a girly coffee, did you?” Ian took off the lid and sniffed.
I rolled my eyes and sighed. “It’s just a dark Colombian roast cappuccino. No sugar. No cream. Is that manly enough for you?”
He took a sip and rocked his head back and forth in consideration. “Hmm … not bad. What’s Jack drinking?”
“Jack drinks an espresso with a shot of vanilla, no cream, no sugar.”
“Espresso. Now that’s a man’s drink.”
Jack nodded in agreement and took a sip of his strong coffee.
I stuck my tongue out and scrunched my nose up. “Okay, so espresso is your thing. I’ll keep that in mind for future reference.”
“Glad to know you’re keeping my preferences in mind.”
“It’s my job to keep your preferences in mind.”
“All my preferences?” He leaned in closer.
My eyes skittered between Ian and Jack, who hid a grin behind his coffee cup. I could tell Ian enjoyed my discomfort. “Uh … don’t you have to get to work?”
He gave a bark of laughter. “Come on, let’s get you two set up.”
We followed him into the foyer where Ian started punching numbers into the security keypad. After we were set up with our new codes, Jack headed down the hall to see the guest bathroom.
“I only have one spare. Can you get a copy made for Jack?” Ian gently placed the house key in my hand, allowing his warm fingers to linger on my palm as his thumb stroked the soft part of my wrist.
A zip of electricity ran up my arm at his touch, and my breath quickened. “Oh, you are so not playing fair.”
He flashed me a deadly smile and his aqua gaze lingered on my lips. “Who said I was going to play fair?”
“Ian!” I stepped back. “I thought we came to an agreement.”
“Our agreement was based on your resistance. I’m trying to weaken that.” He nabbed the cup out of my hand and took a sip. His nose crinkled and a look of disgust crossed his face. “Yech! You call this coffee?”
The sexual tension broke, and I snatched my java back. “Hey! Don’t pick on my girly coffee. It’s pumpkin spice latte.”
He snickered. Before I knew what was happening, he leaned in and gave me a quick kiss on the lips and a pat on the bottom. “Have a good day, luv. Don’t forget to lock up when you leave.” Then he was out the door.
My hands hung limply as I stood in shock and stared at the closed door, my mouth open. This was not at all what we’d agreed upon. How was I supposed to stay professional when my client flirted mercilessly and kissed and fondled me? I touched my lips where his had been a moment ago. My fingers came away with a trace of lipstick, and I grinned. Would Ian realize he was wearing Hot Lava Spice? Served him right! A horrible, screechy, ripping sound pulled me from my thoughts.
“You were planning to gut this entire bathroom, right?” Jack’s voice called.
“Yes.” I hurried toward the room. “Are you starting the renovation now?”
“No time like the present.”
• • •
He licked his lips. Mmm … she tasted like ripe peaches. With a light step, he sauntered to the car, flicking the keys around his forefinger. This was going to be fun. He grinned. Once he realized that her hang-ups came from the supposition that he and Tanqueray were an item, he’d planned to move full steam ahead. He couldn’t believe it when she’d put a stop to that delightful kiss in the kitchen, just when he thought he was getting somewhere. However, after further consideration, it would be great fun pushing her buttons and taunting her into giving up on that silly pact they’d made.
The grin turned into an impish snicker as he recalled her discomfort while he flirted with her in front of her foreman. Since her divorce, he got the feeling she’d become very independent and there hadn’t been many men in the picture. Well, he was just the man to break the dry spell. Besides, the conversation they had the other night made him want to know more. He hadn’t talked about his childhood or religion with a woman since his days at university. It wasn’t about bedding her … well … it wasn’t only about getting her knickers off; she stimulated his brain. More than any woman had in recent history.