Chapter Six

The doorbell jarred Asa awake. She bolted upright in the bed. The dog barked. His body rigid at the foot of the bed. He sounded like a ferocious pit bull instead of a small mutt. She checked the time on her cell phone. Eleven o’clock. It felt later. Only a handful of people knew she’d moved into the house, but none of them would visit at this hour.

Asa burrowed under the blanket. If she stayed upstairs, maybe whoever was at the door would go away. The doorbell rang again. This time Scruffy hopped off the bed and bolted down the stairs.

“Scruffy, come back here.” Asa ran after the puppy, turning on the hall light as she made her way down the steps. She scooped the puppy into her arms just as the bell chimed again.

“Well, I guess we can’t hide now, can we? The jig is up, thanks to you,” she admonished the puppy.

Through the door side panels, she saw Simeon, dressed in a suit, looking as fresh as a brand new day.

“Oh, shit,” Asa whispered as she dropped the curtain covering the panel. She put the dog on the floor. Her hair must looked like she stuck her finger in an electrical socket and her gown almost exposed her butt. She threw up her hand. Why do I care what Simeon thinks? That freak stood me up tonight and now he has the nerve to show up here.

She snatched the door open. “I’ve invited you to this house a dozen times and the only time you show up is when I don’t invite you. Are you serious?” she lashed out at him. Scruffy continued to bark but now he stood behind her. Some guard dog. Simeon’s wide stance bordered on menacing. His hands were shoved in his pockets. From the porch’s dim light, she couldn’t easily make out the expression on his face. He almost looked like a detective that had come to arrest her for having too much mouth. She gave him a moment to reply. When he didn’t, she continued. “You have some nerve. Do you have any idea what time it is?”

“I felt like I owed you an apology. I’m sorry about tonight, there was an accident at one of the job sites and I had to go to the hospital. I tried to call your cell, it went directly to voicemail.” His eyes traveled the length of her body and stopped at the end of her gown.

Calm down. He’s only looking, the same way any hot blooded man would.

“You don’t look hurt to me.” She eyed him.

“Do you always have such a quick wit?”

“Only after ten o’clock. It’s my Cinderella thing.”

“I thought Cinderella’s bewitching hour was midnight.” His lip curled into a seductive smile that made

Asa forget her anger for a moment. “Yeah, well, I need my sleep.”

“I’ll make a note of that.”

“Does that mean you’ll keep coming back after my lights are out?”

“Again, I’m sorry.” He explained the accident to her. “Can I come in for a moment?” He removed his hands from his pockets.

Asa stepped aside allowing him in the hall where the light to shine on his face. She looked into his eyes, the black flecks danced against the hazy hall light. “I was sleeping...”

“I’ll only be a few minutes.” His deep voice went right to her heart, making it beat faster. He brushed against her as he stepped into the hall. His touch sent a current through her along with the realization that she was nearly naked, her nipples hardening against the thin fabric. She tugged on the gown.

Without moving he glanced into the living room. He seemed to fill the space, reminding her of her father and grandfather and their bigger than life presences. Before he uttered another word, she forgave him for standing her up.

“I’m listening.” She tried to sound indifferent. Scruffy stopped barking and wandered closer to Simeon. After sniffing his pants, he sat on the worn carpet.

“It’s not often that I allow work to interfere with my private life. I hope you can forgive me. We’re facing some tough challenges right now and I need to make sure my crews feel my support.”

“You didn’t need to come here tonight. You could have called me in the morning. I look a mess.” She pulled her hair up to fashion a ponytail.

“You’ve never looked a mess.” He cleared this throat and dropped his gaze. “I sent my assistant to the restaurant to take care of your dinner and let you know I wasn’t going to make it, but you had already left.”

Asa clutched her gown closer to her chest. “Oh, so you do know how to be nice. That makes twice.”

“You keep count?”

“It’s pretty easy with you. You’re up to two. You chased the ghost out of the basement and treated me to a nice lunch.” She held up two fingers. “This Simeon is much better than the one I went to school with.”

He arched a brow. “I...hope so. Hey wait a minute. I invited you to dinner tonight.” His electric smile sent a shiver across her skin.

“You invited me to dinner, and then you blew me off. I wouldn’t brag about that if I were you.”

Instead of commenting, he stared. A tingle traveled down her spine, enveloping her. She wanted to touch him, feel the warmth of his skin along his jaw. A static charge surrounded them. The blood rushing through her veins threatened to spring a leak and leave her useless in the middle of the hall.

She needed to deflect his penetrating gaze. “The way I figure it, you owe me a dinner and a CD player.”

“A CD Player?”

“You broke the one my father gave me for my birthday.”

“Are you sure it was me? When did I break your CD player?”

“The last week of school in our senior year, you smacked it out of my hand. And yes, I’m sure it was you.” She could still feel the sting of that moment.

He changed his stance. “That sounds pretty awful.”

“You were pretty awful back then. At least you were awful to me. And I’ve been home a little over forty-eight hours and you’re still batting a thousand.”

“I guess I owe you two apologies then.” His mouth curled into a charming smile. “And I’d like to start by taking you out to dinner. One that I won’t miss. Tomorrow night. Can I pick you up at six?”

“Do you really intend on picking me up or is this just another one of your tactics to wear me down and have me go away?”

“You don’t seem like the kind of woman that wears down easily.”

She licked her lips and smiled. “You’re so different...from high school.”

He smiled. “Different how?”

Her heart leaped in her chest while her brain tried to articulate a response. “Back then you only grunted, you never said a civil word to me. And I didn’t think your face knew how to smile.”

“So, it’s a good change?” Simeon looked down at her, his lips were only inches away from her face. Calm down Asa. Back away from his lips.

She dropped her head. “I’m withholding judgment until I get more data.”

“Fair enough. Then what about dinner?” he asked again.

“This is the first time you’ve asked me out.”

“I asked you out tonight.”

“It doesn’t count since you blew me off.”

“Okay. So you can’t turn me down now that I’m trying to make it up to you.”

She searched his face without answering for a long moment. Was he the enemy or a friend? He wanted to destroy the house. “I guess so. And are you admitting that you were awful to me in high school?”

“I’m smart enough to plead the fifth on that.” His eyes traveled up her legs. “But, I’m not leaving here tonight unless you promise to give me another chance.”

She crossed her legs, pinning them together so tightly she almost lost her balance. “Okay, let’s give it one more try.” She smiled.

He held her hand. “I’m really sorry about tonight. And I promise to pick you up promptly for our next date.” He looked into her eyes.

Date? When had they started dating? Her plan to seduce him was going woefully awry. Scruffy ran up to her and yelped.

“I think someone wants your attention.” Simeon nodded at the dog.

“It figures. He probably thinks it’s morning and time to go for a walk.”

Simeon turned and glanced out the window. “In this neighborhood you need to be careful walking this late at night.”

“Are you kidding me? This neighborhood is fantastic. It’s safe. Anyway, I usually just open the back door and let him scoot outside.”

“You haven’t been here in a few years. The area isn’t like you remember. I’ll walk with you and—”

“Scruffy. I named him Scruffy. And why would you want to walk with us? Don’t you have some important thing to run off to?”

“Let’s just say I owe you. Besides, I’m still pretty tense about the site accident. Walking will help me de-stress.”

“I need to dress first.” She hesitated, thinking he would change his mind and go home.

“I’ll wait.”

§ § §

He enjoyed the glimpse of her butt as she charged up the stairs. His penis stiffened as blood rushed through his loins. “Shit,” he uttered as he adjusted his stance.

He paced the small entranceway to manage his erection. She looked fantastic; her raw beauty made his pulse race. He wanted to scoop her up in his arms, kiss her soft lips, and run his tongue over her nipples that peeked through the nightgown, making it hard for him to raise his eyes above her chest. Instead of just dreaming of Asa, she had stood within inches of him, with only a flimsy scrap of fabric between him and her bare skin. He wanted her more than any woman he had ever met.

In the living room the frayed furniture, thin rug, and old fixtures showed their age. The walls needed a good coat of paint, but he could easily see the majesty the house had once possessed. As a boy, the house seemed huge, now it didn’t appear nearly as large or as stately.

He poked his head into the dining room and glanced in the kitchen. The light in the hall flickered, pitching him into darkness for a moment before coming back on.

Compared to the shack he grew up in, this place still resembled Buckingham Palace but it was far less threatening now.

Upstairs the hardwood floors creaked under her weight. The vision of her curvy body and cascading curls as she disappeared up the stairs flashed in his mind. He devoured every detail, dissecting her like a laboratory animal. To ease his erection, he switched his thoughts to the dog sitting at the base of the stairs. The dog whined for Asa. Simeon picked him up and rubbed his head. “Yeah, buddy, she has that effect on men.”

Asa bounded down the stairs wearing tight fitting yoga pants and a tank top without a bra. Her breasts still taunting him. Her ponytail looked a little more managed but several tendrils still hung loose. “I’m ready.”

“Aren’t you going to wear shoes?”

“No, I’m just going a few blocks. Besides it’s warm outside. I never wear shoes in the summer.”

“I think you’ll need them tonight. It’s dark and there may be glass. I don’t want to make another trip to the hospital today.”

“Simeon,” she said his name like no one else. It sounded like a song the way she pronounced it. Her mischievous smile was hard to resist. Everything about her only heightened his senses and stirred up emotions he thought were buried years ago. He wanted to be angry with her and her family, but he couldn’t hold to it when she smiled or said his name.

He chuckled at the pout she gave him before running upstairs.

She returned a moment later wearing a pair of flip-flops.

“You call those shoes?”

“It’s the best you’re going to get tonight. Let’s go.”

Simeon turned away and suppressed a groan when she bent over to leash the dog, exposing part of her thong and the small of her back. The tight pants did little to conceal her butt. “Let me leave my jacket here.” He removed his jacket and placed it on the banister before following her out the door.

She determined the direction of their stroll. He rolled up his sleeves as they meandered from one block to the next without talking.

“I think you better have the electricity checked. Do you know your lights flicker?”

“As soon as I can convince you to leave my house alone, I’ll get a contractor in.”

“I see you’ve placed flyers all over the place,” he pointed to the bright sheet tacked to a tree.

“I guess I’m now the proud owner of this mutt. The shelter said dog owners that are looking for their pets usually show up pretty quickly. I’ll give it another week, then I’ll take the notices down.”

Simeon nodded. After a few moments he asked. “So, tell me about your husband, where is he?”

“Ex-husband, and he’s still in Atlanta. We’re divorced, two years now.” She hunched her shoulders. “My marriage didn’t work out so I decided to move back here, to be with my family, where my roots are.”

“I see.” Simeon shoved his hands in his pockets. Now he understood why she wanted to meet with him. He decided to put his question out there. “So about the house. What did you want to say?”

“If we talk now, does that mean you’re off the hook for dinner tomorrow?”

“No, not at all,” he smirked. “I didn’t want you to have to wait until tomorrow.”

Asa stopped while Scruffy smelled a tree box. “I wanted to talk to you about your project. I hope there is an alternative. A way to save the block.” She pulled on the leash.

A car engine came to life down the street. A quick flash from the high beams blinded him for a moment. Simeon waited until the driver pulled away to respond. “I see.”

“That house...that house has so many memories for me and my whole family. My sisters and I grew up there. My parents were married in the living room and after they were killed my grandparents planted a tree in the backyard in honor of them. That tree is still there and it’s, it’s...” She paused. “The block parties...remember the yearly summer block parties? The whole neighborhood came.”

“Not the whole neighborhood,” Simeon grunted. The Harper family never attended one of those parties.

She studied his face for a moment. “You could have, but you were always so…so...”

“So what?”

“You were always so serious. You didn’t have time for fun.”

“Is that what you think?”

She tugged on the dog’s leash. “You never led me to think anything else.”

Neither of them spoke for several seconds.

“Nearly everyone came to those parties. They lasted well into the night. I remember all the food, everyone laughing and having a good time,” Asa’s voice sounded cheerful. “That’s why I needed to come back here after the divorce. This is home, it always has been. The house is great and there is no way anyone can live in that house and not be happy.”

Simeon gnashed his teeth. Hearing her cheery chatter about the fabulous summer block parties and the grand old house made him tense. The house he grew up in was the exact opposite. Bickering and fighting for food with his siblings were the highlighted activities. Being excluded from the one thing that the whole town talked about all summer only reinforced his alienation. As soon as that block came down, so would his awful memories.

“You are a persistent little cuss. Like that dog with his bone. No matter how many times I say no, you keep coming back, don’t you.”

Asa stopped walking. “It’s my plan to wear you down. I can be pretty persuasive.”

“I’ll say. And I keep trying to ply you with food to get you thinking about something else. I can come up with so many other things for us to do.”

“I thought you just enjoyed my company.” She smiled.

“That too. I definitely enjoy spending time with you.” If he squelched her idea right now, there wouldn’t be any excuse to spend time with her. The houses on that block were coming down and the sooner he did it the better. He cleared this throat. “But, I’m not promising anything with the house.”

“I just want you to think about it.” Her smile made him feel better, but not good enough to change his plans.

“Good boy, Scruffy,” she said to the dog as he relieved himself against a tree. “I think we can head back now.”

She pivoted on her heel and turned back toward her house. Simeon didn’t want the walk to end. After hours spent on the hard chairs in the waiting room and the grueling traffic back to Bristol, this time with her salvaged his day. He wanted a little more, but Scruffy pulled her down the block. Simeon stepped up beside her.

“That was a short walk.”

“He’s pretty easy to please, a little food, a short walk, and a rub on the belly makes him happy. Too bad everyone isn’t that easy to please.”

“Maybe they are. You just have to get the right combination.”

“Sometimes there is no right combination. I should know. That’s why I’m divorced and if I ever marry again it’s going to be perfect. My sisters are waiting for me to fall on my face. They think investing money in the house is a colossal mistake. I don’t think they even support the idea of me opening a studio here.” She stopped in front of the stairs.

Simeon placed his foot on the first step and watched Asa and Scruffy walk up the stairs to the door. Her sanctuary, his nightmare.

“I hope you think about what I’ve said.”

He barely heard her comment. Her ponytail had come loose and curls fell to her shoulders. Tonight was the most they’d ever talked. The unexpected intimacy made it hard for him to say goodnight. His senses were in overdrive. He watched her lips move and wanted to taste her. Every muscle in his body ached to hold her, touch her.

He climbed the stairs. “I see you still have the same tenacity you possessed in high school.”

She looked up at him. Her eyes were as bright as the stars. She mumbled something but the words floated away in the night air.

“I guess I better get inside.” She didn’t move.

He continued to hold her gaze. “Asa—” the porch light popped, leaving them in the shadows. The spell was broken. Simeon quashed the sigh that rose in his throat. He’d get another chance. “I think you might have to replace several light bulbs.”

“It’s on my list of things to do.” She unlocked the door and pushed it open. She flipped the hall switch and nothing happening. “I’m going to need a dozen bulbs.”

Simeon placed his hand on her back and followed her into the house. Her warmth heightened his desire. Pushing his tongue in her mouth seemed a fitting place to start. She walked into the living room and stumbled over the coffee table before finding the lamp switch. It clicked but the light did not come on.

He glanced out the window. “I think it’s just your house, all of your neighbors seem to have electricity.”

Asa plopped down on the stairs. The dull haze from the streetlight outside provided only a band of light. She looked so tiny sitting in the darkness. Her dog looked up at her, then sat at her feet.

“I don’t know if I have no electricity because Dakota failed to pay the bill, or if I’ve got a much larger issue.” Asa released the leash and dropped her hand.

“Well you can’t stay here tonight.”

“I better starting looking for a hotel that takes dogs, because going to Dakota’s is out of the question.”

“Stay with me. You can stay with me.” The words slipped out so easily, they surprised him. Overnight guests were a rarity. Women only stayed long enough to share a night of pleasure. But this invitation offered no such benefit. Having Asa under his roof sure seemed like a benefit, but the ramifications could be colossal. Nothing about her said one night stand. Asa was the girl you married and forged a life with. Maybe she should stay in one of his other properties, not under his roof. He adjusted his stance. Asa stared at him, her sexy mouth slightly parted.

Before she could reject his offer, he moved closer. “I have plenty of room. And you and your dog...Scruffy can stay as long as you want.”

“Why? Why would you make such an offer? We haven’t spoken since high school.”

“To hear you tell it, as mean as I was to you in high school, I owe you.”

Her lip trembled. She wiped her tear before it ran down her cheek. “Suppose I take you up on your offer?”

“I hope you do. You can’t stay here in the dark.” He watched while she contemplated his offer. His heart pushed against his chest like a horse at the starting gates.

She searched his face before running up the stairs. “Okay, I’m coming.”

God, I hope so.