Just One Taste Part 5

Act like a lady. The words were unspoken, yet her mother had drilled them into Alexandra daily before she was Emma's age. Yike a yady, little Alexandra would repeat, causing both her parents to laugh.

Trouble was, grown-up Alexandra was tired of being ladylike.

Lucky Will Garrity.

Chapter 8.

She looked so cute spinning her straw around her c.o.ke. Real c.o.ke, not Diet, which had surprised him. Most of the women Will knew ordered no-sugar, low-fat, dressing-on-the-side, pain-in-the-a.s.s food, but not Alex. She'd devoured her cheeseburger and sweet potato fries as if she hadn't eaten in a week, and now they were waiting for pie. Chocolate cream for her, cherry for him. He was stuffed, but it only seemed gentlemanly that he join her for the dessert she was obviously hankering for.

"I forgot to ask. Did your sister like her birthday present?"

"Loved it. Thanks again for going shopping with me. I told her I had help-she knew right off the bat something was fishy. Usually I get her a box of wine."

Alex grinned. "Happy to be of service. Does she need a stylist?"

"Funny you should ask." Will had confessed all to Kelly and had shown her Alex's pink and black card. "She's going to call you. She says her closet depresses her."

Alex's blue eyes lit up. "Fabulous! She's a Realtor, right? That's such a compet.i.tive business."

"Yeah, so she says. She works with a lot of out-of-town buyers, people who want a second home on the water or 'in the country.' People like that expect a lot."

"I'd love to a.s.sess her closet. Sometimes it's just a few little things that can make a difference. Accessories. New combinations with old clothes."

Will shrugged. "I wouldn't know. I'm a jeans and plaid shirt kind of guy." Although tonight he'd worn his mutilated Brooks Brothers jacket again over them.

"That suits your career. I imagine Kelly has to make a different impression."

The waitress placed two enormous wedges of pie in front of them, and the fashion talk ceased as they dug in. It was refreshing to be with a woman who wasn't fiddly or fussy about her food. Will made a valiant attempt to finish, but couldn't. Alex, on the other hand, ate every bit and eyed his before she reconsidered and took the napkin off her lap and folded it neatly.

"That was delicious. Thanks so much for asking me out."

"Thanks so much for coming." Will's tongue felt thick and useless-he felt like the most boring guy on earth. He wanted to ask her to come over to his house-it was clean for a change because he'd slaved like a dog after work for three days to get it that way.

Just in case.

But she'd driven herself to meet him. Ms. Alexandra Russell was a careful girl.

She was looking at her watch now. Like Cinderella, she was about to flee the ball.

"It's kind of late."

Will nodded in agreement. Yeah, that would get him far.

"But I actually don't have an appointment until tomorrow afternoon. I suppose you've got to make an early start, though."

"I'm on the job every morning at seven."

Come on, Will.

"I get up a lot earlier than that, though. I'm renovating my house-would you like to see it?" he blurted.

"Your house? Now?"

"Why not? I can fix us coffee. Decaffeinated." He wouldn't offer a nightcap. Alex had said she didn't drink much, and he'd pa.s.sed up a beer with his burger.

"Okay."

Okay? Could it be that easy? He hadn't even told her about the vintage kitchen wallpaper. "You won't have to go far to get home. I'm on Plain Hill Road."

"Practically right around the corner! Have you lived there long?"

"Nope, just a year or so. The property was in pretty rough shape when I bought it. It was a foreclosure."

A vee appeared between her golden eyebrows. "I know all about those, but from the opposite perspective."

Will swallowed his surprise. Hard to believe the princess's house was seized by the bank. Wasn't her ex some kind of financial wizard?

Apparently not.

He left some bills on the table and they went to the restaurant parking lot. Her little Audi sported a new b.u.mper and didn't look quite so pathetic. "Follow me."

The ten-minute drive gave him plenty of time to build up some ma.s.sive b.u.t.terflies. It wasn't like he was going to jump her or anything. A quick tour of the house, some coffee in the kitchen, maybe a good-night kiss-he didn't want to scare her off.

He'd left lights on, so the long driveway didn't seem so spooky. Will just prayed that Rocky wouldn't knock Alex over; the dog had a tendency to jump and lick like a lunatic. Sometimes Will brought him to work, where he got spoiled with doughnut holes and sandwich ends by the guys. If he wasn't more careful with his dog's diet, poor Rocky would be unable to jump up at all.

Will helped Alex out of her car. "Welcome to my humble abode." Gah. He sounded like such a dork.

"I know this house! Gee, you've done wonders with the outside. It used to be so...so..."

"Words fail you, right?" The place had looked like a candidate for a haunted house ride.

"You must be up to the challenge."

"I try. Wait till you go in and see what you think."

Rocky was barking at the kitchen windowsill already, tail wagging like a deadly weapon. Will unlocked the side door and turned off the alarm. He'd taken the precaution of putting a baby gate up between the mudroom and kitchen, but Rocky vaulted over it like a gazelle.

"Down! Don't even think about it. Sit. Stay. Oh, h.e.l.l."

Alex was giggling as the world's goofiest border collie mix ran circles around her, yapping happily. She dropped gracefully to her knees, apparently still as limber as when she was a cheerleader.

"Who's a good boy? Is it you? Aren't you handsome? Yes, you are."

Lucky d.a.m.n dog. Rocky's tongue was lolling out of his head as Alex scratched behind his ears and down his back.

"C'mon, Rocky. Time to go out."

Will opened the door. Clearly Rocky was conflicted between the need to do his business and the beautiful blonde whose hands were working magic on his black and white fur. After more than a moment's hesitation, he bounded down the steps, peed on the overgrown lilac bush, and came right back in.

"What a cutie," Alex said, brushing dog hair off her jeans.

"He sheds. A lot. Something they never told me at the shelter."

She shrugged. "n.o.body's perfect."

"I used to think you were." The words came out before he had a chance to think.

"Really? I wasn't, I a.s.sure you. I had as many problems as the next girl."

Will smiled. "Honor student. Homecoming princess. Fancy house."

She poked a pink-tipped finger in his chest like she did before. "I did my homework like a little nerd and didn't cut cla.s.s. Ever, unlike a boy I knew who went to the beach as soon as the thermometer registered over 50 degrees. I wore braces for five years-yes, five years to get that princess smile. And believe me, living in a colonial museum is no fun. I longed for wall-to-wall carpet so my friends didn't go home crippled after a sleepover."

"I like the beach," Will said. He didn't get to go very often anymore. Wasn't even sure where his board shorts were.

She took her finger away, and Will thought he kind of missed it. "I hope you wore sunscreen. Skin cancer is a killer."

"Spoken like a doctor's daughter. How does your dad like his retirement?"

"It's okay." Her eyes slid to the coffeemaker, and Will hustled over to the counter.

"How do you take your coffee?"

"Leave it. Give me the tour first. I like what you've done with the kitchen. It's cozy."

All Will had done was put down butcher block for the countertops, paint the original cabinets because he couldn't afford new ones, and pull up years' worth of linoleum. He hadn't gotten around to sanding and sealing the floors yet, but they looked kind of trendy rustic. His mother had made plaid tab curtains that matched the sage-green of the cupboards and his sisters had chipped in as a joke with a hideous three-foot ceramic rooster that sat on top of the ancient refrigerator. It ruled over the zillion chickens that were busy pecking away on the walls. The wallpaper must have been attached with extra-strength Gorilla glue, and Will had decided not to mess with it. It was weird but kind of wonderful.

"I'll replace the appliances eventually. Two of the burners on the stove don't work."

"Do you cook?"

"Sure, don't you?"

"Not if I can help it. Actually, I haven't had much time lately, and my mother's housekeeper is very territorial. Mostly I just do simple stuff for Emma. My daughter." She stuck her chin out as if to challenge him, remembering what he said that first day they reconnected.

"I like kids," Will said truthfully. "How old is she?"

"Almost five. She'll be in all-day kindergarten in September."

"That's a fun age. I have a five-year old nephew." Brandon was a handful, driving his mother crazy, and Will wondered if Emma was equally spirited.

"She's my heart." Her voice thickened as she said it. He looked down, wondering if she was about to cry.

"Kind of like Rocky here," he joked, trying to lighten the mood. The dog was at her feet, a trip magnet if there ever was one. "He likes you."

"I like him." Alex swept a strand of hair behind her ear. "Lay on, Macduff. Let's see your DIY."

"It's not finished. Might never be. I don't know whether I'm going to run out of time or money first." He was fortunate to come across a lot of salvage and repurpose stuff in his business, and handy enough to know what to do with it.

He flicked on the lights as they went from room to room. The living and dining rooms were basically empty but the walls had been patched and repainted. He'd left the dark woodwork as he'd found it on the built-in shelves, cupboards and the archway between the two rooms. The house was nowhere near as old as Alex's, but it had character.

"Great fireplace," Alex said, running a hand over the dentil molding.

"It works too, now that I relined the chimney. I had to sh.o.r.e up the foundation and replace all the mechanicals-wiring, plumbing, furnace. Not very glamorous, and you can't see where the money went, but the house won't fall down anytime soon."

"I love to watch those HGTV fixer-upper shows when I get a chance. There's always disaster lurking somewhere, isn't there?"

"Which is why I love new construction. But I couldn't pa.s.s up this deal, not that you might see it that way."

She turned to him. "I can see it. And n-now," she stuttered, "I'd like to see your bedroom. The bed, specifically."

Chapter 9.

Alexandra couldn't quite believe she'd said it aloud. From the look on Will's face, he couldn't either.

"You...you're sure?"

"I like you. It doesn't have to mean anything."

"Like h.e.l.l it doesn't," Will growled. "I don't go around having one-night stands, Alexandra."

He was mad! Here she was, breaking her own rules, and he was giving her s.h.i.t for it! Weren't guys just supposed to shut up and take advantage?

She shrugged. "Never mind then." Maybe she should have waited until they'd gone upstairs. For all she knew, he slept on a dirty mattress on the floor. With the dog. There might even be fleas!

"You can't say never mind. You can't just-just turn it on and off like that."

Rocky was standing between them, looking back and forth like he was at a tennis match. Alexandra bent over in embarra.s.sment and patted the dog again. "I guess I've forgotten how it's done. I didn't mean to annoy you."

"I'm not annoyed! Well, I am, but not because you want to-wanted to-sleep with me. I can't think of anything I'd like more. But it would mean something, at least to me. I'm not much of a man-s.l.u.t, Alex. Alexandra, I mean."

She bit her lip to stop from smiling. He really was making an effort here. And when he forgot and called her Alex, she didn't even really mind.