“We need to talk.”
She stopped playing and started to stand. “No, we don’t.”
He grabbed her wrist and forced her back down. “Yes, we do.”
She nodded. “Okay.”
He eased his grip.
She quickly stood and moved away.
“What are you doing?” he asked, surprised by the sudden distance.
“I’m giving you the space and peace you first asked me for. You don’t have to worry, I’ll stay away so you can have your time with Uncle Darren and Louisa,” she said, then marched to the kitchen.
***
Sean scratched his beard and watched her. She was slowly driving him insane. The woman bugged him and he didn’t know why. She gnawed at his mind like a termite—he couldn’t understand why she had captured such prominence in his thoughts. Many people annoyed him and he brushed them aside, but something about her lingered. Dammit, why did she have to be so lovely with her beautiful cocoa skin and soft, gentle brown eyes? Why did she have to carry herself with such soft elegance? Her gauzy red top and flowing blue skirt stood out in the dull little kitchen like a rose peeking out of the cracks of a sidewalk, hinting of an outer gentleness, but an inner strength, an inner resolve. Plus, she stirred up questions within him: how had she known the diagnosis for the man? Who was she really? He knew his secrets, but what secrets did she keep?
When he had driven up to the house, hearing the music echoing in the wind, he felt like he’d come home. Come to a place for his weary soul to rest. He knew Teresa would be there, but when he’d opened the door, he hadn’t expected to see the one woman who’d haunted his mind, sitting like a mythical Muse creating melodies that stirred the sleeping man inside him. Something strange, yet wondrous, touched his heart, a pleasurable pain he couldn’t comprehend. It couldn’t have been that he was happy to see her again, that would be crazy. Yet the entire evening he hadn’t been able to keep his eyes off her as she served them a delicious meal of red beans and rice and ginger spiced chicken, and even now he continued to stare at her while she washed the dishes at the sink.
“That meal was everything you promised, Teresa,” Darren called over his shoulder as he stretched out in his chair.
“It was my pleasure,” Teresa said, turning on the water to rinse the dishes.
“I guess I should come over more often,” Sean added.
Teresa didn’t respond. Her rebuff was as tangible as a slap. Sean reached in his front shirt pocket for a cigarette, then remembered that he’d given up smoking nine years ago. He softly swore.
“She doesn’t seem to like you for some reason,” Darren said, eyeing his friend.
He rested his forearms on the table. “No.”
“Some men just don’t have the ability to charm like others.”
Sean laughed bitterly. “Yeah, I suppose so.” He quieted into a melancholy silence. He should leave, but he had no desire to return to his large solitary house. At times he wondered if Teresa had put a curse on him, for as she had hoped, he was drowning in his solitude—peace hammered at him on all sides and an aching loneliness began to creep into his evenings, which was why he’d come visiting.
“Sean, come over here and talk to me,” Louisa ordered from the couch. Glad for the release of his confusing, tormenting thoughts, Sean joined her. She was always a nice distraction. She knew how to be with a man, how to touch him and make him feel good. But for some reason he’d been avoiding her most of the evening, but maybe that had been a mistake.
“What do you want to talk about?”
She patted a space closer to her. Sean scooted over, used to Louisa’s flirtatious ways and not surprised when she rested her hand on his thigh. “Tell me about your day.”
“Today was pretty boring, but...first I found a diamond bracelet, which I later discovered belonged to Lady Winterthorn who’s vacationing here with her Italian prince.”
Louisa grinned, enjoying their childish game of make-believe. “Can I see it?”
“No,” he shook his head, keeping his expression serious. “I had to give it back. She’d tossed it after having an argument with her lover. She thanked me by taking me on her yacht and serving me caviar.”
Louisa’s smile grew. “Is that all she served you?”
Sean grinned. “Let’s just say that I made her forget about the prince for a few hours before he decided to return and I had to escape undetected.”
“Which of course you did.”
He nodded. “And when I came back to shore, I did my grocery shopping, then came here.”
“You’re right,” Teresa said, overhearing their talk as she picked up three empty soda cans that Louisa had left lying near the couch. “That was a rather boring day.”
He captured her with his eyes. “Give me a chance, I’m usually better the second time.”
Teresa didn’t misunderstand his reference to their kiss. “It’s a shame you even need a second time,” she said then went to the kitchen.
Louisa laughed. “Did you piss in her punch or something?”
“Or something.” Sean rubbed his nose trying not to appear too interested. “So...why is Teresa staying here?”
Louisa stared at him for a long moment then swore. “Are you interested?”
“Hell no, I was just curious.”
“You’ve never been this curious about me.”
He let his gaze slid down the length of her. “I’ve never had to be curious about you.”
Louisa licked her bottom lip and crossed her legs so they pressed against his. “Maybe, I should change that.”
“And maybe you don’t have to,” he said, but as he said the words he couldn’t help wondering why Teresa was still mad at him and wondering if she was watching him with Louisa now. And why the hell did he care if she was? He stood.
Louisa stared up at him disappointed. “You’re leaving already?”
“No, I just have some personal business,” he said then went to the bathroom. When he was through, he didn’t return to the living room. Instead he headed to the kitchen where he found Teresa scrubbing a pot with such vigor her entire body shook. He snuck up behind her and whispered in her ear, “You should use gloves.”
Her response was even better than he could have predicted. In surprise, she dropped the pot in the water splashing herself. Water soaked her shirt and dripped from her hair.
Sean burst into laughter. Teresa took the hose and squirted him in the face. His shocked expression was priceless. She couldn’t help herself, she doubled over in laughter.
Sean brushed wet hair from his forehead. “You think that’s funny?”
“Yes, and if you take one step closer, I’ll do it again,” she warned when his eyes narrowed.
“I’ll risk it.” She squirted him as he grabbed for the hose. It continued to soak them as they fought to possess it.
“I hope with all the fun you’re having you two will be willing to pay my water bill,” Darren said, casually getting a beer from the fridge.
They immediately broke away from each other, the hose slithered back into its place like a lizard.
“Sorry, Uncle,” Teresa said.
“Why don’t you both dry off?” He looked at Sean. “You can borrow a shirt from my closet.”
***
“This is all your fault,” Teresa said under her breath as they walked down the hall.
“What are you so worried about? Nothing happened.”
“I was suppose to be washing dishes not—”
“Having some fun?”
She went into her room. “No, seeking revenge.”
“Prude.”
Teresa closed the door in his face.
She opened a drawer, then slammed it closed. How could she have let him get to her? How could she have gotten so carried away? He wasn’t supposed to matter and she didn’t like him. At least she didn’t want to. She knew she had to keep her distance. He wanted his space and she wasn’t the woman to help him heal from a marriage to a woman who looked like the beautiful Pernelle.
A part of her had started to hope that maybe he was a little curious about her when he’d sat down and talked to her at the piano. And her heart had betrayed her by beating a little faster, but Louisa’s kiss and seeing them together and flirting, replaced her quickening pulse with pangs of jealous. There was definitely something between them. He never smiled at her like that, but of course a man like him wouldn’t. She knew the rumors. For all she knew, Louisa’s baby could be his. Keeping her distance was the best way to keep herself safe. Running the store and helping Louisa was all that mattered. It had been a risk to stay here even for a brief while, but she didn’t regret it. Seeing him with Louisa would be a sobering reminder of her foolish heart.
Teresa quickly changed her shirt and fixed her hair. She took a deep breath and opened the door.
Sean stood there wearing one of Darren’s old shirts—the sleeves were too short and with each breath the buttons threatened to pop. Teresa covered her mouth to stop herself from laughing.
“As you can see, this will not work,” Sean said dryly.
Teresa bit her lip and nodded, fighting to keep her gaze on his face and not his chest.
“I was wondering if you had something I could borrow.”
Her humor fell. “What are you implying?”
He came into the room. “Relax, I’m not making any insulting references to your healthy, womanly figure. I just notice that you like baggy clothes.”
“And why should I help you?”
“Because I’m asking you nicely.” He placed his hands on his hips, the movement was followed by a loud rip. The shirt split in two and fell down his arms. Sean glanced down. “I was afraid that would happen.”
Teresa fell into helpless laughter.
Sean tore the shirt off. “Yea, go ahead and laugh.”
Teresa fell on her bed and laughed harder.
Sean tossed the ruined shirt on the floor.
“It’s like a scene from The Incredible Hulk,” Teresa said between breaths.
He turned to her with interest. “You watch superhero movies?”
She just wiped tears from her eyes and grinned at him, making no move to answer.
He shrugged. “Fine, don’t tell me. So where are your clothes?”
She pointed to the dresser drawers. “In there.”
He opened the drawer and pulled out a pair of panties. “Just what I thought, knickers as white as a christening gown.”
She snatched the item out of his grasp. “Pervert.” She pushed him out of the way and searched for a shirt.
“Here’s one.”
He didn’t respond.
When she turned to him she saw him surveying the room. She in turn watched the muscles play in his back. His presence made the space even smaller. He began to flex his muscles. Teresa closed the drawer. “Show off.”
“Hey, you’re willing to watch. I’m willing to perform.”
“I wasn’t watching you.”
“Good, then you didn’t notice the small birthmark on my shoulder.”
“You don’t have a small birthmark on your shoulder.”
His whole face spread into a smile. “I know.”
She threw the shirt at him. “There.”
“Thank you.” He slipped into the shirt.
Teresa reluctantly acknowledged that it fit him perfectly. While it hung on her, it fell on him as smoothly as an oiled glove. The truth was, he could probably make a potato sack look good—the bastard.
“Is this where you sleep then?” he asked, pointing to the tiny bed.
She clasped her hands together and fluttered her lashes. “Your powers of deduction astound me.”
“What are you doing in a place you don’t belong?”
“That’s none of your business.”
He took a step towards her and lowered his voice. “I’m making it my business, planning to stop me?”
“I want you out of my room.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t like you.”
His gaze held hers. “Yes, you do.”
She chose not to respond, although her breathing turned shallow and her mouth dry.
“You know you have nothing to be angry about.”
She turned, pointing a finger at him. “I don’t like men who maul me like a—”
He took another step forward. “Maul
you
? Talk about having an overactive imagination. You came at me like a swarm of bees.”
“Just to shock you.” She folded her arms. “But you turned it into something else.”
His mouth curved into a smug grin. “What? Scared because you liked it?”
She returned the expression. “Why, because
you
are?”
His smiled dropped. “What?”
“You’re scared because in spite of everything, you can’t believe that chubby plain old me, actually was exciting and tasted good.”
“P-plain?” Sean said, stumbling over the word. “Did you just say plain?”
“You hate how much you liked it, don’t you?”
She was taunting him. She had no right to have that kind of control. He was suppose to be the one to make her feel uncomfortable. He was supposed to make her admit that the kiss was good. That
he
was good. He wasn’t the one who was supposed to feel this bare and vulnerable. Bertha said Teresa had no guile, but he didn’t believe that. She flaunted her beauty at him.
“Don’t flatter yourself, I’ve been with better and far more beautiful.” As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted them. Behind her bright brown eyes was a flicker of hurt he knew he’d inflicted. His chest tightened as he realized that Bertha had been right. Teresa didn’t know she was beautiful. But how could that be? He was so used to playing hardball with cold sophisticated women with ice for blood, that he’d become cold as well. He was too proud to apologize, too proud to show that she had hit upon one of his weaknesses, so he’d shot back like a wounded dog, lashing out with fury and spite.
He turned away from her, regret making his heart pound with an aching strength, knowing that distance was the best thing right now. He headed for the door, then stopped. Only a coward would leave like this, leave her alone in this little room after stomping on her feelings. He turned. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that.”
“Don’t apologize for being honest,” she said, her eyes bright with tears she didn’t let fall.
He stopped her before she could reach the door. He grabbed her arms and stared down at her, amazed that a woman nearly half his size could hold a strange power over him. “You don’t know how dangerous you are to me,” he said in a hoarse whisper. He took a deep steadying breath. “I don’t want to like you. I don’t want to feel anything for you or for
anyone
. I don’t want to feel anything when you look at me like that.” His grip tightened. “I don’t want to think about you or hold you close or imagine the smell of your skin, the feel of your lips, the touch of your hands,” he said, letting his gaze fall down to her hands as if willing them to do the very thing he didn’t want them to.