I brought the full tray back into the kitchen. I’d left Bear’s card next to the phone. I thought about the crack in the plaster ceiling in the spare room. I’d gone in this morning to consider paint colors and noticed it. I also had a leaky faucet in the downstairs bathroom.
I dialed and he picked up right away. “Good morning, beautiful!”
I stayed silent, trying to figure out if he thought I was someone else.
“Kate?” He sounded confused.
“Oh, you did mean me. Good morning to you, too.” The easy compliment made me smile and relax.
“What can I do for you?” His voice had a strange echo.
“I was just wondering if you had time to do a couple of jobs for me. I’m slowly working on making Gran’s place feel like my own, and I’ve found some problems, a cracked ceiling and a leaky faucet.” I paused. “If that’s not the kind of thing you do, could you recommend someone?”
“I asked Nellie to let me fix that ceiling two years ago. I did all kinds of handyman stuff for her, and I’ll extend the service to you. Mainly I design and build things, but I’m pretty handy, as well.”
“You’re pretty handsy. I’ll give you that.”
He laughed. “Anything for the future mother of my children. We’ll have four. Did I tell you?”
Why couldn’t he be the one I wanted? He was sweet and funny and sexy as hell. Clearly, I’d been a creep in a previous life and I was paying for it in this one. “Four? That means I’d have to have sex with you four times. I did not agree to that. Maybe if you were a better kisser...”
“A challenge; I like that. I’ll be by this afternoon to look at your house and to lay one on you that’ll have you rethinking your assessment of me. Personally, I’m good for four times a day, but if you can’t keep up with me...”
I hung up on him, laughing. “Okay, Chaucer, let’s go check the rest of the house and make a list for Bear. Your new best friend will be here soon.”
I heard Bear’s truck a couple of hours later. Chaucer stood by the door, tail wagging, waiting to get at him. I opened the door and Chaucer was off like a shot, but he stopped himself before he jumped.
Bear gave Chaucer a strong, full-body rub, and Chaucer fell to the porch in bliss. Bear stepped over my dog, grabbed me, dipped me, and laid a huge kiss on me.
When he stood me back up, all I could say was wow.
With a huge, self-satisfied grin, he nodded. “That’s right.”
“No, I meant the dip. The dip was awesome. The kiss”—I grimaced—“meh.”
He sighed. “I know. I worried when you said wow. Okay, let’s fix stuff!” He clapped his hands together, walking into the house, Chaucer jumping up to follow.
I followed as well. “You know, you look damn hot in that tool belt.”
He turned to wink at me. “Why do you think I became a contractor? I make this look work.”
I had six things to show him, and they turned out to be minor enough that he could easily get them all done in a day. When I asked how much it would cost, he laughed.
“I’ll pass on Nellie’s discount to you, especially as you let me kiss you whenever I feel like it.”
I screwed up my face in distaste. “Feeling kind of whorish now. Getting kissed on a semiregular basis made me feel like a free spirit. If I’m getting compensated for it, I just feel dirty.”
“I see. Does it bother you enough to pay full price?”
“Oh, hell, no. Maybe I’ll try on dirty for a little while. Take it for a test spin, if you will.”
“I knew I liked you.” He stepped closer and picked me up. “Wrap your legs around my waist.”
“Um. No.” I was dangling in the air, trying not to laugh.
“You’re not getting any lighter, woman. Put your legs around me.”
I rolled my eyes. “Fine, you big whiner.” I put my arms on his shoulders and wrapped my legs around his waist. His grip shifted to my ass. I lifted my eyebrows at that.
