Now and Forever 4, The Renovated Heart (8 page)

“After my dad died, Mom insisted the place
stay exactly as it was. I couldn’t even have a wall re-plastered or
painted. So the house has deteriorated some. I apologize.”

“Please don’t. I love this place the way it
is.” Their eyes met.

“Friends told me not to bother renovating
it, just lower the price and dump the monster.”

“Don’t! It’s charming, with so much
character.” She frowned.

He stared at her for a long moment before
mentioning his reason for being there. He pulled something out of
his back pocket, placing it on the table.

“I brought some paint chips over. I thought
we’d choose colors together, since you’re going to be living
here.”

“I’ve been reading up on old
houses…renovation. You’re going to keep the character of the era,
aren’t you?”

“I hadn’t planned on…”

“Oh, you must. Let me show you something I
found. Colors should go with the feeling of it.”

Tunney pulled out a folder of paint chips
while Kit retrieved her laptop. She pulled up the most recent
site.

Tunney opened the folder to the section he
had selected earlier.

“Choose something from one of these.” He sat
back in his chair, draining the last of the coffee in his mug. Kit
watched his biceps flex as he moved the mug. Her pulse kicked up
for a moment.

“Hmm, all neutrals. A house like this needs
color, don’t you think?” She looked over the paint chips.

“Neutrals sell better…makes it look bigger.
If people see a dark color or a color they don’t like, they walk
away. I’m selling this place, not making the house ready for a
centerfold in Better Homes & Gardens.”

“Centerfold? Aren’t you a little confused?
Isn’t a centerfold for naked women?” Her voice dripped sarcasm.

Tunney flushed. “You know what I mean,” he
said, glancing at her chest.

“You want the house to keep its character,
don’t you?” she went to the counter for the coffee pot.

“It’s just a building, Kit, not a
person.”

“But I want to do this right. The websites
all say…” She held the pot up, but he put his hand over his mug so
she refilled hers.

“To hell with the websites. I know how to
get a house ready to be sold.”

“It’s yours. Still, I’d love to see lavender
in the dining room.”

“Lavender? No way. White makes a house look
bigger…getting a higher price.”

“How about in the parlor then…red in the
living room?”

“This isn’t a brothel. It’s a house for
sale.”

“Red walls don’t make a house a brothel,
they give the place some style. Victorian houses often have dark
paint on window sashes…according to Victorian Houses Today dot com.
Can’t we at least do that?”

“Painting trim is tricky. If you get your
dark paint on the white wall, you may have to repaint the whole
wall.”

“I thought you said you wanted my
input.”

“That’s when I thought you had something to
contribute.”

She gasped and recoiled as if she had been
slapped across the face. She stared at him as tears filled her
eyes.

“I’m sorry…not what I meant, after all
you’re not an expert…”

“Neither are you!” Her voice rose. She
pushed to her feet and disappeared into the parlor. Before closing
the door she heard his one last comment. “Crap.”

He got up and knocked.

“I’m sorry, Kit. Sometimes I put my foot in
it. Please come out.”

“Pick your damn colors yourself.” She folded
her arms across her chest.

“Please. I shouldn’t have spoken to you like
that.” He pleaded.

Kit opened it a bit, as she wiped away the
tears streaking down her face.
What happened to the feisty Kit,
the one Johnny talked about, always standing up to him? Buried
under an avalanche of pain.

He put his hand on her shoulder, his thumb
gently rubbing her skin. Her breathing became steady again as a
smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

“Can we use gray, tan or cream instead of
all white?”

“Come on, let’s look at the chips again…you
can pick,” Tunney said, taking her by the elbow and escorting her
back to the kitchen table. She leaned against him a little wishing
he would take her in his arms. His hands came toward her waist but
then fall back again.
Your own stupid fault. He thinks you’re
married.

* * * *

Sitting together at the kitchen table they
wrote down tasks for each room. Tunney put a timeline to each item
on the list then set priorities. They ended up with pieces of paper
taped together, detailing all the work. Tunney stayed until six
o’clock.

“How long do you think it’ll take to get all
this done?

“I don’t know a couple of months at least.”
Tunney swallowed a smirk at the idea of being around her every day
for several months until he remembered he couldn’t touch her. His
smirk morphed into a frown.

“Hey, don’t look so unhappy. I’m not hard to
be with.”

“I…you’re not at all…I only…never mind.” He
picked up the tape, then fastened the make-shift list to the
kitchen wall.

“Since I’m not writing yet, I can help
you.”

“Think you’re up to it?” A mischievous glint
lit up in his eyes.

“Of course! I’m strong. Look at this
muscle,” she said, flexing her arm.

Tunney was afraid to touch her. Looking at
the smooth skin of her arm started sexy thoughts in his head.

“Go ahead. Feel it.”

“I take your word for it.”

“Afraid you’re wrong?”

You’re damn right I’m afraid…afraid to touch
you.

“I believe you,” he said, backing away a
little.

“All right, then. When do we get
started?”

“Tomorrow. Come to my office in the
afternoon to load up supplies.”

“We’ll need a supply list, right?”

“Why don’t we make it up over dinner?” he
asked, looking at his watch.

“Great, I’m starved. Let me change. I’ll be
down in a minute.”

While she was upstairs changing, Tunney
fished a dress shirt out of his truck cab and slipped it on. She
came downstairs wearing a soft beige skirt clinging to her hips and
a matching tank top. An aquamarine pendant hung low on her chest,
matching her earrings. High heeled beige leather sandals made her
five foot five frame more of a match for Tunney at six two. He
couldn’t stop staring at her.

“You look beautiful,” he breathed, then
averted his eyes.

“Thank you.”

“Steak night at Bon Appetit. Let’s go.” He
opened the door for her.

Don waved when he saw them. He escorted them
to a table for two. Tunney excused himself and headed to the men’s
room. On his way, Don pulled him aside.

“What are you doing, Tunney?”

“What?”

“You’re dating a married woman?”

“This isn’t a date. She did me a favor. I’m
paying her back with dinner. We’re renovating my house together.”
Tunney eased his arm from Don’s grasp.

“Yeah, right. I see the way you look at her,
like a wolf looks at sheep.”

“We’re just friends.”

“Keep telling yourself that. I don’t want to
see you get hurt, buddy.”

“Thanks…I know what I’m doing.”

“I hope so. This chick’s trouble, beautiful
trouble.”

When he returned to the table, Tunney
ordered the steak, Kit ordered a salad. He gazed at her lips when
she talked and wondered what they’d feel like pressed against his
own. Then he couldn’t take his eyes off her hair, flowing naturally
to her shoulders, or her enticing breasts beckoning him from her
revealing neckline. His view of the tops of the soft mounds, golden
in the subdued lighting, made his fingers tingle in anticipation.
Nothing to anticipate.
She’s married, numbskull. You
can’t have her.

Tunney’s shirt, open at the neck, revealed a
little dark chest hair. He noticed her gaze settling there for a
moment before moving up to his face.
Horny for her husband,
that’s all. Down boy.

“Something wrong, Kit? You’re flushed. Too
hot in here?”

His eyes teased her as he tried to stop
thinking about making love to her.

“Maybe it is a little warm in here.” Tunney
wrested his gaze from her chest only to stop at her bare shoulders.
He wondered what it’d feel like to run his palms over the creamy
skin, to stroke them with his fingertips. He couldn’t swallow for a
moment.
Stop looking!

Kit got up to retreat to the ladies room,
and bent over to get her purse. Tunney couldn’t keep his eyes from
the view provided by her change of position. His breath stuck in
his chest, his pulse leapt. He had to get control over his emotions
and his groin, which hardened at the sight of her.

Her face seemed a bit flushed.

“You all right?” he asked.

Her eyes met his. He saw a longing there he
hadn’t noticed before. He couldn’t move, hypnotized by her ocean
blues. Her gaze stayed with his.

“Fine. Thank you,” she said, dragging her
gaze away from his.

Just as he thought he couldn’t take anymore,
the food arrived. They ate faster than usual, heads down, eyes
focused on their plates. Tunney reached for his water glass and
looked up.

“I’m going to be fixing your closet
tomorrow. Would you move your clothes and your husband’s stuff to
the twin bedroom?”

“No problem,” she said then stopped,
dropping her fork with a clatter on her plate. He looked up from
cutting his steak.

“Is there a problem with tomorrow?”

Her face flushed slightly. She averted her
eyes.

“What time can I expect you tomorrow…so I
can be ready?”

“Is noon to early?”

“Noon is fine.”

He noticed the color drain from her
face.

“Sure you’re okay? You look pale.”

She nodded.

“Let’s make the supply list.”

“Ok, shoot,” Kit said, fumbling with her
pen.

“Want me to write?” he asked.

“I have better handwriting.” She trained her
gaze on the paper.

“Go ahead. Knock yourself out.”

The supply list grew and grew until it
became too much to get in one trip. Tunney divided it up and took
the part with the items they needed first, then he drove her home.
When he opened the truck door, the September evening air had cooled
from the day. The first chill of fall blew over them. Kit hugged
herself, shivering slightly. He put his arm around her cold
shoulders and pulled her into him as he walked her up to the front
door. Touching her bare shoulder sent sparks shooting down his arm,
making his pulse race. When she melted into his shoulder for
warmth, longing for her grew. Tunney had to use all his willpower
to keep from caressing her soft, silky skin with his thumb.

He held the door open for her. When she
entered and turned to say goodbye, the moonlight kissed her hair,
making her blonde locks glow. She stood close enough for her
perfume to tease his nostrils.
Lily of the Valley? What is her
scent?
Her lips, with a fresh coat of light coral lipstick,
were so enticing, forgetting she was married became easy; so easy
to lean down to press his lips gently to hers. Her soft lips
against his, even for a moment, were heaven on Earth. Then he
stepped back as reality crashed into his brain.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that,” he
said, wearing no look of remorse on his face.

“Don’t worry. Just a kiss between
friends.”

Her gaze settled on her shoes.

“I’m not going to get a punch in the nose
when your husband returns, am I?”

“Johnny’s never been the jealous type.”

“Good night,” he said, quickly descending
the steps and getting into his car.

“Thanks for dinner,” she called after
him.

He waved before shutting the truck door.

Tunney berated himself.
What are you
doing? Five years ago, Susan left you at the altar for her acting
coach…now you’re setting yourself up with another woman who isn’t
available. Who do you think she’ll choose you or her husband…idiot!
This is crazy. I’ve got to stop
.

But he couldn’t get Kit out of his mind.
With her living in his mother’s house there’d be no escaping. Every
time he was near her, his libido kicked into high gear. He ran his
tongue over his bottom lip as he pulled into his driveway.
She
kissed me back…I know it. What does that mean?
He was on his
way to becoming a home wrecker, and he didn’t like the feeling.

* * * *

Kit climbed the stairs to her bedroom trying
not to think about Tunney’s kiss. She ran her finger over her top
lip, remembering his soft presence there, how good his lips felt.
What have I done? I’ve lied to him. Now I have to stay away from
him. He’ll hate me if he finds out the truth. Oh, God.
Tomorrow!

The tinkle of her cell phone startled her.
She stared at the screen.
Sarah, thank God.

“How’s the renovating coming?”

“Tunney kissed me tonight,” Kit blurted
out.

“What?”

“He took me to dinner. At the door we were
saying goodnight…he kissed me. Then he apologized!”

“Oh, my. He’s got it bad.” Sarah
chuckled.

“What am I going to do?”

“Find a way to enjoy.”

“How can I? He thinks I’m married.”

“You’d better find a way to get unmarried,
fast. He sounds interesting.”

“He is,” she said, climbing the last two
steps to the second floor.

“Sounds like the renovating is coming
along,” Sarah laughed.

“What a mess.”

“You’ll figure it out.”

“I’m going to bed.”

“Goodnight, good luck.”

“Thanks, Sarah.”

Kit went into her room, changed and slid
into bed after adding a warmer blanket. She fell asleep quickly but
awoke several times during the night wishing ghosts had been her
biggest worry.