Looks like you’re gonna need it,” she said, sounding amused.
With narrowed eyes, Bertie glanced from Liza’s self-assured stance to Keith’s blank face. He fought to keep the mask of indifference plastered in place. These two women had history. He’d be smart to find out what it was.
“Well, you didn’t have to come all the way from Chicago to deliver coffee, but I sure do appreciate it,” Bertie said with thick Southern sarcasm, taking the cup from Liza’s hand.
“Like what you’ve done with the place.” Liza’s gaze roamed the half-stripped walls and the plastic-covered carpeting. “Real nice…uh…homey touch,” she said, pulling a strip of loose paper from the wall and dropping it on the floor.
Bertie pierced Liza with a scathing glare.
“Uh, Liza, would you give me a minute? I need to have a word with my decorator,” he said.
“ Designer ,” Bertie said through clenched teeth.
“Sure, sugar…anything for you.” Liza trailed her fingers down his arm. “I’ll see you downstairs.” She sauntered from the room, taking her big smile and cocky attitude with her.
“If you’re done scaring me to death, I’ve got work to do.” Bertie placed the coffee on a card table next to the ladder and wiped her hands down her smudged T-shirt.
Keith returned his attention to Bertie. “You’re not going back up that ladder,” he said, punching off the music from the iPod sitting in its docking station on the card table. “What the hell are you doing anyhow? I hired you to decorate, not do manual labor.”
“Stripping wallpaper. I don’t have a paper hanger right now, and all my painters are busy working on the outside.”
“Where’s Barney? Your partner-in-crime?”
“Who?” Bertie picked up a spray bottle and started dousing the wall.
“Gary. Why isn’t he here helping you? Man, that stuff stinks.” Keith plucked the bottle from her hand and sniffed it.
“Excuse me, but I need that. It’s vinegar and water. Helps loosen the paper.”
He held the bottle out of reach. “Where’s Gary?”
Bertie planted a fist on one hip. “He’s working at the Milners’. I have more than one job, you know. Their house needs to be ready in less than three weeks. Now, may I have my bottle back?” she asked, extending her hand.
He shook his head. “I’ll strip the paper. You start slapping up some paint samples so I can make a decision.”
A mixture of alarm and relief flickered across her flushed face, then she scoffed, “Wouldn’t you rather be with your girlfriend? I can’t believe out of all the people in Harmony, you chose her,” she ended in a mumble.
Keith cupped her stubborn chin where he glimpsed vulnerability edged with jealousy in her troubled eyes. “She’s not my girlfriend. We just met. But I do like her. She’s smart and funny and—” Bertie jerked her face from his grasp.
“Spare me the details, Don Juan. I know her better than you, and believe me, she’s only out for one person: herself. You two would make a perfect pair.”
“Uh-huh. And you know me so well.” Bertie pulled a frown and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’ll be right back. Drink your coffee and do not get back on that ladder.” Keith reached for a wayward piece of wallpaper stuck to the side of her shirt, brushing the plump side of her breast in the process. On purpose. A hiss of air passed from her lips, and her nipple puckered from his touch. Yep. The charged sexual current still existed for both of them. He needed to leave before he gave in to temptation. And she needed to work at warp speed on this job. The faster she worked, the sooner she could be out of his house and his life.
Bertie jerked back from his touch. “Whatever you say, boss.” She looked like she wanted to take that scoring tool and run it down his face.
“By the way, Maddie is coming home in a few weeks for spring break.” He moved toward the door. “This room better be done.” He stopped and glanced over
With narrowed eyes, Bertie glanced from Liza’s self-assured stance to Keith’s blank face. He fought to keep the mask of indifference plastered in place. These two women had history. He’d be smart to find out what it was.
“Well, you didn’t have to come all the way from Chicago to deliver coffee, but I sure do appreciate it,” Bertie said with thick Southern sarcasm, taking the cup from Liza’s hand.
“Like what you’ve done with the place.” Liza’s gaze roamed the half-stripped walls and the plastic-covered carpeting. “Real nice…uh…homey touch,” she said, pulling a strip of loose paper from the wall and dropping it on the floor.
Bertie pierced Liza with a scathing glare.
“Uh, Liza, would you give me a minute? I need to have a word with my decorator,” he said.
“ Designer ,” Bertie said through clenched teeth.
“Sure, sugar…anything for you.” Liza trailed her fingers down his arm. “I’ll see you downstairs.” She sauntered from the room, taking her big smile and cocky attitude with her.
“If you’re done scaring me to death, I’ve got work to do.” Bertie placed the coffee on a card table next to the ladder and wiped her hands down her smudged T-shirt.
Keith returned his attention to Bertie. “You’re not going back up that ladder,” he said, punching off the music from the iPod sitting in its docking station on the card table. “What the hell are you doing anyhow? I hired you to decorate, not do manual labor.”
“Stripping wallpaper. I don’t have a paper hanger right now, and all my painters are busy working on the outside.”
“Where’s Barney? Your partner-in-crime?”
“Who?” Bertie picked up a spray bottle and started dousing the wall.
“Gary. Why isn’t he here helping you? Man, that stuff stinks.” Keith plucked the bottle from her hand and sniffed it.
“Excuse me, but I need that. It’s vinegar and water. Helps loosen the paper.”
He held the bottle out of reach. “Where’s Gary?”
Bertie planted a fist on one hip. “He’s working at the Milners’. I have more than one job, you know. Their house needs to be ready in less than three weeks. Now, may I have my bottle back?” she asked, extending her hand.
He shook his head. “I’ll strip the paper. You start slapping up some paint samples so I can make a decision.”
A mixture of alarm and relief flickered across her flushed face, then she scoffed, “Wouldn’t you rather be with your girlfriend? I can’t believe out of all the people in Harmony, you chose her,” she ended in a mumble.
Keith cupped her stubborn chin where he glimpsed vulnerability edged with jealousy in her troubled eyes. “She’s not my girlfriend. We just met. But I do like her. She’s smart and funny and—” Bertie jerked her face from his grasp.
“Spare me the details, Don Juan. I know her better than you, and believe me, she’s only out for one person: herself. You two would make a perfect pair.”
“Uh-huh. And you know me so well.” Bertie pulled a frown and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’ll be right back. Drink your coffee and do not get back on that ladder.” Keith reached for a wayward piece of wallpaper stuck to the side of her shirt, brushing the plump side of her breast in the process. On purpose. A hiss of air passed from her lips, and her nipple puckered from his touch. Yep. The charged sexual current still existed for both of them. He needed to leave before he gave in to temptation. And she needed to work at warp speed on this job. The faster she worked, the sooner she could be out of his house and his life.
Bertie jerked back from his touch. “Whatever you say, boss.” She looked like she wanted to take that scoring tool and run it down his face.
“By the way, Maddie is coming home in a few weeks for spring break.” He moved toward the door. “This room better be done.” He stopped and glanced over
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