could just as easily be a guy he needed to touch base with. One of his brothers. It was none of her business. The jealousy spreading through her like a tidal wave could easily be explained away. Right, she thought disgusted. And maybe she would flap her arms and fly to the moon.
A few minutes later, he returned. âDid I stay gone long enough to get out of work?â he teased.
âYour timing is perfect,â she answered, folding the dishrag and settling it on the divider between the two sinks. âNow you get to relax.â
She led the way into her family room and inserted the video into the VCR. She grabbed the remote control and sat down on the sofa, too late realizing her mistake of picking her territory first. He took the spot right beside her, so close that their arms and thighs brushed. Did he feel the sparks as warmly as she did? Why couldnât he have picked the other side of the couch, the chair across the room, or a place in another county? But she decided not to say anything to her hurt handyman. After all, heâd injured himself helping her. Not only that, she didnât want him to think she had feelings for him other than friendship. Because she didnât.
He released a sigh that sounded tired. âAny time you want to start the movie,â he said.
She pushed a button and watched the trailer appearon her TV screen. Joe put his arm around her. Is that what friends did? Sheâd dated guys and had even gotten very close to one. But no guy had ever been her friend. She had no experience at this. But again she decided protest would bring more scrutiny to her feelings than she wanted.
She concentrated on the images flashing across the screen to keep her mind off the man beside her. But the faint fragrance of fabric softener that clung to his T-shirt, the pleasant smell of his skin, the warmth of his body all combined to increase her breathing. Flutters started in her stomach and if she took her own pulse, she knew it would be elevated.
Not again, she thought. This was probably the least romantic setting she could imagine. Certainly not in the same league as the night theyâd sat by the pool under the stars. But darn it, she had the same feeling now as she had then. Nary a star in sight and she wished that Joe would kiss her.
She glanced at him, a surreptitious look. What she saw made it safe to inspect him as closely as she wanted. His eyes were closed. His breathing was deep and even. His body slack and relaxed. The man was asleep!
âI didnât mean for him to relax quite this much,â she said wryly. She waited for his eyes to open, but he didnât move.
âI guess Iâm about as exciting as dirt,â she said, resigned to the situation.
He didnât respond.
Hurt in spite of herself, she tried to move away from him, sliding forward on the couch. He mumbled something as he leaned sideways and stretched out, his long legs hanging off the end of the sofa. WhenLiz tried to stand, he tightened his hold, circling her waist with his arm. She couldnât break his grip without a struggle and that would wake him. In spite of her pique, heâd worked very hard today and she didnât have the heart to disturb him.
âI guess we really are nothing more than friends,â she said with a big sigh.
That thought should have pleased her. Instead sadness burrowed inside her clear down to her soul. And for the life of her she couldnât figure out why.
Chapter Seven
J oe felt movement beside him and tightened his hold on the warm, soft, curvy body snuggling there. Liz, he thought with a smile. The sensation of her next to him was incredibly pleasant, profoundly relaxing and he never wanted to move. He wanted to stay like this forever. He felt himself drifting off again.
But a small noise got his attention and relaxation vanished in a heartbeat. Was that a sniffle?
He opened one eye. His sleep had been so deep, so peaceful it wasnât easy to
A few minutes later, he returned. âDid I stay gone long enough to get out of work?â he teased.
âYour timing is perfect,â she answered, folding the dishrag and settling it on the divider between the two sinks. âNow you get to relax.â
She led the way into her family room and inserted the video into the VCR. She grabbed the remote control and sat down on the sofa, too late realizing her mistake of picking her territory first. He took the spot right beside her, so close that their arms and thighs brushed. Did he feel the sparks as warmly as she did? Why couldnât he have picked the other side of the couch, the chair across the room, or a place in another county? But she decided not to say anything to her hurt handyman. After all, heâd injured himself helping her. Not only that, she didnât want him to think she had feelings for him other than friendship. Because she didnât.
He released a sigh that sounded tired. âAny time you want to start the movie,â he said.
She pushed a button and watched the trailer appearon her TV screen. Joe put his arm around her. Is that what friends did? Sheâd dated guys and had even gotten very close to one. But no guy had ever been her friend. She had no experience at this. But again she decided protest would bring more scrutiny to her feelings than she wanted.
She concentrated on the images flashing across the screen to keep her mind off the man beside her. But the faint fragrance of fabric softener that clung to his T-shirt, the pleasant smell of his skin, the warmth of his body all combined to increase her breathing. Flutters started in her stomach and if she took her own pulse, she knew it would be elevated.
Not again, she thought. This was probably the least romantic setting she could imagine. Certainly not in the same league as the night theyâd sat by the pool under the stars. But darn it, she had the same feeling now as she had then. Nary a star in sight and she wished that Joe would kiss her.
She glanced at him, a surreptitious look. What she saw made it safe to inspect him as closely as she wanted. His eyes were closed. His breathing was deep and even. His body slack and relaxed. The man was asleep!
âI didnât mean for him to relax quite this much,â she said wryly. She waited for his eyes to open, but he didnât move.
âI guess Iâm about as exciting as dirt,â she said, resigned to the situation.
He didnât respond.
Hurt in spite of herself, she tried to move away from him, sliding forward on the couch. He mumbled something as he leaned sideways and stretched out, his long legs hanging off the end of the sofa. WhenLiz tried to stand, he tightened his hold, circling her waist with his arm. She couldnât break his grip without a struggle and that would wake him. In spite of her pique, heâd worked very hard today and she didnât have the heart to disturb him.
âI guess we really are nothing more than friends,â she said with a big sigh.
That thought should have pleased her. Instead sadness burrowed inside her clear down to her soul. And for the life of her she couldnât figure out why.
Chapter Seven
J oe felt movement beside him and tightened his hold on the warm, soft, curvy body snuggling there. Liz, he thought with a smile. The sensation of her next to him was incredibly pleasant, profoundly relaxing and he never wanted to move. He wanted to stay like this forever. He felt himself drifting off again.
But a small noise got his attention and relaxation vanished in a heartbeat. Was that a sniffle?
He opened one eye. His sleep had been so deep, so peaceful it wasnât easy to
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