Читать книгу Bedroom Secrets - Michelle Celmer, Michelle Celmer - Страница 10

“C-could I dry off f-first?” Tina asked, her voice quivering. Not only were her lips trembling, they were turning blue.

“Yeah, sorry.” Ty stepped out of the tub, his tennis shoes squishing on the tile. He was pretty cold himself. But when he looked around for something to dry off with, he remembered the house was empty. There were no towels.

Great.

“P-paper towels in the kitchen,” she said, hugging herself.

Better than nothing.

His shoes making a loud sucking noise against his feet, he walked out to the kitchen and grabbed two rolls. Back in the bathroom he ripped one package open and tossed it to her, then opened the other for himself.

He pulled a handful of towels loose and dried his chest and arms. “Where are your clothes?” he asked.

She bit her lip. “In the washing machine.”

He closed his eyes and cursed under his breath. “Tell me they’re not wet.”

“They’re wet. I was going to put them in the dryer but I forgot.”

“Wonderful. You don’t have anything that’s dry?”

She shook her head.

“I have a gym bag in my truck. There’s probably something in there you could wear. While I’m getting it, do me a favor and put your clothes in the dryer. Okay?”

She nodded.

He left her in the bathroom and trudged out the front door, bare-chested and soaking wet, into the near-freezing air. When he’d driven past on his way home and seen the kitchen light blazing, he’d figured the painters or carpet installers had left it on. Never had he expected to find Tina hiding in the bedroom closet.

And he really hadn’t expected to be blasted with pepper spray.

He grabbed his gym bag off the front seat of his truck and jogged back up to the house. No way was he getting her out of here without dry clothes on. It was far too cold. She’d end up with pneumonia.

When he stepped back inside she was just emerging from the basement. He dropped the bag on the floor and dug through it until he found what he was looking for.

“I turned the heat up,” she said.

He handed her a T-shirt and drawstring running shorts. “Put these on.”

Tina looked at the clothes he’d handed her, then back at him. He was just as wet as she was, and that soaked denim couldn’t have been very comfortable. “What about you?”

“Boxers,” he said, holding up a plaid pair. Her surprise must have shown because he narrowed his eyes at her and said, “Is that a problem?”

“Nope.” She was just grateful he hadn’t tossed her out on her ear. Although, she was sure that was next. No way he would let her keep her job now.

And who was she to complain if he wanted to walk around in his underwear? She’d imagined what he might look like without his clothes on. How could she not? She’d just never thought she would ever see him that way. And so far she wasn’t disappointed. She could swear his shoulders were about a yard wide, and his pecs were downright enormous. He was big all over, but not an ounce of him appeared to be fat.

“I’m going to go downstairs and change and throw my pants in the dryer, then we’re going to have a talk about your future employment.”

In other words, there would be no future employment. She nodded and he disappeared down the stairs.

How had she managed to screw things up so badly? She could try crying again, but she doubted even that would work. Besides, she’d never been the type who could whip up fake tears on cue.

She locked herself in the bathroom and peeled off her wet clothes. The things Ty had given her were way too big, but they were dry and would keep her modestly covered until her clothes were out of the dryer.

She still couldn’t believe they’d stood in the shower together, semi-naked, and he’d had his hand on her breast. With the exception of her gynecological exam last year, she hadn’t been touched there since the summer before her senior year of high school, when she’d gone parking with Joe DeCaussin. He’d wanted to go farther, but she wouldn’t let him. She’d told him, next time, not knowing there wouldn’t be a next time.

Aunt Louise had had her second stroke the very next day, effectively putting an end to Tina’s social life.

Of course there was cousin Ray. He’d touched her breast, but that didn’t count since it had been revolting and against her will.

But Ty’s hand had felt really nice resting there, after her hands and eyes had stopped burning.

She hung her wet T-shirt over the curtain rod to dry and used paper towels to mop up the puddles of water on the floor.

She noticed the mildew again and wondered if there was bleach with the cleaning supplies in the kitchen. Then she remembered it wasn’t her problem to deal with any longer. She was once again out of a job and homeless with no one to turn to for help. She should have been scared to death, but for some reason she just felt numb. Maybe she could curl up, go to sleep and when she woke, everything would be okay again.

She heard Ty’s heavy footsteps on the basement stairs and, knowing she should just get this over with, opened the bathroom door and walked out into the living room where he was—oh boy—wearing nothing but boxer shorts. His legs were thick with corded muscle and covered with sandy-colored hair. She’d never seen a man this naked this close up before.

“They fit okay?” Ty asked, gesturing to the clothes he’d given her.

“Yes, thank you.”

“You may as well get comfortable,” he said.

He sat on the carpet, his back against the wall, so she sat a few feet away against the adjacent wall, tucking her knees up under her chin.

“So,” he said, “why did you feel it was necessary to douse me with pepper spray?” He said it so calmly, when he must have been furious with her.

“I didn’t know it was you. I thought it was an intruder.”

“I own the house. You were the intruder.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I made a mistake.”

“Which brings me to my next question. What were you doing half-naked in my house in the first place? And don’t tell me cleaning.”

“I was sleeping. I needed a place to stay.”

Anger leaked into his voice. “So you never really wanted the job? You just needed a place to crash?”

“No! I did need the job. I do need it.”

“You said you know Mae. Was that a lie, too?”

“Of course not! I met her at the diner. She gave me your business card when—” she paused, still humiliated by the experience.

“When what?”

“When I couldn’t pay my bill. I forgot about the sales tax and was twenty cents short. She took me into her office and I thought she was going to call the police.”

“The police? For twenty cents? You’re not from around here are you?”

She shook her head. “Instead she brought me a hamburger and gave me your card.”

“Mae has a big heart.”

She nodded again, emotion catching in her throat.

He cringed. “You’re not going to cry again, are you?”

She swallowed hard and shook her head.

“I’m going to ask you a question and I want an honest answer, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Did you run away from home?”

“Sort of, I guess.”

He sighed and dragged a hand across his face. “Then we need to call your parents. They’re probably worried sick about you.”

He thought she was a teenage runaway? She nearly laughed. Did she really look that young? “Sorry, but that’s impossible.”

“No matter how bad things are, running away isn’t the answer. And I can get in a lot of trouble letting you stay here.”

“I doubt that.” At least not for the reason he was thinking. Harboring a fugitive maybe.

“I’m sure you’ve heard of statutory rape. I’m twenty-eight years old, and you’re what? Sixteen, seventeen?”

“Twenty-one.”

He lifted a skeptical brow. “Uh-huh. Sure you are.”

“Seriously, I am. My driver’s license is in my backpack in the bedroom closet. Go get it if you don’t believe me.”

He made no move to get up. “If you’re twenty-one, why did you run away from home?”

“I didn’t have a choice. It wasn’t my home anymore. My aunt died and my cousin…kicked me out. I have no money, no home and no family. And no, that’s not a sob story to make you feel sorry for me. It just is what it is.”

He was quiet for a minute, then he said, “What about your parents?”

“My mother died a long time ago and I never knew my father. I’ve been trying to find him, and I traced him to Chapel. That’s why I’m here.”

“But you don’t have any money?”

She shook her head, because it was too humiliating to say out loud.

“And how long ago did your cousin kick you out?”

“Five days. I figured I would have found my father by now and he could help me. But all I’ve found are a bunch of dead ends.”

“Why should I believe anything you say?”

“I guess you don’t have to. But if you have any compassion at all you won’t fire me. I need to pay Mae back and find my father. I need the job.”

He sighed again, rubbing his red-rimmed eyes. “I should boot you out on your behind, but for some reason I actually believe you, so I’ll let you keep the job. But only if you promise to be nice to me from now on.”

She froze and bile crept up her throat. No way. This couldn’t be happening to her again. And to think she’d trusted him. Would he try to force himself on her like Ray had, or did he just expect her to lie back and let it happen?

When she sprayed him earlier she should have run. She should have gotten out when she could. And now here they were, her in his clothes and him in his underwear. Why hadn’t she seen this coming? How could she be so foolish?

Ty leaned forward, as if he was going to get up, and Tina scrambled to the corner of the room, as far from him as she could get. “Don’t touch me!”

He looked up, surprised. “What?”

“I’ll leave as soon as my clothes are dry, just stay away from me.”

“Tina, what are you talking about? I said you could have the job.”

“I don’t care how bad I need it. I’m not having sex with you.”

He blinked, looking impossibly confused. “When did I ask you to have sex with me?”

She frowned. Why did he not seem to know what the heck she was talking about? “You said I had to be nice to you. I thought…”

“I meant nice like, you won’t attack me with your pepper spray again. Why would you think sex would be part of the bargain? I mean, besides the obvious, that I’m sitting here in my skivvies and I accidentally grabbed your breast in the shower?”

She didn’t answer. She couldn’t. It was too humiliating. And she didn’t even have to, he figured it out all by himself.

He cursed and shook his head. “Who was it? Don’t tell me your cousin.”

“He’s a cousin by marriage. Not blood.”

He tossed his hands up. “Well, that makes it so much less perverse.”

“I should have seen it coming,” she said. “He always was kind of creepy.”

Ty said firmly, “Don’t you dare tell me it was your fault. No one should have to see something like that coming. What were you doing living with a guy like that anyway?”

“I wasn’t living with him. It was my aunt’s house. My cousin Ray told me I would get the house and half my aunt’s money when she passed away.”

“But you didn’t,” Ty said. It was stated as a fact, not a question.

“It was all a lie. He never intended to give me a dime. But at least I had a roof over my head and food on the table. Then I found out that came with a condition.”

“What kind of condition?”

“I had to be ‘nice’ to him.”

“Sick bastard.” Ty tunneled his fingers through his damp hair. He’d figured when she showed up in his office that she was pretty desperate for a job. He just hadn’t realized how desperate.

And it occurred to him suddenly that he’d been sitting in the same room with her for a while now, in his underwear no less, and he hadn’t once felt even a hint of anxiety. He still found her attractive, but he was feeling this brotherly protectiveness toward her that overshadowed any romantic feelings. “So, you think your father is here in Chapel?”

“I hope so.”

“This is a pretty small city. Maybe I would recognize his name.”

“Martin Lopez?”

“Doesn’t sound familiar to me, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t live here. I’ve got a P.I. I use for background checks. I could have him look into it.”

Her eyes lit for a second, then the hope fizzled away. “I appreciate the offer, but I don’t have money for that.”

“I didn’t ask you for money.”

“I can’t take charity from you.”

“You were planning on staying in my house tonight, weren’t you?”

“That’s different. You were going to pay me to clean it. And it was that or sleep on the street.”

“And what about tomorrow night and the next?”

“I was going to get a motel room.”

“There’s only one motel in walking distance and it’s not exactly cheap.”

She chewed on her lip. “I’ll figure something out. Maybe I can find a shelter.”

“Not in Chapel. This is a small city. We don’t have the funding for that—or the need.”

She began to wring her hands together and he could tell she was on the verge of panic.

“Tell you what,” he said. “You can come home with me.”

“With you?” she said warily.

If someone had told him yesterday that he would make her an offer like that he’d have laughed at them, but was it really such a bad idea? He could be in the same room with her and not hyperventilate. Maybe they could spend some time together and in doing so he could work through this anxiety thing. Maybe this was exactly what he needed.

Not only that, but he liked her. And admired her bravery. The women he dated wouldn’t last an hour on the street. This girl—woman—was tough. But soft and sweet around the edges.

“I have a vacant flat above my garage. You can stay there as long as you need to.”

She looked as if she was seriously considering it for a second, then shook her head. “No, I don’t think so. I have no way to pay you.”

“So you’ll pay me later, when you have money.”

“Suppose I never have enough money? What then? I couldn’t take advantage of your hospitality. Unless…”

“Unless what?”

She shook her head. “Forget it. It’s a dumb idea.”

“Tell me.”

“I was thinking, maybe if you needed a cook…”

He leaned forward. “You can cook?”

She gave him an indignant look. “I’m half Italian. Of course I can cook.”

The only thing Ty enjoyed more than a beautiful woman was a home-cooked meal. Unfortunately, he hated cooking and the food his mother prepared typically had the flavor and consistency of cardboard. “What are we talking here? Just dinner, or do I get breakfast, too?”

“Do you want breakfast?”

“Hell, yeah. I’d say breakfast and dinner every day are definitely worth a month’s rent. To be fair, I should probably give you the house and I’ll take the flat.”

“Oh.” A shy smile curved her mouth. “The flat is fine. I don’t take up much space.”

“Okay, but I’m definitely getting the better end of the deal.”

“And I still get to keep the cleaning job?”

“Absolutely.”

“You’re not going to change your mind in a month and tell me I have to sleep with you?”

That’s the one thing he could offer without a hint of hesitation. “I am not going to ask you to sleep with me.”

She gave him a scrutinizing look. “You promise?”

“Yes, Tina DeLuca, I promise.”