(Complete) When Jennifer Dixon entered their impeccably decorated apartment, she was glad it was quiet and empty. She could call home. She missed her mother and father. When she went into the bedroom to change, she found Sterling in their bed and...
She was ready when he came to pick her up just after four. She had a productive afternoon but Sterling annoyed her by calling her three times. Most of his questions, he could have answered, or they could have texted. She didn't know why he suddenly needed to talk to her, but she tried hard to hide her annoyance. At least he was being nice to her. She hoped he was done bothering her when she climbed into Alex's truck for the third time that day.
He drove to the other house, and he impressed her with how much was done in two weeks. Because this house was smaller, it was further along. This house was being painted, and he used the colors she recommended.
When she complimented his work, he smiled, and his face lit up. She had reached the point she couldn't deny her attraction to him. A harmless attraction, considering she lived in another state.
"Would you mind if I swung by my house, so I can clean up?"
"No, I'd like to see it."
"You'll be sorry. It's nearly empty."
"Let me guess the most important item is the high definition TV." She teased.
"That and my bed."
Her belly did a flip again just at the mention of the word bed. She blamed her reaction on the fact she was living a life without sex.
She had seen the outside of his house and the inside looked like new construction. He was right, it was very sparse and the kitchen, although it had a beautiful design, looked like an office. She imagined it was where he sat when they were on the phone. She asked about the widow's walk, and he showed her the way. She spent some time taking in the view while he cleaned up. He had offered her some binoculars, and she looked out at the water. She could see the breed of the dog being walked on the beach. It occurred to her he could've seen hers and Sterling's faces as they talked that day.
Eventually, he joined her, and after a moment she followed him back down. The stairs were narrow. She could smell his fresh soap scent on his damp hair. She had a strong desire to reach out and touch his hair.
Based on Kristi's recommendation, she suggested a craft store. It didn't take long to choose craft kits and science kits. She hadn't been in a craft store in years and suddenly found her artistic side calling out. She wandered over to drawing supplies and picked out a sketchbook, charcoal pencils, and a blending stump. She would make time for herself to explore her creative genes again. Although her job was creative and included sketching, she hadn't drawn in years.
After they checked out, he asked if she wanted to get dinner. A part of her wanted to say yes, but she knew it would disappoint her mother. When she told him, he said he would just get a lobster roll.
She didn't know why but their shopping trip felt almost like a date. Not a very romantic date, but her attraction for him grew. She remembered the talk around The Point and decided they shouldn't spend more time than necessary together.
"You know if I keep going in your truck, rumors will start to fly."
"We should stick to business then. I don't want my reputation ruined over rumors."
"Relax. It was just a comment. We'll stick to business from now on and I'll get my own ride on Sunday back to the Jetport." she said. Obviously, she didn't want any association aside from their work.
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Alex
He sat in front of the ballgame and ate his lobster roll. He had been abrupt, but he was angry at himself for his own desires. He couldn't believe he felt this way about another married woman. He had stood in the shower with the warm water running over him thinking of her on his roof. He allowed himself to fantasize about her stepping into his shower. Stupid and foolish man, she probably has no interest in a builder from Maine. She has her city boy husband, except he knew something wasn't right there. Rule number one reminded him it didn't matter. Besides, she would be back in New York when this house was complete.
He stayed away from The Point all day Saturday. On Saturday night, Julia came over and he ordered pizza delivery. Pent-up sexual frustration took control, and she met his urgency and what resulted was incredible. During the passion, the face he saw was not Julia's. Despite his fantasizing, it was a very memorable night.
Lying with her in his arms, he said, "We really need to do this more than one night a week."
She laughed. "One night is all I can handle."
"Do you ever want more than what we have?"
"More? No, I like no strings. I'm not interested in anything more serious."
Alex thought for a few minutes. He wanted more, but he enjoyed the time they spent together. Was being with Julia preventing him from finding a real lasting relationship? The woman who took up much of his thoughts was a bigger problem than his standing Saturday night dates. Why had he allowed her to get under his skin? The answer was obvious and scared him even more because it was a force beyond his control. The only time he came close to this level of attraction was with Cara when he was seventeen. That house couldn't be completed fast enough.
Turning his thoughts back to Julia, she was already asleep. She woke early and left before nine. He did some never-ending paperwork and laundry before he dressed for the twin's party. He chastised himself because he thought of her when he picked a shirt. Friday afternoon he had worn clean jeans and a tee shirt. Today he wore khakis and a shirt, not flannel, with buttons and a collar. He told himself he would dress this way for the party even if he never met the designer from New York.
One thing that Alex was good at was using his charm for favors. That was exactly his plan when he knocked on Kristi's door a half hour before the party. He smiled as big as he could. She stepped aside to let him in. "What do you want gorgeous? Dan's in the other room so we'll have to be quiet."
He whispered in her ear. "I need help wrapping."
"Oh, for gosh sake, I've yet to meet a man who can wrap!"
Alex laughed. "I bet Peter can."
She made him suffer, but she wrapped the two gifts. She commented on his purchases. "I heard about your suggestions."
He walked across the street with Kristi's family. When he arrived, he casually scanned the room. He found her with her mother helping in the kitchen. Intent on what she was doing, she was most likely ignoring him. John and Dan sidelined him with a discussion about the new baseball season and then Peter joined them. When they finally finished hashing it out, he looked around, and she had left. He wanted to ask where she went but didn't.
