Rocky Mountain Angels (26 page)

Joe took a step toward her and spoke quietly. “I thought so, too, but... now I realize there’s something missing.”

She looked up at him, perplexed. “What?”

“Well...” Joe had sincerely hoped he wouldn’t have to go into his reasons. The last thing he wanted was to bring Mari into this in any way. “Well, I don’t think we’re exactly on the same page in regards to religion, and—”

“Religion? We’ve barely even discussed it. How—”

“And I think that the things we have in common are just... I don’t know... shallow. There’s nothing... deep between us. When was the last time we really talked?” Beth just stood looking incredulous, so he pressed on. “And I’ve just come to realize that there can be more... more... more passion than we have, so—”

“Passion? Passion? If you want passion, just say so.” She grabbed him by the hand and started to pull him toward the hallway. “I doubt my bed’s even gotten cold yet.”

Joe dug in his heels. “No, Beth, that’s not what I mean; that’s not what I want.”

She stopped, glaring at him, her chest heaving, and dropped his hand. Joe was tempted to give in—to say it was all a mistake—but he knew there was no going back. He also realized there was nothing more to say. “I’m sorry, Beth. I never wanted to hurt you.”

Her face crumpled, and her voice was strangled. “Well, you have.”

He reached out and smoothed her hair. “I know,” he whispered, “I’m sorry.”

He turned to go, but Beth’s voice stopped him at the door. “Who is it? Who made you believe that something was missing? What’s her name?”

He couldn’t bring himself to look at her. He shook his head and swallowed but couldn’t speak. Finally he opened the door and slipped out just before something crashed against the door.

***

Eli walked into the gym after a light lunch, determined to work off the amorous feelings he’d been trying to ignore for most of the morning. The distraction was slowing him down on the house designs—something he could ill afford with the tight schedule he had for their completion. Coming out of the locker room, he was nearly run over by a red head with a racket in one hand and a cell phone in the other. The latter having her attention.

Eli jumped back. “Excuse me, sweetheart.”

The girl spun, and a smile spread over her face.

Sheri.

“Eli! I can’t believe I ran into you here!”

Eli cringed at his luck but couldn’t resist teasing her. “Almost literally.”

She laughed. “Sorry. I should have been watching where I was going.”

The last time he had seen Sheri, she was bundled up with only her face on display, but now she was nearly bare in short shorts and a sports bra, and he was gratified to see that he hadn’t been wrong about tattoos. She had a green vine that started in her cleavage and looped around her breast, wrapping around her waist, disappearing into her shorts and circling her thigh. He imagined that every male who saw her here had mentally undressed her to visualize the full effect.

He was no exception.

“Are you girls all moved in?”

“Pretty much.” There was an awkward pause; then Sheri lifted her racket ball racket. “Do you play? I was hoping to find a partner since Beth didn’t feel like coming with me.”

“Is Beth worn out?”

Sheri’s perky mood slipped. “Something like that.” Then she bounced back and grabbed him by the arm. “Come on, I’ve got the court reserved.”

Eli hesitated. Spending time with a pretty girl wasn’t what he needed. Especially one that was sexy as hell and obviously had her eye on him. “I haven’t played in years. I was just going to work out on the machines.”

She slipped her hand down to his and pulled. “Come on. It’s much more fun than the treadmill. And I promise I won’t trounce you.”

Eli allowed himself to be pulled along. He knew racket ball would give him a real workout, so he supposed it didn’t matter who he played with.

As long as he kept his eye on the ball and not the girl.

***

Joe found that Mari’s lamp post problem was just a burned-out bulb and was disappointed that it was so easily fixed. He had hoped for a whole afternoon of work to divert his mind from the morning’s confrontation with Beth, but changing a bulb and cleaning up the debris from the old door hadn’t taken long at all.

Mari wasn’t home, and he was at a loss anyway to explain his behavior of the previous evening without confessing his feelings. He was still wrestling with the notion of spilling his guts with Eli still in the picture. He had no idea of the best way to handle it, so for the time being, he planned to say nothing.

A bulb went on in his head. “That doesn’t mean I can’t do something.” Joe looked around the yard and wondered what. Not seeing anything in particular that needed attention, his eyes came back to the lamp post. The glass was filthy and the paint was flaking.

Several hours later, he had the lamp post cleaned, sanded, and painted a shiny black. He stood back and smiled then realized that Mari may not have particularly noted how weathered it had looked before—may not even notice that it looks brand new. Joe’s brows came together as he stared at it, wondering what else he could do to draw her eye. He wasn’t sure if it was a good attitude or not, but he really wanted her to notice it.

He headed back home for more paint.

***

As Mari drove past the Rhodes house, she noted that Joe’s truck was still gone. Sighing, she wondered if she’d ever get to apologize. As she was parking, Ben came out and headed for their mailbox. Hailing her, he ran up to the side of her car, obviously excited about something, as she got out. “Mari, you won’t believe what happened at the zoo over the weekend.”

He walked with her up the sidewalk. “What?”

“The male lion of our pride attacked one of the females.”

She paused before putting the key in the lock. “Oh, dear, is she okay?”

Ben shook his head, his hands in his coat pockets. “No, she died.”

Mari’s heart sank. “Oh, that is so sad.” She let them both in, hung up her coat, and slipped out of her snow boots, wincing just a bit as she removed the right one. “What got into him?” She tugged the hem of her black leggings down to her ankles before straightening. “I didn’t know they would hurt their own ladies.” She started toward the kitchen, rolling up the sleeves on her long red flannel shirt, with Ben on her tail.

Ben leaned in the doorway while Mari ran a cup of water to put in the microwave. “I guess it’s not all that uncommon. She may have been challenging the head lioness, trying to take over the pride, and he didn’t like that.” Ben looked at her rubbing her hands together while she waited for her heated mug. “Hands cold again?”

“Yeah, I didn’t do too bad all day, but the car was really cold for the return trip. I’m not sure my heater is working right.”

“I could take a look at it if you like. I know a thing or two about cars.”

Mari smiled.
An angel mechanic?
“If you wouldn’t mind, that would be great. Car repair is so expensive.”

Ben smiled. “I’d be happy to do it.”

Mari took her mug out at the beep and added a tea bag. “Can I get you something? Tea? Milk? I made some cookies.”

Ben moved toward the table. “Milk and cookies sound good.” He slipped off his coat, and Mari noticed his tan Cheyenne Mountain Zoo shirt with a giraffe on the front, and smiled. While she transported the snacks to the table, Ben looked past her. “Is that a new door? Joe said you needed one.”

“Yes. Joe installed it yesterday.” She smiled remembering their easy camaraderie then grew solemn as the end of the evening followed that thought. I 
wonder if he cleaned up back there? He may be so mad, he just left it.
“Ben, before we have cookies, would you mind helping me clean up the old door mess. Joe was going to do it, but I saw him leave really early. He probably didn’t have a chance to get it done.”

Ben rose. “Sure.”

Mari turned the locks and pulled open the new door for the first time and was surprised to see that all the frame pieces and packaging trash were gone. “Oh, I guess he was here sometime today.”

Ben skirted around her. “You have a great back yard. Pine trees, aspens, juniper bushes... somebody put a lot of work into this.”

Mari looked around and had to agree. “It’s going to be beautiful in the spring. I love the flagstone path that weaves through it all, too.” Mari’s eyes caught on something she’d never noticed before. “Wow, did that lamp post always look like that? I mean, with the Hebrew lettering and all?”

She and Ben walked over to it. “It looks brand new,” Ben observed. He lightly touched a shiny gold letter, and showed Mari his shiny gold finger. “Really new.”

They read it at the same time. “Repentance.”

Mari couldn’t help but smile.

Ben looked at her with brows lifted. “I assume you know something I don’t.”

Mari turned back toward the house, and Ben followed. “Joe and I got into a bit of a fight last night and” —she turned back to face him— “and that reminds me... you told Joe what I said about sticking that business degree where the sun don’t shine!”

“Yeah... you told me to tell him.”

“I didn’t mean it! Not really!” She shivered and turned back to go inside. “And anyway, I didn’t mean it as a personal message from me. He seems to be really offended; he was fuming when he left.” Ben closed the door behind them, and they both sat down at the table, Mari immediately putting her hot mug to work warming up her hands. “I guess the lamp post is sort of an apology.”

“I’m sorry.” He took a cookie from the plate. “I didn’t mean to get you in trouble. I was just mad at Joe for being unreasonable about the zoo degree.”

Mari took a sip. “Can’t he see how much you love working at the zoo?”

“Yeah, I guess he can. He even wished me all the best.”

Mari was surprised. “Really? Huh.” She nibbled on a cookie. “But Eli said he forced Beth into being an accountant.”

Ben wiped his mouth on a napkin after a long drink of milk. “Forced is a pretty strong word. I think he probably just made an offer of a job to her like he did to me. She was really struggling as an artist, so she took him up on it.”

“Oh.” She was feeling even worse about her accusations. “And Eli? Do you think Joe has pushed him into designing big buildings?”

Ben thought while he crunched on another cookie. “Well, that is just the direction Joe has taken the business. Eli has plenty of time to pursue other things if he wants to.” He looked Mari hard in the eye. “But what he has mostly pursued in between projects is loose women.”

Mari ducked her head and looked at the last cookie on the plate. Snatching it up, she took a bite to avoid Ben’s censure.

He seemed to take this as a cue and rose. “Well, I guess I better go take a look at your heater. I don’t usually bowl on Mondays, but another team lost a man recently and asked me to fill in, so I’ll be gone this evening.”

Mari got up and went into the living room to get him her keys. “Oh, thank you. I really appreciate it.” She opened the door for him, only to find Eli on her porch.

He stepped in, closed the door, and took her in his arms, not seeming to notice Ben. He kissed her with fire and longing and desire that nearly curled Mari’s toes. Behind her, Ben cleared his throat, and Eli broke the kiss with a lazy smile, letting them both know he realized he had an audience and didn’t particularly care.

“Hello, Ben. How’s life at the zoo?”

“I’ll tell you later.” He pushed past without a smile. “Mari, I’ll bring your keys back in a bit.”

“Okay, thanks.”

He left, and Eli led her over to sit. “Is he borrowing your car?”

“No, just checking the heater. It wasn’t working too well today.”

He took her hands. “We can’t have that. Where’d you go today?”

“I was feeling caged. I took in the art museum and then went to a movie.”

Eli nodded. “You haven’t been able to get out much, have you? When I get these designs done, I promise we’ll go out on the town.”

Mari nodded, feeling tired. She had done quite a bit in one day, but there was something else nagging at the edge of her mind.
Eli exaggerated everything he told me about Joe.
Did he do it on purpose, or is that just how he sees things?

She was just about to bring up the subject when Eli leaned in for another kiss. Soft and gentle at first, it soon became hungry and pleading. As his tongue ventured to find hers, she pulled back. “I guess you missed me today,” she breathed.

He pulled her in and nibbled her neck below her ear. “More than you know.”

She slipped out of his grasp and moved to the other end of the love seat. “My shower has been running on the cold side. Would you like to try it out?”

Eli stared at her a moment before the corners of his lips began a slow ascent. “All right, I can take a hint.” He got to his feet. “I need to go anyway. I had trouble... concentrating today, and I didn’t get as much done as I wanted to.”

Mari stood and walked him to the door. She wanted to explore the picture Eli had painted of Joe but realized that it just wasn’t the right time. “Well, I wouldn’t want to keep you from your house designs. I’ll just stay in and research our night on the town—see how much money I can make you spend.”

He slid his arms around her waist and pulled her tight against him, a sparkle in his eyes. “You do that.” Eli gave her another sensuous kiss before taking his leave. Mari’s heart was racing from the physical sensations, but she couldn’t help feeling that there was something missing from their relationship. Her conversations with Joe came flooding back, and she wondered if kissing was all she and Eli really had.

She went to the window and peeked behind the shade.
Still no sign of Joe.
Letting it drop, she vowed to apologize that day even if he didn’t get home until midnight.

***

Eli decided a chilly shower wasn’t a half bad idea. Nothing else had really worked. Not racket ball, not the beer afterwards, not giving in and getting lost in Mari’s lips... Of course racket ball and the beer included Sheri, which hadn’t been his original plan. If he had played with a big, sweaty, hairy guy, the outcome might have been different. But he hadn’t. He’d played with perky, sassy Sheri, who wanted him like a fly wants honey. She had bounced around in her scant gym outfit, entwined with vines, leaving Eli more tense and frustrated than before.