Chapter Seven
Autumn had to be the hardest-working woman he’d ever met. The only time she stopped spritzing or scraping was to either take a sip of iced tea or to go make some more. It was like all her energy had been bottled up from these last several days with Ronald, and she was taking it all out on the wallpaper.
She probably didn’t even need Joel’s help, but he was happy to be there.
“So right before Ronald left, he was staring into a closet under the stairs, and there was this door in the back I’d never noticed before. That’s where he was certain the ghost was lurking.” She scraped and scraped on an especially stubborn piece of wallpaper, but then she quickly glanced at Joel.
“Really? A ghost likes to hang out in secret passages? Never would have guessed.” He chuckled, easily scraping off strips of the floral monstrosity.
“I know. Who would have thought?” She giggled, and he noticed the way her nose scrunched when she got especially tickled.
Truthfully, he was noticing far too many things about her. He loved her soft curves and the way she moved. How she sucked in her breath and held it a second too long if she got nervous or worried she’d said too much or too little.
“Have you peeked inside the secret door?” he asked, genuinely curious.
He actually knew quite a bit about this old house and almost added it to his own portfolio, but Autumn never needed to know that or the reasons behind his decisions.
“No. I think tonight, I’m going to go on a crazy adventure exploring this old home.”
“Sounds like fun, but aren’t you scared of what’s lurking?”
She eyed him curiously, and for some reason, it made his heart skip a beat.
Him? He’d never been a man who’d let himself get caught up in the emotion of attraction, but there was something about her that threw his entire mode of operating out the window.
He wasn’t used to this kind of buildup. It was usually always so fast-paced and perfectly unplanned that he’d never had a reason to cherish these moments. Partially because these moments had never existed.
His dating life included dating in college, mistakenly dating fellow coworkers, and then not mistakenly dating guests of the hotel, whom he knew he’d never see again. He liked having his own time and always found plenty of things to fill it up, but when he looked at Autumn, he couldn’t imagine wanting to spend his time any other way.
“I’d be thrilled if this house were haunted, but I know for a fact it’s not.”
“Why’s that?” he asked, curious how a person could be so certain about something none of us truly knew about.
“If ghosts lived in this house, they certainly wouldn’t have allowed Ronald to spend more than a night here. They would have spooked him any way they could have to get him out of their place. I’m sure of it.”
Joel laughed and nodded in agreement. “I think you’re right about that.”
She took a break from scraping and reached for her iced tea.
They’d been at it for several hours and only had about six more feet to go before they could check this task off as complete.
“So now that the guy’s out of the state, I have to ask.” Joel had been wondering what he was about to ask from the moment he’d met Ronald and Autumn, and he couldn’t hold it in any longer. “How did you two meet?”
Autumn let out a loud groan and took out her frustration on the wallpaper with a couple more scrapes. “Through a dating app.”
“Really? Don’t those usually do a good job of pairing?”
“That’s exactly what I thought.” She stopped working and turned to look at him. “It just didn’t go as I planned.”
“And what did you plan?” he asked, running the scraper along the last bit of wallpaper.
“I’d hoped there’d be some sort of connection, some similarities at least.” She shuddered. “There was definitely no connection, but it was completely my fault. I kept thinking that maybe a small spark would happen the more I got to know him. I tried to cut it off right after the second date, but he kept emailing and messaging so I felt bad.”
Joel nodded with understanding. “What kinds of questions did the dating app ask?”
“Oh, Lord. You name it, the test covered it.” She drew a breath and her gaze dropped to the wood floors. “I might have fudged a little on the questionnaire.”
“Well, that’s bound to work out well.” He grinned.
“Yeah, apparently, that’s not a good idea.” She giggled and gave a final scrape on the wall.
“What made you want to fudge?”
“Well, as I started answering the questions honestly, I realized I sounded like a real flighty person who had commitment issues and the inability to maintain a stable life, but none of that’s true. Promise.”
This time it was Joel’s turn to laugh.
“The questions wanted me to focus on the last couple of years of my life, and well, the last couple of years of my life weren’t really all that representative. Since my parents’ deaths, I’ve been traveling all over the world, trying to see the sights they never saw.” She let out a sigh.
“Wow.” Joel nodded. “I totally get it.”
“Quite frankly, my initial answers made it sound like I couldn’t settle down in one place for more than a day, and that I had commitment problems, and neither of those things were true. Anyway, I found myself going in the opposite direction when answering the questions, and that is how I wound up with Ronald.”
“The moral of the story is to always be as accurate as possible in life or a Ronald will appear.”
“And never let a questionnaire dictate whom you should fall in love with.” She stretched toward the ceiling, and Joel caught a glimpse of her stomach. He imagined pulling her into him and trailing kisses along the bare skin.
Yeah, letting a questionnaire do the work wouldn’t work for him.
“I’m also thinking he should have gotten a clue when the woman he was trying to date was willing to move a thousand miles away in the beginning of the relationship.” Joel’s brow arched.
“Well, there’s that too.” Autumn reached for her iced tea and took a sip as she admired the bare walls in front of them.
“Not bad for a first project.”
“One down, ten thousand to go.” She cheered into the air.
“That’s the spirit.”
“Hey, would you be into pizza tonight and scouting the house with me?” she asked out of the blue.
“I’d love it.”
“You’ll have to tell me which pizza place is the best.”
“Well, that’s easy, hands down.” Joel grinned.
“Why’s that?”
“There’s only one in town.”
“Do they deliver?”
“They do. An hour or less is their guarantee.”
“An hour?” She chuckled, used to hearing thirty-minute guarantees.
“What kind do you want?” Joel asked. “I’ll go shower at the house, place the order, and feed Oscar.”
“Let me buy. It’s the least I can do since you spent your free afternoon helping me.”
“I can’t imagine anywhere else I’d rather be, and you’re not buying dinner.”
Autumn’s breath caught as Joel took a step forward and rested his hands on her hips. The intimate gesture made Autumn keenly aware of how much her crush on Joel was growing. Everything between them had been sweet and innocent, but having his hands on her like that made her want his hands elsewhere. With Ronald, she’d gotten accustomed to looking for an out, but Joel made her feel safe and content. She didn’t want to go anywhere.
“So what kind of pizza do you want?” Joel moved a little closer, obviously aware of what his presence was doing to her. She was getting flustered and her entire body was warming, and she couldn’t stop dreaming about kissing him.
“Surprise me,” she said in an almost-whisper. “Maybe pepperoni.”
Joel pulled his hands back from her hips, laughing. He’d never heard a woman talk about pizza toppings in a way that sounded so damn sexy.
She started giggling and covered her face with her hands. “Oh, my God. I can’t believe it came out like that.”
“Those are some lucky pepperonis.” Joel shook his head and wrapped his arm around her, bringing her into him.
The warmth of her body against his made him think about making love to her. He knew he’d explore every curve of her body as he learned what pleased her, but holding her this close about did him in. Now wasn’t the moment, but he was surprised when she pressed her head against his chest and let out a deep sigh. The fragrance of her hair was fresh and flowery, perfectly fitting for her.
“Okay, so if you’re going to get all pretty at your house, then I’m going to do the same.” She placed her hand on his chest and slowly backed away.
“I’m not promising pretty.” He smiled and immediately missed her touch, but he knew it was for the best. They were neighbors, after all. “But I’ll get cleaned up.”
She took a step back and her eyes dipped to his mouth. It took all of his self-control for Joel not to lean in and kiss her, but he didn’t want to rush things. She’d just gotten over an odd relationship, if you could call it that, and needed some time to enjoy her new home and town.
“I’ll show myself out.” Joel gave a quick wave, and she grinned, looking extremely dreamy. He wanted to believe it was because of something as simple as his holding her, but he wasn’t that naïve.
This was her first night of freedom from Ronald.
The moment she locked the side door, she took in a deep breath and let it out all at once. Being in Joel’s arms was amazing. It made her feel things she’d long forgotten and couldn’t wait to feel again. Every skim of his finger or breath that skated across her hair made her crave something more. She wanted to soak up everything about Joel North—the way his arms felt wrapped around her, the clean, crisp smell of his cologne, and the steadiness of his breathing as he held her closely.
It had been so long since she’d let a man hold her, truly embrace her, and it all happened because she sounded like she had a pepperoni fetish.
She really wasn’t sure what came over her when it happened. She’d never sounded that breathy over pizza before. Granted, she’d had a long day, but she was more inclined to drool over Joel, not the pizza, and part of her wished she’d been clearer about her intentions.
She was intrigued with Joel North, but she was also interested in this home and couldn’t think of a better pairing for her first official free night in Silver Ridge.
Autumn quickly scaled the stairs to the upstairs master bedroom. She was still living out of her suitcase and quickly rifled through it to grab a bra and underwear. She decided on a pair of jeans and an oversized sweatshirt.
Within minutes, she was showered and dressed. Since he’d already spent the day with Autumn when she’d had no makeup on and sweat was dripping down her temples while wearing clothes that looked like she’d pulled them out of the dumpster, she decided she didn’t need to bother drying her hair or dabbing on mascara. Her cover was already blown. She was who she was.
By the time she made it downstairs, Joel was already knocking on her kitchen door. A new wave of excitement slammed into her at the thought of getting to see him again. She didn’t even look behind the curtain when she opened the door to see him.
It was like the memory of him never did him justice. He always managed to take her breath away, and she always noticed new things like the slight crinkle around his eyes when he smiled and the flecks of green in his blue eyes.
“Come in.” She motioned inside and he stepped through the door.
His arms looped around her, and he pulled her in for another affectionate hug, which she gladly accepted. It was like she was back in high school and every move and gesture sent her to another orbit. She didn’t think things like this happened past the age of sixteen, but clearly, she’d been wrong.
“Pizza should be here soon.” He let go of her. “I ordered extra pepperoni.”
“Good thing.” She grinned and glanced around the kitchen.
The white cabinets were basic and probably installed in the seventies to match the white Formica countertops with gold flecks. There was a plant stand filled with dead orchids at the far end of the kitchen where an eating nook could go, but she didn’t see any secret passageways or anything that needed exploring.
“So, I thought I’d start with the creepy closet.” She instinctively clasped her hands together and nodded in the direction of the hallway.
“Sounds good to me.”
They walked down the creaky hallway that wrapped around the back of the stairs until they were standing in front of the closet. She gave it a good yank and pulled on the light cord that dangled overhead.
“Well, whoever is meant to fit through that door isn’t over six feet tall.” Joel smiled and looked intrigued. He knew a lot about this house. He was aware of the layout and suspected very little had changed since he’d been in it last.
“Gentlemen first,” he said, walking into the closet and ducking down to open the other door. He gave a slight tug on the door and it opened right up. A musty smell wafted into the closet, and Autumn came over to get a peek inside.
“Are those stairs?” she asked, and Joel gave a nod.
“Apparently.” Joel ran his hand along the stone wall until he found a light switch. He wasn’t sure he would actually find one considering how old this home was.
Joel flipped on the lights and took the first step down.
“Looks like you have a basement.” Still ducking down, he turned to look at her and grinned, seeing the excitement and thrill of the discovery running through her gaze.
“I didn’t see any windows or anything.” Her mouth pushed into a scowl. “Not that I could with all the weeds and brush up against a lot of the house.”
“This is a surprise to me too.” Joel started down the steps, and Autumn was right behind him. She wasn’t going to let him have all the fun.
The temperature of the basement was at least ten degrees cooler than the rest of the house, and the stone wall led all the way down until they hit a concrete floor.
Joel whistled, and Autumn turned around, trying to take everything in. The basement was mammoth, the same square footage as the main floor. Windows were sparse, but they were there as tiny slits near the ceiling. And the ceiling was shorter than the rest of the house, but only by six inches or so if she were to guess. Lots of old furniture had been stacked in the room they were standing in, and she saw a pile of framed photographs that piqued her interest. A large trunk was tucked in the corner, and she couldn’t wait to open it up.
“This is incredible,” she whispered, walking over toward the photographs.
“I never would have guessed it,” Joel agreed, following behind her.
She bent down and started lifting one after another when Joel heard her gasp.
“What’s wrong?” He rushed to her side and immediately saw what brought on her reaction.
“Who is this?” she questioned, looking at the old photograph of a woman who looked eerily like Autumn.
“Maybe it’s written on the back,” Joel suggested.
“Do you hear that?” Autumn whispered, looking somewhat stricken as she turned to face Joel. “That thumping?”
“The pizza.” Joel grinned. “I bet we’re under the kitchen and can hear the guy knocking.
Clinging to the framed photograph, she quickly followed Joel upstairs. “We can’t let the pepperoni leave. Hurry.”
They got to the door just as the deliveryman was turning around from the stoop. Autumn was panting and still holding onto the framed image while Joel took the pizza.
“We haven’t even scratched the surface, and this place is far more interesting than I ever imagined.” She placed the picture on the counter away from the pizza and gave it a second glance, somewhat unnerved at how much the woman in the photo looked like her.
It was moments like these when she wished her parents were still around. She knew so little about her dad’s side and had to piece together a history that probably wasn’t even accurate, but it was all she had.
“Can you imagine wearing corsets day in and day out?” Autumn spun around to get a look at Joel.
“No, I really can’t imagine it.” He laughed and handed her a plate with two slices of pizza on it. “The woman in that photograph is pretty, and there’s definitely a striking resemblance, but you’re far more beautiful.”
“A man who knows how to get at my heart.”
“Are you talking about the pizza or what I said?”
She took the pizza from him but found a place on the counter to set it.
Joel’s eyes connected with hers, and the energy in the room instantly changed. She shot him a wry smile and Joel’s body tightened with desire. He’d wanted Autumn from the moment he laid eyes on her, and sharing a kiss would only make the desire worse.
Without talking himself out of it, Joel moved toward Autumn in one quick motion, wrapping his arms around her slender waist and drawing her in.
They were teetering on that moment that could change everything as Joel’s gaze stayed fastened on hers. The nervousness running through Autumn only intensified, but she wanted this kiss so badly. Working side by side with Joel all day had made her emotions raw, and she sensed the same need in him. She stood on her toes and looped her arms around his neck as his mouth hovered so close to hers.
Just when she thought it might not happen, he touched his lips to hers, and all the sparks she’d felt over the last several encounters came flying into this kiss. She hungrily parted her lips and felt his tongue slide into her mouth. The way he held her and found the rhythm so easily as his kisses only intensified told her she hadn’t been wrong in life. This was what kisses were meant to feel like, and she felt every single lick and tug of Joel’s expertise.
Just when she thought she wouldn’t be able to handle any more without being propped up, he broke his mouth from hers and smiled, enjoying the hazy look running through her eyes.
In a trance, she picked up her plate of pizza and took a bite, wondering if they’d ever just be neighbors again.