Should've Said No (6 page)

The day was on the verge of twilight, air crisp and stars sparkling as Carden tucked the bags he was carrying under his arm and knocked on the front door of Dean’s cabin.
Lindsey’s cabin.
He was here to finish one job and start another, yet it felt like way more than that. Gran had great expectations and he intended to make sure they were met—at least the ones about the Crenshaws being properly represented in the museum. All that talk last night at the ice cream shop about Lindsey learning Thistle Bend’s history from Dean and Fred and the Montgomery sisters had Carden devising a plan of his own. She might hear stories from them, but he was the one who would give her the real lessons.

Lindsey opened the door and the sight of her had him clutching his tool belt more tightly in his hand. She wore a wispy, sky blue sleeveless top and a pair of white shorts.
For me?
His pulse picked up pace as he gazed at her long, slender legs—toned and tan and tempting. Her hair was swept into a ponytail, loose tendrils framing her face.

“Hi.” She opened the door wide and stood before him, giving him the best view of her he’d gotten yet. “I’m so glad you’re here,” she said, sounding more relieved than happy. A frown tugged at her incredibly kissable lips.

“Did it break already?”

She motioned for him to step inside and he did, the temperature rising by at least ten degrees and not because of her seriously sexy shorts…or the sensuous curve of her neck, or the glimmer of light in her eyes. “No, but it’s burning up in here and I can’t get most of the windows open. Think we could work on them first?”

So the shorts might not have been for him. He clenched his jaw, more disappointed than he wanted to admit. “Sure. It got kinda warm today. Close this place up and aim the sun at the tin roof, you’ve got yourself a sauna.”

“And a bunch of stuck windows.”

Carden set his tool belt and the bag of parts from the hardware store on top of several boxes neatly stacked near the door. She still had some moving in to do, but the place already looked better with some furniture and feminine touches. It even smelled like Lindsey—that unique woodsy citrus scent that put his senses on high alert.

“Did you bring Blue?” she asked.

“He’s at home hanging with some of his buddies. But I brought you something else.” He held out the second paper bag. “And not from the hardware store.”

Lindsey tipped her head and gazed at it skeptically, seeming to stifle a grin. She took the bag, opened it, and pulled out the quart of ice cream he’d stopped by and picked up at Get the Scoop. She’d liked Marshmallow Peach, but he thought it’d be fun to introduce her to a heartier flavor. Her eyes brightened. “Ice cream!” The bag floated to the floor as she hugged the cardboard container like a little girl. “Thank you.”

“Kind of cold for a housewarming gift.” He winked. “But I bet you’ll like it.”

She glanced at the label on the top of the container. “Salted caramel chocolate chunk. Mmm…”

“It’s my favorite.”

“Sounds decadent.” She set her gaze on him and lifted her eyebrows. “Want some? I could probably be persuaded to share.”

His heart thundered. Did he ever. He wanted plenty of whatever she was offering. Even so, he was fairly certain it was only ice cream because she seemed genuine and sincere, not overtly flirty like some of the women who worked too hard to get his attention.

“How about after we get these windows open and I fix the toilet?” he asked.

Lindsey nodded. “Sounds like a plan.” She walked over to the freezer, captivating Carden with the easy sway of her hips. He tore his gaze away and focused on the changes inside the cabin. The cream-colored couch with colorful throw pillows. The cute dining table for two. Wildflowers in a vase on the counter.

“You really spruced up the place,” he said.

“A little.” She scanned the living area, nodding. “I wasn’t sure my furnishings would work in here, but I kind of like the combination of bright and rustic.”

“Probably different from what you had in D.C.,” he said, wondering what her life had been like in the city, and if she’d left “someone special” there, as Gran would say.

“For the last year or so, I lived with my friend Becca, and Sally, in a new apartment building near Nationals Park—all modern and contemporary.”

“You had two roommates?”

“Sally is Becca’s cat.” She grinned, white teeth gleaming. “I’ve had roommates ever since college.” She tipped her head, looking winsome. “Living by myself will take some getting used to.”

“I’d imagine everything will take some getting used to.”

“Like no air conditioner.” She bunched the front of her blouse in her hand and lifted it away from her body. The wispy fabric danced as she released it and it fell back into place. “What can I do to help get these windows up?”

“Check under the sink. Dean usually keeps candles there for the tenants, in case the power goes out.” He picked up his tool belt and put it on.

She pressed her lips together, eyebrows low. “You lost me.” She reached over and flipped the lights on and off. “We’ve got power. It’s the air conditioner that we’re missing.”

“Cool mountain air’s all you need, even on the hottest days. Just leave the windows open and let it blow through.”

“I can’t leave them open when I’m gone all day.”

“Why not?” he asked.

“Holly told me that the crime rate is low here, but still…” She lifted her narrow shoulders. “Someone might break in.”

“Not in Thistle Bend. Most people don’t even lock their doors.” He walked into the kitchen just to get closer to her. “Everything will be fine with the windows open, whether you’re here or not. Take my word for it. Someone steals anything of yours, I’ll replace it for you.”

Lindsey gave him a curious look. “Guess I’m used to D.C. I needed a key fob to get in my building, where there was a security guard in the lobby 24/7. Same fob allowed me up on the elevators, but then I had a separate key for my apartment. No one in their right mind on the ground floor would leave their windows open unless they had bars on them.”

He leaned against the counter and crossed his ankles. “Things are simpler here. People are different.”

Her gaze met his and lingered, as if she was deciding if she believed him.

“About those candles…” he said.

“Oh, right.” She opened the cabinet beneath the sink and pushed a bottle of dishwashing liquid aside. Behind it were a couple of votive candles that she grabbed and handed to him. “I’m still in the dark about these.”

“We’re going to wax the sash channels on the windows to keep them from getting stuck again.”

Her face lit up with a bright grin. “Brilliant. Show me how it’s done.”

Carden pushed himself away from the counter and gestured for her to follow him to one of the windows flanking the front door. He pressed the bottom edge of the votive against the exposed sash channel, moving it up and down, coating the channel with wax.

“Now you do the other side.” He took her hand and nestled the candle in her palm just right, the thrilling chills he’d gotten when he’d first touched her warming into something much hotter. Cupping his palm over her hand, he stood close behind and guided her as they waxed the opposite channel. Her ponytail brushed against his chin, her hip against his thigh. “There you go,” he said, his voice low and husky. “Perfect.”

Reluctantly he released her hand and stepped back as she turned to face him. She searched his eyes for a moment and he could’ve sworn she was feeling the attraction, too. He clenched his jaw, working to keep control of himself—something he rarely had trouble doing. But Lindsey had him guessing and wondering…
and hoping.
He stepped around her and muscled open the window they’d just been working on.

“Yay.” Lindsey tilted her head back and opened her arms as the cool evening air wafted in.

Carden needed a little cooling off himself. “Let’s get a couple more of these open to increase the airflow, then you can wax the rest of the channels while I work in the bathroom.”

She focused on the candle in her hand. “That’s a pretty neat trick. You’re one heck of a handyman, Mr. Crenshaw.” She gave him an easy smile, brought the candle to her nose, and sniffed. Shrugging, she said, “Vanilla.”

“Expecting something else?”

“Vanilla’s usually a safe bet—especially for waxing sash channels. Much better than some Axe scent like Anarchy or Dark Temptation. Every time those channels got warm it would smell like a high school prom in here.”

Carden grinned as she headed toward the window next to the fireplace, leaving him gazing behind her. “They actually make Axe candles?”

“I sure hope not, and I’m happy to hear that you don’t know either.” She gave him a playful smirk and began waxing the sash channel, her gaze on him.

He raised his eyebrows. “Dark Temptation doesn’t sound so bad, does it?” Carden struggled to play it seriously. He surprised himself, flirting with her, because he always aimed dead straight.

Lindsey laughed, a sunny sound that brightened the whole place. She tossed the candle in the air and caught it. “I’ll stick with vanilla for now.” She went to work on the second channel. “And salted caramel chocolate chunk later.” She finished up and set the candle on the fireplace mantel. “Now let’s see if this one will open.”

Carden stepped forward and she held up her hand, palm out.

“Whoa, cowboy.” She grinned. “Let me give it a try.” She faced the window, clenched her delicate hand into a fist, and banged on the sash. The girl meant business. Carden liked that she was determined to do things for herself, which didn’t come as much of a surprise considering she’d driven that beat-up U-Haul more than halfway across the country. Lindsey bent at her knees and pushed up on the window with the heels of her hands. It creaked a couple times, then squealed as she lifted it. The cross-breeze caught the hem of her top and it fluttered ever so slightly.

“Sweet,” she said as she grabbed the candle and stepped over to the next stubborn window.

Carden picked up the bag from the hardware store and headed toward the hallway. “Looks like you’ve got everything under control out here. I’m going to get started in the bathroom.” She might not need him to help with the windows now, but he didn’t mind hanging around, just in case she got into a jam.

Chapter 8

As soon as Carden disappeared down the hall, Lindsey pinched her eyes closed, took a deep breath, and blew it out quietly. Getting the windows open was easy compared to the hard work it took to act as if he wasn’t getting to her. The guy was irresistible without props, but then he’d gone and brought her ice cream—
ice cream!
—and then he’d put on that sexy tool belt. On top of that, he’d taught her the candle trick for the windows,
and
he was fixing her toilet. He hadn’t even brought up the subject of the first night they’d met, as if he knew she might die of embarrassment.

Why on earth is the guy still single?

Red flags started snapping in her head the second the thought crossed her mind. She’d asked herself the very same question about Hopper when she’d gotten swoony over him and lost all her good sense.

She shook her head, her gaze settling on her couch strewn with books and journals about Thistle Bend she’d brought home from the hardware store/gas station/museum. Turning the place into a credible, memorable museum had to be her focus while she was here. There was no other way to get her sidetracked career back on the rails. She needed to study and interview people and create exhibit designs. The last thing she needed to contend with was another romantic delusion like the one she’d experienced with Hopper.

In the bathroom, tools clanked and water ran. Lindsey imagined Carden working in there, nearly filling the whole tiny room, repairing things, being neighborly. Smokin’ hot and neighborly. His conversation with Holly had confirmed how much he thought of Dean, and Stella had said he enjoyed helping people in town. Lindsey warned herself not to jump to the conclusion that Carden was there because of her. She just happened to be the current tenant in a cabin that needed fixing. Forget the awareness that swirled through her when he’d shown her how to wax the sash channels, standing so close behind her, his strong hand over hers, the pressure just right.

Lindsey chased the thoughts out of her head as she finished the final window in her bedroom. The toilet flushed a couple of times—hopefully fixed and never to be mentioned between her and Carden again after tonight. She’d had enough toilet talk to last her forever. After the tank filled, quiet settled again in the cabin, chirping insects the only sound outside the open windows. The serene setting would take some getting used to following the perpetual soundtrack of the city that had been part of Lindsey’s life for years. Sirens and traffic and trains. Bells and chimes and chatter.

“You’re all set,” Carden said from behind her. She turned to see him standing in the doorway with nothing but her queen-sized bed between them.

“Thank you.”

“I would normally say ‘my pleasure,’ but that would be a lie.” He gave her a hint of a smile, his blue eyes glinting in the lamplight.

This guy’s going to be trouble.

Her heart ticked off some indecipherable Morse code because the other last thing she needed was the temptation of him in her bedroom talking about his pleasure.

“Dean owes you, that’s for sure.” She quickly walked around the bed and joined him, gesturing in the direction of the kitchen. “You’ve definitely earned a scoop of your favorite flavor.” She didn’t make a habit of eating ice cream two days in a row, but he’d been so nice to bring it. She had to eat some with him. Right?

Carden took the lead and headed into the living area, giving her a fine rear view framed by his tool belt. He stopped next to the boxes by the door, unbuckled the belt, took it off, and set it on top of the stack.

Bummer.

Lindsey took the ice cream out of the freezer, grabbed a couple of spoons from the drawer, then remembered she hadn’t unpacked her dishes. “Sorry to make you wait, but the bowls are in one of those.” She pointed to the boxes.