Sweet but Sexy Boxed Set (88 page)

Cheris trudged to the living room to settle herself in one of the two recliners. Though it was dark, she could still make out most of her picture. She sighed as she stared at it. Janie had done a beautiful job.

Still.

It bothered Cheris to think about Janie painting it on the sly and it hanging on Geoff
’s wall all this time.

Minutes or hours later she awoke when the sound of the garage door opened then shut. Shortly thereafter Geoff walked into the dark room from the kitchen paused, then continued on into the hallway. Low voices and silence. Cheris shifted and slept until the aroma of coffee beckoned her.

When she entered the kitchen, Geoff leaned against the counter sipping from a mug. He set it down when she approached.

“
Good morning. I see Janie’s midnight inspiration drove you out of the bedroom. Want some coffee?”

“
Sure. What time did you get in?”

“
Just before two. Want to come to work with me? Janie’s not going to be much company today.” Geoff poured her a cup of coffee and added some creamer from the refrigerator. He set it on the counter and gestured for her to take it.

So when had he learned how she drank her coffee?

“What do you mean?”

“
She’s in OCA mode.” At Cheris’ questioning look, he continued. “Obsessive Compulsive Artist. She’ll paint and sleep until she’s done with the wall. I’ve been through this several times with her. After she painted a scene of Auschwitz in the living room, I made her paint over it and relegated her to the guest bedroom for any future tormented artist inspirations.”

Cheris grimaced.
“I thought sleeping in there would give me nightmares.”

“
Yeah. The skeleton pile was after Dad had his heart attack. The people on the street is nice enough. She painted it when she came down for our twenty-fifth birthday.”

“
What about Auschwitz?”

Geoff took a sip of his coffee before he answered.
“She had some difficult things to happen around the time of her college graduation.”

Oh.

Once Cheris had commented on a dark scene Janie had painted in black, red, and gray which hung in Janie’s apartment. Janie had told her she’d named the picture Kaylis, in memory of a classmate that had been murdered a week before they graduated. Deciding Geoff’s vague answer was a cue not to pry, Cheris changed the subject.

“
I can hang out in the library at the Institute so I wouldn’t be in your way.”

Geoff set his coffee cup on the counter and crossed his arms as he regarded her.
“You’re welcome to stay in my office or sit in on any of my classes. We have an impressive media center and computer work-up station on campus.”

Cheris brushed a strand of hair out of her face.
“Do I have time to take a shower and get ready?”

Geoff checked his watch.
“I leave in forty-five minutes. If you need more time, I can meet you over there.”

“
That’s enough time.”

****

Geoff exhaled the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding when he heard the bathroom door close down the hall.

When Cheris had walked in the kitchen looking all rumpled and sexy, it had taken all Geoff had not to take her in his arms and kiss her. Instead, he
’d played it cool and poured her coffee. He’d taken deep breaths and thought about chemical compositions instead of oogling the length of legs exposed past the cotton shorts she wore.

Knowing she was in the bedroom down the hall had been enough to keep him awake until he
’d thrown on some clothes and gone out to the observatory until he could barely keep his eyes open. Now that Janie was in full artist mode, she was going to be little help as a chaperone. And if she kept to her M.O. she’d up and disappear as soon as the wall was done without a word leaving Cheris here with him.

On their honeymoon.

How was he supposed to give her space to fall in love with him when she was sleeping in his front room and wandering around the house in shorts showing her killer legs?

Driving with Cheris to Newbie River had Geoff so distracted he ran a red light. She
’d worn a skirt which came mid-thigh when she sat next to him in the car.

Plowing into another car because he couldn
’t keep his attention on the road was not an option.

He decided to mentally plot star courses until they got to the college.

Once there he parked and they walked across campus to the math and science building. His basic physics class met first, and Cheris found a chair in the back row amid whispers, Geoff had no doubt, concerning her presence.

To his surprise he made no mistakes during the lecture and went through a third of a bag of dum-dum suckers as he quizzed the students over the content of their reading and notes.

All with his glasses on.

And only a few glances to her legs.

When all the students had gone, Cheris strolled to the front of the room. “How come you use a chalkboard?”

“
Because I like a chalkboard.”

“
But there’s a Smartboard in this room.” She sat down at the computer on the desk and began typing. The light on the smart projector illuminated the smooth surface on the screen.

Yeah. He
’d had the same gripe from the department chair, not to mention unearthing the portable chalkboard from the furnace room at the beginning of each semester.

“
A chalkboard is more efficient, and I’m not limited by the Smartboard programmers.”

She clicked her tongue in disapproval.
“You’re missing some great opportunities by refusing to use the technology readily available to you.” Coming around the desk, she picked up the marker from its holder.

Janie was right. Cheris looked beautiful in yellow. Her shirt skimmed her curves and rested at her hip. She reached up and touched the pen icon then turned to him.

“Whatever you write will be more attractive in color.”

Geoff smiled. Exactly what he had been thinking though he
’d have a little more color with her hair not pinned up.

“
And you can easily pull up a picture to illustrate your point.”

She touched another icon, and a keyboard appeared. She pecked out the word molecule, then chose a model from a list.

“See?”

“
I can draw that in less time than it takes you to find it. And besides.” Geoff picked up another marker. “This is wrong. The proportions are off.” He drew a similar model. “This is more accurate.”

Cheris studied the two models then touched another icon at the top of the board. She moved her marker over the first picture and changed the size of the nucleus.
“There. They’re the same now.”

“
Why would I want to go to all of that trouble when I can draw my own accurate model in the first place?”

“
Because it’s more interesting in color. And you can’t draw a photograph of Jupiter on a chalkboard.”

“
True enough. But unless you need to show a photograph or a complex picture, a chalkboard is the better choice. It’s simple and unpretentious. If the electricity or the wireless goes out, that Smartboard is useless.”

“
If the electricity goes out, your students won’t be able to see the chalkboard to take notes.”

Geoff walked over to the window and opened the blinds.
“Sure they can.”

Cheris blinked at him.
“You’d continue with class even with the electricity out?”

“
Why wouldn’t I? Unless it’s a night class, there’s no reason not to.”

“
There won’t be any air conditioning or heat.”

Geoff shrugged.
“It’ll take a good half-hour for there to be a noticeable temperature change in most of the classrooms. And anyway, if the students are a little uncomfortable, they’re more likely to stay awake and listen.”

“
They’re not going to listen to you. They’re going to be thinking how cold or hot they are.”

Geoff tapped his chin thoughtfully.
“Hmm. That might be a good experiment to have one of the study groups to undertake. If they learn better all warm and cozy with their blankies or in a straight chair with their feet in ice buckets.”

Cheris giggled.
“I hope you’re kidding.”

“
Sort of. The Institutional Review Board frowns on the professors performing experiments on their students. However I have found my classes learn better when food is involved as a reward.”

“
So that’s what the candy is about?”

“
Yeah. It also encourages participation and makes me seem less like an ogre who would continue lecturing even if the lights go out.”

Cheris flashed him a smile that made his knees wobble. He pulled a sucker out of the bag on the desk and held it out to her.

“What’s this for?” she asked as she took it from him. “I didn’t answer any questions.”

“
For a lively debate.”
And looking like springtime in front of the Smartboard.
“I’ve got a committee meeting in ten minutes. Want to meet up for lunch in the cafeteria?”

“
Sure.”

Chapter Twelve

“Oh my ears and whiskers how late it’s getting!”

—
Alice in Wonderland
by Lewis Carroll

Obviously people had taken notice of Cheris and her connection with Geoff. He’d fielded several questions at the faculty meeting earlier in the day hoping to put off the inevitable discussion of moving to Cullsbair or the reasons for doing so. No matter what happened with him and Cheris, Geoff had committed himself to teaching in his hometown. It was a gamble he hoped would pay off, but if it didn’t, he would still be closer to family and have a great teaching and research position.

When he walked into his Che 212 class the Smartboard displayed an Internet feed of the Hip Granny website. He watched fascinated as a video played from his parents
’ anniversary party.

Of him and Cheris kissing on the stairs.

Hmmm. Good thing she wasn’t sitting in on this class.

Congratulations, Geoff and Cheris, noted the script across the picture.

Oh, boy. Had Cheris seen this?

Another reason to despise the Smartboard, he supposed. He
’d be willing to bet Cheris would be with him on this one.

He picked up the remote and hit the power button. Turning to the men and women sitting silently before him, he picked up a piece of chalk and wrote the day
’s lecture topic on the blackboard.

“
Dr. Arrowood?”

“
Yes, Haley?”

“
Did you get married over spring break?”

“
Yes.”

“
Is it true you’re leaving Newbie River and moving to Kentucky?”

Obviously nothing was wrong with the rumor mill on campus. He
’d tendered his resignation only yesterday.

“
Yes. But not until the summer. Let’s get back to—”

“
I didn’t know you were getting married,” Patrick Restull commented.

“
I may have neglected to mention it since it has nothing to do with
college chemistry
.”

“
You know Cheris is the technology chick on that website. Does she know you don’t let us use calculators on our tests?” Carter Stein added.

“
You ought to be able to work simple equations without a calculator, Carter.”

“
It must have been a small wedding if none of us got invited.”

“
You all want a pop test? I’ll be glad to write up a few problems on the board for you to solve.” Several groans emanated from his audience. “That’s what I thought. Now, let’s get back on topic. Who can tell me what characteristics are unique to metals?”

****

When Geoff drove Cheris back to his house, they found the scent of paint heavy in the air.

“
She’s still at it, I guess,” Cheris commented as they walked into the kitchen from the garage.

Geoff hung his key ring on a hook next to the light switch.
“If she’s consistent with her past behavior, she’ll paint until she’s done.”

“
I think I’ll check on her.” Setting her purse down on the floor next to the dining table, Cheris continued to the bedroom door and knocked.

No answer.

Pushing it open, she saw Janie standing on a step ladder stroking the wall with a brush. She still wore the clothes she’d gone to bed in the night before, and her hair was in a tight ponytail.

“
Janie? You okay?”

“
Yeah.”

“
Want to go get something to eat?”

“
No.” Her hand never paused. “You guys go on.”

Cheris stepped into the room to see what she
’d painted.

“
Get out, Cheris. I’m not done yet.”

It was an outdoor scene in lush greens and plants of every color, but a large white hole remained in the center where she hadn
’t painted yet. “I need to get my suitcase.”

“
I put it in the hall.”

Cheris backed out and shut the door behind her. Geoff leaned against the wall where her suitcase had been placed.

“I’ve been kicked out.”

Geoff picked up the bag and carried it to his room.
“You can sleep in here.”

Setting the case on the floor, he turned to face Cheris where she stood on the threshold. With maroon walls and gold curtains lining the windows, his bedroom was unlike what she expected.

“I can’t take your bed.”

A nice bed it was, too. The antique mahogany four poster topped with a brown and gold comforter dominated the room. A matching bureau with mirror was the only other piece of furniture.

“Sure you can. I’ll be at the observatory most of the night anyway.”

“
Do you go out every night?”

“
When it’s a new moon, yes, and especially with no cloud cover. Tonight it’s supposed to be clear. A good night for viewing.”

Cheris walked over to the bed and ran her hand over one of the posts, admiring the carved wood.
“This is beautiful.”

“
It was my grandparent’s bed. When I bought the house, Grandma gave me her bedroom suit.”

Cheris
’ bed at home had been a mattress on the floor. When she’d moved to Cullsbaeir she’d bought a second hand bed from a consignment store. She’d never owned anything as exquisite as this.

Glancing up, she caught Geoff
’s reflection in the mirror. Behind his glasses his gaze caressed hers, made her heart beat hard in her chest. Gripping the post, she turned to face him wanting.…

What?

Before she could name the emotion, Geoff left the room without a word.

Don
’t go.

Why not?

I want him to stay. Here. I want to….

You want to…?

Cheris closed her eyes in frustration. The voices were back. She shushed both of them and followed the sounds of the faucet running where Geoff filled a pasta pot full of water in the kitchen sink.

“
Spaghetti okay with you for supper?” he asked without looking up.

“
Sure.”

“
Great. There are fixings for salad in the fridge. Want to put one together?”

Cheris dutifully opened the refrigerator door and pulled the crisper to retrieve the ingredients. By the time they sat down together at the table, the tension she
’d felt in the bedroom was gone. Cheris quizzed Geoff about the other projects his class had presented and what he expected for tomorrow’s small groups. Janie was a no-show for the meal as Geoff had predicted though Cheris did fix her a plate and took it to her. Sitting it inside the room, she noted the other woman asleep in the bed, the light still on.

Closing the door softly behind her, Cheris returned to the kitchen as Geoff began to wash dishes.

“You’re good to her,” he commented. “She appreciates it though I’m sure she’s never told you.”

“
How do you know?” Cheris wet a sponge and wiped the table.

“
For close to a year she’d been telling me about you. ‘Cheris brought me something to eat today.’ ‘Cheris gave me balloons for my birthday.’ ‘Cheris came to pick me up when I got drunk at Crazy Eddie’s.’”

“
She was really drunk that night. I took her home with me and woke her up every two hours to give her water to drink.” Cheris wiped down the counters and the stove. “That’s a trick my mom told me about. If you drink plenty of water after getting drunk, your hangover isn’t so bad the next day. I guess it helps to have a lush for a mom.”

“
That kind of knowledge is more useful than what my mom taught me.”

“
What was that? Which fork to eat your salad with?” She paused in her task to look at Geoff.

He quirked an eyebrow.
“How many forks did you see me eat with tonight?”

“
One.”

“
Then obviously it wasn’t that. It was the Foxtrot.” He wiped his hands on a towel and pulled her into his arms.

“
What’re you doing?” Cheris gasped.

“
Showing you how much smarter your mom is than mine.” Geoff adjusted her arm by nudging it with his. “This is a proper dance so no grabbing butts. Rest your arm on mine.”

Cheris rested her hand on his shoulder as he held her other hand in his.

“Good. Now, I’m going to step forward with my left foot so you have to step back with your right.” With his thigh, he pressed into hers. “Then my right foot, your left and we move to the side.”

Cheris stepped on his foot as they moved out of the kitchen.
“Sorry.”

“
No problem. Try it again. Back right, then left, now to the side. Let’s do a corner step to get out of the way of the table. Back right. You always go back right first. Then left.”

Cheris stepped on his foot again.
“Sorry.” She looked down to watch their moves. “Maybe I should take off my shoes.”

“
If you take off your shoes, it will really hurt when
I
step on
your
feet. Now slide.” He moved them to the right. “And we turn a bit. You see how lame this is? What good did it do me in college?”

“
Like I’m sure you partied there,” Cheris commented as she tried to follow Geoff’s lead.

“
I tried. The first time I drank, I was so sick, I couldn’t eat for three days. Your little tip could have saved me a lot of trouble. As far as what my mom considered
necessary knowledge
, I never danced with a woman. Never.”

“
Until when?”

“
Until now. Pathetic, right?” Geoff dropped his hands and stepped away from her.

“
Probably when your mom was dating, it was necessary knowledge. You know, with cotillions and the country club and such. But with our generation, it’s different.”

“
Different how?”

“
How we socialize. Date.” Cheris folded her arms. “Think about what we’ve done since the gala. Movies. Watching television. Swimming. Eating. The Park. Playing games on the Internet. Texting. Even though…” Cheris dropped her gaze in embarrassment. “The dancing was nice.” Doing her best Groucho Marx, she quipped. “I could dance with you until the cows came home. On second thought I’d rather dance with the cows until you came home.”

Geoff laughed, and Cheris smiled in response. For a moment they studied each other.

“Do you…want to dance? There’s more to the Foxtrot I could show you if you’re interested.”

“
Okay.”

Geoff moved the recliner from the middle of the room next to where the other one sat against the wall.

“There. That’ll give us some space.” He grasped her fingers and placed his other hand on her shoulder blade. Remembering her stance, she settled her arm on his and tilted her head back to watch him.

“
One thing to remember is if you slide your feet as we’re going forward and back, you’re less likely to step on your partner. Not that I mind, but this part of the dance is more of a shuffle than a step. And it’s slower, too. When we move side to side, then we’ll step and pick up the pace. Ready?”

Cheris nodded wondering if the butterflies in her stomach were from learning to dance or being so close to Geoff. As they danced to bluesy music from the Bose and Cheris became more comfortable with the steps, she relaxed into him.

“You’re a good teacher,” she said as she slid her hand further up his shoulder.

“
Maybe there’s some use in knowing the Foxtrot after all.”

“
What? Something to do because you don’t own a TV?”

“
Yeah.”

Leaning in a bit more she rested her head against his chest. This was nice.
“It is weird that you don’t own one.”

“
What?”

“
A TV.” His heart beat against her ear.

“
Oh.” His fingers flexed against hers.

“
How come you don’t?” Cheris stopped moving her feet and leaned back to see his face.

Still embraced, Geoff stared down at her. He shrugged.
“It’s a distraction I don’t need although…” His caramel eyes sparkled warming her.

Tingles began in her stomach and radiated outward.

His face lowered a fraction.

He
’s going to kiss me.

Okay?

Yes.

“
Although?” Cheris whispered and lifted her face.