Over my dead body.And if she didn’t know better, she’d say she was jealous.Which implied she had strong feelings for the man.No denying she did.She’d had them for a while, but since he’d moved in, they’d grown stronger by the minute.If she didn’t watch out, they’d get to a point where there was no turning back.If he didn’t feel the same way, it could be a real problem.
Evan stomped his boots on the porch to remove most of the dirt and entered the house.He sniffed the air to see if he could figure out what Mercedes had made for supper.Smelled like pasta sauce.Was it lasagna, some fancy Italian dish, or plain ol’ spaghetti?Whatever it was, he’d be thrilled he didn’t have to cook it.
After kicking his boots into his closet, he grabbed a clean change of clothes and headed to the bathroom to shower off the crud from work.The hot water felt heavenly on his head and back as he shampooed and soaped up, then rinsed.With his dirty clothes in the hamper in his room, he strolled to the kitchen.And froze.
Mercedes stood at the counter, her feet and legs bare, her bathrobe hanging down to her knees.When she faced him, he noted she wore a long T-shirt underneath.It wasn’t what most men would think of as sexy, yet feelings of longing and desire sprang to the surface.
“Pajamas already?”he signed.
Her mouth turned down in a tiny frown.“I need to be comfortable today.I’m not feeling great.It’s only spaghetti tonight.Hope that’s okay?”
“It’s perfect.Let me get it.You sit.”
The spaghetti had already been mixed in with the sauce, and she’d thrown in some ground beef as well.Once he’d forked it onto plates, he carried it to the table.Since she already had a cup of tea, he got his own glass of Mountain Dew.
“I’m sorry you aren’t feeling great.Are you sick, or is it something else?”
Her gaze slid to the side.“Lady stuff.You have two sisters and a mom.I’m sure you’re aware of what happens with women.”
His face grew hot.It wasn’t the kind of conversation he liked having with anyone, never mind a woman he found attractive.
“Men try and avoid those discussions if at all possible.”
She took a small bite of the pasta and chewed.“You mean, when you get married, you’re not going to baby your wife with extra special care when she isn’t feeling well.”
Why did the visual of Mercedes in that role suddenly pop into his mind?She’d never even hinted that it was something she’d want.“Sure, as long as we don’t have to talk about it.”
She laughed.
He loved the way her face crinkled up, and she threw her head back a little so he could admire her slender neck.He’d always been in awe of her grace and beauty.He needed to change the subject.
“A new guy started today.”
“Oh, the one you’re mentoring?”
He shook his head.“No, he doesn’t start until next month.He’s got to get certification on some of the equipment first.The guy who started today, Tyler, is young and I have a feeling he’ll be a real pain in the neck.”
She cocked her head, always paying attention to what he said.He loved that she didn’t simply nod at him like so many others did, hoping he’d stop talking to them.Mercedes was truly interested in what he had to say.
“Why?”
Shrugging, he said, “You know kids these days.”
Her eyes brightened with humor.“Kids?Because you’re so old at twenty-eight?”
“I don’t think he’s even twenty yet.He rolled his eyes a few times when he was put on clean up duty.”
“You’re cleaning up dirt?”she teased.
He made a face at her.“Everyone starts at the bottom.You know, shoveling, flag duty, washing the equipment after, stuff like that.Unless they come with experience from elsewhere and have lots of time and the certifications for specific vehicles.This kid wanted to start on a bulldozer.One of the bigger ones.Boss told him no.He got kind of sulky.We’ll see if he shapes up.”
Mercedes nodded and finished up her meal.“Tasha keeps asking about you at work.I think she’s hoping we’ll break up so she can move in.She’s obsessed with living with me for some reason.I don’t know why.We work together.Isn’t that enough time with each other?”
Evan knew exactly why Tasha wanted to be around Mercedes.She was an amazing individual who made everyone near her feel special and cared for.Or maybe she’d tasted her cooking and wanted dinner made for her every night.
“You can tell her I don’t plan to ever break up with you.You’re in it for life, baby.”He liked to joke around, but in all honesty, he’d love to be in it for life with this woman.He might have to settle for being a forever friend.
“That’s good to know.I really prefer you as a roommate.”
