Fringe Benefits (8 page)

“Want some coffee?” Dani held out a travel cup. “Just sugar, right?”

Nate took the cup and sipped the drink. “Perfect. Thanks, Dani.”

She cast a glance back toward the stairs. “What’s up with your mother? She doesn’t seem to like me much.”

“It’s not you. Not really. She’s just a little overprotective.”

Although Dani didn’t look at all convinced, she nodded. Turning on her heel, she tried to take a step away.

Snaking a hand around her upper arm, Nate stopped her. “So after we get everything set up, do you wanna… maybe go out for a bite to eat?”

“With your family?”

“I imagine they’ll want to get back on the road soon.”

At least she thought it over before she shook her head. Then she softened the blow. “How about I fix us something here instead?”

“Sounds like heaven.”

Dani was slicing a zucchini when Nate came through the basement door.
His
door. It was sure going to take some time for her to get used to seeing him move so freely around her house.

“Brought some music,” he said as he headed into the great room. “Is that okay?”

“Sure. Is it on an MP3?” she asked.

“Yep.”

“Then use my sound system. It’s on the shelf just to the left of the TV.”

“Saw it earlier.”

All she could see was his back as he fiddled with her equipment. He’d dressed casually—a polo and khaki shorts.

She’d chosen an outfit every bit as relaxed. This wasn’t a date, she had to remind herself. They were only sharing a meal, something they’d probably be doing from time to time. The tone needed to be companionable, not romantic.

“This setup is amazing,” Nate said.

“My dad got it for me.”

The elaborate entertainment equipment had been a gift from her father, but as always there was guilt attached. When the house was finally finished, her parents had come all the way from California to see it and brought along the present of cutting-edge technology. Of course, Dad had to comment on how he’d originally planned on buying her everything she and the husband she really didn’t need would require when they started a family.

Could’ve used this money for the perfect nursery, Dani-girl
, he’d said, as though buying something solely for her was a waste of his hard-earned cash. It wasn’t as though he didn’t have plenty to spare, so why the guilt trip?

Accustomed to her father’s snark, Dani had reacted in her usual way. She’d let his criticism slide. He loved her. But being his only child put a lot of pressure on her to be what he wanted her to be.

Her mother never pressured her to settle down and have babies, probably because she knew her daughter well enough to understand that Dani was exactly like her father and couldn’t be nagged or bullied into doing something she simply didn’t want to do.

“This is an amazing sound system,” Nate said a moment before strains of “My Girl” filled the house.

Quirking a brow, she asked, “Motown fan?”

“Hell yeah.” He joined her at the island and planted his palms on the granite surface. “What can I do to help? Or are you a cook who prefers working solo?”

“Feel free to jump right in. I’m going to sauté some vegetables to go with the chicken. I tossed that in the oven not too long ago.” She picked up her cutting board and slid the slices of zucchini into a bowl. “I think I’ll add some yellow squash if you like it.”

“Yep,” he said with a charming grin. “Never met a vegetable I didn’t enjoy.” A thoughtful tilt of his head. “Unless jalapeños are vegetables. Can’t stand those.” He picked up the bottle of salad dressing. “Planning a salad? Can I help with that?”

“Sure. Grab the romaine from the fridge. You can wash it and rip it up.”

The man sure made himself at home quickly. Moving around her kitchen, he acted as though he’d always cooked there, not even tossing her awkward questions. He seemed to instinctively know where everything from the colander to the knives waited.

“Big or little?” Nate held up the freshly washed head of lettuce.

“Pardon?”

“Big or little pieces of lettuce?”

“Oh… little.”

That damned dimple… “A woman after my heart. I can’t stand huge pieces of lettuce in my salad. I always end up feeling stupid when I stab one with my fork and then try to open my mouth wide enough to shove it in without looking like a baby bird that’s expecting to be fed.” He got right to work.

Accustomed to the Ladies’ husbands rather reserved natures, Dani enjoyed Nate’s tendency toward the same kind of companionable silence. When he did have something to say, it was succinct. A few words about school or about his students. Dani kept working on supper, finding herself smiling at the humor Nate tended to toss into his dialogue. She loved his voice, a light tenor that would make him a great audiobook narrator. Eager young women would flock to that voice.

Young
.

Was she ever going to get past him being younger? Why couldn’t she look at Nate as just a guy?

She’d heard Patrick’s teasing that morning, calling her “Mrs. Robinson.” While he’d only been kidding, the implication had been crystal clear. Dani was too old for Nate. End of story.

As “Tears of a Clown” poured out of the speakers, Nate started singing along. After only a few lines, she stopped working on the food and watched him.

In rhythm with the beat, he prepared their salads, stopping every now and then to add a spin or a couple of dance steps. When he glanced over to catch her staring, he didn’t blush. And he didn’t stop. Instead, he picked up the pepper grinder and sang into it as if it were a microphone.

“You’ve got a great voice,” she commented when the song ended, replaced with “You Can’t Hurry Love.”

He went right back to work. “Thanks.”

“No, I mean a
really
great voice. Hasn’t anyone told you that?”

“My choir teacher. My dad.” His eyes caught hers. “Don’t be so serious. It’s not like I’m ready for
American Idol
or anything.” He shrugged. “I just like to sing.”

“Well you do it very well.”

Eyes bright with humor, he said, “Does that mean if I want to woo you I should sing to you?”

“Woo?” She let out a giggle. “Did you honestly just say ‘woo’?”

“I know. It’s old-fashioned. Everyone tells me I should’ve been born in another era. Kat used to—” He never finished the thought.

Kat
. Dani had heard that name from him more than once, and it was a name his mother had whispered that morning. Kat was a woman who obviously meant something to Nate, probably even a great deal.

“Kat used to what?”

“Nothing. Hey, got any cucumbers?”

“Bottom drawer of the fridge,” Dani replied. “So I take it Kat is a closed subject?”

Nate fetched the cucumber and set it next to the rest of the salad fixings. “She’s not necessarily a closed subject, only one I’m ready to leave behind me.”

Dani got the message loud and clear, so she dropped the subject… for now. They worked together as he hummed along to a couple more Motown songs. She even joined in when he sang the last one—until the oven timer let loose with its annoying tone.

“Want me to grab the chicken?” he asked.

Since he was already pulling on an oven mitt, she nodded. Then she turned off the burner and set the pan with the vegetables aside. “Do we go formal and put everything on platters? Or keep it simple and fill our plates from the pans?”

“Pans. Definitely. Less cleanup.”

*   *   *

Nate had never felt as relaxed around a woman as he did spending time with Dani.

After supper, she’d suggested they walk the community trail to downtown Cloverleaf and get some frozen yogurt for dessert. He loved that her home was less than a mile from the quaint older part of the town. The evening was warm, and the stars were just beginning to dot the sky as they strolled along the paved trail. A light breeze ruffled her bangs, and she brushed them back with her long, slender fingers.

“You never finished your story about Kat,” Dani said.

He’d wondered when or even if she’d get around to asking. “Ah, yes. The infamous Kat. Sure you want to hear it? I mean, it is a rather sad tale.”

“If it makes you uncomfortable…”

“No, it’s fine.” And it was. Talking about his dead-and-gone relationship no longer caused him pain. A good sign that he was ready for a new woman in his life. “We dated for a few months after Mom and Mark got married that Christmas. Then…” He rubbed his hands over his face, a little embarrassed at his immaturity. “Kat and I weren’t as careful as we should have been. I mean, don’t get me wrong. Most of the time we used condoms. One night one broke and…”

“There are a lot of oops babies in the world. Don’t think you’re in that boat all alone.”

“I know. The memory bugs me mostly because I see how stupid we were sometimes.”

Her laughter eased his awkwardness. “Weren’t we all at that age?”

“I asked her to marry me, wanting to do the right thing.”

“You didn’t love her?”

That question required a little thought. “I did—in a nineteen-year-old’s way. We got engaged, but we didn’t tell our parents. It seemed romantic at the time, keeping it just between the two of us.”

“You were only nineteen?”

He nodded.

“Then quit sounding so embarrassed. At that age it probably
was
romantic. Everything is.”

“Kat had a miscarriage.”

She stopped and took his hand. “I’m sorry. That must’ve been difficult for both of you.”

That spontaneous show of comfort pleased Nate immensely. Dani had a soft heart, something she seemed to want to keep hidden, something she must’ve thought made her appear less than a strong, independent woman. But not with him. When she was with him, she seemed more open, more vulnerable. “It was difficult for me, not for Kat, though. She was… well, honestly, she was relieved.”

“I don’t know what to say to that.”

Keeping a grip on her hand, he started walking again. He couldn’t help but grin when she didn’t pull away. “What is there to say? After that, Kat turned into a party girl. Now that I’ve got some time and distance, I think she was celebrating that she didn’t have to instantly grow up like she would’ve if we’d had the baby. The relationship went downhill after that.”

“How long were you together?”

“Almost another year, more out of habit than anything. I finally said enough was enough.”

When the walking path met Main Street, she eased her hand away. “The yogurt shop is there.” She pointed at one of the many historic buildings lining the street. “Jules and Connor live there.” Her finger indicated a redbrick structure on the other side of the street.

WILSON REALTY
was written in gilded letters across the largest window. “They live in their office?”

“The office is downstairs. They made a really nice home on the entire second floor.”

They waited in line at the yogurt shop, neither saying much. Nate wasn’t sure if Dani had grown quiet because of all the people around them or because she was upset over his reckless past.

After they purchased their cones, Dani led him back to the trail, and they walked in silence as they ate. It wasn’t until they were almost back at the house that she spoke again.

“Do you need anything tonight? I mean like sheets or towels. I didn’t figure you’d have time to unpack your stuff.”

“I’m fine,” he replied. “I really don’t have all that much to unpack. I made the bed and unpacked my towels. That’s all I need for tonight.”

She punched the code on the garage door opener. “Feels kinda… weird.” She led him to the door.

He reached around her to open it. “Ladies first.”

“How about age before beauty?” she teased.

By the time they’d kicked off their shoes and left them on the mat in the mud room, Nate’s curiosity got the better of him. “You didn’t tell me what feels weird.”

“Coming home like this. Together.”

“Good weird or bad weird?”

At least he got her to smile. “I haven’t decided yet.”

It was time to part ways. This was the moment he’d known would be most awkward, and it didn’t disappoint. What he wanted to do was drag her into his arms and kiss her senseless, but something told him that wouldn’t be the right tack. He’d kissed her. Twice. But she still had reservations, especially about their ages, about her being his supervisor. Forcing the issue would only make her dig in her heels.

Despite the way she’d teased him about saying “woo,” that was exactly what Dani would need. Wooing. Coaxing. A slow and easy courtship. Maybe then he could get past all the reticence she nurtured about the two of them.

They’d be good together. Nate had no doubt of that. Dani was everything Kat wasn’t, and there was no way he’d let her slip away without at least giving a relationship a chance.

Age is only a stupid number.

Despite what he wanted, he gave her what she needed.

A kiss on the cheek.

“See you at breakfast.” On that, he headed to his new basement home.

A quick glance before he shut the door made him smile.

Dani had laid her hand against her kissed cheek, a bemused smile on her face.

“Fancy meeting you here.”

Dani had been bent over, hugging her knees as she stretched her hamstrings when Nate’s cheerful voice greeted her. Straightening up fast enough that she got dizzy, she stared at him.

Dressed in a neon-yellow shirt, black shorts, and the brightest teal Nikes she’d ever seen, he looked ready to go for a nice jog. His heart-stopping grin and singsong voice made her frown. He was too damn chipper for this early in the morning.

While she’d already had her first cup of coffee, mostly because she couldn’t even function without one, she always saved her second for after her run. Somehow it was easier to run when she wasn’t entirely conscious.

“Wasn’t sure what time you ran,” he said. Then he lunged forward, stretching his leg.

“The earlier, the better.” It was difficult to have a conversation when her brain wasn’t quite awake. He’d been in her basement two weeks, and he suddenly wanted to run with her?

Why?

He switched to lunge with his other leg. “Hey. Me too. Boy, we’ve got a lot in common, don’t we?”

“Not if you’re a morning person. I don’t even wake up until the second or third mile.”

He let out a small chuckle. “Guilty as charged. Used to drive my mom crazy when I’d be up wanting breakfast on weekend mornings before the sun even rose.” Nate planted his heel and straightened his leg to stretch out his calf. “How far do you usually go?”

“Not far. Four or five miles a couple of times a week. I save Sundays for my longer runs.”

“Four or five is perfect. Just enough to get the muscles warmed up and the blood pumping.” He worked on his other calf. “How far on this longer run of yours?”

“Usually eight. Sometimes I find a nice groove and go a little bit farther.”

They continued stretching in quiet until Dani couldn’t stand it any longer. What was it about Nate that unnerved her so much?

Was it the way he’d eased right into every aspect of her life? Was it that they shared so many interests? Was it that he was too handsome to ignore?

All of the above.

“You’re going to run with me?” she asked, her voice rising to an anxious squeak. Running was her Zen, her chance to escape into her music, get into a zone, and just…
be
. How could she enjoy that if she was with Nate and worried about how sweaty she was getting or whether a fart slipped out once or twice?

“Well… yeah,” he replied. “I figured you could show me some great routes.” With a frown, he smacked the heel of his hand against his forehead. “Sorry.”

Mind still reeling with the idea of him running alongside her, she had no idea where that statement had come from. “For what?”

“When I was little, I had a bad habit of inviting myself places. If I wanted to play with some other kid, I’d trot right over to his house and talk myself inside. I’m doing the same thing to you now. If you prefer running alone…”

The way he hung his head as though the memory made him sad made her heart clench. “No, that’s fine. We can go together.”

“You don’t have to say that just to be polite, Dani.”

“It’s okay, Nate. You’re right. I can show you some good places to run.”

Raking his fingers through his blond hair, he frowned. “No, I’m imposing. You want privacy, not the new guy in town tagging along like a puppy dog.”

The forlorn tone of his voice and the image he’d invoked made her beckon him with a flip of her hand. “You’re not imposing. C’mon. Let’s get going before I wake up all the way and talk myself out of it. You’ll have to forgive me if I need to listen to music.”

“Running doesn’t lend itself to great conversation.” He pointed to the armband for his iPhone. “I have a great mix to help me keep my pace up.”

With a brisk nod, she shoved her earbuds in her ears and headed for the trails.

A glance over her shoulder saw him mimicking her actions with his own headphones before he took off after her.

*   *   *

Smiling to himself, Nate fell into step with Dani. He truly had no shame. When he wanted something, he went for it. And right now he wanted to see where the connection he felt with this beautiful woman would lead.

Did she gravitate to the sport of running for the same reason he did—to be a part of a team without having to get too physically close to people?

He’d been too lanky for football, and the idea of getting stuck under a pile of sweaty bodies was about as appealing as grading six classes’ worth of research papers. Baseball? Boring. Swinging a golf club felt unnatural.

So back in high school, he’d run cross-country. The sport appealed to him since he’d always been a bit of a loner. When he went to Indiana University, he’d kept running as a way to handle the stress of college—stress that had risen to a crescendo once he’d started dating Kat. She’d always thought of running as a waste of time and energy.

But Dani loved to run—just another thing that made her so appealing.

The woman was quick, her pace bordering on brutal. Nate had to push himself to keep up with her. After that fifth mile, he came close to stopping. Thankfully, a second wind kicked in, so he made it back to the house. Tomorrow, his muscles would be screaming.

Back in the driveway, he walked in circles, hands on his hips as he panted for breath.

“You okay?” She might not be as breathless as he was, but at least she sounded a little winded.

“Fine.” With a groan, he gave in to the urge to flop onto the grass, spread eagle. “Fine for a guy who’s having a heart attack.”

Her laughter made him smile. She came closer, standing over him. “Need me to perform CPR?”

“Nah. But I’m fine with mouth-to-mouth, if you’d like to give it a whirl.”

With a shake of her head, Dani stepped back. “Seems like you’re breathing fine—a little fast, but fine. How about I make you breakfast instead?”

Getting back on his feet was more difficult than Nate had expected, and it was a bit humiliating that he had to take the hand she offered to help him up. He’d have to get in better shape if he was going to keep up with her. “Breakfast sounds great. Starting with coffee.”

With a sparkle in her eye, she tossed last night’s teasing back in his face. “Absolutely!”

*   *   *

Dani folded the omelet in half and set the spatula aside. “Cheese?”

“Sounds good,” Nate replied. He took the full cup of coffee from the Keurig, set it aside, and popped a fresh canister in place. “Love these machines.”

“Amen to that.” She used the spatula to cut the omelet in half. “Hope you don’t mind. I made one six-egg omelet for us to share.”

“Mind?” He blew a raspberry. “You’re making me breakfast. Why would I mind?”

After putting the half omelets on plates, she sprinkled shredded cheddar cheese over them. “Grab that coffee, and we’ll eat right here.” She dropped the plates in front of the barstools that pulled up to the island.

Nate set the coffee cups by the plates. “I’ll grab the silverware.”

With a nod, Dani took a seat on one of the stools and took the cutlery he held out to her.

They ate and sipped their coffee in companionable silence until he suddenly jumped off his chair. “I know what’s missing!”

“Missing? What are you—”

After opening the refrigerator door, he snagged the bottle of ketchup. “This!”

“You’re kidding, right?” There were lots of things that tasted great with ketchup, but eggs? That was a new one.

“Nope. Where ketchup is concerned, I’m always deadly serious.” He popped the lid open and squirted a generous amount over his omelet.

Dani’s first reaction was a near gag.

“You should try it,” he insisted.

“I’ll pass.” She wrinkled her nose when he spread the ketchup around with his fork. “That looks so gross.”

All he did was shrug and shovel his ketchup-coated food into his mouth.

They worked on cleanup side by side, and while Nate finished drying the last pan, Dani rinsed out the sink. “I need a shower; then I should get started on laundry.” When it dawned on her they were sharing the washer and dryer now, she had to add, “Unless you were planning on using it.”

“Nope. I finished my stuff up last night while you were out with the girls.”

She whipped the dishtowel from his hand. “The
Ladies
. I’ll throw this in the wash.”

They stood facing each other, and she thought she should turn and walk away. There were things she needed to do, and staring at Nate Ryan too awfully long was playing with fire.

Dani wanted him. She was honest enough with herself to admit it. The way he’d made her feel when he’d kissed her haunted her each time she saw him, and it was getting harder and harder to keep from reaching for him.

Nate eased closer, and she mimicked his action until they were nearly toe-to-toe. He leaned in, his eyes searching hers.

He was going to kiss her, but he was giving her a chance to back away.

She wasn’t going to. It was so easy to let him take the lead. Then she didn’t have to feel bad about throwing herself at the man. No,
he
was the one in control; she was merely the target of his attention.

His face hovered over hers, making her catch and hold her breath. With a smile on her lips, she closed her eyes and waited for his kiss.

When his lips brushed her cheek, Dani opened her eyes, surprised and confused. He hadn’t given her a real kiss since he moved in. Just chaste pecks on the cheek, and he was starting to frustrate the hell out of her.

Nate gave her a lopsided grin as he took a step back. “Not this time, Dani.”

Embarrassment made heat bathe her face, and she found herself too flustered to say anything to his rather terse statement.

“You were waiting for
me
to kiss
you
. That’s not how it’s gonna be.”

She found her voice. “What do you mean?”

After releasing a hefty sigh, he folded his arms over his chest. “I’ve made it pretty clear I’d like to get to know you better.”

“Which is why I was going to let you kiss me again.”

“I’m not going to lead this little dance anymore, not when I’m the only one with his feelings involved.” He shook his head and headed to the basement door. “The next time we share a real kiss, you’re going to have to be the one giving it.”

The man had her too confused to do more than sputter.

“From the moment I met you, I’ve wanted to get to know you better,” he said. “And not as a colleague. Not as a friend. As a man captivated by a woman who’s not only beautiful but also funny and intelligent.” When she tried to speak, Nate held up a hand. “But she’s got it in her mind that he’s too young for her and that she’s his ‘boss.’ ” He punctuated the last word with air quotes. “Silly notions, but until she gets past those and wants the same things he wants, the only kiss she’s gonna get is on the cheek.”

“But—”

“I’m here when you’re ready, Dani. But only when
you’re
really ready.”

The door closed softly behind him.