Talk Nerdy to Me (35 page)

As
he pushed his glasses back into place and met her gaze, he seemed amused. Maybe
he was beginning to appreciate the humor of the situation. But the lust Eve
was feeling must have shown on her face, because his expression gradually
changed. If eyes could actually smolder the way romance novels claimed, then
that was what Charlie's were doing. They were producing enough heat to start a
charcoal grill, no problem.

Although
Eve was loving this scorching exchange, she didn't want Denise to catch them at
it. She looked away and cleared her throat. "Here's a pan for the
beads."

"Oh,
thanks." Denise glanced up. "I finally figured out I could pat them
in my pockets."

"You
know, you're welcome to these beads if you can make use of them." Keeping
her distance from Denise, Eve walked right up to Charlie and held out the pan.
If he could see up her shirt while she was doing it, so much the better.

Denise
resumed her bead gathering. "Oh, I don't have time for anything like
beading, unfortunately. I've agreed to chair a task force that's looking into
making some major changes in the university's Investment portfolio. I don't
have to tell you how critical that is."

"Nope, sure don't."
Eve smiled down at Charlie.

"Thanks
for the pan." Charlie's voice bordered on husky as he sat back on his
heels and reached for it. He looked as if he'd like to reach for something
else.

"Did
you contact your office?" She had the urge to pat her bare foot on his
shoulder and give him a real show, but of course she wouldn't dare. In fact,
she'd better get out of there before Denise picked up on the sexual vibes
swirling through the air.

Charlie
swallowed. "Yeah. I said something had come up."

She
pressed her lips together hard to keep the laughter inside. Did he realize what
he'd said? She couldn't be sure. "Any problems?" The question came
out kind of strangled.

"Nothing
major." As he gazed up at Eve, he seemed to have completely forgotten the
pot he held is one hand and the beads he clutched in the other. "I'll go
over there this morning, but once everything's under control, I'll take off the
rest of today and tomorrow. I think we need to get busy on the
hovercraft."

"Great."
Maybe Denise was a blessing, after all. Without Denise around Eve and Charlie
would get busy, all right, but it wouldn't have anything to do with the hovercraft.
"I guess you need your shirt." To tease him, she started on the top
button.

"Um..."
He stared at her as if he couldn't believe she'd do it but was halfway hoping
she would.

She
wouldn't do it, but the impulse was there, not only to taunt Charlie but to
shock Denise. Fifteen minutes into Denise's visit and Eve was already reverting
to the little sister who was always doing crazy things and getting into
trouble. She was trying to outgrow that image, but having Denise around wasn't
helping.

"That's
the last bead," Denise announced, standing and brushing dust from her
knees. "Now it's safe to go in and out your front door." She took the
pot Charlie still held and emptied her pockets into it with a clatter of beads.

"Thanks, Denise,"
Eve said.

"No
problem." Denise held the pot out to Charlie, who snapped to attention and
dumped his handful of beads into it. "I couldn't just leave those beads
all over the place."

"So I noticed,"
Eve said.

"And
now I'll go make some coffee. Is your phone book in the kitchen? I can call
somebody to repair your washing machine."

"Fine,"
Eve said. "Phone book's in the drawer closest to the back door." She
was definitely reverting to her ten-year-old self. As a kid, she would have
made that mess in the washer on purpose to get Denise in a tizzy. This time the
mess was premade, and all she had to do was wait to enjoy Denise's reaction.

Charlie
looked alarmed as he got to his feet. "Eve, don't let her call anyone.
I'll take care of it. After all, I'm the one who—"

"Let
Denise handle it," Eve said. "I don't want to waste your talents on a
silly old washing machine."

"Yeah, but there's all
that-—"

"Stuff
to do," Eve finished for Mm. "On the hovercraft. I know. Denise can
supervise the repair person while we work. How about that for a plan?"

He
frowned and glanced toward the kitchen where Denise was clattering around
making coffee. "Look,
I
won't
pretend that
I
understand the dynamic here, but I have a feeling
if I get in the middle of it, I'll end up roadkill."

"Eve,"
Denise called from the kitchen. "Is this pre-ground the only coffee you
have?"

"Yep,"
Eve called back. "Which is fortunate, because
I
don't
have a coffee grinder."

"I
knew I should have brought my own. Oh, well, I'll make do."

"Thanks,
Denise!" Eve motioned Charlie into the living room and lowered her voice.
"I think this is the best way to deal with her. As you can see, she has to
march in and organize everything. I don't want her interfering with the
hovercraft project, so if she has something else to straighten out in my life,
maybe she'll leave that part alone."

"Don't
count on it," he said quietly. "She's riddled with jealousy. I think
she's concerned about you, but that jealousy is powerful. I'm wondering how far
she'd go to keep that hovercraft from, ever getting off the ground."

Eve's
tummy started to hurt, because she'd been wondering the same thing. In spite
of that, she shook her head. "She wouldn't break down my back door, not
even to throw us off the track of suspecting someone who had a key. She's too
neat to do anything so crass as pry open a door with a crowbar. That's not her
style."

"Unless she's
desperate to keep you from succeeding."

Eve
couldn't bear the thought. "I know we're not as close as sisters could be,
but I refuse to believe she'd sabotage me."

"Are
you kidding? I'll bet she's been mentally sabotaging you all your life. Why
not add some physical intimidation?"

"Because she's my sister,
that's why."

"Right,
and in addition to the sibling rivalry, she's genuinely afraid you'll hurt
yourself, so she could convince herself that her actions are necessary to
protect you."

Eve
looked into his eyes. "We think so much alike it's scary."

"So you agree it could
be her?"

"It could, but I can't
let myself believe it is."

Charlie
held her gaze for a long time. "Okay," he said gently. "But just
in case, I've got your back."

Almost
immediately, the weepies threatened to swamp her. She blinked, determined not
to turn into some out-of-control water faucet because of such a simple
statement. But the thing was, nobody had ever had her back. Mostly she'd felt
all alone in the world, unsupported and misunderstood.

She
swallowed the lump in her throat. "Thanks. You're... a good guy."

"No, I'm not. I'm
just—"

"You
are too, so don't argue. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll go change into
something less comfortable." He nodded.

"Want to come and
help?"

"You know I do. I
think I'll stay right here."

She
took a long, shaky breath. "I appreciate mat you're taking time off from
work to help me. We really are going to get that hovercraft working."

"You'd better believe
we are."

"And nobody is going
to stop us."

He
held her gaze.
"Not if
I
have anything to say about it."

She
smiled at him, "Then
it
's
as good as done." Turning quickly, she headed down the hall toward her
bedroom. She didn
't
wait him to pick up on
the
sudden grief that had come over her as she thought about the
hovercraft project

He would make sure he
helped her finish it. That much she knew for sure. After that, he'd be on his
way out
of
town. As his friend, the
person who owed him the best she could give, It would be her duty to help him
leave.

Charlie
wasn't wild about abandoning Eve with Denise was there, but he couldn't see
arty way around
it.
He needed a shower and a
change of clothes, plus he needed to pick up his prescription safety goggles so
he could help Eve with the hovercraft. In his initial excitement the night
before, he'd forgotten them.

Then
he had to stop by the power plant and tidy things up in preparation, for
leaving for a couple of days. Last of all he wanted to find Rick and tell him
what was going on. Eunice was still very much on Charlie's list of suspects,
and Rick needed to know that before night fell and Eunice drew him back into
her alien web.

So
once Charlie had his shirt back, he declined Eve's offer of coffee, put on his
chaps and leather jacket and hopped on his motorcycle. As he buckled on the
chaps tie avoided looking at Eve. He wondered if he'd ever wear them again
without thinking of her. Probably not. '

Minutes
later he was back in his apartment. Before hitting the shower he decided to
call his cousin. Fortunately Rick answered his cell phone right away, and Charlie
quickly arranged to meet him at the Rack and Balls for lunch, adding that he'd
like Rick to come alone. Then he finally headed for the shower.

As
he started to throw his flannel shirt into the hamper, he paused and held it to
his nose. His shirt smelled like Eve. The scent made his groin stir, but the
reaction went deeper than that. Memories of loving her went beyond sex, beyond
the incredible time they'd had in bed. He heard her laughter, saw the sparkle
in her eyes, felt her vulnerability when she'd told him she'd flunked out of
high school.

She
was fast becoming an essential part of his life, and he didn't know how to stop
that process. He didn't even know if he wanted to stop it. That kind of human
connection didn't come along very often,
and
he was smart enough to realize that. He knew they also had a
problem with no solutions. It wasn't enough to keep him away from her.

He
tossed the shirt in the hamper. Keeping it unwashed for sentimental reasons
was-goofy, even for him. He'd wash the shirt and wear it again, just as he'd
keep wearing his chaps whenever he rode his bike. They'd remind him of her,
but
so what? He wasn't ever going to forget her, anyway.

An
hour and a half later he'd squared away everything at the power plant. Good
thing he'd asked Rick to meet him for lunch because he was starving. A few
pieces of cold pizza were all he'd had since lunch the day before, and he'd
burned a lot of energy recently. Good energy, though. Despite the lack of sleep
he felt great. Fantastic sex could do that for a guy.

The
Rack and Balls was deserted this time of day, which was exactly the way Charlie
wanted it. Archie used the daylight hours to do routine maintenance around the
place. Today he was on a stepladder dusting the large set of elk antlers that
hung above the bar.

Charlie
walked over to the bar. "Hey, Archie, how're they hanging?"

"Nice
and loose, Charlie. And yours?" Archie's grin peeked out from his bushy
gray beard.

"Couldn't
be better." Charlie had never meant that more than today. Funny how a woman
like Eve could put a spring in your step.

"Hey,
that's good to hear." Archie climbed down from the ladder and stuck the
feather duster into his back pocket. "Anybody I know?"

Charlie laughed. "Nice
try."

"That's
okay. You don't have to tell me. I admire a man who can keep his mouth
shut." Archie washed his hands at the bar sink. "What'
ll
you
have?"

"Coffee."
Charlie felt terrific, but sitting on a stool in the dim bar, relaxing for the
first time in many hours, he could feel his energy level dipping.