Page 20 of Misadventures With The Mistaken Twin

“What?” I whispered back.

“This gnome is jabbing into my ribs,” he said, our breaths mingling.

He pulled back from the kiss, lifted George out of his lap. The beady gaze, the snarky leer of the bearded little man was all but telling me to go for it before being placed on the floor out of sight. Turning back to me, Jack smiled, looked in my eyes. I hadn't seen that look—longing, lust, need—since Biology class. He wanted me. Me! He lifted a hand to circle around behind my neck, his fingers warm against my nape. Pulling me to him, our lips met once again. This time it wasn't gentle, but we weren’t kids anymore. Jack's tongue thrust into my mouth and I let him. This was a grown-up kiss. Not a kiss of love-struck teenagers.

“Miller,” Jack murmured.

“What?” I asked again, my voice—and body—filled with frustration. My nipples were hard and lower down, I ached with anticipation.

“What about your date?”

“What date?” I had no idea what he was talking about. I hadn't been on a date in too many months. My brain had steamed over so I didn't know much of anything at the moment.

Jack's breath was hot on my neck. “The guy you went out with yesterday.”

I froze for a moment, recalling my little white lie. Oh yeah, George. “Jealous?”

“Hell, yeah.” His voice was rough, possessive.

I smiled, then let Jack off the hook. I now had him, literally, within my grasp and I wanted nothing to get in the way. Especially an imaginary date with a garden gnome. “Didn't work out,” I replied and pulled his mouth back to mine.

The heater finally kicked in and hot air blasted us from the vents. Jack's dark scent filled the van and my senses. We kissed for an indeterminate amount of time in our steamy cocoon, making out like teenagers. If it weren’t for the layers of winterclothing, I had no doubt Jack would have made it to second base…and I’d have let him.

Jack rested his forehead against mine. “I could kiss you all day. Hell, I want to take you back into Violet's house and have my way with you. Do everything I dreamed about when I was eighteen. And a few things I’ve learned since then. But I've got to meet the plumber at my uncle's house and I don't want to be late.”

“I'm sure the plumber won't mind,” I replied, a little breathless. I wasn't sure how to tell himIwas the plumber. He'd find out soon enough. Besides, I was savoring the lingering effects of the kiss. “I want to hear those things you dreamed about...and the stuff you learned.”

Jack smiled and waggled his eyebrows at me. Knowing he was right, I put the van back in gear and drove off.

“I'm going to kill Violet when she gets home,” I said a few minutes later, meaning it.

“I'll help.”

11

“What do you mean you're the plumber?” Jack asked when we pulled up in front of Owen Reid's house.

We made it as far as the hood of the van before kissing again, bodies pressed together. I didn't want to stop. I wanted to sink myself into the craving I had for Jack. The way he was breathing, I figured Jack was thinking the same thing. It might've been below zero, but we weren't alone on the public street so we kept it mostly PG-13. Unfortunately. Sadly, it was pretty easy to do since our clothing was at least two inches thick.

“Your uncle hired me and my dad to replace all the pipes in the kitchen.”

“Where's your dad?”

“He's retired. I'm buying the business off of him. In fact, once you pay me, I'll be able to give him his last installment. Then the business is all mine.” The very thought had me doing a mental happy dance.

Jack eyed me suspiciously. “You're the one keeping me from living here? Is this your way of getting me into your bed?”

I snorted. “As of ten minutes ago, I wanted you in a different state. The city has the water turned off until they approve theinspection. Even if I finished the piping today, you still won't have service. Besides, without the electric, there's no heat and the pipes would freeze, burst and I'd have to start all over again.”

A car honked at us and I turned to see who it was. I recognized the old station wagon as belonging to one of Mr. Reid's neighbors. I waved at the retreating car and noticed the same woman from the bank. She stood on the sidewalk across the street, about halfway down the block. Same pink jacket, same blonde hair. I could see the white bandage on her hand from here.

“Jack.” I cocked my head toward the woman. “See her? She was the one I pointed out to you in front of Goldilocks yesterday.”

Jack turned his head, studied the woman. “You're right. Do you know her?”

I shook my head. “I've seen her a couple of times around town. It seems like she's watching me.”

Jack shrugged his shoulders. “She looks harmless.”