The Liar

“I know I’ve had what we could call a drawn-out dry spell, but I’m pretty clear on the signs and signals when a man wants me. And if I wasn’t, you made it pretty clear you wanted me that one day in my mama’s kitchen over a Coke.”

“If I didn’t want you I’d be an idiot, and my own mother’s proud to say she didn’t raise any.”

“I want you back, so that seems good news all around.”

“That’s . . . yes, incredibly good news—and I got those signs and signals just fine, too. The thing is, considering the circumstances, the plan was to soften you up some with dinner here, and get you to go out with me a couple more times, then get you into bed.”

She leaned back on the post, nodded. Something he recognized as amusement moved into her eyes. “And I’m guessing you like having plans, personally and professionally?”

“Things work better, usually, when you do.”

“You don’t like surprises?”

“I’m fine with them.” Merry Christmas, Happy Birthday. Let’s get naked on the porch. Oh God.

“I’m good with them,” he managed.

“But maybe it takes you a minute to adjust to a surprise.”

“Apparently.”

Now she smiled, slow and easy.

Twilight eyes, magic mermaid hair, a long, long-stemmed rose of a body.

Yeah, she was killing him.

“Would you like to hear my plan?” she asked. “It’s sort of spur of the moment, but I think it’s workable.”

“I’m all ears.”

“My plan is we just skip over all the softening up with dinner and going out a couple more times. We come back around to that if we both want, after we get naked on the porch.”

“You’re nothing but a surprise. But no.”

She sighed. “You’re a hard nut to crack, Griffin.”

“I mean no naked on the porch. We can do better this time.”

“There’s better than naked on the porch?”

“This time.” This first time, he thought. This first surprising time. “I haven’t shown you the second floor.”

She angled her head, and her smile deepened. “No, you haven’t.”

“I’d like to.” He held out a hand. “I’d really like to.”

She put her hand in his. “I’d like to, but I might be a little rusty.”

“Not from where I’m standing,” he said as they walked back into the kitchen. “But don’t worry, I’ll walk you through it.”

She paused, tapped the purse she’d set on the counter. “Isn’t it interesting how my mama gave me a condom to tuck in here before I left tonight?”

“Oh. Man.” He scrubbed his free hand over his face. “I’d thank her for the thought, but it’d be embarrassing. Anyway, I’ve got that covered. Ha.”

“All right, then.”

“We can take the back stairs.”

“I forgot there were back stairs.” Delighted, she turned with him. “Don’t you love a house with back stairs?”

“I love this one. I’m going to update them, but they’re sturdy enough.” He flipped on a light—a single bare bulb. “Update that, too.”

“Won’t that be wonderful, but right now it’s all shadowy and spooky. I like how it angles off here so you can go right or left.”

“We’re going left.”

“How many bedrooms up here?”

“There were seven on the second floor. I’m making it five. It’s down to six now, once I decided to put the master in the front.”

“With that wonderful covered veranda.”

“Right. And the third floor’s more a maze of small rooms and odd angles. Something to deal with later.”

She felt so calm. She hadn’t expected to feel so calm, she realized, as they walked the wide, shadowy hallway. So easy about it all. Excited, yes, God, yes, but not jumpy. And not the least bit shy.

Something about him, she thought, just smoothed away the jitters.

“Oh! Double doors. It’s elegant and still simple enough to fit the rest.”

“It’s not finished,” he began, then opened the doors, flipped on the light.

“Oh, but it’s wonderful. It’s going to be wonderful. Look how the evening light pours in those doors, and the fireplace—the black granite. It’s powerful. It’s a statement.”

“Haven’t decided on the wall color.” He nodded toward a wall where he’d painted wide strips of varying tones. “I found the iron chandelier at a flea market. Refinished it, rewired it. I’m looking for other lighting to complement it, but right now I’m just using some family castoffs. Bed’s new though. Well, the mattress is new. I found the bed a couple weeks ago. Flea market again.”

She ran her hand along the curved footboard. Smooth, she thought, sturdy and simple. “It’s beautiful.”

“Chestnut. Pretty wood. It just needed some work.”

“Almost everything does. What did you use before?”

“Sleeping bag on an air mattress. But with my plan to get you up here, I figured I’d better get an actual bed. Glad I didn’t wait on that.”

“I’m glad you didn’t.” She turned to him. “I’m glad we didn’t.”

He moved over, opened the veranda doors to let in the evening air, then flicked a switch to turn on the fire before he turned off the light.

“That work for you?”

“More than works. It’s perfect.”

He went to her, circled her waist. “You’re where you want to be?”

“Exactly.” With a little bit of wonder, she brushed a hand through his hair. “You’re a surprise, too, because I didn’t expect to be here with anyone, not for a long time.” She lifted her arms, circled his neck.