Page 53 of The Homemaker

Alice and I stare at each other. I was going to tell her. Did Blair just save me from making an epic mistake?

“I need a shower before dinner. Want to join me?” Blair kisses my neck.

“Thanks for your help,” Alice murmurs, untying her apron and pivoting to walk to the back door.

Blair shoots a quick glance in her direction before turning back to me. “What did you help her do?”

“The dishes,” I murmur, with my gaze still glued to the cabinet as if Alice were still there.

Blair’s nose wrinkles. “Why?”

I shrug. “Seemed like the nice thing to do.”

“Babe, that’s her job. She doesn’t help you do your job.”

I peel her hands from my neck. “What does it matter?”

“It’s just weird.” Blair pinches my chin, forcing me to look at her. “Did you hear me? I asked if you want to shower with me.”

“I already showered.”

She frowns. “Hello? I’m basically asking if you want to have sex. Is that a no?”

“Your parents should be back soon.”

“Murphy, they know we have sex.” She takes my hand and leads me toward the bathroom. “I’m feeling generous, if you know what I mean.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Alice

You’ll never fall in love if you don’t jump.

Eight Years Earlier …

“I love your wood,”I said.

Murphy smirked behind his shield, glancing up from his wood-turning lathe. The garage was sticky despite the whirling fan hanging in the corner, and the air smelled musty from the scraps of walnut.

Nothing felt as cathartic as watching him create something beautiful from a simple piece of wood, not even sex. And that said a lot because Murphy Paddon knew his way around a woman’s body.

“Did you build this rocker?” I asked, rocking in said wooden rocker with Palmer on my lap.

“My dad did,” he replied, as ribbons of wood shavings dropped to the floor.

“So your dad’s better with wood than you are?”

Murphy turned off the lathe and stepped back before lifting his face shield. Then he looked at his watch. “We’re late for afternoon delight. No wonder you’re infatuated with wood talk.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m joking. Keep working. I’ve got Palmer to keep me company.”

“Yeah, but he’s a pussy. You need a real man.”

I giggled. “I want to watch you work. But I also want that other thing you’re talking about. Also, I’m hungry. I should start dinner now. Or what do you think about going out?”

He pressed the button, and the garage door closed. Then he tugged on his belt to unbuckle it. “The thing with wood is you need to be confident but gentle. You have to know when to go deep and when to have a light touch.”

Palmer jumped off my lap as Murphy stepped in front of me, unzipping his jeans.