TornByLove Read online

  After years of hard work, I had built my plumbing business into a fairly successful one. I had fifteen employees working for me and hadn’t actually had to get my hands dirty in several years—unless I wanted to.

  If I could just convince Mark he was too young to get serious and manage to find the woman who haunted my dreams again, I would be about as happy as I ever expected to be.

  “Uncle Paul! I know you’re here. Your truck’s parked out front!” Mark bellowed.

  But first I’d have to make nice with Mark’s little hussy. I reluctantly sat up as Mark came into the rec room, followed by the woman who had been haunting my dreams since I’d spotted her in the supermarket all those long, lonely months earlier!

  Chapter Two

  Oh, hell. No. Please. Not her. It couldn’t be, but it was her. I think I actually caught my breath. I know my heart started beating so rapidly I felt dizzy. And my cock came to rigid attention. Thank God I was wearing baggy sweats!

  “Hey, Uncle Paul, this is Marlena Stevens,” Mark said. “She’s an accountant at the office. Marlena, this is my Uncle Paul.”

  Her slow warm smile threatened to singe my insides in the most sexually charged way. I was beyond impressed but what was she? Since she was with Mark, it was safe to assume she didn’t have a problem dating white guys, but what did she think of six foot tall ones with green eyes, a buff body and the hint of silver at the temples?

  “Hi, Uncle Paul.” She offered her hand.

  Everything about her excited me, especially her warm, sexy voice that washed over me like an endless caress. I looked into her brown eyes and realized that our brief encounter in the supermarket hadn’t made any impression on her. She clearly didn’t remember me but that didn’t stop me from stumbling head over heels into lust.

  I heard myself stammering. Hell I hadn’t stammered since I was a teenager. “Ac…ac…actually it’s…it’s Paul. Paul Crawford.”

  Her smile widened and her eyes seemed to shoot tiny, powerful darts straight into my racing heart. “Paul Crawford? Nice name. Do you shake hands, Paul Crawford?”

  I was too damned old and too damned jaded for it, but a tingle shot up my arm and electrified my heart when my fingers closed around her soft hand.

  I knew she felt it too because her eyes widened and she sort of gasped and tugged at her hand.

  After a moment of resistance, I reluctantly released her hand. “My…friends call me Paul,” I told her. As I spoke, I felt as if my entire body was on fire with a feverish need for her. I knew I’d march into Hell and beyond to have her want to be my friend and more.

  “Paul.” She nodded and averted her gaze. But not before I’d seen the awareness of me as a man in her dark eyes.

  Seeing and recognizing that look, I was torn. Should I be happy or sad? I couldn’t decide but the day went downhill from there. I spent most of the time she was there trying to keep my gaze from lingering on her breasts. Once or twice she caught me staring at her and quickly glanced away.

  I kept telling myself she was only twenty-seven and she belonged to Mark. I couldn’t allow myself to forget that. She was his. He looked at her with a sort of wonder and affection that was hard to dismiss as simple lust. And yet I knew I had to have her. I had to. But how could I get her without hurting Mark? There had to be a way. I just had to find it before I exploded from the sexual frustration that had returned full-force.

  When she and Mark finally left two hours later, I immediately undressed and took a cool shower. It didn’t help one damn bit. I still burned for her when I dried off and dressed again.

  I went for a run in the nearby park in an effort to expend some of my tension. When I returned home, I found Mark sitting in the living room drinking a beer and watching a baseball game.

  Great.

  “So what do you think of her, Uncle Paul?” Mark asked as I reluctantly took a seat opposite him.

  I attempted to school my features into a look of nonchalance before I responded. “She’s kind of…”

  Mark grinned. “Beautiful? Exciting? Sexy?”

  She was all that and more. I told myself that my reaction to Marlena Stevens was based on the fact that I hadn’t been with a woman I cared about since Brenda. So I was susceptible to the first pretty woman who came along and who just happened to fit my fantasy.

  “I know what you’re thinking, Uncle Paul; that she’s hot.”

  I shrugged. “Actually I was going to say she’s a little old.”

  “What?”

  I turned the TV volume down and glanced at Mark. With his curly, blond hair and green eyes, he was a handsome, masculine version of his mother. He’d always had his choice of women and always would. He didn’t need to get too serious about an older woman.

  “Old? Get real, Uncle Paul. She’s five years older than me. That’s nothing. But even if she were older, she’d still be hot as hell.”

  No doubt about that. “Hot?” He spoke with the certainty of a man who had carnal knowledge of her. The thought of them together shook me. “You sound as if you…have you two...”I swallowed, quickly dismissing the mental picture my mind conjured up away. I didn’t want to think about her and Mark together.

  Mark laughed. “Oh, come on, Uncle Paul. Since when have you been so reticent to speak your mind? If you’re wondering if we’re lovers, the answer’s no. We’ve only known each other for two months and she’s just not the kind of woman to hop into bed with a man so quickly.”

  Thank God he hadn’t touched her. If they weren’t lovers, there was only lust between them. Which meant his heart was not yet involved. At least that’s what I told myself. Later, when the damage was done, I admitted that the fact that they weren’t lovers shouldn’t have changed anything for me. I admitted I’d been willfully blind.

  But in the grip of my obsession for her, I couldn’t make myself care about anything except how soon I could get her into my bed.

  “Then what do you mean by hot?”

  “You know, Uncle Paul. She’s just so exciting, but she’s sweet too. I think you’ll really like her once you get to know her.”

  Unfortunately, I already liked her far too much already.

  “What about you? Five years can be a big difference when you’re only twenty-two, Paul.”

  He shrugged. “Just looking at her makes me hot all over. I don’t care about five lousy years. I want her.”

  What man worth the name wouldn’t want her? But he’d only wanted her. I needed her. I told myself if he were actually in love with her, that would make a difference. Of course now I know that wouldn’t have made any difference. I was at the mercy of feelings I couldn’t control the moment I saw her. And once I knew she wasn’t indifferent to me, it would have taken an act of God to contain my determination to make her mine.

  “Is she seeing anyone else?”

  “No.”

  Damn. “So you’re seeing each other exclusively?”

  He sighed. “Actually, she’s not really seeing me.”

  My heart raced with excitement. Thank God! “She’s not?”

  “Well…not yet, but just give me time and I’ll wear her down.”

  If he had to wear her down she must not share his level of interest. “You mean…”

  “I’ll wear her down. One of these days, she’s going to be my woman.” He grinned. “And then just maybe you’ll have a beautiful little girl with dark skin and eyes calling you gramps in a couple of years.”

  “Gramps?”

  He nodded. “Yep.”

  “Me?”

  “Dan gave up the right to the name when he left me when I needed him most. You picked up the pieces and kept me out of trouble. I know I gave you a hard time and I was damned ungrateful but you never gave up on me. Who else would a kid of mine call gramps?”

  I choked up and had a change of heart. No matter how much I wanted Marlena, I could not touch her. She belonged to Mark. Touching her would be like a father stealing his son’s woman. Hell, even Dan probably wouldn’t
do that.

  Even so, I feared the temptation of being near her would be too difficult to resist. The only way I could be sure of not betraying Mark, was staying the hell away from Marlena.

  I didn’t want to hurt Mark, but I doubted my good intentions would hold up if I saw her again. So I had to annoy her and never be alone with her.

  I continued to try to talk Mark out of a relationship without success. The more I tried to tear him away from her, the more determined he was to have her. After a week, I decided to give up the hard sell and hope he lost interest in her.

  But he didn’t. He called four times in the next month, wanting me to have dinner with them so she and I could get to know each other. Every time I refused, he became more determined. But I was just as determined not to see her again because I knew what would happen if I did.

  Although I routinely dismissed fantasies about her while awake, I dreamed about making love to her in graphic detail nearly every night. During that time I saw and slept with other woman but no matter what I did, I couldn’t shake what I admitted was a deep and almost painful obsession with her.

  While I was miserable, I had a sense of satisfaction because although I knew where she worked and lived, I’d made no effort to contact her.

  My world imploded six weeks later and I felt powerless to hold it together or to retain my self-respect as it happened.

  It was around one p.m. on a Saturday afternoon. I’d just come in from an emergency pipe replacement for a friend that had taken all morning. I was hot, tired, and sweaty as hell. All I wanted was a shower, my favorite chair, a couple of beers, and a few games on my big screen TV. I had a date later that night and come hell or high water, I was either going home with her or bringing her home with me.

  That was my plan for the day and night as I parked my truck in the back driveway and headed toward the kitchen door.

  “Paul?”

  I recognized her voice immediately and in my defense my first instinct was to turn, get back in my truck and drive away. I had half-turned when she called my name again.

  “Paul?”

  Oh, God. Please help me do the right thing. I inhaled slowly before I turned.

  Marlena came around the driveway. Her dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail, so I could appreciate her full beauty. And she was about the loveliest woman I’d ever seen, soft and sweet, yet tempting and sexy. She wore a calf length, sleeveless cream-colored dress that showed off her luscious dark flesh to its best effect. And man, what a stunning effect.

  I took another long, deep breath. “Marlena.”

  A sexy smile spread across her pretty face. “I’m flattered you remember me.”

  Oh damn. Keep a grip, man. Keep a grip. “Hello.” I knew I was grinning like an idiot, but I couldn’t help it. Even as part of me was scared to death at seeing her there alone, another part of me felt as if I’d just won the lottery.

  I realized I was staring at her breasts and forced myself to lift my gaze to hers. “Mark’s not here.”

  She glanced at her watch. “Oh. I guess I’m a little early.”

  “Early? For what?”

  “He said we were having an early dinner with you.”

  So Mark had finally started to rope her in. I felt a stab of disappointment. I quickly dismissed it. She and Mark were both C.P.As. While I had a very comfortable salary as a master plumber with a small business of my own and earned far more than Mark did, that would change overtime. And I was blue collar. He was white collar—just as she was.

  Of course she found him attractive.

  “I even dressed up for the occasion. What do you think?” She spread her hands. “Do you like it?”

  It looked good on her but she’d look even better naked. “Our having dinner is news to me.”

  “I hope it’s not unpleasant news, Paul.”

  I shook my head and decided to let her make whatever she wanted out of it.

  She moistened her lips. “So you’re not joining us for dinner?”

  “No. I’m not.” I glanced over my shoulder towards the house before meeting her gaze again. “I just finished a job and I need to hit the shower.”

  She flashed me a quick smile. “Do you mind if I wait? I won’t get in your way.”

  Actually, I did mind. I knew that having her in the house without Mark was a major league bad idea, but how could I tell her that without letting her know how I felt about her? I wasn’t about to do that. Something about the way she kept smiling at me hinted that she already knew of the effect she had on me and was amused.

  Damn if I was going to give her the satisfaction of knowing she had me feeling like a horny teenager or that I was afraid to be alone with her. Worrying about what she thought of me was my first mistake.

  I should have said no and walked away from her. Instead, I looked into her dark gaze and was lost. “Sure, but you’d better keep your distance,” I said as I opened the door and stepped back so she could pass me. “I need to shower and change.”

  She walked into the kitchen and turned to look at me. “You’re wrong if you think I’m one of those women who’s turned off by the perspiration of a hard working man.”

  At 5’ 11” and 180 pounds of all muscle, I had dark brown hair, green eyes, and knew most women considered me handsome. I was used to women coming on to me and I knew that’s what she was doing. What I didn’t know was whether to be pleased or upset.

  Finally, I decided that as Mark’s surrogate father, I should be upset. There was a city full of beautiful women I could choose from for a bedmate. But I only had one “son.” Mark and I had an excellent relationship and he trusted me. I couldn’t throw away that trust by flirting with his woman.

  “I’m going to go take that shower.” I nodded toward the kitchen doorway. “The living room’s down the hall on your right. Feel free to call Mark and let him know you’re here so he can get his ass here ASAP.”

  “You say that as if I’m not welcome here.”

  I shrugged and shook my head. “Just call him and let him know you’re here early.”

  I saw the resignation on her face before she nodded. “You’re making me feel as if I should go.”

  I nodded. “You should.”

  Her smile vanished and she stared at me. “Do you want me to leave?”

  Hell no, but I knew nothing good would result from her staying. I pulled open the kitchen door. “Yes. For both our sakes.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.”

  She slipped past me. She walked several feet down the drive before she turned to face me again. “You know, Paul, there’s something you should know.”

  I shook my head. “Nothing you can say will make any difference to your needing to leave.”

  “Really? What if I tell you something you clearly don’t know?”

  “About what?”

  “Mark and I are just friends.”

  What I wouldn’t have given to believe that. But I knew that wasn’t how Mark saw their relationship. “That’s not what he thinks.”

  “He may want more, but he knows there’s nothing but friendship between us.”

  “That’s only because you haven’t given him a chance to show you what a—”

  “That’s the way it is, Paul. We’re just friends. Nothing more.” She walked back down the driveway until we stood only a few feet apart. “He’s good looking, like his Uncle Paul, sweet, and really nice, but he’s practically still a boy.” She spread her hands in front of her. “I’m looking for a man.”

  And I wanted to be that man! But not at Mark’s expense. “Well, I’m sure you’ll find one.”

  She looked directly in my eyes. “I already have, Paul. I think we both knew that the moment we met.”

  Even as my cock stirred, I shook my head. “The only thing I know is that you came home with Mark. You remember Mark? He’s like a son to me.”

  “Fine.” She threw her hands up. “Fine. You want to pretend there’s nothing between us?”


  “I don’t need to pretend. There’s nothing between us.”

  “But there could be.”

  “Then why did you come here to have dinner with him?”

  “Because I wanted an excuse to see you again, but if you’re not interested…Fine. See you around.”

  Watching her walk away was one of the hardest things I’d ever done. But I summoned the self-control not to follow her. I went inside and headed for the shower.

  I took a quick warm shower and then I took a cold one. Then I dressed and went for a long drive. I didn’t want to be in the house alone, just in case she returned.

  I returned ninety minutes later to find Mark there. Although he didn’t live there anymore, his room was still his. I heard the hip–hop he listened to blaring from the house as soon as I turned into the driveway. For a moment, I sat in my truck with my eyes closed. I was not up to facing Marlena again.

  “Uncle Paul? Are you all right?”

  I opened my eyes. Mark stood in the open kitchen doorway. “Do you have company?” I made it a question as I finally slid out of the cab of my truck.

  “No. Marlena was supposed to meet me here, but she called about half an hour ago and canceled.”

  He walked inside and I followed him.

  “Did she say why?” I got us both a beer from the refrigerator.

  Mark straddled one of the kitchen chairs. He took the beer but didn’t respond.

  I sighed. Mark and I had a sort of ritual. When he needed to talk to me, he’d sit silently, watching me. Which would be my clue to ask him what was wrong. He’d answer nothing, counting on my persistence. When I’d ask again, he’d finally tell me what was bothering him.

  But this time I had no intentions of asking, let alone insisting he tell me what was wrong because I already knew. He wanted to talk about Marlena, but I didn’t want to hear about her.