from all corners of the room, studying every piece of art, turning on the lights, turning off the lights.
Mari took a step away from the wall. “Remember, I haven’t had a chance to buy any window coverings. That will make a difference.”
He looked over at her and couldn’t keep a smile contained. “I’ll keep that in mind.” He wandered over to the side window then turned back. “In my personal opinion, however,” —he was doing his best to look serious— “you don’t really need anything on the windows. Look at all this gorgeous woodwork.” He ran a hand up the wide molding. “It would be a shame to cover this up.”
Mari’s brow pinched as she tried to figure out Eli’s game. Coming closer she looked over his head and realized she could look into the second story tower windows. She could clearly see a springy desk light. A desk light she’d seen very recently. She gasped and brought her gaze back to his face beaming with pure devilment. “That’s your office.”
Eli turned and looked. “Is it?”
Mari whacked him on the arm, shaking her head, her mouth agape. He laughed then guided her to sit beside him on her wicker settee. He got a pained expression and shifted. “My heavens, woman, where did you get this torture device?”
She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. “It’s not very comfortable, is it? I just liked the look of it.”
“Didn’t you sit on it at least once before you bought it?”
She paused in thought. “You know, I don’t think I did. I got it on a garage sale. I saw it on my way to school, stopped, paid for it, stuffed it in my car, and went on my way.”
“Well, now we know why it was for sale.”
Eli sat silently for a few minutes, and Mari was dying of curiosity. “So...” Mari began, looking at him sideways, “do you have me pegged yet?”
Eli shifted again and crossed his arms. “I can’t until I’ve seen it all.”
She knew there was only one room he hadn’t been in yet, and turn about was fair play. “So go.”
Eli jumped to his feet. “Thank goodness. A few more minutes on that thing, and I wouldn’t be able to feel my legs.”
Mari let him look around by himself for a few minutes then followed and stood in the doorway, much as Eli had done in his bedroom.
Mari’s room, like the rest of the house, was small, but with only a twin bed, a chest of drawers, and one small wooden chair, it didn’t feel cramped. At least it didn’t until Eli was a part of the setting. Suddenly it felt close, warm, and far too intimate.
Eli had no such notion. He grinned, sat on the foot of her bed facing the door, and patted the spot beside him.
“I think I’ll stay here.”
“I promise I won’t touch you.” He scooted to the corner. “Come on. For what I have to say, you need to be sitting down.”
Mari hitched a brow. “Oh really?” She crossed her arms. “I’ll risk it.”
Eli let out a breath and rose. “Suit yourself.” Coming toward her, he grabbed her arm and turned her out of the bedroom. “Now, you did say you have a degree in design, right?”
“I didn’t say that I was any good at it. My grades weren’t exactly stellar; there’s a reason I’m not really using it.”
“Hmm. Well, you have the brightest colors outside of a circus between your kitchen pottery and living room art, which is probably either a reflection of your sunny personality or an attempt to create a sunny personality where none exists. I’m guessing the former from what I’ve seen so far, although I reserve the right to change my assessment as I get to know you better.”
He gave her a wink and led her over to the bookcases. “Since I’ve not had ‘the class,’ I’m not sure whether to chalk this color arranging up to a real design style or obsessive compulsive disorder. Do you actually remember the colors of your books and dvds, so you can find them in this arrangement...?”
She gave a tiny shake of her head.
“That’s what
Mari took a step away from the wall. “Remember, I haven’t had a chance to buy any window coverings. That will make a difference.”
He looked over at her and couldn’t keep a smile contained. “I’ll keep that in mind.” He wandered over to the side window then turned back. “In my personal opinion, however,” —he was doing his best to look serious— “you don’t really need anything on the windows. Look at all this gorgeous woodwork.” He ran a hand up the wide molding. “It would be a shame to cover this up.”
Mari’s brow pinched as she tried to figure out Eli’s game. Coming closer she looked over his head and realized she could look into the second story tower windows. She could clearly see a springy desk light. A desk light she’d seen very recently. She gasped and brought her gaze back to his face beaming with pure devilment. “That’s your office.”
Eli turned and looked. “Is it?”
Mari whacked him on the arm, shaking her head, her mouth agape. He laughed then guided her to sit beside him on her wicker settee. He got a pained expression and shifted. “My heavens, woman, where did you get this torture device?”
She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. “It’s not very comfortable, is it? I just liked the look of it.”
“Didn’t you sit on it at least once before you bought it?”
She paused in thought. “You know, I don’t think I did. I got it on a garage sale. I saw it on my way to school, stopped, paid for it, stuffed it in my car, and went on my way.”
“Well, now we know why it was for sale.”
Eli sat silently for a few minutes, and Mari was dying of curiosity. “So...” Mari began, looking at him sideways, “do you have me pegged yet?”
Eli shifted again and crossed his arms. “I can’t until I’ve seen it all.”
She knew there was only one room he hadn’t been in yet, and turn about was fair play. “So go.”
Eli jumped to his feet. “Thank goodness. A few more minutes on that thing, and I wouldn’t be able to feel my legs.”
Mari let him look around by himself for a few minutes then followed and stood in the doorway, much as Eli had done in his bedroom.
Mari’s room, like the rest of the house, was small, but with only a twin bed, a chest of drawers, and one small wooden chair, it didn’t feel cramped. At least it didn’t until Eli was a part of the setting. Suddenly it felt close, warm, and far too intimate.
Eli had no such notion. He grinned, sat on the foot of her bed facing the door, and patted the spot beside him.
“I think I’ll stay here.”
“I promise I won’t touch you.” He scooted to the corner. “Come on. For what I have to say, you need to be sitting down.”
Mari hitched a brow. “Oh really?” She crossed her arms. “I’ll risk it.”
Eli let out a breath and rose. “Suit yourself.” Coming toward her, he grabbed her arm and turned her out of the bedroom. “Now, you did say you have a degree in design, right?”
“I didn’t say that I was any good at it. My grades weren’t exactly stellar; there’s a reason I’m not really using it.”
“Hmm. Well, you have the brightest colors outside of a circus between your kitchen pottery and living room art, which is probably either a reflection of your sunny personality or an attempt to create a sunny personality where none exists. I’m guessing the former from what I’ve seen so far, although I reserve the right to change my assessment as I get to know you better.”
He gave her a wink and led her over to the bookcases. “Since I’ve not had ‘the class,’ I’m not sure whether to chalk this color arranging up to a real design style or obsessive compulsive disorder. Do you actually remember the colors of your books and dvds, so you can find them in this arrangement...?”
She gave a tiny shake of her head.
“That’s what
Similar Books
