CHAPTER ONE
The first time Lucy laid eyes on Desmond, she had been cross and cranky from hours of washing dogs and reeking of them. It did not stop her from literally staggering at the sight of him because he was that handsome. There were men who made you weak in the knees. Men who took you aback. Seeing Desmond for the first time felt like a hard punch to the gut.
The second time, Lucy was realizing as she stared wordlessly at his sketch of her then back at him, the effect was still as strong. The bedroom took up nearly the entire upper part of the loft yet now that Desmond was in it, it felt small and getting smaller. He stood right under the skylight, making his hair look like spun gold and his aquamarine eyes glow. The light loved him, touching reverently on the elegant, slim ridge of his nose, the faint afternoon stubble darkening the hard square of his jaw. His white t-shirt was frayed at the cuff of the right sleeve and it was now threadbare from age and many washings. His jeans had a well-worn look and the rips and snags by the sides of his thighs and on the left knee were real instead of something done on purpose. Lucy’s first impression of him was he had a lean figure. That was still the case. She just hadn’t noticed the hard bulges of muscles on his upper arms and the dark vein running down their long, firm length.
Their eyes met. His gaze was stunned and curious, hers, hurt and angry. Screwing her lips tight, she glared at the sketch then shoved it toward him. “What’s this?”
Desmond stared first at her then the sketch. His eyes seemed to glaze but it was a trick of light. He looked right back at her, steady and calm. His gaze washed over her like the gentle waves of the calm sea. It was all very mesmerizing and difficult not to submerge oneself in.“I told you I dreamed of you. What the hell are you doing here?”
“What are you doing here?” She demanded, flinging the sketch away. She was shaking and it gave her satisfaction seeing his eyes follow the fall of the paper. He sighed and picked it up, and held it protectively to his chest.
“I live here.” He stared at the logo of Clean Co. sewn on the left pocket of her t-shirt. “You clean?”
“Not anymore,” Lucy muttered, trying to walk past him. But Desmond blocked her way and she hissed, for he had done it so easily. His hands cupped her arms and she shook him away. He quickly held up his hands. Lucy stepped away. She was taller, but not much. He could look at her easily in the eyes without having to strain his neck or raise his chin. He knew they were beautiful but it felt like he learned the fact anew whenever he looked into them. He tried to adjust his expression into an open and slightly inquisitive one, not enough to make her stonewall him but enough so that she would listen.
“Let me explain.”
“Why?” She cried out. “Why does this keep happening to me?”
“What are you talking about?”
“I know what I look like but that doesn’t give you the right!”
Confused, Desmond demanded, “What the hell do you think you look like?”
For the first time since Royce Reid came on to her in his office, Lucy felt tears prick her eyes. A sob popped past her lips, startling and making her red with mortification. Again, she tried to walk past Desmond. Once again he held her by the shoulders.
As her body heaved from another loud sob it strained to control, he spoke gently. “Lucy. What do you think you look like?”
He said her name as if it was something sweet. No mocking, no judgment. No nothing. She blinked back at him and sighed. “Look, you have to let me go. I-I’m not comfortable.”
She hugged herself and looked away. She almost looked like a child. Her behavior was certainly like one, how a child would comfort herself, rock into herself and shut the whole world out. Desmond, concern in his face, opened his mouth to speak but the rapid, light footsteps going up the stairs alerted them of another presence. Lucy brushed a fist across her eyes as Mariet reached the top of the stairs. Desmond had his hands in his pockets when Lucy finally lowered her hand. Mariet looked at her then at him, confused. “What’s going on? I heard some pretty loud conversation.”
“I was just telling Desmond here that we’re done cleaning.”
“You mean Mr. Gorman?” Mariet asked, frowning at Desmond.
Now Lucy’s face scrunched tight. “Mr. Gorman?”
Desmond shrugged helplessly. “That’s me.”
Lucy’s head was spinning. Gorman. The named pinged and banged in her head like an out of control firework let loose in a confined space. Faces scrolled through her mind as if swiping through a touch screen. Voice hit her all at once. Then one stood out. Scratchy. Sarcastic. Amused. Then Arabella Thorne, smiling in that gentle, playful, mocking way of hers as she told Lucy about Desmond being quite an idiot but at least he was handsome. And quite talented with the paintbrush. She remembered that night, when she brought chicken dinner over and they watched the news of Desmond’s accident. Orissa had to leave suddenly before they could eat.
“Your brother is married to Orissa. She’s my neighbor’s granddaughter.”
“Arabella Thorne?”
She nodded.
Desmond let out a snorting sound, first looking at the ceiling and a rough chuckle issuing from his lips. Damn. Even the man’s throat was beautiful and golden as the rest of him. He really was gorgeous in a way that seemed both easy and impossible. She envied how easy it was for him with his effortless beauty. Then he lowered his head back down, first glancing at Mariet before his eyes rested on Lucy.
“Arabella told Orissa about Clean Co., who then recommended I hire them. Well, I guess the world really is that small.”
“Small as it is, time is still running and valuable. But I’m really not. . .comfortable, Mr. Gorman.” She stared pointedly at the paper he held. The distress was still on her face but there was a defiance in her eyes now. She turned to Mariet. “We should go.”
“Lucy, we’re not-“
“We’re done. Don’t worry.” Lucy assured her.
Mariet still looked unsure but nodded. This time Desmond didn’t stop her.
They quietly packed up their supplies, Mariet shooting Lucy questioning, furtive looks. Lucy put the keys on the counter and looked up. Desmond was descending the stairs.
“I don’t mean any harm by it, Lucy.”
She shook her head. “I’m a complete stranger. You don’t do that-“
“What? Dream?” Desmond asked. “Fantasize?”
This time, Mariet spoke up.
“Alright. Someone better tell me what’s going on. I just spent over an hour cleaning up here. I am not going to let that pass unnoticed or unappreciated.” She looked at Lucy for answers. When her friend was not forthcoming, she turned to Desmond, crossing her arms. “What did you do?”
“We’ve met before.” Desmond replied after a moment. “I asked if I could paint Lucy.”
As Lucy squirmed and shifted her weight from one foot to the next, Mariet squawked. “What? That was you? You’re the guy with the dog named Daisy?” Her blue eyes narrowed at him. “You’re the guy who was hitting on my friend here.”
“What-No!”
