Desperate Intentions. Carla Cassidy

stands for rest in peace. You know, that sign is going to get all wet when it rains and it won’t take much time for the writing to fade. Why don’t I buy a nice birdbath to put here?” Troy said. “Cats like birds.”

      “Oh, that would be wonderful,” Katie exclaimed, and jumped up and down with excitement.

      “Troy, you don’t have to do that,” Eliza protested.

      “It’s all right,” he assured her. “I’ve been wanting a birdbath out here anyway.” And he hoped that placing a birdbath there would halt any further interest in the “dead cat.”

      “That’s the end of the funeral,” Sammy said.

      “And the beginning of your consequences.” Eliza pointed toward her house. “I want you two to march yourselves right back home and go to your rooms. We’ll discuss your punishment when I get back inside.”

      When the children were out of earshot she turned to look at Troy. “I’m so sorry. I promise you they have never done anything like this before.”

      “It’s okay. Have they been to a lot of funerals?” he asked.

      “Not a one, which makes me question what they’ve been watching on television when I’m not paying attention. Anyway, I apologize once again and I certainly don’t expect you to go out and buy a birdbath.”

      “Actually, they just prodded me to do something I’d been thinking about doing for some time.” She looked so pretty with the sunshine playing in the dark strands of her hair and her eyes the gray of a dove’s wing. Did her eyes darken to a smoky gray when she was in the throes of passion?

      The totally inappropriate thought shocked him and he mentally shook himself. “If it’s okay with you I thought I’d grab my shovel and plant that peony.” Maybe a little physical activity would stop any more lustful thoughts he entertained about his pretty neighbor.

      “That would be wonderful. In the meantime I need to get back inside to hand out punishments,” she replied.

      “Don’t be too hard on them.”

      She flashed him a brilliant smile that warmed him more than the summer sun overhead. “I’m never too hard on them. I like to think I’m fair.”

      “Fair is always good. I’ll be in your front yard in just a few minutes.”

      He watched her as she walked back toward her house, unable to help but notice the slight sway of her shapely hips. Damn, but she was one fine-looking woman.

      As she disappeared from view he frowned and headed back into his house. In the kitchen, he fixed himself a tall glass of lemonade and then after drinking it headed to the garage for a shovel.

      His feelings toward Eliza disturbed him. Throughout nine years of marriage he’d never had lustful thoughts for any woman except his wife. Since Sherry had walked out on him almost three years before, he’d never had any inappropriate thoughts about another woman.

      So why now? And why Eliza? He certainly wasn’t looking for any kind of a relationship, especially with a woman who had children. All he’d wanted to do was find out who, in her house, had seen him bury the gun. He had his answer and so that should be the end of things.

      But there was a part of him that didn’t want it to be the end of things. He needed to ignore that part...as soon as he planted the bush. He needed to keep his distance from his lovely, single neighbor.

      He grabbed his shovel and then headed across the yard to her front porch, where the plant remained where he had left it the day before.

      There had been no rain for the past two weeks and the ground was hard as a rock. What he needed was a garden hose, not only to soften the dirt but also to water the bush once it had been placed in the ground.

      Looking around, he spied a faucet to connect one, but none was in sight. He knocked lightly on the front door. “Do you have a water hose?” he asked when she answered.

      She frowned, a delicate gesture that didn’t detract from her overall loveliness. “No, I don’t.”

      “Not a problem, I’ll go grab one of mine. I just wanted to let you know I’m going to turn on the water out here.”

      “Okay. Let me know if you need anything,” she replied.

      A kiss would be nice, a little voice whispered in his head. Jeez, what in the hell was wrong with him? He didn’t want a kiss from Eliza. All he wanted from her was a good, friendly neighbor kind of relationship and for her kids to forget about the “dead cat” in his backyard.

      It took him nearly a half an hour to dig the hole deep enough. He placed the plant in the hole, shoveled soil all around it and then stood holding the hose over it so that it could get enough water to get a healthy start.

      He was just about to finish up when the door opened and she stepped outside with a big glass of iced tea in her hand. “I thought you might need something cold to drink right about now.”

      “Thanks.” He took the glass from her and swallowed a deep drink.

      “It’s so blazing hot out here,” she said.

      What was blazing hot was Eliza clad in a pair of cutoff jean shorts and a sleeveless pink blouse. “I’m used to the heat,” he replied. “The peony should really do well here,” he said in an effort to get his brain on the right path.

      “All I know is it’s really pretty right now and I thank you for it once again.”

      “Do your kids like pizza?”

      “They love it.” There was a touch of puzzlement in her eyes.

      “I was wondering if I could take you and them out for some pizza on Friday night.” Criminy, when had he been wondering that? What in the hell was happening to him? It was as if his mouth was working independent of his brain.

      “Oh...that...that would be nice.” The puzzlement in her eyes turned into pleasure.

      He turned off the nozzle on the hose. “What time is good for you all?”

      “Any time after four. That’s when the kids get home from school.”

      “Then why don’t we say about five?”

      “Perfect.” She gave him that smile that made him feel like he’d swallowed the sun.

      “Okay, I’ll just wrap up this hose and then I’ll see you on Friday night.”

      Minutes later he walked across the lawn to his garage and put his shovel and the hose inside. He then went into the house and directly to the master bath. It was only when he was standing beneath a hot spray of water that he was able to fully process what had happened. He’d just made a date with the neighbor.