Teaching Her Secrets

Two

The first thought that came to Lilly's mind when she walked into Joshua's new house was that it wasn't really all that new. 

The carpet looked like it belonged back in the seventies and probably hasn't been washed since. The fireplace in the living room was filled with dust and cobwebs. Many of the walls were going to have to be repainted as well as the kitchen cabinets and the tile on the bathroom floor was cracked. 

Before Joshua bought the house, she always passed it on the way home and she only met the elderly woman who lived there a few times before she moved to be with her daughter. Lilly would have felt sorry for the work Joshua would have to put into the house, but when he came to greet her and Kassie, the proudest smile was on his face.

"Its gorgeous right? I'm still thanking Duncan for letting me know about this place."

Her knees buckled at the sight of him. A tight black shirt that defined his broad shoulders and hard chest with faded jeans that hugged his narrow waist and muscular thighs. She never took particular notice to thighs of the opposite sex, but she did now and her cheeks burned. He wore black work gloves on his hands that she thought- for some odd reason- was sexy.

"Either he's blind or his style of home décor is horrible." Kassie whispered to Lilly when Joshua walked away, pulling her from the transfixed stare she had on him.

A large figure cast both girls in its shadow and they turned to see Duncan. Harley padded beside him. "His father owns Thomas Remodeling, its one of the top construction companies in the state. Josh grew up around stuff like this and watched his dad bring it all back to life."

"That's right." Kassie mused. "I remember Joshua used to work with his dad at some places when he was a teenager before college. Wasn't he supposed to help run the company?"

"I was." Joshua entered the dining room where his friends were. "That was the plan until my dad and I got into a disagreement."

"What disagreement? You never told me about that." Duncan said.

"Nothing that you couldn't fix. Always wanting to come to the rescue, Superman." He responded with a grin, but Lilly thought the smile looked forceful. He continued talking before she could put much thought into it. "Dad also had a very... pressuring hand. After our falling out I decided to see what else was out there and that's when I went for my teaching degree. It worked out great clearly."

"What about your dad, are you never going to work with him again?" Lilly said.

"We patched things up enough during the time I was gone and I offered to help when I can when I'm not teaching if he needed it. Now then," He tossed a pair of work gloves to Lilly and Kassie. "we could really use your help before you ladies start in the kitchen. Duncan and I stripped the carpet up in the bedrooms upstairs, but we still need to get rid of the ones in the two family rooms. Lilly, you and I could start in the front room. Kassie, you're with Duncan in the living room."

Kassie gave her friend her all too mischievous grin before following Duncan to the main living room and leaving her alone with Joshua. She spent more time than needed slipping her fingers in the gloves Joshua had given her. They were a pair of his and that made her heart race, knowing her hands were in the same fabric his were in. Then she realized how stupid that was and slapped her hands against her hips to get rid of the thought. She looked around when they reached the large room.

"The house is pretty empty. Where's all your stuff?" 

"There's not much stuff to bring when moving from a one bedroom apartment to a four-bedroom house. What I do have is being shipped here later in the afternoon, which is why I'm hoping to get this carpet done before then. Now," He flashed a grin at her, winking his eye. "Start stripping."