Smitten Read Online Free PDF

screen door squeaked on its rusty hinges and Elsie stepped out onto the porch. “What was that crash?”
    There was an audible gasp when she saw her car, and then her false teeth came together with a sharp click . She surveyed the group of bystanders with steely eyes and with her mouth drawn into a tight little line. Her eyes locked in on Matt, standing flat-footed, grinning his most endearing, sheepish grin, still holding the bat.
    â€œGot good stuff on the ball?” she asked him.
    â€œHe’s going to help us fix the toilets,” Lizabeth said.
    Elsie didn’t blink. “The toilets, huh?”
    â€œShe doesn’t look impressed,” Matt whispered to Lizabeth. “Maybe we should up the ante. Tell her I’m going to paint the living room. Tell her I’ll put a new floor in the bathroom.”
    â€œThat isn’t necessary,” Lizabeth said. “It was an accident.”
    â€œI know that, and you know that, but Elsie looks like she’s contemplating death by meat loaf.”
    He looked over Lizabeth’s shoulder at Elsie. “New bathroom floors,” he called to her. “Ceramic tile.”
    That caught Elsie’s attention. “Ceramic tile? Does that include new grout around the tub?”
    Matt leaned into Lizabeth and murmured into her hair. “Everybody has his price.”
    Lizabeth glanced at Matt from the corner of her eye. “Really? What’s your price?”
    â€œWhat do you want to buy?”
    â€œWhat would you be willing to sell?”
    The question hung in the air. He didn’t know what he wanted to sell. He was afraid it might be everything. His heart, his soul, his chromosomes. He suspected that he offered to tile the bathroom not because he was afraid of Elsie but because he wanted to impress Lizabeth.
    More than that, he wanted to do something nice for her. And he wanted to do something nice for the house. Now that he’d had a chance to see it up close, he realized it had wonderful potential. The basic structure was sound despite years of neglect. It was well laid out and had nice detail. Most important, it was the sort of house that grew on you. It had character. Just like Lizabeth.
    When he didn’t answer immediately Lizabeth’s mouth curved into a grim smile. “Pretty scary question, huh?”
    â€œThe question’s okay. It’s the answer that’s got me shaking in my boots.”
    Â 
    Two days later Lizabeth looked at the can of paint Matt had set out for her and felt her temper kick in.
    â€œI’ve been on this job for three days, and all I’ve done is paint trim. I’ll admit I’m not too bright about construction work, but I’m smart enough to realize that trim does not ordinarily get four coats of paint.”
    Matt sighed. He didn’t know what to do with her. He’d never had a woman on the job site before. Equal rights was fine in theory, but he didn’t know how to go about putting it to work.
    He had some old-fashioned ideas about women. His natural instinct was to protect and pamper. Asking a woman to clean half a ton of construction debris from a basement made him feel like a brute.
    And to make matters even more complicated, he was sort of in love with Lizabeth Kane. Every day his feelings for her grew stronger. He’d asked her out, but she’d turned him down. Probably a weekend in Paris hadn’t been a good choice for a first date. He’d gotten carried away, he admitted.
    â€œI want to be treated like any trainee. I want to learn how to do carpenter things,” Lizabeth said. “I’ve been watching the carpenters work on House Three, and most of what they’re doing seems pretty straightforward.”
    â€œLizabeth, it’s ninety degrees outside, and it’s only eight o’clock in the morning.”
    She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him.
    Matt made a frustrated gesture and kicked the can of paint