The Dating List Read online

  "That's good?"

  Now it was Leah's turn to blush. "I'd say so."

  "Come on, Punk, let's find something of mine that fits you."

  The men walked up the stairs together, followed by Carrie, leaving Leah alone, staring into her cup of coffee. At the top of the stairs, Colin turned to glance down just as Leah looked up, their eyes met. His gaze held hers for a few seconds before she looked away. He smiled then followed his brother into the bedroom.

  ****

  The next morning, Colin and Grey went out to shovel snow that had fallen during the night. When they were ready for a break, Carrie delivered hazelnut hot chocolate to warm their bones. The men lingered out in the fresh air.

  "You think there'll be any hot chicks at the party?" Colin asked his brother.

  Grey and Colin sat on the stoop they'd just cleared of snow.

  "Hot girls at Leah's New Year's party? Undoubtedly." A smirk curled Grey's lips into a knowing half-smile.

  "Not girls, women."

  "Oh? And you know the difference?" Grey raised his eyebrows.

  Colin nodded as he blew his breath on the steaming liquid.

  "Do tell, little brother." Grey wrapped both hands around the warm mug.

  "I'm almost thirty, Grey."

  "So tell me, I'd like to know."

  "Forget it." Colin looked away in disgust.

  "No, seriously." Grey rested his palm on Colin's shoulder.

  "Girls are well…not as serious as women. They're still talkin' an' worryin' about their weight, their makeup or stupid stuff like movie stars…shopping…"

  "And women?" Grey interrupted, raising his eyebrows.

  "Women know what they want. They're focused…confident. They talk about something real, like politics, their jobs…they're better in bed, too."

  Grey hid a smile behind his hand. "And how many "women" have you slept with?"

  "Enough." Colin dropped his gaze to his shoes.

  Grey laughed. "Name one."

  "What? No."

  "Can't eh? Don't remember their names or her name?" Grey continued to laugh.

  "Okay, okay, yeah, only one. That time in St. Thomas. I was drunk. I don't remember her name but it was the greatest..."

  "Best sex ever, huh? And you were drunk?" Grey cocked an eyebrow at his brother.

  Grey laughed so hard he spilled some of the cocoa, which immediately froze on the stoop.

  "Thanks for your understanding," Colin said with more ice in his tone than was on the sidewalk. He stood up.

  Grey placed his hand on his brother's arm. "Sit down, sit down. Don't get all bent out of shape."

  "You ought to know what I'm talking about. You were there." Colin stood looking down at Grey.

  "I was?"

  "Yeah, you screwed the redhead…left me with her older sister."

  "Guess I took the wrong one, 'cause I don't remember."

  Colin laughed, shook his head before returning to the stoop. "Now who was drunk?"

  "Was I?" Grey rubbed his face, lost in thought, trying to remember the woman.

  "I didn't think so at the time...but you get it…the woman versus girl thing, right?"

  "I do. I do." Grey nodded as he took another sip.

  "Carrie's a woman, not a girl." Colin stared at Grey, resting his mug on the step.

  "Absolutely…all woman." A small smile played at Grey's lips.

  "And?" Colin raised his eyebrows at his brother.

  "Don't go there. Don't even think about it. Stuff about Carrie is private."

  "I can ask, can't I?" Colin broke into a teasing smile.

  "Ask all you want, Punk. Ain't happening. Where does Angela fall? Girl or woman?"

  "Girl. Definitely girl."

  "Sex no good?"

  Grey brought the mug up to his lips for a longer drink now that the chocolate had cooled some, waiting for a reply from Colin.

  "Hey! You're not talking, so I'm not talking."

  "Have it your way. Thought maybe she left you horny and broken-hearted."

  Colin laughed a hearty belly laugh. "Horny, always. Broken-hearted? No way."

  "Good," Grey said, clapping his brother on the shoulder.

  "I'm still looking for that one woman."

  "The one with your name tattooed on her ass?"

  "And other places." He said, snickering.

  "Let's finish this, get back inside. It's damn cold out here," Grey said, pushing to his feet, draining his mug before placing it on the top step.

  "Got a hot date with Carrie? Gonna do her in the kitchen?" Colin grinned at his brother as he set his mug down.

  "What did you say?" Grey asked, picking up a handful of snow from the hedges lining the front of his brick townhouse then hiding it behind his back.

  "You heard me," Colin said, turning to face his brother.

  Grey whipped his snow-laden fist around and wiped Colin's face with the snow. Colin sputtered, the icy water went flying. He wiped his face with his hands. Anger lit up his eyes while Grey's glowed with glee.

  "Told you not to go there," Grey said, backing away.

  Colin grabbed a handful of snow. Soon a snowball fight was in full swing on the front sidewalk. The area they had painstakingly cleaned of snow became dusted again as the men fired snowballs at each other, laughing with glee when they made a direct hit. Carrie came to the front door. She picked up the mugs.

  "Hey, you're getting snow all over where you already shoveled!"

  Grey stopped at the sound of her voice. Colin rifled one more snowball at Grey's back before he, too, halted. Both men looked at the ground.

  "Shit," Grey muttered, picking up a shovel.

  Colin followed suit. Within fifteen minutes the extra snow was cleared off and the two men, soaked to the skin, shivered, retreating to the warmth of the house.

  "Oh, no, stay there!" Carrie commanded holding her hand up.

  The men stopped inside the front door.

  "Take everything off here. Don't want that dirty wet snow tracked all over the house. And you're both soaked…" She picked up Grey's muffler to slip her hand underneath. "…to the skin. Jackets off. All off right here. Wait, I'll get a bag."

  While Carrie scooted back to the kitchen. The men toed off their boots and began to peel off layer upon layer of wet clothing. When Carrie returned with a large plastic bag, they stuffed their jackets, flannel shirts, socks and t-shirts in it. With nothing but wet jeans on both men padded into the kitchen. Grey took off his jeans, went into the bathroom to hang them over the shower curtain bar, then trudged upstairs.

  Colin looked around for a moment before doing the same. The kitchen was beautiful with gleaming white appliances against a bright coral wall, off-white cabinets, an Italian ceramic tile floor in earth tones and a gorgeous granite countertop with lines of black and brown running through the natural stone. A generous, rectangular island covered in the same granite divided it from the living room, leaving the room airy and open. Carrie didn't like feeling trapped or stuck away in the kitchen when she cooked. The kitchen she had renovated was elegant and practical at the same time.

  "Maybe we need a fire," Grey said approaching the fireplace in the living room.

  Chapter Two

  Leah stepped up to Grey's front door at nine-thirty the next morning. As she depressed the doorbell, she saw a shadow in the snow, sensed a presence behind her. She whipped around to see Colin standing there. Despite the cold, sweat dripped off his forehead, his hair hung in his eyes and his t-shirt was soaked through in a vee in the front. He tried to catch his breath while smiling at her at the same time. Leah caught her breath at the sight of the handsome young man; his disheveled state made him practically irresistible.

  Carrie opened the door with a mug of coffee in her hand. Leah's eyes widened.

  "This one is mine. There's a full pot in the kitchen. Come in."

  "Running…changing," Colin breathed, following her into the house, turning toward the stairs.

  "I figured. Put o
n something easy to take off," Leah tossed over her shoulder as she walked through the living room.

  Colin stopped. He and Carrie stood staring at her, open-mouthed. When Leah entered the kitchen, she turned around. Grey sauntered down the steps to join them.

  "What? He's going to be taking off his clothes…oh my God!" Leah turned in a circle before facing them again. "Minds out of the gutter, you two! Changing…as in trying on clothes! You're something else…" Leah said, shaking her head, laughing.

  Carrie and Colin burst into laughter, she hit him in the shoulder as he guffawed.

  "Your mind, Colin," Carrie choked out.

  "Me? It's was you!"

  They continued laughing while Leah took down three mugs sporting modern designs in black, beige and brown then filled them with coffee.

  "You should get so lucky," Leah sniffed, adding milk before taking a sip of her coffee. She handed a mug to him as he stopped on the way to the stairs.

  "Any chance?" The gleam in his eye told Leah he was only half-joking.

  Her throat got dry, words wouldn't come out. She shook her head.

  "Don't know what you're missing," he tossed off as he emptied the mug then took the stairs two at a time.

  "What did I miss? I'm always late for these things?" Grey asked.

  Leah handed him a mug of coffee and raised one eyebrow at him. "Chip off the old block, isn't he?"

  "I heard that!" Colin hollered from upstairs.

  "Okay, 'Chip'," Leah called up the stairs, smiling before she took another sip.

  ****

  Grey's sports car pulled to the curb. He dropped Leah and Colin off in front of Paul Stuart's men's clothing store on the corner of 45th Street and Madison Avenue. As they stepped into the store, the scent of fine wool and good leather drifted to their noses. Leah noticed the lack of noise the minute the door closed behind them. The plush dark blue carpet they stood on absorbed the ever-present sounds of New York City thus creating the upper class hush. As the heat in the store enveloped them, Leah pushed back her ermine-lined hood and opened her coat. Colin buried his hands in the pockets. Accustomed to much colder temperatures in Pine Grove, he had no need to zip up his coat. A man of medium height with steel gray hair impeccably styled approached them.

  "Can I help you?" he asked, smiling, his palms joined together in front of his chest.

  "We need to outfit my…uh…friend, here with some dressier clothes. He's Colin Andrews, Grey Andrews' brother. I believe Mr. Andrews called this morning?" Leah flashed a thousand-watt smile at the man.

  "Of course. Right his way. Let's start with a good sports coat and slacks, shall we?"

  "Divine," Leah said, putting her hand on Colin's forearm and guiding him along after the salesman.

  "My name is Stan Michaels."

  "I'm Leah Golden, Stan…a pleasure," Leah held out her gloved hand to the salesman, he raised it to his lips.

  Stan turned to lead them up a flight of stairs. Leah put her finger to her lips. Colin grinned at her, stifling a laugh. The store was empty at ten thirty in the morning. Leah located a comfortable chair, draping her coat over the back. A pair of chocolate brown wool pants hugged her hips then flared to boot cut. Her gold top was long-sleeved, stretchy and low cut. A slender chain with a gold heart hung on her chest just above her breasts. She had a chunky bracelet thick with gold hearts of differing sizes that clinked melodiously whenever she moved her left arm. Her shoulder-length hair was tied back in a no-nonsense ponytail. A lovely orange and brown print scarf hid the elastic keeping her hair neat. The faint scent of gardenia drifted from her.

  "Let's start with sports jackets. Every man needs a navy blue jacket…lightweight wool, I think…Colin, do you perspire a lot?"

  He blushed a bit before answering.

  "Like most guys, I guess."

  "Good. Lightweight wool. And slacks, say…gray and one in camel. Also lightweight wool…are you allergic to wool?" Leah turned to address Colin.

  "Don't think so. Don't like itchy stuff, though."

  "I'll be right back."

  Stan hurried away, his highly-polished black loafers gliding across the thick carpet soundlessly. Colin shifted his weight from foot to foot.

  "We'll try the jackets first, then the pants. Once you have a jacket that looks good…"

  But she could hardly finish her sentence before Stan had returned.

  "I took the liberty of adding camel and a charcoal herringbone to the jacket selection. Noticing the young man's coloring, I thought camel would be especially appropriate," Stan shot a shy smile at Colin and nodded slightly to Leah as he hung several garments on a rack.

  "How right you are," Leah flashed him a wide grin.

  He plays for the other team. He's flirting but Colin doesn't even know it. She hid a smile behind her hand.

  Colin deposited his coat on an empty chair and put on the first navy blue blazer.

  "Button it, only one button, darling," Leah cooed, rising out of her chair.

  She moved over to him and stared at his torso, sizing up the fit of the jacket. She motioned for him to turn around. When his back was facing her, she noticed a slight pull in the fabric, so she moved up to him and ran her hand across his shoulders from left to right. He flinched a bit at her touch.

  "A shirt. Stan he needs a dress shirt. Can't tell about the fit with a t-shirt on."

  "Right away…Miss, uh…Miss…"

  "Golden, Leah Golden."

  "White?"

  She nodded.

  "I'd say he's a…" Stan closed one eye as his gaze scanned Colin's torso, "sixteen and-a-half, thirty-five?"

  "Think so," Colin said.

  Before Colin could turn around twice in front of the mirror, Stan was back and unwrapping a fresh dress shirt.

  "T-shirt off!" Leah ordered, waving her hand at him.

  Colin handed the sports jacket to Leah and ripped his t-shirt over his head exposing a well-muscled chest covered lightly with dark brown hair. Was Stan's gasp as loud as mine? She coughed to cover her delight at seeing his fine physique. Her fingers itched to touch him.

  "Something wrong?" Colin questioned, his mouth drawn into a frown.

  "Shirt, Stan!" Leah commanded before sucking on her lower lip and balling her hand into a fist to keep her fingers under control.

  Stan jolted out of his temporary reverie and thrust the shirt into Colin's hands. Then he held up the jacket. As soon as Colin finished buttoning the shirt, he reached for his belt. Stan put his hand on the young man's bicep and raised his eyebrows.

  "Shouldn't you at least turn around or are you and the lady…uh…on…intimate terms?"

  Although he said it quietly, Leah's face grew hot. She turned around to give Colin privacy and hide her embarrassment.

  "You can turn around now," Colin said, buckling his belt.

  Leah spun around slowly. He slipped the navy blue jacket on again. Leah approached him. This time she walked around back behind him. Her hands slowly and sensuously smoothed out the small wrinkle made by the fabric being pulled taut across his shoulders. He stood completely still as she ran her hands back and forth across his shoulders.

  "This one pulls a little, Stan. Take it off, sweetie."

  "With shoulders like that, they may all pull a little."

  Colin took off the jacket and handed it back to Stan. Leah stood in front of him and pulled at the sides of the shirt. She touched his ribs which made him twitch and laugh.

  "I'm ticklish."

  "There? Oh. Sorry," she turned to Stan, "Don't you have anything tapered? This is too baggy on him."

  "Of course. We have a new Italian shipment, arrived only three days ago," Stan said as he backed out of the area.

  Colin started unbuttoning his shirt.

  Leah's breath caught as he displayed his chest again. She turned away but not before she heard him chuckle.

  "Making you nervous, Leah?"

  "Who, me?" She turned to face him trying with all her might to keep her pulse steady
and color out of her cheeks but failing miserably.

  Colin gave her a sexy smile. She turned away, facing the wall and pretended to stare at a painting hanging there. She hadn't seen such a fine body in quite a while. Stan returned quickly with the tapered shirt and the fitting proceeded.

  For pants, Colin retreated to the dressing room. Leah checked the hook at his waist as well as the waistband to see if it was too snug. He cleared his throat as she unhooked it, hooked it up again, then slipped her fingers down an inch between his skin and the material. She looked at the fit in back, noticing how cute his butt was. She longed to smooth the material over it but refrained. Once the suits, sports jackets and pants were selected, Stan took the measurements. Plans for alterations were underway. Leah let out a sigh of relief that touching him so intimately was over. His presence made her nervous and fluttery. Her body responded to the feel of his under her fingertips. She didn't like it, not one bit...no, not much.

  "Can I take you out for a snack…coffee, at least?" Colin asked her as they left the store two and a half hours after entering.

  "Daddy Michael's ice cream parlor is up the street."

  "Ice cream on a cold day like today?"

  "Need something to cool us down," she chuckled, taking his arm as they left the store.

  ****

  The waitress handed menus to Leah and Colin. They sat on ice cream parlor chairs, hunched over a small round table. The décor of the parlor was eclectic with old wooden signs, small ornate mirrors, antique dolls and various knickknacks on the walls. The menu had generous helpings of ice cream in sundaes and other confections, including parfaits and banana splits.

  "I don't usually eat this stuff," Leah explained.

  "Want to split something? How about the large hot fudge sundae. You can pick the ice cream."

  "Well…you're tempting me." In more ways than one.

  "Come on. Hot fudge and whatever ice cream you want."

  "Okay, either…chocolate chip or peanut butter swirl." She ran the tip of her tongue over her bottom lip.

  "Hmmm. Tough choice…chocolate chip?"