Always in Albuquerque Read online

  “Why don’t you let me hire some movers to get your things shuttled to my place. I don’t like the idea of you lifting all those boxes yourself.”

  “I’m little but I pack a punch!” She flexed her muscle for him, and he shook his head, hoping she didn’t often do that in public. “Tough crowd,” she mumbled under her breath as she led him out of the apartment.

  Three

  Alexis followed Dirk to his house and parked directly behind him in his driveway. His car, his house, his clothes…everything about him screamed what he did for a living.

  Once she was parked, he walked to the back of her car and helped her carry everything inside. His house was absolutely immaculate, and she was suddenly embarrassed about her apartment. It hadn’t been dirty, but it wasn’t perfect. His house was so clean it was almost obnoxious. “Has your house always been this clean?” she asked, looking around.

  “Of course. I have a housekeeper that comes in for two hours every day. She cleans and fixes my supper. My house always looks this way.”

  Alexis shrugged. Having a housekeeper for two hours a day would make her life easier. She just hoped she did laundry during those two hours. “There are worse ways to live.”

  He frowned at her. “I’m sure there are.”

  She looked at the suitcase in her hand. “Where do you want me to put this?”

  He led her to a large bedroom that was obviously decorated in a masculine style. Maybe he intended for them to share a room after all. “Here would be good. I had considered offering you time to get to know me before we consummate the relationship, but you seem too aggressive to need that time.”

  She shook her head with a laugh. “I wouldn’t call me aggressive. I just wanted to know what it was like to kiss my husband.” She stepped toward him. “And I have to say, I like it.”

  He leaned down and brushed her lips with his. “Like that?”

  She nodded, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him again. They might not be communicating well in conversation, but they could sure communicate with kisses well. She hoped that stretched to the rest of their private life together.

  His hands splayed across her back, and he deepened the kiss. He felt like maybe she was interested in more. Now? During daylight hours? What did he care? She was beautiful and his wife.

  Dirk surreptitiously walked her toward the bed and pushed her down onto it, covering her with his body. He was going to make the most of their marriage.

  Alexis lay on her back a little stunned by the way Dirk had made her feel. All of his uptight just disappeared when they were naked and writhing on a bed together. She sighed, looking over at him. He looked more handsome than ever, lying on his back with one arm flung over his eyes.

  She rolled to his side and put her head on his shoulder, wanting to be close to him after the intimacy they’d just shared. He looked at her with surprise. “Are you okay?”

  Alexis nodded. “More than okay. I feel closer to you than I’ve ever felt to anyone.”

  He wasn’t sure how to respond to that, so he just stayed quiet. He’d enjoyed the sex, of course, but how long should he lay there being a pillow for her before it was all right to get up? They needed to finish bringing in boxes and get her stuff put away. He hated lying around when there was work to do.

  After a few more minutes of silence, Alexis sat up. “I’m going to get a shower, and then I’ll start putting stuff away.” She pulled the cover from the bed and carried it into the bathroom.

  He frowned after her. Making the bed was going to be a lot more work now that she’d completely torn it apart. Hopefully she planned on doing it herself. His housekeeper didn’t work on the weekends.

  By the time she came out of the bathroom, he was dressed in a pair of slacks and a polo. For him, that was dressing down. He nodded to her when she came out of the bathroom wearing just a towel. “I’m going to bring in the rest of your things from the back of your Jeep.”

  She nodded, watching him leave. The man was an odd duck. She’d never been intimate with a man before, but she would have expected her towel-clad body to be a little more interesting to him than it had been.

  She noticed that he had emptied several drawers for her, and she filled those with clothes and hung things in the half of the closet he’d cleared out. Alexis had never lived in such a fancy place, and it felt strange to realize it would be her home.

  Dirk carried several boxes into the house, always heading right back out for more. He didn’t seem to have much to say, and she wondered what he was thinking about. Did he regret that they’d consummated the marriage so quickly?

  They worked together in silence for a few hours, finding places for her things. Finally, he rubbed the back of his neck. “Are you getting hungry? I’m afraid I don’t cook. I usually order take out or go out on the weekends.”

  She shrugged. “I can see if I can throw something together, or we can go out. I don’t mind either way.”

  He frowned for a moment. “Well, I’m told women don’t like to cook on their wedding days, so let’s go out somewhere. What do you like to eat?”

  “I love steak. Any good steak place just thrills me.”

  Her answer made him look a little green around the gills. “You eat meat?”

  “You don’t?” Who didn’t eat meat? Wasn’t it usually women who were vegetarians?

  He frowned. “No, I’ve been a vegetarian since high school.”

  “Why?”

  “For health reasons. My father died of heart disease when I was in high school, and did you know that being a vegetarian is one of the best ways to prevent and even reverse heart disease?”

  “No…”

  “It also significantly reduces the risks of cancer.”

  “Don’t you miss steak and bacon?” She couldn’t imagine not eating meat.

  “Not particularly. I haven’t eaten either one in fourteen years.”

  “I’ll eat your share. Don’t you worry!”

  “Does that mean you don’t plan on raising our children vegetarian?”

  “Are you kidding me? I’m planning on raising my kids with a slice of bacon in one hand and a salami stick in the other!” What was wrong with this man? Surely Dr. Lachele had made a mistake.

  “So where will we eat?” he asked.

  “Where can we both eat? Pizza, I guess, but I will be getting meat lovers.”

  He frowned. “You’re exasperating.”

  “So are you!” She frowned. “Why don’t we go somewhere with a good steak and a good salad bar?”

  “That would work, I guess.” He shook his head. “We could also do a Mongolian grill-type place. They usually have tofu options.”

  “I think I just threw up a little bit in my mouth.”

  “Do you think Dr. Lachele mixed up our paperwork?” he asked softly.

  “I sure hope not. I guess I thought so, and then I remembered this.” She stepped up to him and stood on tiptoe to kiss him.

  His arms automatically wrapped around her, and he kissed her deeply. When he finally raised his head, her eyes were glazed over. “I guess you have a point.”

  She sighed. “So do you!”

  He blushed. “Back to where we’re going to eat…”

  Alexi thought for a moment. “How about the Cooperage?”

  “Do they have a good salad bar?”

  “I don’t eat salad, but I’m told it’s exceptional. I love their prime rib.”

  Dirk shrugged. “All right, let’s try it.” He grabbed his wallet and keys. “You’re going to have to move your car.”

  “I don’t mind driving.”

  He frowned. “I drive.”

  She groaned. “Are you one of those men who is too macho to let your wife drive you anywhere?” This man was going to be the death of her, and they’d only been married a few hours.

  He said nothing, just led her out to the car, and waited while she moved her vehicle. She got into his car, and looked around. It was a classy car, and the seats
were leather. The navigation system greeted him by name. “Nice car.”

  Dirk nodded. “I’m quite fond of it.” He’d carefully researched which car to buy, polling his colleagues. He wanted a car that would fit in, not one that would be deemed strange for a professor.

  “In other words, no woman will ever get behind the wheel of it?”

  He shrugged, but said nothing.

  “Is your mother still alive? Do you have siblings?”

  “I am an only child. My mother died of cancer while I was in college.”

  Alexis frowned. “I guess I understand why you’re a vegetarian now.”

  “And why our children will be?” Dirk asked, not meeting her eyes.

  “Ugh. I have a feeling there are some things we’ll never see eye-to-eye on. But I think our conversations will always be lively!”

  “I’m certain they will…”

  When they ordered their meals, Alexis asked for her prime rib rare. She could see on his face the mere idea of a rare steak turned his stomach, but she didn’t back down. She was going to eat her food just how she liked it.

  After the waitress left, he shook his head at her. “Do you always eat your beef still mooing?”

  “There’s no other way to eat it,” she said, taking a sip of her soft drink.

  “You know carbonation isn’t good for you, don’t you?”

  “You know it’s not good to complain to the woman you sleep with about her eating and drinking habits, don’t you?” He had a right to say something about how she ate once she was pregnant. Maybe. For now, he could keep his opinions to himself.

  “Did you just threaten me?” he asked, absolutely shocked, and more than a little amused.

  “Take it how you will.” She blew him a kiss, and his eyes locked onto her lips.

  “All of a sudden I don’t care how you eat your beef. Just brush your teeth when you’re done.”

  She grinned at him. “I think we’re going to be fine.”

  “The jury’s still out on that.” Dirk couldn’t believe this was the kind of woman Dr. Lachele thought was right for him. His perfect match. It was a good thing for her he’d signed a contract stating they’d spend at least a year together, or he probably wouldn’t last a week.

  She reached out and squeezed his knee under the table, and suddenly he could no longer think. He saw red. There was something about this woman that touched him in a way no other ever had. And he wasn’t talking about the hand on his knee. Though he liked her hand there. More than he should admit.

  After their meal, he drove them toward the mountains instead of straight back to the house. “Where are we going?” she asked.

  “Since I didn’t think a honeymoon was advisable at this time, I thought our wedding night could include a drive up into the mountains. There’s still snow on them, and it might be nice to just sit in the car and look out at the beauty that is our city.”

  “Wow. Look who’s being a romantic!”

  He frowned. “If you don’t want to take the drive, I can turn around and go right back to the house.”

  “No, I want to spend some time with you. Can we make out in the car?”

  “Why would we make out in a car when we have a perfectly good bed at home?”

  “Because we’re being all romantic, and we can.”

  “Why is kissing in a car more romantic than making love in our bed with no interruptions?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I just want to take the drive, but I want to kiss you too. So, we can kiss in the car, or wait forever to kiss, and who wants to wait forever?”

  “Are you always going to be this…randy?” He couldn’t think of a less offensive term for how she was acting.

  She laughed. “I think that term is supposed to refer to men, not women!”

  “Well, it seems to apply to you well.”

  “I don’t know how I’ll be later, but I am extremely attracted to you.” When you’re not talking.

  “Well, that’s probably good.” He wasn’t sure they had anything in common other than sexual compatibility. He had to be pleased for that, though.

  When they reached the turnout in the mountains, he’d been thinking about, he pulled into it and turned off the headlights. “We’ll be able to see the stars better from here than we ever could from the city. There’s so much smog there.”

  She nodded, reaching out and linking her fingers with his. “It’s beautiful. I love to come up here.”

  “Do you hike?” He tried not to get his hopes up that they had any recreational activity in common. She was definitely not what he was expecting in a wife.

  “I do! It’s actually one of my favorite things. I don’t like to ski, because I get my skis all tangled together and fall a lot, but hiking is amazing.”

  He turned to her, excited. “I love to hike. We should go hiking together!” He couldn’t believe how excited he was to have something in common with his new wife.

  She grinned, feeling excited to have something fun to do with him. “I’d love that! Do you want to go one day this week?”

  “Let’s get you moved first and see what time we have left, but I love the idea. We could bring lunches and hike all day.”

  “Wonderful.” She leaned toward him and pulled him toward her for a kiss.

  “What was that for?”

  Alexis shrugged. “I told you I wanted to kiss you.”

  “I’m not fooling around in a car. If you’re feeling all frisky, let’s drive back to the house.”

  She laughed. “Frisky? Has that word been used since the fifties?”

  “I don’t know. I heard it on old re-runs of Happy Days.”

  “You mean a fifties show?”

  Dirk sighed. “Are you always going to make fun of my speech?”

  “Probably. If it’s worth making fun of.”

  “Do you tease everyone?”

  “If I’m not teasing you, then I probably don’t like you at all. And you know I like you. You felt me liking you.” Her hand caressed his shoulder, and he groaned.

  “No more romance for you. I’m driving back to the house.”

  “And you’ll romance me there?”

  He sighed. “I have a feeling there will be no romance involved, but I’ll definitely be feeling you.”

  She laughed. “I think I’m starting to like you, Dirk.”

  “Good. A wife should always like, love, and respect her husband.”

  “I’ll do my best. Are you going to be likable, lovable, and respectable?”

  “Always.”

  She wasn’t so sure about that, but she didn’t dare argue with him. The man was more than a little crazy already.

  By Friday afternoon, they had everything of hers moved into the house, and she felt comfortable with how it had gone. During their week together, they’d spent more time in bed than out of it, but that was all right with her. Out of it, she could only see their differences. In bed, she liked their differences.

  The housekeeper was sweet, but she was very used to doing only what Dirk wanted. The first night she cooked dinner for them, Alexis couldn’t even begin to eat it. It was all tofu. Disgusting.

  After that, Alexis started to cook her own meals, feeling silly that she and her husband couldn’t even eat the same thing.

  “Do you want to go hiking tomorrow?” he asked.

  She nodded. “I would love that. Are we doing a picnic lunch?” She could make him a beansprout sandwich maybe, and she’d have a good old PB&J. He was probably anti-PB&J.

  “That sounds good.”

  “How do you feel about PB&J?” She refused to assume he’d hate something without asking. Maybe they’d be able to eat that one thing together.

  He grinned. “My favorite sandwich.”

  “Seriously? I could make PB&Js and we would both be happy?” There had been so few things food-wise they’d seen eye-to-eye on that she was stunned.

  “Yes! That sounds great.”

  “I’ll make our picnic
lunch then. Anything else I should pack?”

  “I have my camelback. Do you have one?”

  She nodded. “I’ll fill them up with water, and there’s our hydration. I’m really excited to hike with you tomorrow.”

  “Well, we don’t even have the same taste in television shows, so it will be nice to enjoy doing something together.” He grinned. “Other than sex, that is. I think we have that down pat.”

  She laughed, walking toward him and wrapping her arms around his neck. “I think we could use a little more work on it, don’t you? Maybe some more practice until we have it perfect.”

  He laughed, swooping her up into his arms. He didn’t look strong enough to carry her, but he was obviously stronger than he looked. “I think practice is always a good idea.”

  Alexis grinned. “You’re a good husband.”

  “I try to be.”

  That evening, she read while he watched some documentary on subliminal messages while shopping, mumbling under his breath that they got everything wrong. He was actually taking notes, and she was doing her best not to roll her eyes. Sydney had suggested one of her favorite mail-order bride authors, so Alexis was binge-reading while Dirk watched television at night.

  Sadly enough, she was sure she and Dirk would get along better after they were both working again. She was ready to get back to her clients, though she didn’t feel she’d had enough time off. She just wasn’t all that comfortable around her new husband, other than the time they spent in bed. She was plenty comfortable with that.

  When her phone rang, Dirk glared at her, so she took her call in their bedroom. “Hello?”

  “Hey, it’s Sydney. How’s married life?”

  “Crazy. I’m married to a machine.” Except in bed.

  “He seemed a little uptight. Do you guys have anything at all in common? Watching the two of you has me scared for the match Dr. Lachele is making for me.”

  “Trust me, we’re well-matched in some ways. We’re going hiking tomorrow. We both love hiking.” Alexis didn’t add she was thrilled they’d found something they both enjoyed doing.