YOUR LOCAL HANDYMAN due out MARCH 12TH!!!

YAAAAAY ME! LOL!

Your Local Handyman

By Stephanie Williams

Chapter One

Tony stood outside her door and began straightening his T-shirt. He looked at his reflection in her window and wondered if he should have put on something more presentable.

“Come on, Tony, you’re going to look at the woman’s roof, not take her to the Waldorf.” He rang the bell and waited.

As he did so, he began to think back to when they first met.

They had been talking and going to home stores for the past six months, since she moved to Marin County. The first time they met was at the block party the neighbors threw to welcome her to the neighborhood.

Someone had mentioned he was the local handyman and that he’d done work on almost everyone’s house on the block. She had seemed impressed and told him she would give him a call if she ever needed his services.

Considering the house she had purchased, she needed his services—like yesterday! It was a true fixer-upper, so when she called the first time, he just knew they would get chummy, perhaps more.

But nope. She had wanted only his advice on flooring, rugs, window seals, door jambs—anything and everything to do with renovations. Their conversations never strayed. She looked at him strictly on a professional level.

Hell, whenever he had a chance to go to her house, she was never home. She left her keys with Mrs. Benson, her closest neighbor, and Mrs. Benson always let him in. There was the usual note on the foyer table telling him what needed to be fixed or asking his opinion about flooring or such.

But that was okay. Those times they were together, either in the lighting department at the local design center or sitting with a slice of pizza outside the home store while a clerk loaded her new lumber, were worth the wait.

But he waited for that one call. The call when he could come over while she was home and they would be alone. In the meantime, he had fantasized about making love to her every which way ‘til Tuesday.

Yep, he was jonesin’ for Ms. Alexis Harrison. Tall and voluptuous. She had so many curves it was enough to give him whiplash. Her face was framed by a mass of thick, curly dark hair, and she had gorgeous mocha skin. And those lips. Mamma Mia! They should be outlawed for causing spontaneous hard-ons!

Despite his growing need and excitement, he had kept the conversation professional when he took her call.

“Hello, Tony. I hope I didn’t disturb you.”
Honey, you can’t help but disturb me. But it’s all good. “No, not at all. How are you doing?”

“Not good. I think I need a new roof. I’ve been putting it off because I know the cost, but after this last rain, I can’t do that anymore. I’m having a housewarming party in three weeks. I’m going to need it done before then, if it’s possible,” she quickly added.

“It’s possible, but you did wait a little long. Remember, I told you, that’s the first rule when buying a fixer-upper—fix the roof first.”

“I know, I know. But I’ve been calculating all the stuff that needs to be done in the place and it’s really adding up. The roof costs most.”

“In more ways than one, as you see.”

“So I was wondering if you could come over and check it out for me. You did say you’d give me a good estimate for any repair work. Of course, this is more than just a repair, huh?”
He chuckled, then, “Don’t worry. I got you covered. I can probably give you thirty percent off your highest bid. Just do the usual, leave the key with Mrs. Ben—”

“Oh no. I need to show you this myself. ”

So she’s going to be there to give the grand tour. No leaving the key under the proverbial mat. Yes! “Um…may I come over now, or are you busy?” He’d crossed his fingers tightly and gritted his teeth.

“I just finished eating dinner, so if you’re not too busy, sure.”

He’d almost blew out a sigh of relief into the receiver, but instead said, “Great, I’ll be right over.”

Yes! Yes! He’d pumped his fist in victory and went to his desk for his keys.

He was halfway to his goal. Doing the work on Alexis’s place would be the easy part. Getting her to go out with him and share nights of passion was another.

Alexis opened the door, bringing him back to the present. It was then that he didn’t care if he had a T-shirt or any clothes on. He wanted to push her in the house and get buck-naked and freaky.

“Hello, Tony, come in.” She opened the door wider and allowed him in. “Thanks for coming right over,” she said, walking into the living room.

“No prob. You know I’m always available for you.” He looked around the living room. “It’s coming along.”

“Slowly, but thanks to your help, quicker than I expected. I didn’t realize how big a task it was to renovate a house as big as this one.”

“Don’t worry, you’ll get it together. But first things first. I need to see the damage to your roof.”

“It’s in my bedroom. Come with me.”

Boy, would he love to come with her…in the bedroom or any other room for that matter. He followed her up the stairs and to her bedroom.

As she walked in, he stood in the doorway and looked the place over. He never ventured anywhere in her house on his own except as needed to follow the instructions she left for him to fix this, that or the other. Until today, his work had been limited to the downstairs.

Her bedroom was a treat. It was totally fem without being flowery. It looked very Victorian. A huge tufted headboard and canopy framed a king-size bed. Her furnishings were large and ornate but not gaudy. Everything in her room was large. But he could tell that she was trying to fill space as well as decorate to her taste.

“Come on in, I’m not gong to bite,” she said.

“Gee, that’s too bad. I was kinda hoping you wanted a little snack.” He wanted to snatch back those words before they left his lips. But it was too late. The look on her face gave him pause. He couldn’t quite read it, but then she smiled and turned to her closet. “The leakage happened here.”

He peeked inside the closet. She was pointing at the ceiling and he immediately saw the problem. And felt his cock get hard.

“I had a bucket in here. But since it’s not raining, I moved it. I really need this patched up before the next rain. The weatherman said there was a big storm heading our way. So a quick patch job—”

“No patch job. We are doing a whole new roof. But first I need to get up there and look. I see a door up there.”

“Yeah, it goes to the attic.”

“Hmm, this is serious then.”

“Really?”

“Yep. Have you been in the attic?
“No.”

“This tells me that there in no protection on the attic floor. To be honest, I’m kinda scared. Could still be inches of water up there.”

“Do you really think you can fix this before my party? I really hate to impose such a huge task, when you could just—”

“Don’t worry, it’s nothing that can’t be fixed. Could you get a ladder?”

“Right away.”

He watched her as she ran to the hallway. Okay, he could breathe now. What was happening to him? He’d never had this reaction to a woman before, not this strong.

He wanted to push her against the wall of her closet and fuck her crazy, until she screamed.

Sweating, he leaned against the doorjamb. He blew out an exasperated breath and pulled off his T-shirt. That was better. It was hot in the room and he needed to breathe before he exploded. He was about to put his T-shirt in the dirty clothes hamper when he remembered that he wasn’t in his own house!

Damn Tony, what is wrong with you?

“Okay, I hope this ladder will do. I…” Returning to her bedroom, Alexis stopped dead in her tracks, staring. This time, there was no mistaking the look in her eyes. Lust.