The Old House on Drury Lane

I used the tongs to put the meat in the pot. But the pot was so tall, I could barely see into the bottom. I guess noticing I was on my tip toes Luca took over and put the rest of the meat in, then poured us each a glass of red wine. "Chefs got to have a little something to drink while we're cooking," he said with a wink.

Now that he'd shown me how to do a few things, cooking wasn't as tricky as I thought it would be. And it already smelled amazing, with the garlic and the meat cooking in the oil.

Once he thought the meat was browned enough, he finished it off. "Now we add the tomatoes, tomato paste, bouillon cubes and water, and mix it all up. Then we boil it for ten minutes, making sure to stir it, so nothing sticks to the bottom."

While I stirred the pot, he thinly sliced some mushrooms and added them with the chopped roasted pepper and a healthy splash of the wine we'd been drinking, along with the herbs and some salt and pepper.

After lowering the heat, he shrugged. "And that's basically it. Now we let it simmer for two or three hours, till the meat's tender enough to fall off the bone.

"Once it's done, we'll let it cool and put in the fridge for tomorrow. It tastes even better if sits overnight. Then we'll reheat it, and make some pasta and a salad, and put some bread on the table. And we'll have a nice pot of Sunday Gravy for lunch. So, do you think you could make it on your own, now?"

"You know, I think I could. With my mother insisting on doing all the cooking at home, I never even got a chance to try and make anything. But thank you for showing me how to make that, Luca." Feeling excited now, I was bouncing on my feet. "Now I can hardly wait to make something else."

Luca chuckled, watching me bounce. "Well, how about you cook us up some scrambled eggs and I'll make toast and put on some coffee."

As we ate side-by-side at the long dining table, I looked up and noticed the two tiny little pumpkins he'd set on the fireplace mantel. "Oh, Luca, those are so cute."

"Halloween's next week, so I thought we should have a little something festive in here."

"That reminds me. On the way here, I saw two big fat pumpkins at a farm stand. I'm tempted to go and get them, so we can put them out on our veranda. Only thing is, I don't have my car."

"Okay. Then why don't we go get the pumpkins, and then we'll pick up your car."

LUCA

It was a perfect fall day, so sunny and bright. The trees were ablaze with colour. Beautiful shades of red, orange and yellow looked like a quilt covering the landscape. Although you could really feel a nip in the air as we walked around the farm stand. Seeing Andi bundled up in skin tight jeans, a bright red sweater and a jean jacket, with thigh-high leather boots, I thought she looked as sexy as she did adorable.

With the sun glinting off her long red hair, I also noticed it was more of a golden red, and looked beautiful framing her pretty face.

She looked up at me and caught me staring. "Something wrong?"

"Uh... no, I uh... just can't decide which one's to get," I said focusing back on the pumpkins, so she wouldn't realize I was checking her out.

"I really like these two," she said, pointing at two, big fat ones sitting side-by-side.

"Yeah, those looks good." I had my wallet out, but Andi was already handing over fifty bucks to pay for them. Wow, who knew fat pumpkins could be so pricey?

"Oh, look Luca, they've even got homemade pumpkin pie. Do you think your family would like that for dessert tomorrow?"

I knew my nonna would be bringing her homemade biscotti, but I didn't think she'd mind us putting a pie out, too.

Andi playfully wiggled her eyebrows. "Oh, and they've got whipped cream, too."

"Better get two," I said, chuckling to myself.

"Sounds like you really like whipped cream."

"Yeah, I love it." Especially when it was coating certain parts of a woman's body. Though I wouldn't even allow myself to imagine how much fun it would be to strip off my new little house mate and coat her in mounds of sweet, tasty cream. That of course, I'd enjoy slowly licking off.

I had to think of something else, before she noticed my jeans were getting tight down in front, just imagining how sweet she'd look with her clothes off.

Looking around at the table of handcrafted Halloween decorations, I chuckled when I spotted a cute little witch with bright red hair holding a broom. I bought one just for fun, and tucked it in my pocket, knowing how much Andi liked to decorate, especially this time of year.

When I noticed her eyeing a bouquet of bright yellow and orange mums, I picked up some of those, too, and handed them to her.

With a little grin, she pushed up on her toes and kissed my cheek, and whispered, "Thanks, they're really pretty. And they'll look nice on the table for when your family comes."

I was about to lift the pumpkins onto a cart to wheel to them out to my truck, when a tall, lanky kid in a wool hat, held up his hand and said, "It's okay, Sir, I've got it."

Andi laughed when I muttered under my breath, "I'm not even forty yet, and the kid's calling me, Sir?"

Smirking, she took me by the hand, and led me back to my truck. "Come on, Gramps. Let's go get my car."

Though I narrowed my eyes on her, I'm sure she could tell I was trying not to laugh. Gramps, jeesh. I wasn't that much older than her, was I? But I guess when you're only twenty-four, a guy who's almost forty probably seems almost ancient.

No one was home at her mother's house when we got there, so Andi just got in her car and followed me back to our place.

It seemed kind of funny to think of the house as 'our place.' But I guess it was, now that the two of us had bought a house together.

I'd just pulled into the driveway and was carrying the pumpkins over to set on the porch, either side of the staircase, when Andi pulled up beside me. "Wow! Don't they look great! Now I need to get some skeletons or witches to hang from the trees."

"You really get into this, huh?"

"Well, working with little ones, it's kind of hard not to. Every holiday is pretty exciting for a kindergartener. So, it kind of rubs off on you."

I think her innocence was what really appealed to me. Most of the women I knew were pretty open about what they wanted, especially in bed. I had a feeling Andi would be a little shy, and definitely not the type to jump my bones first chance she got. And she probably wouldn't be the type to cheat on someone behind their back, like the last lady I was dating.

Not that we were going to be getting busy with each other. But I found her so attractive, it was kind of hard not to think of her as a woman, and quite a sexy one at that.

She locked up her car and nodded at the path. "Hey Luca, you want to check out the beach?"

"Sure." I shrugged. "Why not."

She had her arm through mine as we walked along the sand, and I gotta say I was really enjoying hanging out with her. She was so funny and bright and easy to talk to. As energetic as a new puppy, she had such a zest for life. And I had a feeling, she was someone I really needed in my life right now.

Then out of nowhere a big hairy dog came bounding at us, and jumped up at Andi. I lifted her off her feet and spun us around, just in the nick of time as I felt the thud of his big feet hit me in the back, kind of winding me.

"Down, Brutus! Down!" A young guy called out as he ran towards us. "Sorry, he gets a little excited whenever he's out and sees new people. I've been trying to train him not to jump, but he's so big it's kind of hard to keep him down."

When I noticed the dog was wagging his tail and wasn't going to attack her, I set Andi back down on her feet.

"What kind of dog is he?" Andi asked as she stroked his head.

"I think he's a mix of a few different breeds, all of them pretty big, considering he's only six months old and looks like he's going wind up being the size of the Incredible Hulk."

Andi was talking to the dog, telling him what a good-looking boy he was. And I chuckled at the way he was tipping his head and listening, like he was trying to understand her.

"Guess you know I'm a dog lover, huh?" she told the big shaggy brute, rubbing his ears between her fingers, kind of making him smile.

I reached out and let him sniff the back of my hand, and he gave me a lick. But he was obviously totally smitten with Andi, since he wouldn't take his eyes off her. Not that I could blame him. She was such a sweetheart, I think even the dog could tell that she had a good heart.

"You folks live around here?" the man asked.

Andi pointed back at our house. "We bought that old house you can just see through the trees. And we we're just moving in, and thought we'd check out the beach."

"Oh, really? You bought the old house on Drury Lane?" He looked so surprised, he had me wondering if he knew something about the place that we didn't know.

I was just about to ask him if there was anything we should know, when he looked up at the darkening sky and shook his head. "Looks like it's getting ready to rain. I should probably head back, before we get soaked. And you know, there's nothing quite like the smell of wet dog. Nice meeting you, guys." They turned and ran back along the beach, and I noticed Andi was starting to shiver and her cheeks looked pretty rosy.

"Maybe we should head back, too," I suggested. Her teeth chattering, she just nodded and pulled herself against my side, holding on tight to my arm. As the brisk wind picked up, I noticed the lake was getting choppy as the rain started coming down. Unzipping my jacket I wrapped it around her, to try and keep her dry.

We started running as the rain came down harder and we were both laughing by the time we made our way up the sandy path that led to the house. "You look half-frozen," I told her over the whirl of the wind swirling around us.

"No wonder, that wind feels like it's going right through me."

As soon as we got in the house, she got her boots off and curled herself up on the couch. And I tucked a throw blanket around her, and started a fire in the fireplace, to help warm her up.

"At least it's nice and warm in here," she said, snuggling a little deeper into the blanket, till all I could see was the top of her head, with her big blue eyes peeking out. She just looked so cute, I kind of wish I could curl up with her, and maybe pull her onto my lap.

I made us some hot tea, and after I'd added another log to the fire, I sat down beside her and rubbed a hand up across her shoulders. "You warmed up yet?"

"Yeah, the tea's helping, thanks. And so's that beautiful fire," she said, her eyes aglow as she watched the flames dancing in the hearth. Glancing around the room, she let out a contented little sigh. "I think we really lucked out getting this place, didn't we?"

I glanced around, too. But then I looked back at her, all curled up, looking cute a button. "Yeah, I really think we did."

"Oof." She pulled off her jacket, fanning her face. "Now I'm getting warm. I should probably take this sweater off, too."

Now that she was talking about taking her clothes off, I thought I'd better get busy in the kitchen. "And I should probably get something going for dinner. Before I start, is there anything you don't like?"

She laughed. "Are you kidding? In my house none of us were fussy. My mother had seven mouths to feed, so there was no way she was going to cater to everyone's tastes. So, I'll eat almost anything."

"Good to know."

"But I do want to get out and get some groceries, if we're going to be eating together. Especially, since my family is coming over on Monday."

"No worries. I've got plenty of food in the fridge. And that pinging on the windows, is starting to sound like freezing rain. So, I don't think I'd want to be driving out there tonight."

"Maybe not. But I would like to keep things fair between us."

I patted her thigh. "It's okay, Andi. Sometimes you'll pick up a few things, sometimes I will. It's no big deal. I don't think we need to keep track of every cent we spend."

Standing at the stove, I had just started a pot of Pasta Fagioli, and Andi wandered in, looking absolutely adorable in a pink fleece set with cute little bunny slippers on her feet.

"Now you can't dress like that, and expect me not to tell you how cute you look."

She laughed, rubbing her hands up and down along her arms. "I think I got a chill running through the rain. And I know this isn't exactly high fashion, but it just feels so nice and toasty."

"It does look pretty warm." As she wandered over to see what I was making, I rubbed a hand up and down her back. "Nice and soft, too."

She smirked. "Sorry, you can check online, but I don't think it comes your size. Though I might be able to find you some bunny slippers on Amazon."

I laughed, and kept stirring the pot.

"Hmmm, something smells pretty tasty. Watcha makin'?" She stepped in a little closer and took a look. "Must be the bacon that smells so good. I just love the smell of bacon frying."

"It's pasta and bean soup, but I like to add a little bacon for a little extra flavor."

She went to get some soup bowls down from the cupboard, and she turned and looked back at me. "Hey, where did this witch come from? Is it ever cute."

"Oh, I got that at the farm stand. You can put it wherever you want. I just hung it from the cupboard so you'd see it."

She raised an eyebrow. "I noticed you picked a red-haired witch, any reason?"

I grinned. "Because I thought it was cute."

She laughed, rolled her eyes, and started setting the table. "Anyway, I'm glad one of us can cook, especially so well." She gave me a teasing little wiggle of her eyebrows as she shimmied her bootie to Marvin Gaye's, 'Sexual Healing' that I had playing on my phone.

I groaned watching her shake her sweet tight ass as Marvin's smooth sultry voice, cried out,

'When I get this feeling

I need sexual healing'

Shaking my head, I looked down at myself and quietly muttered, "Down boy," because I sure as hell didn't need to be aroused over dinner.

Once I'd added the pasta and it was nice and al dente, I cut into a crispy round of Calabrese bread, filled the bowls and brought them over to the table.

I poured us some wine, we sprinkled on some Parmigiano Reggiano, and we raised our glasses in a toast. "To a new beginning in our beautiful old house."

Then just for fun, I tipped up her chin and sealed it with a quick kiss. Her eyes went wide and she looked a little surprised, but I noticed she was smiling as she dipped into her soup.

"Ooh, is this ever good, Luca. I hope you'll show me how to make this, too."

"It's actually pretty easy, and quick."

She grinned. "My kind of meal."

We'd just finished, and I was getting up for a second bowl, and I looked up and saw the lights were starting to flicker. I could see the freezing rain was coating the windows, and I had a feeling some of the hydro lines might go down with the weight of the ice.

"I hope the lights don't go out," I said, searching around for some candles, that I knew I had tucked away somewhere in the kitchen.

I'd just lit a candle and put it on the table and everything went dark.

"Ooh, it's really dark in here without the lights, isn't it?" Andi remarked, sounding a little anxious, as she squinted across the darkened room.

"I'll add some wood to the fire. That ought to light up the room a bit, and help keep us warm. Lucky, I found a shed full of firewood out in back, and I brought some in this morning."

On my knees adding wood to the fire, I smiled as I heard her mutter, "Gee, I'm glad I bought a house with someone who knows what they're doing."

After I'd stoked the fire, I put out a plate of cheese and grapes, and poured us some more wine.

"You really know how to eat, don't you?" she said, as she popped a grape in her mouth.

"I don't really eat a lot junk food, mostly because I like to cook."

I noticed she was starting to shiver again, and had her feet tucked under her. "Here, put them in my lap," I said, turning in my chair.

She giggled as I massage her little tooties under my sweater against my chest.

As her teeth started to chatter, she tucked her hands under arms. "Is it just me, or does it feel cooler in here since the lights went out?"

"The furnace fan won't work with the power out. So, it can't blow the heat up into the house. Which means that the temperature's going to keep dropping till the power comes back on. I think you'd better put some extra blankets on your bed tonight to try and keep warm."

Nodding, she looked a little blissed out, as I kept massaging her feet. And I could feel things stirring in my boxer as I worked my hands around her delicate little tootsies.

I noticed her starting to yawn, and said, "I think somebody's ready for bed. I'm just gonna add some more wood to the fire, before I turn in."

I gave her a flashlight and she surprised me when she wrapped her arms around my waist, pressed her face to my chest and whispered, "Thank you, Luca."

About to get ready for bed, I was walking into my room, and I looked up when I heard two loud knocks on the floor above us. Andi came out of her room, pointing up at the ceiling. "Luca, did you hear that?"

I nodded. "Yeah, probably just the wind knocking something around on the roof."

"I hope that's all it is."

She went back in her room, but left the door ajar. When I got in bed, I could hear a steady tapping sound, like someone knocking on the floor upstairs. I just hoped nothing got into the house, like a racoon or a squirrel.

Tossing and turning, trying to fall asleep, I looked over and could see Andi standing in my doorway. "What's wrong?"

I pointed the flashlight at her, and she looked kind of annoyed, holding the little red-haired witch out to show me. "Were you trying to be funny, hanging this from my bathroom door?"

Shocked, I sat up, and shook my head. "I didn't do that. The last I time I saw it, was in the kitchen hanging from the cupboard."

"Then how did it get on the door?"

"I don't know. But I swear, I never touched it."

"Then who do you think did it?" she asked, sounding a little anxious.

"I have no idea." Realizing she probably wouldn't want to sleep in her room now, I suggested, "Why don't I make up a bed for us in front of the fire? We'll be warm, we'll have some light, and you won't have to sleep on your own tonight."

She didn't hesitate. "Yeah, okay. Let's do that. No way I want to sleep on my own, especially with the lights out."

"Why don't you stick that thing in a drawer somewhere, while I fix us up a place to sleep."

I chuckled as I heard her walk down the hallway, open the basement door and fling it down the stairs, muttering, "Now stay there!" Though I had to admit, even I was feeling a little freaked out, wondering how it could have moved from the kitchen to her room. And I was starting to think that the little witch wasn't so cute, after all.

But then again, she might have just been tired, and carried the thing into her room and hung it on the door without even thinking. At least I hoped that's how it got there.

I spread my duvet out on the floor like a mattress, and Andi put her bedding on top. Together we built a little nest in front of the fireplace.

She crawled in, and I crawled in beside her, making sure to tuck the blankets around her back, to keep any draft off her.

I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her to my side, and she curled in close.

We were listening to the crackling of the fire, and she looked up at me. "Luca?"

I turned my head, "Yeah?"

"Did the agent mention if the former owner died in this house?"

"No, she never said. Why?"

"I just wondered."

"You don't think this place is haunted, do you?"

She peered up at me, trying to read my expression. "Do you think it is?"