“They only saw part of the fight,” I muttered. “She came in here afterward and practically read me the riot act.”
“As she should have.” Todd took a deep breath. “Do you think, perhaps, that you’re being a little unfair to her because you’re unaccustomed to spending time with the women you sleep with after you’ve slept with them?”
My eyes practically rolled in a full circle, but what could I say? It had both nothing and everything to do with the fact that I’d slept with her. Maybe if I didn’t know what kinds of delicious curves waited for me under those baggy t-shirts she always wore, I wouldn’t be so resentful of the fact that I could never have her.
“Todd, I don’t have time for this. Get to the point.”
“She’s a good designer,” he said. “I don’t want to lose her.”
“If we lose her, we get another.” I gestured to the cavernous room, with its elegant, art deco furnishings and décor. “It’s not like hiring a new designer would cost more than I have to spend.” I probably should have stopped there, but my irritation ran deep. “And apparently all I can do is spend, so why not? Why not renovate this godforsaken mansion over and over again until I keel over of a heart attack at eighty years old, surrounded by busty women whose names I don’t know and don’t have enough teeth to pronounce anyway?”
“Don’t be foolish,” he chastised. “You’d have the best dentures money could buy.”
My mouth split into a grin as he reminded me why I kept him around, despite his constant insubordination. He was always able to make me smile. He was probably the only person on Earth who could haul me out from the spiral I’d been about to go down, armed only with a quip and an austere expression.
“I don’t know how many times I had to remind your grandfather that there was a human cost to his actions,” Todd said.
“Apparently you didn’t remind him enough.”
Todd’s eyes softened. I hated when they did that.
“Maybe I didn’t, but the same lesson applies to you.”
I locked onto his eyes. “Would it get you to leave my study if I told you I’ll try not to make her cry?”
He sighed and began to walk back to the door. “It doesn’t cost anything to be nice, you know.”
“Not true. You of all people know for a fact that it could cost me everything.” And because of that, I expected him to be more understanding.
Todd stopped at the doorway, hand sliding along the wood almost reverently. “I understand why you’re scared,” he said. “You’ve got a lot to lose. But there are many steps between being kind to a person and falling in love with them.”
Todd disappeared down the hall, taking my work ethic along with him. I closed my laptop with a frustrated sigh and tossed my glasses onto the desk. He wasn’t wrong, and maybe if there was some sort of diagram that showed me just how many steps I could take along that road and still turn back, I would.
But I wasn’t taking any chances. Not with anybody.
But especially not with her.
It was hard enough knowing she was out there, wandering around my house. But anytime I caught sight of her, it just made it worse. Especially when she was laughing—because I wanted to be the one to make her laugh.
But what I really needed to be was the one to make her frown.
The danger to me had never been so clear. So obvious. It should be easier than ever to push her away. I’d done it plenty of times before with other women.
Why was it so hard with Elizabeth?
10
Elizabeth
My Schlieffen Plan worked out a lot better than the original. Within the month, the kitchen, as well as the main bathroom and one of the sitting rooms, was almost entirely ready to go. My contractors were already spilling out to tackle the rest of the house, which meant one thing for me—it was my chance to take on the library.
Hunched over one of the smaller reading desks, I re-evaluated my plans. I’d spent all morning running around the library, measuring and investigating.
“How’s the design going?”
I was so lost in thought that the sudden voice startled me, but my frown slipped into a smile as I recognized Rodney’s huge form approaching from the doorway. He was my lead contractor, and had quickly become my sounding board and construction site confidant.
“Nearly everything’s worked out,” I replied. “I only have a couple big decisions left to make.”
He pulled off his paint-stained Dodgers cap and ran his fingers through his tawny hair, wiping the sweat from his brow before sliding the cap back on.
“You don’t look too happy,” he noted.
I grimaced. Rodney was the one person I felt comfortable talking to about my problems with Oliver. Everybody with eyes and ears knew he was a difficult person to work with, but I tried to keep things as professional as possible unless it was just me and my lead.
Not that Rodney knew I’d slept with the client. That was a line even Rodney couldn’t know I’d crossed.
“One of the decisions is a biggie,” I explained.
“Ah.” He gave me a kind smile and scratched his salt and pepper chin. “A big biggie?”
I nodded. “Mr. Bentley specifically requested a dark color for the walls in here,” I said, looking around. “But I think we can retain the classic grandeur without having to resort to making the walls bleed.”
Rodney and I had divided up all design decisions into two basic categories: biggies and not-so-biggies. Anything that I had to pass by Oliver before finalizing the design was a biggie, and thus was to be approached with trepidation.
Rodney nodded in agreement. “Especially since we’re expanding the room.”
“It’s fine, though. I’ve got time to redesign if he won’t budge. I’m still going to try to get a decision today, though.” I sighed at the mere thought of the confrontation.
“And the world holds its breath.”
I scowled through narrowed eyes, but he merely chuckled. I doubted Rodney was afraid of anyone. He was the only person on site noticeably taller than Oliver, and wider by a mile.
How tall was Oliver, anyway? I remembered how tiny I’d felt in his arms, how his hands had seemed to wrap all the way around my thighs. I could almost feel them, firm and warm as he pushed himself deeper and deeper inside of me.
“Any suggestions before I go into the war room?” I asked Rodney, desperate for a distraction from my own runaway thoughts.
“Yes,” he replied. “But it’s the same suggestion as always, so I know you’ll ignore it.”
I rose slowly to my feet, taking the time to stretch out my cramped limbs. Dust motes, illuminated by the late afternoon sun, swirled around me.
“I can’t let you fight my battles for me,” I reminded him. “I’ll never get anywhere in this job if I can’t deal with clients.”
“Dealing with clients is one thing…” he said, not bothering to finish the thought.
“I’ve got this.” I patted him on the top of his arm, unable to reach his shoulder with ease. “I appreciate the support though.”