and when he did, she came right up against him, almost touching. Their eyes met for a moment, and Marisa felt herself blushing as her cheeks grew hot. He had such an effect on her, it was crazy!
He cleared his throat. ‘Come on let’s sort this out, then there’s one more thing I’d like to show you before we head back home.’
He smiled gently, his eyes twinkling with warmth, and she knew he was doing all this to cheer her up, and she thought he was adorable.
‘It’s such a nice day today and as the sun is actually shining, I think I’ll take the top down on the car, you don’t mind, do you?’
‘Oh, no, that would be lovely!’ she replied as he began winding the soft top back.
He smiled at her, and her heart leapt again.
As they drove along leafy country lanes, the wind whipped her hair around, and she struggled to keep it out of her face, hoping she didn’t look too messy.
‘Oh, is it too windy, shall I put the top up? Seeing you being lashed by your hair wasn’t the effect I had desired.’
Her pulse raced, and she thought he was getting more handsome by the minute. She actually couldn’t believe a man could be so good- looking and so nice, too!
‘No, no, it’s fine. It’s not too windy at all.’
‘Ah, very good. Nearly there.’
* * * *
He wasn’t oblivious to her feelings for him. He glanced at her as they drove along, taking in her pretty face, full lips, and high cheekbones. He liked the way she wore her hair loose and wavy, and even with her hair flying wildly all over her face, he still thought she looked really beautiful.
She looked at him and smiled. Did he see a glimmer of mischief in those pretty green eyes? He guessed she could be gutsy underneath all that delicate femininity. He had been struck by her the first time they met. He knew instantly he would give her the job, despite a niggling worry that it may be for the wrong reasons.
‘Here we are.’
He pulled into a leafy lay-by and leapt out, opening her door for her. She stepped from the car, trying to tame her tangled hair as she followed him through an old gate and into the woods.
‘Oh, I’m not really dressed for this,’ Marisa said. He saw she flinched as her high heels sunk into the mud.
‘Oh dear your poor shoes. It’s not far, I promise you, just up there through the trees.’ James pointed ahead then strode on, and she quickened her pace to keep up with him.
* * * *
Marisa cringed as she felt the mud sucking her heels in as she plodded behind him, trying desperately to maintain her balance.
The trees cleared and gave way to the most wonderful view; they were high on the hills opposite Highcroft, and she could see all across the verdant valley, taking in the vastness of the house and grounds. She spotted the maze and blanched, deciding she wouldn’t go wandering in there in a hurry, just in case Marcus was lurking.
‘It’s splendid, isn’t it, Miss Lowell?’ James breathed the fresh air deeply as he surveyed the view. ‘When I was a little boy, I imagined that I was a king and this was my kingdom. I used to come up here all the time and play. Sometimes it was easy to forget life went on outside Highcroft. I do so love it here.’
Marisa watched him as he sat on a large, flat rock, his long legs apart and his hands resting on his knees. He smiled at her.
‘Come, sit with me for a moment. Give your heels a rest.’
She perched beside him and was so close she could smell his lovely aftershave, a masculine musky scent that made her want to lick his neck. Stop it, Marisa. The voice of reason inside her head spoke and brought her back to earth.
‘I’m sorry if you feel I have been neglecting you. I rather threw you in at the deep end with disappearing off to London straight away. I do so want you to like it here.’
He smiled at her warmly, his eyes searching hers for a moment, then he looked quickly away. He stared out towards Highcroft.
‘I think we get along very well. You’re
He cleared his throat. ‘Come on let’s sort this out, then there’s one more thing I’d like to show you before we head back home.’
He smiled gently, his eyes twinkling with warmth, and she knew he was doing all this to cheer her up, and she thought he was adorable.
‘It’s such a nice day today and as the sun is actually shining, I think I’ll take the top down on the car, you don’t mind, do you?’
‘Oh, no, that would be lovely!’ she replied as he began winding the soft top back.
He smiled at her, and her heart leapt again.
As they drove along leafy country lanes, the wind whipped her hair around, and she struggled to keep it out of her face, hoping she didn’t look too messy.
‘Oh, is it too windy, shall I put the top up? Seeing you being lashed by your hair wasn’t the effect I had desired.’
Her pulse raced, and she thought he was getting more handsome by the minute. She actually couldn’t believe a man could be so good- looking and so nice, too!
‘No, no, it’s fine. It’s not too windy at all.’
‘Ah, very good. Nearly there.’
* * * *
He wasn’t oblivious to her feelings for him. He glanced at her as they drove along, taking in her pretty face, full lips, and high cheekbones. He liked the way she wore her hair loose and wavy, and even with her hair flying wildly all over her face, he still thought she looked really beautiful.
She looked at him and smiled. Did he see a glimmer of mischief in those pretty green eyes? He guessed she could be gutsy underneath all that delicate femininity. He had been struck by her the first time they met. He knew instantly he would give her the job, despite a niggling worry that it may be for the wrong reasons.
‘Here we are.’
He pulled into a leafy lay-by and leapt out, opening her door for her. She stepped from the car, trying to tame her tangled hair as she followed him through an old gate and into the woods.
‘Oh, I’m not really dressed for this,’ Marisa said. He saw she flinched as her high heels sunk into the mud.
‘Oh dear your poor shoes. It’s not far, I promise you, just up there through the trees.’ James pointed ahead then strode on, and she quickened her pace to keep up with him.
* * * *
Marisa cringed as she felt the mud sucking her heels in as she plodded behind him, trying desperately to maintain her balance.
The trees cleared and gave way to the most wonderful view; they were high on the hills opposite Highcroft, and she could see all across the verdant valley, taking in the vastness of the house and grounds. She spotted the maze and blanched, deciding she wouldn’t go wandering in there in a hurry, just in case Marcus was lurking.
‘It’s splendid, isn’t it, Miss Lowell?’ James breathed the fresh air deeply as he surveyed the view. ‘When I was a little boy, I imagined that I was a king and this was my kingdom. I used to come up here all the time and play. Sometimes it was easy to forget life went on outside Highcroft. I do so love it here.’
Marisa watched him as he sat on a large, flat rock, his long legs apart and his hands resting on his knees. He smiled at her.
‘Come, sit with me for a moment. Give your heels a rest.’
She perched beside him and was so close she could smell his lovely aftershave, a masculine musky scent that made her want to lick his neck. Stop it, Marisa. The voice of reason inside her head spoke and brought her back to earth.
‘I’m sorry if you feel I have been neglecting you. I rather threw you in at the deep end with disappearing off to London straight away. I do so want you to like it here.’
He smiled at her warmly, his eyes searching hers for a moment, then he looked quickly away. He stared out towards Highcroft.
‘I think we get along very well. You’re
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