she studied the breathtaking views. The grounds, the pool, and the lake made an incredible backdrop for her new life. Turning, she found a double-sided fireplace, which opened into the bathroom on the other side. Bracing for more debris, she slowly walked in. The bathroom was opulent. There was no other way to describe it. Filled with light from the enormous palladium window over the Jacuzzi tub and offset by columns. Marble covered the floors and vanity. Off the bathroom was her dressing room and enormous walk-in closet, which resembled a brochure by California Closets. It was…more than she ever could have dreamed of. At the same time, it still was not what she wanted…security and love.
Sighing, she returned to the doorway where Gavin stood, looking almost nervous. He looked her in the eye for the first time since he had shown her to the suite. “Obviously you are going to need to do some decorating,” he said, referring to the bedroom.
Hannah nodded, thinking of the entire house. “At least, we are in complete agreement on that,” she said with a smile.
Gavin paused. “Can you make do for a little while as it is completed or do we need to make other arrangements?”
She frowned as she assessed the room. It wasn’t so bad. She had lived in far worse. Shaking her head in disbelief, she replied, “I guess I’ll just have to rough it.”
He heaved a sigh of relief. “Well, other than this, what do you think?”
Looking in to his eyes, she thought about tempering her answer for a moment, but then decided she had always tempered her answers. What had it gotten her? She was treated like a doormat and left. Not this time. Not even for a business arrangement. She was going to be real. “I think your decorator hated you,” she said bluntly.
Obviously taken aback, Gavin spoke without thinking. “What makes you say that?”
Shrugging, Hannah continued with her explanation. “I guess the idea was initially formulated downstairs with the dark oppressive colors and the angry artwork, but now I’m convinced.” She glanced over her shoulder into her room once more. “This was supposed to be your room, right? But it was never finished?”
Inhaling sharply, he responded, “Something like that.” They started to walk back down to the foyer and Gavin began to study the place, see it from her perspective. “Huh,” he said.
“What?”
“I think you’re right.” He smirked. “I think my decorator did hate me.”
Hannah scowled. “I hope she didn’t take you for too much,” she said angrily.
“For more than she deserved,” he answered wryly.
With that observation, he walked back to the study and shut a door behind him. Hannah, who was used to never having a man to help her out and certainly didn’t expect her employer to start now, thought nothing of moving her boxes in all by herself.
***
He couldn’t concentrate. For the last two hours, Hannah had been traipsing back and forth, moving stacks of boxes. She would carry a few in, empty them, then break down the boxes and stick them back in her SUV. He had watched her struggle some, dropping boxes here and there, trying to lift too many and putting them back. She had seemed to maintain a pleasant demeanor through it all, laughing at herself, giggling and smiling through it all.
While she did that, Gavin paced. Not helping went against his very nature. He was raised to be a gentleman, to assist the fairer sex at every opportunity, opening doors, pulling out chairs, helping them with their coats. He closed his eyes as he remembered their first meeting and how it felt to help her with her coat. Gavin rubbed his hands together. This was silly. There were plenty of ways he could teach her a lesson. It shouldn’t be this. Having made his decision, he opened the door of the study and prepared to assist however possible.
***
For the last few
Sighing, she returned to the doorway where Gavin stood, looking almost nervous. He looked her in the eye for the first time since he had shown her to the suite. “Obviously you are going to need to do some decorating,” he said, referring to the bedroom.
Hannah nodded, thinking of the entire house. “At least, we are in complete agreement on that,” she said with a smile.
Gavin paused. “Can you make do for a little while as it is completed or do we need to make other arrangements?”
She frowned as she assessed the room. It wasn’t so bad. She had lived in far worse. Shaking her head in disbelief, she replied, “I guess I’ll just have to rough it.”
He heaved a sigh of relief. “Well, other than this, what do you think?”
Looking in to his eyes, she thought about tempering her answer for a moment, but then decided she had always tempered her answers. What had it gotten her? She was treated like a doormat and left. Not this time. Not even for a business arrangement. She was going to be real. “I think your decorator hated you,” she said bluntly.
Obviously taken aback, Gavin spoke without thinking. “What makes you say that?”
Shrugging, Hannah continued with her explanation. “I guess the idea was initially formulated downstairs with the dark oppressive colors and the angry artwork, but now I’m convinced.” She glanced over her shoulder into her room once more. “This was supposed to be your room, right? But it was never finished?”
Inhaling sharply, he responded, “Something like that.” They started to walk back down to the foyer and Gavin began to study the place, see it from her perspective. “Huh,” he said.
“What?”
“I think you’re right.” He smirked. “I think my decorator did hate me.”
Hannah scowled. “I hope she didn’t take you for too much,” she said angrily.
“For more than she deserved,” he answered wryly.
With that observation, he walked back to the study and shut a door behind him. Hannah, who was used to never having a man to help her out and certainly didn’t expect her employer to start now, thought nothing of moving her boxes in all by herself.
***
He couldn’t concentrate. For the last two hours, Hannah had been traipsing back and forth, moving stacks of boxes. She would carry a few in, empty them, then break down the boxes and stick them back in her SUV. He had watched her struggle some, dropping boxes here and there, trying to lift too many and putting them back. She had seemed to maintain a pleasant demeanor through it all, laughing at herself, giggling and smiling through it all.
While she did that, Gavin paced. Not helping went against his very nature. He was raised to be a gentleman, to assist the fairer sex at every opportunity, opening doors, pulling out chairs, helping them with their coats. He closed his eyes as he remembered their first meeting and how it felt to help her with her coat. Gavin rubbed his hands together. This was silly. There were plenty of ways he could teach her a lesson. It shouldn’t be this. Having made his decision, he opened the door of the study and prepared to assist however possible.
***
For the last few
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