Beauty and Her Boss

“I’ll be fine.”

She didn’t trust him. That was fine. She had no reason to trust him. He wasn’t even sure he trusted himself now that he had a faulty memory and tormenting dreams. But this wasn’t about her trusting him. This was about her welfare and making sure she didn’t have any serious injuries.

“You need someone to help you.” He turned to her at the bottom of the stairs. “You can’t reach the cuts on your back. And as fate would have it, today is Mrs. Kupps’s day off.”

He started up the steps, hoping she would see reason and follow him. The very last thing he needed on his conscience was her being injured because of him and then getting an infection. He may have royally messed up the night of the accident and no matter how much he wanted to go back in time, it was impossible. However, right now he could help Gabrielle. If only she would allow him.

At the top of the steps there were three hallways—one to the left, which was where his mother had had her suite of rooms, another hallway to the right, where the people he’d considered friends used to stay, and then the hallway straight back, which led to his suite of rooms and his office that overlooked the ocean.

He stopped outside the last door. He hadn’t made his bed. He hadn’t straightened up in forever. And it hadn’t mattered to him for months. But now, it mattered. Now he was embarrassed for Gabrielle to see his inner sanctuary. Later tonight he would do some cleaning.

“Is something wrong?” she asked. “If you changed your mind, I can go.”

“No. Nothing’s wrong.” And with that he swung open the door. It wasn’t like he was trying to impress her. That ship had sailed a long time ago. In fact, he’d lost any chance to impress her before they’d even met.

The room was dark as the heavy drapes were drawn as they always were, but he knew his way around without bothering with a light. However, he realized that Gabrielle would have a problem, and he reluctantly switched on the overhead light.

“Why is it so dark in here?” she asked. “You should open the curtains and let in the sun.”

“I like it this way.”

“Maybe the sun would give you a cheerier disposition.”

Why did she want to go and change him? He didn’t want to be changed. This was now his life and he would live it however he chose. “My disposition is fine.”

“Really? And you think it’s normal to go around scowling at people and barking out warnings for them to go away?”

“I do not bark and I do not growl.” He turned on the bathroom light.

“Apparently you don’t listen to yourself very often.”

“You are—” he paused, thinking of the right word to describe her “—you are pushy and...”

“And right about you.”

He sighed. “You don’t know everything.”

“But I do know that you’re going to turn down my offer to help you.”

He arched an eyebrow and stared at her, finding that she was beautiful even with her hair all mussed up from the rosebush and cuts crisscrossing her arms. It was then that he recognized just how much trouble he was in. There was something about Gabrielle that got under his skin, that made him feel alive again. And made him want to be worthy of her affection.

And if he wasn’t careful, he was going to fall for her—head over heels. And that couldn’t happen. She would be crazy to fall for him after the car accident. And he didn’t deserve to have love in his life—not that he was falling in love with her. He wouldn’t let that happen.

But knowing that it was even a possibility had him worried. The best thing he could do for both of their sakes was to keep her around here for as little time as possible. Maybe he should accept Gabrielle’s offer to plan the fund-raiser. Not that he relished having more attention cast upon him, but he could shorten her time on the estate without arousing her suspicions. She would never know how she got to him.

“What are you smiling about?” Gabrielle was eyeing him suspiciously.

“Who, me? I don’t smile. Remember, I growl.”

“Oh, I remember. But I saw a distinct smile on your face, so out with it.”

What did he have by holding back? He’d strike the deal, set the timetable and soon his life would return to the way it used to be. Why did the thought of his quiet, lonely life no longer sound appealing?

“I accept your offer,” he blurted out before he had an opportunity to change his mind.

Her eyes widened. Today, they looked more blue than green. “You do?”

He nodded. “How long do you need?”