the rest of the stuff on the list.’
Feeling lighter than he had in months, Daniel scrubbed his face with his hands then stood up. He’d said it out loud. Admitted what he’d been feeling for a while. He was head over heels in love with Mia Sutherland. Sending up a silent prayer that she might one day return his feelings, he followed Richard’s lead and began to search through the heaps of junk to find the things she wanted.
The sun warm on her back, Mia stretched and wiped her brow as she surveyed the decimated border in front of her. The weeds had run rampant and although she would never have much of a green finger, she had followed Madeline’s instructions to the letter about what to cull and what to keep.
Mia looked across to where Luke was cursing and doing battle with the old lawn mower for the third time that day. He had seemed happy to turn his hand to every task Madeline gave him. She couldn’t see Aaron, but the noise of an electric hedge trimmer pinpointed his location somewhere deep in one of the overgrown thickets.
Daniel and Richard were still in the barn. They’d been in there for a long time, only appearing now and then to haul out various pieces of furniture Mia had earmarked for the next bedroom. She had decided on an exotic boudoir theme after discovering a beautiful chaise longue under an oilcloth in the back of the barn. It would be a room to tempt and delight the senses, full of different, luxuriant materials, scented candles and lush greenery.
The name in her notebook was the harem room and she wanted the space to be one of utter indulgence, something for couples to use. The room was in the back wing of the house, which would offer some privacy to the occupants. Mia was toying with the idea of turning the room between it and the beach room into a sitting room so that it was a completely private haven for whoever rented the space.
She decided to speak to Luke about it, see if he could come up with some alteration ideas to expand the bathroom so she could install a small steam cabinet as well as a shower and a large bath. She looked across again and smiled at his crow of triumph as he got the stubborn old petrol mower going again.
They had been blessed with a bright day but the sun wouldn’t last for too much longer so Mia headed towards the house to prepare dinner. She waved at Luke and pointed towards the kitchen so he would know where she was. She kicked off her muddy boots in the doorway.
Dinner was a calm, quiet affair and no-one objected when Mia placed a pack of cards on the table with the pot of tea and some shortbread afterwards. A quick discussion established a couple of games they all knew although it soon became apparent that there was some familial licence in the rules they each played to.
An easy hour passed and Mia felt much more relaxed with these men in her home. Aaron started to yawn as he surrendered his final hand. ‘I’m bushed. All this sea air and honest work is doing me in. I’ve never been ready for bed before 10 p.m. before.’ He laughed around another jaw-dislocating yawn.
Luke looked wide awake despite his exertions in the garden so she fetched her notebook and started to discuss her plans for the harem rooms with him. He dived head first into the distraction and they headed upstairs whilst Daniel promised to clean the kitchen. Aaron retired to his bed.
Luke surveyed the three rooms that would comprise the suite and started scribbling furiously in his own notebook. Mia sat quietly with her hands curled around her knees, which were drawn up under her chin. He was a live wire and when he set his mind to something his level of concentration and focus was a little daunting. Mia shivered as she tried to imagine being the sole focus of that much energy. She decided that it was too intense for her.
Daniel was so much more matter of fact about things. He was a good foil to her more sensitive nature. Mia watched the wild blond curls of Luke’s hair fall over his forehead again and he shoved them away in an unconscious movement. He was an impressive man, thick through the shoulders, like his brother, in contrast to Daniel’s taller, more slender build. They were all men who would make a woman feel safe and sheltered.
Mia stood up and stretched her aching body. The work in the garden was starting to take its toll and she wanted a soak in the bath and half an hour with a good book. She patted Luke on the shoulder and left him to it with an instruction that the space was his to do with as he pleased. He flashed her a sweet, shy grin before he bent back to his sketches and calculations.
She paused on the landing and saw that the lower floor was in darkness and only a soft light was spilling down from the third floor. She urged her weary, sore legs up the stairs to find Daniel clad in a T-shirt and jogging pants, sprawled in the middle of his bed with all the pillows propped beneath him.
He had certainly made himself at home in the little bedroom next to hers. A laptop rested across his knees and clothes hung over the back of a rocking chair he’d come across in the barn. The iron-framed bed he sat upon was a sea of flowers and lace; she ought to buy him some more suitable bedding. The green set had been washed and left on the bed downstairs for Aaron to use so Daniel had ended up with one of her spare sets. He made a dark shadow amongst the frilly pillowcases and flowery duvet cover. The contrast made her smile.
She leaned against the door frame. ‘Everything all right?’ There were dark shadows under his eyes, and he’d been subdued over dinner.
He lowered the screen on his laptop and smiled at her. ‘Yes, fine. Just uploading a few of the pictures I took today.’ She noticed then the camera connected by a cable to the computer.
‘Ooh, will you show me?’ She hovered on the threshold, eager to see but not wanting to invade his privacy. He hesitated just long enough for her to feel awkward before patting the quilt beside him.
‘Sure.’
‘You don’t have to…’
He shook his head. ‘I’m being daft; don’t mind me.’ He turned the laptop towards her, showing an image of Aaron holding Luke in a headlock. The brothers were laughing, caught completely off guard, and the natural joy Daniel captured in the image drew her closer.
‘It’s wonderful.’ She perched on the edge of the bed and he set the screen down between them.
‘I thought I might send it to their dad. He was always good to me whenever I went for visit.’
‘I bet he’ll love it. Jamie’s parents always moaned about not having enough pictures of him and his brothers once they grew up.’ Daniel stiffened beside her and she cursed herself for bringing Jamie’s name up.
‘You must miss him, terribly,’ he said, eyes fixed hard on the laptop.
‘I do. But it’s getting better every day.’ She touched his arm to make him look at her. ‘You being here is making it better.’ Her fingers tingled with awareness, and she stroked the fine hairs on his forearm.
‘Mia, I—’ Colour suffused his cheeks, disappearing into the dark hair of his beard. What would it feel like if he kissed her? Scratchy or soft? Overwhelmed with curiosity, she leaned forward and pressed her mouth to his. His lips parted beneath hers, a soft groan escaping, which she captured as she opened for him. He took control, curling a big hand around the back of her head to hold her in place as he explored her mouth in slow, leisurely strokes.
Her head spun, and things long dormant stirred low in her belly. She gripped the back of his arm tighter, somehow afraid she would float away without an anchor to hold her down.
He
