you’re in my closet, right about where I was planning to put my shoes.”
He was undeterred.
“Do you have any stilettos, carina? In red perhaps?”
“Sorry. None.”
He made a tsking sound. “You need to buy some. They do wonderful things for a woman’s legs.”
“I’ll take that under advisement.”
“And now?” He stepped toward her, close enough that she could smell his cologne. “Where am I standing now?”
They were where her bed would be. When she said nothing, Tony chuckled softly. “You will look lovely here in the morning light.”
The air backed up in her lungs. It took a moment, but she managed to exhale. Pointing to the right, she said, “The bathroom.”
“Hmm?”
“The bathroom. It will go here.” She stepped to where the construction crew had already framed in the walls with two-by-fours.
Tony wasn’t smiling. In fact, he was frowning. “But there is not enough room here for a proper tub.”
“It will have a shower only,” Rachel agreed on a sigh. What woman didn’t like the indulgence of a long, languid soak?
“You are always welcome at my home. I have a big tub.” That sinful smile spread over his face once again when he added, “Big enough to accommodate two.”
He was just flirting, she reminded herself. He didn’t mean anything by the words. Even so, she wanted to be sure he understood one thing clearly. She didn’t condone cheating. Having been the one cheated on, she wasn’t about to turn around and become the other woman, even if Tony and Astrid weren’t married or, for all she knew, exclusive. She turned to face him and said pointedly, “Perhaps you should be inviting Astrid to join you, then.”
“Astrid.” He studied the ceiling a moment as if considering, then shook his head. “Astrid and I are no longer seeing one another.”
Rachel knew her mouth was gaping open, but it took her a moment to snap it closed after mumbling, “Oh.”
“Yes. Oh.” He tapped her nose.
Was he laughing at her? Rachel decided to concentrate on business. Did he still want the necklace? “Is this a recent development?”
“Not really. We said our official goodbyes in Stockholm.”
“But that was—”
“Prior to me returning to the States. Yes.”
“Oh. I’m sorry.” She flushed even though he hardly looked broken up about the relationship’s demise.
He didn’t shrug, but his words were the verbal equivalent when he said, “We enjoyed one another while it lasted, although never in my bathtub. These things happen.”
“Yes, they do.” Rachel’s tone was sharper than she intended.
This time, it was Tony who apologized. “That was an insensitive remark given your current circumstances.”
“At least you didn’t cheat on her,” Rachel replied without thinking.
“I never cheat, carina. Never.”
She wasn’t sure she believed him. Regardless, he wasn’t the sort of man who settled down. He was…the perfect rebound. She sucked in a breath and tried to shoo away the thought.
“Is everything all right?”
“Fine. I…I’m just surprised about the necklace. I assumed it was for a special occasion.”
“It is. A parting gift as well as a way to wish her luck with her career.”
“That’s very generous of you.” And no doubt it would ensure Astrid went on her way without any fuss or acrimony.
He did shrug this time. “I can afford to be generous. Because that is the case, women want things.”
Rachel frowned. “I’m offended on behalf of my gender.”
“Everyone wants something, carina.”
His level gaze left Rachel to wonder exactly what Tony wanted from her.
CHAPTER THREE
“THE house has been sold?” Stunned, Rachel plunked down in the chair in her office. The leather seat groaned even as she did.
On the other end of the telephone line, her real-estate agent, Flora LaBelle, was saying, “I’m just as surprised as you are. Of course, technically, both you and Mal have to accept the offer in order for the sale to go through, but I think you should. It’s a pretty decent one, especially for this soft market.”
“How decent? Full asking price?”
“Well, no. A little less than that.”
“By how much?”
Flora cleared her throat. “By about ten thousand dollars give or take a few hundred.”
“Oh.” And damn! This was not what Rachel wanted to hear. She’d hoped to get as close to the asking price as possible since she would have to split the equity with Mal. She needed every penny.
Flora wasn’t done. “The buyer also wants you to pick up the closing costs.”
That would be several thousand dollars more out of pocket. “Gee, is that all?”
Despite Rachel’s sarcastic tone, Flora continued. “And the buyer is requesting that all of the kitchen appliances stay with the house.”
“The appliances? They’re brand new.” Indeed, stainless-steel beauties that Rachel had picked out herself just before learning of Mal’s infidelity. “I was hoping to keep those.”
She and Mal had agreed on that in the settlement. Rachel had planned on them for the apartment’s kitchen to keep down the renovation costs.
Flora sighed. “You can buy new appliances, Rachel. I have other listings that have been on the market for months without so much as a nibble. You would be foolish to quash the sale over appliances.”
“Can’t we at least counter the offer?”
“Mal doesn’t want to,” Flora said.
“Mal? You’ve already talked to Mal?”
“I… Yes.”
“And he doesn’t want to at least see if we can get out of paying the closing costs?”
“He thinks the offer is fair.”
Which put the ball
