understandable. If you prefer, we can arrange for me to clean when you’re gone. Or maybe that’s the idea you don’t like. I could make sure to work while you’re here. Whatever it takes, Mr. Baxter. How about a month’s trial run? At the end of that time, if you’re unhappy with the quality of my work, or if having someone come in to clean bothers you too much, I’ll cancel the contract with no penalty.”
“I can see why your business is doing well. It’s hard to say no to you.”
Mellie saw a definite twinkle in his eyes. She flushed. “I’m ambitious. But I think a man like you understands that. You won’t regret having me here, Mr. Baxter, I promise. In fact, I swear you’ll wonder why you didn’t hire Keep N Clean a lot sooner.”
“Perhaps I should be absolutely clear. It’s more than cleaning. If you come to work for me, I’ll want you to take a shot at organizing my home life.”
His request wasn’t out of the ordinary. Structuring a client’s daily environment to maximize family time and personal efficiency was something Mellie enjoyed. But it was hard to imagine Case Baxter allowing anyone, much less Mellie, access to something so personal.
When she hesitated, his eyes narrowed. “Is that a problem?”
“No. Not at all. But you mentioned protecting your privacy, so I would want to be perfectly clear about boundaries.”
“Such as?”
She floundered mentally, oddly put off her game by a conversation that shouldn’t have seemed the slightest bit provocative and yet drew her thoughts to sex-tossed sheets and whether Case Baxter favored boxers or briefs.
“There are many levels of organization, Mr. Baxter. Everything from creating a well-aligned sock drawer to alphabetizing kitchen spices.”
He chuckled, ratcheting up his masculine appeal at least a hundredfold. “I’m sure we can settle somewhere between the two.”
“So that’s a yes?” She cocked her head, her stomach a swirl of anticipation and feminine interest. Mixing business with pleasure had never been an issue, but with this man, she might have to be on her guard. He had neither said nor done anything to acknowledge the fact that she was a woman and he was a man. But it was kind of a hard thing to miss.
He nodded. “I think it’s a workable compromise. We’ll see how we get along together. And in the meantime, if you find that one of your other staff members is free to take over here, I’ll certainly understand.”
“Does that mean you don’t want me?”
Sweet holy Hannah. Where had that come from?
His body tightened, on high alert. Though he was almost certain Mellie Winslow hadn’t intended anything suggestive by her question, there was enough of a spark in the air to make him react with a man’s natural response to a beautiful available woman.
Case hadn’t expected the punch of sexual interest. Truth be told, it reinforced his reservations about hiring any housekeeper, much less one who looked like Mellie. He was a sucker for redheads, especially the kind with skin the color of cream and wide emerald eyes reflecting a certain wariness...as if she had been disappointed one too many times in life.
Though she was clearly accustomed to hard physical labor, she was thin but not skinny. The shade of her red curls, spilling from a ponytail that fell past her shoulders, was a combination of fire and sunshine.
He should tell her to go. Right now.
“Are you saying I make you nervous, Ms. Winslow?”
She wrinkled her nose, as if smelling a refrigerator full of rotten eggs. “A little. I suppose. But I’ll get over it.”
That last sentence was served with a side of feminine defiance designed to put him in his place. She reminded him of a fluffy chicken warning the rooster away from the henhouse.
“Duly noted.” He tapped a stack of envelopes. “The trial period works both ways. You may find me such a slob that you’ll run screaming for the hills.”
Mellie’s smile was open and natural. “I doubt that. I’ve reformed worse offenders than you, believe me.”
At that precise moment, he knew he wasn’t imagining the sizzle of physical awareness between them. Maybe Mellie didn’t notice, but he did. At thirty-six, he surely had more experience than this young woman, who was on the dewy-skinned right side of thirty.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He glanced at his watch, ruefully aware that he had to put an end to this provocative interview. “I’m afraid I have another appointment in town. So we’ll have to wrap this up. Why don’t you plan to start Thursday morning? I’ll put some thoughts on paper in regard to what I want you to tackle and we can go from there. Does that work for you?”
Mellie stood, smiling. “Absolutely. Thank you, Mr. Baxter. I’ll see you soon.”
“Call me Case,” he said.
“And I’m Mellie.”
* * *
Case stood at the window, his hand on the lace curtain as he watched his new housekeeper drive away. He knew the time had come to put his house in order—literally—but he had a sinking feeling that he might be making a bad mistake.
The fact that he found Mellie Winslow so appealing should have put an end to things. He’d fallen for an employee once before and ended up with a broken marriage and a bank account that had taken a severe hit. His track record with long-term relationships was virtually nonexistent.
He’d never had sisters. With his mother gone, the only female relatives he had were two cousins in California whom he saw maybe once a decade. He wasn’t a good judge of what made women tick. He enjoyed their company in bed. He was even willing to concede that women and men could be friends under certain circumstances.
But as one of the wealthiest ranchers in Maverick County, he’d learned the hard way that a man was not always judged on his own merits. He might marry again one day...maybe. But only if he was damn sure that his prospective bride cared more about his character than his financial bottom line.
As he drove into town, he noted, almost unconsciously, the signs that Royal was flourishing after last fall’s F4 tornado. He took in the new storefronts, fresh landscaping and a few empty lots where damaged buildings had been razed in preparation for upcoming construction.
The town had rebounded well, despite tragedy and hardship. Case knew there were still problems to be addressed. Insurance woes remained an issue. Slow payments. Court battles over settlements. The Texas Cattleman’s Club had a history of benevolence and community service. Case was determined to use his new position to keep the organization headed in the right direction, particularly in regard to the ongoing tornado cleanup.
For Royal to rebound from tragedy and prosper in the twenty-first century, it would be important to keep all sectors of the local economy alive. Which meant looking out for small businesses. Like the Keep N Clean.
When he pulled up on the side street adjoining the Royal Diner,
