sounded more like it.
For some reason, the skin on her arms started to chill.
‘So what I was going to suggest is that you let me use this cottage rent-free for the next few weeks. I mean, it’s just sitting here doing nothing.’
The chill spread up her neck and down her spine.
‘And in return I’ll do some work on the big house.’
The chill disappeared. He didn’t mean to take advantage of her after all?
‘What kind of work?’
He lifted one lazy shoulder. ‘Whatever repairs I manage to get to and maybe even some painting.’
That would be brilliant! She opened her mouth to snap up his offer before he could retract it, but a glance in his direction had her closing it again. Rick had a look in his eyes that she recognised. A look she’d seen in her father’s eyes—an I’m going to get my own way and I don’t care by what methods look.
She wasn’t a pushover any more. Her father had discovered that and now Rick could too. She pushed her grandmother’s jewellery box towards him. ‘Put that back where we found it.’
‘Is that a yes or a no to my proposal?’
‘It’s negotiations are underway but, regardless of the outcome, it doesn’t affect the fate of the jewellery box.’
He leaned back and folded his arms. For a moment she thought he was going to refuse. And then she started. ‘Heavens, where are my manners? Would you please put the box back in the ceiling?’
One side of his mouth hooked up. ‘I wasn’t waiting for a please, Princess.’
‘I know, but there’s no excuse for bad manners. Have you seen enough of the cottage to satisfy your purposes?’
‘Yes.’
‘Then I propose we go back up to the house and see if we can come to some arrangement that will satisfy mine.’
He laughed at that. She wished he hadn’t. He looked younger, nicer, when he laughed and it had the potential to turn her to jelly.
She didn’t need jelly but steel.
Without another word, Rick rose and placed the box back in the ceiling. Nell locked the door behind them and pocketed the key. Rick watched her, but he didn’t say anything. In fact, neither one of them spoke on the walk back to the house.
When they reached it, Nell cleared her throat. ‘I’d prefer to nail you down to specifics, Rick. How long do you think you’ll stay?’
He shrugged. ‘Can we start with a month?’
‘Absolutely.’ She pulled her no-nonsense business voice out and dusted it off. ‘We can agree to a week-by-week arrangement if need be after that.’
‘Fine.’
Was he laughing at her? She glanced across but couldn’t tell. ‘So, included in your four weeks’ worth of repairs...’ she walked through to the front of the house to the grand hall with its staircase that curved up to the first floor and pointed to the front door ‘...can you fix that?’
‘Check.’
She didn’t care if he was laughing at her. She tossed her head and walked into the grand parlour with its enormous bay window. ‘Can you fix the hole in the wall?’
He walked over to it, tested it with his fingers, bent over to examine it more closely and the denim of his jeans stretched across those powerful thighs and taut butt and Nell had to swallow as her saliva glands kicked into overdrive. Oh, my word. Rick Bradford filled out a pair of jeans to perfection. Her fingers fluttered about her throat. Her eyes widened in an effort to take in as much of the view as they could. A hunger, deep and gnawing, that no number of cupcakes would assuage, racked her.
Rick turned. ‘This doesn’t—’
He broke off, a grin bold and sure spreading across his face. Folding his arms, he leant a shoulder against the wall. ‘See anything you like, Princess?’
Heat scalded her face. She wished the floor would open up and swallow her. ‘Don’t be ridiculous.’ But her voice came out at a squeak, which only made his grin widen.
She gestured to the wall. ‘You were saying?’
Very slowly, he sobered and straightened. ‘I’m not on offer, Nell. I’m not part of the bargain.’
‘I never for one moment considered you were.’ How could he cheapen not only her but himself like that? And then she remembered his mother had been a prostitute.
She closed her eyes and swallowed. If she hadn’t been weak fifteen years ago, if she’d stood up for Rick, she could walk away from all of this now and...
Oh, who was she kidding? It didn’t erase her sense of responsibility towards John. The way he’d treated Rick was beyond the pale, but there had to be a reason for all of this—something they couldn’t see yet.
She forced her eyes open. ‘Can we please get back to the task at hand?’
His lips twisted. ‘Gladly.’ He gestured to the wall. ‘This looks like damage caused by something hard or heavy being banged against it.’
That’d be the removal men her father had hired to pillage the house of its expensive antiques.
‘I can replaster it and then paint the entire room.’
That was even worth putting up with Rick’s mockery!
‘Then you have yourself a deal.’
He laughed. ‘You have no idea, do you?’
‘What are you talking about?’
‘So far we’ve nailed down about a week’s worth of work.’
Was that all?
‘I’ll fix the guttering that’s falling off the outside of the house—that’s another day’s work.’
Wow. Um... ‘What about painting the outside of the house?’ It was badly in need of it.
He shook his head. ‘That’s too big a job for one person. Given the style and heritage of this place, it’d be best left to the professionals. Besides, I’m not sure you could afford the materials at the moment if money is tight.’
Her mouth dried. ‘How much would it cost?’
‘For paint, scaffolding and labour? I wouldn’t expect you to see any change from twenty grand.’
So much? She needed to sit down. Only there wasn’t a stick of furniture in the room. And yet if she were to put her plan into action it would need to be done.
‘I can ring around and get some quotes for you if you like?’
She
