I would have gotten patched up again. I couldn’t let Nugget drown. You would have done the same.”
A low grunt carried through the phone line. “True enough. How did the pup end up in the pool?”
“We were coming in from a walk,” he said, casting an eye at the scraggly pup who had come into his life when a member of his AA group had moved to Europe, “and Nugget ran through the sunroom door full tilt straight into the water.”
“Then the new hire showed up?”
“Exactly. Tallulah Benson’s got spunk, I’ll give her that.” He couldn’t shake the memory of seeing her plunge into the water, determination firing in her hazel eyes. And for heaven’s sake, how was it he remembered her eye color? “She jumped in, pushed right past me and scooped up Nugget.”
“Ah, thus the wet T-shirt reference.”
“Uh-huh.” The revived image of her soaking wet with all those curves on display threatened to steal his focus clean out from under him. “I was worried about her getting bitten since the mutt was so freaked out by this point. But she handled things with complete calm and competence.”
“She’ll need it to deal with you.”
“Are you insinuating I’m difficult?”
“Not insinuating. I’m stating facts. You’re stubborn, which can be good when you have a task to accomplish and bad when it holds you back from asking for help.” He paused. “I’m concerned about you.”
There was something in his father’s voice that gave Marshall pause. No one knew about his alcoholism. But had his dad somehow figured it out? Was the cleaning lady some kind of family spy to keep track of his sobriety?
The thought felt paranoid, but there was something reserved about Tally’s sparkling hazel eyes, a hint of secrets...
Although who was he to judge? He had secrets of his own to keep from her.
“Dad, let’s just say the position of the live-in cleaning lady is contingent upon my say-so and leave it at that.”
No matter how intense the draw of his housekeeper, he was going to table the attraction for as long as she was working for him.
Being drawn to her boss was not wise. At all.
But the laws of attraction defied logic.
She needed to get dressed quickly and start to work before her logic slipped further away.
Tally tugged on a soft long-sleeved cotton shirt—her work uniform along with khaki slacks. She just had to hold firm for six weeks. Surely she could keep her hormones reined in for that long.
She reached for her fur-lined ankle boots, her toes still chilly from her dip in the pool. Even the heated water had left her sprinting for her suite, teeth chattering.
Or maybe it was the man who’d sent her running, needing distance from her tempting boss. It was better to focus firmly on her job.
She’d cleaned a few upscale houses, but nothing like this. Her bedroom was more of a suite, larger than her apartment. No wonder room and board was such a big deal with this kind of accommodations.
Sure, she was proud of the life she had built and the place she called home. Everything in her apartment served a utilitarian purpose. This larger-than-her-lifestyle room felt antithetical to her experiences, but she couldn’t deny the appeal. Floor-to-ceiling arched windows allowed natural light to pour into the space, washing the dark furniture in a luxurious glow. She scrunched her toes, taking in the sensation of the plush carpet as her eyes pulled to the view out the windows. To the sight of rugged Alaskan wilderness, tall pine trees kissing the sky. A mountain loomed in the distance, looking so impossibly beautiful that it seemed painted. Tally could have stayed in this room for hours, just watching the breeze set the shrubbery to life.
Unable to justify delaying any longer, she made her way to the kitchen to prepare dinner, taking in pine panes on the ceiling. As she moved through the sparsely decorated hallways, Tally felt like she was winding her way through a forest. The incorporated wood features, the natural color palette. It all felt like an extension of the outside world.
The Steeles seemed to have everything money could buy...and yet they’d suffered the worst blow a family could face, losing two loved ones. She understood that kind of pain wasn’t anything money could fix. Her father had killed himself out of guilt for his role in that plane crash, and his death haunted her still.
She shook off thoughts of the past that threatened her focus. She needed to familiarize herself with the place, to do the best job possible so as not to arouse suspicion.
Like her bedroom, the kitchen featured a grand window over the sink, allowing another breathtaking view of the wilderness. The stone facade of the octagon kitchen island repeated the use of natural elements in the house. More stone framed the pine cabinets where condiments, spices and mixing bowls were carefully arranged. Laying a hand on the sand-colored granite countertop, she surveyed the rustic space. Light bounced off the glass cabinet panes. Built-in appliances were sleek and functional.
Perhaps she’d mischaracterized this space. Not quite a forest. The arrangement of stones reminded her of a special she’d seen on Viking halls. Something decidedly masculine about this space had her cheeks heating even though Marshall hadn’t reappeared. She’d been given a list of her boss’s preferences, courtesy of his new stepmother. What she hadn’t known how to make, she’d studied up on prior to arriving.
The inside of his refrigerator was just as incredible as the rest of the house.
Stocked to the nines with fruits, meats and a variety of cheeses. The freezer was every bit as impressive. She hadn’t even made it to the pantry yet, but she felt sure preparing meals here—and eating the food—would be a dream.
Cooking for Christmas in this restaurant-quality space would be memorable. She itched to get to work on researching menu options.
And yes, she was distracting herself with business to keep her mind off her boss. She wasn’t sure what she’d expected. The Steele siblings were all renowned for being attractive and intelligent. She should have researched more about Marshall in particular, but she’d never come across this issue in her work in the past. She’d considered herself immune. She’d been wrong.
But more unsettling, it seemed to her, those rogue feelings were reciprocated.
There’d been a curiosity in his eyes that gave her pause. She didn’t want him searching too deeply. She needed to keep her professionalism in place, do her job and lay family ghosts to rest. All so she could move forward with a future that was secure financially and emotionally.
“Tallulah...”
His voice pulled her out of her reverie.
“Tally,” she reminded him without looking over her shoulder. She kept her head buried in the refrigerator to cool her cheeks, which were already heating with a blush.
“Tally...” His footsteps drew closer. “What are
