warned.
“In that case, I promise to be a good girl until after we’ve had a look around the mansion. So where do you suggest we begin?”
Nic’s eyes migrated to her enticing breasts. “Hmmmm…I think starting at the top and working my way down sounds like a grand idea.”
Rachel nearly groaned out loud when the muscles in her abdomen clenched. “Okay, okay, I think we need to call a truce before we end up naked on the kitchen floor. And you can wipe that grin right off your face, Nic Covelli, because I’m way too old to have sex on cold clay tiles.”
“I’ll have you know that is genuine Italian porcelain stoneware on the floor,” he said with an indignant huff.
“My humble apologies. I am way too old to have sex on cold Italian porcelain stoneware tiles. And now that we have that settled, maybe we can get on the scavenger hunt.”
***
“We’ll start in the attic first,” Nic said as they headed up the grand staircase.
“Any particular reason why?”
“Back then the hired help was supposed to remain as invisible as possible. Maids, cooks, and other female servants usually had their rooms in the attic. The rooms were really nothing more than a large closet that was big enough for a bed and nightstand and that was about it. The attic was unbearably hot in the summer and freezing cold in the winter, which made it unsuitable for the owners or their guests.”
Rachel slipped her hand into his when they reached the first landing and started down the long hallway. “How do you know all that?”
“The question is, Miss Architect, how come you
don’t
know that?”
“Ouch. Are you always this brutal, or is that just your arrogance talking?”
“Brutal or arrogant,” he grimaced, “no matter which one I choose I’m definitely not earning any accolades.” Nic stopped and opened the last door at the end of the hall. “The stairs are narrow so we’ll have to go single file.”
Rachel was right on his heels, not at all comfortable with how dimly lit the steep staircase was, or how the overhead light fixture started flickering before they’d even gotten halfway up. By the time they reached the top she was feeling a little queasy from being in such a narrow enclosure and was glad to see the attic wasn’t as small or cramped as she’d expected it to be. One long hallway ran the length of the house, with several doorways on either side. Rachel traipsed after Nic as he opened each door and flipped on the light to peer inside but just as he’d said, each room was comprised of a bed and a nightstand and little else.
“That’s strange,” Nic said when they got to the last door. “This one’s locked.”
“Are you sure? Maybe it’s just stuck.”
Nic wiggled the door handle. “It’s definitely locked, and I can pretty much guarantee the key is long gone.”
“I guess we’ll have to call a locksmith, unless you feel like playing macho man and busting the door down.”
“Have you lost your mind, woman? This door is made of solid oak and probably held on with rusty hinges. I’d dislocate my shoulder making the effort and the thing still wouldn’t budge.”
“I take it that means you cast your vote for a locksmith.”
“You know what I think?” Nic dragged Rachel into his arms. “I think it’s high time I silenced that sassy tongue of yours.”
For the next several minutes, Rachel was only too happy to give up the verbal banter and surrender herself to his bone melting kisses. Still feeling a little dazed afterwards, she barely even noticed how narrow the stairway was as they made their decent. And once they were back on the second level, she was too busy trying to quell the furious flutter of butterflies in her stomach as Nic whisked her along beside him. She knew the next, and last, stop for the
“In that case, I promise to be a good girl until after we’ve had a look around the mansion. So where do you suggest we begin?”
Nic’s eyes migrated to her enticing breasts. “Hmmmm…I think starting at the top and working my way down sounds like a grand idea.”
Rachel nearly groaned out loud when the muscles in her abdomen clenched. “Okay, okay, I think we need to call a truce before we end up naked on the kitchen floor. And you can wipe that grin right off your face, Nic Covelli, because I’m way too old to have sex on cold clay tiles.”
“I’ll have you know that is genuine Italian porcelain stoneware on the floor,” he said with an indignant huff.
“My humble apologies. I am way too old to have sex on cold Italian porcelain stoneware tiles. And now that we have that settled, maybe we can get on the scavenger hunt.”
***
“We’ll start in the attic first,” Nic said as they headed up the grand staircase.
“Any particular reason why?”
“Back then the hired help was supposed to remain as invisible as possible. Maids, cooks, and other female servants usually had their rooms in the attic. The rooms were really nothing more than a large closet that was big enough for a bed and nightstand and that was about it. The attic was unbearably hot in the summer and freezing cold in the winter, which made it unsuitable for the owners or their guests.”
Rachel slipped her hand into his when they reached the first landing and started down the long hallway. “How do you know all that?”
“The question is, Miss Architect, how come you
don’t
know that?”
“Ouch. Are you always this brutal, or is that just your arrogance talking?”
“Brutal or arrogant,” he grimaced, “no matter which one I choose I’m definitely not earning any accolades.” Nic stopped and opened the last door at the end of the hall. “The stairs are narrow so we’ll have to go single file.”
Rachel was right on his heels, not at all comfortable with how dimly lit the steep staircase was, or how the overhead light fixture started flickering before they’d even gotten halfway up. By the time they reached the top she was feeling a little queasy from being in such a narrow enclosure and was glad to see the attic wasn’t as small or cramped as she’d expected it to be. One long hallway ran the length of the house, with several doorways on either side. Rachel traipsed after Nic as he opened each door and flipped on the light to peer inside but just as he’d said, each room was comprised of a bed and a nightstand and little else.
“That’s strange,” Nic said when they got to the last door. “This one’s locked.”
“Are you sure? Maybe it’s just stuck.”
Nic wiggled the door handle. “It’s definitely locked, and I can pretty much guarantee the key is long gone.”
“I guess we’ll have to call a locksmith, unless you feel like playing macho man and busting the door down.”
“Have you lost your mind, woman? This door is made of solid oak and probably held on with rusty hinges. I’d dislocate my shoulder making the effort and the thing still wouldn’t budge.”
“I take it that means you cast your vote for a locksmith.”
“You know what I think?” Nic dragged Rachel into his arms. “I think it’s high time I silenced that sassy tongue of yours.”
For the next several minutes, Rachel was only too happy to give up the verbal banter and surrender herself to his bone melting kisses. Still feeling a little dazed afterwards, she barely even noticed how narrow the stairway was as they made their decent. And once they were back on the second level, she was too busy trying to quell the furious flutter of butterflies in her stomach as Nic whisked her along beside him. She knew the next, and last, stop for the
Similar Books
