haves; a home had to reflect a person’s personality.
‘The boss isn’t married—’
Izzy frowned as the man crunched around to her side. ‘But I thought …’ She accepted the hand he offered as she jumped down.
‘And I’d say you’re about to meet him.’ In response to Izzy’s questioning frown, he nodded his head to a point behind her. ‘Here he is now. Don’t worry about the baby. I’ll get her out.’
Izzy turned around to face the direction the burly Italian indicated in time to see a tall, lithe figure vaultingover the six-bar gate that kept the sheep from straying into the garden.
‘Oh, my God!’ Izzy felt as if a giant hand had pushed into her chest and for several heart-thudding moments she literally couldn’t breathe.
How do I get out of here?
Roman, seemingly oblivious to her state of near collapse, walked straight up to the older man, who nodded and removed his shades. ‘Any problems, Gennaro?’
‘No, boss, the train was actually on time.’ Gennaro unfastened the baby seat complete with baby and lifted it out.
‘I’ll take that.’
Izzy watched, too stunned to protest, as Roman took hold of the baby carrier.
‘Should I take the bags up?’
‘If you would. Oh, and could you ask Mrs Saunders to send some coffee through to the library, and maybe some sandwiches? Then I won’t be needing either of you until tomorrow.’
Gennaro nodded his thanks at Roman and tacked something on the end of his conversation in Italian that made Roman laugh.
Izzy wasn’t laughing.
She wasn’t even capable of acknowledging Gennaro’s nod as, with a case under each arm, he walked up the shallow flight of steps towards the open front door.
‘Good trip, Isabel?’
He spoke as though this was a prearranged meeting, which of course it was—only she hadn’t been kept in the loop. She had stepped right into the trap he’d so cleverly baited. He knew exactly what her weakness was; she’d told him about her guilt at being a stay-at-home mum even if she could afford it financially. And he had sownthe seeds of doubt when he had suggested that it might not be so easy to step back into the job market after a lengthy break. This was the set-up to end all set-ups!
Why hadn’t she seen it coming? The too-good-to-be-true offer … why hadn’t she smelt a rat?
Possibly because she wasn’t twisted and sneaky. She wanted to laugh or throw something at him or both. Instead she stood like a rabbit caught in the headlights, thinking,
Any moment now I’ll wake up and realise this was all a dream—a nightmare
.
‘So what do you think?’ he asked, gesturing towards the building behind them, but looking at Izzy.
She shivered at his voice. The dictionary would sound like an indecent proposal when read in that deep, husky, dangerously seductive timbre.
‘This is your house.’
‘I knew you’d get there eventually, cara.’ He watched the two spots of angry colour appear on her smooth cheeks. ‘So, what’s your opinion … professionally speaking? Does it have potential?’
‘Professionally?’ she echoed, thinking very unprofessional thoughts as she fixed him with a murderous glare. Just how long was he going to insult her by pretending this job offer was anything but an elaborate hoax?
‘I realise it’s all subjective, but do you like the place? Could you see yourself—?’
‘I can see myself pushing you off a cliff!’
She sucked in a deep breath, causing Roman’s glance to drop. Having a baby changed a woman’s body and though Izzy was lighter and more fragile-looking than he recalled, her breasts were definitely fuller. His eyes darkened as he remembered how one had fitted perfectlyin the palm of his hand. Now they would overflow, the soft, silky, milk-pale flesh … He took a deep breath and pushed away the tactile image, but not before his body had hardened helplessly.
His sculpted lips twisted in a smile of self-mockery. For some reason around this woman his normal iron
‘The boss isn’t married—’
Izzy frowned as the man crunched around to her side. ‘But I thought …’ She accepted the hand he offered as she jumped down.
‘And I’d say you’re about to meet him.’ In response to Izzy’s questioning frown, he nodded his head to a point behind her. ‘Here he is now. Don’t worry about the baby. I’ll get her out.’
Izzy turned around to face the direction the burly Italian indicated in time to see a tall, lithe figure vaultingover the six-bar gate that kept the sheep from straying into the garden.
‘Oh, my God!’ Izzy felt as if a giant hand had pushed into her chest and for several heart-thudding moments she literally couldn’t breathe.
How do I get out of here?
Roman, seemingly oblivious to her state of near collapse, walked straight up to the older man, who nodded and removed his shades. ‘Any problems, Gennaro?’
‘No, boss, the train was actually on time.’ Gennaro unfastened the baby seat complete with baby and lifted it out.
‘I’ll take that.’
Izzy watched, too stunned to protest, as Roman took hold of the baby carrier.
‘Should I take the bags up?’
‘If you would. Oh, and could you ask Mrs Saunders to send some coffee through to the library, and maybe some sandwiches? Then I won’t be needing either of you until tomorrow.’
Gennaro nodded his thanks at Roman and tacked something on the end of his conversation in Italian that made Roman laugh.
Izzy wasn’t laughing.
She wasn’t even capable of acknowledging Gennaro’s nod as, with a case under each arm, he walked up the shallow flight of steps towards the open front door.
‘Good trip, Isabel?’
He spoke as though this was a prearranged meeting, which of course it was—only she hadn’t been kept in the loop. She had stepped right into the trap he’d so cleverly baited. He knew exactly what her weakness was; she’d told him about her guilt at being a stay-at-home mum even if she could afford it financially. And he had sownthe seeds of doubt when he had suggested that it might not be so easy to step back into the job market after a lengthy break. This was the set-up to end all set-ups!
Why hadn’t she seen it coming? The too-good-to-be-true offer … why hadn’t she smelt a rat?
Possibly because she wasn’t twisted and sneaky. She wanted to laugh or throw something at him or both. Instead she stood like a rabbit caught in the headlights, thinking,
Any moment now I’ll wake up and realise this was all a dream—a nightmare
.
‘So what do you think?’ he asked, gesturing towards the building behind them, but looking at Izzy.
She shivered at his voice. The dictionary would sound like an indecent proposal when read in that deep, husky, dangerously seductive timbre.
‘This is your house.’
‘I knew you’d get there eventually, cara.’ He watched the two spots of angry colour appear on her smooth cheeks. ‘So, what’s your opinion … professionally speaking? Does it have potential?’
‘Professionally?’ she echoed, thinking very unprofessional thoughts as she fixed him with a murderous glare. Just how long was he going to insult her by pretending this job offer was anything but an elaborate hoax?
‘I realise it’s all subjective, but do you like the place? Could you see yourself—?’
‘I can see myself pushing you off a cliff!’
She sucked in a deep breath, causing Roman’s glance to drop. Having a baby changed a woman’s body and though Izzy was lighter and more fragile-looking than he recalled, her breasts were definitely fuller. His eyes darkened as he remembered how one had fitted perfectlyin the palm of his hand. Now they would overflow, the soft, silky, milk-pale flesh … He took a deep breath and pushed away the tactile image, but not before his body had hardened helplessly.
His sculpted lips twisted in a smile of self-mockery. For some reason around this woman his normal iron
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