out Merriweather’s note. “I think this last line is the clue.
A reward left standing
. Aside from this house, I can think of only one thing she could mean that has to do with nobility and service.”
Sean’s face was so close to hers as they examined the papers together that, when she looked up, all she’d have to do was lean in a few inches and their lips would meet.
The temptation was almost too strong.
So was the tug in her gut when he
did
lift his head and those blue eyes of his held hers.
And when those eyes glanced at her lips, well, Livvy couldn’t really say what happened next.
Because, somehow, her lips were on his and her hands were in his hair and, oh, God, did all of it feel divine.
“Livvy.” Sean’s breathy way of saying her name only made her want to kiss him more.
But then she realized
she
was kissing
him
.
He
wasn’t kissing
her
back.
Oh, God.
Livvy pulled back and spun around, grabbed Georgia, then the papers, looking for something,
anything
, any excuse to get herself out of this room and this situation without embarrassing herself any more than she already had. Oh, God, what had she been thinking?
“Livvy.”
He was still there. Behind her. Next to the desk.
Within kissing distance
.
She’d never been so mortified in her life. He had
plans
. Probably with some other woman who had more right to kiss him than she did. Not that she had any right but—
“Livvy.”
Oh, God. Her shoulders drooped and Georgia grunted.
Livvy set the dog back in the chair and took a fortifying breath. She did not want to turn around.
“Look at me, Livvy.”
“Do I have to?” she muttered.
Sean laughed. “Yes. You do.”
That laughter was more compelling than any yank-and-turn would have been; the look in his eyes was even more so.
“I don’t think this is a good idea, Livvy.”
“You don’t?” Oh, God, no begging. He had
plans
.
Sean shook his head. “No. You’re my boss. We’re living under the same roof. It could get complicated.”
A voice of reason. Thank God
he
had one.
She took a shaky breath and worked very hard for the smile she stuck on her face. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have put you in that position—”
His finger stilled her lips. “Hold on. I think you have the wrong idea.”
“I do?”
Damn, he took his finger away. But that was probably for the best.
And then the backs of his fingertips brushed her cheek. No,
that
was for the best.
“Yeah, I do. I didn’t say I didn’t want to kiss you; just that it’s probably not a good idea. Another time, another place, in any other situation but this one, oh, yeah. I’d be all over it.” His eyes narrowed and Livvy shivered—and it wasn’t from embarrassment. “I’d be all over
you
.”
Well
there
was a way to get her to be able to walk out of this room—not. What was she supposed to say to that? And what about his
plans
?
Sean didn’t seem to require her to say anything. “I’m going to leave you to whatever it is you need to do with your clues, and I’ll move Rhett and Scarlett to their new suite. I’d offer to cook dinner, but I don’t know what half that stuff you bought is, so I’ll leave that up to you, okay?”
She nodded, still not trusting herself to speak—well, not trusting herself not to embarrass herself further when she spoke.
“Good. I’ll catch you later.”
He was certainly welcome to try—well, he would be if it weren’t for his
plans
.
Still . . . she did watch every step he took as he walked away.
S EAN cursed himself, this situation, Merriweather, Livvy, the damn sheep, and most of all Randy Rhett as he led the pain-in-the-ass out to the barn. This whole thing couldn’t be more screwed up.
He liked her. He
liked
Livvy. Even with her combat boots and gypsy clothing, her strange eating habits, and her animals, he liked her.
The woman had grit. She had tenacity. Goals. She was driven, she was resourceful, and she was sexy as hell.
And she was the
A reward left standing
. Aside from this house, I can think of only one thing she could mean that has to do with nobility and service.”
Sean’s face was so close to hers as they examined the papers together that, when she looked up, all she’d have to do was lean in a few inches and their lips would meet.
The temptation was almost too strong.
So was the tug in her gut when he
did
lift his head and those blue eyes of his held hers.
And when those eyes glanced at her lips, well, Livvy couldn’t really say what happened next.
Because, somehow, her lips were on his and her hands were in his hair and, oh, God, did all of it feel divine.
“Livvy.” Sean’s breathy way of saying her name only made her want to kiss him more.
But then she realized
she
was kissing
him
.
He
wasn’t kissing
her
back.
Oh, God.
Livvy pulled back and spun around, grabbed Georgia, then the papers, looking for something,
anything
, any excuse to get herself out of this room and this situation without embarrassing herself any more than she already had. Oh, God, what had she been thinking?
“Livvy.”
He was still there. Behind her. Next to the desk.
Within kissing distance
.
She’d never been so mortified in her life. He had
plans
. Probably with some other woman who had more right to kiss him than she did. Not that she had any right but—
“Livvy.”
Oh, God. Her shoulders drooped and Georgia grunted.
Livvy set the dog back in the chair and took a fortifying breath. She did not want to turn around.
“Look at me, Livvy.”
“Do I have to?” she muttered.
Sean laughed. “Yes. You do.”
That laughter was more compelling than any yank-and-turn would have been; the look in his eyes was even more so.
“I don’t think this is a good idea, Livvy.”
“You don’t?” Oh, God, no begging. He had
plans
.
Sean shook his head. “No. You’re my boss. We’re living under the same roof. It could get complicated.”
A voice of reason. Thank God
he
had one.
She took a shaky breath and worked very hard for the smile she stuck on her face. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have put you in that position—”
His finger stilled her lips. “Hold on. I think you have the wrong idea.”
“I do?”
Damn, he took his finger away. But that was probably for the best.
And then the backs of his fingertips brushed her cheek. No,
that
was for the best.
“Yeah, I do. I didn’t say I didn’t want to kiss you; just that it’s probably not a good idea. Another time, another place, in any other situation but this one, oh, yeah. I’d be all over it.” His eyes narrowed and Livvy shivered—and it wasn’t from embarrassment. “I’d be all over
you
.”
Well
there
was a way to get her to be able to walk out of this room—not. What was she supposed to say to that? And what about his
plans
?
Sean didn’t seem to require her to say anything. “I’m going to leave you to whatever it is you need to do with your clues, and I’ll move Rhett and Scarlett to their new suite. I’d offer to cook dinner, but I don’t know what half that stuff you bought is, so I’ll leave that up to you, okay?”
She nodded, still not trusting herself to speak—well, not trusting herself not to embarrass herself further when she spoke.
“Good. I’ll catch you later.”
He was certainly welcome to try—well, he would be if it weren’t for his
plans
.
Still . . . she did watch every step he took as he walked away.
S EAN cursed himself, this situation, Merriweather, Livvy, the damn sheep, and most of all Randy Rhett as he led the pain-in-the-ass out to the barn. This whole thing couldn’t be more screwed up.
He liked her. He
liked
Livvy. Even with her combat boots and gypsy clothing, her strange eating habits, and her animals, he liked her.
The woman had grit. She had tenacity. Goals. She was driven, she was resourceful, and she was sexy as hell.
And she was the
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