‘No problem.’ Scott smiled and ran his hand over his beard before saying in a casual voice, ‘Stay the night if you want. You won’t be disturbing me.’
‘Really?’ Antonia asked, her voice a high-pitched squeak.
‘Sure. How about some dinner? It smells good. See you downstairs in...’ Then his throat went dry as the back of the towel slipped a little, revealing a back with flawless creamy skin which was moist and warm and smelt of all of the good sweet things in his life which he’d been putting on hold since he’d divorced Alexa.
She turned slightly towards him and he noticed for the first time, in the warm ceiling lights, that Toni’s eyes were not brown but a shade of copper the colour of autumn leaves. The same colour as the highlights that burnished her damp hair. And at that moment those eyes were staring very intently at him.
On another day and another time he might even have said that she was more gorgeous than merely pretty. Slender, funny and so sharp-witted that she matched him round for round.
But even the loveliest of girls had their flaws. He had learnt that from bitter experience.
Even sweet Antonia Baldoni would be hiding something from the world.
He leant closer into the light and in the harsh shadows her cheekbones were sharp angles and her chin strong and resigned. Strong. Stubborn, that was sure. But not harsh or cruel. He couldn’t see that about her.
‘Twenty minutes.’ He grinned then waved towards her head. ‘Hairdryer. Okay.’
Then he turned and almost jogged back to his room and the hot shower he wanted and the cold shower he needed.
* * *
The howling icy wind had finally eased away when Toni gave up tossing and turning from side to side and threw back the covers on the perfectly comfortable double bed in Freya’s spare bedroom.
Somewhere in the house a large mechanical clock was striking every quarter hour with a musical chime but, apart from that comforting sound, the house was completely silent, as though it was a sleeping giant waiting for some magical spell to be broken.
Scott looked so exhausted and jet-lagged after dinner that he must have dropped off to sleep the minute his head hit his pillow.
The pest.
How did he expect her to sleep after walking into her coming out of the bathroom like that? She couldn’t go home to have her bath—she didn’t have any heating! But that didn’t mean she was any less embarrassed.
To make it worse, he hadn’t once mentioned seeing her half naked during one of the most awkward dinners that she had ever eaten. It was almost a relief when Scott covered a yawn with his hand and said goodnight.
She peeked out through the bedroom curtains to see that the rain had cleared, leaving a lovely clear frosty night with a bright new moon and stars. Perfect for stargazing. And, seeing that Scott was asleep...
Toni tiptoed over to the bedroom door and slowly turned the handle and peeked out through the gap. She couldn’t hear any snoring or tossing but the last thing she wanted to do was wake Scott up. No repeat performances, thank you!
Slowly and quietly sneaking open the door, she stepped outside on to the landing and then crept down the staircase one stair at a time, cringing every time her slippers made the stair creak.
She could see lights from the house on the other side of the street but, apart from that, all was still calm and serene.
Toni drew back the curtains in the living room so that she could see the stars. She snuggled up on the sofa and soaked in the silence as though she were drinking the contents of a deep well of cool refreshing water. True silence like this was so rare in her life that, when it happened, she took the time to appreciate the tranquility, no matter how temporary it might be.
Especially after the roller coaster ride of the past twenty-four hours.
It was going to take a while to process everything that Scott had told her. Just when things were going so well and she’d thought this would be an easy commission and she could finally put the brushes and paints away for good.
Today had been a nightmare of such conflicting emotions. One minute she could have cheerfully taken the fee Scott was offering her...and the next?
She liked him. Heaven help her, she might even feel sorry for him.
Scott had taken on an enormous task, alone. The deal they had made could work. She knew that the longer she spent working with Scott the more she would learn about him to help her create a likeness which captured something of the real man.
But who was the real Scott Elstrom? The frostbitten lumberjack rough and tough guy who had walked into her party? Or the other Scott Elstrom who was working so tirelessly to save his heritage from the jaws of defeat and closure?
There was one thing she was certain of—everything she turned her hand to seemed to make her life more difficult instead of easier.
Even her plumber had gone down with the February flu!
The New Year had seemed so full of possibility—a white clean space just begging to be filled with activity and life and...a loud clattering sound quickly followed by a low mumble rang out from the other side of the patio doors and she practically jumped over the sofa. The sound ricocheted like a bullet around the house in the deep background silence.
Toni grabbed the sofa cushion and, holding her breath, she slowly slipped off the sofa and listened for any further signs of movement as she carefully edged her way towards the kitchen.
Perhaps she should wake up Scott?
No. Bad idea. She was embarrassed enough for one night, thank you.
There was only one thing for it—she would have to go outside and find out what was going on. And if it was a burglar, she could deal with it.
Grabbing a large wooden pepper grinder from the table with one hand, Toni carefully turned the creaking handle of the heavy doors that opened on to the patio, anxious not to make too much noise, and stepped out on to the stone patio.
The wind might have dropped but it was still freezing, with a feeling of ice in the air.
The only light was from the street lamps and local houses but, as she gingerly strolled towards the side garden in her slippers, even that background light was blocked by the house.
‘Too hot? Can’t blame you; it’s much cooler out here.’
She practically jumped out of her skin.
There was a movement from a bench at the far end of the patio and, as her eyes became more accustomed to the low light, she saw Scott stretched out with his long legs crossed at the ankles, hands behind his head. He seemed to be fully dressed with only a light fleece jacket and she could only hope that her thin pyjamas and towelling dressing gown were not too transparent.
‘Best time of the day. Here. Try this for a viewpoint. And it even has a seat.’
Scott pointed to the old wooden bench, which Toni had not even noticed on her mad dash that afternoon from the office to the kitchen. It was half hidden in a tiny arc of flowering bushes and potted plants which almost covered the surface of a small paved patio area. Completely secluded and separated from the house by a low hedge, it was a perfect private space.
‘Nice spot,’ Toni murmured after a few minutes to break the silence. ‘Come here often?’
Scott seemed to stretch out longer and laid his head back against the wooden bench so that when he spoke it was as though his words were addressed to the sky.
‘The first time I saw this garden I was fifteen years old and my parents had agreed to divorce. My mother had finally had enough of cooking meals that never got eaten because my father slept at the office and simply forgot to tell her. I can’t remember a time when he ever spent more than a couple of days with us in a row. Family holidays were a joke. So out went the old Victorian museum we called home and in came this modern clean house. With heating. And lights and plumbing. It was quite a shock.’
‘Tell me
about it—’ Toni laughed and stepped closer ‘—I think you just described my house.’
‘Some things stayed the same.’ Scott raised one arm and pointed upwards. ‘The constellations didn’t stomp around and cry like Freya did or collapse on the sofa exhausted every night like my poor mother. They stayed in pretty much the same place in one part of London compared to another.’
‘Well—’ Toni tried to keep her voice light and her heart from exploding ‘—I wondered where all of those lovely diagrams came from on your maps. Scott the astronomer.’
He chuckled, his voice low, deep and resonant in the absolute stillness and silence of the night.
‘Star signs were traditional on sea charts and it helps having a basic knowledge when you’re out in the wild,’ he replied. ‘How about you? Long history of solar exploration in your family?’
‘Oh, just one of my many talents,’ Toni replied and was just about to make some dismissive quip when it struck her that, from the tone of his voice, he sounded different somehow. Relaxed and comfortable. At home. Unencumbered by responsibility.
So she fought back the urge to be sarcastic and strolled over towards the bench in the dark. Except her toes connected with something solid on the way.
‘Ouch,’ she muttered, ‘what have I just banged into?’
‘That would be the metal chair,’ he replied with concern in his voice. ‘Any damage done?’
‘To my toe or your furniture?’ she whispered, and then flexed her toes. ‘No, I don’t think so; I still have some movement. I can’t speak for the other party.’
‘Excellent,’ he replied. ‘Then please feel free to enjoy the free floor show. No charge.’ Then he patted the bench next to him and Toni could have sworn that there was a certain smirk on his lips.
‘Perhaps I will,’ Toni said and pushed her hands into the pockets of her dressing gown as she perched on the edge of the bench and looked up into the night sky.
They both gazed skywards without speaking for a few minutes, their peace disturbed only by the sound of the traffic on the road nearby and the occasional sound of distant laughter.
She snuggled deeper into her gown. ‘The sky in Alaska must be wonderful on nights like this.’
‘Stunning. Have you ever seen the Northern Lights? They are the most astonishing effects. Last week I spent most of the night with the aurora as my guide.’
She shrugged and then realised that Scott probably wouldn’t be able to see her. ‘That makes me so jealous. I spent four days in Iceland last January and it was cloudy every single night but I still went out, just in case. My reward was a bad nosebleed and frozen eyeballs.’
Just the memory of those evenings sent a shiver down her back and she quivered and rubbed her arms.
‘Feeling cold?’ he asked.
‘Very’ she replied. ‘Time for me to head back inside. Lots to do tomorrow. Oh. Make that later today.’
She heard a low grunt as Scott shuffled closer along the bench. Before she had a chance to speak, he pressed his body against the length of her side and slid his arm around her waist. A delicious glow of warmth spread across her hips and she instinctively leant sideways to enjoy the heat from his body, wrapped in his warm fleece around the front of her gown.
The whole sensation was absolutely wonderful. Solid, protective and exactly what she needed. This had been one hell of a day and she was already missing Amy so much.
‘Another five minutes. We stargazers have to stick together,’ Scott murmured.
He raised one arm and pointed to the bright star on the horizon below the new moon. ‘On a night like this Venus and the pole star are my navigation. They get me back to base.’
‘My sister is travelling in South America,’ Toni replied in a low voice, thinking of Amy. ‘She arrived this evening and somehow it makes me feel better to think that she is seeing the same stars as I am right now.’
‘Ask me to show you a star map tomorrow.’
Toni lowered her head and watched the steam from her breath in front of her face.
‘The only stars I’ve ever seen have been through the London haze.’
‘Well, that is a shame,’ Scott replied and rubbed her arms with his unbandaged hand. ‘Maybe one day.’
He turned and smiled at her, and the expression on his face was so overwhelmingly full of understanding and emotion that the invisible bond that drew her to him tightened so much that it was impossible for her to resist.
Then he kissed her on the tip of her nose. And the touch of his lips was as gentle as a butterfly landing and she closed her eyes to revel in that brief moment when her skin was in contact with his.
Scott closed the tiny gap between their bodies. It seemed only natural for him to tip her chin towards him, slant his head and press his lips against hers. Softly at first, then firmer, harder, wider.
And Toni kissed him back, filling her lips and mouth with such luscious sweet warmth that any lingering resistance melted away and she moved deeper into the kiss. Eyes closed, she revelled in the sensation of falling into his mouth, their tongues touching, heads pressed together for a moment longer than she should have, before she felt Scott pull back.
His breath felt hot and fast on her neck, and Toni pressed the palms of both hands flat against the front of his fleece so that she could feel the pace of his heart beat faster to match hers as he gently lifted a strand of her hair behind one ear.
‘I do have one more suggestion,’ he whispered.
‘Um?’ Toni murmured as his fingertips slid down from her forehead to her chin in one smooth motion, as though he was unwilling to lose contact with her skin.
His fingers stilled on her chin, but she knew that his gaze was firmly locked on to her face so that when he spoke every word resonated deep into her skull. ‘Why don’t you stay with me tonight? I can guarantee a lot more body heat, Miss Baldoni.’
What? Her poor heart performed a crazy acrobatic dance inside her chest. The very idea was so ridiculous that it made her head spin. It was a terrible suggestion. Wasn’t it? Her fingers clutched tighter to the warm, soft fleece jacket and in a moment of weakness she wondered what it would be like to skip upstairs and find out just how hot this man’s body truly was.
She glared at Scott and even in the faint light she could see that he was grinning at her. As though he knew perfectly well what a temptation he was offering and was teasing her at the same time.
And he was a temptation. A serious one. She was already missing the touch of his mouth on hers and the heavy breath on her skin from the man who had the power to make her feel desirable for the first time in over a year.
Since Peter. Peter.
She instantly pushed Scott away with both hands flat against his chest and slid unsteadily to her feet out of the warmth of his jacket and into the cold air.
‘Oh, I bet that you can. Sorry, but that is such my cue to get back to bed. My own bed. In the guest room, Mr Elstrom!’
Then, before she could change her mind, Toni stretched out and grabbed hold of the edges of his jacket and kissed him on the mouth. Hard and fast and bruising. Taking control. Calling the shots. Then she pulled away, leaving her panting for breath and maybe a lot more.
A cool breeze flitted across Toni’s feet and she slipped in the flimsy mules as Scott laughed. ‘Good night, Antonia.’
She half turned. ‘Actually, my friends call me Toni. See you later.’
SEVEN
The narrow terraced house was in darkness when Toni walked up the path and turned the key in the front door. The light drizzle had turned into sleet and she was immensely grateful to step inside.
This part of Hampstead was only a few minutes away from the busy roads and the hustle and bustle of the main streets of London, but this tree-lined street seemed a world away from all of the noise and pollut
ion.
She had waited for the bus that never came. So she had gritted her teeth and walked for thirty minutes in her smart boots, dragging her pull-along suitcase behind her rather than just stand there and wait or pay for a cab.
Waiting was for losers. Scott would never have waited—and neither would she.
She had waited for her parents to stop telling her that she was ridiculous to throw away her heritage to take up photography instead of fine art. Then waited in vain for her father to acknowledge her talent as she worked with him on his paintings, day after day, week after week until she was doing most of the work.
Slipping off her damp coat, she strolled slowly down the hallway to the kitchen, her feet dragging and her boots feeling like lead weights. Each step made the old floorboards creak and the sound echoed down the tall empty hallway, but she had become used to each familiar sound in this tiny house. Her faithful friends were the chiming of the grandfather clock in the hall and the faint whistling of the wind in the eaves.
Toni looked through the stained glass panel from the kitchen into the artist’s studio where her father used to invite sitters. In summer the house was filled with coloured light and seemed a magical place, bright and positive and bursting with life.
But at that moment it was dark, wet and windy and the sleet lashed against the roof and the only light was from the streetlight outside streaming in from the glass panel over the front door.
And as she stood there in the kitchen, suddenly exhausted, Toni slid sideways on to a hard wooden chair at the kitchen table with her back against the wall as though the events of the day were too heavy to carry any longer.
What a day!
For a start, she didn’t usually go around kissing men she had just met. In fact this was a first. And the fact that she had enjoyed it enormously didn’t change the fact that she might just have made a huge mistake.
Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Boss? Page 8
