“Hardly. It’s a just a gate.” And a design he’d been working on for months.
“It’s art,” she said flatly.
“I seem to remember a threat to drive your car through some of that same art.”
He couldn’t tell for sure, but he thought she blushed again.
“I was annoyed.”
“I remember. Look, I hate to change the subject here, but what are you planning to do tonight if your father isn’t back yet?”
“I hadn’t thought about it. Where are you staying?”
Desire tightened his body. “Out here,” he managed to say neutrally. “You’d be welcome to join me, but I only have the one sleeping bag.”
Her eyes widened. Then, surprisingly, she smiled and shook her head, creating fascinating ripples in her long hair.
“Thanks, but I’ve got a nice comfortable bed inside the house.”
“With no electricity and a possible intruder for company,” he pointed out. He wasn’t sure if it was the idea of her going back inside that house alone, or the fact that she didn’t seem to view him as a threat anymore that bothered him the most. He told himself it was the former. He definitely didn’t like the idea of her sleeping alone in that enormous house, even if he did think she’d been imagining things.
“You don’t need to worry,” she said as if tapping into his thoughts. “Someone must be home by now. Marcus goes to bed when the sun goes down. This is a late night for him.”
The ice in Hayley’s tone every time she referred to her father never ceased to surprise Bram, making it hard for him to stem his curiosity.
“Your father might have gone away for a few days,” he suggested. “You said he wasn’t expecting you.”
“Marcus seldom leaves Heartskeep and his precious roses. Not since—” She stopped abruptly. “Anyhow, you don’t have to worry about me. I grew up in that house. I can always lock my bedroom door.”
Brave words, but Bram saw the tiny tremor she tried to conceal. She wasn’t nearly as comfortable with the idea as she wanted him to believe. Despite his determination not to get involved, he wasn’t about to let her do something stupid.
“I’ll go with you,” he stated.
Hayley stilled. He was mollified by her renewed apprehension. She was entirely too trusting for her own good.
“To the house,” he added. “I’d feel better if I had a look around.”
“That isn’t necessary.”
“Maybe not, but I don’t see any letter S on your chest, either.”
Stupid. He shouldn’t have drawn attention to her chest again. Her nipples were clearly raised beneath the thin material of her blouse. He’d been trying not to think about that fact, because it certainly wasn’t due to the eighty-something degree temperature out here. He darn well didn’t want to think about what else might be causing the reaction.
“I appreciate your concern—” she began apprehensively.
“Hayley, if I was going to attack you, I would have done it a long time ago. I’m not into molesting young women.”
Her chin raised a defiant notch. “Just older women, huh?”
“Yes,” he said bluntly. “You don’t qualify. Now, come on.”
Acting avuncular went against the grain. His body was not feeling anything close to avuncular. Without waiting, he scooped up her overnight case and set off through the trees, cursing under his breath. What was he doing? Rescuing maidens in distress wasn’t part of his job description. He was a loner and he liked it that way. Hayley had permanence stamped all over her.
As the trees parted and the house came into view, Bram was reminded of exactly why he was helping her. Heartskeep should have been an attractive old mansion. It wasn’t. Not only was it in need of major repairs, but a brooding air of menace seemed to hover over the place like a cloud. He wasn’t given to flights of fancy, but Heartskeep gave him the creeps.
HAYLEY HAD TO TROT to keep pace with Bram’s much longer legs. The arrogant man didn’t seem to notice or care. How could he be so nice one minute and such a jerk the next? Thank heavens he didn’t know about the fantasy that had run through her mind during their quiet meal. Utterly ridiculous, of course, but she couldn’t remember ever being more attracted to a man.
Or more annoyed by one.
Bram Myers was a dichotomy she couldn’t ignore. He certainly didn’t seem to be having any problem ignoring her—except for that one brief moment when their hands had touched. Hayley didn’t want to think about that surge of physical awareness. She was used to men finding her attractive, but she’d never felt such a strong reciprocation. He wasn’t even her type. She preferred preppy, outgoing blondes, not dark, brooding men.
Fortunately, as the house rose out of the darkness, her thoughts were pulled from the disturbing memory of her physical reaction to the man. She was relieved by his presence at her side as they drew closer. Bram might be a total stranger, but he offered her a much needed sense of security. Her gaze traveled to the window where she was sure she’d seen some sort of motion earlier. She didn’t like this scared, sick feeling she had.
Unlocking the door, she stepped boldly into the main foyer and felt around for the light switch. To her intense relief, the electricity was back on. Like everything else in need of repair around here, the huge, dirty chandelier had several burned out bulbs, adding unwanted atmosphere in the enormous front hall.
Hayley called out once more. There was no response.
“You can’t stay here,” Bram said bluntly. His gaze swept past the grand piano in the far corner and the wide staircase rising to the second floor. The massive living room loomed ominously dark beyond the stairs.
While she wanted to agree with him, she stubbornly shook her head. “I won’t be chased out of my own home. However, if you’d like a change of pace, you could spend the night here with me.”
She wanted to bite her careless tongue. Bram stared at her in total silence. She knew exactly what he was thinking.
“I didn’t mean with me,” she corrected, practically stumbling over the words. “I meant in a bed. There are several empty rooms. You can have your pick. I thought you’d appreciate a change from a sleeping bag on the ground. You know, since you’re worried about me staying here all alone.”
Oh, Lord, she was rambling like a schoolgirl on her first date. If she had an ounce of brains she’d get back in her car and leave. What was she doing, inviting a total stranger to spend the night with her? Despite his kindness, and her undeniable attraction, she wasn’t sure she even liked the man.
No, that wasn’t true. She liked him just fine. Maybe too fine. As weird as it seemed, for some reason she felt safe with Bram. She couldn’t say the same about staying in Heartskeep alone.
“Your father wouldn’t approve,” Bram said mildly.
Her hackles rose. “So what? I’m an adult, not a child. As I told you, he doesn’t own this house. I do.”
“Maybe so,” Bram said softly, “but he’s the one who hired me.”
Hayley wavered. Should she stay or go? She glanced around uneasily. She could never remember a time when Heartskeep had been empty. If her mother or grandfather hadn’t been home, Kathy or Mrs. Walsh had always been around. Why weren’t they here now? The housekeeper and her daughter were practically members of the family. This cold emptiness was all wrong. If only Leigh was with her.
She should leave, only it would take twenty minutes to drive to The Inn outside Stony Ridge. She was already exhausted from the drive down