Page 21 of Snowed in with the Enemy

Lee

“This place is…wow.” Nix looked around the foyer with a wide-eyed expression that only intensified as we moved deeper into the house. She stopped in the living room and smiled at me over her shoulder. “This is a lot of room for one man.”

I shrugged off the question. “When he’s free, Mac stays here. Mostly I just like my space.”

“No kidding.” She ran her hand along the sofa, the framed artwork and the floor vases. “It’s all very beautiful and tasteful.”

I heard the reproach in her tone and frowned. “But?” The decorator had followed my specifications exactly. “You don’t like it?”

“It’s not about liking or not liking, everything is nice. This place just doesn’t feel like the Lee I know, that’s all.”

I wasn’t sure how to address that. “It’s not cold and stiff and formal?”

“No, it is. This place is what I expect a decorator to do for a guy like you but there’s no traces of you in here. You and Mac are close, where are the photos of you growing up? Your aunt and uncle? Just gorgeous, pricey artwork.”

I gave her words careful consideration. They weren’t a criticism as I originally thought but just a keen observation. “I guess you’re right. I never gave it much thought.”

She laughed. “I’ll bet your office is a better reflection of you as a person,” she teased.

“Probably. If you’re good maybe I’ll show you after dinner.”

“I’m always good.” Her flirtatious tone put me in a better mood than I’d been since we parted ways several days ago.

“So good. Let’s see what the chef made for dinner.”

“Chef?” She lifted her pinky finger in the air. “Fancy pants.” She was unable to maintain her serious expression and burst out laughing. “Smells amazing though.” She inhaled deeply as I took her hand and led her into the kitchen. “Really amazing. Did this chef come with you?”

“Yeah, he’s amazing and he’s been traveling with me for about six years now.” I looked in the oven and smiled.

“You don’t have one place you live all the time?”

“No. I spend anywhere from one to three years overseeing my developments.” It was another reason I didn’t have many close relationships.

Nix froze and turned slowly until her eyes met mine. “So once this resort is up and running, you’ll move again?”

“Very likely.”

She swallowed and then nodded but her expression remained blank. “Then maybe we should consider this a fling with an end date.”

“Why?”

“Because,” she sighed. “I’m not a casual kind of girl and I’m not sure I can go into this knowing that we’re going to end even if things end up being wonderfully amazing and perfect. But a fling means we keep things light and carefree, nothing too serious.”

That wasn’t what I wanted at all. “Can I change your mind?”

She shrugged. “You can try.”

That’s what I set out to do over a delicious meal of lamb, potatoes and vegetables, charm her and romance her until there was no question that we owed ourselves this chance. “How’s the food?”

Her smile was brilliant. “Amazing. You have excellent taste in chefs, Lee.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at her backhanded compliment. “I have excellent taste in many things.” My gaze was heated, leaving no doubt as to who I was talking about.

Pink bloomed on her cheeks, beautiful and brilliant. “Well I can’t fault your taste in most things, so you can have that one. Dessert will seal the deal one way or the other.”

I loved her playful side. It wasn’t a side I often saw with women, they were too busy trying to impress me or seduce me, Nix was just being herself. Always. “Before dessert, I’d like to show you something.”

“Etchings?” Her right brow arched high, her lips curled up into a teasing grin.

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