Page 45 of Kissing the Sheriff
She looked at her drab parlor. “I hadn’t thought of it. Just moving some furniture around and dusting.”
“This is your home, Cassie.” He motioned to the room. “Don’t you want to enjoy it?”
“Yes, of course, but you’re doing too much.”
“Are you telling me you don’t think it needs it?”
Her hand went to her chest again. “Of course it needs it. Anyone can see that. But … oh, doggone it, you’re making me feel guilty.”
He put his list back in his pocket. “Why? Don’t you deserve to live in a nice home?”
She looked around again. “It is sort of dark in here, isn’t it?”
Not to mention, dingy, dreary, depressing. Conrad shrugged. “It could do with some brightening up.” He went to one wall. “You’ve probably had this dark paint for years. It matches the outside of the house. But you’ve seen Letty’s place.”
“Yes, I liked it. It’s just …”
He approached and looked her in the eyes. “Cassie, you deserve a happy home.”
She stiffened. “I suppose.”
He studied her. Did she not think so? Good grief, maybe she didn’t! “Say it.”
Her eyebrows shot up in question. “What?”
“Let me hear you say it.” He cleared his throat. “Conrad,” he said in a high-pitched voice. “I believe I deserve to have a wonderful home.”
Her jaw dropped right before she laughed.
He continued. “My house will be the best house in town. Until Phileas works on the hotel, I will outshine him. I must enjoy my happy home before he takes over the hotel. Then there will be no living with him.”
Cassie laughed harder. “That’s terrible …snort… but true! Dora will be boasting about her hotel to everyone.”
He smiled as he watched her giggle. “So will Phileas. Seriously though, take advantage of us while we’re here.”
Her laughter stopped. “Yes, I should. Thank you. You’ve all been so kind to us.”
He shrugged again and took out his list. “Now about upstairs. Are you going to move into your father’s old room?”
She glanced at the door to the staircase. “No. I like it up there.” She looked at him and smiled. “You could say it’s my own crow’s nest.”
Conrad nodded. “The captain does have a dandy one. The biggest I’ve ever seen.”
She smiled at the remark then went to the door and opened it. “I could move my sewing things into Pa’s old room.”
He joined her and looked up the stairwell. “That’s a good idea. You’d have more room and it’s on the south side of the house. There’s a good amount of daylight.”
She nodded as she looked at him, and he noticed how close together they were. “Yes,” she agreed softly.
It almost did him in. “Let’s go up, shall we?” He motioned her to precede him, and she started up the stairs. Conrad waited a few seconds, took a deep breath and followed. She was lovely, bordering on intoxicating. How was this simple country sheriff getting under his skin? That shewas sheriffshould have him running for the hills, as they said in America.
“Everything on the landing here can go into Pa’s old room. I can move some of his things up here and make this a reading area.”
“He has a bookshelf – we could put it over there.” He pointed to one wall. “If you like, you could bring his chair up here. That way no one else uses it but you.” He smiled at her, looked into her eyes, and was lost. How did she get so pretty, so fast? Yes, he was attracted to her before but nothing like this.
Maybe it was because today, everything he did had more purpose behind it. He wanted to please her, make her happy. Normally he liked having a pretty woman on his arm to parade around and dance with at balls and parties because it made him look good. As soon as he tired of one, he’d find another. It was a simple system that had worked the last several years. Coming to America was changing him and he wasn’t sure if it was for the better. Good grief, the next thing he knew he’d be thinking of marriage!
“What are you staring at?”
