AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He was standing directly behind her. She raised her eyes, caught his in the glass.
“What I think,” she said quietly, “is that you’re a very kind and generous man.”
A muscle knotted in his jaw.
“There are gloves in the pockets,” he said. “I hope they fit.”
“Nick—”
“I’m not kind, Duchess. I’m not generous.” His teeth flashed in a quick, self-deprecating smile. “And as I already proved to both of us, I’m really not much of a man.”
CHAPTER NINE
They didn’t talk much during the drive back.
Really, what was there to say?
Still, Lissa couldn’t help glancing at Nick, at his stern profile, his hands so lightly spread on the steering wheel.
He was a man haunted by ghosts; that much was obvious, though she had no idea what those ghosts were—and what did it matter? She would never see him again after tomorrow.
And that was fine.
She had problems of her own. The last thing she wanted was to get involved with a man wrestling with demons. Not that she’d ever have become involved with him. If she’d slept with him last night, it would have been a one-time thing.
She was glad that hadn’t happened.
There was no reason to sentimentalize a twenty-four-hour relationship, but sex did have a way of complicating things.
No more complications.
Not until she had her life sorted out.
And if that was a little old-fashioned, so be it.
“So be it,” she murmured as Nick pulled up to the house.
“What?”
She looked at him. “I was just—I was just thinking about the weather. Any chance Hank will be able to get here today instead of tomorrow?”
Nick shook his head. “No. I spoke to him just before we went into town.” He opened his door, arranged his crutch to take his weight and stepped down. Brutus jumped after him. “I know you want to get out of here, but you’re going to have to wait until tomorrow morning.”
“That’s OK. I mean, that’s fine…”
Nick wasn’t listening. A couple of his men were coming toward them; they began unloading the boxes from the back of the truck. Lissa watched for a few seconds. Then she hopped down from the truck.
It was time to get to work, and that trip to town had been part of work.
It was best to remember that.
Nick’s guys were carrying the boxes into the kitchen and stacking them on the big worktable. Lissa left her new jacket and boots in the hall, went up to her room for her kitchen clogs. Downstairs again, she dug around in a couple of the boxes until she’d unearthed cheese, cold cuts and a bag of rolls.
She made the men a quick lunch. Nick didn’t join them. Fine. She’d be out of here tomorrow. Until then, the less they saw of each other, the better.
It would take at least an hour to put everything away. The big joint of meat in the sink was still frozen, but at least she could see that it was elk or moose. She’d get to it later. For now, she’d organize meals she’d make and freeze, then start dinner. She had a long afternoon’s work ahead of her, and that was absolutely fine.
* * *
