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"No. I'm naked underneath my robe."
Errol's eyes go wide. "You're what?"
"Naked underneath my robe. I prefer to sleep in the nude."
He sputters but keeps glancing at my body. "Why would you do that?"
"Because I do. What I do or don't wear when I'm alone in my bedroom is none of your business."
Unless he wants to join me in my bed. His hot body scrambles my brain, and that's my only excuse for how much I want him.
He rubs his jaw, then tears his gaze away from my body, looking me in the eye. "Your doorbell is broken."
"I know. The landlord can't come out to fix it until Friday."
"Well, I could, ah, fix it for you. If ye like."
"Really?"
"Aye."
Maybe I should let him do that, but I don't want him to think I'm accepting his offer because I hope to get something from him in return. But his suggestion makes me a touch suspicious. "Why do you want to fix my doorbell? You keep telling me to go away."
"Pardon me for being neighborly." He shakes his head. "You can't accept a hand unless you're paying me to do it. Isn't that right? You're a cynic, Ashley."
"No, I'm a realist." I step back and push the door open further. "Want to come in?"
He peers around me to see inside the house. "I don't know if that's a good idea."
"Afraid I'll tear your clothes off and have my way with you? I'm smaller and a lot less muscular, which means I can't overpower you, Errol."
"Not worried about that."
"Then come inside. We should discuss things." I turn sideways and spread an arm. "Maybe this time you'll let me finish talking. At least you can't order me to leave the premises."
Errol sighs, and his shoulders relax. "All right. I'll come in for a wee bit."
He hurries past me but halts abruptly when he notices the furniture. "All you have is a sofa and a coffee table. Not a fan of decking out your home, are ye?"
"I just moved in today." Being evasive seems like the smartest move right now. I don't care to explain that I'm strapped for cash because nearly all of my money is tied up in the expedition. "We can both fit on the sofa without getting too cozy."
Errol carefully sits down at the nearest end of the sofa. He glances around while fidgeting.
Do I make him that uncomfortable? I know I've been relentless in my attempts to talk him into helping me, but I'm not a monster. As I walk past Errol, he throws me a wary sidelong look. I'd better do something to convince him I don't want to lock him in my basement. Does this house even have one of those?
Settling onto the opposite end of the sofa, I rearrange my robe so I won't accidentally flash anything I don't want him to see. My robe only has a belt to tie it closed, after all. "I'm surprised you came to see me. Why did you do that, anyway?"
"I haven't really given you a chance to explain your proposal." He winces and scratches behind his ear. "This morning, I had the idea that I should harass you as revenge for the way you've harassed me. But I'm not the vengeful sort. I spent all afternoon trying to figure out what to do. Finally, I decided to come over here and talk to you."
"Are you going to listen this time?"
"Aye, I'll listen. But I need to ask you a question first."
"Okay."
"Why do you keep trying to seduce me?" He winces again. "I meant that you seem like a nice enough lass. Despite your harassment, I cannae believe you throw yourself at men all the time."
My knee-jerk response is to be offended, but I can tell Errol didn't mean it that way. I haven't behaved like myself lately, so I understand his confusion. "No, I don't ever do that. I can't deny that I'm insanely attracted to you, but that lust makes me feel off balance."
