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“I don’t have a phone.”
“Really? I called and talked to someone named Simon who told me to drop by.” She looks over to my butler, who decides now is the perfect time to walk away.
“I think it’s time for tea.” He quickens his pace to move out of my reach.
“Did he?” I glare over her head to Simon’s retreating back. “I’ll have to speak to him about that.”
“I’m Pippa.” She juts her hand out and it hangs there between us as I stare at it.
I sigh, wipe my palm down my jeans and take her hand. It’s so small and soft and pale compared to mine. Her fingers are cold, and just then a cool breeze blows against my back and I realize I’m still shirtless. As if she is reading my thoughts, I watch her eyes move down my chest and to my stomach. I have the sudden urge to suck in and flex all at once, but when I see the edge of her tongue on the side of her lips, I wonder if she might just like what she sees.
I gently squeeze her hand and the pressure gets her attention. For a second I feel a smile tug at my lips and the feeling is so strange and foreign I’m shocked that it’s been so long since I’ve done it.
She tugs slightly on her hand and I let it go, although for a second I don’t want to. It’s like being in kindergarten and having a toy taken from me. A surge of anger flashes through me but I ignore it.
“Timber,” I say, and I have to clear my rough voice. “Why are you here?”
Her smile widens and I see the dimples on either side of her cheeks. My eyebrows pull together as I stare at them and I decide I don’t like dimples. They’re too goddamn sweet and innocent. I bet men fall all over themselves at the sight of them, and that thought makes me angry too. I need to go chop some more wood.
“I’ve come to see if I can rent your castle.” She shrugs that one bare shoulder and I decide I hate that too. Doesn’t she own a sweater that can cover her whole body? It’s October, for Christ’s sake. I don’t bother to look down at my own hypocritically bare chest.
“I don’t rent out my home.”
She cocks her head to the side and I wonder why she doesn’t have her hair pulled up. Seeing it down like this is obscene. Any man could reach out and run their fingers through it. I should find her some string.
“What about a trade? A favor?” she offers.
The images that flash in my mind at her giving me a favor should be illegal. I have to blink a few times and tighten my lips before I blurt out something I’ll regret.
“Such as?” I meant to say no, but the goddamn word didn’t come out. I clench my fists at my side as I move closer to her.
“My sister’s company wants to rent your castle for a party, and I know she’s offered you any amount of money you want.”
I recall a very tenacious woman coming by repeatedly to ask the very same thing and I’m wondering if this is the sister.
“But I can see that money might not be what you’re after.” Her eyes quickly glance down my body and back up in a flash as her cheeks heat. “So name what you want, whatever it is, and I’ll make sure you have it.”
My treacherous feet move closer to her and I curse under my breath as a mixture of heat and anger swirls inside me. They’re fighting to see which one takes control and even I don’t know which one will win.
“Whatever I want?” I confirm, and I think about how long it’s been since I’ve had a woman.
Her tongue darts out on her bottom lip and the sight of her wet mouth makes a groan form low in my stomach.
“Tea?” Simon asks from directly beside me and the moment is shattered.
I take a breath and then a step back to see him holding out a clean shirt for me. I yank it from his outstretched hands and tug it on, then turn and stomp towards the house. When I don’t hear her footsteps behind me, I call over my shoulder.
“Are you coming or not?”
Chapter Three
PIPPA
I stand there for a moment watching Timber stomp away from me. He’s asking if I’m coming with him but he doesn’t actually seem like he wants me to follow him.
“Go,” Simon whispers to me, and I jump, realizing I was staring at Timber’s backside and thighs. Normally I’d think someone behaving that way would be rude, but his grumpy attitude is kinda cute.
I speed walk to catch up with the man; he moves pretty quick for a giant. “Timber!” I shout his name so that I can catch up to him. This house is so massive I could easily get lost, and just as my thoughts begin to wander he turns around and I run right into him.
