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“You wouldn’t love it so much if you’d lived in it,” he muttered, bracing himself against the counter with both hands.
A hand to his arm, she offered her best pleading look. “Please don’t knock it down. I’ll help. I’ll manage the project if you’d like.” He looked at her. “Please let me do this.”
He shook his head to himself. “I didn’t intend to stick around for long.”
“Even though you said you wanted me back?”
Either he hadn’t been serious or he’d somehow expected to win her over easily. Or he’d changed his mind. Oh. Of course he had. How could she be stupid enough to think—
“If I agree not to sell, will you give me another chance?”
Yes, she wanted to say.Oh God, yes. It was like every teenage dream come true. How many times had she written Maddie Steele in her diary with little hearts and flowers around it? But inner teenage Maddie was reckless and outer teenage Maddie was sensible enough to understand marrying someone like Sawyer wouldn’t have been all hearts and flowers. And she’d been prepared for that once before. But not anymore.
Grown up Maddie knew there were no hearts and flowers too. She closed her eyes and opened them swiftly. But she could rescue a house.And, a little part of her whispered,you could have some fun too.She had sorely missed the side of her that Sawyer brought out—the fun, illogical side and the way he somehow silence her sensible, staid inner voice that refused to let her do anything unless she’d thought it through several hundred times. After all, what was the worst that could happen? She’d spend a little time with him, get to work on the house that she loved the most in the world and then send him on his way. Maybe it would even heal a little of the hurt that still resided in her chest if they parted as friends.
“I told you I won’t make any promises,” she said. “But if you let me help you with the house and you promise not to sell it, I’ll give you a chance.”
He contemplated her. His green eyes penetrated deep into her soul and he shifted so he stood in front of her. The kettle bubbled and clicked, making her jump.
“You’ll seriously give me a chance, if I let you manage my house that I’m going to sell? And I mean a proper chance, Maddie. I’m deadly serious about wanting you back.”
She nodded. Maddie’s throat was like sandpaper so she didn’t even try to respond. Sawyer leaned close and rested his palms on the marble worktop either side of her. She skipped her gaze from each hand, noting the thick width of them and the veins in the backs. They were man’s hands—so unlike the boy she’d known, even at eighteen. What would they feel like against her skin?
“You want to do all that work just to save that house?” He came closer, moving as though doing a press-up. His muscles flexed against the flannel shirt.
She nodded again.
“And you’ll let me convince you that I’m the man for you?”
“Yes,” she managed.
Now he was close enough to kiss her. If she just pursed her lips and inched ever-so-slightly forward, their lips would be touching. But he was the predator here. Yet again, Sawyer had the advantage and she was twisted into knots. She longed to take back the power somehow and show him she wasn’t the same old Maddie, always playing it safe.
Perhaps dating Sawyer wouldn’t be such a bad idea. He’d help her learn to make impulsive decisions. He’d help her live in the moment and all that sort of stuff.
“You’ll let me...” his gaze dropped to her lips, giving her a view of those perfect long lashes against his cheeks, “convince you to marry me?”
“Yes.” The word came out as thin as sheet ice. She wasn’t sure she’d said it aloud until his lips curved into a smug grin. What had she just said? Marriage? What? No. She didn’t even know him now. But it was too late. The word was out there.
That smug grin made her want to shock him. It snapped something inside and she ducked out from the trap he’d created. She grinned. Now who had the power? He faced her and though the smug grin was still in place, it was a reluctant one of acknowledgement. She hoped he was suffering as much as she. She hoped he’d wanted to kiss her as badly as she’d wanted it. Maybe then she could have just a tiny fragment of power in whatever this was between them. It wouldn’t do to let him have it all.
“Tomorrow then?” he asked.
Maddie frowned. “Tomorrow what?”
“You. Me. A date.”
“Oh, right. Um...” She mentally scanned her diary for the week and nodded. “Sure. And we can discuss the house?”
His smile grew more lopsided. And more charming. “It’s a deal. Come by at seven.”
Her stomach had become a whirlpool of anxiety and excitement. A date with Sawyer Steele.Oh my God.
Mentally straightening herself, she offered her coolest smile. “I’ll see you then.”
“See you tomorrow, Maddie.”
She didn’t turn to view him. He’d be leaning against the kitchen counter, looking as smug and as sexy as ever. The way he’d said her name rang in her ears when she stepped out of the holiday cottage. As she pulled the door shut behind her, she drew in a long breath of salty air. A date with Sawyer Steele. What on earth had she let herself in for?
