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So it was that when he heard her car pull up outside hours later, hours after he’d called the moving company and paid them double to pack up her stuff and move it here, leaving nothing behind but the furniture the place came with, he took the stairs two at a time to get to the door.
CHAPTER 13
Celia felt the warmth in her tummy and the little blip in her heart when she saw him come to the door to greet her before she’d even turned the car off. She tried keeping the sappy smile off her face but failed miserably as she climbed out of the car and made her way towards him.
Riley lounged in the doorway with his shoulder propped against the jamb and watched her coming towards him. Sometimes, like now, he realizes just how fucking gorgeous she is, and it gets him in the gut each and every time. The thing that he likes most about it is that she doesn’t seem to know.
Celia felt gauche and unsure of herself as she reached him and stood there, not knowing what to do with herself. Give her a dead body, and she’s right at home in her element. But having a man look at her like that, especially this man, the one she’s been crushing on since moving to the little town, and she’s all thumbs and stumbling feet. Right now, she couldn’t even seem to find her tongue.
Riley snagged her around her middle and pulled her into him. “Hello, beautiful, how was work?” He didn’t give her a chance to answer before his mouth came down on hers, and she was once again acquainted with his tongue. Celia felt the day’s tension leave her and had the fleeting thought that if she could bottle the potency of his kisses, she’d never have a down day again.
Riley pulled back and looked down into her eyes with his arms still wrapped around her, his hands clasped right on top of her ass. “That’s better; you looked a little spooked when you drove up.” He leaned in and kissed the tip of her nose before taking her hand and pulling her into the house.
“I’ve got the grill going and the wine breathing, here…” He snagged a glass of red wine off the kitchen island where he’d left it earlier and passed it to her. “I could get used to this.” Celia took a sip and murmured with pleasure as he poured his own.
“Follow me.” Again Riley took her free hand and led her from the room and up the stairs. There was no sign of the housekeeper anywhere, and she was afraid to ask. With her hand held in his Riley took her up the stairs and a few doors down from the master suite.
“This is your new office.” He opened the door, and Celia tried not to balk. The desk was massively huge and looked like someone had spent hours shining the smooth wood finish. There was her laptop as well as what she knew to be a state of the art PC sitting on the desk next to it.
“All your files can go in here.” He pointed to the mahogany filing cabinets that had been built into the wall. “I didn’t think you’d want anyone going through your stuff, so I had them just put the boxes in here. I figured you’d get to them when you’re good and ready.
Celia looked toward the window where she had a perfect view of the hills that rolled behind this side of the house. It was amazing, with what looked like animals grazing in the distance, the red and white shine of the barns, and she thought she could even detect men milling around.
It’s one of those scenes that remind one just how eclectic nature can be. “Nice view.”
“I figured after dealing with the stuff that you do every day that this would be relaxing for you.”
“This wasn’t your office, was it? You didn’t give up your office on my account.”
“Nope, I’ll show you mine later.” He took her to the bedroom, where he walked into the closet to show her where her clothes were now hanging across from his in the room that seemed bigger than the little house she’d been renting. She looked at him a bit bemused. “You did all this?” Somehow she couldn’t see him unpacking her clothes and putting them all on hangars in such a coordinated way.
“No, I hired someone, and Eileen supervised them. Don’t look like that. I had a little talk with her. It’s not you that she’s opposed to, so don’t take it to heart, though if she offends you in any way, I want you to tell me. She’s just over-protective, that’s all.” He reassured her at the crestfallen look that had come across her face at the mention of the other woman.
