The Beautiful Widow - By Helen Brooks Page 0,23
nodded. ‘I see what you mean.’
‘And the yard at the back which is going to become the communal garden could be enclosed with ornamental iron railings augmented with the same design to tie in with the building.’
‘I like that.’ He smiled. ‘I like that very much. Do it.’
His approval brought pink into her cheeks but Steel was already striding up to the main doors. By the time he had unlocked them and stood aside for Toni to precede him into the old fusty factory she had gained control.
Seeing the building in its raw state made the project come alive. Carried along on a wave of enthusiasm, Toni found it easier to concentrate on the job in hand and ignore the attraction of the tall dark man prowling about at her side. She was full of ideas, some practical and some not so practical, but by the time they left she knew she could make each apartment spectacular. Initially the vast basement had been designed as a caretaker’s flat, but on seeing it Toni had suggested a much smaller, more compact one-bedroomed dwelling with the remaining space kitted out as a gym with sauna and steam rooms for the occupants of the apartments. ‘And a jacuzzi,’ she’d added, after Steel had approved the idea. ‘For the ladies.’
One dark eyebrow quirked. Steel turned from locking the front doors, a lazy smile twisting the stern mouth. ‘That’s a little sexist,’ he protested mildly. ‘Males like jacuzzis too.’
‘Not as much as women do.’
Steel shrugged, his silver-blue eyes watching the way the evening sunshine brought out the red in her dark brown hair. It was natural, he’d swear to it, he thought inconsequentially. When had he last seen a beautiful woman with hair that owed nothing to a bottle for its rich colour? ‘Don’t the pins and what have you in that thing make your head ache?’ he said suddenly, nodding at her tightly secured coil of hair.
She stared at him as if he’d gone mad—and perhaps he had, Steel thought ruefully. Personal remarks to employees weren’t his style.
‘A little, perhaps,’ she said slowly after a moment or two. ‘But it’s neat and out of the way for work.’
Steel glanced at his watch. ‘It’s nearly half-past five. You’re officially in your own time.’ He could hear himself speaking but didn’t seem able to stop himself.
If she understood she didn’t give any sign of it. ‘I can sketch out some of our new ideas and have them ready for you in the morning.’ Her voice was cool, businesslike. ‘Of course the cost will be pretty general at this stage.’
Damn the ideas. His body had been throbbing with sexual frustration all afternoon and now he gritted his teeth as he walked to the Aston Martin and opened the passenger door, helping her into the car. ‘There’s no rush.’ He leant one arm on the roof of the car and smiled at her. ‘Leave them till tomorrow. Fancy a drink now the working day is done?’
What are you doing? another part of his brain ground out. You’re breaking every rule in the book.
Ah, but they were his rules. He was the boss. He could break them if he chose to do so. Anyway, what was the matter in two working colleagues enjoying an end-of-day drink?
She seemed a little flustered but her voice was firm when she said, ‘Thank you, but no, I ought to get home. The girls will be having their bath soon and I like to be there when I can.’
Steel blinked, disconcerted to find he’d forgotten her children existed in the last few minutes. ‘No problem.’ He shut her door, mentally kicking himself as he walked round the bonnet.
When he slid into the car he saw she was sitting very straight and still. He cursed silently. During the afternoon she had relaxed with him and now they were back to square one. ‘How about I take you straight home now, unless you need to call in the office for anything?’ he suggested quietly. ‘That way you shouldn’t miss time with your children.’
She glanced at him and he saw her eyes were wary. ‘Thank you,’ she said after a moment or two. He got the feeling she would have liked to refuse the offer and wondered why. Was she bothered about what the neighbours would think when she was brought home in a nice car by a strange man, or didn’t she want to run the risk he might meet her family? Neither reason sat well