The crunch of gravel under her feet soothed her troubled thoughts and she slowed up as the house came into sight. Maybe there was something to this exercise gig, after all, she mused, feeling better. Or was it that she was now anticipating her morning coffee instead?
A small smile lightened her face. Before becoming a doctor she had imagined they were all the epitome of healthiness but really...everyone had their vices and coffee was hers.
Using the bottom of her singlet top to wipe the sweat from her brow, Carly climbed the stone steps that led to the rear balcony and outdoor breakfast table. It was too early for Benson to be up but she still needed to go over the day’s menu plan with Mrs Carlisle and—
‘Keeping your assets in shape, I see.’
That deep, modulated voice gave Carly a start, the mocking words threatening her earlier resolve to treat this man with distant courtesy and nothing more.
He was once again wearing his faded jeans that surely fitted just a little too snugly, but he’d paired them with a dark grey shirt worn out and rolled at the sleeves, and of course those boots again. The outfit should have looked too casual but on him it looked somehow right, drawing the eye to his wide shoulders and long legs, and Carly hated that her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him.
He gave her a lazy smile as if to say that he knew the effect he was having on her, but little did he know that blatant displays of masculinity had never impressed her overly much. She much preferred someone who displayed gentleness over toughness.
‘Good morning, Mr James.’ She continued up the steps as if her heart weren’t jumping around inside her chest. ‘I can recommend a stroll in the east garden this time of the morning. It has a lovely French feel about it.’
‘I’m not one for feeling gardens, Miss Evans. French or otherwise.’
Annoyed at the twist he put on her words, Carly kept her back to him as she uncapped the water bottle she had left on the outdoor breakfast table before her run.
‘I hope you slept well,’ she finally said as he stopped beside her.
‘Do you?’
Carly’s eyes snapped to his as he leant against one of the teak chairs. ‘Let’s not start this again.’
‘Start what?’ he asked innocently.
‘The cat-and-mouse game you played last night.’ She eyed him balefully. ‘I do so hope you enjoyed yourself.’
‘Not half as much as I wanted to,’ he said, gazing at her through heavily lidded eyes.
Carly was trying very hard to remain calm when he reached for her water bottle and plucked it from her suddenly nerveless fingers. Keeping eye contact, he took a healthy swallow before handing it back. ‘Thanks.’
With narrow-eyed calm Carly set the bottle on the table. No way could she drink from it now and by his grin he had expected that reaction from her. Fuming that he should think her so predictable, she snatched the bottle back up and guzzled most of it down.
Unfortunately his deep, amused laugh made her spill some of it and she angrily swiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
‘You missed some on your, ah, singlet,’ he advised her helpfully.
‘If you’re looking for your grandfather he doesn’t get up before eight-thirty,’ she advised waspishly.
‘I wasn’t.’
‘Then if you’re heading out for a stroll, please don’t let me detain you.’
‘I’m not.’
‘Then what do you want?’ she snapped, raising her chin and wishing she hadn’t when his eyes dropped to her mouth.
Her breath felt trapped in her lungs as her body responded to his sensual gaze with a mind of its own and she stood in appalled silence like a bystander observing a horror car smash.
She couldn’t want him. It just wasn’t possible and yet all the signs were there... She knew because she’d read about them. She’d just never experienced them before, not without being touched first, and never as strongly as this.
Carly swallowed, thankful that he couldn’t possibly know what was going on inside her head, her body. She took a backward step away from him, reminding herself that his interest was no doubt a falsehood designed to give him some advantage over her. After all, he did think she was sleeping with his grandfather!