He didn’t think it wise to let her know that she scared the stuffing out of him. He was trying not to admit that, even to himself.
Andrew dressed in casual clothing he’d taken from his closet, Nicole in a sweater and jeans that she’d dug out of the overnight bag he’d fetched from the bedroom where he’d originally led her. The bedroom he was very glad she hadn’t stayed in.
He sat on the end of the bed and watched as she applied a deft touch of makeup, leaving her hair to dry naturally into a delightfully untamed cascade of curls. She didn’t fuss over her appearance, he noted approvingly. The little makeup she applied was intended to enhance rather than conceal. Though she obviously took pride in her appearance, she wasn’t especially vain about it. He liked that. But then, there were many things he liked about Nicole.
“Do you have plans for the day?” he asked.
She shook her head. “Nothing in particular. I’ll probably make a few Happy New Year calls, then be lazy for a few hours.”
“You can do that here. There’s no need for you to go back to that motel. You got all your things out of your room, didn’t you?”
She nodded. “Most of my possessions are in storage until I find an apartment. But I don’t want to take advantage of your hospitality, Andrew. I can find a nicer motel for tonight.”
Everything inside him rebelled at the idea. “Stay with me today. And tonight.”
She set down her mascara and turned to face him, her dark eyes searching his face. And then she spoke. “All right. If you really want me to.”
“I want you to.”
She smiled. “Then I’d be delighted. Thank you.”
He felt as though he should thank her instead. But he only nodded and changed the subject. “You must be hungry. We never did get anything to eat last night.”
“I’m starving,” she said fervently.
“So am I. I’m sure Martha has something already prepared. She’d expect me to wake up hungry.”
“Martha?”
“My housekeeper. She’s a great cook.”
She twisted a curl around her fingertip. “Do you think she already knows that you, er, have company?”
“Probably. Not much that happens around here escapes her attention.”
Nicole didn’t quite meet his eyes. “I see.”
He thought he’d better prepare her for his housekeeper. “Martha has been with me a long time. She tends to treat me rather like a grandson, rather than an employer. There’s little formality between us.”
“And how will she react to me?”
“She’ll like you,” he predicted. Martha, like his mother, had been badgering him for some time to find a woman. She’d never been overly fond of Ashley, though she’d always been gracious enough to his former fiancée. She would probably approve of Nicole right off the bat. To be honest, he couldn’t imagine anyone not liking Nicole.
Nicole took a deep breath and gave him a smile that made her look a bit shy and vulnerable and infinitely sweet. “Well, since I’m about to faint from hunger, I suppose we’d better go find her.”
It was all he could do not to take her in his arms. He wasn’t at all eager to leave this room with her, to share her with the outside world. He had to remind himself that she needed food. As for him, the only thing he needed at the moment was Nicole.
Trouble, he thought again. Serious trouble.
But, for once, he found himself unwilling to consider the consequences of his actions. He had Nicole to himself for another day. He planned to enjoy every moment of it.
7
“WELL, GOOD MORNING.” The kind-faced, broad-hipped housekeeper greeted them as Nicky and Andrew entered the kitchen in search of food.
“Good morning,” Andrew replied. He tugged lightly at Nicole’s hand, pulling her forward. “Martha, this is Nicole Holiday. Nicole, my housekeeper, Martha Porter.”
Nicky noticed only a glimmer of curiosity in the older woman’s eyes, and that was quickly masked. “Nice to meet you, Miss Holiday,” Martha said. “Are you hungry?”