Beauty In His Bedroom. Ashley Summers

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СКАЧАТЬ course I had one!” Regina modified her tone again. “My home burnt to the ground, Mr. Whitfield. I lost everything I owned.” She shrugged. “End of story.”

      “I see.” Clint spread preserves on his bagel. “Is that why you lit into me about ‘abandoning’ my house?”

      “I suppose that played a part in it.” She sighed. “A big part. I’m sorry about that, too. It was uncalled for,” she admitted. “But your house did seem unloved. How long did you live here before you flew off to answer the call of the wild?”

      Amused by her droll tone, Clint replied, “I moved in right after it was finished, stayed two months, then left for Kenya.”

      “Why?” she asked, driven by an unruly need to know. “A love affair gone bad—or something like that?” she ended lamely. Meeting his opaque blue gaze, she flushed. Oh, Gina! Shut up, for godsakes!

      “No, nothing like that. I’m a widower, Miss Flynn.”

      “Oh!” Regina’s hand flew to her mouth. “Mr. Whitfield, I’m sorry—”

      “Nothing to be sorry about,” Clint said brusquely. “Since we’re getting into personal stuff, didn’t you have insurance on your house?”

      “Yes, enough to pay off the second mortgage. The contents weren’t insured, however. Living here gave me a month’s breathing space and I thank you for that. Anyway, I’ll be gone by this evening.”

      “No. You don’t have to leave.”

      Startled green eyes stared at him. “I don’t? But you—last night you were so angry at finding me here, I thought…” A smile suddenly wreathed her puzzled features. “Well, never mind what I thought. Do you really mean it? You’re not mad about…well, you know.”

      Clint shook his head, bemused by the effect she was having on him. Something on the order of a deer mesmerized by headlights, he thought, daring another glance into her dark-lashed eyes. Maybe that’s why I’m being such a sweetheart, he mocked his undisciplined responses. But she had a point. The service was free and no damage had been done that he could see. He didn’t give a damn about the house anyway. Why should he care if she stayed in it? Besides, he had a hunch the agency would take a different view if they learned she’d supplanted a client’s wishes. He had no desire to get anyone fired. Especially not someone who’d lost everything in a fire.

      “Yeah, I mean it,” he said gruffly. “I’m putting the house on the market and I figure your being here will help sell it faster than if it’s vacant,” he added, resorting to hard-nosed practicality. “So you can stay on…provided you cooperate with the Realtor in showing it, of course.”

      “Yes, of course.” She nibbled her lip. “I’ll have to think about it some.”

      “My presence won’t be a bother, if that’s what’s bugging you,” he said dryly. “I’m leaving town today to visit friends, then I’ll be in and out on business.”

      “I see,” Regina said, cool and crisp, even though curiosity was eating her alive. What kind of business? Where was he going? More important, when was he coming back? And would he be coming back here?

      Clint watched her closely, intrigued by the expressions flitting across her vivid face. Catching his regard, she blushed. “Okay, I’ll try it, but I don’t know,” she ended dubiously. “But I do thank you. You’ve been very kind.” She stood up and extended her hand. “Well, today is Friday, a workday for some of us. Goodbye, Mr. Whitfield. Nice meeting you.”

      “Yeah.” Clint gave a quick, hard laugh. “Same here, Miss Flynn. See you around.”

      Regina nodded, picked up her briefcase and hurried out to her car. Questions about Clint divided her attention as she drove to the office. How long had he been widowed? Although the subject had aroused no overt emotion, she’d sensed something beneath that hard mask, a sadness that went beyond grief.

      Was he still mired in the bitterness of his loss? If so, his wife must have been the love of his life, Regina thought wistfully. “None of which is your business, Gina,” she chided. But her heart still yearned for answers.

      Five days passed without any sign of a Realtor. Puzzled, Regina questioned that, too. Clint had seemed impatient to get it over with, close this part of his life. At least that’s how she’d read him.

      He really doesn’t care about this house, she concluded, hurrying in from work Wednesday evening. He hadn’t even walked through it before he left. “Sad, really sad,” she murmured.

      Hearing the phone ring, she ran down the hall to the den and grabbed the receiver. It was Katie, wanting to talk. Regina relaxed and enjoyed the half-hour chat with her sister. Katie found astonishment and delight in everything. This time it was a whole flock of baby toad-frogs no bigger than her little fingernail hopping in the grass.

      Regina hung up with a soft laugh. “Toad-frogs!” she chuckled. She’d started to walk away when the phone rang again. “Yes, Katie, what did you forget?” she asked indulgently.

      Silence.

      “Hello?” Her voice sharpened. “Who is this?”

      “Clint Whitfield.”

      Regina’s heart fluttered. “Mr. Whitfield! I’m sorry, I… How are you?” Idiotic, Gina! “Did you want something?” she asked, making it worse.

      “Yes, I want to know why you told Lamar about this…situation between us. I wasn’t going to mention it,” he said roughly. “I called the agency a few minutes ago about something else, and much to my surprise, your boss got on the line and apologized all over the place.”

      “Yes, well, I—I confessed what I’d done.”

      “Why would you do a dumb thing like that?”

      “Because it was the right thing to do.” She sighed. “Also because I wanted to tell him myself before he found out from someone else. Being found out by you was bad enough. He wasn’t too happy about it, either, raked me over the coals pretty good. But I figure I deserved it. And, too, I have a job review next week with potential for a promotion, so I’m glad to get this behind me.” Silence. “Are you back in town?”

      “Back in town.”

      “Oh. Are you still selling the house? I mean, I haven’t heard from any Realtors yet.”

      “That’s because I haven’t gotten around to any yet. I’ve been busy, Ms. Flynn,” he replied irritably. “I’m just passing through town, so it’ll be a few days before it gets done. This Lamar seemed more a personal friend than a boss.”

      The abrupt change of subject threw Regina. “Yes, he’s a friend. But also very much a boss,” she responded coolly. “Look, if you want to spend the night here—I mean, this is your house, so if you’d rather not go to a hotel…” She let it hang.

      “Thank you, but a hotel’s fine. Well, they’re calling my flight,” Clint said.

      He was relieved to find an excuse to end this disturbing contact. Pocketing his cell phone, he grabbed his bag and strode to the gate. Why had he made that remark about this СКАЧАТЬ