Читать книгу The Honeymoon House - Patty Salier - Страница 10

Three

Paul’s fingers froze on the ignition key as he watched Danielle walk over to the railing and look up at the star-filled sky.

Through the trees, he could see that she was wearing a flimsy nightgown. The light from the living room filtered through the fabric. Her breasts jutted out against the material, and he could barely see her nipples protruding.

Paul held his breath. He forgot he was in his van, parked on her street. He was aware only of Danielle’s naked hourglass form silhouetted under her nightie.

His hands were perspiring as he held the steering wheel. He slowly opened the van window to let in more air so he could breathe. His body became wide-awake.

Just then, Danielle leaned over the railing and peered down at the street. Paul’s heart hammered against his ribs. He was invading her privacy. He hoped she didn’t see his van through the Monterey pines lining the sidewalk.

On her balcony, Danielle stretched her body and breathed in the sweet, pine-scented evening air. Then she went back into her apartment, locked the balcony door and leaned against the glass door.

Was that Paul’s van she’d seen in the shadows of the pines and the streetlights? Her skin tingled under her nightgown at the thought that he might have been watching her.

What a crazy idea, she silently told herself as she drew the white curtains across the balcony door. Why would Paul Richards be parked outside her apartment at four in the morning, watching her? Was this just another of a zillion fantasies she was having about him?

She went to the refrigerator and poured herself a glass of cold orange juice to cool her heated body. Paul Richards had been permeating her mind all evening. That’s why she couldn’t sleep and had gone out on the balcony. No wonder she thought she’d seen his van parked under the trees, as he admired her from afar.

When she put back the orange juice, she noticed the hammer magnet Paul had left on the refrigerator door. Why had he put his magnet on her door? Did he feel as close to her as she felt to him? She gently touched the metal, as though caressing him.

She quickly brushed away her sensual thoughts and returned to her bedroom, where Lisa was lightly snoring. She quietly climbed into her twin bed.

As she lay on her back, she felt an aching in the tender area between her legs. She couldn’t get rid of the vision of Paul watching her standing in her nightgown on the balcony.

She closed her eyes and pictured Paul’s warm palm snuggled between her thighs, caressing her to ultimate pleasure. She didn’t remember falling asleep.

At her architectural office, Danielle anxiously checked the coffeemaker to see if her mocha java brew was ready. Her plans for Mr. Harrington’s honeymoon house had been approved by the building department, but she had a couple of small revisions she wanted to discuss with him. A meeting had been arranged for that morning.

She set up two chairs at her petite conference table. She constantly shifted them to get the perfect angle to talk to Mr. Harrington. She glanced at the digital clock on her desk. He was expected at any moment.

She couldn’t wait to tell him about her new ideas for the interior of his house. She flipped through the spec sheets she’d written designating the specific details, such as white metal windows, recessed lighting, a marble floor in the entry, thick beige carpeting upstairs in the master bedroom and plenty of custom-made closets. She’d listed high-quality everything.

She knew that the more she pleased Mr. Harrington with her work the closer she came to asking him if he could select her as the architect for his children’s library.

The loud knock on her office door startled her. She held her breath and excitedly opened the door.

“Mr. Harrington, I—” Her words caught in her throat when she saw Paul Richards standing there. “Paul, what are you doing here?”

“Am I late?” he asked, looking a bit concerned. His muscular arms were filled with folders and papers that were about to spew out on the floor.

She leaned out the door frame. “Where’s Mr. Harrington?”

“Didn’t you get his message?”

“No,” she replied, panicking.

As Paul struggled to balance the stack of materials, she glanced at her answering machine. The message light was blinking. She’d been so nervous and excited about her meeting that she’d forgotten to check her machine.

“Mr. Harrington had an emergency out-of-town business meeting.”

She felt totally thrown off balance. “Does he want to reschedule the meeting?” She needed to keep the momentum going with Mr. Harrington so he’d see how prompt and efficient she was.

Paul grabbed a couple of papers that almost fell to the floor. “He sent me in his place.”

She stared at Paul in disbelief. “You’re going to sit in for him?”

“I hope you don’t mind.”

She nervously clasped and unclasped her hands. “No, no, it’s fine.” But it wasn’t fine. She needed to show her architectural talents to Mr. Harrington, not Paul.

Her stomach knotted. She knew why Paul had been sent. He was there to guarantee that she didn’t make any mistakes. Mr. Harrington still didn’t completely trust her abilities.

Paul’s muscular arms strained from the weight of the folders. “Is there anywhere I can set these down?”

“Oh, sure. Right here.”

As she moved behind him in the tiny space to get to the conference table, her breasts brushed against his broad back. A hot sensation rushed up her legs.

As Paul put down the folders, her eyes met his. He’d felt the electricity, too. How was she going to have a serious meeting when her mind was ensconced in her fantasies about Paul?

Just then, her telephone rang, jolting her out of her momentary sensual reverie about Paul. “I—I’ll be right back,” she stammered.

When she picked up the phone, Mr. Harrington was on the other end.

“Danielle, please forgive my last-minute change of plans,” he said. “I’m sure you’ll have no problem working closely with Paul.”

“Of course I won’t, Mr. Harrington.”

She glanced at Paul, who was sitting in a chair, sorting out papers on his lap. His royal-blue T-shirt hugged the muscles of his massive chest. His broad shoulders ached to be touched. His long legs were spread, and his powerful, muscular thighs glared out at her.

She quickly turned away from him, unable to think straight.

“Danielle, I told Paul my ideas for the master bedroom,” continued Mr. Harrington. “Please go over every detail with him. He’s aware of exactly what I like and may make a couple of suggestions of his own.”

“Mr. Harrington, when can I discuss the information with you?” she asked, needing to create a working relationship with him directly.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be in touch with you later in the day.”

“Sure,” she said disappointedly. “You’ll be pleased with the results of my meeting with Paul.”

Danielle’s hands felt cold as she hung up the phone. She’d wanted so badly to show Mr. Harrington how creative and competent she was.

“Is everything straightened out?” Paul asked, concerned.

“I think so,” she replied, feeling upset.

Paul walked over to her. “I’m sorry Mr. Harrington sent me over. I know you’d prefer working with him.”

Paul’s sensitivity to her feelings surprised her. “Why don’t we get to work?” she suggested, wanting to smooth things over. “I’m going to need a few more weeks to finish the spec sheets and make a few revisions on the approved framing plans.”

“Fine,” Paul said. “I’ll start framing when you give me those changes.”

She spread out her floor plan on the conference table. “Here’s the location of the master bedroom and master bath. As you’ll notice, I drew two large bedroom windows facing the Pacific Ocean.”

Paul shook his head. “I don’t think there should be two windows.”

She stared at him. “What’re you talking about? I’m putting in two windows.”

Paul spread his hand across the air. “I see floor-to-ceiling glass facing the blue sea.”

“Absolutely not!” she protested. “Mr. Harrington and his wife need privacy for when they—they—”

“Make love?” he added in a husky voice.

His charcoal eyes melted into hers, and she couldn’t think about her work anymore.

She bolted from her chair. “I’ll get us some coffee.”

At the coffeemaker, she could barely concentrate on pouring the brew into two cups. How could she work when Paul kept reminding her of how much she needed and wanted a man—that man being him!

Paul walked up behind her. He rested his large hand on the wall beside her. Her fingers trembled as she poured the coffee.

“Danielle, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

She turned and looked up at him. He was inches from her. She could feel the heat radiating from his body.

“I need this project to go smoothly, Paul.”

His eyes drowned in hers. “Danielle, I have the same need as you do.”

Stop fantasizing about kissing him! she silently shouted at herself.

“Paul, you’ve already established your working relationship with Mr. Harrington,” she added in an unsteady voice. Her entire being was concentrated on how physically close he was to her. “I want to create a good rapport with him, too.”