“What exactly did this woman say to you when she called yesterday?”
Anna smoothed her short blonde hair behind her ears, a familiar habit of hers. “Not much, just that she was interested in restoring the old Victorian house into an inn and that she wanted to see us ASAP. When I told her we had other clients before her…” Anna stopped to rub her thumb and index finger together, “…she made us an offer we couldn’t refuse.”
Lindsay dropped her hand from her forehead, giving her eyes time to adjust to the late-afternoon brightness, and then carefully climbed the dilapidated stairs. She tucked her flirty blue skirt around her knees, taking care not to touch the moldy weathered railings.
“Well, no one says we have to take the offer,” Lindsay said, already deciding she’d rather pass on the contract. Pulling her toenails off with pliers would be less painful than taking this place from ordinary to extraordinary. They had enough work to last them until Christmas as it was. Exorbitant amounts of money or not, Lindsay would rather decline. And she was pretty certain no one was going to change her mind on that point, obstinate witch that she was. Of course, they’d all have to consult with one another first and come to a unanimous decision.
Anna adjusted her leather briefcase over her shoulder and longingly ran her hands over the paint-chipped posts. “Are you kidding me, Lindsay? This old house is absolutely fantastic. A designer’s gold mine. Just think what we could do to restore it to its natural state.”
Lindsay pursed her lips and took a moment to consider things further. Hmmm…maybe Anna was on to something. After practicing celibacy for the last two months, a project of this magnitude might help keep her thoughts off men and remedy all her sexual longings. Not that her thoughts were always on men, or sex, or men and sex, mind you. Nope. Not at all.
Hell, who was she kidding? Keeping her mind off men and sex was like nailing jelly to a wall.
The truth was, no matter how much she loved the feel of skin on skin, flesh on flesh, she didn’t want to have anything more to do with those lazy, good-for-nothing bastards who were more than happy to separate her from her hard-earned money. Honestly, she didn’t care one iota if she ever felt the weight of a man’s body on hers, or his fingers caressing her body, his mouth massaging her breasts or the soft blade of his tongue between her quivering thighs.
Lindsay swallowed a tortured moan.
Too bad she wasn’t into one-night stands. Sex without relationships. Now that really was the way to go.
Anna’s voice pulled her back and helped marshal her thoughts. “I can’t wait to dig in,” Anna said, with bright-eyed enthusiasm.
Lindsay shook her head to clear it, turned her focus back to housezilla and joined Candace on the landing. Anna came up behind her, her hand trailing lovingly over the wooden porch, her eyes glazing in heavenly bliss.
Despite herself, Lindsay smiled as she watched her friend in mute fascination. Sweet, adorable Anna. She’d been a dreamer since high school, a girl who believed in fairy tales and Prince Charming. Well, a girl who used to believe in fairy tales and Prince Charming. Until that last self-serving jerk she’d dated had finally broken her of that delusion. Despite having completely different views on life, Lindsay loved Anna with all her heart. Which was why she’d nearly ripped that last asshole a new one after he’d hurt her. No one hurt her girls and got away with it.
When all three reached the door, Candace raised her hand to knock. Before she had a chance, the big old door swung wide open. The rusty brass hinges creaked and moaned like a wounded animal.
“Good afternoon, ladies.”
“Good afternoon,” they all responded in kind.
After a round of handshakes and an exchange of names, they all fell silent. Even the resident insects stopped chirping. For a long moment the woman—Pamina, as she’d introduced herself—said nothing, she just stood there taking her time to peruse each girl in turn as though assessing them. They, too, did the same.
Lindsay’s gaze panned the woman before them. Tall and gorgeous, with a knee-length dress hanging loosely over her perfect slim body, Pamina had flawless skin and mystical green eyes. Her long golden hair was haphazardly piled on her head like a halo, making her look angelic. Undoubtedly, the same ’do on Lindsay would have the hair police hunting her down with a bottle of hairspray and pair of scissors. But this woman, with her heart-shaped face and creamy complexion, could likely pull off bald—and make it fashionable.
As Lindsay scrutinized Pamina, her hand went to her windblown, temperamental curls and in that instant she made up her mind.
She hated her.
Those magnificent eyes of hers, however, continued to draw Lindsay’s attention. They looked as though they could read her every secret, her every dark fantasy.
Lindsay shivered, pretty damn sure that her deepest darkest fantasies would offend this sweet woman’s sensibilities.
Pamina broke the silence, waved a delicate hand. “Where are my manners? Please come in. I’ve made lemonade and apple muffins.”
Lemonade and apple muffins?
“I’ve been waiting for you lovely and talented ladies.”
Lovely and talented?
Lindsay planted her hands on her hips. Ah hell, how could she possibly hate someone so adorable, someone so considerate, and someone so bang-on with her observations?
The oak floorboards creaked with each step as they all followed her into the kitchen. Returning to professional mode, Lindsay analyzed the interior, admiring the large rooms with their high ceilings, and the gorgeous winding staircase. Taken by the home’s inner beauty, her designer’s eye lit with passion, and her mind began racing with a million ideas. As Candace and Anna seated themselves, she took an extra moment to study the home, envisioning it as a bustling Victorian inn.
