A Vampire for Christmas(16)
And yet, there was something so familiar about him, too. Something that she couldn’t quite place. Like a well-worn groove in the road, she seemed to fit comfortably with him without really thinking about it. She’d resigned herself, however, that it had just been a one-night stand and decided to forget about him.
Then, yesterday, he’d called, wanting to hire her to decorate his home for a big party he was throwing.
At first, she’d considered telling him no. Despite Kari’s code of ethics, having had sex with someone wasn’t a good way to start a new client relationship. But when Trace told her again how impressed he’d been with her portfolio, she caved. His flattery had totally stroked her ego. Besides, decorating an estate in Rainier Falls, an exclusive, gated community in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, would look great in her portfolio. She’d be a fool to turn down the opportunity.
She crossed her legs and retied her wool coat, straightening the ends of the fabric belt. Had she remembered to remove the sales tag? A quick check of the sleeves and back collar confirmed that she had. After making the appointment and thinking about what she’d wear, her old coat had seemed a little dated, so she’d splurged on a new one. Surprising what a stylish coat, heels and a good haircut did for one’s image, she thought as the car finally came to a stop.
She was merely concerned with her business image, because the last time Trace had seen her, she’d been naked. Her face heated at the memory, even as her heart quickened at the knowledge that she was about to see him again. Not a very professional image by a long shot, so she had quite a big deficit to overcome.
The door opened and the gloved hand of the driver reached in. She exited the vehicle to see a huge mansion looming in front of her. She took a deep breath, hardly believing she was going to be in charge of decorating such a place. It looked more like an English countryside manor with its ivy-covered stone exterior, gabled roofline and massive wooden door. An unexpected architectural style here in the Pacific Northwest, it was much larger than she had imagined. Not knowing how many floors and wings it had, she estimated the footprint to be at least ten to twelve thousand square feet.
She turned to thank the driver, but he’d already climbed back into the limo.
A flutter of movement drew her attention as she strode toward the door. Glancing up, she saw a darkened second-story window, its draperies settling back together in the middle, as if someone had parted them to look out on her a moment ago. Despite the wool scarf around her neck, a shiver of cold whispered down her spine.
She shook the sensation off as she focused again on the house. She couldn’t wait to see the inside. Did it have a single, grand staircase leading up or two on either side of the foyer, meeting at a second-story landing? An impressive chandelier? An entry table with fresh flowers? Marble flooring or travertine? What kind of artwork was on the walls? Postmodern? Impressionist?
Tucking her hair behind one ear, she took a deep breath and raised the heavy brass knocker. But before it could make a sound, the door swung open with a mighty creak of hinges, and Trace stood in the doorway.
Although he wore jeans, a white T-shirt and boots, he could’ve been heading into a corporate board meeting given his confident and commanding presence. He filled the whole space. She tried not to notice how broad his shoulders were or remember the feel of his muscular back and tight ass flexing under her fingertips.
Hello, Trace,” she said, keeping her tone businesslike.
Charlotte.” He nodded, hesitating for a moment before he grasped her outstretched hand, then quickly releasing it.
His warmth lingered on her skin like ripples on the surface of a pond long after the skipping stone hit the bottom. She absently rubbed her thumbs along her finger tips as he closed the door behind her.
Look, Charlotte, before we get started, I just want to make sure you know that whatever happened between us back at—”
Cringing, she held up her hand, interrupting him. He didn’t need to voice all that. “Don’t worry. What happened is in the past. This is business only.”
A strange expression crossed his face. Relief probably. Most likely he’d expected her to react differently.
Good,” he said, confirming her assessment.
A tiny part of her wished she hadn’t been correct. That he saw her as something more. A woman he wanted to get to know on a deeper level, and not just someone he’d spent one night with and now viewed only as an employee. She quickly shoved that futile longing out of her mind and considered the task before her.