One More for Christmas(93)

He pulled in next to the cottage. “That’s more practicality than sentiment. I have tens of thousands of pounds worth of computer equipment here. It’s my office. I don’t share my office with anyone. I felt guilty appropriating it, but I needed somewhere I could focus without someone opening the door and offering me food.”

“You don’t like food?”

“Generally, yes. When I’m working, no. I hate to be disturbed when I’m concentrating on something.”

“You don’t eat when you’re working?”

“Snacks. Junk food. Stuff I can eat without taking my eyes off the screen. Stay there. I’m going to come round and help you.”

“I’m hysterical, Brodie, not injured. I can walk.” But she was touched by how attentive he was.

“I can’t let you walk around here while you’re upset. It’s dangerous.” He sprang out of the car and reappeared by her door, hand outstretched.

She took it while her feet found purchase on the slippery surface. “You’re quite the gentleman, Brodie.”

“I am?” He cleared his throat. “Maybe I was thinking about the insurance risk. You could fall into the loch, or trip over in the forest.”

“You think I suffer from coordination issues?”

“No. I don’t think that. I think you seem like—well, a very capable person. Capable and coordinated.” Flustered, he adjusted his glasses and gave her a sheepish smile. “It’s possible that I’m describing what would happen to me. I’d crash, probably break a limb and definitely break my glasses. I’m sure you’d glide across the ice, and if you slipped it would be an elegant affair.”

She hadn’t thought it possible that she could feel like smiling given her current state of mind, but it seemed she’d been wrong about that. “I’d land on my butt, Brodie. And it would not be elegant.”

“You’d look great. Even on your—um—butt.” Color streaked across his cheekbones and he gestured to the cottage. “But I suggest I save you the possible pain—you hold on to me.”

“But you’ve already told me that you have a tendency toward clumsiness.”

“True. I’m probably dangerous to be around.”

He wasn’t wrong about that, but not for the reasons he thought. He was the only man who’d ever met inner Samantha.

“I’m kind of relieved we’re not going to the pub.” She closed the car door. “Not that I didn’t love it, you understand—”

“But the last thing you need right now is a bunch of cheery locals. I know. I only said that because if I hadn’t, my mother would have asked more questions about how I intended to feed you. As if I’m six years old and can’t find a meal unless it’s put in front of me.” He flashed her a quick smile. “Also, you needed space, and generally speaking mothers don’t understand the concept of wanting space. I’ve found it’s best to pretend you want something specific.”

“How did you know I needed space?”

“Your face.”

“I planned on taking a walk.”

“But then you’d be focusing on your problems, rather than your walking. Which brings us back to—”

“Insurance?”

“Insurance. Exactly. And the bruised—er—butt.”

She couldn’t hide her amusement. “You don’t use that word a lot, do you?”

“I’ve used it more in the past two minutes than I have the rest of my life, but practice makes perfect. Wait there while I grab those boxes and bags from the back seat. I have some things I need to take in.”

“I can help. Give me a couple of those.”

He did, and she glanced down and saw snacks, fruit and, judging from the clinking sound, there were a couple of bottles in the bottom.

Brodie headed for the door, his vision half obscured by the boxes he was holding.

He fumbled with the lock, and then the door opened and light flooded over the snow.

She followed him inside and dumped the bags. They were in a small open plan living room and kitchen. Huge windows overlooked the loch, and the room was dominated by a big sofa and very little else. She glanced at the kitchen area. “You want me to put this stuff away?”

“I can handle that.” He closed the door and gestured. “Sit down. Make yourself at home. Are you cold? Do you need warming up?” He coughed. “I mean, there are blankets—”

“I know what you mean.” For some reason she couldn’t tease him. “I’m warm, thanks. I hadn’t expected it to be warm.”

“I’ve rigged it up so that I can control the heating from the main lodge. And I was over here earlier. Put in a couple of hours after our reindeer trip. I’m not going to ask what you did. It obviously didn’t end well. Excuse me while I dump these boxes—” He walked toward a door and pushed it open with his elbow.

She was too intrigued not to follow. “Is this your office? Can I—Holy crap, Brodie.” She stopped in the doorway and glanced around her. Multiple computer screens lined the walls, all of them flickering with incomprehensible lines of code. “You could run a space program from here.”

“I need the processing power.” He put the boxes down and then grabbed a couple of unwashed mugs. “This is embarrassing. Didn’t know I’d be entertaining guests when I was here earlier. I was concentrating on something and didn’t clear up.”