For the first time, I ponder the notion. I like living in Wilde. I like the small-town atmosphere and the people. I like that they have all banded together to get things fixed up following the death of the man who basically owned the whole town.
Amos Wilde was a curmudgeon. He was ninety-five when he died. No one knew what would happen following his death, but they certainly hadn’t expected him to have had such a bizarre will that left everything in the hands of his estranged grown-up grandchildren. Nor did anyone except the attorney, Thomas McAndrews, know that the stipulation was that those grandkids could only collect their share of the inheritance if they moved to Wilde for ten years.
Apparently, Brody isn’t interested in moving here. I don’t know how much money each of them inherits after staying for a decade, but it has to be substantial. And whatever that number is, it’s not enough to lure Brody. So, he’s loaded.
Money is not an issue for either of us.
I wander toward the single window and look out. The view is amazing, but I bet it’s better on the other side of this hallway.
Spinning around, I make a decision. Operation: Convince Brody to Stay in Wilde. “Show me the rooms across the hall.”
Chapter 14
Brody
* * *
I feel like my girl transforms right before my eyes. One moment, she’s roaming around this room, absently staring at things while lost inside her head. The next moment, she turns so fast I’m nearly startled.
She’s got the bug. The mansion bug. The mansion does this to people. Lures them in and doesn’t let them go.
I won’t stop her. I step back and swoop my hand toward the door. “Let’s explore, little pixie.”
As she tries to walk by me, I snag her around the waist again because I like when she’s flattened against me. Breathing her in, feeling her heart beat, nuzzling her pulse point, hearing her purr…
She leans into me, letting me have my moment. Sighing contentedly. God, I love her. What an odd feeling. I never expected this would happen in my life. I just know this is right in my soul. It feels so good, as if life was just moving by me with no purpose. I’ve suddenly stopped to inhale deeply. Centered. All is right.
I haven’t wrapped my head around the possibility of giving up my life and business in San Antonio. I haven’t had a chance to ponder the idea. But I do know that I would never jeopardize my relationship with Melody for anything. Especially not a job. If this woman wants to move to Alaska, that’s where we’ll go.
Eventually, I kiss her neck. “Rooms…” I let her go but still take her hand because I can’t stand not touching her. We move across the hall, and I start opening the doors of still-unclaimed rooms.
“There are so many,” she comments.
“Yeah. A lot. They all look the same to me. Antique furniture. Wood floors that are in need of buffing and polishing. Creaky pipes. Bad wiring. All of this is going to need to be replaced. But I’m going to let Haden handle that.”
She enters a room and then another and another until she finally stops in one and spins in a slow circle before shuffling over to one of the three windows. “Wow…”
“The view is nice, isn’t it?” I join her, reaching around her hips to set my palms on the windowsill and my chin on her shoulder.
“I like this one.”
“Yeah?”
She looks over her shoulder toward the bed and smirks. “It has potential.”
I follow her gaze and laugh. “You like the four-poster bed, do you?”
She widens her eyes and then bats them at me. “What…? I have no idea what you mean, Mr. Wilde. I just think it’s a nice period piece.”
I laugh harder. “What period would that be, baby?”
“The uhhh…four-poster period, obviously.”
God, I love her. I step closer, pressing her against the window. “I suspect most of your books take place in the four-poster period.”
“Maybe…” She giggles as I nibble behind her ear.
“That’s a very long period in history, you know. In fact, we’re still living in it.”
