Brian lowered his arm. “I tell you, living with a woman takes some getting used to.”
“I’ve been married,” he said shortly.
“Iknowyou were married.” Brian nudged Torin’s shoulder with his. “But think about it. How much time did you and your wife actually spend together? You lived in a big house. You went about your day. She went about her day. You might see her at meals. Evenings. But here, unless we’re hunting, cutting ice, or something like that, we’re together most of the time in a small space.”
Torin gave him a horrified look, never having imagined that situation.
Brian chuckled and smacked Torin’s arm. “You’ll get used to it, brother.”
5
The Rees residence was made of logs but about three times larger and set on the opposite side of the dirt road, instead of between the road and the water, although commanding a similar lake view.My new home.
Ivy took a deep breath and followed Cora up the stone walkway to the porch running across the width of the house. Two rockers with a small, round table between them were spaced on either side of the door.
Before Cora could knock, the door opened.
Suddenly shy, Ivy glanced down, pretending to be paying attention to the step up into the house. As she moved inside, the first thing she noticed was the welcome warmth. Her father’s home might be larger and more elegant, but she’d take comfort over beauty any day. She nerved herself to look up at the man standing to the side in the shadows.
After a long pause, her employer moved into the light of the window. His appearance rendered Ivy dumbstruck, for she’d never seen a more handsome man. If Torin Rees swapped his ill-fitting suit for ancient raiment, he’d look as though he steppedfrom the pages of a fairytale—the charming prince or the king of the elves or the romantic white knight.
The quick glance he gave her before looking away showed his eyes—a stormy dark-blue fringed with thick, black lashes—held intelligence and wariness in equal measure. His mink-brown hair was pulled back in a tail, exposing his finely etched features and the sensual shape of his lips. But a grim expression remained on his face.
A tragic hero, perhaps.Ivy was unprepared for the slow curling of heat in her belly, a tight flutter in her chest, and made herself turn her attention to the child, all the while thinking,Oh, no. No! He’s my employer.
Why didn’t Cora warn me?
Her legs trembled. She sank to the ground in front of Jewel, her knees resting on the faded Persian runner of the entryway.
The girl was dressed in pink, her hair in a braid and tied with a big lopsided bow. She had the slanted eyes, flatter nose, and slightly protruding tongue characteristic of a Mongoloid child. But those features were soon forgotten with the appeal of her squint-eyed, sunny smile.
Even as she introduced herself and Brave to Jewel, an unwelcome part of her awareness remained on Torin Rees.
Brian saved her by practically dragging Mr. Rees from the house.
Once the door closed behind them, Ivy’s body sagged, and she let out a sigh of relief.
Carefully holding Brave, Jewel plopped down in a cross-legged position on the carpet and bent to press a kiss on the cat’s head.
Cora, who’d been watching Jewel, transferred her gaze to Ivy. Her brow furrowed.
Brave curled up in Jewel’s lap and began to purr.
Jewel looked up at Ivy, her blue eyes—the color of her father’s—widening. She appeared not to know what to make of the strange sound.
Ivy reached to scratch Brave’s head. “Brave’s purring. That means she likes you. You can gently scratch or rub her head.”
“Purr-ing.” With one finger, she gave Brave’s head a tenuous touch.
“That’s right.”
The kitten moved her head back and forth, obviously wanting more.
“Brave is happy.” Cora rested a light hand on Ivy’s shoulder. “Jewel, do you want to show Miss Ivy her room? Or stay here with Brave?”
“Bave.”
After exchanging a smiling glance with her friend, Ivy gathered her skirts together and cumbersomely got to her feet, moving to the hall tree to remove her hat and shed her outerwear, hanging everything up.
