Exactly an hour and a half later, she drove up to the Montgomery mansion. She’d talked to Todd Montgomery once in a while at work, but this was the first time she had been to his house. The place was lit up like a white Christmas tree. Bright lights were everywhere, even in the tall trees. Lighted lanterns framed the walkway up toward the front door.
She didn’t know how long she stood at the door, but her insides jumped like hot popcorn. Nervously, she lifted her hand and rapped on the thick wood. Within seconds, the door opened.A servant? No way!This man definitely looked like some of the servants she’d seen in the movies.
“Hi. Um,” she licked her dry lips, “Brad Montgomery invited me—”
“Please come in.” The older man, perhaps in his fifties, motioned his hand for her to enter. He gave her a polite smile. Wrinkles creased around his eyes and forehead.
Her legs shook when she walked inside. As she swept her gaze around the large entryway with polished dark wooden floors, she tried hard not to gasp in awe. Everything sparkled, from the silver chandeliers, to the gold casing on the grand stairs.
The paintings on the wall were historical. One was of men riding on horses with black knee-boots. The picture next to it was of women strolling through the park in their day-dresses and parasols. Their hair was in ringlets, or a bonnet covered their heads. The third painting was of a man and woman having a picnic at the park while in the background children threw bread to the ducks in the pond.
Strange, but she couldn’t stop from imagining herself wearing a hooped skirt, a bodice that hugged her breasts, and had a deep cleavage. She loved historical romance movies and books, and this house definitely represented the 1800’s. Back then, women dressed up nicely to impress their men. Of course, their first priority was finding a husband. Back then, women were expected to stay home and bear children. They were expected to run a smooth household and entertain guests.
The men back then were filthy rich... well, at least in the books she’d always read. The heroes knew how to charm a woman to make her weak in the knees. Immediately, she imagined Brad wearing a black tailed-coat and trousers, a matching waistcoat, a white shirt, and silk cravat. Brad wouldn’t look good in a top hat, she decided, but he’d certainly use a walking stick, mainly for show. During the day he’d ride horses with his chums, and in the evening, he’d make the rounds from ball to ball, trying to find a woman to seduce. And he’d definitely find a woman, because a handsome man such as Brad Montgomery was never lonely.
“A penny for your thoughts.”
Brad’s deep, sexy voice startled her out of her daydreams. She jumped and turned toward him. Her breath caught in her throat. It had only been a few days since she’d seen him last, but he still knew how to make her heart beat fast. He wasn’t wearing the eighteenth century clothes as she’d just pictured in her mind, but he was still very elegant in his gray suit jacket and pants, and a very light maroon shirt. Not many men could pull off wearing that color, but he definitely could. Shoot, he could wear anything and look amazing.
“Brad,” she sighed.
“I’m glad you came.”
“Did you receive my message?”
He nodded. “I actually didn’t believe it at first, but I’m very relieved you are here.”
Smiling, his gaze ran slowly over her dress. The expression on his face was exactly how he looked when she had modeled the dress for him at the store. His smoldering green eyes were making her weak in the knees. Again.
“You’re absolutely breathtaking.”
Her cheeks heated with his compliment. “Actually, I was thinking the same thing about you.”
His grin widened as he stepped closer to her. “If I’m not mistaken, I think you were daydreaming a minute ago as you studied the paintings on the wall.”
She nodded. “I must confess, I was doing a little dreaming.”
He leaned in closer and wagged his eyebrows. “Were you thinking about me?”
Her face flamed hotter. How did he know?
