Page 32 of Guarding My Love

Shit!

He got a rag and cleaner and tackled that as best as he could.

His mail, which he’d grabbed on the way in, was shoved in his desk.

After a quick glance at the first floor, he didn’t see anything that showed he was West Carlisle’s younger brother.

He threw his clothes in the laundry, then jumped in the shower. He had two hours before Charlotte returned and used that time to clean up some more.

When there was a knock at the door at five, he went to answer it.

“What did you make?” he asked.

“Blondies,” she said.

“Yum,” he said. “I’ll take any cookie you want to give me.”

She blushed when he said that. He hadn’t meant it any way other than the words but realized it could have come off as he was hitting on her.

He kind of was, but he never considered himself smooth enough to pull those types of lines off.

“It’s bright in here,” she said, coming into his foyer. He didn’t live in the front of the house. His office was there with a view of the trees and landscaping. If he had too nice of a view he might stay in there longer than he needed to.

His dining room was on the other side and not a room he’d used more than a handful of times.

He didn’t host too many dinner parties and when his mother visited, she stayed with West and not him.

“Sterile,” he said. “I told you it was.”

Everything was gray or white. Even his dining room furniture.

“Not really,” she said. “It’s more modern than anything. Contemporary. I think I didn’t expect that of you.”

“I’m simple,” he said. “I didn’t have to worry about matching too much if I kept it all white, black and gray. Where is Marco?”

“I left him home,” she said. “He’s pretty much house-trained, but I don’t want to worry about him leaving a mess in here. Not on these nice wood floors. Which I have to say the dark wood is a beautiful contrast.”

“I did a lot of work in the house when I bought it,” he said.

“It shows,” she said.

“Follow me to the back,” he said. They moved down a hallway. “There is a half bath here if you need it.”

She popped her head in. “Cute. Functional.”

He snorted. “My mother always says she wants to get her hands on my house and throw color on the walls.”

“I think that would take away from who you are. Holy cow.”

“What?” he asked and turned to look at her face. Her jaw was open and she was staring right ahead. He hoped to hell there wasn’t some picture of West in the house that he hadn’t seen.

“That view.”

“It’s great, isn’t it? Nothing but vast water in the distance.”

“I don’t think I’d leave this spot if I didn’t have to. My sister’s house is stunning and they live up on a cliff somewhat looking out on the water. Lots of glass too. It reminds me of their house in a way. Even down to the decor. But Drew is pretty bougie and you’re not.”

“Hardly that,” he said.

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