Page 51 of I'm Looking for a Man in Finance
“It’s beautiful,” I breathed, turning to smile at James.
“Beautiful, indeed.” James’s intense gaze held minecaptive, and only pulling into the driveway of an enormous house dragged me from the depths of his ocean-blue eyes.
“Oh my goodness. Is this it?”
Roxie leaned forward onto the center console, her eyes wide. “Holyshit.”
“Holy shit,” I agreed.
Tall, lush hedges, with their vivid green leaves, stood sentinel on either side of a beautifully crafted wrought-iron gate, partially concealing the magnificent house. We drove through the gates, past the charming cedar shakes, framed by pristine white windows and adorned with elegant black shutters.
“It’s been in the family for generations. My great-great-grandfather bought this place nearly a hundred years ago.”
“And no one’s using it this weekend?” I asked as James pulled the car down the brick driveway that curved toward an attached garage.
“It’s been undergoing upgrades for nearly a year. I think we’ll be the first people to use it since then. I’m not even sure if everything’s done yet.” James put the car in park.
“Did you come here a lot before the renovations?” I couldn’t imagine spending my summers running around a place like this. You’d need an entire staff to keep everything in order. The closest my family ever came to a butler or a maid was my grandmother coming over and not thinking the house was clean enough, so she did it herself.
“I spent nearly every summer here.” James opened his door before rounding the back to grab everyone’s bags.
“Every summer?” I asked as I took my bag from him.
“My mom wanted me to get out of the city. She thoughtit was good for me to have experiences outside the concrete jungle.”
Roxie snorted as she took her bag. “She didn’t want you to spend all your time rubbing elbows with the rich in the city, so she brought you here to rub elbows with the rich out of the city?”
James chuckled at the ridiculousness as we headed toward the front door. “Come on, let’s get inside. You can pick your rooms.”
“As long as mine has a view and a bathtub, I don’t care.” Roxie pushed her sunglasses on top of her head and marched inside. “And as far away from Sebastian Whittaker as possible,” she whispered under her breath so only I could hear. “Can you point me in the direction of the closest bathroom?”
“Just down there, second door on the right.” James motioned toward the hallway on our left. Once we were alone, he turned back to me and gestured toward the stairs, “After you.” James bowed, that same relaxed smile from earlier still shining on his unbelievably perfect face.
18
James
“I thought you said we’d have our pick of the rooms?” Hallie asked me as the two of us stared at the only two rooms that were in any condition for someone to stay in.
“I didn’t think this many rooms would still be out of commission.” The only rooms that had been finished were a room with a queen and the primary. Two beds for four people. “You and Roxie can take the primary. Sebastian and I will take the queen.”
“Are you sure? We can take the queen.” Hallie nervously chewed on the inside of her cheek, her eyes darting around the room. I had to fight not to imagine pushing her up against the wall of the hallway to kiss all the worry from her face. My hands on her hips. Gripping her curves. Our tongues dancing. The gasp that would escape between her lips as I pulled her inside one of these rooms.
In reality, I would stop myself before we ever got to that point, out of respect for Hallie and our agreement. I wasn’t even sure it was what she wanted, since she hadn’t once acknowledged our kiss. But the images in my head didn’t stop. In my head, I tugged Hallie into the primary bedroom. Kicked the door shut behind us and pulled her down onto that large four-poster bed to kiss every inchof her. To relish in the sounds she’d make. To worship at the altar of her.
I knew that vision in my head was only that … a vision. But it didn’t stop me from wishing that it were real. My pants felt snug around my groin, and I desperately hoped that Hallie wasn’t paying attention.
I cleared my throat. “I insist. You two are my guests. Seb has been here a hundred times. He won’t mind sharing the queen with me.”
We stepped inside the primary, and sunlight streamed through the giant windows, illuminating the four-poster bed with its private curtains and the cozy reading nook in the corner, my mother’s favorite spot. Hallie looked around, and I wished I could see it all through her eyes. Hell, I wished I could see whereshespent her summers. Did her family take any trips anywhere? Or did they stay home? Did she have friends on her street that she spent hot Midwest summer days rolling around on bikes with? Did she go to summer camp, or did she stay at home to take care of her sister?
Hallie Woods was like a brand-new market to me and I wouldn’t stop until I understood all the numbers perfectly.
“This is amazing, James. Thank you for bringing me here.” Hallie dropped her bag off on the bed. “Now, I think we should find Roxie before she gets herself into trouble.”
I tossed my bag into the room next to Hallie’s and followed her back down the hallway. “I’m not sure what kind of trouble she could get herself into.”
“In a place this big and knowing Roxie as well as I do, the possibilities are endless.”
