Page 28 of Bargains with Benefits
My instructions were simple, and she no longer seemed hesitant. I felt her shape on my magic despite her being out of sight. She did it. She threw herself out over the water, expecting me to catch her.
And I did.
My wind, purred in satisfaction.I whisked her around the cliff’s edge and brought her careening onto the beach. I aimed for the spot beside me, but I should have known that, with her, my wind had other ideas. With a final gust, I slid her to her feet. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say a final bluster sent her tumbling toward me.
I caught her shoulders, and slid my hands down her arms to brace her. “Sorry about that.”
She glanced up at me through long lashes, a little unsteady on her feet. A few lashes stuck together, and her eyes looked a little wet. I couldn’t be sure if it was from the sea mist or if she’d been…crying before she’d jumped. Given her reaction to the other side of the cove, I assumed the latter and knew she wouldn’t thank me for noticing. She thought she’d hidden it behind impertinent questions about my family, but I could tell something about the beach bothered her. That space meant something to her, and I didn’t think it was something good. I was also sure she had no interest in sharing it with me.
Her lips parted slightly as our gazes locked. Propriety dictated we put distance between ourselves, but she didn’t move. Wind circled us as if locking us in place, and I was overcome with a desire to bend and close the gap.
I clenched my jaw at the last second.Get your head on straight.I knew I needed to, but I was loathe to move before she did. A shy smile curved her lips as she finally pushed back, freeing herself from my grasp. My hands fell gently to my sides. The wind around us silenced.
“We’ve got to stop meeting like this,” she said.
Is she nervous?
I thought we weren’t supposed to discuss the night we met. Our proximity and our brief flirtation. Those things were gone now that we’d made a bargain fueled by ambition, forcing us both into uncomfortable situations. My wind surged as if to ask whose rule that was.I needed to stop talking to my wind. Itseemed solely focused on crossing lines with Luna, which I was sure would only complicate matters.
“I don’t mind it.” The words were out before my mind and mouth connected. I wanted to smack myself. I wasn’t even sure she reciprocated the interest I was desperately pretending I didn’t have.
She held my gaze, and I almost believed her body swayed forward, returning to my space. That same open intensity from the night we met was apparent in the bright blue of her eyes. I didn’t breathe as I stared into them. This move was her own. My wind was locked up tight.
“We should head up and finish the tour.” Something halted her forward progress.
I let out a breath. “Of course.” I turned, wondering if I’d imagined the moment.
She spoke from behind me, her voice was a little shaky as she slipped back into the original intent behind this trip—a tour. “The stairs are over there.” She glanced around. “This is the private beach for the guests’ use. It’s only accessible from the inn property.”
“It only adds to the feeling of being away from everything,” I said as we started up the steps. “A person could forget the city, or their responsibilities.” I swallowed thickly, needing to be careful because my words were truer than I cared to admit. Mooning over Luna Pierce was not part of the plan. Breaking the story about her father’s bribery was. She was using me for a review, and I would get a source for my article about her father for my effort. As we ascended the staircase, Luna continued listing facts about the inn and the property, unaffected by any imagined moment on the beach. Today wasn’t feeling like a bargain, but that was why we were here. I’d do well to remember that.
Approachingthe inn this way brought forth another awe-inspiring view. I had begun to understand Luna’s attachment to this place when she took me to its library. Even more so when we walked the edge between the cliff and the forested land. She’d even shared that this place had some connection to her mother, though I wasn’t quite sure what that entailed. Seeing the charming building grow from the center of the wooded property, with a view of cliffs and sea, was…perfection. I wanted to get lost here, no matter how much I’d recently attempted to remind myself of my responsibilities.
It was a large building, even with all its character. I guessed it had ten or more guest rooms, which Luna confirmed as she spoke.
“Do you live in the inn?” I asked.
She paused, glancing farther into the woods. “The groundskeeper’s cottage is in there.” She pointed to a dense copse of trees, too thick to reveal a building. “It’s small but perfect for me.”
I had no doubt it was. I felt much the same way about my apartment. It was smaller and less grand than Andiveron House, to be sure, but it was mine, and it felt like home in a way the family house never had.
“Beautiful,” I said as we walked toward the porch overlooking the cliff. My wind thrummed, and I was unsure if I’d been referring to her or the property. She moved with a natural grace. It was similar to when she’d stood ankle-deep in the water surrounding Parkview Tavern the night we met.I needed to stop thinking about that. But in the same breath, I couldn’t believe this place might cease to exist for her if we failed.
It won’t be my fault if she doesn’t get me access to Darius.After only a few hours here, I was confident that I could sell this place in the column. If she lost the inn, it wouldn’t be because I’d failed to hold up my end of the bargain.
“It is.” She opened the door and waited for me to catch up. “Come on, I know you already saw the library, but let me show you the rest.”
As I approached, she reached for my hand, beaming when she tugged me into the inn.
Forgetting the warning I’d given myself only moments ago, I let her take it and held on tight, letting her drag me through the porch and library.
“There is a small kitchen, the manager’s office, and this is reception,” she said, leading me through the first floor. She dropped my hand as we turned, and she tilted her head back to look up the steps toward the guest rooms. Whatever rush of emotion had overtaken her was gone, and we regained the distance between us.
“Did the inn ever serve food?” I asked, thinking about the kitchen and the space for tables in the library.
She shook her head, not looking at me as she did. “It was never Byrd’s preference—the old manager.”
I couldn’t believe Darius had had her live as groundskeeper on the property and only gave her the chance to manage it as he considered closing it. Something itched at my neck as I thought about her part of our bargain.
