Page 13 of Imperfect Saint
“Thanks.”
“Of course. If I’m not here to carry the heavy stuff, why even bring me?” He winked but she didn’t even smile.
“Follow me.”
“Not a problem.” He smirked as he shut the hatch and turned to follow her, realizing the others were already heading back up to the house. “I like the view from back here.”
Millie made a noise that he thought was annoyance but he only grinned and followed her up the stairs. Inside, the manor was just as grand as it looked from the outside. Pristine hardwoods and antique furniture that looked too expensive to sit on filled every room. He wondered again about the girl that had grown up in this house that looked as if it had a look but don’t touch policy. Maybe keeping him at arm’s length was something she’d learned long before her relationship with Joshua ended.
They went up two flights of stairs and Millie finally opened a door at the end of a long hallway. She stepped aside and let him follow her in, closing the door behind them. Hunter placed their bags on the big four-poster bed situated in the middle of an oversized octagon shaped window that overlooked a pasture. He glanced around, taking in his surroundings.
It took him a moment to realize that at one time or another, this must have been the attic of the old house. It was large, with vaulted ceilings and one of those octagon shaped windows on each wall lit the place with bright light. It was both like the rest of the house in that it was furnished with grandiose furniture and all of the exposed hardwoods and beams were sanded to shine but also different. It was decorated in soft pinks and creams and floral wallpaper. He smiled as he realized that this wasn’t just some random attic room Millie had chosen for them.
“This is your room, isn’t it?”
Her eyebrows knit behind her glasses, “Of course it’s my room. Where did you think we’d be staying?”
“Don’t know. I didn’t think that far ahead. A guest room maybe?”
“Well, this is my house, or, it’s my dad’s house, and while there are lots of guest rooms, I prefer mine.”
“Fine by me. I like it. It feels like you.”
“What does that mean?” Millie tilted her head and eyed him curiously.
“It’s soft, sweet… girly.”
She rolled her eyes, “Sure. You got all that from my teenage bedroom.”
“Yep.”
It wasn’t true but he didn’t think she wanted to hear that he knew more about her than she wanted him to. He’d researched her online and learned a lot but knowing who she was, that had come from months of watching her and working with her. She might be stubborn and demanding, even standoffish occasionally, but she was also soft and sweet and girly just like he said.
The floral wallpaper proved it.
“Just….” She groaned and rubbed the spot between her eyebrows, “Please don’t act like you know me., okay?”
“Isn’t that exactly why I’m here?” It was his turn to raise an eyebrow.
“Dammit Hunter,” Millie squeezed the bridge of her nose before dropping her glasses back into place and meeting his gaze again, “I’m serious. This is serious. This is my brother’s wedding. What were you thinking?”
“Uh…” He threw his hands in the air because he had no idea what she was getting at.
She’d always been hard to read but now it was virtually impossible for him to get a handle on what she was thinking. One minute she was stiff as a board against him. The next she was playing along. Just a couple minutes later and she was snapping at him and telling him not to act like he knew her when he was more certain than ever that he knew her better than these people she called her family.
“Down there. What were you thinking, claiming to be my boyfriend? You were only supposed to be a date.”
He shrugged, “Oh, that? Well, I was mostly thinking that I was saving your ass.”
“I don’t need saving.”
“Yes, you do, or I wouldn’t be here.” He winked and then pointed to a door on the other side of the room, refusing to get into an argument with her when they’d been a couple, fake or not, for less than fifteen minutes, “Is that a bathroom?”
“Yes.” She answered though her voice was clipped and clearly annoyed.
“Good. I’m going to take a quick shower before dinner and while I’m in there, you can think about that completely priceless look on your ex’s face when I said I was your boyfriend. You can say thank you when I come back out.” He blew her a kiss and then stepped into the bathroom and shut the door behind him.
Let her think about that for a while and she’d realize what he’d said was for the best. She didn’t need to know that he intended to make it true. Not yet. For now it was good enough just to be close to her. He could wait for her to open up to him. They were a team here and he was the only player on her side. She’d have to trust him with the truth sooner or later.
