Page 51 of Smoke Screen
“Staff members?”
“The Rios. It’s not like they’re butlers or whatever. Way too foo-foo for us. But it’s a lot of property to maintain, so they help us with it.”
He drove to the main entrance of the Friary. His room was on the second floor, but he’d made the instantaneous decision to put Maddy in the first-floor guest suite.
The rationale being if she were far from his room, Zeke wouldn’t accuse him of trying to get laid by putting her right next door.
A stroke of brilliance if he’d ever had one.
Phin parked and pointed to the first floor. “Your suite is on the ground level, in back. I’m upstairs. While you’re getting settled, I need to talk to Zeke.”
This time it was Maddy’s turn to smile. “To explain how you went temporarily insane and decided to bring me, the person your client thinks stole priceless items from him, to your home?”
A woman after his own heart with that sarcastic humor. “Something like that.”
If Zeke stuck to the script, he’d hand Phin his ass, get the anger out of his system, and then, being one to always root for the underdog, realize Maddy needed help and they could provide it.
Done.
All Phin had to do was keep his mouth shut and withstand the lecture.
Before he could open the car door, she reached across the console and wrapped her fingers around his forearm. He peered down, then met her gaze and—yow, he liked what he saw.
The killer combo of her hand on him and those soulful blue eyes sent his pulse slamming against his skin. He might have even been sweating.
“Seriously,” she said, “if this is a problem. I’ll go to a hotel. You’ve been more than kind and I don’t want to cause any issues.”
If she kept touching him, she wouldn’t be going anywhere. Well, maybe she’d be goingsomewhere. Somewhere that included sheets and a pillow and him on top of her. Or vice versa. He wasn’t picky.
“Thanks,” he said, “but we’re good. We don’t turn our backs on people.”
Ignoring his side fantasy and his brewing hard-on, he slid from the seat, popped the trunk, and grabbed the small suitcase that Cilla’s assistant had retrieved for Maddy. Side by side, they walked the flagstone path leading to the entrance. Once there, Phin pressed his hand against the pad beside the door. The lock disengaged, and he held the door for Maddy. “We’ll set you up so you can get in and out.”
“Pretty high tech. It’s nice not having to worry about keys.”
Once inside, he led her through the foyer, pointing out the Great Hall, what some considered a living room, she was welcome to sit in.
He hooked a left, ushering her down the long corridor to a set of double doors. “You’re in here. Rohan is next door, and my Grams is on the other side. I’m upstairs. And yes.” He laughed. “We’re all grown-ass men living with our mother and grandmother. What that says about us, who the hell knows?”
“You don’t owe me or anybody else an explanation. The place is enormous. It’s not as if you’re all sharing a three-bedroom house.”
“I still think it’s weird, but we needed the space for BARS. We also didn’t want our mother and Grams living alone.” He opened the unlocked guest suite door and held it for her. “We keep the door unlocked unless someone is here. Once we get you set up, your handprint unlocks it.”
Inside, gray-blue walls, a cream sofa, and red-and-white-striped upholstered chairs in the small living area gave the place a homey feel. Maddy glanced around, her gaze locking on the French doors and the mountains beyond. She made a beeline straight for that orange glow of sunset. He knew the feeling. The craving that came with needing to throw doors open and suck in air.
She made no move for the door handle, though. Just stood there. Watching. “This is stunning,” she said. “Why would anyone ever want to leave?”
“That’s the point. Mom figures if people come to stay, she wants them comfortable.”
“Well, she nailed it.”
She sure did.
God only knew what Mom had spent on the interior designer, but based on Maddy’s reaction, it was money well spent.
Phin made a left into the separate bedroom, tossing the suitcase on the bed. The curtains on the second set of French doors were open, revealing the equally stunning view.
He walked back to the sitting area and found her still by the doors, but this time looking around, checking out the small kitchenette.
