Chapter 23

 

Dylan Rider had been coming home for a late lunch opportunistically the past week since Gemma had been cleaning for him. His housekeeper was too much of an employee to question it. She always left something for his lunch and made herself scarce. Today though, she was hovering.

He eyed up the food on the kitchen table, “That looks lovely, Elizabeth, thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Before I go, I wanted to let you know Alison rang this morning and is coming back on Monday.”

Christ, he didn’t want his regular cleaner back.

Not while he was making headway with Gemma.

“Is her wrist okay now?”

“She says it is, yes.” She placed a bowl of salad in the centre of the table alongside a plate of ham and pickles.  A place had already been set for him.

“Has her doctor said she’s fit to return?”

“I’m not sure,” Elizabeth frowned, “I doubt whether she’s asked him. It was only a sprain after all.”

“Yes, but you can’t be too careful. The last thing I need is her injuring herself further and me having to pay out on a claim as it happened in my house.”

Elizabeth was looking at him as if he had two heads and he fully understood why. But he wanted Gemma to carry on cleaning. She was the reason he’d started to come home from the gallery at lunchtime. He needed to move things on. Sexual frustration at his age, sucked.

He painted a questioning look on his face. “I’m wondering, to be on the safe side it might be best if she takes another two weeks off.”

“Two more weeks?” his housekeeper’s voice went up an octave, “She’s been off long enough as it is.”

“I still think longer would be better, you know, give the tendons a chance to heal. It’s not as if we haven’t got anyone, Gemma might do another couple of weeks. I’m sure she’ll be fine.”

“What . . . you really want me to tell Alison to have another two weeks off?” her puzzled expression said everything, “And you’ll pay her?”

“Yes, do that. In fact, I’ll go and ask Gemma now if she can stay on for a bit longer. Is she still here?”

“Yes, she’s around somewhere.” Her brows puckered further, “Shall I wait and see if she can do anymore weeks, then? She thinks cleaning here’s coming to an end.”

They both turned their heads as Gemma entered the kitchen.

“I’m not interrupting, am I?” she asked.

“Not at all,” Dylan replied. “Elizabeth and I were just discussing you actually.”

“Oh,” she looked concerned, “is everything alright?”

“Yes, everything’s fine,” he reassured. “We just wondered,” he quickly added, “both of us that is, if you’re able to do two more weeks cleaning here so Alison can have a couple more weeks off?”

Gemma looked hesitant.

“I quite understand if you can’t,” he added, almost holding his breath in anticipation she’d agree.

“It’s not that I can’t, it’s just that,” she hesitated as if she wasn’t sure how much to say. “To be honest, this house is immaculate. I’m trying to earn my money by cleaning thoroughly, but once I’ve done the bathrooms, and emptied litter bins, there’s not a lot left to do. Henry doesn’t like me doing much in his room either, so I’m actually creating jobs for myself until it’s time for me to finish.”

“We’d still like you to stay,” he gave his housekeeper a determined look, “wouldn’t we, Elizabeth? Maybe you can draw up some sort of rota of jobs that need doing?” He turned back to Gemma, “How about that?”

He’d caught Elizabeth’s expression of, yes I’ll do anything as long as I don’t have to do the cleaning.

“Two more weeks you say?” she asked.

“Yes, certainly no more.”

“Okay then, as long as you’re sure.”

“We are,” he nodded, “absolutely.”

Elizabeth smiled. “Right, now that’s settled, if you’ll excuse me. I’ve got an appointment so I’ll have to dash.” She looked directly at him. “Shall I give Alison a ring?”

“Yes, if you wouldn’t mind.”

“Okay, I’ll do it later today. I’m back at six to let the caterers in. I’ve already set up the dining room ready for tonight.”

“Thank you. I appreciate that.”

He wished his housekeeper would bugger off.

Elizabeth turned to Gemma, “You’ll be eating your words tomorrow. There’ll be a hefty amount of cleaning up to be done after tonight’s soirée.”

“That’ll keep me busy, then,” she smiled, which lit up her beautiful face. “Do you mind if I wash my hands?”

“Of course, dear, help yourself.”

Elizabeth picked up her cardigan, “I’ll see you later this evening,” she nodded to him and smiled at Gemma as she made her way towards the utility room and the back door of the house.

Finally, he was alone with Gemma. She put the towel down she was drying her hands on, and moved towards the door.

“Hey, hang on,” he stopped her, “care to share some lunch with me? He nodded to the mini banquet Elizabeth had left him on the kitchen table. “There’s far too much here for me on my own.”

She hesitated.

“Come on, it’s just lunch. Surely cleaners have to eat lunch?”

She gave him a deliberate glare. “They do, yes, but not usually with their boss, and certainly not in their boss’s house.”

“Can they make an exception to ensure that good food doesn’t go to waste?” he asked playfully.

She took a deep breath in. “If you’re absolutely sure. But then I really must be going.” She widened her eyes in a teasing way, “Even cleaners have a life outside of work you know.”

“I’m delighted to hear it.” He pulled a chair out for her, “Come on then, I’ll get you a plate and we can get stuck in. You can tell me all about your out-of-work activities while we eat.”

She walked towards the kitchen table and took the seat he was holding out for her.

“I really don’t think that would be of much interest to you.”

“You’d be surprised how anything you say is of interest to me,” he winked, and she grinned back at him which transformed her eyes into a much richer green.

He was making progress. She was starting to warm towards him, he could tell.

Good.

His cock twitched.

He had great plans for this little beauty.