“Will they follow us the whole way?” Malcolm asked, jerking his thumb over his shoulder to indicate the van of my employees.

“Yes, they have all your office equipment.” I nodded seriously at him in the rearview mirror.

“Well, it won’t do me much good without a keyboard and monitor.” He frowned.

I chuckled. “I have a spare computer. You can replace my tower with yours. Problem solved.”

His head tilted as he studied me. “You rather like solving problems, don’t you, Mr. Draco?”

“I do. I’m protective by nature, so the security business definitely agrees with me.” I inhaled deeply, hoping to relax some, but the brooding lady riding shotgun was making it a challenge. Historically speaking, I tuned out women, even as they were drawn to me. This time, the opposite seemed to be happening; she ignored me while I, for some unknown reason, pined for her. After several more minutes, I decided to make a concerted effort to initiate a conversation with her. “How do you feel about surf and turf for dinner, Maggie?” I glanced over at her. She’d remained silent since we’d left their house. “You must be starving.” My shoulders sank when she didn’t even look my way.

“I like surf and turf,” Malcolm murmured from the back.

“Dad, you’re allergic to shellfish,” she complained. Finally, Maggie looked at me. “I’m not. Sounds great.” Then she covered her mouth to stifle a yawn. “I’m sorry. Give me a chance to get my second wind.”

“We’ll be there in about half an hour. You can rest until then, if you’d like,” I offered.

“Maybe…I’ll lean the seat back a little.” She bit her cheek shyly.

“Good plan.” I turned on some soft music while she reclined.

Maggie hesitantly laid a hand on mine, which was delightfully unexpected. “Thank you. I know I’m difficult sometimes.”

“She’s a shrew,” Malcolm announced.

Yanking her hand back, she frowned. “Well, there you have it.” Then she rolled toward the window as much as her seatbelt allowed before finally closing her eyes. Within three minutes, she was snoring softly and I wanted nothing more than to feel her touch again.

“She’s not a shrew,” I muttered.

Malcolm chuckled. “No, she’s not. Maggie is a work of heart.”

“You mean art?” I questioned. The man had proven to prone to bouts of confusion in the short time I’d known him.

“No, I mean heart. She’s all heart that one. Ignore her tough shell. Inside, she’s as gooey as they come.” I saw his grin widen in the rearview mirror, a father beaming with pride. “It’s my fault, you know. All of it.”

“All of what?” I frowned.

“The way she is…so assertive. She took over when her mother became ill. She came home for Christmas, quickly figured out what was going on, and never went back.” He turned his head to stare sadly out the window. “Then, after her mother passed, there was no money to finish her degree. I lost my job.” Malcolm blew out a breath. “I had to take too much time off of work. They said I was slipping and I was no longer reliable.” He swallowed hard. “I couldn’t focus. You can’t imagine what it’s like, leaving the house, wondering if the woman who’s your whole life might be dead before you return. I didn’t want to be away from her for more than a second.”

“I can’t imagine,” I admitted, “but I completely understand.” I peeked over at Maggie, who seemed almost relaxed for the first time since I’d known her. She looked years younger. The longer I stared, the more acutely I felt something stirring in my chest.

“She’s something,” Malcolm mumbled. “I don’t know what I’d do without her, but I feel guilty for completely robbing her of the life she hoped to build.”

I wasn’t sure what else to say. Part of me wanted to question him about the life Maggie wanted, the other part of me wanted to hear it straight from her. So, I remained silent and concentrated on the road. I loved driving up the coast. It relaxed me, almost as much as flying over it did. Already, I had the itch. How would I manage with guests in residence? At least Maggie would be a distraction during the full moon. Soon enough, we pulled down my private drive and paused before the gate so I could punch the code into the keypad. Almost as soon as I finished, the ornate iron doors swung open, allowing us access.

“Quite the fortress you have here,” Malcolm commented as we drove into the courtyard and circled the fountain, coming to stop before the door. The van parked a few feet behind us.

Fredo walked purposefully to the trunk of the car and waited for me to pop it. Once I did, he unloaded it, pulled everything into the foyer, and then returned. By now, Malcolm had climbed out of the vehicle and moved to stretch his legs. “Follow me, sir,” Fredo directed. “I’ll show you to your room. You can get settled before dinner. It should be ready in roughly fifteen minutes.”

“Thank you,” Malcolm replied nervously. His eyes were wide and I felt certain the size of my home intimidated him. He glanced at Maggie, still asleep in the front seat. Clearly, she had become his lifeline, the one person he could count on to help him adjust to any new situation. This was the perfect time to start to break him of the habit.

“I’ll wake her. You’ll see her at dinner. For now, go with Fredo,” I urged.

He shrugged and reluctantly followed my butler.

I slid out of my seat and spoke to my men, who stood beside the car waiting for my directions. “Why don’t you unload and set all this up in the back office near the guest room he’s staying in?”

The men nodded and quickly set to work. They had lives to get back to and a Friday night to enjoy. I walked around the car, opened Maggie’s door, and squatted beside her. She stirred slightly, which had me fighting the urge to take her in my arms and carry her to my bed. She looked so peaceful laying there with her hands clasped and tucked under her chin. Her dark lashes fluttered slightly against her pale skin. I hated the idea of interrupting a happy dream. Then I saw her face scrunch up and she began to shake. This was my cue. Reaching past her, I unbuckled the seatbelt. Maggie grabbed my arm, her eyes wide with fear.

“It’s just me. I was going to wake you up so you could come inside,” I murmured as I stroked her cheek gently with the back of my hand, hoping to soothe her. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, which meant I needed to try harder. “You’re at my house. You’re safe. Let me show you to your room. We’ll get you moved in and fed.” I tried to smile warmly at her, but I was so grossly out of practice it felt awkward and probably looked equally as strange.

Maggie stared at me, and finally released her grasp on my arm. Her breathing slowed. A smile spread across her face. Finally, she spoke. “Thank you.”

I should’ve responded with “you’re welcome,” but I realized I was the one who should be thankful. Simply being around her seemed to be changing me in all the best ways.

* * *

This man made me a blathering idiot and I was beginning to hate him for it. When had I ever worn a goofy smile? Dammit. I couldn’t afford to get soft on him, especially now that we were staying at his place. I’d seen how other women reacted to him. That wasn’t my style… or rather, it hadn’t been. Somehow, I managed to follow him through the house as he brought me to the room I’d be staying in without making a total fool of myself. Then, I handled dining out on the patio with all the fairy lights as best I could. There was a fire going in the outdoor fireplace, and lit candles flickered on the table. If my father hadn’t been there, it would’ve felt like a date. Who am I kidding? My father probably would follow me on dates, if I ever had any.

When dinner had ended, Blaise rushed off to answer a phone call. My father dove back into his work in his borrowed office. And I was left alone. I strolled over to the edge of the property and felt a rush of calm as the waves hit the shore far below the cliffs the house was perched on. A gentle breeze tickled my skin and goosebumps broke out. For a second, I considered wandering back to the room to grab a jacket. Instead, Blaise appeared and wrapped a shawl around my shoulders. My cheeks colored. “Thank you.” Apparently, this was all I’d be saying to the man for the duration of our stay. “How long will we be here?” I blurted out.

His brows rose. “Only two hours and you’re eager to leave already? You haven’t even been given a proper tour or tried out any of the amenities.”

I licked my lips. “Dinner was good…”

“How would you know? You barely touched it,” he countered, a grin on his face. “Come this way.” Blaise laid a hand on my lower back and began to direct me to the patio. The heat from his touch made me want to melt into him, but I resisted.

I’m not that girl, I kept reminding myself. Only, I feared if I stayed here too long, I might become like those I abhorred. “Where are we going?”

“First, I’m giving you the grand tour. Then we’ll come back out here for some of the wine I promised, and dessert. You’ll be starving by breakfast.” He chuckled. “And finally, I’ll give you that massage I promised when you’re ready to go to sleep.”

I nodded. Dammit. I was going to end up being that girl. He was too kind, had been since the first moment we met, despite the way I snapped at him. My cheeks warmed as a wave of embarrassment hit me. “Okay. Thank you.” He growled and I glanced up at him wide-eyed. “Something I said?”

“Actually, yes. So far, I’ve lost count of the ‘thank yous’ and we’ve had zero meaningful conversations.” Blaise sighed. “I think I liked you better when you were snapping at me.” I froze in place and he barely managed a half-step before he realized it. Then he turned. “I’m sorry. I’m not a people person. This is why I handle the computer side of the business and my brother handles the bodyguard part.”

“Yeah, well, it’s not like I get a lot of practice being social. I spend my days helping my father.” I gestured to the house. “You see how much we interact. Needless to say, I suck at computers and I’ve grown to hate techies.” I huffed.

His brows rose. “Glad we got that established.” Blaise blew out a breath. “Let me show you around so you can find what you need without having to ask anyone for help.”

“I’m sorry, too, okay?” I moved to stand in front of him, blocking his way and forcing him to acknowledge me. “I’m out of my element. You saw how we live. I’m pretty sure the bathroom in the suite you set me up in costs more than our entire house.”

“Not the whole house, but definitely the first floor.” He shrugged.

“See? I’m doing my best here. Be patient with me.” I gnawed on the inside of my cheek and waited expectantly for his response.

“I’m not exactly known for my patience, but for you…I’ll try. Help me?” He held his arms out at his sides.

“Of course, I’ll help you,” I murmured. I’m not sure what response he expected, but for some reason, it felt like an invitation to me. Without hesitation, I walked into his open arms and pressed my head against his chest. I half-expected him to stiffen at my touch. He should’ve. We were practically strangers. And yet, I found myself feeling more at ease with him than I ever had with anyone else, which would explain my brazen actions. I held my breath and waited. I’d seen how he had responded to the other women who threw themselves at him. I figured it would only be a matter of time before he pushed me away. A few seconds at best. Instead, he wrapped his arms around me and drew me close.

When he finally pulled back, almost reluctantly, he spoke in a low, seductive voice. “Let me show you around my home.” Blaise brought me through the doors into the kitchen. “In case you get hungry,” he teased. “Nothing is off limits.”

“Thank you.” I nodded as the tour moved into the dining room. I didn’t want to gawk, but this was truly the most magnificent home I’d ever toured, and for a little while, I’d get to live here. So, I walked around and marveled over the high ceilings and exposed beams. “This place is so different from the traditional home I grew up in, obviously. I mean, you saw the place. Nothing grand about it.” I shrugged. “Even when we had money, my parents never wanted to move. That home was the first place they ever bought, the only place they’d ever lived together and there was no convincing them to relocate.”

“I can see why they’d want to stay and I think that’s beautiful.” He wrapped an arm around my waist while he took me through the great room to the right side of the house.

This place, though easily five times the size of the home where I’d been raised, felt warmer somehow. The rough-hewn dark wood floors were dotted with area rugs. There was artwork everywhere, from the paintings on the walls, to the sculptures, statues, and pottery. It had a very old world feel.

“If you ever wonder where your father is, try here.” Blaise pointed to the door, which was barely ajar. “If not, the room across the hall is his suite.”

I peeked through the opening and could see my father was in his glory. “You’ve made him very happy. Thank you.”

He frowned. “What about you, Maggie? Are you happy?”

I hesitated before responding. “I could be.” I shrugged. “I’m not used to thinking in those terms. I’m too focused on making everything work and getting everything done. I don’t remember being happy,” I admitted quietly. “Sometimes I wander around, go for walks at night. That’s about as close as I come.”

“You can go anywhere you want during the day,” he began seriously, “but after dark, I’d prefer you stay away from the back of the house and never move beyond the gates.”

“Oh.” I looked away to hide my disappointment.

Blaise reached for my hand. “This might help with the boredom.”

I let him tow me down the hall outside of my room. Then he pushed open the double doors and I gasped. “A library?” Slowly, I walked the perimeter of the room, admiring the floor-to-ceiling shelves loaded with hard cover books. Some of the leather spines appeared to be incredibly old, like Gutenberg Bible old. I beamed. “This will definitely help.”

“And through here,” he pushed open the double doors on the opposite side of the room, “is where I work sometimes.”

“Beautiful.” I couldn’t stop admiring the coffered ceiling. The room was absolutely perfect, from the high back chairs I imagined curling up in to read, to the overstuffed sofa opposite them. Hell, I’d be happy on the fluffy rug in front of the fireplace.

“Ready for wine?” He beamed while he clapped his hands together.

“Absolutely.” I strolled through the doors as I exited the room and glanced to my right. There was another little hallway with a closed door at the end. “What’s down there?” The house seemed to go on forever.

“That’s my suite.” He frowned and I had the distinct impression he was trying to decide whether or not to share his inner sanctum with me.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want…”

“No.” Blaise swallowed hard. “You can see it.”