Boone couldn’t believe it when he saw Lucy in the hotel standing by the front desk.

She was hard to miss.

She stood out among the workers in her pretty amber gown, her blonde hair gleaming under the gas lights, her profile as perfect as he remembered, curse her.

She was talking to one of his many workers, and when she glanced around, he ducked back into the hallway.

What was she doing there?

The man she was talking to rounded the desk and started in his direction. Once he turned the corner, Boone grabbed him by his shirt front and pulled him against the wall until they were both out of sight. “The lady at the front desk. What did she want?”

The man gaped at him, then pulled himself together and nodded his head deferentially. “She’s looking for Mr. Newby, Sir. I’m headed out to find him right now.”

Well, blast it!

“I’ll take care of this. Go about your business. In fact, go check up on the woodworkers on the third floor. I’d like you to supervise them and make sure the wardrobes are being placed correctly.”

Enthusiasm lit the younger man’s gaze. “Yes, Sir!” he said before scampering away.

What could Lucy possibly want with him? He was still angry with her and considered simply leaving. But if he did, someone would no doubt go and get the real Mr. Newby.

Did he care?

He found that his curiosity insisted that he did.

He wanted to know what she wanted and there was only one way to find out.

Blowing out a breath, he headed around the corner and when Lucy spotted him, her pretty face lit up.

He stumbled a step. Her outright acceptance was a good sign, he supposed, but he found he couldn’t return her smile. “Miss Rickman. How can I help you today?”

Her sky-blue eyes flickered at the use of her surname. “Hello, Boone.”

Now it was Boone, was it? Fine. He found he liked her saying his name, but he just didn’t like that he liked it so much. Blast her, all over again! He remained silent, hoping nothing in his expression gave his confusion away.

“I’m…” She glanced down awkwardly, then glanced around at all the workers. Finally, in a low tone, she said, “Boone, I’m here to apologize.”

Now that did surprise him. In his experience, women rarely apologized. Not even his own mother. “What for, exactly?”

“For believing, even for a moment, that Dorothy woman the other day. I left you behind without even giving you the chance to defend yourself against such spurious accusations.” She took a breath. “I’ve gotten to know you in recent days and when you denied the accusation, I should have stayed staunchly by your side as a true friend. I’m sorry that I believed her, and I’m sorry that I didn’t stand beside you.”

Well, then. He could feel himself softening toward her at the pretty speech. “How did you find me?”

She swallowed. “Dorothy told me you were working at the red house on Granite Street. I went there, and Mr. Jackson’s butler told me where to find you.”

His anger came rushing back full force. “So, you spoke to Dorothy, did you?”

“I did.”

Anger blistered through him.

For a moment, he thought she’d seen the light and knew he was innocent of fathering Dorothy’s child. But no, Dorothy had tattled despite his wishes. After he’d specifically told her not to.

Women!

Couldn’t they ever keep their mouths shut?

He fumed in silence for a moment.

“Do you want me to leave?”

His name was called from across the room, and he gladly turned away for a moment, only to realize it was Mr. Newby headed in his direction.

“Wait here.”

He crossed the huge foyer to talk to the handyman. “You need to make yourself scarce, and you need to do it right now.”

Surprise registered on Mr. Newby’s face, and then he tilted his head to the side so he could see around Boone’s broad shoulders to look at the woman standing at the front desk. “Sure, boss.” His gaze turned crafty. “But it’s gonna cost you.”

Boone shook his head. “I’m really not in the mood for this right now.”

“It’s nothing like that, I just need the afternoon off to take care of something.”

“Go, then. Just disappear.”

With a touch to his hat, Peter Newby took off down the corridor.

Boone crossed the room once more, grabbed Lucy by the wrist, and hauled her behind him on his way out the front doors.

“Was that man a relative of yours? I thought I heard someone call him Newby.”

“There are a lot of Newbys in the area.”

She hurried to keep up with him. “Are you throwing me out?”

“No, I’m going with you.”

“Oh. Well, I must say, the hotel looked very nice. Have you done a lot of work on it?”

He didn’t respond.

She dug her heels in and pulled on his grasp until he released her. She stopped. “Boone, I made a mistake.”

He turned to face her.

“I admit it. Can you forgive and forget? Hopefully, I’ll have learned something by it. I know that you are an honorable, upright man, and I won’t disbelieve your word again.”

A sliver of unease ran through him. He was actually lying to her right at this moment.

Perhaps he’d been overreacting.

He hesitated, considered leaving her here, and then looked into her beautiful face. Her earnest expression swayed him the other way.

“Would you like a tour of the building?”

Relief shown in her gaze. “Yes, I’d love one.”

* * *

They went back inside and Boone settled Lucy on a bench in the foyer while he went to find his foreman. “I want you to let everyone go home early today.”

Surprise lit the older man’s face. “You sure, Boss?”

“I am.”

The foreman made the announcement and a cheer went up as everyone started to pack up and go home. Word was passed swiftly along.

Within fifteen minutes they had the hotel to themselves.

Boone rejoined Lucy and walked her through the elaborate foyer with its huge chandelier, into the dining room with the hardwood floors, tables and chairs, and the view out the big picture windows.

Enjoying impressing her, he showed her the kitchens with the newest of gadgetry, and then the view out on the balcony overlooking the valley.

He deemed it inappropriate to show her the empty bedrooms, and so he took her to the indoor swimming pool where the air was humid and muggy.

As they slowly relaxed in one another’s company once more, he wished things were different, but decided that he would take what he could get.

“This swimming pool is the pride and joy of this place. It’s the first in town. It was just finished last week, and it finished filling yesterday.”

She looked appropriately impressed, glancing around at the wood floors, marble columns, and glass and wood-beamed ceiling. “It’s beautiful.”

He looked around at the tile work, the big windows, the lush towels set upon tall shelves, the leisure chairs and glass tables. “Thank you. Do you want to swim?”

She looked hesitant.

“There are swimsuits for the guests, already in the closets. In the dressing rooms.”

She looked at him shyly. “All right.”

She’d managed to surprise him. “All right?”

She nodded her head. “Yes, I’ll swim with you.”

* * *

He couldn’t escort her to the ladies’ dressing room fast enough.

Lucy headed out to the swimming area, and had to admit that it felt like they were sneaking around, getting away with something, and… it was fun.

Her swimsuit was modest, she was still feeling a little shy, and, all right, she knew dang good and well that her mother would not approve of the situation.

But Lucy wasn’t a child. She was an adult and then some. Her mother had born two children by Lucy’s same age. Lucy could certainly handle this.

They both got into the water at separate ends of the pool. Still not looking at him, she slowly walked down the stairs and into the lukewarm water, holding tight to the handrail.

The water temperature was perfect, and felt wonderful in the sultry confines of the room.

Boone swam toward her.

She waded toward him, out into the water, and then nervously moved to the edge.

“Do you like it?”

She nodded. “I do. Very much.”

“I expect the pool will get a lot of use in the summer months, and where it’s indoors, and fed with an unlimited supply of natural hot spring water, the winter months as well.”

She grinned. “Can you imagine?”

He looked pleased. “Yes. Yes, I can.”

She grinned at him. “You sound very proud. Did you have a hand in building it?”

“I did.”

She swam away from him and a moment later he followed. She settled on the stairs on one side of the handrail, and he sat on the other.

They didn’t say anything for a moment, but she caught him looking at her. “What is it?”

“I have a question, but I don’t want to seem too intrusive.”

She shrugged. “Ask.”

“About your ex-fiancé…”

She shook her head wondering if she was imagining the jealous tone, then chuckled. “What about him?”

“What happened, exactly?”

She shrugged. “After a long courtship, we were engaged.” She shrugged again. “Everyone expected it. We’ve known each other forever, or I should say, our families have known each other forever. Everyone always thought we’d marry.”

“If only it were that easy to pick out a spouse.”

She was surprised by his comment. “Sometimes it is. My own parents were married in much the same way.”

He grumbled and finally said, “Are they happy?”

“I haven’t really thought about it. I suppose so.”

He grumbled again, but she heard his words this time. “Mine were not.”

She splashed a bit of water on him. “This conversation is too serious for a swimming pool.” She splashed again, giggled, and swam away.

It didn’t take him long to catch her, however.

He chuckled and pulled her into his arms. He was tall enough to touch the bottom, and she wasn’t, and had to cling to him.

Their bodies floated together.

He was like a magnet to her and her heart thundered in her chest and it wasn’t from the exertion of the short swim.

“This is probably not a good idea,” she said.

They stared at each other… heartbeat…heartbeat…heartbeat.

And then he was kissing her. Once, and then again. And then they were both kissing, mouths pressing and frantic.

She clung to him, the sensation of him against her heady, overwhelming, as he growled into their kiss.

Oh. Dear. She could not handle this. Him.

No wonder her mother wouldn’t have approved of this situation!

She’d been kissed before, of course, she had, but it had been nothing like this and despite the water, she felt afire!

She pulled away and sucked in air. “We have to stop.”

“Agreed.” He was breathing heavily as well and she could feel his heart pounding against her chest, or was that her own? With his body pressed to hers she could scarcely breathe for the sensations bombarding her.

He was suffering similarly, unable to catch his breath, and the realization that he was reacting to her in much the same way was heady, exciting.

She remembered the few kisses she’d shared over the years. Nothing had prepared her for this. For Boone.

As to Mr. Hargraves, well, goodness. She might as well have been kissing her own brother.

Was that why he’d sought another woman?

She slowly disengaged and Boone slowly let her go. She swam to cling to the side of the pool once more.

Boone swam in the opposite direction.

A good call in her opinion. They shouldn’t get too close to each other or, despite the water, they just might combust!