He shrugged. “Nothing…”
“Exactly. So, now that I’ve satisfied your curiosity, can I go?” I asked, barely containing the impatience in my tone.
“Not yet. I have a proposition for you,” he said, surprising me.
“I’m not interested,” I spurted right away.
There was no way in hell I would be interested in anything that came from him. And not because I feared he would hurt me in any way – he had had enough opportunities last night and hadn't lifted a finger against me, - but because I didn’t feel comfortable around him.
He was a threat to my peace of mind.
“You haven’t heard it,” he pointed out, in a cold tone.
I shook my head. “Whatever it is, I’m not interested,” I insisted.
“I believe you at least owe the courtesy of hearing me out, don’t you think?” he asked, straightening up.
“Why waste more time?” I grumbled.
He cocked his eyebrow and remained in a stubborn silence until I surrendered to his will. What else could I do? He would hold me, prisoner, if I didn’t.
“Fine… let’s hear it,” I grumbled.
“Susan has been asking me for some vacation time. I have been delaying it for some time now because I don’t like the idea of having strangers in my house,” he started explaining. “I’m asking you to substitute her for, let’s say, a month. This would solve both our problems: I would have a housekeeper, and you would have a job and a place to live.”
For a moment, I could only look at him. Was he for real? Last night he had been sure I was a spy, and now he wanted me to work for him, in his house? What was he hiding from me?
“I’m a stranger,” I pointed out, with a deep frown.
“True… but I could live with that,” he assured me.
“Why would you even bother?” I asked, failing to see what he would gain with this proposal.
He shrugged. “Susan has been very insistent, and your arrival was providential,” he replied, his voice as cold as his demeanor.
“Last night…” I started, but he interrupted me.
“Last night was a mistake, induced by your thoughtless words that should never happen again. We’ll barely see each other. Susan will instruct you in what is expected of you, and as long as you do your job, our paths will have little reason to cross,” he assured me.
I bit my inner cheeks nervously, finding it very hard to reject his offer. I had no other option in sight, and the idea of facing a cold night out in the open scared me to death. How could I say no to this?
The lust I had seen in his eyes last night was gone, and his attitude towards her was cold and indifferent, making me doubt what I had seen.
“Think about it. You have the whole day to give me an answer. Susan will explain what you would be doing so that you can make an informed decision,” he said, walking out of the kitchen and leaving me to my thoughts.
“Good morning, miss. Would you like your breakfast now?” Susan’s voice startled me.
The woman had just entered the kitchen, already wearing her uniform, black pants with a black and white tailored jacket that looked elegant and comfortable at the same time, and the white details of the jacket were made of delicate lace.
“I can make my own breakfast, thank you…” I said with an embarrassed smile.
“Nonsense. You’re still a guest here. You’ll have enough time to cook for yourself if you accept Mr. Wells’ offer,” the woman replied with a wide smile. “Let me tell you, I’m praying to God you will. My daughter is having a baby in a few weeks, and I really would love to be there with her. Mr. Wells has told me to go… that he would handle things with the cleaning crew… but that’s a terrible idea. Those people need careful supervision to do everything right,” she explained, scowling.
I smiled and admired her loyalty to her boss. That wasn’t that common these days. “Why don’t we have breakfast, and after that, you show me what I would have to do?” I suggested refraining from promising anything.
“Perfect. Would you like some pancakes or perhaps eggs and bacon?”
“Eggs and bacon, please.”
