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Authors: Amy Lignor
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the key in my hand and shook my head. "Forget it. Nicole, I would assume?"
Matthew offered that deep, low laugh. "Yeah."
"She thought you needed my help?"
He shrugged.
Opening the door, I immediately smelled the lavender scent that always reminded me of where I was and that I was completely safe. Praising myself for having cleaned it before we'd left for the city last week, I invited them inside.
Bobby grabbed the bags, and escorted Chris into my lair.
Throwing the keys on the table, I turned to face the actor who'd granted me a favor. "Sorry about her. Nicole's a little overbearing at times, but you really didn't have to come all the way out here. I mean, you're probably exhausted after the day you guys had."
As if on cue, a small yawn came from Chris. "Just a little." He smiled at me. "It's peaceful here, I have to say. Very quiet."
"It's called boring." I smiled back.
"No," his small voice was suddenly filled with the power of truth. "No. It's serene."
Matt agreed, "Compared to L.A. and New York, this place is like Paradise."
Obviously sensing my loss for intelligent words, as I continued to stare at the man who I was finding it impossible to turn away from, Bobby spoke, "I'm really sorry, guys. There's a huge Inn down the road but check-in is before seven. We really are small up here."
"Then why such a big Inn?" Chris asked.
"A lot of New Yorkers come our way for the weekend. They give big parties and invite their friends."
Chris raised an eyebrow. "Really?
Bobby shrugged. "Something about having a Connecticut home. I suppose we took over after the Hampton's kind of lost cool points."
Matt looked around the room. "This is a beautiful property."
"It was my grandparent's house, actually. I just added on after they went up," I replied.
"Went up where?" Chris asked, rubbing his hand softly over the antique wood of my grandmother's table.
"Paradise," I replied.
Chris offered a truly sweet smile. "Sorry, dumb question. I love this table."
"My grandfather made that. It was his wedding present to her."
Matt's eyes moved over the hand-carved ornaments. "How long were they married?"
"Sixty-five years."
Matt took a step back. "Wow! And your parents?"
"Less, unfortunately." I turned away, suddenly feeling very odd about spilling my life to a complete stranger. "Anyway, as Bobby was saying, there's one Inn but it's most likely booked seeing as its Thursday night and the weekenders will be heading in." I swallowed hard, feeling extremely uncomfortable. "You'll probably want to go back to the city."
"Ha!" Chris snorted. "No room at the Inn. That's funny."
I giggled.
"Sorry," he said, "I'm a tad tired."
"They can stay here."
My gaze flew to Bobby. "What?"
"They could stay here. You have two extra bedrooms—with baths. It's not a problem."
My heart seemed to climb into my throat, as the wail of a warning siren went off in my head. I was trapped. "Of course you can stay the night." I turned back to Matt with what I hoped was a convincing smile. "You shouldn't drive these back country roads in the dark if you're not used to them."
I immediately turned to my so-called friend, and said sweetly, "I meant, they'll want to go back to the city tomorrow."
Bobby stared at Chris. "But you can stay longer, if you want."
Matt immediately put up his hand and stepped forward. "Look, Beth, we didn't come up here to beg a room, I swear. And we would certainly never presume to invite ourselves into your home."
"You didn't man, I invited you," Bobby said. Without another word, my friend lifted their bags and marched up the stairs, with Chris following behind.
Matt shrugged. "Sorry about this."
I shook my head slowly. "Don't be silly. You're certainly…welcome. Umm…but, just so you know, it is really boring here. There's not a lot to do for fun."
His smile grew. "I'm not here for fun, just work."
Being just a step away, I could actually feel the heat coming from his skin as he took my hand. "Your words about
Matthew offered that deep, low laugh. "Yeah."
"She thought you needed my help?"
He shrugged.
Opening the door, I immediately smelled the lavender scent that always reminded me of where I was and that I was completely safe. Praising myself for having cleaned it before we'd left for the city last week, I invited them inside.
Bobby grabbed the bags, and escorted Chris into my lair.
Throwing the keys on the table, I turned to face the actor who'd granted me a favor. "Sorry about her. Nicole's a little overbearing at times, but you really didn't have to come all the way out here. I mean, you're probably exhausted after the day you guys had."
As if on cue, a small yawn came from Chris. "Just a little." He smiled at me. "It's peaceful here, I have to say. Very quiet."
"It's called boring." I smiled back.
"No," his small voice was suddenly filled with the power of truth. "No. It's serene."
Matt agreed, "Compared to L.A. and New York, this place is like Paradise."
Obviously sensing my loss for intelligent words, as I continued to stare at the man who I was finding it impossible to turn away from, Bobby spoke, "I'm really sorry, guys. There's a huge Inn down the road but check-in is before seven. We really are small up here."
"Then why such a big Inn?" Chris asked.
"A lot of New Yorkers come our way for the weekend. They give big parties and invite their friends."
Chris raised an eyebrow. "Really?
Bobby shrugged. "Something about having a Connecticut home. I suppose we took over after the Hampton's kind of lost cool points."
Matt looked around the room. "This is a beautiful property."
"It was my grandparent's house, actually. I just added on after they went up," I replied.
"Went up where?" Chris asked, rubbing his hand softly over the antique wood of my grandmother's table.
"Paradise," I replied.
Chris offered a truly sweet smile. "Sorry, dumb question. I love this table."
"My grandfather made that. It was his wedding present to her."
Matt's eyes moved over the hand-carved ornaments. "How long were they married?"
"Sixty-five years."
Matt took a step back. "Wow! And your parents?"
"Less, unfortunately." I turned away, suddenly feeling very odd about spilling my life to a complete stranger. "Anyway, as Bobby was saying, there's one Inn but it's most likely booked seeing as its Thursday night and the weekenders will be heading in." I swallowed hard, feeling extremely uncomfortable. "You'll probably want to go back to the city."
"Ha!" Chris snorted. "No room at the Inn. That's funny."
I giggled.
"Sorry," he said, "I'm a tad tired."
"They can stay here."
My gaze flew to Bobby. "What?"
"They could stay here. You have two extra bedrooms—with baths. It's not a problem."
My heart seemed to climb into my throat, as the wail of a warning siren went off in my head. I was trapped. "Of course you can stay the night." I turned back to Matt with what I hoped was a convincing smile. "You shouldn't drive these back country roads in the dark if you're not used to them."
I immediately turned to my so-called friend, and said sweetly, "I meant, they'll want to go back to the city tomorrow."
Bobby stared at Chris. "But you can stay longer, if you want."
Matt immediately put up his hand and stepped forward. "Look, Beth, we didn't come up here to beg a room, I swear. And we would certainly never presume to invite ourselves into your home."
"You didn't man, I invited you," Bobby said. Without another word, my friend lifted their bags and marched up the stairs, with Chris following behind.
Matt shrugged. "Sorry about this."
I shook my head slowly. "Don't be silly. You're certainly…welcome. Umm…but, just so you know, it is really boring here. There's not a lot to do for fun."
His smile grew. "I'm not here for fun, just work."
Being just a step away, I could actually feel the heat coming from his skin as he took my hand. "Your words about
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