Chapter 6
E dward realised they’d been standing there looking at each other and saying nothing for much longer than was socially acceptable.
“Settling in then?” he finally said.
Scarlett nodded and looked down at the balustrade.
“Yes, thanks. Mrs Wilson has been showing me the ropes.” A blush spread from her neckline up to her cheeks.
“You’ll be a big help for her.” Edward followed Scarlett’s gaze down the stairway. “Appreciate this isn’t what you usually do for work.”
She shrugged, and some curls sprang loose and hung over one of her eyes– giving him the overwhelming urge to brush them away and tuck them behind her ear.
Get it together, man.
“To be honest, I really appreciate you letting me just rock up and giving me some work.” Scarlett absentmindedly tucked the loose strands behind her ear.
“Your mum has been here a long time– I was happy to help. And Mrs Wilson can always do with an extra pair of hands.”
They continued to hold each other’s gaze.
“Is your mother well?” he asked, scratching his thumb across his eyebrow, which wasn’t actually itchy.
Stupid fucking question.
Scarlett narrowed her eyes at him, and he swore a flicker of curiosity crossed her face, a smile tugging at her lips. “Yes, seems to be. Although she was keen to get back to her plants and harvesting this morning.”
Edward nodded and looked away from her penetrating eyes, still unsure of their actual colour.
“And the apartment is comfortable?” he asked, taking a sudden interest in something else. Anything else . An invisible mark on the step between them– that would do.
“Extremely. It’s beautiful. Amazingly renovated. Was it done recently?”
The way she cocked her head when she asked a question was distracting, and he took a moment to register the question before answering.
“No. It used to be my mother’s art studio.
She found the main house…” He looked up and raised his hand, using two fingers to feign speech marks.
“Stifling to her creativity.” Seeing the sympathy in Scarlett’s eyes, he quickly added, “She’s still with us.
She went back to the States not long after my younger brother started boarding school alongside me.
She didn’t get on with the Scottish climate. It’s not for everyone.”
“It’s been lovely since I arrived. I’m assuming it’s not always like this, though?”
“No, not really.” He shrugged.
And now we’re discussing the weather.
Edward cringed.
“I see.” Scarlett shrugged in response. “A bit of cold doesn’t bother me. I quite like the cosiness of being indoors when it’s freezing outside.”
“Great.” Edward put his hands in his jean pockets, nodding. “The studio is fine, but this place is trickier to heat.”
Someone below them cleared their throat, breaking the moment and making the pair turn in unison towards the foyer.
“Mrs Wilson, there you are.” Edward nodded again, half smiled at Scarlett, and made his way down the stairs towards his housekeeper.
“I wanted to speak to you about preparing a couple of rooms in the east wing. My brother will grace us with his presence on Saturday, and I’d like to keep him out of my way as much as possible.
Could you make arrangements for that, please? ”
“Of course. Should I open up your mother’s quarters?” Mrs Wilson smiled politely, probably trying to erase disturbing thoughts of him in his own quarters that morning.
Fuck’s sake– what a shitshow of a day!
Edward paused on the bottom stair and winced.
“If that’s not appropriate, I can—”
“No, of course, that seems like the best idea. Be less work for you and Mrs…?” Edward turned to look at Scarlett.
He waited for her to respond as she paused for a long moment.
“It’s just Scarlett. No need for formalities.”
He watched her with interest as her eyes shifted from him to Mrs Wilson and then to the cleaning products in her hands.
Her face suddenly paled. “Just Scarlett will be fine.”
“You look unwell. Are you okay?” Edward asked, his voice mirroring the concern etched on Mrs Wilson’s face.
“I’m fine, thank you, just had a bit of a dizzy spell. It’s passed now.” Scarlett looked back at them with a dazzling smile that made his breath hitch. But he was unconvinced as he watched her.
This time, his awkwardness didn’t force his eyes away as it had just moments before.
She said she was fine .
He tried to shake off the weird feeling he had around her and wasn’t entirely sure why he was so concerned– Mrs Wilson clearly had a handle on everything.
“I’ll be in my office if you need me for anything.” Edward glanced at Mrs Wilson before focusing back on Scarlett. “I suggest, Mrs– sorry, Scarlett .” The word seemed uncomfortable on his lips. “I suggest you take an early lunch and maybe rest for an hour or so.”
Edward didn’t wait for a response and walked away from the two women.
He would not do this– he would not start something with the new employee!
No matter how attractive she was– or how those light blue jeans she was wearing accentuated every one of her curves.
Those curves but …
He shook his head. He would disregard how those eyes of hers penetrated his, and how that deep auburn hair sprang free at every opportunity, as if it refused confinement.
After Natasha left with Lily, he’d sworn he’d never put himself or the estate at risk again. His mother, of all people, had to bail him out of that one– Edward had been too broken to be able to think straight and Natasha was going for the whole lot.
Nope.
He wouldn’t and couldn’t.
Fuck’s sake.
His inner dialogue went in circles around his head, tormenting him until he finally reached the sanctuary of his office, and with the door firmly closed behind him, he let out a long sigh.
Edward shook his head again. He was a full-grown adult and would control and neutralise his ridiculous reaction to the woman– after all, he wasn’t a hormonal teenager with an insatiable hard-on.
But Edward groaned loudly as his body instantly reacted to the contrary.
He really was fucked.
Shit. Shit. Shit.