As soon as stepped over the threshold, she let out a little sigh of relief. The cool interior of the whitewashed walls welcomed her home. She didn’t have much furniture. Everything she had served a purpose. With six children under the roof, some clutter was inevitable. But she did what she could to minimize it. Thankfully, the girls weren’t home at the moment. Mrs. Ballas probably had them down at the market getting supplies for the week.
Constance glanced at Luca, watched as he walked around the open living room that led into her undersized kitchen. Her home must seem ridiculously small to him, but she loved it. Everything about it, from the deep, overstuffed sofa to the short bookcases lining the wall under the large windows was inviting and comfortable. Decorated in shades of blue, yellow, and white, her home was bright and cheerful and her heart soared with happiness every time she stepped through the doors.
The room seemed much smaller with Luca standing in it, but even he wasn’t immune to its charms, it seemed. Some of the tension had loosened up his shoulders as he roamed around. She’d fully expected him to turn his pampered nose up at her humble home, but she didn’t see any condescension in him when he turned back to her.
“It’s charming,” he said.
She laughed at his tone. “You sound surprised.”
He shrugged. “Not sure what I expected. Some nightmare hive of filing cabinets and clipboards maybe.”
She rolled her eyes at him and nodded toward several suitcases sitting by the door. The girls had been so excited at their upcoming “vacation” it had taken hours to get them to sleep. They’d each packed a bag, but she’d have to have Mrs. Ballas make sure they had what they needed. Constance hadn’t been able to sleep at all the night before so she’d put her time to good use, packing everything she’d need for the long six weeks ahead.
“You can take those out to the car. I have to grab a few more things.”
His eyebrows rose and she had to turn away so he wouldn’t see her smile. She supposed it wasn’t every day that the illustrious Luca Vasilakis played bellhop. It filled her with a surprising amount of pleasure to be the one to give him orders.
She went into her bedroom and grabbed her small overnight bag, dumping her jewelry box into it. Thankfully Mrs. Ballas had her own cottage next door or they’d have had to share the room. Constance wouldn’t mind having the older woman live with her, but it did give them a bit more space without her there. And as Mrs. Ballas was technically a sort of housekeeper/nanny, having her own space gave her somewhere to hide when she needed a break.
Constance wouldn’t mind hiding out for a while herself, but Luca was waiting. She went into the bathroom to gather her makeup and toiletries. She took a last look around, making sure she had everything. It wasn’t like she couldn’t come back if she forgot something. In fact, she was hoping to get away to her little refuge as often as she could. Surely she wouldn’t have to spend twenty-four hours a day with Luca. She didn’t think her sanity could stand it.
Chapter Seven
Luca stepped into Constance’s bedroom and looked around—bright, neat, and organized. Just like the rest of the house. Just like her. The bed with its colorful quilt was neatly made and while there were several soft pillows neatly arranged, it wasn’t stacked high with decorative nonsense that never got used.
He pushed on the mattress a few times. A little soft for his tastes but definitely firm enough to support some vigorous recreation. He grinned, envisioning Constance’s lovely face flushing bright red if he were to bring the suggestion up to her. He might just have to do that. Few things were more fun, he was discovering, than pushing Miss McMurty’s numerous buttons.
A cushy looking chair next to the window sat beside yet another bookcase, a dresser with a mirror, and small end tables on either side of the bed. Everything about her home was comfortable and served a purpose, the complete opposite of his own home. Hell, he had entire rooms in his house he’d never even gone in. Bedrooms that had never been slept in. Knick-knacks he hadn’t picked out. He’d always loved his house, but compared to Constance’s place his house was more like a hotel than an actual home.
He flopped down on her bed and turned to the bathroom door. She came out and froze when she saw him lying there. Her eyes widened, her luscious mouth pursed with disapproval. He didn’t bother trying to hide his smile. God, she was fun to tease. He lazily rubbed a hand over the spot next to him.
“Care to join me?”
Her lips pinched more. “No, thank you,” she said, her voice cold and distant though her eyes roamed over his body and a blush stole across her cheeks.