The Billionaire's Housekeeper Mistress(15)

‘Now across the hall…’ he led the way, throwing open another set of double doors ‘…is what used to be the ballroom.’

Daisy goggled at the incredibly splendid, manytiered, crystal chandelier centred in the high ceiling above a massive room which obviously ran the whole length of the house.

‘That’s coming down today,’ Ethan informed her.

Daisy goggled at him. ‘You’re getting rid of it?’

‘I’m selling it. It’s far too valuable to toss out. I was told it was bought from the Paris Exhibition in 1879. Some specialist lighting people will remove it and I’d appreciate it if you ensure they have adequate covering on the floor when they take it down. I don’t want the polished floorboards damaged.’

‘No, of course not,’ she murmured, staring at the floor which gleamed invitingly for dancing feet. ‘You don’t intend to hold balls in here?’

He laughed. ‘I think that era is well and truly gone, Daisy. I’ll be putting a billiard table in this top half of the room with appropriate lighting above it. The bottom half of the room will become a home theatre—television, sound system, comfortable lounges.’

She sighed over the loss of the room’s original function. ‘It seems a shame. Though you’re right about more modern living. I guess the floor will still be used for dancing when you throw parties.’

‘Mmmh…you like dancing?’

‘I love dancing. My favourite show on television is one that features up-and-coming dancers competing against each other. It must have been marvellous, waltzing in here.’

The green eyes twinkled wicked temptation. ‘I could waltz you around now before the chandelier goes. You could close your eyes and pretend you’re back in Victorian times.’

Her blood instantly heated at the idea of him taking her into his arms, pressing her close to him, their thighs brushing seductively as he twirled her across the floor. This terrible attraction to Ethan Cartwright had to be stamped out, not fed. She’d been running off at the mouth instead of simply taking in instructions. That had to stop. She had to keep in her place and he had to keep in his or this job would go haywire before it had even started.

Ignoring the flush on her cheeks, she gave him a stern look designed to banish any dangerous familiarity springing up between them. ‘I don’t believe the master of the house ever danced with his staff,’ she stated emphatically. ‘And I think that’s a very good principle in general,’ she added for good measure.


Ethan couldn’t help grinning. Daisy Donahue was priceless. Here she was drawing battle lines, warning him they weren’t to be crossed, establishing herself as forbidden territory, shooting the heady spice of challenge straight into his brain. The anticipation that had been bubbling through him as he’d waited for her to arrive this morning was certainly not fizzling out. His delight in her kept escalating. Winning her over to what he wanted was going to be a glorious game.

‘I don’t think I’ll feel like master of the house until all the reconstruction is done,’ he said in mock seriousness, his mouth still twitching with a dancing inner joy as he gestured for her to continue accompanying him on a tour of the property.

He felt no prick of conscience about taking advantage of the fact she was working for him. This was a stopgap position for her, not a serious career where business should not be mixed with pleasure. He dismissed that hurdle as of no account whatsoever, and she would surely come to realise that, too. This was a timeout situation—him from his normal social life, which had been soured by Serena, Daisy from the pressure of keeping a job she must have hated. He saw no reason why they shouldn’t enjoy the experience of each other, once he’d opened up the desire for it on her side.

They walked down the ballroom and turned into the area which had been remodelled into a modern kitchen and dining area, facing a lovely view of the harbour. ‘I designed the kitchen myself and had it put in first so I could move in here,’ he told her.

She gave him a startled look. ‘You’re living here already?’

‘Yes. I can’t be here during the day but I wanted to check daily progress.’

She heaved a sigh, her gaze fluttering nervously away from his as she muttered, ‘Then I’ll be seeing you every morning.’

It was a dead giveaway that his presence disturbed her. Ethan was certain that she was as sexually aware of him as he was of her. Why she felt she had to put barriers between them was a mystery, but he was confident of bringing them down sooner or later.