She had to stand and stare once she was out of the car, whilst he patiently waited, watching her through narrowed eyes.
‘It seems a bit magnificent for one person,’ Laura finally volunteered, following him towards the imposing front door.
‘Like I said, I originally bought it as a financial investment and as such it has been worth every penny.’
‘There’s more to life than money.’
‘Really? I have yet to encounter it.’ He opened the front door and stood aside to let her through.
Breathtaking enough on the outside, it was a designer’s paradise on the inside. Wooden floors gleamed and seemed to stretch endlessly and matched perfectly with the heavy cream of the wallpaper, and through open doors she could glimpse a harmony of rich colours and thick curtains that hung to the ground in swirls.
The house had been cunningly designed on various levels, so from where she stood, with her back to the front door, Laura could see the staircase curve towards the left, where a luxurious sitting area overlooked the main entrance and presumably led to one wing of the house, before winding up towards the right wing of the house.
‘If this is the sort of thing you like,’ she joked nervously, ‘then you’re going to hate Oakridge House when it’s finished. Lord, Gabriel, I almost feel as if I should remove my shoes just in case the shiny polished wood gets scuffed.’ It was meant as a light-hearted observation but she could see from the thinning of his mouth that he hadn’t cared for it.
‘Don’t be ridiculous, Laura. Come on, I will show you to the kitchen and we can have something to drink before we have a look around.’ This was a mistake, he thought grimly. She hated this place and he was disgusted to find that he was now seeing it through her eyes as well and not much liking what he saw.
They bypassed rooms, into which Laura sneaked quick, fascinated peeks until they came to the kitchen, which, much as she might have expected, was everything anyone could want from a kitchen. Wood, chrome and cream gleamed with showroom brightness.#p#分页标题#e#
‘Lovely,’ she said faintly, and he glowered at her.
‘You hate it. Why not be honest and admit it? I won’t get annoyed.’ He was so annoyed, in fact, that it felt good to add, with deliberate casualness, ‘What you think does not affect me at all.’
‘I don’t hate it,’ Laura said stubbornly, folding her arms. Did he have to spell out his position with such relentless indifference? ‘And I would love a cup of coffee,’ she continued, ‘if you can locate it. These counters seem very clear of anything useful. I mean—’ she could feel her hurt gathering some much-needed momentum ‘—what the heck is that?’ She pointed at a silver gadget on the counter by the stove, which was so dazzlingly bright that you very nearly needed sunglasses to look at it.
‘It’s a ...ah ...juice extractor.’
‘And that?’
‘Cappuccino maker.’
‘Which you’re going to use to make my cup of coffee?’
‘I prefer the ordinary kettle.’ He had ruffled her beautiful feathers with his dismissive put-down, and Gabriel felt a twinge of disproportionate delight.
‘Then why on earth did you waste your good money on a cappuccino maker? Huh? If you preferred the ordinary kettle’? More money than sense.’
‘I did not buy it, as a matter of fact.’
‘Oh, I see. It just landed on your counter one morning from outer space.’
Gabriel threw back his head and laughed, it does look a little terrifyingly alien,’ he agreed.
‘And do you know how to use it?’
‘You don’t know!’ Laura crowed, grinning. ‘What did I just say about more money than sense? I bet you’re scared to go anywhere near it in case it explodes if you press the wrong button!’
‘You are utterly incorrigible, woman.’
‘And utterly right as well. So what other gadgets do you have concealed in this high-tech kitchen which you’re too scared to use?’
Gabriel couldn’t help it. He grinned sheepishly back at her and shrugged. ‘The microwave can be a little uncooperative sometimes,’ he admitted ruefully, wondering how on earth he had ever managed to feel remotely comfortable in a kitchen where most of the appliances seemed designed to repel casual use.
‘So how on earth do you manage to fend for yourself?’ Laura asked, folding her arms and subjecting him to a penetrating, quizzical stare.
The urge to tell her that what he needed was a good woman to fend for him was so strong that it left him shaken.
‘I have staff,’ he muttered, and she nodded with superior condescension. ‘Handy.’