Ivy’s pov
"What are you doing?"
The voice was like a bucket of ice water dumped over my head. I yelped, yanking the flash drive from the port so fast I nearly snapped it in half. I shoved it deep into my apron pocket and spun around on my feet, almost twisting my ankle.
Roman stood a few meters away just by the huge brown door leading out of the mansion building into the pool area. The afternoon sun falling on his golden curls, making him look like a fallen angel.
"I- Mr. Knight!" I stammered, plastering on my most innocent, flustered expression. "I’m so sorry! I accidentally spilled coffee on Mr. Gideon, and I was just... just cleaning up. Making sure none of the coffee got on the laptop. I didn’t want it to get damaged."
It was a flimsy, pathetic lie, but I held his gaze, willing him to believe me.
Damn him, damn it all. I was so close to getting what I wanted and now it was all gone. What other opportunity like this would there be again?
"Aww, ever so sweet Ivy," He took a step closer, then another, gliding across the space between us while I tried to inch farther and farther away from the laptop so he wouldn’t suspect anything.
I held my breath when he stopped right before me, the corner of his eyes crinkling with mirth. The scent of cinnamon, his scent wrapped around me.
"You shouldn’t worry your pretty little head about it, Ivy," he murmured, his voice a low, melodic drawl. "Gideon can afford a thousand new laptops. Are you hurt anywhere? Did the coffee pour on you?"
My breath hitched. He was so close I could see the golden flecks in his hazel eyes. Was he... was he really concerned about me?
Ha right! The Knight brothers did not care about anyone but themselves. Why on earth would they care about a lowly housekeeper?
"I’m fine, Mr Knight- what are you doing-"
"Shhh," His hands reached between us, taking my palms in them, raising them up to his face.
"Let me see. We can’t have your soft pretty hands getting burned. I wouldn’t want your husband or lover trying to sue us for ruining his pretty woman’s hands."
I went so rigid, I could swear I turned to stone in a second.
"H-Husband?" I squeaked, my throat suddenly getting tight. What did he mean husband? Did he know who I was? Oh my god, I was screwed, screwed as hell.
"I’m guessing that means you do not have one?" His lips quivered in a charming grin, flashing me all of his pearly white teeth.
Oh what the hell do I do? I swallowed hard, trying to step away from him. His grip around my hands tightened, sending hot thrills through me before he eventually let go, reaching a hand behind him to rub the back of his neck.
"Looks like I won the bet," He chuckled.
"Excuse me?" I had no idea what he was talking about but that could mostly be because I was mesmerized watching his fingers massage at the muscles on the back of his neck. He rolled his shoulders, a wince crossing his handsome face.
"You look tired," I blurted, seizing the opportunity to change the subject and make him forget that he had seen me hovering above Gideon’s laptop. "Are you okay?"
"Nope!" He pouted, leaning forward and dropping his face into my neck.
Holy smokes, what on earth was going on? And why the hell was my heart pounding furiously like a disco beat?
"I am so tired," His hot breath whipped against my skin, creating a fog that slowly overwhelmed my senses.
My body prickled with hyper awareness at the feel of his hard body, mere millimeters away from mine. "I could use a hot bath and a massage right now,"
An idea, wicked and reckless, sparked in my mind. It was the perfect distraction. "I... I’m good at massages," My voice was barely above a whisper. "I... I could help, if you want."
"Really?!" He perked up, pulling away, his eyes twinkling with excitement. I almost had a whiplash from how quick that change was.
"Heck yeah, I would be a fool to say no."
"I’ll go get the spa room ready-"
"Right here is perfect," He beamed, immediately reaching past me to the lounge chair where Gideon had been some minutes ago.
He picked up Gideon’s laptop and placed it carefully on the small side table, then settled himself onto the lounge chair, lying on his stomach. He propped his chin on his fists and looked up at me, his blonde curls falling over his forehead.
"I’m all yours, Vivi."
"Vivi?" My cheeks burned, hot liquid heat pooling between my thighs. I licked my lips, trying to remember how it got to this. What the hell was I doing?
"Do you like it?" He winked, tilting his head to the side.
"I’ll... I’ll get some oil," I mumbled, turning and practically fleeing toward the small pool house storage shed.
"I’m taking that as a yes," He called after me, chuckling darkly.
I found a bottle of jasmine scented massage oil in the store, my hands shaking so badly I almost dropped it.
This was just a distraction. This was just to get him to stop asking questions. When I turned around, the bottle almost fell from my hands.
Oh Goddd.
"Where are your clothes?!" I didn’t mean to yell.
I swear I didn’t. But Roman had stripped down to his birthday suit with only a pair of black boxer briefs that clung to his firm, high ass.
My mouth went dry and I sucked in a slow breath. I couldn’t stop staring at the smooth, golden skin of his back, the lean muscles of his shoulders, and when he turned on his back, my knees wobbled at the sight of a deep black inked bird tattoo etched on his chest.
"Like what you see, Vivi?"