“This is my room,” Lexi said.
“It’s…nice.” He wasn’t sure nice was the right word. Interesting maybe. The space was a curious mix of modern and old fashioned. A jumble of different styles, every surface smothered in things—books and clothes and ornaments… He didn’t think he’d ever owned an ornament in his life. The walls were covered with a mixture of paintings and photographs. Disorganized chaos, like Lexi herself.
“I had it remodeled from the old attics when I moved in. I love being up here. And the views are wonderful. I can lie in bed and look out onto the Heath.”
At least it was big enough for them to be apart in, even with the absolutely huge four-poster bed that stood in the center. Mahogany posts and dark red curtains were tied back to show a crimson cover and a mound of pillows. She’d be lost in there alone. It was a bed made for at least two.
“Nice bed,” he said.
“It used to be in the master bedroom downstairs. I had to take it to pieces to get it up here, but I love it.”
She sank onto the mattress and eyed him up. “I’ve cleared out some wardrobe space for you over there.” She waved a hand toward a vast mahogany cabinet. And the bathroom is through there.”
A door, slightly ajar, stood opposite.
He unpacked his bag quickly and efficiently.
“You’re very organized,” she said as she watched him place his empty bag in the bottom of the wardrobe. He headed into the bathroom with his toiletries. If the bedroom was disorganized chaos, this was a nightmare. Every surface was covered with bottles and candles, and baskets of dried stuff. The air smelled of flowers, almost overpowering.
The room was as big as a normal bedroom, with a walk in shower and a freestanding tub big enough for two. Not that they’d be sharing, but he had an image of Lexi, a hot bath, and a whole load of bubbles.
Don’t go there.
The only way this was going to work was if he kept his mind off sex. He was here to do a job. Think of it as a mission. A mission into enemy territory. Except it was hard to think of Lexi as an enemy.
Brother and sister then, like she’d suggested. But he didn’t want a sister either.
He searched in vain for a place to put his few things and caught sight of his harassed face in the mirror and Lexi behind him, leaning against the open door, a rueful expression on her face.
“Sorry about the clutter, but no one else ever comes up here,” she said. “So I don’t really notice what it’s like.” She stepped up beside him and swept the stuff off one of the shelves, into a basket of the dried smelly stuff. “There, you have somewhere to put your things now.”
He set them out on the shelf while she watched.
“Gosh, you travel light,” she said.
“You learn to in the army,” he replied.
“I suppose. We’d better get down to the others.”
He turned, found her closer than he’d expected, and took a step back, banging into the washbasin. Christ, he was skittish. What did he think she was going to do? Jump him?
You wish.
He studied the photographs as they went out; coming to a halt in front of one he hadn’t expected to see. It was a blow up of one she’d had in her office. Their wedding photograph. He was in uniform, while she was wearing a dark purple dress. It felt like a lifetime ago. He was pale, lines of pain bracketing his mouth. He’d only just gotten out of the hospital, and, remembering, he reached up and rubbed his shoulder.
At that point he’d still had a plan. A purpose. Still believed that he’d get Evie back and they’d be a family again. That belief hadn’t survived for long.
Lexi looked…young. Her face fuller. She had a bright smile that wasn’t totally reflected in her dark eyes.
She halted at the door to see what was holding him up, her eyes widening as she took in what he was looking at. She cleared her throat. “I thought it would look odd if I didn’t have at least one photo of you on the wall. In case someone came up here.”
But she’d said no one ever came up here.
He followed her back down the staircase, his feelings all over the place. She was doing his head in. One minute he thought he had a handle on everything. The next he felt as though he was adrift in that lifeboat once more. He shook his head. She was different than anyone he had dealt with before. But he could do this. He’d been in the SAS for God’s sake. He was tough, trained to withstand torture. How hard could a few nights with Lexi be?
“So,” Lexi said to the room. “You’ve all met Josh. As I told you, Josh and I have been married for five years. We love each other.”
“Obviously,” Tom muttered, and Lexi glared.
Josh sat on one of the chairs around the table, legs stretched out, trying to look relaxed.
“Josh has spent a lot of time out of the country, but he’s here to stay now. If anyone asks, that’s all you need to say.”
He looked at the faces around the room, they didn’t seem happy but one by one they nodded.
“Good,” Lexi said. “It’s going to be easy as pie.”