by Rose, Carol
"No." Tiny rivulets of water descended from her hair. Hayley scooted closer to the pipe to get a better hold, dodging the ladder and bumping Colt's knee in the process.
"Well, then I think I’d better handle this."
Colt tried another wrench.
"Give it a whack," she suggested.
"Famous last words as far as plumbing is concerned."
Hayley shrugged, ducking down to avoid the larger spray of water escaping from between her fingers. The water pressure was beginning to sting her palm. "You're probably right."
Colt wrestled with the knob, grunting with the effort. He rapped once on the turn-off knob with the wrench and tried to turn it once more.
Immediately, she felt the water pressure decrease. "You've got it."
He grinned at her in shared triumph as the flow slowed to a drip. "Thank God you didn't break the other pipe."
"Isn't that the truth," agreed Hayley, sagging back against the wall.
Disentangling his legs from hers, Colt moved to sit on the edge of the tub. His eyes met hers for a long second, the corners of his mouth twitching.
Laughter hit them both at the same time.
Hayley pointed at him, wordlessly, giggles erupting from her. His deep chuckles echoed with hers in the little room.
"I bet," she said, gasping, "the crew can hear us from outside. They probably think we're nuts."
"We are." Colt turned to lean against the tiled wall.
Hysterics subsiding, the two of them surveyed the shambles.
"What a mess." Hayley felt like a total idiot.
The bathroom had been hideous before, but this gave a whole new meaning to the word.
"Well we were going to tear out the whole bathroom anyway," he offered in consolation.
"Not the floor," mourned Hayley, tracing the tiny tiles.
"They might still be okay." Colt took off his wet shirt and bent to mop up as much water as the sodden material would hold. Hayley's breath caught in her chest and she stared at him, unwillingly transfixed.
She swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry.
The memory of touching him as he kissed her on the porch last night had left her unable to sleep, and now she would be haunted with visual images, too.
He was gorgeous, his body firmly muscled without having the ridiculously pumped-up look of a gym devotee. His golden-tanned chest sported a sprinkling of hair she longed to stroke.
"If we mop the rest of this up quickly, we'll probably be able to save the floor." He straightened. "Got any rags?"
Hayley shot out of the bathroom, her pulse racing as if she'd just run a marathon. She collected some rags and climbed the staircase slowly, breathing deeply and preparing herself to project a pleasant face. Under no circumstances could she assault him on the bathroom floor.
He looked up as she returned. "Good. We'll get it dried out and then see if the floor buckles. But I'm pretty sure it won't be a problem."
"That'll be a relief." She dropped to her knees and began mopping up a corner.
This was nuts. Why was she battling something she wanted?
Would a relationship be so bad? Couldn't she trust herself to keep it at a safe level? After all the man had never indicated that he wanted to marry her, for heaven's sake.
Together, they dried the tile, making sure the corners and edges weren't damp.
Colt sat back on his heels, tossing his rag onto the pile in the tub. "I've been wanting to talk with you about something for a couple of days."
"You have?" Hayley glanced up at his serious tone.
"Yeah." He hesitated. "Has it occurred to you that we work pretty well together? Despite the occasional power struggle?"
She searched his face, trying to guess where he was heading with this. "I, uh, I'm not sure what you mean."
"I think we complement each other. I have a solid construction repair background and you have the historical restoration stuff nailed. "
Still puzzled, she waited.
''I'd like you to consider becoming my partner.”
Hayley's heart stumbled over itself. "Partner?" she croaked.
Colt stared at a spot on the tile floor before looking up at her. "Business partners is what I'm suggesting. At this point."
"You want me to join Granger Construction?"
He shook his head. "Not exactly. I'm sort of envisioning a subsidiary restoration business. We'd call it Haslett-Granger Restoration. It could function as a joint venture. Granger Construction could then supply equipment and manpower when we needed it for a restoration job."
"And the contract for Victorian Oaks?"
"Would be ours." His dark eyes searched her face, clearly trying to gauge her reaction.
A myriad of emotions warred in Hayley. Pleasure that he thought her enough his equal to suggest a partnership, caution at giving up a piece of her independence, a tingling of excitement at having someone to share the work she loved.
"Would this be a fifty-fifty proposition?" She waited for his answer, her nerves jumping.
"Of course," he assured her. "I know that's the only way you'd consider it. What I'm offering would be a blending of our businesses. We'd be stronger as a unit."
"A minute ago you said you were talking about business partners 'at this point'."
"Yes." Sunlight streamed through the window above the tub, backlighting Colt and casting his face in shadow. "At some point in time we're going to have to deal with the feelings between us." His mouth quirked into a wry smile. "I've got a thing for you, Hayley Haslett. And it ain't going away."
CHAPTER SEVEN
Colt wanted her to be his business partner.
She'd never have believed it. Despite all her natural caution at giving up even a smidgen of her independence, Hayley was heartened by his apparent faith in her abilities.
She slammed on the brakes, pulling the Volvo to a halt a mere inch from the bumper in front of her. Hayley stared at the traffic light, unseeing.
The thought of joining with Colt scared her.
For two years now she had managed her own business and her own life. She liked the feeling. No one questioned how she used what little money she had. No one disagreed with her hiring practices. Being on her own, surviving through her own efforts, left her feeling stronger than she'd thought possible a few years ago.
It was only late at night, as she pored over books that didn't balance or when she discovered an exciting snippet of original wallpaper, that she felt alone. There was no one to share her fears with or to care when she triumphed. She only occasionally battled the urge to fling her independence to the winds and let herself reach out again.
Unquestionably, she was stronger now. Two years of working for herself, of being responsible for others' work had changed her. Maybe she could trust herself to be in a partnership without giving in and giving up everything she'd worked for.
Maybe she could take a chance on Colt. She certainly hoped so as she stopped the car in front of Granger Construction.
Hayley took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Her insides felt like the day she'd allowed herself to be talked into going off the highest slide at Water World. Giving Colt the go-ahead on a partnership was even more of a plunge.
A minute later, she pushed open the office door, her nerves quivering. Colt stood beside his secretary's desk, his dark hair rumpled and his face preoccupied as he shoveled papers into a briefcase.
Just the sight of him sent the now-familiar shivers over her skin, the sensation of having walked in to an electro-magnetic field. Hayley felt herself melt inside.
"I left the quotes for the Sammons' job on the disk in my middle drawer," Colt told Jill. "As soon as you get it printed out, call them. They're waiting for the numbers-"
He broke off, turning at the sound of the door opening.
Hayley stepped inside, meeting his gaze with an unaccountable sensation of shyness. Ever since his declaration in the bathroom at Palmer House, she hadn't been able to dismiss the growing bond betwe
en them.
His gaze held hers, a sensuous smile tugging at his mouth. "Good morning."
"Good morning," she answered, suddenly breathless. Oh, God. Was she doing the right thing? Even the sight of him brought her mental processes to a halt. Could she really get involved with him while holding some part of herself back?
The phone on the desk rang, interrupting Jill's amused observation of their greeting.
"If that's the foreman, tell him I'm on my way," Colt instructed absently as he moved toward Hayley.
"Granger Construction," Jill murmured in the background.
Colt took hold of Hayley's arm, drawing her toward the door. "Did you come by for anything special? I'm just leaving for an appointment. Otherwise, I'd love to take you to lunch. "
Hayley studied his face, disturbed by the hint of trouble that lingered in the back of his eyes, as if he were grappling with some weighty problem despite his warm welcome.
He held open the door for her to walk out with him,
"I just came by to tell you..." she gathered her courage to speak, ''I'm ready to consider the joint venture we talked about."
''I'm glad." His smile seemed to gather her close. "Very glad."
They stood on the pavement outside the door, exchanging a long look that sent heat curling through her and threatened to steal the last of Hayley's available breath.
Still, she found herself feeling strangely relieved now that she was committed.
''I'm late," he said, glancing at his watch, "but when I get back, I'll have Jill check with our lawyer about drawing up the partnership papers."
Hayley looked up just as he bent to capture her lips in a hard, swift kiss that left her wanting more.
"See you later." Colt strode to the Suburban.
*
Hayley carefully tugged at the thin piece of molding, slowly wedging her small pry bar behind it to keep the wood from snapping. She angled her screwdriver to push at the strip of wallpaper that had been imprisoned by the molding for almost a hundred years. Thank goodness the paper hangers through the years had done a shoddy job and not removed the molding when they tore off the old paper.
Around her the house was silent, the distant sound of the crew's voices fading as they left for the day. A soft, buttery light filtered through the dormer windows, filling the third floor with golden shadows. This was her favorite time in the old house, when the activity of the day diminished and she could almost hear the quiet.
Retrieving the tiny bit of wallpaper would enable her to have the original pattern duplicated, This was the part of restoration that excited her most.
Of course, she'd been excited all day, thinking of Colt's laughing eyes as she'd teased him, the strength in his arms as he'd pulled her close. The delirious sensation of his kiss,
She had only agreed to a business partnership this morning, nothing more. But the images playing in her head were definitely not businesslike. She had to get a grip. So what if the man did have a physique that haunted her dreams and turbocharged her libido? She could control her urges-she hoped.
Outside, she heard the slam of a car door and men's voices. Determinedly, Hayley refocused her attention. If she eased the molding back just one more fraction, she could use her tweezers to twitch the sliver of wallpaper loose.
Minutes later, her concentration was jarred again by the revving snarl of Wolf's motorcycle. She frowned, as the sound changed with the pop of his clutch, Wolf normally drove his beloved Harley with care. He must have been in a hurry
Ahah! The wallpaper fragment came free with the last tug of her tweezers, Hayley straightened, rolling her neck free of the kinks it had developed when she was bending over the molding. She held up the inch-wide strip of paper to catch the light-jewel tones of purple mixed with a muddy olive-green in a stylized floral motif. Probably a William Morris pattern, but she couldn't be sure.
Hayley went to the window to study the strip, the dormer's eyebrow shape wide enough to let in the fading light.
Footsteps on the stairs broke into her concentration.
"Hayley." Colt crossed the landing to join her in the large open room that had once been used for a school room.
"Hi. I didn’t realize you were here."
"I just stopped by," he said shortly, an irritated frown clouding his face. "Listen, did you know that Wolf has been charging on your account at the lumber yard?"
"Wolf?" Hayley halted in her steps toward him, picking up on the anger and frustration emanating from Colt. His eyes were dark and opaque as he waited for her answer, aggravation visible in the hard line of his mouth.
"Yes, Wolf. The guy at the yard said Wolf assured him he had your okay to charge. I just tried to talk to Wolf downstairs, but he said the two of you 'have an understanding.' Did you give him free rein with your charge account?"
"Well, we haven't really talked about it, but I'm sure he's only getting what he needs."
"Maybe you'd better take a look at this list. There are things on here that don't look right to me."
Hayley took the paper he held out to her, more concerned by his angry mood than by the possibility that Wolf had made unauthorized charges. She glanced over the paper.
Colt turned and paced to the dormer window. "I've been concerned about this guy. What do you actually know about him? Does he have a criminal record?"
She glanced up at him, knowing her astonishment had to be visible. "You really think Wolf is robbing me?"
"Sweetheart," Colt said with sarcasm, "guys like him fleece trusting souls like you every day."
Hayley felt her anger stir, but still couldn't fathom the depth of Colt's wrath. What had happened since this morning? He'd been a little tense when he left the office, but nothing like the seething, volcanic emotion she sensed in him now.
She glanced back at the list. ''I'm sure he planned to pay me for anything that wasn't work-related. "
Colt bit out an angry curse. "What is it about this guy? Can't you see how he's taking advantage of you?"
Hayley opened her mouth to protest.
"Or don't you care?" There was an ugly inference in Colt's question. "Are you letting him use you in the hope that he'll decide he wants to stay in one place long enough to settle down with you?"
"What? You can't believe that!"
"There has to be a reason why you keep him around," Colt's anger shifted, his face suddenly filled with silence,
"There is," Hayley yelled. "He does good work, and he's a good friend."
Colt turned abruptly to stare out the window, his body language no longer hostile.
"You've never liked him," she accused, keeping her voice level "Just give him a half a chance. He's a nice person."
Swinging back around to face her, Colt seemed suddenly tired, his face softer now. ''I'm not going to fight with you about Wolf."
Hayley swallowed, her throat suddenly feeling constricted. The velvety warmth was back in his eyes, a connection humming between them, invisible and powerful. He was hurting, she knew. For such an opinionated man, Colt normally kept a tight rein on his temper. Whatever sparked him today must have bit deeply.
Was he really jealous of Wolf? She'd wondered before, but the thought seemed preposterous. Wolf was her friend, and certainly not the kind of man she would ever harbor romantic, erotic fantasies about. Could Colt possibly be that blind?
She took a shaking breath, powerful emotions churning in her chest. ''I'm sure it's a misunderstanding with Wolf. I'll talk to him in the morning."
Colt walked toward her, the dusky light shading his face. ''I'm just looking after your interests. I don't want you hurt."
Hayley reared back as if she'd been hit. "I don't need you to 'look after' me. I take care of myself." She struggled to speak calmly. "I can see that you're upset, but you have to trust my judgment."
"I do," he shot back.
She shook her head, fiercely blinking back tears. "No, you don't. If we're going to have a chance at working together ... or anything else," Ha
yley stumbled on, "you're going to have to let me fight my own battles."
"Look," said Colt with exasperation. "This is not about your competence as a person. It's just that I've had a little more experience in hiring and firing than you have."
"I have to do this, Colt," she insisted. "I have to handle things myself. You can't try to protect me. I've had too much of that. Too much of being looked after. It's left me doubting myself." She strained to find the right words. There was so much at stake here, more than a joint business venture, more than the contract for Victorian Oaks. She needed Colt to understand her battle. Needed him to be different from her father.
''I'm not trying to make you weak," he asserted again.
"No? You trust my judgment? You won't try to save me from myself" Hayley searched his face. "What if I feel I need to go on the roof again? I didn't check it after the roofers left."
He went still. ''I'll check it."
She turned, taking the two steps up to the door that opened onto the tower. "'It's my job. My fear. I have to conquer my fears alone, and you have to let me or we can't be together. "
"'Hayley...." He raised a hand in protest as she stepped out into the tower.
Standing in its center, she turned around until she faced him. ''I'm deathly afraid of heights. I keep remembering what it felt like dangling from the edge of this roof, knowing I might die. But I can't live my life on the ground floor, Colt. I can't."
Colt stood in the doorway, his body tensed.
"You saved my life," she whispered. "But I can't let you put me in a playpen where I'll always be safe."
"'That's the last thing I want to do." His words cracked across the silence like a whip.
Around them, the air seemed frozen, the silent house seeming to hold its breath. Hayley knew without looking that the yard below was deserted. Once again, she and Colt were alone in the tower. Only this time she wasn't afraid of crashing to the ground. A more terrible thing was happening. She was falling for him.
"You know, Hayley," Colt stepped into the tower, "you aren't really worried about my interfering in your work. I have no power to fire Wolf or do anything else with your business. When we become partners, you'll have equal say in decisions."