‘I swear you make some of the strangest decisions when it comes to choosing hired help,’ she said.
‘So I’m noticing,’ he said and stifled a smile as her chin rose defiantly and those remarkable eyes narrowed in silent warning. ‘Come on, I’ll introduce you.’
Rudy nodded curtly in greeting as they got out of the car, then he headed for their luggage. Sienna followed.
‘Sienna, this is Rudy. Rudy, this is Sienna Raleigh, my new PA. Sienna’s a little different from my old PAs. She’s practically family.’
Rudy’s sunglasses zoned in on Sienna first and then Lex. What he thought was anyone’s guess. The limo driver began unloading bags from the boot and setting them on the steps. Rudy joined in. Sienna went to retrieve the smaller of her two suitcases only to have Rudy swipe it at the last minute and set it firmly behind him. ‘What’s she doing?’ he asked Lex gruffly.
‘Hard to say,’ said Lex. ‘Sometimes she goes looking for an argument.’
‘She picks up that suitcase and she’ll get one,’ muttered Rudy. ‘Inside. Now. There’s iced tea, chicken and cucumber sandwiches, and crème brûlée waiting for you in the west-wing drawing room.’ The sunglasses zeroed in on Sienna again. ‘You eat the crème brûlée last.’
‘I knew that,’ she said loftily.
‘Family, you said,’ said Rudy darkly.
‘I’ve known her since she was five,’ said Lex.
‘Six,’ said Sienna.
‘And you employed her.’
‘Believe me, point taken.’
Sienna stared from Lex to Rudy in indignation. ‘What is this? Some kind of boys’ own shorthand?’
‘Did I mention the handmade French chocolates?’ said Rudy pointedly.
‘Nice try,’ she said. ‘But I’m more of an ice-cream person. Now if you’d said you had handmade triple-cream French Vanilla ice cream waiting for me in the west-wing drawing room I’d be there already.’
‘There’s one in every family,’ muttered Rudy.
‘I know,’ said Sienna agreeably. ‘Annoying, isn’t it?’ She looked up at the house, her expression faintly wistful. ‘Thing is, Rudy, I’m not family and I may not be staying here so could you leave my bags by the door?’
Rudy ignored Sienna and looked to Lex. ‘She’s not staying?’ he queried ominously. ‘I’ve laid in provisions for two.’
‘Family spat,’ said Lex. ‘I’ll handle it.’
Rudy glanced towards Sienna, who’d abandoned the conversation in favour of making her way towards the front door. ‘Does she sail?’
‘Like a champion.’ Lex had seen to that part of her education himself.
‘Her bags will be in her room,’ said Rudy. ‘I hate clutter at the front door.’
‘Don’t mind me,’ called Sienna. ‘I’m moving through the front door and into the beyond. No clutter here. Come to mention it, there’s nothing here but space and sunshine. What happened to all the furniture? Where’s the umbrella stand? The sideboard and the vase full of flowers?’
‘It’s all right,’ said Lex reassuringly. ‘She’s not serious.’
‘You need sleep,’ muttered Rudy. ‘You’re becoming delusional.’
This was a distinct possibility. He’d packed too much work and far too much wanting of Sienna into this day already. It was time to set things back on track.
He caught up with Sienna in the atrium, just inside the doorway looking curious and tentative all at once. ‘What do you think of it?’ he asked her casually, trying hard to pretend that it didn’t matter what she thought. The house was a modern-day masterpiece, all sleek lines and open spaces. Lex hadn’t designed it, the previous owners had, but it suited him well and Rudy kept it immaculate. Sienna would like it, he knew she would. She just had to give it a chance.
‘It’s lovely. Very private. Bigger than I expected.’
‘I told you there was plenty of room. South wing’s yours,’ he said and, heading left, proceeded to show her the guest wing, complete with luxury spa, sitting room, breakfast nook, and four bedrooms. ‘Take your pick,’ he said. ‘It’s all guest accommodation.’
He led her downstairs next, to the pool area and gym, tennis court, boat shed, boat ramp, and dock.
‘Yours?’ she said, glancing towards the yacht moored at the end of the dock, and Lex nodded.
‘Sienna meet Mercy Jane. There’s also a speedboat called Angelina in the boat shed for getting places in a hurry,’ he told her. ‘Rudy maintains both boats and, when I say maintain, I mean he’s fanatical about their function and their finish.’
‘So…no getting to know the girls,’ she said.
‘Wrong. Befriend the girls by all means. Just cut your nails, take all your jewellery off first and don’t lead them astray. Should you want to go somewhere and should Rudy decide that you’re suitably attired, he’ll have the speedboat in the water before you can say wouldn’t it be easier to take the Porsche.’
‘How protective is Rudy of the Porsche?’
‘You can have a set of keys to the Porsche,’ he told her with a grin. ‘Rudy doesn’t give a fig about the Porsche.’
He took her back upstairs and showed her the middle section of the house next, otherwise known as the west wing. ‘Kitchen,’ he said, and opened the door onto a spotless stainless-steel wonder. ‘Library,’ he said next, and showed her a room containing dark leather lounges, the odd desk or four, and floor-to-ceiling bookcases covering three walls. ‘The billiards room,’ he said, opening another door and affording Sienna a brief glance of yet another manly entertainment area.
‘Is Rudy precious about his felt?’ she asked him sweetly.
‘You have no idea.’ He ushered her through to the formal dining area with its floor-to-ceiling windows and multimillion dollar view of the harbour, the bridge, and the skyscrapers of the city proper. Adjacent to that was the west-wing drawing room where Rudy had set out the food. This room had been furnished with comfort in mind rather than to impress, even though it boasted floor-to-ceiling windows and that panoramic harbour view. There was more in it, for starters. Deep, comfortable chairs, a settee for lounging on, footrests and reading lamps, table and chairs for two, a couple of sideboards…
‘Nice,’ said Sienna, wistfully eyeing the food. ‘Where’s the business hub?’
‘Third floor. The staircase to the left of the atrium just inside the front door will take you straight there.’
Sienna nodded. Inched her way a little closer to the food. ‘Where do you sleep?’
‘Same floor as this, north wing.’ Lex beat her to the food, poured two glasses of iced tea and handed her one. He picked up a chicken and cucumber sandwich triangle—no crusts—and ate it in a couple of bites before washing it down with tea. He had another, then another, then reached for a chocolate with a pistachio nestling on top of it. Would she stay? Would he be able to keep their relationship platonic if she did stay?
He didn’t know.
He still wanted to protect her. Some things never changed. He wanted her to confide in him so that he could fix whatever financial difficulty she was in. She shouldn’t have to give up the curator’s position she loved for an all-hours job where she’d be constantly at someone’s beck and call, even if the pay was better. He couldn’t stand the thought of it.
The only person whose beck and call he wanted her to be at, he realised grimly, was his.
‘Rudy will ask you what you thought of the chocolate, you know,’ he murmured. ‘Try one.’
‘You’re trying to win me over with food,’ she said.
‘Not at all,’ he replied, selecting a dark chocolate truffle and letting the taste of it explode in his mouth. ‘These are good.’
