Dream of Me: A Sweet Contemporary Romance (2 page)

He led the way outside to the deck and waited until she was seated at the table before joining her. After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, he leaned forward with his folded hands outstretched on the table. “You look like you’re waiting to face a firing squad.”

She wasn’t scared; she was uncomfortable. And the fact that Corbin made her uncomfortable irritated her.
Her glance dropped to his hands. Her father had always said you could tell a lot about a man from his hands. She wasn’t sure what to make of Corbin’s except they were large and appeared to be capable of exerting great force. “I’m a little nervous, I guess,” she admitted diffidently.

He watched her with a stillness that only added to her discomfort. “You’re in a new place with new people. That’s enough to intimidate anyone, and living with two strangers probably doesn’t help.”

Aubrey couldn’t resist a small smile. “After spending four years in a dorm with two hundred girls, this is a welcome change.”

Corbin moved back as Paul came through the door with their lunch. “It might to be too soon to make that assumption.”

That was the extent of their conversation. He didn’t speak again until they faced each other in his office.

“For the magazine submissions, I work on several at the same time. They’re all in different stages of completion. ” He handed her a flash drive. “This has all the files on it. Jason knew where he was in each of them – I don’t. I suggest starting with the first one and working your way through the list.”

“You had a
male
assistant?” Aubrey asked bluntly.

“Is there something wrong with that?”

“No, it just struck me as unusual.”

“There are many advantages to hiring a man over a woman. Would you like to hear them?”

She couldn’t help it; she started to laugh. “No, that won’t be necessary. I’ll take your word for it.”

Corbin’s heavy brows lifted. “Will you really? Are you sure your Phoebe’s sister?”

“There’s only room for so many dynamic personalities in one household.”

“You’re certainly more diplomatic. Anyway, there’s also a file on that drive containing my preliminary research on Fort Pulaski and Fort Screven. You can get a feel for where I was going from the outline, and pick up where I left off. I know I’m throwing you in at the deep end, but I’d like to see what you can do.”

“Is the research on the forts for Phoebe’s articles?”

“Too soon to say. I’m toying with an idea that may or may not materialize. Anyway, don’t mention it to her. She’ll bug me for details I don’t have.”

“I wouldn’t discuss work-related projects with her anyway.”

“She always managed to get Jason to talk.”

“That won’t happen with me. I guess this is one instance where a female is better than a male.” For a moment, she thought Corbin might actually smile, but he turned away before she could tell if he actually did or not.

“If you have any questions, just ask. I’ll be in and out today.”

Aubrey inserted the flash drive into her computer. There were about fifteen text files and several additional ones with pictures. With this many articles, Jason must have had a system for tracking his progress. Hopefully, she could figure it out.

She opened the first one and began reading. Aubrey never heard Corbin leave, nor was she aware of anything else until Paul arrived to inform her that dinner was ready. Corbin entered the dining room minutes after her, a brief nod his only greeting.

“Doesn’t Paul eat with you?” she asked as she took a basket of rolls from him.

“Not usually. He and I are on different schedules most of the time. Paul is a retired Marine. He wanted a job that would let him indulge his love of cooking and leave him time to write. The fact that he doesn’t mind cleaning or doing laundry is a bonus for me.”

There went any chance of ‘decent’ or in Corbin’s case ‘any’ conversation.
A long stretch of silent meals lay before her. She sighed softly and turned her attention to the perfectly baked chicken on her plate. Aubrey had no illusions about herself, but even so, it was deflating to be so completely ignored.
Would it kill him to make small talk? If nothing else, it would make the time go faster.

After taking her plate into the kitchen and complimenting Paul on the excellent meal, she left the house. She needed fresh air and some time to think. Nothing was as she’d imagined it, least of all the man for whom she’d be working. Aubrey hadn’t expected Corbin to welcome her with open arms, but his terse comments and general air of impatience made her uneasy.
Why had he allowed her to come if he didn’t want her here?

Her thoughts might be chaotic, but her surroundings were all she could have wished. Aubrey took no notice of the passing of time or the distance she walked. She breathed in the salt-laden air and listened to the whispering sounds of the tide. By the time she was within sight of Corbin’s rambling beach house, she was chiding herself for not giving this place a chance. After all, she’d only been here twenty-four hours.

Aubrey ascended the wooden staircase leading to the deck just as the back door from the house flew open. Corbin came striding out, his face expressionless. He halted at the top of the stairs, his fingers drumming on the banister.

As she came abreast of him, he asked, “Had a nice walk?”

“Yes, thank you, I did.”

“If it’s not too much to ask, let either Paul or me know something of your plans. I understand you’re used to coming and going as you please, but it makes things easier if we don’t waste time searching for you every time you feel the urge to leave the house.”

Aubrey met the bleakness of his eyes with a slight smile. “I’m sorry; I didn’t think about that.”

“That’s what I thought.” He brushed past her, and a few minutes later she heard an engine start.

As the black SUV backed out of the driveway, Aubrey entered the house and made her way to her room. “Phoebe Sommers, you have a lot to answer for,” she muttered under her breath.
Personable! Yeah, right. Corbin was about as personable as a badger.
She kicked off her shoes and stalked into the bathroom.
Two weeks! That was how long she’d give this job. If things didn’t improve by then, she didn’t care what Phoebe said, she was moving on.

A few minutes later, she was lowering herself into the oversized garden tub. The long soak in the warm water eased her tired muscles and improved her grumpy mood. Since she had no intention of leaving her room again that night, she put on a nightgown and sat down in front of the mirror. As she absently unbraided her hair, a faraway look appeared in her eyes. The reflection in the mirror changed to a little girl with pig tails barely able to reach the top of her mother’s dressing table.

The assortment of brushes,
makeup and perfume bottles arranged on the dark surface were a constant temptation. Would she ever be old enough to use such things? Her sister was already allowed to add color to her eyes and lips. Aubrey’s tiny hands reached to open a bottle of nail polish. Did she dare put it on?

She slowly twisted the cap and stared at the pink polish dripping off the feathery brush. The sound of a slamming door and of her mother’s voice sent a wave of panic through her. She wasn’t supposed to be in here. In the rush to escape, she hurriedly tried to fit the brush back into its tiny opening. By this time, her fingers were shaking so badly she knocked the bottle off the table. She watched in horror as a huge blob of pink appeared on the white carpeting.

That little adventure had resulted in her being grounded for two weeks.
It was sad to think that the pink stain remained, but her mother would never again sit at the dressing table.

* * * *

Corbin scowled as he started up the stairs.
When would he learn to avoid blind dates?
The evening hadn’t been a total disaster, but neither could it be called a success. If he couldn’t manage to find a woman on his own, he needed to stay home.

He smiled mockingly. Home – his place of sanctuary – was no more.
She
was here. Why had he allowed Phoebe to saddle him with one of her projects?
What use did he have for someone with no practical experience?
The worst part of it was he couldn’t get rid of her. How could he fire the sister of the woman who’d opened up so many opportunities for him?

Corbin knocked more loudly than he intended on Aubrey’s door. He heard the sound of something hitting the floor followed by muttering.
What was she doing in there?

“Just a minute,” her voice called out.

He rolled his eyes and tried to contain his impatience. The sudden opening of the door took him by surprise. His eyes noted the hastily tied robe as well as the tiny feet with their pink-tinted nails peeking out from beneath the hem.

“Kind of early to be going to bed, isn’t it?”

Aubrey’s brows went up. “Not for me. I’m more of a morning person.”

“Well, what I have to say won’t keep you from your beauty sleep long. I forgot to tell you to print out what you finished today so I could look over it tonight. I won’t always ask you to do it that way, but sometimes I want to read a hardcopy instead of on my laptop.”

“I can do it now; it will only take a few minutes.”

Corbin’s glance dropped to her hair, which released from its daytime braid, fell in soft waves almost to her waist
.
In the light of the lamp, it glowed like a satiny sable cape against the lightness of her robe. Something suspiciously like attraction tugged at his senses. “Just get it started: I’ll do the rest. I do most of my writing at night, and I don’t like interruptions.”

Aubrey nodded. “My father was the same way. He said he could think better during those hours. Of course, it wasn’t so great for the rest of us. He tended to forget everyone else in the house was trying to sleep. My bedroom was over his office so I was his usual victim.”

An odd look passed over Corbin’s handsome features. “I hate to tell you this, but you’re in the same predicament here.”

“Really? Well, I doubt you’re as noisy as my father.”

“You’ll have to find that out for yourself. If all else fails, we can move you to another room.”

“I don’t want to do that. I love this room.”

Corbin shrugged. “I left the décor up to Paul; it appears he surpassed your expectations. Frankly, it reminds me of a little girl’s room.”

“Then it’s fortunate that you won’t be spending a lot of time in here,” she pointed out.

His fascinating eyes locked onto her face. “There was never any doubt about that.” He turned to go, not bothering to see whether she followed.

Aubrey gritted her teeth, tempted to stay where she was and let him figure out where everything was himself.
It would serve him right.
A few seconds consideration told her that he was unlikely to have any success which meant he’d be back. With an impatient gesture, she stuffed her feet into a pair of fluffy slippers and hurried after him.

The dimness of the stairway was her downfall – literally. She didn’t realize Corbin had stopped at the bottom of the stairs until she ran into him. It was similar to hitting a brick wall except more embarrassing.

“Oh, I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”

Something close to a smile crossed his lips. “I should be asking that.”

Her smile was rueful. “You’re right. I think I broke my shoulder.”

He motioned her to go in front of him. “After you.”

They made it to his office without further mishap. She started the printer and checked the first few pages.

“I can handle it from here. Thanks, Aubrey.”

“Are you sure?” she asked. At his nod, she headed to the door. “Okay, then, I’ll see you in the morning.”

As he watched her walk away, he felt again the irritation of having his hand forced. How had he let Phoebe talk him into what must rank as the most ill-advised hire of his career? Then he remembered why Aubrey had needed to get away. With a mixture of guilt and vexation, he assembled the papers into a neat pile and went to sit at his desk.

* * * *

For reasons of his own, Corbin left Aubrey alone to see how she would manage. Though slower than her predecessor, he could find no fault with her work. She didn’t nag him with endless questions, nor did she seek his company. In fact, she showed as little interest in him as he felt in her. He should have been satisfied; things could have been much worse. The only real problem was Corbin himself: every time he saw Aubrey, he remembered how lovely she looked standing in her bedroom.

The following afternoon Phoebe called him. Her timing couldn’t have been better. He’d just sent Aubrey to deliver a proposal. This was the perfect opportunity to get a little payback. With a faint smile, he leaned back in his chair and propped his feet on the desk.

“You’re fortunate to be separated from me by several states,” he offered in his usual quiet tone.

“Give Aubrey time; she’ll grow on you.”

“She probably won’t be here long enough to have any effect on me at all.”

“Have you told
her
that?” Phoebe asked.

Corbin laughed shortly. “I don’t have to; I think this is a classic case of mutual dislike.”

“That surprises me. You have enough charm to make any female like you.”

“I must not want Aubrey to like me.”

Phoebe sighed loudly. “You’re impossible, you know that? Are you trying to make her leave?”

“Not consciously. I want peace, Phoebe. That’s not possible with a woman in the house.”

“Stop with that nonsense and give her a chance. She’s not like most women her age.”

Again he laughed. “Well, she’s certainly not like you.”

“Considering how much you and I argue, that’s something in her favor.”

When he put down the phone a few minutes later, he realized that nothing in that conversation had been reassuring. Grabbing a roll of blueprints, he moved to the drafting table. He vaguely registered the sound of the front door closing.
Aubrey had returned.
Hopefully, she remembered this was Paul’s night off and had planned accordingly.