The Davonshire Series 2: Loving Words (9 page)

There was no way to stop the laughter that ensued from her attempts at yoga.  He quickly realized that she needed to learn the breathing technique first, which they were working on after she swore she had pulled a butt muscle.  Wilfred was very careful not to make contact with her physically and she kept her distance from him as well.  He stopped the program that he had ordered on satellite and just began to coach her through the first three basic moves.  Her downward facing dog looked more like a broken camel, but she did not quit.  After forty minutes, they broke for breakfast of scrambled eggs with cheese, Canadian bacon, and fresh orange wedges.  She began to clap like a kid at Christmas when he added a whole English muffin.

 “Bread!!!”

He frowned at her because just last night they had pizza.  He made no comments either way. Change takes time—even for him.

At the office, Wilfred told the staff about the cookout and margaritas and three people that Elsie had not seen before seemed excited.  The two gentlemen who worked in the warehouse were also excited to take part, and Elsie made a list for Conchetta.

Wilfred instructed Rita to order in some lunch of deli sandwiches, salads, and wraps.  It looked as if Elsie was doing the happy dance, but there was so much work to get done.  They could not afford another two-hour lunch at the hacienda.  This proved even truer when UPS arrived with 30 more manuscripts.  He groaned inwardly while simultaneously checking the website.  “Rod, when does this damn contest end?”

 His face lit up when he realized it was only open for a month and would close on July 1.  “Thank God for small favors.”  He rifled through the stacks and found one manuscript called
Loving Words
.  He pushed everything else aside and began to peruse the pages.  He was still reading when Rita brought him a sandwich, salad, and a bottle of water.  He heard the opening of a can of soda and realized Elsie must have added a special request to the lunch order. 

He knew he was correct when he heard the loud belch and her soft words, “Sorry, everyone, excuse me, but that is just soooooo good!”

He was so engrossed in the pages of this story and was thoroughly enjoying the read.  He liked this author and would probably give her a contract.

It was quickly approaching five o’clock when Elsie informed him she would be headed to the house.  Wilfred only nodded.  She asked Rod for a ride since she had not been assigned her own golf cart, but he, too, was not ready to leave.  She took Wilfred’s cart and as she made it to the hacienda, decided to surprise him for dinner.

There were some pork chops in the freezer and she placed them on the defroster rack that she had witnessed him using earlier.  Fifteen minutes later, they were ready to be marinated.  She found frozen peas in the freezer and brown rice in the pantry, along with chicken stock.  By the time Wilfred arrived at the house, she had made dinner and was setting the table and calling Gianni in to eat. 

He stopped in the doorway.  She stopped as well. Dear Lord, she hoped she hadn’t overstepped.

“I’ve been here for a week and you’ve been cooking every day.  I just thought I would lend a hand.”

She raised her eyebrows as if she knew a secret, besides it was too late to ask if it was okay.  Pork chops were his favorite and all he wanted to do was eat.  The carbs from the sandwiches made him feel pudgy and he knew he had eaten badly the last few meals and he could feel it.  “Nice—pork chops my favorite.  Thank you, it smells fantastic,” he told her. He was happy to see that she had cooked brown rice and steamed peas and had not fried the chops.

Dinner was delicious and Gianni was happy.  He took Champ for a walk while Elsie began to discuss the idea for Friday’s cookout.  The conversation continued as they headed to the patio to their respective seats and she began to make notes of what she needed. It was going to be a fast week.  And it was.

Friday came pretty quickly and the employees were happy to be invited to the big house.  Rod and Jaelon seemed to have sparked a friendship.  Rita, on the other hand, had sparked up something else, and it took a determined effort by all to not gasp when she touched Rod on his arm.  White Bear took over grilling and Raul added some chili and Poblano peppers to the grill rack.

Rod took over the margarita station, making very sneaky drinks that seemed to be loosening everyone up.  Wilfred had never been so free with his employees and Rita loosened up a great deal.  Not enough to allow anyone to touch her, but enough to truly enjoy herself.  Rod made Rita a virgin drink that she accepted from his hand, almost allowing his fingers to graze hers.

Gianni brought out his iPod and put on some smooth jazz smooth tunes.  Everyone was surprised when Rod began to sing the chorus to one song.  This was nothing compared to when Wilfred took the lead and began to sing the main verse. Everyone just stood there gaping, with the exception of Jaelon and White Bear who must have been aware of the boss’s talent. 

Elsie did not react, but continued to make plates for her co-workers and even added a bit of applause when he finished.  Wilfred was almost disappointed that she had not said more. 
Why the hell am I disappointed
?  He wasn’t sure what he wanted her to say or even what would have been appropriate, since he was her boss. 
But damn, couldn’t she at least stroke my ego a bit?

Either way, his employees were happy and they thanked him for a good evening and began to depart about 9 pm.  White Bear stayed behind to clean the grill and Wilfred knew something was on his mind.

Gianni helped to clear the trash and Elsie took the utensils into the house and gave them to Conchetta for washing.  Wilfred and White Bear weren’t really friends, per se, since the Indian came with the property. The two men shared a mutual respect for each other, yet neither crossed into the other’s space.  He noticed White Bear staring at him.  “What’s up, Henry?”

“Little Doe brings life and great energy to this ranch.”  Wilfred only nodded in agreement, not adding any words and feeling uncomfortable that White Bear had given Elsie an Indian name already.

White Bear asked sheepishly, “If you don’t want her, can I have her?”

“Henry, she’s not a pet.  And she’s not mine to give,” he said softly as he watched her quietly maneuver about the space.  One week.  She had been here one week and his world had changed.

Wilfred wasn’t sure it was a bad thing.

The next two weeks passed quickly with the workload setting the pace of an everyday life in the publishing business.  They had managed to comb through all of the entries and narrow it down to the top fifty, then to the top 25 and finally down to the top ten. 
Loving Words
was still at the top of his list, but niggling in the back of his mind was White Bear’s request for Elsie.  No, Wilfred had no designs on the woman, but she was not a token for bargaining.  Wilfred found himself frowning when he thought about Henry’s request.

It did explain why White Bear had been around more often and joining them on morning rides.  The burly interloper made the Friday evening movie night a regular thing and even had the nerve to bring Elsie some flowers the day before. 

I don’t like it.  She is girlifying everything.

He also noticed that Raul had planted some flowers around the patio for Elsie when he noticed she ended her evenings on the back porch.  The surly little Mexican had also added some potted mosquito plants and lilacs to the patio near the chair she sat in. Just to make it worse, and as a dig at him, Elsie went shopping in Bisbee and came back with a couple of fairies and a garden gnome. Placing it in the flowers and giving him a huge cheese eating grin.

 
Damn it, she is girlfying my house.
 

He knew she had not asked for any of this, but she was like a moth to a flame.  Even Gianni had gotten better with his hygiene and manners.  The kid no longer smelled like anger, angst, and agitation.  Maybe a woman’s touch had been needed, but again, he deserved to walk around with his junk dangling if he wanted it to!

Four days out from the big Fourth of July celebration, Conchetta came to the office to find him.  Wilfred knew something was wrong when his housekeeper began to rant and rave about her daughter.  Wilfred had to ask her to slow down with what she was saying, but her daughter was now in labor and she needed to get to Mexico right away. 

“Calm down, Conchetta, of course you can leave.” She was still ranting.  He took her in his arms and held her closely to help her calm down.  “Yes, your job will be here when you return.”

Elsie watched from the doorway as Wilfred soothed the woman and told her,  “Conchetta, please go and take care of your daughter. We will be fine.”

He opened his wallet and removed a few bills.  “This is my gift for your new grandbaby.” 

“
Abeulita
, if you need anything else, just give me a call.”  Conchetta was still going on and on in Spanish and Elsie wished she knew what she was asking for, and finally it clicked when he answered her in English.

“We will call it your vacation.  That way, you will still be paid while you’re away.”  Conchetta began to cry and Wilfred hugged her once more.  The cell phone that he always carried but never seemed to use was taken from his breast pocket, and he called Mario. 

Mario was at the office in a less than ten minutes.  He handed the young man a credit card a few loose bills, “Take the Jeep and drive her to Nogales.” Mario nodded and helped Conchetta leave the office.

Wilfred dropped his head in his hands and wondered what the hell he was going to do.  His entire family would be here in four days and there was no way he could cook for almost thirty people.  To make matters worse, he had not spoken to his brother in almost two months.  David had no idea that Wilfred had not hired his choice.  Furthermore, he would be meeting with the contest winners in Tucson in less than three weeks.  Worst of all, White Bear was totally in love with Elsie.  And, he still had not told her that he was Devons and a month had already passed.

This is just way too much
.
This is why I am a recluse
. His face was in his hands and a sick look covered his face.
People suck.

She must have sensed his worry because she tapped on the door.  “You okay there, boss man?”  He groaned and looked up at her.

 “No!” he almost snapped, but couldn’t because it wasn’t her fault that he was stupid.  He was going to have to hire a caterer and have strange people in his house.  Strange women and men using his bathrooms and young googly-eyed girls wanting to text him with mini snippets of “
TTYL and OMG he is so cute
.”  He thought about the Sig Sauer in the desk. 
One bullet and I could just rest forever
.

Elsie stepped inside the door.  “What can I do to help?”

“Can you cook for 30 people?” he asked flippantly.

“Yes, I can,” she answered with a smile.

He looked up with reverence.  “Seriously? You can?”

“Sure, what’s the occasion?”

“Fourth of July.”

“If White Bear will man the grill, I can do the rest.”

He bounded from behind the desk and grabbed her, pulling her into his arms.  “Thank you, thank you, thank you….” and before he could stop himself, he kissed her on the forehead.

The sparks that started to flicker between them were immediate. “Ooh… so sorry!” He jumped back and apologized profusely for his lack of professionalism, quickly changing the subject.  “My family is coming for the Fourth and several of them will be staying over.”

“With Conchetta gone, I had no idea how to manage it.  I was thinking about just cancelling it altogether.”  He seated himself behind his desk, trying to ignore the very tense elephant that had just walked in and seated itself middle of the room.

She ignored it as well.  Elsie grabbed a notepad from his desk.  “Let’s talk menu.” 

As the conversation went back and forth, Wilfred looked at Elsie with fresh eyes.  She had an apple shaped face and soft brown eyes.  The cute little nose that adorned her face sat above a set of full and kissable lips.  Everything about her was full.  Her breasts.  Her hips.  Those thighs. 
Thighs that could control a large powerful animal.

“You have nice eyes,” he said softly, then contorted his face like he smelled something stinky.

Elsie looked up at him and his facial expression.  “Um, thanks, I think.”  When he realized he was frowning, he softened his expression and gnawed a little on his bottom lip.

“I meant it as a compliment,” he told her.

“Yeah, whatever,” she responded flippantly.  “You just want to make sure I cook all this food for your folks!”

He reached across his desk to touch her hand, but drew back.  “I appreciate you helping, but seriously, I meant it as a compliment.”

“Again, thanks,” she said as she looked at him head on.  “Your eyes change color depending on your mood.”

“So I have been told.”

“Like now when you’re relaxed.  They’re hazel.”

Wilfred leaned back in the chair, resting his elbow on the arm rests, his thumb perched beside his lips and his knuckle resting on the tip of his nose.  He lowered his eyelids and thought about her lips. Those full, luscious lips.  He raised his lids and looked back at her.

“See now they’re light brown.”  She said the words as if she was starting to understand that he was showing her something private.

He lowered his gaze again and began to think about those hips of hers.  He had only been with rail thin women who chewed celery and smoked too much.  He had never bedded a real woman.  A real woman with real, full breasts.  Full hips and thighs… full, meaty thighs. 
Thighs that could control a powerful animal with just a squeeze.  Hips that could take a pounding from a powerful animal in need.

When he opened his eyes and slowly looked back up at her, Elsie’s mouth dropped wide open.  The irises were a deep smoky brown and filled with a hunger that almost pulled her up out of the seat. 
Dear Heavens
!
What the hell is he thinking about?

He held her gaze as she watched the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest.  The intense moment was halted by the chiming of the main door and Gianni and White Bear coming to the office.

“Thank goodness the two of you are here!” She grabbed White Bear by the arm and sat him down.  “I need you.” 

Wilfred felt something he had never experienced before sweep through him as the Indian began to grin at Elsie.  She began to explain the situation, going over details with both him and Gianni.

“Mr. Devonshire and I will head to the store tomorrow, but with Conchetta gone, we will all have to work hard to pull this off, but we can do it.  Right?” she asked both of the guys.

Wilfred was impressed with her go team chant, but he was more uneasy about what he was feeling. Before White Bear came in and afterwards.

As they all packed up and headed back to the house for dinner, Elsie rode with White Bear, still chatting about other meats that would be great on the grill.

For some odd reason, Wilfred didn’t like her being so close to the big Indian.  Furthermore, he didn’t like the big old Indian being so close to her.  He liked it even less that he now had an answer to White Bear’s question.
No, he can’t have her.
And last but frickin’ not least, he hated that for the first time in his life, he was feeling jealous.