LITMIR.BIZ

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stomp over to the hulk but it was a tad tricky in feather mules so she ended up mincing across the room instead. Head high, chin forward.

      And those blue eyes focused on every tiny step she took.

      She cleared her throat and looked him straight in the eye.

      ‘Okay. You look like the kind of guy who likes straight talk. I’m Antonia Baldoni, house guest of Freya Elstrom. This—’ and she waved one hand towards the abandoned articles and some very odd bedroom toys ‘—is my birthday party. And you are?’

      He moved slightly away from the wall to an almost upright position so that when he spoke the sound came from several inches above her head.

      ‘Tired. Hungry. Surprised. And delighted to make your acquaintance, Antonia Baldoni. House guest.’ He rolled back his shoulders and exhaled very slowly through his nose. ‘Strange. I’ve just come from Freya and she never mentioned anything about a house guest.’

      There was a definite squeak and a giggle from behind Toni’s back and one side of this man’s mouth twitched just once before he breathed, ‘Make that house guests. And just when I thought this day could not get any more bizarre.’

      ‘You’ve just seen Freya?’ Toni looked at him with her eyes narrowed and her head tilted to one side. ‘Really? You have to forgive me, but I find that a little hard to believe. Freya was invited to my party tonight but sent her apologies from Italy. So. Perhaps it’s time for you to start talking before I throw you out. Let’s start with the big ones. Where exactly did you say you met Freya? And what are you doing here? And who are you?’

      A low thundering sigh rumbled low in this big man’s chest and Toni stepped back as he slung his body forward as though it was taking a huge effort and strode past her into the kitchen, looking around as he did so from side to side, leaving an aroma in his wake which made her waft the air with one hand.

      ‘Hey. Wait a minute. I didn’t invite you in,’ Toni said and shuffled after him in her mules.

      ‘You don’t have to,’ the blond said and pointed to a framed photo on the wall between the cabinets. It was one of a collection of what looked like holiday snaps which Toni had not had time to admire. Until now.

      By going up on tiptoe Toni could get a better look at what seemed to be a family photo of people gathered around a dinner table. She recognised Freya and an older man who looked so much like her that he had to be her father, Lars Elstrom. And standing behind them, grinning for the camera, was a tall handsome blond man with broad shoulders and blue eyes the same colour as...

      She whipped around, blinked at the man standing with his arms folded and then back to the photo.

      Her shoulders dropped. He nodded very slowly up and down. Once.

      ‘Scott Elstrom. Freya’s brother. And I live here.’

      Then he sniffed and gestured with his head towards the worktop. ‘Is anyone going to eat that pizza?’

      Toni stared at the photograph and then glanced up at the serious expression on his face before returning back to the framed snapshot of the man, scowling at her at some sort of winter sporting event.

      It was definitely him. No mistaking the dirty blond hair and physique.

      It was definitely on Freya’s kitchen wall.

      And, just like that, the effects of two hours of wine-drinking and general merriment popped like an overstretched balloon and what was left of the rational part of her brain kicked right back in.

      Not a male stripper.

      Not a birthday present in the shape of a hunky lumberjack.

      He was Freya Elstrom’s brother.

      Nightmare!

      Toni closed her eyes and pinched the top of her nose. She gestured back towards the party, which had magically returned to full swing inside the dining room, with the flat of her hand. ‘As you can see, this is my birthday party. And I’m rather occupied at present.’

      His slightly bloodshot blue eyes locked onto hers. ‘I’m not going anywhere.’

      At this distance all she could focus on were the thin pale tan lines radiating out from the corners of his eyes and the dark stubble and grey-blond beard above that full, sensuous upper lip.

      But there was nothing polished about this man. Far from it. His cheeks looked more sunburnt than tanned and his jacket and trousers were designed for hard use and had seen it. Unshaven. Unkempt.

      Inhaling was a mistake. He smelt of leather and travel and acrid sweat mixed with wet dog in a combination which perfume manufacturers could bottle as instant girl-repellent.

      Smelly did not quite cover it. This man was seriously in need of a long soak and a shave and several cans of deodorant.

      Then the right side of his mouth turned up into what was probably meant to be a reassuring smile.

      And every sensory switch inside her body turned on to maximum power.

      Just like that. Completely out of the blue and totally, totally not what she wanted to happen. Especially not now.

      Speech was impossible and for what seemed like minutes, but was probably only seconds, they both stood there in silence. Breathing in air which positively crackled with electricity. Neither of them willing to shift an inch.

      It was almost a relief when someone’s mobile phone started ringing. The ringtone was the theme song for a popular Italian coffee shop. Amy had been playing with it earlier that day; she loved coffee and wasn’t sure when she would see her next cappuccino.

      ‘I think it’s yours.’ He blinked, breaking the connection, stepping back and folding his arms.

      Toni turned away and sucked in some air because apparently she had stopped breathing. She reached into the tiny evening bag she had left on the kitchen worktop and found the phone in the inside pocket, flipping open the tiny, silver, high-tech unit as a familiar voice hissed down the line.

      ‘Sorry to interrupt, but are you coming back in?’ Amy whispered. ‘Lucy is just about to light the candles on the birthday cake and we’re frightened of the fire risk. You can bring the hunk with you if you’d like to help.’

      ‘Be right there,’ she replied and closed the phone.

      Sucking in a long breath, Toni lifted her head and stared into the face of one of the strangest-looking men she had ever met in her life.

      Hell. Who was she kidding? He was smelly, bandaged and glaring at her. And totally gorgeous.

      ‘Stay right where you are. Help yourself to the pizza. I’ll be back soon and we can sort all of this out.’

       TWO

      Hustling a gaggle of still giggling party girls into their clothes proved more difficult than Toni had imagined, especially when their unexpected male guest was trapped in the kitchen and they were all desperate to take another peek before they left.

      In the end Amy came to her rescue with the vague excuse that it was getting late and some of them had an early plane to catch. The next ten minutes were a mad rush of tidying up, distributing the bedroom toys and assorted lingerie items into party bags and arguments about whether they should break into the kitchen to rescue the chocolate brownies they had saved for the coffee.

      It was almost a relief when she finally kissed Amy goodnight with promises that she would call if there was any trouble, and finally waved the girls goodbye from the doorstep.

      Toni dropped her head back against the heavy door and gazed down the hallway towards the kitchen.

      Trouble was waiting for her behind that innocent white-painted door. She just didn’t know how much.

      Swallowing down a huge lump of apprehension, Toni inhaled a couple

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