When she turned a rather suspicious glance in his direction, he wondered what had given her such a distrust of men. ‘I don't mean I want to buy time with you. I mean I want to rent two of your spare bedrooms for business purposes.’ He cocked his head on one side, his eyes steady on hers. ‘I can sleep in one till you know me better and the other will be my office. And we could have the second bathroom finished off, too, while we're at it, so I don’t need to intrude on your privacy.’ Marvelling at how easy it suddenly was to say ‘we’ again, he put one fingertip under Meriel’s chin, tilted her face up and stared into her eyes. ‘Not that I don't want to sleep in your bed – I do – but I intend to do that only with your full consent and approval.’ She sat there with one of his arms lying round her shoulders. ‘Why is it so important for you to stay near the block? I can't understand that. I thought you were going to sell it.’ ‘We-ell . . . Don’t tell anyone else yet, especially here in York.’ ‘I promise.’ He wriggled to the back of the couch, giving her more room to lean against the warm angle of his body.
