Framed and Hung (3 page)

‘Someone — probably my stupid cousins — ripped out the original mantle, so I scoured the second-hand shops until I found something that would fit.’ Jessie waved them on into another room.

This one was set up as a bar and sitting area. Although there were a couple of polished timber bar stools, the rest of the furniture consisted of comfy lounge chairs and couches. Lovely. But it was the bar itself that made Zoe gasp.

She ran her hand over the polished surface. ‘Oh, this is just gorgeous. I’ve never seen anything like it.’

It was the same dark mahogany as the rest of the polished furniture throughout the inn, but the intricate carving on the front and sides of the piece was incredible. Swirls and curlicues, sea birds and a full-masted sailing ship from the 1800s. The detail was astounding.

Jessie smiled. ‘This is my pride and joy. It’s part of the original building. The story goes that it was in the captain’s cabin on one of the first English ships that sailed out to Australia. Whether it’s true or not, I don’t really know, but I like to think it is.’

She glanced at her watch. ‘Oh dear, look at the time. I did so want to show you the rest, but I’m going to be late for my garden club meeting. Do you mind — ’

‘Not at all,’ Zoe cut in. ‘We can wander around later and check it all out. Just tell me what room I’m staying in and Rach and I can get the van unloaded.’

‘I’ve put you in room 22.’ She handed over an old-fashioned key. ‘It’s the block on the right as you go out the back door and the room on the end, closest to where you’ll be working. The old stables are directly behind it so you can store your painting gear there.’

She burrowed into her pocket and produced an iron keyring loaded down with keys. It jingled as she dropped it into Zoe’s hand.

‘That’s all the keys for the main building and the stables. The room keys are behind the reception desk, although there’s a master key on the ring for those, too. We haven’t employed any chefs yet, but the kitchen is fully functional and I’ve stocked the fridge, so just help yourself while you’re here.’

She got as far as the entrance to the dining room and then halted, turning back to face the two women. ‘Oh, I forgot to tell you. The place is haunted so watch out for the ghost. He’s a little frisky at times and really seems to like the young ones.’

Rachel burst out laughing. ‘Are you serious?’

‘Oh, yes, dear. He’s supposed to be one of my great-great whatever he was. The women I had come in to clean the place said he liked to pinch them on their…’ She let the words trail off, but grinned as she patted her ample behind.

‘No such thing as ghosts,’ Rachel said.

Zoe raised her eyebrows at her friend’s comment. ‘You’d be surprised what I’ve come up against in some of the old houses I’ve worked on. I wouldn’t be too hasty to dismiss the idea.’

‘Quite right, dear,’ Jessie nodded in agreement. ‘One final thing. Do you think you could have a couple of rooms finished as soon as possible? Maybe one of the motel units and the dining room, and perhaps the Garden Room. I know it’s asking a lot of you when you’ve only just arrived, but the heritage people are pushing me to set a date for them to come make an inspection. I really didn’t want to show them anything until we can give them the full effect, but I guess a few rooms will do for now.’

‘I’ll see what I can do,’ Zoe promised.

‘Okay. Lovely. Must away.’ She gave a little wave and disappeared.

Zoe waited until she could no longer hear Jessie’s footsteps and then looked at Rachel. There was dead silence for a moment before she lost it and burst out laughing. ‘Get the feeling you’ve been hit by a whirlwind?’

Rachel wiped the tears of mirth from her eyes before she answered. ‘No doubt about it. This is definitely going to be a fun job.’

Zoe grinned. ‘Even more so with Mr Naked-and-Dangerous staying here, too.’

‘You going to jump his bones, girlfriend?’ Rachel waggled her eyebrows. ‘Hell of a marriage prospect if you play your cards right.’

Zoe made a production of shuddering, although it wasn’t all pretence. ‘Not likely. Did that once, still have the T-shirt. And I have no desire to don it again.’

‘But you used to lust after Jake Lord when you were 16 and he’s so — ’

‘Oh, he is that and more.’ Zoe chuckled. ‘I may not be after marriage, but I have the normal girlie genes when it comes to sex. I wouldn’t mind making him sit up and take notice a little bit…just to make up for him ignoring me all those years ago.’

Rachel started to laugh. ‘You are so evil, girlfriend. I can just see you making him beg for it like a dog.’

Zoe couldn’t help herself. ‘
Woof, woof
.’

Chapter Two

‘Ah, Zoe?’

Arms full of fabric swatches and miscellaneous items of clothing, Zoe paused at the open doorway to room 22. ‘What’s the problem?’

Rachel peered over Zoe’s shoulder, her eyes twinkling. ‘Woof, woof?’ she whispered.

Zoe frowned, trying to work out what her friend meant. Then the penny dropped and she remembered their conversation after Jessie had left. At the same moment, she realised the shower was running and the door to the bathroom wasn’t fully closed.

Holding the key up, she squinted at the number printed on it. Yep, right room, but the wrong person in it. Given Jessie hadn’t known her son had moved in today, it was a sure bet it wasn’t Goldilocks visiting her.

She dumped her belongings on the bed and holding one finger in front of her mouth, she motioned for Rachel to follow her out of the room. Once outside, she grinned, hand over her mouth to stifle her giggles.

‘Seems I’m always destined to find Jake Lord without his clothes,’ she whispered when she’d caught her breath.

‘I’ll go in and check him out for you if you like.’

Rachel made a move to re-enter the room, but Zoe pulled her back. She suddenly didn’t want anyone else getting a look at that magnificent physique. Rachel was her best friend, had stood beside her through some pretty horrendous stuff, but there are some things even girlfriends don’t share. At least, she didn’t.

A little unnerved at her attack of jealousy, she pulled Rachel away from the room and towards the car park. They’d unloaded everything from the van and her belongings were either parked on the walkway outside room 22 or stored in the stables. Now it was time for Rachel to leave.

‘Look, it’s getting dark. You’d better head off. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. If the garage has finished with my car, I’ll need a ride to go pick it up.’

Rachel pouted. ‘Spoilsport.’

Zoe just winked and gave her friend a little wave. With a hang-dog look on her face, Rachel shuffled across the central courtyard, her pathetic demeanour making Zoe burst into laughter. At the last moment, before she disappeared down the passageway that led to the car park, Rachel turned and flicked Zoe a cheeky grin, which just made Zoe laugh even more.

Two of the buildings that housed the motel units were set at right angles to the original inn, with the third block of units running parallel and linking the other two wings. The quadrangle in the centre became the focal point for entertaining, with a walkway running along the front of each building and opening out onto the courtyard.

Zoe really hadn’t taken a lot of notice when they’d arrived and found Jake in the spa. Now she did. The spa was set off to one side, an easy walk down from the patio at the back of the main building. On the opposite side of the courtyard, closest to the back door of the commercial kitchen, was a large barbeque made of the old red bricks. Rough timber tables and accompanying bench seats were spread around the area, providing a place for guests to sit.

A couple of swings for the kids and a chessboard paved in black and white tiles, plus terracotta pots of lush flowering shrubs, completed the picture. The car park was hidden on the opposite side of the back motel block, which meant that the area still retained that olde-world feeling.

Zoe knew she would enjoy working here. There was a genteel peace that spoke to something inside her. She’d been doing ordinary house painting for the last six months, and although it paid the bills, it didn’t satisfy the artist locked inside her. And being able to stay in such a building while she worked? That was the icing on the cake as far as she was concerned.

Restoring heritage-listed homes and buildings fed her soul. It filled her with an excitement for her work that was sadly missing when she took on other jobs. It was like stepping back into the romance of the past. She blessed the day Jessie had contacted her and asked if she wanted to complete the restoration on the inn.

A grin crept across her face and a chuckle erupted as she silently acknowledged that having Jake Lord here might well have something to do with the excitement bubbling up inside her. And with that thought in mind, she headed back to what was supposed to be
her
room and stepped inside, easing the door shut behind her. Slipping off her sandals, she tiptoed over to the bathroom door and pushed it open, sending up a prayer of thanks when it didn’t squeak.

Jake stood in the centre of a large triangular bath set in one corner of the room, one hand braced on the cream tiles in front of him, head tilted forwards as the steamy water cascaded over him. He slowly worked his free hand across his chest, spreading soap bubbles over the bronzed flesh.

Zoe grinned and looked her fill, getting an unimpeded view of wide shoulders tapering down to a great ass and well-muscled thighs.

As he reached around to wash what he could of his back, the muscles in his butt flexed and Zoe had to bite her lip to stop herself groaning. Oh, yeah, she was definitely a sucker for a tight set of buns.

She wanted to get on her knees and lick her way across the curve of his ass. A little nibble here. A little nibble there. The sensual glide of her tongue to lap up each and every droplet of water. She wanted to —

With a hastily swallowed gulp, she cut off the licentious thoughts.
Ooh, you’re a bad girl, Zoe
.

She hadn’t exactly been a nun since her divorce. There had been a few casual liaisons in the past five years, but nothing serious. Hey, she liked sex, so why not? Provided her partner was a consenting adult and unattached.
And
had no thoughts about a permanent liaison.

Some of the men in town figured she was a good-time party girl since she was divorced, but she was also pretty discerning about her choice of partner. She talked big, and yeah, she had a propensity for shocking people at times and that tended to give them — or rather, men — the wrong impression.

Those who knew her well, like Rachel for instance, knew she’d rip a guy’s balls off if he tried to push her into something she didn’t want or wasn’t ready for. Her marriage had left too many scars.

Now, if she met a guy who made her feel hungry for a bit of the horizontal tango, she went after it. The rest of the time, she was comfortable with her own company.

And oh yeah, she could definitely make a meal or two out of Jake Lord. She’d lusted after him as a teenager when she barely knew what sex was. Now she did know what it was all about, and it appeared the old hunger had reappeared.
Hmm, yummy
.

Her fingers twitched to touch, but she managed to restrain herself until she saw Jake soap up his hand and slide it down to his groin area. Then she couldn’t help herself.

‘If this is what inn keepers call
full service
, you’ll have the most popular place in town. As far as female clients go, of course.’

Jake dropped the soap with a yelp and spun around. One hand went down to cover his nether regions and the other clutched at the showerhead as if to save himself from ending up on his ass in the bottom of the bathtub. As soon as he’d caught his balance, he used both hands to protect his…assets.

Earlier, she’d been too far away at first and then he’d moved too quickly for her to get a thorough look and damn it, she was still being denied.

‘Jesus, woman, you scared the crap out of me.
And
you made me squeal like a bleedin’ girl. What the hell is it with you and naked men? You got a thing for catching men in the raw?’

Keeping an eye on her, he reached down for the washcloth hanging over the edge of the bath. Once he’d snagged it up, he spread it over his front, gingerly holding onto the top two corners.

Zoe chuckled. The white terry-towelling cloth was not much bigger than a man’s hand and she had a feeling what was underneath would definitely prove larger.

She sidled closer until her knees brushed the side of the bath. ‘I don’t think that itty-bitty piece of material is going to do you much good for very long. And as for naked bodies? Oh yeah, I can see me having a thing for
your
naked body, Jake Lord. You got a problem with that?’

‘Look, this isn’t the right ti — ’

‘Oh, yeah, it is,’ she cut him off. ‘If an opportunity presents itself, why not?’ She chuckled. ‘Hey, my mama told me if I saw something I wanted, I should go after it. Of course, she wasn’t talking about men or sex, but it
did
make me determined. In fact, I’m usually pretty one-eyed about going after what I want. And talking one-eyed…’

With a lift of her eyebrows, she lowered her gaze and ran the tip of one finger over the curve of his hip, angling her hand in to trace along his groin. Jake gave a muffled groan.

‘Told you that washcloth wasn’t going to be of much help.’ She gestured to where the front of the fabric had started to bulge over his cock.
Hmm, so the man isn’t totally disinterested.

‘Now, let’s get back to the part where I fancy jumping your bones.’ She trailed her finger down the top of his thigh and back up again. ‘Seeing this has come up — ’

He cleared his throat. ‘Um, it hasn’t come up at all. In fact, I don’t remember saying anything about it. You were the one who mentioned it.’

She toyed with the edge of the washcloth, gratified to see the bulge was even bigger now. ‘Oh, I think it has definitely come up.’

Jake growled, fiddling with the cloth, trying to make certain it covered him. Zoe didn’t make it easy. She continued to run her finger along the groove where his thigh met his torso.