The Inheritance (The Donatelli Series) (5 page)

When the buyers came in, Maria had the plan spread on the table.

The buyers were pleasant people and the kids were adorable, but the middle one climbed on everything, and his mother constantly pulled him down.

After they spoke with Nick for a few minutes, Nick introduced Maria. Sensing their mixed feelings, Maria forged ahead. “The plan you’ve chosen for your new house is beautiful.”

“We love the high ceilings and wood floors,” said the woman, “but I’m not sure it’s a good idea to have the kids’ bedrooms upstairs and ours downstairs.”

“I know what you mean,” Maria said with a warm smile, “and I like wood floors, too. Tell me what you think of this plan.” Maria showed them the front elevation of the other plan and compared it to the one they’d selected. She flipped it open to the main level floor plan. “The room sizes are comparable to the plan you’ve chosen, but I like the way this one is laid out.”

Maria compared the different features of the two plans, and the more she talked, the more unsure they seemed about their plan. Maria watched the buyers and listened to their thoughts. He was thinking she’d chosen the other plan because she liked wood floors and high ceilings, and she was thinking he liked the plan because he wanted the master bedroom on a different level from the kids. With the new plan they’d both get what they wanted.

“I wanted wood floors in the family room,” said the woman.

“Why don’t you carpet the family room, so the floors would be warmer for little people to play on, and save the wood floors for the formal rooms?” Maria suggested, and Nick smiled. Ignoring him, she said, “Wood floors with area rugs would be pretty, especially if you use white wainscoting and a chair rail in the dining room. What about the location of the master? Would this give you enough privacy and still put you close enough to keep an eye on the kids at night?”

The man turned to Nick. “What’s the price difference between the two plans?”

The square footage was so similar, Nick told him they could build it for the same price. The buyers swapped plans and left happy.

“You keep using that radar and you’ll earn yourself a raise,” said Nick.

“They wouldn’t have been happy with the other plan.”

“Yeah, I know, but I couldn’t talk them out of it. She dug in her heels on the family room and he wouldn’t budge on the location of the master bedroom.”

Maria was still smiling when Blade Banner walked in the door.

Nick shook Blade’s hand. “Blade, I believe you know my cousin, Maria.”

The woman looked better every time he saw her, like a thoroughbred horse. And he’d been dating nags. “I thought I’d stop by and see what kind of work
Max and Company
does. I’m thinking of putting an offer on that piece of property down the road from your house, Nick.”

“Glad to hear it. Maria, why don’t you show Blade the house in
Canterwood
so he can see the plan and the quality of our work? When you finish there, come by my house, Blade. I’ll give you a quick tour.”

Maria excused herself and went into the back of the office. Blade nodded in her direction. “What’s with her?”

“She’s still reeling from her divorce. Her ex-husband treated her like a piece of trash. Now he’s planning to get married and take his new bride on a luxury cruise. He can afford a new house, but the guy won’t pay Maria any child support.”

No wonder Maria was so uptight.

“He’s got a new business going, and the jerk is calling me and Cara every other day wanting us to invest in his new business. How’s that for balls? I can’t stand the son-of-a-bitch.”

Blade’s gut told him not to get involved, yet curiosity nagged at him. “What kind of business?”

“Investments. He worked for a big accounting firm and decided he could make more as an investment counselor than doing somebody’s taxes. He’s looking for new clients to get the business off the ground.”

Interesting. Did Maria need money badly enough to marry for it? No, not with Cara Andrews in the family. She and Nick wouldn’t let Maria and the kids go without.

<>

Maria drove Blade out to
Canterwood.
She pulled up to the gates and the guard waved her through. As she drove down the winding streets lined with luxury homes, Blade pointed to one home. “That looks huge.”

“It’s eight thousand square feet, seven bedrooms, nine bathrooms, a huge exercise room, home theater—”

“It’s one of yours?”

“Yes. It’s sold, but the plans are in the office if you want to see them.”

Eight thousand square feet? Did he really want a house that size?

Maria pulled into the circle driveway of the home Nick had finished last spring. The house had plenty of curb appeal, but the inside had all the details many women liked, and Blade had no woman in his life. Besides, she couldn’t picture him roaring through this neighborhood on his Harley. “A membership in the golf and country club comes with this house.”

He laughed a little. “Yeah, right. Do I look like the country club type to you?”

“No.” Maria unlocked the door and turned off the alarm. If not for the ugly gold and black granite on the kitchen countertops, this house would have sold months ago.

They started with the formal rooms. The carpets were pale beige and the woodwork white. The marble on the white fireplace had a pale pink thread running through it, and the walls had a slight pink tinge, just enough to make them glow. The house was big enough for a large family, but she couldn’t see kids in these rooms.

“This is nice,” said Blade, “but it’s too clean and formal for me. I want rooms I can live in without being afraid of messing them up.”

“I know what you mean. I’d be yelling at the kids not to touch anything and to keep Daisy outside, and then I’d feel guilty. They love that dog, and she hates being separated from the kids, especially Andy.”

“Daisy wouldn’t pass up a chance to chase that white cat again. Damn cat took her over that oil pan on purpose. She’s probably still laughing.” He cocked his head. “Do cats laugh?”

Maria smiled. “I think that one does. It isn’t the first time she’s gotten Daisy in trouble, and I don’t imagine it’ll be the last. She has an ornery streak.”

In the kitchen and family rooms, Blade said, “These rooms are nice. I like the crown moldings and wood floors, everything but the countertops in the kitchen. It’s a nice material, but I don’t like the color.”

“I don’t either. I told Nick it would probably have to be replaced, and I refuse to let Angelo choose any more cabinets and countertops. My brother has no taste.”

There was a tiny study off the main hallway, across from the winding staircase. The laundry was bigger than that little study, which Maria suspected was more for show than function.

The main floor master bedroom suite had a huge walk-in closet, spa tub, glass block shower, twin vanities, toilet and bidet.

Blade stared at the bidet. “What in the hell is that thing?”

“It’s for a woman. You don’t see many of them around here, but I understand it’s standard in some countries.”

“A woman, huh. That’s a useless piece of equipment for a bachelor.”

“Unless the bachelor has a girlfriend.”

His mouth played with a smile. “Are you applying for the job?”

“Mr. Banner, I don’t need another man in my life.” Especially one whose presence sucked the air out of the room and replaced it with the smell of leather and testosterone.

She changed the subject. “What do you think of the house?”

“The workmanship is great, but the plan doesn’t work for me. What I had in mind is more like a big beach house, casual and comfortable.” He cocked his head and gazed into her eyes. “If you could design a house for yourself, what would you want?”

“I’d want a big kitchen that’s open to the informal living room and breakfast room, so I could keep an eye on the kids while I cooked. Four bedrooms. Andy and Jimmy like to share, but Robbie needs his own space.”

“What about a formal living room?”

“It’s just another room to clean as far as I’m concerned. The kids always end up in the same room with the adults anyway, so why not have one nice living area instead of two smaller ones? I’d want a separate dining room for family dinners, though, and maybe a rec room or game room for kids’ parties.”

“Master upstairs or downstairs?”

“Either way works for me. I have enough kids that they look after each other. It’s different when you only have one or if you have a baby. In that case, you need to be closer to their bedrooms.”

“What else?”

“If I had a big house, I’d want an intercom system, so I didn’t have to yell or search for the kids when I needed them.”

That made sense to Blade. He wanted to put in enough features to make the house appeal to future buyers in case he decided to sell it at some point. That meant it had to appeal to women with families, women like Maria.

After they walked through the rest of the house, Maria reset the alarm and locked up, and they walked out to her car.

“Do you want more babies, Maria?”

“I’d love to have another one, but not without a husband. And what man in his right mind would take on a woman with four kids, especially when their mother doesn’t get any child support?”

One who stood to get close to a half-billion if he married, thought Blade. But even though Maria hurt financially, he doubted she’d marry for money. Maria had too much pride to sell herself to any man. She’d want love and fidelity, a good father for her children, someone she could rely on. He wasn’t prepared to make that kind of commitment, especially to a woman with four kids.

Still, he hadn’t met any other woman he’d even consider marrying.

On the other hand, he hadn’t really started looking yet.

On the drive back to the office, Blade watched the woman behind the wheel. Kids or not, Maria intrigued him, and he couldn’t eliminate her from consideration until he knew what she tasted like.

She pulled into the parking lot in front of the office and unfastened her seatbelt. “Mr. Banner, if you’re looking for a wife, look elsewhere.”

“How did you know I was looking for a wife?”

She didn’t answer.

He unsnapped his seatbelt and twisted to face her. “Maria, I haven’t told anyone. How did you know?”

She pulled the key out of the ignition. “I can’t explain it. Sometimes I just
know
things.”

“Damn,” he said mostly to himself. What the hell else did she know?

“Would you like a piece of advice from someone who’s been there and done that?” Without waiting for a response, she said, “Don’t even consider marrying without love. Marriage is hard enough when two people start out loving each other.”

He gazed into her eyes, and she didn’t look away. “Okay, let’s get it out of the way right now.”

“Get what out of the way?” Maria asked, but she knew.

He leaned over to stroke her face and kiss her. His lips were soft and warm and insistent, and without conscious thought, she kissed him back. Maria felt the spark through her whole body, and knew he wasn’t just thinking of marrying
someone
.

He was thinking of marrying
her
.

She tried to read more, to hear more of his thoughts, but his kiss had flustered her so much her radar had stopped working.

She sat in the car and watched him mount his motorcycle and pull his helmet on. Her heart still pounded. Fred had never kissed her like that, and he’d never thought
Wow
, or
She’s a magnificent woman
. And Fred had never made her body come alive with anticipation. Not like Blade.

Blade smiled at the stunned look on Maria’s face. Eliminate her? Not a chance. The woman was starved for affection, and he’d gladly give it to her. Why would any man in his right mind divorce a woman like that? She was warm, affectionate, and had a body like a goddess. So what if she was uptight? If he could get her in his bed for one night, that would cease to be a problem.