Risky Proposal Read online

  Table of Contents

  Risky Proposal

  Publication Information

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Also Available

  Also Available

  Thank You

  Risky Proposal

  Deerbourne Inn

  by

  Marie Tuhart

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

  Risky Proposal

  COPYRIGHT © 2020 by Marie Tuhart

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  Contact Information: [email protected]

  Cover Art by Diana Carlile

  The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

  PO Box 708

  Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708

  Visit us at www.thewildrosepress.com

  Publishing History

  First Scarlet Rose Edition, 2020

  Digital ISBN 978-1-5092-3201-7

  Published in the United States of America

  Dedication

  Thank you to everyone at

  The Wild Rose Press, Inc. for creating

  a new series for all of us authors to play in.

  To Laurie, you are the best

  friend a writer can have.

  To Nia and Isabel, thank you for

  all the feedback on Risky Proposal.

  To Trish, you are the best editor,

  even if sometimes I argue with you.

  Chapter One

  Claire Holmes pulled her Jeep up to the Deerbourne Inn and turned off the engine. The two-story, Federal-style mansion with double shutters on the windows made her sigh with sadness. Her sister would have loved this.

  Tears filled Claire’s eyes. Her sister, Peggy, had passed away three months ago. Claire hadn’t wanted to come on this vacation, but her sister had made her promise before she had passed. The reservation at the inn had taken her sister forever to get, and at least one of them was going to enjoy it.

  In a way, Claire was glad she hadn’t cancelled. Her mother was constantly after her to quit her job and get married; it had only gotten worse after Peggy died. Having a good excuse for time away from her mom’s pressure was good. Claire loved her IT job, the benefits, and the perks. She was up for a promotion, which would have her traveling all over the country and abroad in a supervisory role. She’d always wanted to travel the world for her job, and now, this was her chance.

  This vacation would get her out of her funk and doing as her sister had said: Don’t let life pass you by, do what you want. Enjoy yourself. Her sister’s words rang clear as bells in her head. She needed this vacation; she was going to enjoy this time off and leave her troubles behind. If only for a week.

  Claire pushed open the driver’s door and stepped out. The crisp, spring air caressed her skin as she walked up the steps into the inn. The oak door opened easily, and the scent of roses greeted her.

  “Welcome to Deerbourne Inn. I’m Jared, how may I help you?” a young man with neatly combed, brown hair asked from behind the registration desk.

  Claire smiled. The young man had sparkling-blue eyes and put her instantly at ease. “Hi, I’m Claire Holmes, and I have a reservation.”

  “Yes, Ms. Holmes, you’re staying for a week, I see.”

  “That is correct.” She dug her license and credit card out of her purse. She didn’t know much about the inn or Willow Springs. Her sister was the one who had told her they had to go there and stay. Something about the inn being owned by a former, big, New York chef.

  “Will you need a dinner reservation at the Red Clover Café?”

  “I really hadn’t thought about it.” Maybe the chef was as popular as her sister had told her. “Is there an opening?”

  The young man typed on the keyboard. “Yes there is. That’s lucky. It’s usually booked. Someone must have cancelled. Let me put your name in right now.” More typing. “That’s done. Seven, Friday night. I noticed the room was pre-paid.”

  “What?” Claire blinked in surprise. “Who paid for it?”

  “The records show Peggy Holmes made the reservation and paid for it in full at that time. Will she be joining you?”

  Claire closed her eyes to stop the tears from spilling over. Peggy had never told her she’d paid for the stay. She blinked before looking up. “I’m afraid not. My sister passed away.” Her voice was rough from unshed tears.

  “I’m sorry for your loss and to hear that.” He reached down, then held several tissues out to her.

  She dabbed her eyes and smiled at the young man. He was being so kind to her. “I’m okay now.”

  “I’ll just need your driver’s license and credit card for incidentals.”

  She handed them over and waited while the registration was completed. “There is parking to the side of the inn; your room is on the second floor.” He put a brass key on the desk. “This is your key.”

  She stared at it for a moment. An old-fashioned key. Intriguing. She might just need to read up on the inn. “Thank you.”

  “Also, the front door is locked at nine every night, so if you’re out late, just walk around to the back. There’s a lock box; just punch in the code, and it will allow you access to a key for the door. Please put it back in and lock the door once you’re inside.” He handed her a piece of paper with four digits written on it. “The stairs in the middle will take you up. Your room is on the right, number three. Do you need help with luggage?”

  “No, thank you.” Claire slipped the key and paper into the pocket of her jeans.

  “Breakfast is served from seven until nine for guests only. If you have any questions, let me know.”

  She nodded, turned, and went back out to her car. Ten minutes later, she was in her room. Unexpected was the only word she could think of. The room was decorated with antiques, the rose quilt covering queen-sized bed looked comfortable, and the private bath had an old-fashion claw tub and pedestal sink.

  It all looked so cozy, and Claire let out a yawn as she unpacked. The drive from Boston hadn’t been overly long, just a little under four hours, but it was tiring. She walked into the bathroom and turned on the faucet.

  Water started spurting everywhere. Claire let out a yelp and jumped back. She turned the knob, and nothing happened. Oh crap, she wasn’t even in her room an hour and something had gone wrong.

  Spying a towel, she grabbed it and threw it over the faucet to block the water from going everywhere. She looked under the sink but couldn’t find a turn-off valve. There must be a central turn-off.

  Sprinting back into the main room, she snatched up the phone and called the front desk. “This is Jared. How may I help you, Ms. Holmes?”

  “The faucet is broken, there is water going everywhere,” she said in a breathless rush.

  “On it.” The line clicked.

  Claire went back into the bathroom, careful not to slip. Luckily, there were lots of towels, she tossed one on the floor and another over the faucet as the other one was already soaked through. The water stopped, and then there was a knock on her door.

  Claire blew out a breath and opened the door. A young woman with blonde hair pulled into
a ponytail stood there. “Hi, I’m Liz, the housekeeper.”

  “Hi. I’m so sorry, I don’t know what happened.” Claire stood back and allowed the woman in.

  “No worries; let me see the damage.” Liz went into the bathroom. She dumped the sodden towels into the bathtub and then fiddled with the faucet. “I’ll need to call someone. I can’t leave the water off too long.”

  “Okay.”

  “I’d move you to another room, but we’re full.”

  “I understand. I’ll be fine here. I don’t plan on going to a different hotel unless it can’t be fixed.”

  “Thank you for being so understanding.” Liz left the room.

  Claire let out a sigh and changed into her sweats so she could lie on the bed. She hoped she wouldn’t need a vacation after this vacation. Might as well get settled until someone came to fix the faucet. And actually, it sounded really good—the resting part.

  ****

  Josh Hawkins had just finished laying the padded flooring inside his new club when his cell phone rang. Deerbourne Inn. Who could be calling him from there?

  “This is Josh.”

  “Hey Josh, Liz here. I need a big favor,” she said.

  “What’s up?” He’d done some odd jobs for Liz when their regular handyman wasn’t available.

  “I’ve got a room with a busted faucet. The knob just turns and turns. I had to shut off the water at the valve for the floor.”

  Josh crossed the room to the door. “I’ll be there in fifteen.”

  “I owe you one.”

  “Don’t worry about it; I’m available to help.” Josh hung up and locked the door behind him before sprinting home from the club on his property. He grabbed his keys and he jumped into his truck and drove to the inn. It was funny; he hadn’t planned on staying in Willow Springs, but after his father had passed away six months ago, he had found himself in charge of the family business: The Willow Springs Hardware.

  It had surprised him to find himself enjoying the work. He’d even included occasional handyman work as part of the store offerings. Being available for small jobs around the town helped people, helped the business, and allowed him to use his hands-on skills. He pulled to a stop at the front of the Deerbourne Inn and walked inside.

  “I’m serious, I owe you,” Liz said, worry on her face as she waited for him in the lobby.

  “No problem, Liz. Why don’t you show me the problem, and then, I’ll get what I need from the store and fix it.”

  “Okay, the guest is still in her room. She just arrived today. Everything had been in working order.” They walked up the stairs, and Liz knocked on the door.

  The door opened, and Josh almost took a step back. He blinked. The woman standing there made his libido stand up and take notice. Her brown hair spread over her shoulders, and her blue eyes were slumberous, her T-shirt rumpled.

  “Hi.” She blinked a couple of times.

  “This is Josh; he’s going to take a look at the sink,” Liz said.

  “Oh good.” She stared at him. “I know you from somewhere.” Her voice was husky. She had the look of a woman who’d been woken up. There was something familiar about her as well.

  “If you’ll excuse me, I have to go check on my kids,” Liz said. “Josh, you okay?”

  “Yep, got it. Go take care of your rug rats. I know where the shut-off valve is.” Josh stepped into the bathroom. He fiddled with the faucet, then stepped out.

  Ms. I-know-you-from-somewhere stood by the dresser. Damn, she was a fine woman. Those jeans molded to her hips, and her T-shirt cupped her breasts. A woman who had meat on her body. His hands itched to touch her. Hold it, buddy. You’re here to work.

  He cleared his throat. “I need to run and get supplies to fix it. It will take me about twenty minutes.”

  “Okay. I’m not going anywhere.” She grinned at him, her blue eyes sparkling.

  His dick swelled, taking him by surprise. He couldn’t recall a time when a single glance from a sexy woman had sent hot flares of lust straight to his pants. She claimed he looked familiar, maybe after he fixed the sink, he’d check her out.

  Josh made quick work of grabbing what he needed from the store and returned to the inn. This woman intrigued him. He hadn’t dated anyone since he’d left Lobster Cove, mainly because he had been busy with his dad’s illness and then death, and now, his own projects.

  He rapped on the door, and it opened. Yep, his cock jumped at the sight of her. The attraction was real.

  “Hi, again,” she said stepping aside so he could enter.

  “Thank you,” he said as he made his way into the bathroom.

  “Sorry to mess up your Sunday afternoon.” There was a note of apology in her voice.

  “No big deal. I was just doing some work around my home.” Actually, he’d been working on the BDSM club he was opening in a month. Not something he would tell a stranger except she didn’t feel like a stranger.

  “I’m Claire, by the way. Josh, right?”

  “Yep.” Claire. The name bounced around in his head. Wait a second. “Claire Holmes,” he said turning his head to look at her. How could he have forgotten? While her hair was shorter than before. There was the same spark in her blue eyes today as when they’d had that date.

  “That’s me. We have met.” Her blue eyes lit up. “Josh Hawkins. My sister, Peggy, set us up on a blind date over a year ago.”

  “She did.” He’d been intrigued then, but the physical distance between their lives had made a second date difficult. He disassembled the faucet and began putting the new one in. Thank goodness, he’d kept a couple of these old-fashion ones in stock for emergencies.

  “How is your sister?” Peggy had been super outgoing, but he had liked Claire’s quiet confidence. There wasn’t an answer. Josh turned his head to see a tear roll down her cheek as she stood in the doorway.

  He stood. “Are you okay?” He brushed the tear away with his thumb. He didn’t miss the shiver that went through her at his touch.

  “Peggy passed away three months ago. She had an aggressive form of cancer.” Her voice trembled.

  Shit. “I’m so sorry.” He didn’t know what else to say. Meaningless platitudes drove him crazy. Josh stepped away before he pulled her into his arms. He went back to his job, feeling like an ass for asking her.

  “You didn’t know.” Her voice was becoming steadier. “Peggy booked this trip before we knew she was ill. She wanted us to have a girl’s trip. She insisted that I come on the trip and enjoy a vacation.”

  His gut clenched. “Not the best way to start a vacation.” He tightened the bolt. “I lost my dad six months ago, so I know how hard it can be.”

  “Oh, Josh, I’m so sorry for your loss.”

  “I appreciate that, but he lived a good life.” Except when he was condemning others for being different. Josh shook his head. This wasn’t the time to think about his disagreements with his father. He put his tools away and straightened. “Let me go turn the water back on and make sure I got all the leaks.”

  He slipped out the door and was back within a few minutes. One flip of the faucet, and it worked perfectly. “All fixed.”

  “Thank you.”

  Josh gathered up his tools. Claire was standing in the bathroom doorway, her blue eyes bright with interest. While his body wanted him to explore that interest, his brain reminded him she was on vacation and grieving. She might not be interested in a vacation fling.

  He finished packing up his tools and turned to her. “I’ll let Jared know it’s fixed, and he can let Liz know. Enjoy your stay.”

  She followed behind him as he exited the room. “Ah, Josh.”

  He turned back around to see her holding onto the door.

  “You still have one fine ass.”

  Josh burst out laughing. They’d only had the one date, but he remembered how she’d danced with him, her hands on his ass. The spark had been there then as it was now.

  Yeah, modern electronics would have allowed them t
o keep in touch, but he also hadn’t been ready for that kind of commitment. “How long are you here for?”

  “A week.”

  His libido started cheering and something inside him loosened, gave way to a glimmer of light. Josh rubbed his chin. Maybe dinner and some conversation to start, but not tonight. He’d let her get settled in first. If dinner went well…he hadn’t taken any time off from the store except for the day of his father’s funeral. Maybe he could take a few days, spend them with Claire, and see if their attraction was more than surface appeal.

  “I’ll see you around, my beautiful lady.” He leaned forward and brushed a kiss over her cheek before leaving with a spring in his step.

  ****

  Claire couldn’t believe she blurted out what a fine ass Josh had. Not that it wasn’t true. She’d enjoyed watching the muscles in his arms and back flex as he fixed the sink. His green eyes held intelligence and mischief.

  Their date over a year ago had been fun. They’d hit it off, but at the time, he was living in Maine, and she was in Boston, so it had gone nowhere. Although the kiss at the end of the date had been explosive. Maybe coming to Willow Springs wouldn’t be so boring after all.

  Go for it, Claire. Don’t let life pass you by. Seize the moment, be it for a minute, an hour, or a lifetime.

  Her sister’s words filtered through her mind. There was still a connection, a spark between her and Josh. Why not explore it if he was willing? Her body already was awake and pulsing with need. He’d done that to her.

  She hadn’t dated since Josh. Between her sister’s illness and work, there’d been no time. Now, was a time just for her. This had possibilities.

  A knock on her door startled her. She pulled the door open.

  Josh stood there, a grin on his face, a twinkle in his eye. “In case you need anything.” He held a small white card out to her.

  She took it and read it. Willow Springs Hardware, Josh Hawkins, owner. There was a phone number and address. She glanced up at him, and he gave her a sexy grin.

  “The best is on the back. Have a good night. And Claire.” Warm hands closed over her shoulders. “You are fucking beautiful.” His lips brushed over hers, and then he was gone.