Free The Beautiful Widow by Helen Brooks

particular avenue of thought before it took hold. Over the last few nightsshe’d had one or two particularly erotic dreams, which had been embarrassing to recall in the light of day. And they’d all featured Steel. Thank goodness he’d never know. A little frisson of horror at the notion he might suspect she’d fantasised about him—albeit subconsciously, which was hardly her fault—slivered down her spine. This was so unlike her, it really was.
    A good few miles—and a good few phone calls—later, Steel pulled into a parking space in front of a huge, somewhat grim-looking factory building, which still had ‘E. C. Maine & Son, Quality Furnishings’ over the massive arched front doors. ‘I think the most you can say about the exterior is that it looks solid,’ Steel murmured wryly. ‘I doubt we can do much there.’
    ‘Oh, I don’t know …’ Toni gazed up at the seemingly hundreds of small windows. ‘We’ve already got permission to join some of the windows together to make large, more attractive ones and they’d look great with outside shutters to break up the brickwork. And look at the detail above the windows; the Victorians did that sort of thing so well. If we follow that through with the alterations and pick out some of the brick patterns with gold and black paint, just above the windows and nowhere else, I think it might look quite charming.’
    Steel nodded. ‘I see what you mean.’
    ‘And the yard at the back which is going to become the communal garden could be enclosed with ornamental iron railings augmented with the same design to tie in with the building.’
    ‘I like that.’ He smiled. ‘I like that very much. Do it.’
    His approval brought pink into her cheeks but Steel was already striding up to the main doors. By the time hehad unlocked them and stood aside for Toni to precede him into the old fusty factory she had gained control.
    Seeing the building in its raw state made the project come alive. Carried along on a wave of enthusiasm, Toni found it easier to concentrate on the job in hand and ignore the attraction of the tall dark man prowling about at her side. She was full of ideas, some practical and some not so practical, but by the time they left she knew she could make each apartment spectacular. Initially the vast basement had been designed as a caretaker’s flat, but on seeing it Toni had suggested a much smaller, more compact one-bedroomed dwelling with the remaining space kitted out as a gym with sauna and steam rooms for the occupants of the apartments. ‘And a jacuzzi,’ she’d added, after Steel had approved the idea. ‘For the ladies.’
    One dark eyebrow quirked. Steel turned from locking the front doors, a lazy smile twisting the stern mouth. ‘That’s a little sexist,’ he protested mildly. ‘Males like jacuzzis too.’
    ‘Not as much as women do.’
    Steel shrugged, his silver-blue eyes watching the way the evening sunshine brought out the red in her dark brown hair. It was natural, he’d swear to it, he thought inconsequentially. When had he last seen a beautiful woman with hair that owed nothing to a bottle for its rich colour? ‘Don’t the pins and what have you in that thing make your head ache?’ he said suddenly, nodding at her tightly secured coil of hair.
    She stared at him as if he’d gone mad—and perhaps he had, Steel thought ruefully. Personal remarks to employees weren’t his style.
    ‘A little, perhaps,’ she said slowly after a moment or two. ‘But it’s neat and out of the way for work.’
    Steel glanced at his watch. ‘It’s nearly half-past five. You’re officially in your own time.’ He could hear himself speaking but didn’t seem able to stop himself.
    If she understood she didn’t give any sign of it. ‘I can sketch out some of our new ideas and have them ready for you in the morning.’ Her voice was cool, businesslike. ‘Of course the cost will be pretty general at this stage.’
    Damn the ideas. His body had been