Free Sweet Surrender with the Millionaire by Helen Brooks

kitten with enormous green eyes that doesn’t know whether to bite or purr.’
    Willow bristled immediately, the welcome flood of adrenalin sharpening her voice as she said, ‘I can assure you I have no intention of doing either and I am most certainly not “jumpy”, as you put it. I’d just prefer to tackle my house myself, that’s all.’
    ‘So you’re not frightened of me or nervous in any way?’
    ‘Of course I’m not. Don’t be so ridiculous,’ she said firmly.
    ‘That’s good.’
    He shifted position slightly and her bravado faltered before she steeled herself to remain perfectly still. He was only reaching for his coffee, for goodness’ sake! What was the matter with her? She had to pull herself together and fast.
    Morgan drank deeply from his cup, took a couple of chocolates and then settled back into the contours of the sofa, his eyes on her wary face. ‘So,’ he drawled lazily, ‘Keeper’s Cottage is the place where you hide away from the big, bad world?’
    He had hit the nail square on the head but Willow would rather have walked stark naked through the village than admit it. ‘Not at all.’ She found she was glaring at him and quickly moderated her expression. ‘I simply liked the area, the cottage, and it was the right price. It all came together at the right time.’
    ‘I see.’ His tone reeked of disbelief.
    ‘I’m not hiding away like a hermit after my divorce, ifthat’s what you’re suggesting,’ she said hotly. ‘Not for a minute.’
    ‘That’s good,’ he said again.
    ‘But even if I was—which I’m not—it would be my own business and no one else’s. No one else’s.’
    ‘Of course it would,’ he said soothingly.
    Willow drew in a deep breath. ‘Has anyone ever told you you’re the most aggravating man in the world?’ she said stonily.
    Amused blue eyes considered her discomfiture. ‘Not that I can remember. There have been other accolades, though.’
    Willow took refuge in dignified silence—only because she silently acknowledged she wouldn’t win in a war of words with Morgan. After another two chocolates she ran out of something for her hands and mouth to do. His eyes were waiting for her when she nerved herself to glance his way.
    ‘This might not be the best time to confess, but I’ve arranged for a team of professional cleaners to go into the cottage first thing tomorrow,’ he said coolly. ‘I hope that’s OK?’
    ‘What?’ She literally couldn’t believe her ears.
    Her voice had been so shrill he winced when he said, ‘Come on, they’ll do in a few hours what would take you a few days.’
    ‘You’ve hired strangers to go into my home? How dare you?’
    ‘They’re not strangers, they’re a small family firm I’ve used professionally several times and they’re totally trustworthy.’
    ‘They’re strangers to me,’ she ground out furiously.
    He gave her a hard look. ‘So you’d rather struggle for days and still not do such a good job as they’ll accomplish.’
    ‘Absolutely.’ She glared at him.
    He folded his arms over his chest, stretching his long legs as he studied her with an air of exasperation. ‘You like to make it almost impossible for anyone to help you, obviously.’
    ‘I don’t want strangers in my home,’ she repeated stubbornly. ‘I’m sorry but you’ll have to cancel them.’
    ‘You mean it, don’t you?’ His voice carried a faint air of bewilderment, which would have made her smile in different circumstances. ‘You’d really rather do it yourself.’
    Willow tilted her chin. ‘I know you were trying to be kind,’ she said steadily. ‘I appreciate that, really. But I am more than capable of looking after myself and I like to do things my way. I do not want a cleaning team in my cottage.’
    Morgan said nothing for a few moments. Then he nodded slowly. ‘Fair enough. I’ll ring them and tell them they’re not needed. OK?’
    ‘Thank you.’ She relaxed a little. Bad mistake.
    ‘And in the morning