Bargain in Bronze Read Free Page A

refined?”
    “No, more natural.”
    “It’s sure as hell more expensive.”
    “Actually, some honey is as expensive. But you’re right, pure maple isn’t cheap.”
    He held it up and looked and let the sunlight hit it. “Beautiful color though.”
    “And a beautiful flavor.” She poured the oats into another tray. “So I can get on with this now?”
    Jack gritted his teeth. “Can you be done in an hour?”

Chapter Three
    Libby looked at the guy who’d been so determined to give her a hard time these last twenty minutes. He honestly thought she’d “distract” Tom? What a joke. Tom hadn’t even looked her in the eyes when he’d come to see her—having first contacted her through her website. At first she hadn’t believed his email was for real. She’d demanded to meet him and she’d demanded upfront payment—though that had been because of her cash flow problems. But he’d been happy to pay then and there. In fact he’d been so manic about the muesli and so obviously uninterested in her, she’d almost been offended. She was hardly model-material but she occasionally scored a second look.
    Now Jack, unlike his brother, had done nothing but gaze right at her, and frankly, it turned her insides upside down. Not that Jack seemed in any way aware of her other than as some bizarre threat to Tom. She had the impossible desire to make him pay a different kind of attention to her—and just because something might be impossible, didn’t mean she wouldn’t try.
    “The best things need time to get exactly right,” she said. “Creating something that tastes exquisite cannot be a rushed process.” And yes, she deliberately infused a frisson of tease in her tone.
    “Exquisite?” he mocked. “Oats are what you feed horses.”
    “And international athletes,” she pointed out smugly.
    “Muesli is not a real meal.”
    Oh he so wasn’t going to win that argument. “When eaten with milk it’s a complete protein that will give you a sustained energy release for hours.”
    “Sustained energy?” He eyed her wickedly. “For hours you say?”
    “Absolutely,” she held her cool. “It’ll make you all Energizer Bunny.”
    Boldly she met his gaze—refusing to wither under his relentless scrutiny—though her toes were curling tight in her shoes and she was clamping down on the lush melting sensation deep in her belly.
    His brows lifted slightly and the corners of his mouth twisted into a smirk. “Do you mind my staying to watch?”
    Of course she did. She was far too aware of him watching her every move and making her fat-fingered and clumsy. And hot. “Not at all.”
    “I guess if I learn how to make it, then he can always have your muesli.”
    It took a little more than a few stirs with a spoon and a half hour in the oven to make her muesli, but she held back her eye-roll. “You’d make it for him?”
    “Is that so unbelievable?”
    She gestured at the kitchen with its beautiful stainless steel appliances that shone with showroom perfection—untouched newness. “Isn’t this the first time this oven has been used?”
    The first thing she’d done when she’d gotten there was peek in the pantry. Surprisingly Spartan, there were no baking ingredients and only a couple of cans of tomatoes. There was nothing in the fridge other than some milk, a packet of smoked salmon and some yoghurt. She’d figured Tom must eat out or have meals delivered. He probably didn’t have time to make the stuff himself or was on some special diet or something. But now she knew it was Jack’s place—and a guy as strong as he looked had to eat. Maybe they both had food delivered.
    He grinned. “You’re right. I just had it refurbished. But I can and do cook. You’d be surprised what I’m capable of doing with my hands.”
    A tingle shot down her spine.
    “Can I try some of the maple syrup?” he asked slowly.
    There was definite tease now. She bit back a pleased smile—and then she noticed the smell.
    “Oh