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She stiffened in my arms as the fog of our short instant evaporated. Her wide, hazel eyes snapped open, allowing reality to settle back into the silence of the hallway.

“Huxley.” A quick rap at the door raised my blood pressure. “Are you home?”

“It sounds like your attorney needs you,” Ivy said.

I slid her down my body, making sure to rub her against my erection before I set her on her feet.

“I’ll make this quick.” I kissed her cheek.

“Don’t rush on my account.” She fixed her hair in the reflection of the foyer mirror as I answered the door.

“Angelica,” I said after opening the door. “I didn’t expect you today.”

“I wanted to bring you these blueprints.” She held out a large envelope. “I know you’ve been waiting for them, and I also know how you feel about digital plans.”

“They’re difficult to visualize.” I motioned for her to come inside. “I appreciate you coming all the way out here.”

“Of course.” Angelica lost her vibrant smile when she spotted Ivy. “I didn’t realize you’d have company.”

“Hello.” Ivy waved. “I wanted to welcome my new neighbor.”

“She made me cookies.” I pointed at the plate on the table. Come to think of it, no one had ever made me homemade cookies. People tended to send me elaborate baskets or expensive bottles of wine. The cookies were different. Personal, intimate even.

“How thoughtful.” The muscles in Angelica’s face tensed. “The house is stunning.” She gazed around the foyer. “I’ll need the full tour.”

“I’ll leave you to it.” Ivy smiled at me. “I’m sure I’ll see you around the neighborhood.”

“You don’t have to go.” I reached for her hand. “We weren’t finished with our conversation.”

“I have to get to work.”

“Huxley.” Angelica took off her coat and set it on the chair by the staircase. “She has to go to work. Don’t hold her up.”

As much as I appreciated her bringing the blueprints to me, her shitty timing agitated me.

“I’ll see you around.” Ivy tugged that adorable hat on her head, intriguing me even more. “Enjoy the cookies.”

She hurried out of the house and down the steps to the path that would take her back to her house. The path that led to the lake access that I needed to make this community of mine a success.

“You’re starting to worry me,” Angelica said as I closed the door. “Your interest in this girl isn’t normal.”

“She’s a woman.”

“She’s twenty-three and has no life experience. She couldn’t even run the inn her grandmother left to her.” She stared up the stairs. “By the way, her uncles were not happy that their mother left the house to her.”

“How do you know that?”

“I’m still digging.”

“Stop digging,” I said. “I don’t need any more information.”

That wasn’t true. I wanted to unearth everything I could about this odd girl who didn’t seem to have any interest in money. But I didn’t want Angelica to be the one who uncovered Ivy’s secrets.

“No, you don’t need any more information on her.”

“What does that mean?” I asked.

“It means that I called our friend at the tax office, and they are going to remind Ivy that she owes back taxes on the property, and if she doesn’t pay them, they will put a lien on the property.” She motioned toward the stairs. “Are you going to show me this gorgeous house?”