But that would all take time she wasn’t sure she had. A quick wipe would have to do.
She hurried down to the kitchen and started to clean there, scrubbing a little harder than necessary in some places. Her eyes kept glancing at the door. She really wasn’t doing the job she normally did but she was willing to risk a complaint if it meant she could avoid coming face to face with Leo again.
Darn it. She picked up the discarded coffee pods. She’d forgotten the hamper to restock the kitchen.
There was noise outside and she turned in time to see a large black SUV pull up directly outside. Oh, no.
She gathered the towels and bed sheets in her arms, looking first one way then the other. Normally she would just put these in a black laundry bag and phone for them to be collected. But all of a sudden she thought about darting out the back door and taking them back to the service office herself. She looked at the back door again.
But it was too late. Her jumbled brain had waited too long.
Leo was at the door.
He’d met with Giovanni again. He’d called his own lawyers in New York, desperately trying to find any possible way to get out of looking after the family business for the next six months. But things were not looking good—and unless he wanted to ruin the Cattaneo family business, staying was beginning to look like a distinct possibility.
As Leo opened the door of the chalet he was struck by the fresh scent of pines and cinnamon. A hint of Christmas. A clear sign that the chalet service had visited.
Then he stopped. And blinked.
‘Anissa?’
She was standing near the kitchen, a white pile of something in her arms. Her cheeks flushed pink instantly. Something she’d said the night they’d met pricked in his brain.
‘You work here?’
‘I... I... I...’
She was clearly flustered.
‘I know you said you were a chalet maid, but I didn’t realise you worked in these chalets.’ He was surprised to see her. And even more surprised by the fact his heart was missing a few rapid beats.
He saw her swallow nervously. ‘You didn’t say where you were staying—’
‘I didn’t know,’ he cut in. He gave a laugh. ‘I hadn’t made it to my chalet before we met.’
A frown creased her brow and she stared at him for a few seconds with her pale blue eyes. ‘Of course,’ she said softly.
He moved towards her. ‘Hey, why don’t you dump that stuff and have a coffee with me?’
Something flitted across her eyes. ‘I can’t. I have another chalet to clean. And I haven’t really finished in here.’ She pulled a face as she glanced back at the kitchen. ‘You might not even have coffee. I haven’t replenished your supplies in the kitchen.’
He stepped even closer. As he breathed he felt a wave of familiarity. A scent. Her scent. The fruity one he’d smelt a few days ago. Orange blossom. The sensations from the other night flooded back. Her warmth. Her passion. The spark in her eye.
For the past few days he’d been buried beneath a mountain of legal stuff. Now, seeing Anissa again, it just made him regret the choice he’d made. He’d liked the way she’d distracted him. He’d more than liked it. And he kind of wished he could capture it all again.
He gave a smile. ‘Hey, what happened to my brilliant chalet maid, then? The one who stocks up the coffee varieties every day, along with all the fresh bread and chocolate-chip cookies.’
Anissa let out a little laugh. She shook her head. ‘Yeah. You’ve had Rena the last few days, but she’s off now.’ She shrugged. ‘And you got me. The poor excuse of chalet maid. Sorry.’
She moved to the side. ‘Give me a sec.’ She walked over and dumped the laundry in a black fabric sack and sat it outside the front door. She dialled a number on the phone and spoke for a few seconds before replacing the handset and turning back around to face him.
‘Okay, the restock hamper will be here in a few minutes. Don’t worry, you’ll have coffee.’
He gave a nod as his heart gave a little trip. ‘And will you join me?’
She glanced at her watch then gave a small smile. ‘Okay, a quick one. I do have a day job—no matter how much I don’t want one.’
He raised his eyebrows in interest. Perfect. Anissa Lang was going to distract him. Again.
Her stomach was in knots. For the first few seconds she’d just wanted to run. Talk about embarrassing. The guy she’d spent a red-hot night with had just found her changing his towels. Hardly a great moment.
But it was odd. Leo had made her feel instantly at ease. And there was definitely still...something. It didn’t matter that it had been a few days and she’d been deliberately avoiding him. It only took being in his presence again for a few seconds to feel that buzz, feel that attraction. And she wasn’t imagining the sparkle in his eyes. For some crazy reason she liked being around this guy. And—no matter what some people might think—it was nothing to do with his billionaire status.
A few minutes later the supplies arrived in a wicker hamper. She unpacked the coffee, the bread, the milk and the cookies. Leo was at her elbow the whole time, starting the coffee machine, putting in the pods and lifting out the cookies.
The clients who stayed in these chalets were well taken care of. They could pre-order fresh deliveries for every day. Anissa was kind of surprised at Leo’s response to everything in the hamper. ‘Didn’t you order all this stuff?’
He shook his head. ‘No. Why? Can you do that?’
Anissa shook her head. ‘Sure you can. Didn’t you book this place?’
Leo pulled a face. ‘Ah...maybe not.’
‘So, who booked it for you? Your family?’
He shook his head. ‘No. My PA.’
‘Oh, of course.’ Anissa smiled and rolled her eyes. ‘The PA. Well, here’s hoping she ordered what you like, and not what she likes.’
‘I’m easy to please,’ he said quickly.
‘That’s what they all say,’ she joked.
Something flickered across his eyes and her heart sank. She touched his arm. ‘No.’ She shook her head and pulled a face. ‘Absolutely, no. That’s not what I meant.’ Her heart was beating wildly in her chest. She breathed slowly and met his gaze. ‘I told you. I never did that before.’
His bright blue eyes were fixed on hers. This guy could complain about her. This guy could cost her the job that she didn’t even really love.
He blinked. ‘I believe you. Now, what do you take in your coffee?’
A wave of relief swept over her. Thank goodness. She’d hate it if he thought she just jumped into bed with every guy she met. Some chalet maids had that kind of reputation and Anissa didn’t want him to think of her like that.
She picked up the milk from the counter. ‘Just this.’ His fingers brushed against hers as he took the carton from her hand and splashed the milk into the cups. ‘Want a cookie too?’ He lifted the pack as he headed towards the table.
She shook her head. ‘You missed out. The oatmeal and raisin are the superior cookie here, but everyone seems to order the chocolate chip.’
He raised his eyebrows as he sat down. ‘Ah...insider secrets. Thanks. I’ll order oatmeal and raisin tomorrow.’
She pulled out the chair opposite and sat down. This was a little weird. A little formal. Last time they’d been in each other’s company he’d been pulling off her boots and sitting next to her on the sofa.
‘How’s