Ben scrubbed a hand down his face as he walked down the main stairs of the Angel. Normally, this was his favorite time of day. The club was still and peaceful in the early morning hours. Most of the employees who lived here wouldn’t be up for hours yet. This was his time to get everything organized for the day. But hell, last night had been a long one, and he’d only gotten three hours of sleep. He was going to need to make a cuppa first thing.

​

He wound his way through the main gaming room and down the back hall. At the end, he unlocked and opened the back door to let the maids inside. The four ladies waited in the alley. “Good morning, ladies. Waiting long?” He held the door wide to usher them inside.

​

“Naw, we just arrived.”

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“Good morning, Ben.”

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“You look tired,” Betty said.

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“I’m alright. Just a long night,” Ben replied.

​

“Finally get yourself a girl?” The last one came from Sammi. That one was full of cheek.

​

Ben shook his head with a chuckle. “Not yet found a lass who could love a face like this.”

 

Sammi slugged him on the shoulder. “Nonsense. You’re the absolute best, Big Ben.” She gave him a toothy smile.

​

The ladies dispersed to do their jobs. Ben opened the door to the downstairs. He mentally catalogued the storerooms as he passed by. They would need another order of beer by the end of the week. As he approached the kitchen, he could hear the clink of china. He paused on the threshold. She was here in his domain. He watched her for a moment as she moved about the kitchen, pouring hot water into the teapot and setting out two mugs. Her movements were graceful, practiced. The sunlight from the window glinted in her hair, setting the threads of auburn that ran through her brown locks on fire.

​Ben stepped down the two steps into the kitchen. “Good morning, Mrs. Todd.”

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Her head popped up. “Good morning, Ben. I made you a cup of tea.” She tilted her head to the table. “Sit.”

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He did. It wasn’t as though he would turn down a cup of tea already brewed. Mrs. Todd poured the steaming liquid into his mug and then added the exact amount of milk he liked. A brisk stir, and she pushed the mug in front of him. He wrapped his hands around it and inhaled the aroma of the Assam tea. “Thank you. You didn’t have to make the tea. I was just comin’ in to start it.”

​

“I know.” She poured herself a cup and sat across from him. She always drank hers without milk.

​

“I don’t know how you stomach it black,” he commented.

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She shrugged. “Having good quality tea is enough for me. I like it strong and a bit bitter. Mr. Reeves keeps a good house. Everything is fine quality.” The approval in her voice was warm.

​

“He always wants the best. He trusts me to choose wisely.” Ben took a gulp of tea.

​

“You do a good job of it.” Mrs. Todd stared at him over the rim of her mug.

​

Her brown eyes were fringed by long, sooty eyelashes. A lush detail in an attractive face. His gaze roamed across the bridge of her nose, dusted with freckles, and down to a pink bow of a mouth. She smiled, and little lines appeared at the corners of her eyes. He guessed she was in her late thirties, same as him. It was refreshing to sit and chat with a woman of some maturity. There were too many giggly dancing girls around here.

​

“Last night, one of the girls let her fella in the back to watch the show. Then later she found him canoodling with another girl in the dressing room, and a proper fight broke out between the two girls.” He grimaced. “I had to pull them apart and then remind them that it was the bloke who was the problem. He didn’t take kindly to my advice that they both drop him, and he actually took a swing at me.”

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Mrs. Todd leaned forward. “What did you do?”

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“Don’t fight no more. I dragged him out by his ear.” He shook his head. “Lads like him make me feel old.”

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“Tell me about it.” Mrs. Todd laughed.

​

The sound was lovely, as were her eyes when they filled with humor. “Mrs. Todd, what is your Christian name?”

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She blinked in surprise at his question.

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Ben just tilted his head. “I’m not much for formality. Havin’ a cuppa together must allow us some familiarity?”

​

“Rose, my name is Rose.”

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“That’s a right pretty name.”

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Her gaze swept down, but she smiled. “Did you use to fight a lot when you were younger?”

​

“I was a boxer for about a decade. Enjoyed it at first. I thought it was an easy way to make quid. But I got tired of fighting. Wasn’t really in me, just something I was good at because of my size and strength. Matthew and Rhys ran the odds to earn extra money, and we became friends. When they opened this place, Matthew asked me to be part of it. What about you? How did you come to work for Miz Harper?”

​

“I came to work for her father almost fifteen years ago now. My mister was a soldier and died only two years into our marriage. My parents were friends with Mr. Harper, Elizabeth’s father, and he gave me the position as housekeeper even though I was only twenty-two. It’s been a good job all these years. Elizabeth and Robert have become like family. That girl works too hard, but I’m proud of her.” Then she rose to her feet, taking her cup over to the sink. “So, what do you need help with this morning?”

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He followed her and placed his mug on the counter. “Oh, nothing. I got things well in hand.” It was his habitual response. He liked the routine of taking care of things. It gave him an enormous sense of pride the way the house ran like clockwork.

​

Rose grabbed his arm. “Ben,” her expression stern when he looked down at her. “Give me something to do. I’m not a lady of leisure, and without a house to run, I will go mad sitting around here. Let me help you.”

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He stared down at her hand on his forearm. He guessed he’d feel the same way, so he nodded. “I need to make an inventory of the storeroom before Mr. Gregory comes in later this morning.”

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“Fine, let’s do it.”

​

Two hours in close quarters with Mrs. Todd—with Rose—had Ben rethinking his whole life. He always worked comfortably in solitude. He never considered himself a conversationalist, better with his hands than with his words. But the conversation flowed easily between them as they worked—him counting and her recording the numbers. And she smelled so bloody good. Every time he brushed past her to reach for something, he caught a whiff of the bright citrus scent. Was it her soap? A cream she rubbed into her skin? Ben closed his eyes against the image of her smoothing lotion over her body.

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“Ben, are you all right?” Rose asked.

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“What? Uh, yes. Fine, why?”

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“You just groaned. I thought perhaps you banged your foot or something.”

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He shook his head. Turning with a basket of apples in his hands, he bumped into Rose. She stumbled backwards. “Oh fuck, sorry.” He reached out one hand to steady her. “Sorry.”

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“I’m fine. It is a bit of tight quarters in here, and you are a very large man.”

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He set the basket aside. “Sorry,” he repeated. God, he was such an oaf.

​

Rose took a step forward. “Don’t be sorry about that. I like a big man. Makes me feel safe.” She bit down on her bottom lip as she gazed up at him. Then she placed her hands flat on his chest. The light touch felt like a hot brand through his shirt. “I also like a man who knows how to take care of things.”

​

“Do you now?”

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She nodded. “Competence is very attractive.”

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Ben stared down into her pretty brown eyes. Was she saying she found him attractive? He raised his hand and brushed a thumb across her bottom lip, dark pink from her teeth abusing it. “I agree.”

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Her hands spread over his chest and then slowly skimmed up to his shoulders. “Ben.”

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“Yes?” Her lip was plump as a ripe raspberry. She didn’t seem to have an answer, so he took his shot and rolled the dice. He bent and captured her mouth. Soft and sweet, her lips slid against his in slow exploration. She nipped on his bottom lip and sighed as he opened to deepen the kiss. She rose onto her toes as her tongue shyly tangled with his. Ben gripped her waist and lifted her up and against him. He groaned; her lush curves pressed against him, intoxicating. The kiss heated and it reordered his insides.

​

The door behind them opened with a bang. He pulled his lips from hers.

 

“Ben—” Mr. Gregory stopped short in the doorway. “Pardon.” He turned on his heel and walked away.

​

Ben set her down, closed his eyes, and tried to catch his breath as his heart beat wildly out of control.

​

Rose’s hand cupped the side of his face. He opened his eyes to find her looking at him with a small, wry smile. She cupped the other side, smoothing her thumbs across his cheeks, then rose onto her toes and placed a sweet kiss on his mouth. “I’ll let you get back to work. I must go see about Robert’s breakfast. He will be up soon.” She walked past him to the door, but her warm gaze did not leave his face. “I’ll see you later.”

 

When she was gone, Ben let out a low whistle. Life was funny with the opportunities it set forth. But he always paid attention. That lady was one gamble he intended to take.