I walked into the house, all too aware of his presence behind me. Palpable. Like he exuded some sort of heat, or vibration. I could feel him at my back, as tangible as a touch. He was closer than I was comfortable with.
"So, uh, this is it, Mr. Grady," I said, turning around to face him as I gestured to the room. He was right thereโI almost bumped into him and I took a step back. I felt his eyes on me. He didn't look at the room for one second as I settled my nerves and pointed out the arched doorways, the ceiling fans, the fireplace. "It's got a lot of open space," I said, trying to ignore that coal-black stare. "Plenty of room for entertaining. Will you, um, be doing much entertaining, Mr. Grady?"
"I prefer more intimate get-togethers, Miss O'Neal," he answered with a smile. His teeth seemed very white amid his swarthy face. He looked like the pirate on the cover of one of my romance novels, with his dark, slicked back hair and solid, muscular build. The thought made me flush, and I hoped he didn't notice. "But yes, this room has its charm." He gave it a casual, indifferent glance before turning his gaze back to me.
"I'd love to see the rest of the house," he said in a way that made me think of oil, all slippery and smooth. "Please," he purred, holding out a hand, "lead the way."
"O-okay," I stammered. I clutched my folder to my breasts and turned, heading down the hall. I was suddenly wishing I hadn't agreed to this last-minute appointment. My intuition should have warned me, but I was too fixated on the thought of my possible commission if I made a sale. I could use it, but maybe I should have thought better of meeting a single male client out on this secluded property. The closest other house was miles away.
I showed him the kitchen, the dining room, the little rec-room that I pointed out might be great for a game or TV room. I was trying to feel him out, get an idea of the sort of man he was, but he was frustratingly vague. "I can think of a different use for it," he'd murmured after I chirped something about a pool table.
The previous tenants had left some of their furniture behind; I pointed it out to him as we walked back toward the living room and the stairs that led to the second story. "You're welcome to keep it, if you like. Or sell it. If you want it out, I can arrange for someone to come pick it up, naturally." I was nervous and being overly chattyโoverly obliging. As I led the way up the stairs, I could hear his footsteps and feel his presence at my back, and I suddenly wished I hadn't worn a skirt. Slacks would have been more business-like. And maybe my heels shouldn't have been as high. I wobbled a little on the top step, and he caught my elbow.
"Careful," he said solicitously.
"Th-thanks," I mumbled, peeling away from his touch. I was in a hurry to show him the rest of the house, and I grabbed the doorknob of the nearest bedroom, swinging it open and quickly heading toward the window, gesturing to the view. "Just gorgeous, isn't it? You can see the lake from here, through the trees."
"Yes, gorgeous," he murmured. I turned, but he wasn't looking at the window. I swallowed. I was suddenly all too aware that the previous owners had left a bed in the room. It was stripped bare, just the mattressโsomehow that made it seem obscene. Like the bed was naked. My eyes flickered over to it and he caught me looking. He smiled.
I started to head out of the room, to show him the second bedroom. He was standing next to the door, and oh so casually, he reached out and nudged it. It swung serenely closed. I blinked, too astonished to do more than glance from it, to him.
"I think I've seen enough of the house."
"But there'sโI--what--what are you doing, Mr. Grady?"
He was coming toward me, pulling something out of his pocket. I must have been too shocked to really react; it felt like I was moving through molasses as I stumbled back and put a hand up to hold him off. In his hands was a piece of rope. His fingers clamped around my wrist and he started winding the rope around it with the other; deftly, precisely, like he'd had practice.