A bizarre thought accompanied a rush of ice to her veins.

“Did your father suspect that you might try to get rid of her after his death?”

Naldo’s chin lifted just a fraction. Had she imagined it? “Why would I do that? She was the finest cook in central Florida. And, as I said, she was a valued friend.” His brows lowered and his eyes narrowed as he crossed his hands over his chest. “Two hundred and fifty thousand.”

Anna blinked. Her heart pumped painfully in her chest. What on earth was going on?

Her mom’s brief will, prepared on store-bought software, left Anna everything except her savings. And a handwritten note on the printout had made it clear how much it meant to her mother that she really had something precious to leave. The will itself had not spelled out exactly what that was, beyond her personal belongings. Presumably because she hadn’t actually inherited until after Robert De Leon’s death.

Did her mom mean her to keep the cottage and treasure it as she had?

Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Of course she had to take it. She’d be a fool not to.

“If the cottage is mine, I could sleep there tonight, couldn’t I?”

One of Naldo’s eyebrows lifted. “Why on earth would you want to do that?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Sentimental reasons, I guess. I lived there for seven years. It holds a lot of fond memories.” Her mind raced, trying to figure out why he wanted to buy her out, and so quickly. Why did it matter so much to him?

And maybe spending one night in her old home would make it easier to say goodbye. She’d left for college without a whiff of nostalgia for the old place, with its noisy window-mounted air conditioners and mice scurrying in the attic. She couldn’t wait to get away.

She’d only been back a handful of times, and had tried to convince her mom to move up to Boston, but she wouldn’t even consider it.

But now, the thought of packing up what could fit in the van and leaving forever…

She swallowed hard. “I’ll give you my answer in the morning.” She set her fork down on the plate. Her appetite had vanished along with their easy camaraderie.

Disbelief and anger fought plainly on Naldo’s handsome face. The very rich didn’t have to hide their feelings.

“Let me drive you back to your motel.” A dark growl.

“No need.” She smiled sweetly. “Everything I brought with me is in my van. It’s parked outside. And I have the key to the cottage. Same one I took away to college with me.”

“You can’t sleep there, it’s a mess.” He shoved a hand through his thick dark hair, disordering it.

His obvious exasperation gave her a thrill of power. You can’t push everyone around, bud.

“I don’t mind. Some clean sheets on the bed and I’ll be quite comfortable. It’ll help me get a handle on packing, too.”

“I’ll come with you.”

Damn. He still hadn’t found what he was looking for. It wasn’t in any of the obvious places, and he’d been tied up with funeral arrangements and estate business. What if she found it first? He wanted her to accept his offer and leave immediately. Certainly before she started sniffing around what the legacy of the cookbook might mean.

Naldo held the door of Anna’s horrible old white van open for her. “Did you rent this thing?”

“I bought it. I figured it would be perfect for transporting Mom’s things back to Boston.” She tossed her gold hair back from her forehead, a shimmer of perspiration sparking highlights on her silky skin.

“See you tomorrow.” She looked ready to slam the door on him, but he kept his wrist braced, holding it open.

“I’ll come along with you, to see if you need anything.”

Suspicion flashed in her eyes, which appeared slate blue in the dusk. She had good reason to be suspicious, but no matter. He was guardian of the De Leon heritage, and if protecting the legacy he’d been entrusted with meant ticking someone off, then he had no problem with it. Even if that someone was a very lovely young woman.

He slammed the door and strode around to the passenger seat. He tugged on the handle and it wouldn’t open.

Anna leaned across the cab and rolled down the window manually. “That door’s sticky. You have to yank on it or it won’t budge. There’s no need to come. Really. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Her voice had a cool finality about it that irked him. The desire to be rid of him shone plainly in her face and only deepened his determination to go with her.

He tugged on the door. It swung open with a rusty screech and he climbed in and eased himself reluctantly down onto the torn and grimy upholstery.

“How will you get back to the house if you ride with me?” A tiny frown marred her smooth forehead.

“I love walking at night.” He shot her a bold grin.

“You would.” Was that a smile fighting her primly held lips?

The dash was scratched and covered in greasy finger marks and the sudden flare of headlights illuminated the chipped windshield. “You drove this rattletrap all the way from Boston?” He couldn’t hide the disbelief in his voice.

“It runs like a charm.” She turned the key in the ignition, keeping her elegant profile to him. The harsh grinding and spluttering that followed contradicted her assertion.

She tossed her hair and lifted her pretty, pointed chin before turning it again. The engine coughed a few times then shuddered to life with a pained growl. “See?” She flashed a triumphant glance at him.

She reversed out of the parking space by leaning out the window to see by the dim glow of the taillights, and pulled onto the access road to the cottage and the western part of the estate. The van rattled like a high-speed roller coaster on the graveled surface. Naldo gritted his teeth as the engine whined and groaned.

“I don’t like that noise. You should get it checked out. I know a great mechanic in town who’ll come out here to look at it. Manny Alvarez. I’ll give you his number or I’ll call him myself if you like.” The engine now sounded like it was about to catch fire. “Seriously, be sure to get it checked out before you head back to Boston.”

“Sure. Great. Thanks.” Her voice rang with insincerity.

Stubborn. He tried not to smile. Anna always had a little hot pepper in her blood. That’s what made her such a fun competitor when they were kids.

She was all grown up now. He took another look at the chiseled features illuminated in the reflected headlights. How did that sports-mad tomboy turn into an elegant woman with the strength and beauty of a fine cut diamond?

“Why are you staring at me?” She turned to him, fire flashing in her eyes.

“Sheer admiration.” He let a smile sneak across his lips.

“Well, cut it out. You’re making me jumpy.”

No ring on her finger, he noted with satisfaction. She was over and done with that guy. Though why he should care, he had no idea.

She pulled up in front of the unlit cottage. The van whimpered gratefully as she turned off the engine. Why would she drive such a banged-up piece of junk now that she had money? He shook his head.

Stubborn.

“I’ll go open up for you.” He held out his hand for the keys.

“It’s okay, I can do it.” She levered open her door and jumped down.

“I see you still have to do everything for yourself.”

“Oh, go ahead.” She tossed the keys and he caught them. “I see you can still catch.” She winked, which caused an unexpected but pleasant sensation in his groin. “I’ve got to get something out of the back. You go in and turn on the lights.”

“Sure.” The darkness hid his evil grin. He opened the door, picked his way carefully across the dark kitchen to the fuse box.

And tripped the circuit breaker.

“Turn the lights on,” she called.

“I’m trying. The power’s out.”

He was glad the darkness concealed the gleam of satisfaction that must be shining in his eyes. He didn’t want her to have a chance to poke around-until he had.

“Ugh! How annoying.”

“The power’s been shaky lately; we’ve had some storms.” No lie there. He crossed his arms over his chest. “It’ll probably be back on by morning. I’ll call the electric company when I get back to the house.”

“How come the power was on at the house?”

“Backup generator. It rolls over right away; you don’t even know it’s gone out.” He ran his tongue over the back of his teeth. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

“It’s all right for some. I guess the poor peasants who work for you just have to stumble around in the dark.”

“Yeah.” He grinned in the darkness. Her attitude tickled him.

“I wonder if Mom still keeps the candles in the…Yup! Here they are. And the matches are still right here next to this ‘antique’ gas stove your high and mightiness never saw fit to replace.” The flare of a match lit up her features, one eyebrow raised in a challenge.

“You look lovely by candlelight.”

“You, too.” She flashed a fake smile. “Well, I’d love to entertain you, but I guess the twelve-course meal I was planning will have to wait. You can start walking.”

He could think of plenty of things he’d rather be doing. Like, say, feeling his way to the tiny, hot bedroom in the dark and working up a musky sweat between the sheets with this delicious new Anna and her snippy, fiery attitude. If it wasn’t for his duty to the family and the estate, he’d be tempted to strike a match in the fire simmering below her pretty surface.

But unfortunately, in the choice between pleasure and duty, duty would have to win out.

“Are you sure you’ll be okay? Need a hand changing the sheets?”

She cocked her head, put her hands on her slim hips and stuck her chest out. Damn, little Anna had a chest. And a high, full, perky one, too.

Duty could always wait until tomorrow. He licked his lips.

She narrowed her eyes. “Why do I feel like I’m all alone in grandma’s cottage with the big, bad wolf?”