But there was something else at work here. He was incredibly talented and impossibly charming and nothing like the men she was usually attracted to. Yet the attraction was undeniable. If he agreed to work for her, she’d have to keep that attraction in check.

Maybe she ought to just walk away. Having him in close proximity was a disaster waiting to happen. What she really needed was a blacksmith who was old and wrinkled and didn’t have all his teeth. That kind of man would be so much easier to resist. Danny Quinn was the human equivalent of catnip.

“How much do you want me?” Danny asked.

“What I meant was that I want you to do this job. I can see your talent and I think we can work out a way that your needs-” She cleared her throat. “Your artistic needs can be met.” Jordan drew a deep breath. “As far as compensation, I’m willing to be generous if you’re willing to put all your time and effort into the project until it’s finished. Ten-hour days, six days a week if necessary.”

“And what kind of compensation are we talking about?”

“Well, it depends on how long you take to finish the job. But I can promise you that it will be very generous. Well worth your while.”

“You’ll have to include living expenses. I can’t work from here.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t want to spend my time making the drive back and forth every time I need to fit something, dragging iron from here to there. We can set up a forge on-site. It will be more efficient. I’ll need a place to sleep.”

“You don’t want to sleep at home?”

“I have to tend the fire and I sometimes work late into the night. I don’t need anything posh, just a bed and a shower.”

“All right. There’s a cottage that you can use.”

“And I’m bringing my dogs, too. And I eat three meals a day.”

“You expect me to cook for you?” Jordan asked.

“I expect you to feed me,” he replied.

The thought of having a man as sexy as Danny around 24/7 was a bit disconcerting. But she was a very capable woman with finely honed self-control. And this was business. Nothing would happen if she didn’t want it to happen. “That can all be arranged,” she said. “We don’t have a cook at the house, but I’ll open up an account for you at the market in the village.”