Читать книгу The Heir's Unexpected Baby - Jules Bennett - Страница 10

Three

With Katie turning one next week, Viv had decided that the baby’s shots were going to have to happen on her half day at O’Shea’s.

Now that the doctor’s visit was—mercifully—over, Viv was convinced the shots had hurt her more than they’d hurt Katie. Viv had just walked into her apartment, dumped the diaper bag next to the sofa and put Katie in her Pack ’n Play when someone knocked on her door.

She couldn’t suppress the groan that escaped her. She was soaked to the bone from the chilly rain. All she wanted to do was strip off her wet suit and get into her cozy pajamas. Viv had been able to shield Katie from the elements by wrapping her inside her coat and holding Katie’s favorite blanket over the tot’s head. Now Viv needed to get that blanket into the dryer or there would be hell to pay come bedtime.

The pounding on the door persisted. What were the odds she could ignore her unwanted guest? If she lived in a house, maybe, but in an apartment building she couldn’t have her neighbors put out.

“Vivianna?” Jack’s voice boomed and Viv realized her wish to pretend no one was out there had just vanished.

She crossed the floor, her shoes squishing. She wasn’t even going to glance at her reflection in the mirror next to the door. The drowned-rat look wasn’t becoming on anyone.

Flicking the lock, Viv opened the door. Of course Jack didn’t have one drop of rain on him. The large black umbrella he held at his side was dripping.

“You’re...”

“Soaked,” she finished. “I know. Come on in.”

She stood back so he didn’t have to brush against her as he stepped inside. Katie made noises and clapped when she spotted Jack. Inwardly, Viv tended to have that same reaction, but she wasn’t too keen on the fact that he was seeing her look so haggard and frumpy.

She’d really been confident this morning when she’d left for work in her gray pencil skirt and fitted, pale yellow sweater. She’d even taken extra time with her hair, since Katie had slept in. Now Viv must look like all she’d done this morning was shower...with her clothes on.

She was so over this winter weather. One day it snowed, the next it rained. Spring couldn’t come soon enough. But it was only February, meaning Valentine’s Day was fast approaching. A holiday she could totally live without.

“I brought this for you.”

Katie eyed the dish in his hand. She’d been too preoccupied with her looks to realize he held food.

Glorious food. She didn’t even care if that domed plate held a bologna sandwich, her stomach growled at the sight. She’d skipped lunch because she’d left work late and had barely made it to Katie’s appointment.

“Whatever it is, thank you,” she said, taking the covered plate. She headed toward the kitchen, cringing as her shoes made the most unpleasant noises.

Of all the times Jack could see her, of all the times he had seen her, this was not her best moment. She set the dish on the counter and pulled the lid off. A laugh escaped her.

“Cheesecake?” she asked, turning to glance over her shoulder.

Jacked shrugged out of his suit jacket and hung it on the hook by the door...as if he’d done so a thousand times. Seeing a man’s jacket hanging next to hers did funny things to her belly. Her eyes locked on the two pieces beside each other, and she didn’t want to dwell on it too long, but couldn’t get over the fact that this simple gesture seemed so intimate.

But he wasn’t staying, he was visiting, for pity’s sake. For a second, though, she wanted to pretend. He looked good in his all-black suit, with that rich, dark hair. He’d brought her cheesecake when she looked like a mess, and he didn’t seem appalled by her appearance. If he wasn’t the world’s most perfect man, then one didn’t exist.

Would he ever see her as more than an ally? As more than his assistant?

She hadn’t missed the way he’d sneaked a peek at her cleavage last night. He was a guy; they all did it. But when she’d caught his gaze on her, everything inside her had warmed, tingled. Because he hadn’t just looked and glanced away. No, there had been a hunger in his eyes she hadn’t seen before.

“What are you doing here so early in the day?” she asked, turning to lean back against the counter. “Not that four o’clock is early, but you tend to work much later than this.”

“I had a meeting today not far from here, so I thought I’d come by to see what happened at O’Shea’s today.”

Katie clanged her blocks together and squealed as she flung them out of her Pack ’n Play. Viv ignored them. This toss and fetch was an endless game and one she wasn’t going to get sucked into.

“I need to get out of these wet clothes,” she stated. “Can we talk after?”

His eyes raked over her wet body. Jack never needed words to get his point across. This powerful man had such a hold on her emotions, and he had no idea.

All this was her problem, she knew, but did he ever think of her outside of work? Not that she’d ever know. Jack’s personal life was never on the table for discussion. She knew of Tilly, his right-hand woman, but that was all. Anyone else in Jack’s life was there only because of work. To Viv’s knowledge, he didn’t even date...or if he did, he was extremely discreet.

“I’ll wait in here,” he finally told her.

Viv tiptoed through her kitchen and out into the hallway toward her bedroom. Once inside, she shut the door, thankful for the few moments to herself. She hadn’t expected him to just show up, with carbs and calories no less, so she was even more taken aback than usual.

Before the O’Shea case, Jack had never showed up at her apartment. He’d texted and called after hours, but all pertaining to work. Granted, his recent home visits also centered around work, but he’d seriously stepped up his game in an attempt to bring the notorious family down.

Viv closed her eyes and pulled in a shaky breath. The fact that Patrick O’Shea’s journal was hidden in her closet weighed heavily on her mind. Guilt, anxiety, fear...they all consumed her, making her question her next move.

She hadn’t been lying when she said she had no one in her life. Keeping a relationship with Jack, no matter how platonic, was imperative.

She needed to tell him what she’d learned, but how did she do that without hurting him? The FBI trusted Jack, was counting on him, and he was counting on her. He sought justice like he needed it to live, so telling him about her discovery would cloud his judgment...and hurt him in a way that would alter their relationship.

She didn’t want to hurt him, and finding out Patrick O’Shea was his father would most certainly destroy Jack. Still, he deserved to know. The question was, when should she tell him?

Viv made quick work of ridding herself of her wet clothes and shoes. She wasn’t telling him today. She couldn’t. There would be a right time, just...not now. Hopefully, a break in the case would come soon. Then she could give the journal to him and let him decide what to do with the information.

She didn’t bother drying her hair, just twisted it up into a messy bun. After throwing on a pair of yoga pants and an off-the-shoulder sweatshirt, she headed back out into the living room.

Jack still remained closer to the kitchen than the living room. His gaze was directed across the open space at Katie, who was oblivious as she chewed on the fingers of her plush doll.

“Let’s cut into that cheesecake and talk,” Viv suggested. She needed something to occupy her hands, her mind, other than the journal in the other room and the unnerving effect Jack’s presence had on her. “How did your meeting go?”

He didn’t answer her. He never even looked her way.

“Do you think she knows the significant people in her life are gone?” he murmured, almost as if his thoughts had traveled out into the open without his knowledge. “I mean, she seems happy with you, but is she aware of the void?”

Viv thought of that often since Katie had come to live with her. The older kids she had fostered obviously knew all too well the reality of why they were in foster care. But sweet little Katie would have no idea why her world was suddenly so different.

“She says ‘Mama’ over and over, but I’m not sure if she’s just babbling or actually asking for her. But I’m certain she notices the absence.” Viv crossed her arms, stood beside Jack and watched his face. “Are you okay?”

He blinked as if waking from a trance. “It’s been a long couple months. That’s all.”

When he turned to her, Viv stepped back. That intense gaze landed directly on hers and she had no idea what to do with the emotions stirring within her, from the guilt and anxiety over when and how to tell him about the journal, to the tension and chemistry that couldn’t be ignored. It seemed unlikely she was the only one who felt the air crackling between them, yet Jack was in total control and never let on that he thought of her in any other way than simply his assistant.

But he’d shown up on her doorstep with red velvet cheesecake his chef had made.

“Tell me about your meeting.”

He shook his head. “Later. I want to know what happened with you today.”

“Not much,” she admitted, then held up a hand to stop him when he opened his mouth. “But I overheard Laney and Braden talking. They said the FBI hadn’t contacted them in a few days, but they were keeping their guard up. Braden told Laney not to erase any records and that he had nothing to hide in regards to the Parkers.”

Jack’s eyes held hers, but he said nothing. She wasn’t delivering case-breaking news, but she had to tell him everything she’d heard, learned...except for the the piece of evidence that was burning a hole in her conscience.

“Something else happen?” he asked.

Viv pulled herself from her thoughts. Those midnight eyes still penetrated her, as if he were trying to read her thoughts...as if he could read her thoughts.

“Not today, but Braden said Mac was flying in on Monday and he’d be in the office all next week.”

“Why?”

Viv shrugged. “They didn’t say, but I’m working three full days next week and I’ll find out then.”

Jack raked a hand down his face and blew out a breath. “This is so damn frustrating. For years they flaunted their lifestyle in the face of law enforcement. Luckily, I work for myself and I don’t have to stick so close to the rules.”

Viv didn’t want to see him struggle, didn’t like that she’d found so little for him to go on. “I tried to engage Laney in conversation about the babies, but a client called and she was pulled away. Then I had to leave for Katie’s doctor’s appointment.”

Jack shoved his hands in his pockets and glanced at the ceiling. Watching him battle with this frustration was more difficult than Viv had thought it would be. But she had to keep the journal to herself for now. Everything—absolutely everything, from his life to this case—would change in the matter of seconds as soon as he learned about it.

“You’re in my office tomorrow.” He regrouped and focused his attention back on her. “I want both of us to go over every bit of intel we have on this family. Maybe there’s some tiny nugget of information we’re missing. Something that can put us on the right track. I want you ready for next week, when everyone is here.”

He was getting desperate, yet she understood his need to protect his reputation as being the best. Unfortunately, the journal she’d discovered wasn’t the master key to solving this equation, and she had nothing else.

“Tell the Feds that all the players will be available next week,” she went on, hoping to give him something useful, to buy them a bit more time. “With everyone at the office, something must be going on, or else they’re worried about this investigation.”

Jack leaned a shoulder against the wall and pinned her with his stare. “Maybe they have an idea who’s been leaking the information.”

The thought sent a shiver up her spine. Taking this job had been risky, but she’d agreed to let Jack create a solid cover for her. She’d put her life in his hands...literally, if all those rumors surrounding the O’Sheas were true. But Viv hadn’t been afraid. Jack wouldn’t let anything happen to her.

“I’m not getting that vibe,” she replied as she moved into the kitchen. “Do you want a piece of this cheesecake or not, because if I eat the entire thing, I won’t fit into my pencil skirts.”

His eyes traveled the length of her body. How in the world did that man evoke more emotions and glorious sensations with one look than some men did with foreplay? Seriously. How did Jack make her want him so much, so deeply, when he wasn’t even trying?

“Your figure is just fine, with or without the cheesecake.”

Viv turned away, because that sultry tone of his sent a combination of shivers and thrills darting through her. Add in the way he’d assessed her body—such as it was, clad in yoga pants and a sweatshirt—and she wondered if maybe she’d pegged him wrong for not showing any interest and keeping his emotions all closed off.

Katie let out a squeal, breaking the tension. She seemed quite content to sit and play with her toys for a bit. Thankfully, her pain reliever had kicked in fast after the shots.

Once Viv had generous pieces of the decadent dessert on a couple saucers, she crossed to her two-seater table in the breakfast nook. Well, technically it was her breakfast nook, dining room and home office, depending on the time of day. Her apartment wasn’t big, but it suited her needs. She rarely had guests unless it was foster children, so she didn’t require a grand table. Besides, the place was close to Jack’s office and the rent was perfect.

Though right now she did feel a little inadequate, remembering how amazing Jack’s patio had been. He most likely had an exquisite dining room and an eat-in kitchen, yet he’d still set up dinner on his screened-in sunroom. Just the little bit she’d seen of his house had left her in awe. The rich wood, the clean lines of the furniture, that grand entryway with a masculine yet impressive chandelier suspended from the second floor were worthy of a magazine. Her entire apartment could fit into that foyer alone.

Jack either had a perfect eye for detail and decor or he’d hired someone to tastefully, expensively decorate his mansion. He took a seat across from her, but her round table proved to be smaller than she’d thought when his knees bumped hers. Why did his every single action get her body all tingly and jittery? This was Jack. Her boss. Her very sexy, very single, very mysterious boss. Other than the fact that he was a widower, never dated and had served in the military, she didn’t know much else about his personal life...but oh, how she wanted to.

He scooped up a bite. “Tilly will be thrilled we’re getting to this.”

“Trust me, I’m more thrilled.” Viv wasn’t going to even think about calories right now. Turning down red velvet cheesecake would be a sin. “She’s going to be happier to know you came to my apartment.”

His eyes caught hers. “For business.”

Right. Business. What else would he want from her?

“Still, she seems ready to make sure you have a woman in your life.”

When he remained silent, Viv kept going. She would crack his shell at some point. Over the past couple years she’d worked for him, he’d not volunteered any information unless it pertained to a case. And the only reason Viv knew about his mother was that he always referred to her in the past tense. His father was never mentioned.

And Viv would’ve assumed Jack was a regular single guy had Tilly not slipped and said something about his “late wife.” That had been at the office. One sharp look from Jack and the woman’s lips were still sealed to this day.

“I don’t know how your dating life has been—”

“Nonexistent.”

Viv swallowed. She’d assumed as much...but why? He was, well, hot. He had money, not that a bank account made a man, but it wasn’t like he couldn’t get a woman. Maybe he just didn’t want to. Maybe he had some other reason for being married to his work and ignoring the world around him.

“I really should consider going that route, because I’ve had some doozies.”

Doozies? Way to sound classy, Viv.

Jack took another bite, obviously not feeling so chatty about his own personal life. Whatever. She was chatty enough for both of them, especially when she was a bit nervous. And between the attraction and the journal only a couple rooms away, she had plenty of unease spiraling through her.

“One time, I had a guy who offered me dinner and a movie.”

“Predictable,” Jack muttered.

“I can handle predictable,” she added with a laugh. “It was the expectations he had for the evening. Cooking me a frozen pizza and binge-watching old movies wasn’t my idea of a night out. He was shocked when I made an excuse to leave. He seriously thought...”

Jack laid his fork down and narrowed his eyes. “You’re kidding? Tell me you didn’t.”

Viv tipped her head. “I do have standards, Jack. It takes more than a frozen pizza to get me into bed.”

Those bright eyes held hers, then dipped to her mouth before traveling back up. “What does it take?”