Читать книгу The Millionaire's Nanny Arrangement - Linda Goodnight - Страница 8

CHAPTER FOUR

DOG TIRED, RYAN TOSSED his jacket and tie over a chair as he entered the town house, eager to flop down for an hour or so in front of the tube and think about nothing. The house was quiet and dark, as it always was when he arrived home. Only the hum of the refrigerator and the snick of the heating unit broke the silence. Mariah would be asleep by now. He’d sneak in later and grab a kiss.

The nanny must have gone to bed early, too. At nearly six months along, she probably tired easily. Amanda had.

He dashed that train of thought immediately and poured a glass of wine, his only concession to relaxation other than workouts in the basement of the office building. A gym for employees was one of the perks of working for Storm International. Healthy bodies translated to healthier work habits, better production and fewer sick days.

Kicking off his shoes, Ryan collapsed in the overstuffed leather chair and pointed the remote. As a kid, he’d dreamed of the day he could say he was a millionaire. Others had erroneously considered him rebellious or lazy, but he’d been plotting the future, figuring angles and working his tail off while others slept.

Lord, he was tired. But a man didn’t stay on top without working sixteen hour days. One slip and he’d be back in the slums again, grubbing for every dollar. The mere thought of returning to those days spurred him to work harder and harder. He would never allow Mariah to live the way he had as a youth.

Setting his glass on the hexagonal table, he leaned his elbows on his knees and scrubbed both hands over his face. Maybe he should go on to bed. His day started early.

“Ryan.”

At the soft voice, he jerked his head up. Kelsey stood in the wide entry of the living room. He hadn’t heard her come down the stairs. She wore a long blue robe of some soft-looking fuzzy material that covered her from neck to toe and turned her eyes aquarium blue. In the loose, flowing garment, her pregnancy was hardly noticeable.

“Hi. I thought you were in bed by now.”

She smiled and moved into the room, taking a seat on the couch across from him. After slipping off a pair of slip-on house shoes, she curled her feet beneath her.

Ryan’s stomach dipped at the pleasantly domestic sight. In the faded light of one small lamp, Kelsey looked pretty and soft and vulnerable. Forcing his gaze away, he reached for the wine glass.

Ryan Storm had a hard and fast policy never to get personally involved with an employee. Never, never, never mix business with pleasure. And yes, after a very long day of haggling and dealing, looking at Kelsey was pure pleasure. But he’d seen too many CEOs fall to the wayside over a pretty assistant.

Trouble was, he also had a policy never to hire a beautiful woman to work in his house. Janine had been hired in part because she was older and matronly. He’d never expected the woman, who seldom left the house, to find husband number three and move away. He was still puzzled about that turn of events.

What had he been thinking the night he’d insisted on bringing Kelsey home with him? She was pretty and pregnant. Good grief. He was an idiot.

“I need to talk to you about something.”

Her mahogany hair was swept away from her forehead and clipped with a tortoiseshell barrette. Straight and simple, her hair fell to her shoulders, gleaming in the lamplight as she moved. Her pale skin was scrubbed clean so that she looked fresh and young and innocent. If he breathed deeply, he was certain to catch the scent of fragrant soap and shampoo.

He would not allow himself that luxurious temptation. “Shoot.”

She made a huffing sound. “Don’t tempt me.”

Puzzled, he tilted back in his chair. “Sorry. Did I miss something?”

“Constantly.”

No matter how lovely she looked, the woman was talking in riddles. A straight-shooter, riddles always annoyed him. “Look, Kelsey, I’ve had a long day. Could we have this conversation another time?”

With a sarcastic curl of her lip she said, “Should I make an appointment with your secretary?”

The nanny was getting testy and he had no idea why.