Читать книгу Marrying The Virgin Nanny / The Nanny And Me - Teresa Southwick - Страница 9

Maggie stretched the baby out on her thighs and curled his fingers around her thumbs. “Hey, big boy. Where’s that smile? I know you’ve got one for me,” she cooed to him. “Let’s see it.”

He wasn’t five weeks old, and yet he was showing signs that he was on the verge of smiling. Would he look like his father? Her heart tripped up at the thought. This little guy wouldn’t be in that heartthrob league yet. The lack of teeth thing could be an issue. But his dad was something else. Jason Garrett had a very nice, very potent smile when he chose to use it. And Brady showed every indication that he’d be the spitting image of his dad.

Stretching out, the baby pressed his little feet into her abdomen and she wondered, not for the first time, what it felt like when life moved inside you. This child was a beautiful miracle, one his mother had walked away from. Not unlike her own mother.

She liked to think lack of money and resources had factored into the decision to abandon her. But Brady’s father clearly had big bucks. The penthouse was understated elegance with recessed lighting, soft yellow paint on the walls, plush white sofas and dark wood tables. Walking on the thick beige carpet was like sinking to your knees in softness. Expertly lighted art hung on the walls and expensive glass pieces and figurines were scattered throughout. In fact, before her tenure here ended, she felt duty bound to remind him to put the pricey stuff up high when Brady got mobile. A toddler’s oops in this place could cost way more than most people made in a month.

She glanced out the floor-to-ceiling windows with a spectacular view of the lights on the Las Vegas Strip and the valley beyond. Scenery like that didn’t come cheap.

Jason had thoroughly checked her out, and she’d returned the favor, grilling Ginger for information. Her Nanny Network boss had assured her there were no sexual harassment or hostile work environment accusations against him. No hint of scandal or impropriety. Quite the opposite. Everyone who worked for him had only good things to say. Employee retention at his company was exceptionally high.

So why couldn’t he retain the mother of his son? Maggie would really like to know the answer to that question.

As if he felt her attention drifting, Brady cooed his irresistible baby coo, and she smiled. “I wasn’t ignoring you, sweetie pie. You’re a charmer in training, that’s what you are.”

His mouth curved up at the corners as he happily kicked his feet. She laughed and a corresponding sound gurgled up from deep inside him in what could only have been a laugh.

It was a major “awww” moment, melting her heart like ice on a summer sidewalk. And that was cause for alarm. She didn’t do the heart melty thing. That wasn’t to say she didn’t love babies, all babies. She did. But her thing was not to get attached. On her first day, this little guy had easily hurdled her defenses, then grabbed on to her emotions with both of his tiny hands and the sweetest disposition in the world. He was already starting to feel special and she had enough time left on her commitment for him to do a lot of damage.

Rubbing her thumbs across his tiny knuckles, she smiled. “You are too cute for words, Mr. Garrett.”

“Thank you.”

The familiar deep voice came from behind her and slid over her senses like warm chocolate and whiskey. Maggie had lost count, but this was the fourth or fifth time today Jason Garrett had dropped in unexpectedly. All that practice should have helped her get used to him. Unfortunately, she wasn’t even close to comfortable with Sin City’s most eligible bachelor and overachieving tycoon.

“Actually, I wasn’t talking to you,” she said. “I didn’t know you were there. Just like a couple hours ago when you stealthily sneaked up behind me. And the time before that. And the time before—”

“Yeah.” He came closer and set his suit jacket on the sofa back, then rested a hip beside it. He leaned forward and smiled at his son. “Hi, buddy,” he said, then looked at her. “I get your drift.”

“And I get yours.”

“I’m not subtle?” he asked.

“Not even a little bit.” From the moment they’d met, she’d figured out that he wasn’t the most trusting of men. His behavior today was further confirmation. “You’re checking up on me.”

“Does it bother you?” he asked, not taking the trouble to deny it.

“No. Quite the opposite. I respect you for protecting your son. If every child in the world was cared for so well, it would be a much better place.”

What she didn’t say was that his defensive actions not only made her respect him, she liked him, too. That was a good thing, right? How come it didn’t feel that way? All she felt was uneasy. The last time she’d liked a man this much the feelings had grown into love. He came with a family who liked her back and she’d felt as if she was getting everything she’d always wanted. Then it didn’t work out, a major blow that had hurt a lot.

She chanced a glance up at Jason, and her stomach dropped like an airplane hitting turbulence. The sight of him in his rumpled white dress shirt and loosened red tie made it hard to breathe. It was much safer to look at the baby.

“Your daddy’s home, Brady. For good this time? Or can we expect ongoing guerrilla warfare tactics this evening?”

“I’m in for the night. You can stand down.”

“Good to know.”

Jason leaned over again and stirred up the scent of him, something spicy and sexy and all male. Something that made it impossible for her senses to stand down. She felt tingly all over.

He reached out and loosely caught hold of a tiny foot. “Hey, buddy. How are you? Did you have a good day?”

The baby waved his arms and smiled. Jason laughed and the sound warmed her clear through. She was exceptionally good at resisting warm and fuzzy, but there it was again. As if she needed more proof, that double whammy convinced her the combined effect of the Garrett men was pretty potent and highly dangerous stuff. She scooped the baby into her arms, then stood and walked around the sofa.

“He’s fed, bathed and in his jammies. All ready to spend some time with his daddy.” She settled Brady in his arms and backed away.

This felt weird. After a year at The Nanny Network, Maggie had lots of assignments under her belt. When the man of the house returned from his day at work, Maggie faded discreetly away to give mom and dad couple- and family-bonding time. She waited in the background, ready to jump in and help if needed. The only couple here was father and son. She’d never been in this situation before and didn’t quite know what to do with herself.

Jason smiled down at his child. “He smells good.”

“Yeah. I don’t think anything smells better than a freshly bathed baby.”

He looked at her and something dark and dangerous glittered in his eyes for a split second before disappearing. “And he seems pretty happy.”

“He’s been an angel all day.”

“I may be a new father, but I know this mood can disappear in a nanosecond. Before that happens, would you mind taking him while I get out of this suit?”

“Of course.”

She took the handoff and tried not to think about him changing. The situation already felt too intimate. She walked around the living room, then into the kitchen. Never in her life had she seen such a beautiful, functional kitchen. Maple cupboards were topped by black granite and in the center was an island big enough for its own zip code. The appliances were stainless steel, including the Sub-Zero refrigerator and two ovens. A glass French door closed off the walk-in pantry that was tidy and organized. In her assignments, Maggie had seen lots of different houses and condos, but never anything as gorgeous as this.

It was past dinnertime and she’d already eaten, but the cook had left a plate for Jason. She felt the need to keep busy and settled Brady in the infant seat on the floor beside the glass-topped dinette. After spinning the toy strung in front of him, she watched him watch it until his interest kicked in. Then she took the plate of lasagna from the fridge, removed the plastic covering and stuck it in the microwave. There was also a salad that she tossed vigorously with Italian dressing.

When Jason returned in his worn jeans and powder-blue pullover sweater, her insides got a vigorous tossing of their own. He looked as good in casual clothes as he did in slacks and tie. Maybe better, if possible.

She realized she’d been staring and to fill the awkward silence said the first thing that came to mind. “I’m warming up your dinner. You’re probably hungry.”

“I am.” He had a funny sort of intense expression on his face. “If it’s all right with you, I’ll have a quick bite to eat before hanging out with Brady. Could you stick around?”

“Of course.”

He glanced into the microwave. “Something smells good.”

“Yeah.” And she wasn’t at all sure she meant the food. “Linda is a good cook. But you already know that.”

“She’s been with me for several years.”

Stability. Since she never stayed more than six weeks, that was a foreign concept to her. She leaned over the infant carrier and nudged it with a finger, partly to keep nervous hands busy. Partly to rock the baby and stretch out this unpredictable contentment as long as possible.

“I can’t help wondering what Linda’s job interview was like,” she said.

Jason glanced at her over one broad shoulder. “She had terrific references.”

“Was there a test? Did she have to prepare pheasant under glass out of corn flakes and tofu?”

He laughed. “Are you implying I’m a demanding boss?”

“Heaven forbid.”

“You’d be right. And I won’t apologize for it.” When the microwave beeped, he retrieved his plate and brought it to the table where his salad waited. “I don’t demand more of anyone else than I’m willing to give. That said, working with food is relatively easy. Babies, not so much. Because I’m willing to give everything I’ve got.”

“You’re his father. That’s the way it should be.” She didn’t have the right to give everything and had to hold part of herself back. Otherwise, leaving hurt too much.

Brady’s snorts and grunts changed tone indicating that the grumpy portion of the evening was about to commence. She was grateful for the distraction because the words made her like Jason even more. “I’ll take him into the other room so you can eat in peace.”

“Stay.” He put a hand on her arm and stared at it for a second before meeting her gaze. Shrugging, he added, “Peace is highly overrated. I haven’t seen him all day.”

“I beg to differ. What with the unannounced visitations.”

“Let me rephrase. I haven’t had a chance to spend quality time with him. Keep me company. It won’t take long to wolf this down.”

Her arm tingled from his touch and she felt strange, out of her element, which made her want to run and hide. But how could she refuse? Especially when he said it like that. Not to mention that he was the boss.

“Okay.”

But when she tried to sit, the baby wasn’t happy. She stood and her body automatically started a gentle swaying motion. She turned Brady so his back was against her chest and father and son could see each other. She caressed the baby’s palm with her thumb because he seemed to like that.

“So, tell me,” Jason said, “what did I miss today? What did you do?”

“Let me see,” she started. “I changed diapers. Fed this little guy. Played with him. Sang songs—for your information, his favorites are ‘Row, Row, Row Your Boat’ and ‘Rubber Ducky.’”

“He told you that?” Jason chewed as he studied her.

“Not in so many words. But in body language, he was rockin’ out.”

“Meaning he didn’t have a meltdown during the performance?”

“Pretty much,” she confirmed.

He laughed, then forked up a bite of salad. After chewing, he asked, “What else?”

She thought about the day. “He took two naps, during which I’m quite sure he had a significant growth spurt. I can feel the difference in density already.”

“In one day?”

“Absolutely.”

Singing his son’s praises and giving the blow-by-blow of Brady’s day made her feel more connected than she liked. And protective. She couldn’t shake the sensation of wanting to go run interference for him because he was starting out life with one strike against him. Like her.

Jason smiled tenderly at the boy. “Way to go, buddy. Getting bigger is your job.”

“Speaking of jobs,” Maggie said. “What did you do today?”

Thoughtfully, he chewed a bite of lasagna and washed it down with water. “I had a great day. In between nanny surveillance, I closed a billion-dollar deal, which will net enough money to make a significant donation to a prestigious university. It’s more than enough to ensure that my son will be accepted and get into whatever program he wants.”

“So you bought him a way into college?”

He tilted his head thoughtfully. “Let’s say I removed any doubt.”

He was a man who had the means to get what he wanted.

Twenty-four hours ago Jason had said he wanted her, and here she was. The thought set off a powerful quivering in the pit of her stomach as she recalled the dark and determined look on his face when he’d made the pronouncement.

He wanted her.

That was a heady notion, a thought she refused to take any further.

After Jason finished eating, he set his dishes in the sink, then took the baby from her. Murmuring tenderly, he settled Brady in the crook of his muscular arm, and Maggie barely managed to hold in a sigh.

Was there anything more appealing than the sight of a handsome man holding a tiny infant in his strong arms? If so, she’d never seen it.

She watched the two Garrett men walk away, although technically only one was walking. But that didn’t change the fact that she was alone. Along with the solitude, common sense came pouring in. She’d never felt a pull on her heart like this. Was it because she was a stand-in mom, being the only female on the premises? Is that why she was feeling so connected to the single father and his motherless baby?

Whatever the reason, she had to stop. She was an employee, a very temporary one, nothing more. Soon she would be a nanny to another baby. And darned if the thought of leaving was about as appealing as a header off the top of the Stratosphere. It must have something to do with the fact that they were a family without a mom and she was a woman without a family.

This strong reaction, with five weeks and six days to go, made her wish she hadn’t agreed to stay at all.

Jason wasn’t accustomed to concentration problems when he worked—either at the office, or at his home office, which was where he was now. The baby had changed his life in so many ways, and could be a distraction, but that wasn’t the problem. It had nothing to do with adjusting to his new situation and everything to do with the new nanny.

Maggie.

Margaret Mary Shepherd wasn’t the sort of woman who would normally capture his notice. She wasn’t classically beautiful nor did she have legs that went on forever. As a matter of fact, he’d never seen her legs except covered by denim, apparently the uniform of efficient nannies these days. Her appeal was all about character. She was dependable, efficient and sarcastically witty.

Admittedly, his taste in women left a lot to be desired. Case in point: his son’s biological mother who had required a large sum of money to guarantee Brady’s very existence.

Maggie wasn’t like that. If she was, it would have been easier to put her out of his mind.

A soft knock sounded on his study door. It couldn’t be Brady, so by process of elimination…His stomach tightened just a fraction with what felt like anticipation.

“Come in,” he said.

And there was his distraction in the flesh, wearing jeans and a yellow sweater, looking a lot like a slice of sunshine.

“Maggie. Hi.”

“Sorry to interrupt.”

“Not a problem.” He removed his glasses and turned off the computer, giving her his full attention—full, because she’d already had part of it since she arrived five days ago. “What can I do for you? Is Brady okay?”

“Fine. He was a little fussier than normal tonight. I hope he didn’t disturb you.”

“Never.” Thoughts of her had disturbed him, but that wasn’t her problem. Nor was it something he intended to share. “Any idea why he was restless?”

She stayed in the doorway. “Babies are a guessing game. He could have been overtired. Maybe gas. There’s no way to know. You listen to the various cries—”

“It all sounds the same to me.” Jason leaned back in his chair and linked his fingers over his abdomen. “They’re different?”

“Very.” She smiled. “There’s a frantic edge to it when he’s hungry. A sort of general dissatisfaction when he needs to be changed. Kind of a quiet mewling sound when he’s telling you off because his need wasn’t met in a timely fashion.”

“Fascinating.” As was the fact that she hadn’t moved any closer to his desk. “Where are my manners? Come in and have a seat.”

“Oh—I just wanted to remind you—”

He motioned her in and indicated one of the matching wing chairs in front of him. The smooth leather had gold buttons. Very pretentious. Very not her, but what could you do? “Please sit.”

“Okay.” She started to close the door the way it had been, then hesitated and opened it wide. “I need to listen for the baby.”

“Of course.” That was her job. She worked for him. At the office he didn’t find it necessary to remind himself that any woman was his employee. But it was different with Maggie. Must have something to do with the intimacy of living under the same roof.

She sat in front of him and the movement brought the scent of her wafting to him. It was sweet, which suited her.

“I just wanted to remind you that tomorrow is Saturday—my day off. And I won’t be back until noon on Sunday. You’ll have to get up with Brady if he needs anything. Should I notify Ginger to send someone to fill in?”

He thought about it for a moment, then shook his head. “I’m looking forward to time with my son.”

“Okay.”

The smile she gave him was full of approval and he felt like he’d given the correct game-show answer that would make all his dreams come true. Her reaction shouldn’t be that important to him.

“Do you have plans for the day?” he asked, mostly to distract himself from the unsettling thought.

“I’m going to do what I do every Saturday.”

“And that is?”

“Volunteer at the Good Shepherd Home.”

“I see.” No shopping? Lunch with the girls? A manicure, pedicure or facial? He was lying. He didn’t see at all. “What do you do there?”

“I fill in for one of the staff who takes a day off. And to answer your question, I do whatever needs doing. Cooking. Cleaning. Playing with the kids. Talking to them. Tucking them in at night. It’s important they know people care, that they’re not leftovers. Throwaways.”

“Is that how you felt?”

The question came out before he could stop it. His only excuse was that part of his mind was focused on her mouth, and its high sexiness factor. If she wasn’t his son’s nanny, he’d kiss her, take those unusually tempting lips out for a spin and see if they tasted as good as they looked. But she was the nanny and it wouldn’t be smart. He couldn’t think about himself when Brady needed her. And his son’s needs came first.

He shook his head. “Forgive me for prying. That’s really none of my business.”

“It’s all right.” She sighed. “Probably wouldn’t be normal for me not to have abandonment issues. Not letting that define your life is the challenge. My goal is to help the kids understand that message.”

“You’re a good person.”

She shrugged and her gaze lowered to the hands clasped in her lap. “I’m just trying to give back.”

“The home’s gain is my loss,” he said. Standing, he rounded the desk and rested one hip on the corner, just an arm’s length from her. He wouldn’t kiss her, but he wanted to get closer. Out of the frying pan into the fire. “Traditionally Saturday is date night. Your benevolence will put a speed bump in my social life.”

“Speed bump?” She met his gaze and spirit sparkled in her eyes. “You probably beat the women back with a stick.”

“Not lately.” He laughed. “Now that I think about it, dating is tedious. Time consuming. Hectic and energy draining. Especially now when I need all the energy I have for Brady.”

Again she gave him the approving smile. “Then you should think about settling down. Getting married. Did you know studies have shown that married men live longer?”

“I hadn’t heard that.”

“Oh, I know marriage takes energy.” The earnest expression on her face was cute and incredibly appealing. “But a committed relationship is different. And the rewards make it worth the effort.”

Not in his opinion. “And how do you know this? Have you been married?”

“Me?” She touched a hand to her chest. “No. But I’ve observed a lot of happy, contented couples who are united in their dedication to raising a family and making a life together.”

“You get around.”

She lifted her shoulders in a shrug. “Occupational hazard.”

A subtle reminder that her time with him was finite. She didn’t know it yet, but she wouldn’t have to look for another job.

“From my perspective, marriage provides nothing but stress and discord,” he said.

“Really?”

“Oh, yeah.” And then some, he thought. “It doesn’t work and inevitably leads to divorce and disillusionment or the demise of dreams. At the very least it causes bitterness and resentment.”

She frowned. “May I ask what your perspective is?”

“My father. He’s currently involved in financial negotiations in a divorce from wife number four and engaged to number five. I’ve had a front-row seat to discord and dying dreams.”

The look she gave him was filled with pity. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” His tone was more sharp than he’d intended. “It was and continues to be a good education. It’s cost Dad a lot of money, a good portion of which goes to the army of accountants he employs to keep up with alimony payments.”

“For what it’s worth,” she said, “I can see where that would give you pause. I might have abandonment issues, but at least I had stability. The nuns at Good Shepherd gave me that.”

He didn’t plan to debate the benefits and drawbacks of growing up in an orphanage versus the marriage-go-round of his own childhood. He had a thing about commitment; she had abandonment issues. That was information he would tuck away for another time.

He folded his arms over his chest. “Now that I’m a father, I can see where a case could be made for constancy. I’d be lying if I said it—marriage—hadn’t crossed my mind.”

“That’s the spirit,” she said.

He held up his hands. “Whoa. Finding someone to marry is a nice fantasy, but it’s easier said than done.”

“Are you one of those men who manufactures flaws in every woman he meets?”

“That’s a loaded question.”

“And probably none of my business. But you started it.” She tilted her head to the side and her silky ponytail brushed the shoulder of her sweater making his fingers itch to do the same. “I just meant that some men find the smallest excuses to walk away from a relationship, not really trying to make it work.”

“And you know this from firsthand experience?” Since he’d started the prying, what was the harm in a little more?

“Magazines. Articles in women’s periodicals.”

None of that was helpful information. “You don’t date?”

“I have two problems with dating.”

“Only two?” he asked.

She laughed. “Number one is lack of time. Between my job and working at the home, there’s very little left over.”

“What’s number two?”

“Lack of men.”

“Excuse me?”

“Think about it. My day revolves around infants. I go from job to job. It’s pretty intense.” She gave him a wry look. “And energy consuming. Besides, where am I going to meet someone?”

It was on the tip of his tongue to ask if he was chopped liver, but he figured that wasn’t a place he was prepared to go for too many reasons to list. But right at the top was the fact that he was way too pleased she didn’t meet men.

And suddenly the temptation to touch her was too much to resist when he was this close. And he didn’t trust himself to only touch her. Straightening, he moved back around to the other side of his desk, putting distance between them.

“I’m the last person who should give you advice,” he said.

“Actually, I think Sister Margaret and Sister Mary are the last ones to give advice on the dos and don’ts of dating.”

He couldn’t stop the grin. Wicked, witty sarcasm. It was incredibly intriguing. “Okay. Point taken.”

She looked thoughtful. “For what it’s worth, the most advantageous environment for Brady is one with positive male and female role models. That said, when you meet the right woman, you should snap her up.”

“That’s a challenge to do without Saturday nights. And make no mistake, it will take a lot of dating to get it right.”

“I’m sorry I won’t be around to watch.”

“I should think your curiosity would be powerful motivation to stay,” he said.

“There’s only five weeks left on my contract and I can’t extend it.” Genuine regret darkened her eyes.

And she wasn’t the only one. Unlike the other nannies he’d had, he actually liked Maggie. She was direct and didn’t play games. On top of that she was incredibly good with his son. He couldn’t imagine her being more loving, tender and nurturing if she’d actually given birth to the boy. In the nanny department, this time was indeed the charm. Did she really think he would let her get away without a fight?

Not so fast, Margaret Mary Shepherd. She hadn’t seen his very best stuff yet.