Despite the fact that maybe Im not your typical nanny, I really am a good caretaker for Melissa.
We agreed on that fact last night, or you wouldnt still be here.
So you do trust me that much, at least.
Again he flicked her a glance. That much, yes. But Id like to know more about you. You havent volunteered an ounce of information.
Neither have you.
He fell silent.
The radio wasnt on. Melissa was oddly quiet. Which left Carlyne with nothing to distract her from the way Seans long legs flexed every time he braked or clutched. His hand worked the gearshift with a natural ease that had her mind drifting to other things.
Such as what else he could do with those hands.
What he could do to a womans body. To her body.
She was pretty desperate if her mind had wandered in that direction about this man. Hows work? she asked, desperate for a diversion.
Busy.
Nikki good?
Yep.
What are you working on?
Work.
Subject clearly closed. Well, too bad. She needed to talk before the silence killed her. Busy with your designs?
He lifted a surprised brow.
I do know what an architect does.
Its not the actual work Im too busy with, he admitted. I love that part. Its the other. The dealing with rich, spoiled clients. Soothing ruffled egos. Attending silly cocktail parties to promote my work.
Parties? They happened to be her forte, parties. Not that she missed wearing heels and stockings, but there was something to be said for the excitement of pulling it all together. You have to go to a lot of them?
One in particular. This Saturday night, he added in a voice that told her hed rather have an impacted wisdom tooth removed without novocaine.
It isnt so bad, really, she told him. Just hold a drink in your hand and keep moving. Oh, and keep smiling.
He flicked her an interested glance. You sound like you know what youre doing.
Well
You can come with me, then.
What?
She didnt know who was more surprised. Sean, that hed asked, or her. But what about Melissa? she asked. Shell-
Shell be fine with Mrs. Trykowski for the night. Hey, its your own fault, he said, sounding grumpy. You looked interested. You can keep me in line.
Yes, but who would keep her in line?
They didnt talk again until they were seated in the noisy, bustling fast-food restaurant. They sat in front of the kiddie area, where Melissa had vanished. The small table was shaped like a hamburger. Their knees bumped. Their feet touched. And when they reached for their drinks at the same time, their hands brushed.
Overly sensitized to his touch, Carlyne drew back abruptly, knocking all her French fries to the floor.
Here. Sean reached into his bag and grabbed a fry. He dipped it in ketchup and lifted it to her lips.
His eyes were full of challenge and something else entirely, something that made her skin feel itchy and hot.
He waved the fry beneath her nose. It smelled heavenly.
But then again, so did Sean. Sean, what are you doing?
Feeding you.
But-
Open.
I dont think-
Open, he said again, touching her lower lip with the fry, dabbing a drop of ketchup there, which she sucked off. The little sucking noise seemed exorbitantly loud.
SEAN FELT that noise to the depth of his toes, but mostly right between his thighs. And when Carly sunk her teeth into the French fry, he nearly moaned. Good? he asked in a voice gone thick with unexpected desire.
Yes, but-
Eat, Carly.
But you dont even like me, she reminded him.
Im just feeding you. Just looking at you. Just wanting you.
She drew the rest of the fry into her mouth. When she licked the remaining salt off her lower lip, he tore his gaze from hers and watched her mouth. It was a fascinating mouth. Wet, with a little bit of ketchup right
She made a sound when he touched her lips. And when he dragged his finger across her lower lip, she made that sound again, an almost helplessly aroused noise that came from deep in the back of her throat.
You have some His finger made the pass again, and when her tongue darted out to hit the spot, finger and tongue collided.
He let out a rough groan. Carly-
Her eyes closed as if the name somehow bothered her, but that was silly, it was her name, and then her tongue touched his finger again and he had to stop thinking because he lost all the blood in his head for parts south.
You missed it, he whispered hoarsely, and he bent forward, still holding her gaze until the last possible second, until their lips were nearly touching, until her long lashes drifted down, hiding her expression.
Until they were kissing.
Softly. Tentatively. Sweetly. And then that gentle connection wasnt enough. Sean pulled back and reached for her glasses. He wanted them off, wanted no barriers.
No, I want to see this, Carly protested, her hands coming up, holding the glasses on.
He wasnt going to argue. Cupping her face, Sean shifted closer and-
Nothing.
Because there came a tug on his shirt. Can I have ice cream now, Uncle Sean? I been good. Really, really, really good.
Melissa stood there, her eyes big and intent on her mission.
Carlys eyes were big, too, and they landed on him with the same question he had. How long had Melissa been standing there?
Had she seen that impromptu-and totally inappropriate-kiss? And how had it happened? One moment he was teasing her with that French fry and the next
Arent you done talking yet? Melissa wanted to know.
Yes. Carly surged to her feet. Careful to avoid Seans gaze, she grabbed Melissas hand. Her breathing wasnt quite even, the only hint of any inner turmoil. Lets get that ice cream, kiddo.
7
SHE WASNT GOING to be able to sleep, so she didnt even try. Instead, Carlyne slipped out of her bedroom through the sliding glass door.
The back yard was silent. The pool empty.
With a little sigh, she stretched out on a lounge chair, put her hands beneath her head, tipped up her chin and studied the sky.
Not tired?
Sean. He was sitting in the lounge chair right next to her, in the shadows, and shed been so intent on the fact he hadnt been swimming, she hadnt even noticed him right beside her. She noticed him now, noticed every inch of his long, powerful legs, his gleaming broad shoulders. And that flat, hard bellyshe could never get enough of looking at it.
Then that belly tightened as he coiled, straightened and came to her side.
I was just thinking about you, she whispered.
About how we kissed?
Trust him to be so blunt. Yes.
What about it?
Well, it wasgood, for one.
His mouth curved.
And now I cant stop thinking about it.
Slowly, his eyes dark and solemn, he sat again-on her lounge. Their hips bumped, and when her glasses slipped, he reached out and fixed them with a gentle finger. What else are you thinking about? For once, Carly, tell me whats going on inside you. Its not all about just a kiss.
That was just a kiss? She sat up, feeling exposed laying there beside him, but he leaned close with a hand on either side of her hips.
It was more than just a kiss, Ill give you that, he said quietly. But what else, Carly? What else goes on inside that head of yours? I cant stop wondering about you. Who you are, where you came from.
Itsnot that important.
Like hell. I cant stop thinking about you, and then theres how you make me feel when we kiss. To show her, he did just that, leaned forward and put his mouth to hers.
She felt it all the way to her toes and back up again. She felt it in every erogenous zone in her body.
And she felt it to the bottom of her heart, which brought her back to her problem.
At the restaurant, Sean had sunk his fingers into her hair, but it hadnt been her hair, it had been the wig. One more second and he would have dislodged it, ruining her disguise and destroying any feelings he had toward her.
It could happen again, right now. Hed learn the truth and it would be all over.
Ironic, since in the beginning, shed wanted only to immerse herself in the Carly persona and see how the other half lived. Unflattering as she found the term, shed purposely gone slumming.
Now it seemed wrong.
She liked Carly. She liked Carlys life. She liked the people in Carlys life.
And she didnt know how to leave it.
Sean deepened the kiss, and with a helpless little moan, she gave in. Just this one last time, she thought greedily. Then shed stop him, though it would be the hardest thing shed ever done. She felt his hand on her hip, gripping her close. Heard his deep moan.
Dragging his open mouth along her jaw, he worked his way to her ear. What is it about you? he wondered roughly, his breath on her sensitive skin giving her a delicious shiver. I cant keep my hands or my mouth off you. One hand stroked up her side. His mouth continued to explore her neck, her throat, nuzzling at the base of it, and Carly, melting, still shivering, tilted her head back to give him better access.
She wasnt a woman driven by lust. Shed kissed men before. Shed even slept with a few. All of it had been on her terms, at her convenience. Shed held the power and known it. She was decent looking, wealthy, and men liked that. They groveled for it.
Here, with Sean, she felt that power shift. He held it. He drove her. Here, she wasnt beautiful. She wasnt wealthy. She wasnt an instant icon. She was merely Carly Fortune.
And he still wanted her.
It was both freeing and terrifying. Sean
His tongue stroked her skin, right where her neck and shoulder met, and her eyes crossed with lust. Sean.
Mmm. You taste good. He tasted her again, and she heard her own moan. It was low and deep and throaty, and the pure need and hunger in the sound shocked her.
This is not rational, he said. Its definitely not smart. Youre leaving, going back to your home, wherever that may be, and His fingers, his clever fingers stroked her belly, her ribs, dallied just below the curve of her breasts, which were already hard, already aching.
Sean
Where is that, Carly? Your home?
I-
His mouth played with the corner of hers, nibbled and teased. His fingers danced across her ribs, even higher, and Carlyne nearly grabbed them and moved them up where she wanted them.
He looked at her, eyes hot, breath coming fast, his thumbs stroking the bottom curves of her breasts.
More, she almost cried. I came here from my familys summer home in Spain.