Oh, God, he had noticed. Im sorry about your office, she said.
It survived.
Barely. Yeah. Nikki is great, you know. She helped me clean up. Carlyne grimaced. And then asked me not to visit you at work anymore.
Sounds like Nikki. He grabbed his towel and started to dry off. Sowhat happened?
Its new to me, Melissas age. Sidetracked, she watched him dry his chest, his legs. Shesvery active.
He went still. Too active?
No. No, I can do this. I know I can.
He straightened and tossed the towel aside. Melissa said so, too. She said youre nice. The highest compliment, really, as she doesnt like many people these days.
Hed asked Melissa about her. Was it because he worried hed made a hasty decision? Or was Carlyne unconsciously transmitting her own doubts?
One thing I keep wondering about. He stepped a little closer. You know computers. You were able to put mine back together with nothing more than a screwdriver and your wits.
Another degree and another special talent of hers. But it wasnt a passion, and it bored her.
So how does a nanny know so much about hardware?
Oh, I picked up a little here and there.
There was a stray strand of hair in her face. Not her hair, it was the wig, but Sean reached out and touched it, tucked it behind her ear.
Too close, she thought with a hitch in her breath that had everything to do with his nearness, and she backed up a step.
His hand, still hovering, abruptly dropped to his side. Im sorry, he said quietly. I shouldnt have done that, shouldnt have touched you.
Its okay. Do it again. Kiss me.
His eyes smoldered. What?
Oh God, shed spoken out loud, but before she could say a word-and really, what could she say when shed spoken the utter truth-Sean let out a rough laugh. I must be crazy to give you a chance to change your mind. He slipped a hand around her waist, his fingers stroking low on her spine, urging her even closer. His other hand curved around her neck, his fingers playing with the sensitive skin at her nape.
And his mouth, his beautiful, sexy mouth slowly descended to hers in a kiss that instantly stole her breath. He was still wet, enough that when she pressed herself against his tough, hard body, she became wet, too.
His hands molded her damp clothing to her body as he slid them over her, touching her waist, her ribs, cupping her bottom so he could rock against her.
And all the while, he continued to kiss her, using his lips, his tongue, even his teeth, nibbling and sucking her to such a mindless state that she might have given herself away if he hadnt pulled back, breathing harshly.
What else about you is going to be a surprise? His mouth was wet from hers. His chest rose and fell with each ragged breath.
N-nothing.
I doubt that. All I know is what you had on your résumé, and what your references were able to tell me about your capabilities. Not much, really.
And all fabricated. Which meant he really knew nothing about her.
Carly?
That name again, and she winced before she could stop herself. Im sorry, she whispered, willing him to understand. Idont like to talk about myself.
Something flickered in his eyes, something tense and uncertain, but then it was gone, and he sent her a tight smile. Me, either.
An impasse. Good. And though it wasnt what she wanted, she bent for his towel, handed it to him and walked away.
SHE WOKE UP EARLY. Or more accurately, got out of bed early, as she hadnt slept much.
Sean was beginning to doubt her. Which meant she was definitely on borrowed time. But she wasnt ready to give it all up, not yet.
She donned the robe and slippers shed purchased at her special store. The robe was terry cloth and itchy. The slippers, the only ones she could find in her size, had a bunny on each. Classy, she said into the mirror.
Feeling very middle America, she walked outside to get the morning paper.
Psst!
Mrs. Trykowski, her dyed-red hair rolled in green curlers, her short, heavy body in a zebra-print, faux-silk robe, was waving wildly. Yoo-hoo! she cried, in a single bound leaping over the bushes that separated the yards. Good morning, Carly!
Startled, Carlyne dropped the paper.
Im so glad I caught you, Mrs. T said when shed reached Carlyne. I wanted to tell youfirst of all, that dark hair just isnt you.
But
And second, the way to Seans heart is through his stomach.
What?
Catching Sean, dear, the older woman said patiently. You do it through his stomach.
Umokay. Carlyne smiled through her teeth and backed toward the door, thinking, Crazy lady alert.
You think Im making this up. Thats what others thought, too, and they all failed.
No, she wasnt going to ask.
Go ahead, dear, Mrs. T said with a knowing smile. Ask. I know youre dying to.
In the end, Carlyne couldnt help herself. Others?
Well, hes a handsome man, dont you think?
Gorgeous. But absolutely beside the point. How many others?
Oh, I really couldnt tell all his secrets, she said demurely. Just trust me. Feed him. Cook for him. Itll work.
This was insane. Im not looking for his heart.
Well, now. Theres no reason to lie. And with another knowing smile, the woman waddled away.
Carlyne shook her head and went inside, through the kitchen, where she stopped and stared at the stove.
The way to his heart is through his stomach.
Well, Carlyne didnt want his heart, though his body would be nice.
And yet she was rather hungry. But where to start?
Until shed come here, shed never done more than boil water or push the buttons on the microwave. Shed never seen her own mother in a kitchen, other than to thank the chef.
But really, how hard could it be? She was a college graduate, for Gods sake. She could do this. After rolling up her sleeves, she cracked some eggs and dropped them in a pan, contemplating the stove for a moment before turning on the burner. Eggs, no problem. She shoved bread into the toaster. Easy enough. Then she threw some sausage in another pan and flicked on that burner, too. Pancakes took some extra doing, as she had to open the one and only cookbook she found, but following a recipe was easy. Any idiot could do that, right?
So why was the batter thick and sticky enough to form sidewalks?
She was contemplating that when the eggs started making an unusual popping sound-or maybe not unusual, she really had no idea. But when she tried to stir the boiling mess, it wasrubber.
Probably not good. Then she smelled smoke.
Oops. The toaster was on fire. Definitely not good. With a little screech, she snatched it away from the paper-towel rack, pulled the cord from the wall in the process, then promptly dropped it to the floor.
Ouch! There was a smoldering toaster at her feet, and the eggs were still popping, probably close to igniting, too. She was a complete and utter failure at being normal, and oh, my God, shed set her bunny slippers on fire when shed dropped the toaster.
That was it, the final straw, and the princess who never cried burst into tears. Then suddenly a big, tough, strong body sat her down on the floor and was slapping at the flaming bunny heads.
While she sat there staring at the burned fuzz, sniffling, overwhelmed by a bad case of self-pity, Sean efficiently and quickly smothered the small flame still coming out of the toaster.
He reached up and turned off the stove.
Then-and this was the part shed never forget-he dropped to his knees, scooped her against that chest that was even more magnificent up close and personal, and peered into her face.
You okay? he demanded hoarsely. Are you hurt?
He had the most amazing eyes. And those handshands that were at this very moment running over her body, looking for burns, she supposed.
Carly?
Oh, my, he felt good. She felt good.
Carly!
Hed plastered her against him so they had full body contact, which was fabulous as all he wore was jeans-unfastened. And okay, yes, it had been way too long since shed felt such delicious contact, but it wasnt the lack of sex in her life that was making her dizzy.
It was Sean.
Carly! Talk to me!
His rough, edgy voice was like a bucket of cold water. While shed been melting into a little pool of longing, he was anxious and probably furious. He certainly wasnt helplessly turned on, not as she was, and why would he be? She wasnt a glamorous princess, but a normal plain Jane. This man could have any woman he wanted-why would he want her? Im Pathetic. fine.
Not satisfied, he reached for her hair, probably to smooth it out of her face, and she catapulted into action, because what if he dislodged the wig? Leaping to her feet, she grabbed for a kitchen towel. Dont worry, Ive got everything completely under control now.
Carly-
Were lucky I wore out the batteries on your smoke detectors yesterday. She bustled around, tossing dirty pans into the sink, avoiding his gaze. I promise, Im not in the habit of setting the kitchen on fire every time I make breakfast.
Mostly because shed never made breakfast before.
Darn it, this was all Mrs. Trykowskis fault.
Rising to his feet, Sean glanced at the flat, lumpy pancakes. Then at the burned-to-a-crisp sausages and rubber eggs. He raised an eyebrow. Do this a lot, do you?
Sure. Another pan hit the sink. It would probably never come clean, not with her expertise, anyway. Every morning.
Really? His expression changed, went guarded. It was as if he justvanished. He was standing right there in front of her, yet he was gone. Eyes flat, mouth grim, gone. And youre not hurt? he asked in a polite voice twenty-five degrees cooler than hed been only a second ago.
No. Sean
He avoided her gaze. As youve mentioned, cooking isnt in your job description. Ill handle it from now on.
But-
No buts. Hed recognized the lie, was probably disgusted. He walked out the door.
5
SEAN TRIED to immerse himself in work. It should have been easy.
But he couldnt concentrate. It had never happened to him before, this blankness when it came to designing. Yet every job he looked at, every file, every single blueprint faded away, leaving him instead with the image of Carly when hed walked out of the kitchen yesterday morning.
Shed been trying to make them breakfast. Why, he had no idea. It was painfully obvious she didnt have a clue. And it was equally, painfully obvious he had a problem.