“Any particular reason?” Daniel asked, wondering what the shelter director had on her mind.
Rebekah sighed. “I just felt I need to tell you that there’s a bit of gossip going around.”
“About the Whitakers?” Daniel asked.
“No,” Rebekah said. She leaned down closer to the two of them. “About you...about Emma staying at your house.”
“What’s wrong with Emma staying at my house? She’s my nanny.”
“That’s what I’ve explained to anyone who’s made a comment, but I just thought you should know. Not that you have to do anything about it. It’s your life, and you’re not doing anything wrong.”
When Daniel turned toward Emma, he saw that she’d gone paler. However, she said to Rebekah, “Thanks for telling us.”
After Rebekah said she’d see them later, she headed toward the door of the shelter. Emma was silent.
“Tell me what you’re thinking.”
“I’m not sure, exactly. If my father heard that gossip, he’d be so disappointed in me. He’d tell me I should move out for propriety’s sake.”
Daniel swallowed hard. “Is that what you want to do?”
Emma looked him straight in the eyes. Then she leaned closer to him and slowly shook her head. “No, that’s not what I want to do. I want to stay with you and your girls and keep on doing what we’re doing.”
“Growing closer?” he asked huskily.
“Yes.”
They were still gazing into each other’s eyes when they were suddenly accosted by the three P’s.
Pippa pulled on Daniel’s hand. “You’ve got to see this schnauzer. He’s so cute—cream all over with big brown eyes.”
Penny said, “My favorite’s the cocker spaniel. She’s got that golden blond hair and she has big brown eyes, too.”
Daniel gave a resigned sigh. “You realize, don’t you, that we cannot take home a dog?”
The three P’s all exchanged glances. “Maybe not today,” Paris said. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t sometime in the future. You always say, Dad, anything’s a possibility.”
His eldest daughter was an expert at throwing his own words back at him. “Yes, I have said that, haven’t I?” Standing, he held his hand out to Emma to help her up. “Let’s look at the dogs and the cats. But we’re not taking any home.”
“Not today,” Pippa said forcefully.
He knew what that meant. She had her eye on a pup.
Daniel just shook his head as they all walked toward the first pen.
* * *
In spite of himself, Daniel had enjoyed the adoption event. Maybe he was an animal person. The three P’s had left the event with a friend and her parents, eager to go swimming in their pool.
When they got home, Emma went into the family room. He followed her and said, “I’ve known Cindy’s parents since Paris was in kindergarten. They’ll watch the girls carefully and make sure they’re safe.”
The house was awfully quiet, devoid of his daughters’ laughter and chatter. At the moment, the contrast felt pleasant. The truth was that he relished time alone with Emma, if that’s what she wanted, too.
They’d been standing across the room from each other, and now Daniel approached Emma. “Do you want this evening as time off?”
Tentatively, she nodded. “Sure. I know you have things you probably want to do.”
He took that as an opening for an alternative. “We could play croquet or take a drive. Maybe go to a movie.”
“Paris told me you like thrillers.”
“And I know you like romantic comedies. If we stay here with tall glasses of iced tea, we could probably watch one of each. The three P’s probably won’t be back until bedtime.”
“That sounds good,” she assured him. “After running after the girls all week, it’s a pleasure just to sit and do nothing. You can pick out the movie you want first. I’ll go get the glasses of iced tea.”
The camps, Paris’s swim-team practice and even their volunteer work must have made Emma feel like a chauffeur. Daniel watched her leave the room. That was just like her—she always thought of him or his daughters before herself. He’d seen that over and over again, even with Fiesta and the kittens.
After she returned to the room with iced tea and set the glasses on coasters, she motioned upstairs. “I’m going to take Fiesta a bit of food and check on the kittens.”
He wasn’t surprised. He knew she loved just sitting there watching the kittens with their mom. “I’ll come with you.” He enjoyed watching Emma watching the kittens.
After they entered what he now thought of as Fiesta’s room, Emma took the momma cat her food and then removed the scale from the closet. Together, he and Emma weighed the kittens to make sure they were gaining weight.
While Fiesta ate, Daniel operated the scale. Emma took Nacho out of the bin first to weigh him. “Another ounce,” she said. “He’s doing great. I can’t wait until they’re big enough to play with.”
Emma had taught Daniel and the three P’s that the least amount of handling at this age was the best. So she was the official handler. Fiesta knew her scent and didn’t mind it on her kittens. They weighed Guacamole, Tamale and Burrito in turn. Burrito, the little black one, meowed the whole time.
“I don’t hear them meow much,” Daniel said.
“Only when they’re taken from their mom.”
Daniel immediately thought of Pippa and how she’d cried every night after Lydia had left. He watched Emma handle the fuzzy kittens so carefully, as if each would break. From his experience as a single dad, he knew children had to be handled that carefully, too.
After they’d finished in Fiesta’s room, they stepped into the hall and closed the door. Emma pointed out, “It won’t be long until the kittens are tumbling out of that bin. We should probably set up a little obstacle course for them that they can run over and jump down. If you have any spare throw pillows, they would work...or maybe a low step stool.”
“I’m sure the three P’s would like to collect that stuff and would have innovative ideas of their own.”
“I’m sure,” Emma returned with a grin.
Emma’s smile always took his breath away. Sure, she was pretty, but it was her absolute enjoyment of life that drew him to her.
Settling his hands on her shoulders, he said, “Listen.”
She cocked her head. “I don’t hear anything.”
“I know. It’s the sound of silence and we’re alone. I’d like to kiss you without interruption.”
She tilted her head up and her brown eyes held amusement, as well as something else—something much deeper. “You have my permission.”
Daniel felt as if he’d just been handed an early birthday gift. He expected the kiss to be pleasurable, as all of their kisses had been. He expected it to be exciting and that’s what he was looking forward to so much. But he hadn’t expected to get totally lost in Emma—the softness of her cheek against his thumb, the flowery scent of her shampoo and the heat of her body against his. He also hadn’t expected the explosion of desire. He wasn’t a teenager anymore but he sure felt like one. The fire that burned in his belly could engulf him and he wouldn’t be able to stop it.
He was about to break the kiss when Emma’s fingers caressed his neck and slid up into his hair. His anticipation and need ramped up until he could only make the kiss deeper, wetter, longer.
He tried to make his mind work, to brush away the sensuality of the moment, to think about the future. But the future seemed so far away. Still...he caught a thought. He couldn’t take advantage of Emma. They were alone and taking the next step would be an easy action to take. But was carrying this further the right thing to do?
He pushed himself to break the kiss. “Emma,” he breathed. “We have to stop if we’re going to.”
She looked up at him a
s if she was a bit dazed, too. “What if I don’t want to stop?”
“I think you should take a minute at least to think about it.”
The amusement was back in her eyes as she asked, “Do you want me to count off the seconds?”
He blew out a breath. “Sometimes you’re exasperating.”
“And sometimes you overthink things. I’m here with you, Daniel, because I want to be. I know you have a conscience to guide you and that you want to do what’s right. This feels perfectly right to me. What about you?”
“You’ve got to be sure.”
“I am sure.”
With that declaration he scooped her up into his arms. “My bedroom’s right down the hall.”
* * *
Emma felt Daniel’s desire in every step and in every breath. After he carried her into his bedroom, he kissed her again.
She was hardly aware of her surroundings—the huge king-size bed with its black-and-gray coverlet, the heavy pine furniture, the scarcity of knickknacks except photographs of his daughters. When he sat her along the side of the bed, he asked, “Are you on birth control?”
She nodded. Her ob-gyn had suggested a three-year implant the previous year. She hadn’t had it removed yet.
Daniel took her into his arms and held her close.
She sensed he was hesitating and she wondered why. “What’s wrong, Daniel?”
“You make me feel like a caveman, and all I want to do is ravage you in that bed. But I also want to make sure this isn’t a rebound effect.”
In that moment, Emma realized how much damage his ex-wife had done when she’d left with his partner. She’d shaken his trust in the fact that someone could care for him...could love him. And Emma did. But she also knew it was too soon to tell him that—that he might not believe her.
So instead she said, “No rebound effect, Daniel. I promise you that.”
Her reassurance seemed to be all he needed to escape the bonds of the past. He undressed her slowly until she was standing before him naked. To her surprise, she didn’t feel embarrassed. Instead, she felt proud that he wanted her. She had no doubt that he cared for her. But she didn’t know how deep that caring went. It might just take time for both of them to know.
She said playfully, “It’s your turn now.”
He didn’t hesitate to let her tug his shirt over his head. He quickly removed the rest of his clothes. They stood before each other, smiling, then embraced and began kissing all over again. The kissing took them into the bed. In bed, they held each other. Daniel touched her face, her neck, her shoulders. As he did, she snuggled closer to him, their lower bodies almost joined but not quite yet.
“I can’t believe how good this feels,” Daniel murmured.
“Believe it.” She dragged her fingers down his back.
“I need you now.”
Emma understood and her surrender to him was so sweet she felt dizzy from it. He kept kissing her and soon he rolled her on top of him, enhancing their pleasure, anticipating their climax.
When he entered Emma, she held on to Daniel for all she was worth. She’d never, ever experienced anything like this before. To her amazement they both found sublime pleasure at the same time. They seemed to be so in sync. She really didn’t know where she left off and he began.
In the afterglow, they lay side by side.
Daniel brushed her curls behind her ear. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
She was glad she was here, too. Nevertheless, in this act of love, she’d realized just how deeply she did love Daniel. What if he still didn’t really trust her and the future she dreamed of? What if the future she dreamed of wasn’t a possibility?
* * *
On Monday, Emma picked up the girls from their camps and came home to check on Fiesta and the kittens. She couldn’t stop thinking about last evening and how wonderful it had been. Making love with Daniel couldn’t be compared to anything else she’d ever experienced. She was so in love with him.
The three P’s chatted as they all left again to volunteer at Furever Paws. Daniel was going to meet them there after work.
Today, under the watchful eye of a volunteer, the girls played with the puppies. Several dogs had been adopted over the weekend but a beagle remained, along with a Jack Russell terrier. Emma helped the shelter by cleaning out cages in the quarantine area as well as giving those animals some attention. Time passed quickly and before long, Daniel arrived.
Emma said to the girls, “Let’s wash up before we go home.”
Daniel’s house was beginning to feel like home. She went on, “I made a casserole we can pop in the oven but I’m open to suggestions.” She winked at Daniel.
He grinned back and she saw that look in his eyes that meant he couldn’t wait to kiss her. “I could be talked into takeout.”
Penny and Pippa yelled, “Pizza!”
Daniel studied them and Paris. He said, “Only if we add boneless chicken wings and a salad to go with it.”
With a nod from Paris, he decided, “I’ll call in the order and head out to pick it up. I’ll meet you at home.”
As he left, he brushed by Emma and gave her arm a squeeze. She wasn’t sure when they’d have time alone again, but she was sure that they would.
Emma reached the house first. She asked the three P’s, “Do you want supper inside or on the screened-in porch? We can set the table before your dad gets here.” The temperature was in the high eighties but there was a nice breeze going.
“Let’s go to the porch,” Paris said, and Penny and Pippa agreed. All three helped her carry plates, silverware and napkins out to the table.
Always practical, Penny said, “We usually use paper plates and cups when we eat out here.”
“We’ll get some the next time we go to the store,” Emma promised.
A short time later, Emma heard Daniel’s car in the driveway. Within minutes, he’d come through the house and found them. She’d already poured glasses of sweet tea.
Daniel set the food on the table. “A pizza picnic. That’s a great idea.”
Daniel had ordered two large pizzas. Each was split down the middle with two different toppings—pepperoni, ground beef, extra cheese and broccoli. He said to Paris, “I’ll get the pizza cutter.”
Emma added, “I’ll get the tongs for the salad. Be right back.”
Once inside the kitchen, Daniel hardly waited until they’d stopped walking. He took Emma into his arms and began a kiss that was soft and coaxing at first, but quickly turned into passionate and powerful.
When they leaned away from each other, he smiled. “I couldn’t wait to do that.”
“I couldn’t wait for you to do that.”
“One more before somebody comes looking for us.”
The second kiss took all the power and passion from the first one and escalated it. The pure chemistry between them almost made Emma melt into him. Had this hungry passion been dormant all her life? Had this true chemistry just been waiting for the right man to unlock it? She didn’t anticipate what they were going to do next but sank into desire. Need drove them both.
A burst of laughter came from the patio and Daniel ended the kiss. She knew he’d always do what was best for his daughters, and that’s the way it should be. He rested his forehead against hers for a moment as if to say he didn’t want to end anything at all. Then he murmured, “I’d better get that pizza cutter.”
As Emma went to the drawer to find the salad tongs, she wondered what would happen after Daniel’s daughters went to bed tonight. Would he come to her?
Before they went outside, he whispered in her ear, “Later.”
She’d be counting the hours until they could really be together again.
Daniel was passing around second slices of pizza—except for Paris, who was eating salad and a small bite of the pizza topped with broccol
i—when they all heard a car pull into the driveway. Daniel had left the garage door open when he’d put his car in, and the sound carried.
He looked at Emma. “Are you expecting anyone?”
“Not unless my father decided to make another surprise visit.”
Pippa smiled widely. She’d really enjoyed the company of Emma’s father.
When the doorbell rang, Daniel said, “I’ll get it.”
Daniel was gone so long that Emma wondered if there was a problem. Maybe with one of his clients? She stayed with the girls in case that was the situation.
Pippa pushed her plate back from the edge of the table. “I’m done.” She had tomato sauce ringing her mouth.
Penny nodded. “Me, too.”
Emma pushed the boneless chicken wings toward Paris. “One more?”
Paris gave her a look, but she took another and had eaten it by the time they heard footsteps in the kitchen. Daniel appeared with a pretty woman by his side. She was saying to him, “You changed the security code. I couldn’t get in with my key.”
Her key.
Pippa turned in her chair and almost knocked it over when she flew out of it and ran to the woman beside Daniel. “Mommy,” she called.
Lydia stooped to gather her child into her arms.
Penny was a little more sedate as she pushed back her chair and went to her mother. “Are you here to stay?”
“We’ll talk about that,” Lydia said with a sly smile.
Paris didn’t go to her mom. She glanced over her shoulder at Lydia, then turned back around and took a sip of her iced tea.
There was authority in Daniel’s voice when he said, “Paris, aren’t you going to say hello to your mom?”
Paris didn’t turn around. “Hello, Mom.”
Daniel’s frown was deep but Emma had no idea what he was thinking.
Lydia didn’t force Paris to deal with her. Instead she just turned to Emma. “And who is this?”
Daniel’s gaze met Emma’s, and he seemed to be at a loss for words.
However, Pippa explained easily, “She’s our nanny, and the best one we’ve ever had.”
The Nanny Clause (Furever Yours Book 4) Page 13
