"He’s here! He’s here!" Kalvin jumped up from his position on the floor in front of the television, the statement on his face so bright it could have replaced the sun.
Dominique stopped and, with a fixed glare, addressed her son. "Calm down," she whispered a bit more forcefully then she had intended, with a lift of her eyebrows. "You let Mommy do the talking for a while and then you can talk to him. Okay?"
Kalvin’s eyes lowered to his dirty tennis shoes. "Yes, ma’am," he agreed in a not so happy tone.
This brought a frown to Dominique’s face. She hated hearing that disappointed sound in her son’s voice. She had heard it so many times in the little one’s life, usually as a result of something his father had done or, better yet, something he hadn’t done, and detested being the one to bring it out again.
"I’m sorry, sweetheart," she said softly, reaching out to ruffle his hair. "You can talk to him, too."
The smile returned to Kalvin’s face as Dominique proceeded to the door. She eased it open, and felt her knees beginning to buckle from what could only be described as sheer surprise. If she hadn’t been holding onto the doorknob, she would have crumpled to the floor. The scent of men’s cologne sent her insides into a meltdown.
There was no geeky, coke-bottle-glasses wearing, pocket protector bearing nerd eager to greet her on the opposite side of the door. Instead, the yellow glow of the day’s bright sun illuminated a long, lean body. A charming, heart-stopping smile graced the face of what had to be one of the most handsome men that had ever walked the face of the earth! No doubt about it, if she had opened a Webster’s dictionary right then, she was sure she would have found a picture of this man right next to the word "incredible."
Two
Dominique’s breath caught in her throat. There was no way the man before her was the man she had spoken with on the phone. He could be described as nothing less than a hot-bed of perfection! Butterflies fluttered wildly in the pit of her stomach as her gaze dropped to his black loafers, slowly crept up the wrinkle-free legs of his black slacks to his teal green button-down shirt that failed to conceal the many ripples of muscles in his chest. Finally, she found herself gazing into his eyes--the brightest, most stunning green eyes she had ever seen. No doubt about it, she could get lost in those eyes forever. It took all the strength she could muster to prevent the moan that ached deep in her throat from escaping.
This was the man who insisted on being interviewed to be Kalvin’s babysitter, she realized in amazement. Her hormones threatened to go haywire. No way! He’s drop-dead gorgeous! Mentally, she made a list of all the negative things she had thought about Joshua Divine, then began checking them off one by one as she silently apologized for each.
The breath-taking smile that spread across Joshua’s lips faded a bit. Planted in his spot outside the apartment door, Joshua’s thoughts were almost one in the same. What the woman looked like had never crossed his mind. Not until she opened the door, that was. An unmistakable sexual sensation had swept through his body the minute he saw her, startling him to the core. His gaze slid down her in a leisurely appraisal from head to toe. Standing only an inch or two shorter than he, with a slender curvy figure that would drive any man wild, long dark hair, and captivating dark blue eyes--she was nothing short of a walking heart attack!
Realizing they were sizing each other up like two dogs in heat, Joshua was the first to splash some water on the fire. "I’m Joshua Divine." Taking on a serious persona, he extended his hand for her to shake.
"That you are," Dominique murmured. Joshua’s slight smile bloomed into a full grin. Amusement kindled in his eyes. Oh gosh, did I say that out loud? Dominique gasped in horror. She could feel the heat rising to redden her face. "I’m Dominique Gabor. No kin to Za Za," she said quickly, shaking his hand. Her frail attempt at a joke failed to hide her embarrassment. His grasp was tight yet gentle. The physical contact sent her body on a roller coaster ride of sexual emotions. "Please, come in." She was surprised at how even and in control her voice sounded when nothing else about her seemed to feel that way.
Dominique stepped aside to allow Joshua room to enter. Damn, his backside looked just as good as the front, she thought, as her attention landed on his tight fitting slacks again. She quickly averted her gaze. He’s here for the job, Dominique. Not for a date. Quit gawking over the poor man.
Joshua stepped just inside the door and turned to face her. "I apologize for being so early but I didn’t want to be late either. I got the impression on the phone that you weren’t willing to wait a minute past an hour."
"I wasn’t," Dominique said dryly. She was regaining her composure. He was here for a job and that was all. Just because he was out-of-this-world good looking didn’t make him any more suited for the job than he had been before. As long as she kept reminding herself of that, she would make it through this interview.
"Hello, Mr. Divine."
Hearing the soft, sweet voice of the boy who now stood beside him, Joshua kneeled down. He smiled kindly. "Well, hello there." He shook Kalvin’s hand. "Please, call me Joshua."
"My mommy said I should call you Mr. Divine. She says I can’t forget my manners. Is it okay if I call him Joshua, Mommy?"
"If that’s what Mr. Divine wants." Dominique shrugged. Inside, she was filled with pride. She and Kalvin may have been through some really rough times in his five years of life, but no one could tell her she hadn’t succeeded in raising him to be polite and respectful.
"You can call me Joshua, too," he said, flashing her a quick glance that, once again, sent the butterflies on a rampage, before returning his attention back to the boy. "And what is your name?"
"Kalvin."
"Kalvin, that’s a really nice name."
"My mommy gave it to me. She says it sounds like a responsible, big-person name."
Joshua chuckled. "That it does." So does Dominique, it occurred to him. The name was just as beautiful as the woman it belonged to. He had to fight to suppress a frown at his next thought. Unfortunately, if he was right about her job, he doubted she was as responsible as her name.
"Do you want to watch a movie with me? I’m watching The Lion King. Do you like that movie? It’s almost over, but you can finish watching it with me if you want." Kalvin’s excitement poured out in short jumbled sentences, causing Joshua to laugh softly. He reached out and grabbed Joshua’s hand. "Come on."
Joshua glanced at Dominique, who nodded her permission, as Kalvin began pulling him through the small, squared foyer toward the living room. Once there, Kalvin plopped down on the floor in front of the television and began watching the movie.
Joshua stood beside him and observed his surroundings. It was a small apartment. A lot smaller than the house he lived in. But it was nice and cozy. Big enough for a single woman and a child, he decided.
From where he stood, the layout of the apartment was easily identifiable. To his left was an L-shaped kitchen decorated in pale green, with a small round wooden table that sat four. Almost directly in front of him stretched a hallway with three closed doors. One leading to a bathroom or possibly a closet, the other two to the bedrooms, he presumed. The furnishings were spare, but what little he saw certainly hadn’t been purchased cheaply. Either this woman made one heck of a living in tips, or she was very thrifty with her money--only purchasing what she really wanted instead of something just to tide her over for a while.
"You’re not watching The Lion King," Kalvin said, tugging at Joshua’s pants leg. "I thought you liked it."
"Oh, I do." Joshua reached down to ruffle Kalvin’s hair with the palm of his hand. "But my favorite is The Sword and the Stone."
Kalvin’s bottom lip protruded, and he looked back at Dominique who was standing with her arms folded across her chest, watching them curiously. "I don’t have that one."
"I do," Joshua said. "I’ll just have to bring it over some time."
"That would be great!" Kalvin burst with excitement. "My favorite is Antz. Have you seen it?"
>
"Umm…yeah." Joshua hesitated, darting a quick look of disapproval in Dominique’s direction. The sudden urge to scold her caught him off guard. What was wrong with this woman? Yeah, he had watched the movie. As a matter of fact, he even owned a copy. What was she thinking, letting a child Kalvin’s age watch that movie? True, it was a cartoon, but it was meant more for adults. There were cuss words in it! Granted, they weren’t really bad cuss words, and there weren’t that many, but why subject a child to that kind of language when it could be avoided?
Dominique didn’t miss the statement that rose to darken Joshua’s face at the mention of the movie. An statement of shock tainted by a hint of anger. It was because of the cussing, and she knew it. For some unexplainable reason, she felt the need to defend herself. "We have a special edited version," she whispered.
Apparently satisfied by her explanation, Joshua nodded. "You certainly have a lot of movies Kalvin." He scanned the wall behind the television, lined with shelves that held rows upon rows of movies. "You must have nearly every cartoon ever made."
Kalvin’s attention had returned to the movie, so Dominique answered instead. "There’s a regular customer that comes in the bar everyday. He’s an old man, but from what he says he has an amazing electronic set-up at his home. He also owns practically every movie ever made, cartoon or not. Every week he brings me a stack of movies for Kalvin. Copying them is illegal, but we’re not selling them, and it sure saves me tons of money."
"So you work at a bar," Joshua said, shoving his hands in the pockets of his trousers.
Dominique sensed something wasn’t quite right but she couldn’t put her finger on it. Tension seemed to be building in the air. The unnerving look on Joshua’s face puzzled her. Dismissing the uneasiness as a mere product of her incessantly active imagination, she said, "I work the day shift at Party Paradise. The bar on the left on the highway. I’ve been there for almost two years." She unfolded her arms and began wandering toward the kitchen. "Would you like something to drink before we begin?"
Joshua laughed a little and shook his head. "I’m not much on alcohol, especially this early in the day."
If there had been any tension building in the air it was instantly put to rest. Dominique giggled at his attempt at a joke. "I guess that was the wrong time in the conversation to offer you a beverage, but I was thinking more along the lines of a soda or bottled water maybe."
"A bottle of water would be nice."
Walking to the kitchen, Dominique grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge then leaned against the counter and watched Joshua. He sat in the burgundy recliner opposite the sofa, with his back to her. As she watched him, it finally occurred to her what it was that just hadn’t seemed right.
Was it really her imagination, or did he seem to get a strange statement on his face when she said she was a bartender? Surely he didn’t have a problem with that! Who was he to judge? He had to be pushing thirty--although he looked damn good for his age--and he was applying for a babysitting job! Dominique may not be totally thrilled with her profession but, good looking or not, this man had no right to look at her as some sort of filth because of it!
She forced herself to calm down. Maybe she was jumping to conclusions. She’d just have to get back in there, get this interview over with so she could get this man out of her house and then she could go on with her happy little life.
She returned to the living room and handed Joshua one of the bottled waters. She wondered if she really wanted to get the interview over with so quickly. She was still fairly certain she wasn’t going to hire him, but at least she had something good to look at for a change.
"If you work the day shift at the bar, why do you need an evening babysitter?" Joshua asked, nodding his thanks as he twisted the cap on the water bottle.
"Starting tomorrow afternoon, I’m no longer on the day shift. Marge, the woman who has been tending bar in the evenings, has decided she wants my shift. I don’t have to give it up, even though Marge has seniority, but I desperately need the extra money I can make on swing shift."
"Do you enjoy bartending?" Joshua asked. He was concentrating on the label of the bottled water, but when he looked up, his eyes never made it to Dominique’s face. She had taken a seat on the sofa with her legs folded on the cushion beside her. Her elbow propped on the armrest. The way she was sitting had caused the low cut blouse she was wearing to gape open just a bit, allowing the view of the edge of one full, soft-looking breast. The unmistakably sexual sensation flooded over him once again, this time with much more force then before.
He squirmed uncomfortably in the recliner, adjusting to accommodate the pain that rose behind his zipper. Did she not know that he could see straight into her blouse? Or had she purposely allowed it to gape open? The latter thought made his insides cringe with anger. Typical female bartender, he thought in disgust. But his repulsion was aimed more at his own body for reacting so violently to the sight of her breast.
There’s that look again! Dominique abruptly dismissed the thought. "I guess I enjoy it." She lifted a shoulder as she sipped her water. "I’ve never really thought about it."
Liar! she berated herself.
"I enjoy meeting new people. Most of all I enjoy helping people." That much wasn’t a lie. Nearly everyday, someone came into the bar wanting to talk about the troubles they were experiencing in their love life; they looked to her for advice. Her own love life might suck, but she was great at counseling others on theirs. Playing "Dear Abby barmaid" was probably as close as she would ever get to fulfilling her dream of becoming a true counselor.
Her response seemed to stun Joshua, and she didn’t miss the look of surprise that rose to his face. So it wasn’t her imagination. He did have a problem with her being a bartender. Feeling uncontrollable anger beginning to rise, Dominique couldn’t help but put the man in his place.
"You were expecting a different answer, weren’t you?" she said. She rose quickly from the sofa. Their eyes met. Their gazes held. "I bet you were expecting me to say I enjoyed meeting all kinds of men everyday. Well, you’re wrong."
Her harsh tone shocked her. Nearly all her life, she had always sunk into her own skin rather than tell someone exactly what was on her mind. But not this time. She was getting better at speaking her mind these days. Probably because she had grown accustomed to dealing with drunks every day. Joshua may not be one of those drunks, but he had pissed her off and, dammit, she was going to let him know.
"Yes, there are many female bartenders who are in the business to meet men. I’ll grant you that. But there are also just as many of us who do it because it’s a job and nothing more. I hate being treated like a piece of meat. I hate being hit on by drunken scum every minute of the day. I work at the bar because it’s the only job I can get without a college education that pays enough to support myself and my child. I damn sure don’t do it to meet men, and you will never see me leave the bar with a man, much less bring one home."
Joshua sat back. Damn if she wasn’t even sexier when she got mad, he mused silently. Whether or not what she was fuming about was the truth--which he seriously doubted--he still wanted the job and knew he was going to have to turn this conversation around real fast if he expected even half a chance. He rose from the chair and took a step toward her until they were merely inches apart.
"Does that mean I get the job?" He asked. A slight smile quirked the corner of his lips.
"What!" Dominique shrilled, planting one hand on her slim hip.
"You said I would never see you bring a man home. I wouldn’t know that to be true unless I’m here when you get home. So does that mean I get the job?"
"You’re insane!" Dominique threw her hands in the air. "You insult me, call me everything but a slut in so many words, and then expect me to give you a job?"
Kalvin’s little voice broke through the heated conversation. "Joshua, I think you made my mommy mad."
Joshua glanced down at Kalvin, who had turned from the television and s
tretched his arms behind him, leaning back to peer up at Joshua and Dominique. The boy was so sweet and innocent. But Joshua didn’t dare smile at him this time. A smile would certainly only infuriate Dominique more. "Yeah, I believe I did."
He reached out and gently grabbed Dominique’s arm. The touch sent a rage of emotions to parts of his body he didn’t dare think about at that moment. "I apologize if I offended you."
"Well, you did," Dominique spat. Yet she didn’t make a move to free her arm from his grasp. "And I don’t know if I can accept your apology."
Joshua retained his grip. It was as if once he got his hand on her he couldn’t let go for fear of never touching her, never feeling that tingle, again. He found himself wanting to pull her closer, wanting to slide a hand across the nape of her neck under her silky dark hair and slam his mouth on her alluring lips in a hot passionate kiss that was sure to drive all her anger away. But he didn’t dare.
"Honestly, I never meant to imply anything," he said sincerely. He allowed his hand to slowly move down her arm until it dropped limply at his side. If he didn’t, there was no telling what his senses would lead him to do. "Before you throw me out, can we take a deep breath and start over?" He stuck out his hand just as he had outside the apartment minutes before. "Hello, my name is Joshua. I’m here to apply for the babysitting job."
"Oh, you’re real cute," Dominique said dryly. She rolled her eyes to the ceiling as she spun around and began staring out the window across the room. Silently, she really meant it. Actually, cute didn’t even begin to describe him. And the sharp sensation that his touch had shot through her body, the heat that had begun to accumulate between her legs…she couldn’t remember the last time a simple touch had had that effect on her.
He probably didn’t really mean anything by it, that little voice told her. Oh, aren’t you changing your tune all of a sudden, she argued with herself. But engaging in a mental battle with her inner voice wasn’t going to solve anything. Truth was, she was experiencing difficulty reading Joshua’s thoughts; a strange occurrence considering she could normally tell everything about a person after one glance into their eyes. She knew it could be her own complex over being a bartender that caused her to jump to conclusions. Everything she had said in her heated rage had been true. She did hate the reputation female bartenders seemed to have in the minds of the general public. It often put her in a very defensive mood when talking to someone about her career.
The Devine Babysitter Page 2
