by Emily Duvall
“Stevie Burrell has been Vivian’s nanny since birth,” Kendra said, scribbling a few last notes. “She’ll be traveling to Maui with us.”
“I want to meet with Stevie today and get acquainted. The two of us will be spending a lot of time together with Vivian.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem.” Luke folded his hands in front of him and Kendra began to review the forms with Melanie. Long, graceful fingers curled around a pen as Melanie nodded and initialed and signed each line. The forms arrived in his email early this morning and he’d reviewed every single page to make sure there were no mistakes. “I should also point out your medical and travel expenses are covered.”
“I would expect nothing less.”
Luke lifted an eyebrow. “Don’t overstep your bounds. My generosity only goes so far.”
Melanie looked up swiftly. “I’m doing this for my brother. I took the job for your daughter. I didn’t sign on for your generosity.”
“I’ve got to make a copy of your driver’s license and social security card.” Kendra stood up and waited for Melanie to find her wallet and pull out the identification cards. “I’ll be back with these in a moment.” She glanced at Luke and excused herself out of the room and left the door open.
The room fell quiet around them, enough to hear the scrape of the pen on the paper as she turned the page. Melanie turned the page without taking her gaze off the text. She raised an eyebrow and suspicion clouded her eyes. “You’re giving me a five-thousand-dollar signing bonus.”
“There’s no time for you to go home and pack your bags. You’ll need to take some time either today or when we get to Maui to get what you need.”
“No strings attached, right?” she joked with an undertone of seriousness.
Luke ignored her comment. “Do you have any other questions?”
“What should I do with my car while we’re gone?”
“I’ll sell it for scrap metal.” Luke stretched his hands behind his head and flashed her a caustic look.
The pen slipped between her fingers. Hastily, she retrieved it before it rolled off the table. “Don’t touch my car.”
“I won’t touch your car.” He grinned. “There’s a parking lot on the outskirts of town. I’ll have your car driven there.”
She set down the booklet. “You have this all figured out, don’t you?”
“Yup.” Luke didn’t have it all figured out. He wouldn’t admit this to her.
“We’re all set,” Kendra said; returning to the office with a handful of more papers and Melanie’s ID cards. “If you’ve signed everything and have no more questions, we’re done here. Welcome to Trace Elements. I’d like to take Melanie around the house and introduce her to the other staff members who will be joining us in Maui. When we’re all finished and you’ve had adequate time with Stevie and Vivian, you’ll be taken back to the hotel in Tiburon. I’ll have your car removed off Mr. Harrison’s property and a taxi will pick you up in the morning and take you to the airport.”
“Wait. I didn’t see anything about the accommodations once I get to Maui. Where will I be staying?” Melanie looked from Kendra to Luke.
“You will be staying at my beach house.” Luke held up his hand at her shaking head. “My core staff stays at my house. The location of my home isn’t close to hotels or condos. We’re somewhat isolated and this point is not negotiable. My brother is going to be married at my house and it will be easier if everyone is in one place. This way you’ll have access to Vivian each day. You’ll create your own schedule and will have plenty of separation, I can assure you.”
“I don’t like the idea of staying in the same residence as a client,” Melanie protested, “not to mention how completely unethical this is.”
Luke got up from his seat, content with the ease of this particular hiring process. He didn’t point out the residency during the trip was outlined in the document she already put her signature to a few moments before. “You used to visit clients at their homes. How is this different?”
“I showed up at their homes in my car and left an hour later. Because this is your house…” Melanie’s voice faltered as she glanced at Kendra, waiting with a hand on her hip and a sour expression. “There are ethics.”
“The word ‘ethics’ is a bit loose in my line of work.” Luke whisked by the table and walked over to his desk. “Kendra, give us a moment.”
This time, Kendra shut the door when she left his office. Luke waited until Melanie wrestled with the idea of staying in his house and lost the battle. He walked over to her with every intention of putting her nerves to rest. “You shouldn’t be bothered about staying at my house.” Luke touched her chin with his fingers, bringing her gaze to his. “Sharing a bed with me wasn’t repulsive before.”
“I’m not thinking of your bed.”
“I am.”
Melanie’s face flushed. “This trip is business, for both of us. Don’t confuse the situation.”
“I’m not at all confused. Neither are you. We’re going to get something out of the way before we take this trip together.” Luke pushed aside the papers in front of her. His mouth came down on hers with such force. The pen slipped out of her hand and rolled off the table. He breathed in her soapy, fresh scent. His tongue moved inside her mouth with urgency. His hands moved to her jaw and soaked up her creamy skin. She gasped between breaths and tried to pull away.
Luke kissed her again. The warm tongue he sought fought him at first and then opened up to him. The hesitation of her mouth gave way to her tongue screwing around his. Her entire body moved and the shift caused the chair to make a loud noise. Luke’s lips parted from hers and he trailed kisses down her neck to the open spot at the top of her shirt. His ragged breath matched hers and he forced his lips back to hers and kissed her harder, deeper, and faster. His hands grabbed at her waist and he thrust her on his lap so he could feel her against his arousal. Her plush breasts pushed up against his chest and his hand flew down to skim over them. The sound of her quiet moan undid him. Melanie’s hands raked down his shoulder and around, to the front of his shirt where she unbuttoned the top button.
Abruptly, Luke reined in his control. He pulled back. “No.”
Melanie’s face reflected surprise and disappointment. Breathless and flushed, she stared back at him. “What?”
“Now that’s out of the way. We’ll have no problems working together.” He pointed to the door. “Kendra is waiting for you.”
Chapter 8
What the hell? Melanie thought as she boarded Luke’s private jet. The kiss hung on her mind like a bad idea. She didn’t know what he’d been thinking. She just knew it changed the dynamics between them. The sight of the jet’s gleaming interior gave her pause in the doorway. The individual leather seats, a flat screen mounted to the wall, and glossy wood tables gave the appearance of a posh restaurant and not a mode of transportation.
“Sit where you like,” Stevie said, standing and rummaging through a bag; her designer sunglasses propped up on her head. Vivian sat alongside her, taking in the new surroundings.
Melanie selected one of the chairs towards the back of the cabin. A tray of cheese and crackers packaged from a farm in Napa sat on the table in front of her with a card. She picked it up and read the thank-you note from a winery owner, who wished Luke a well vacation. Stevie and Vivian settled into their seats, followed by Latonya, and Kendra. There had been no sight of Luke this morning and Melanie didn’t know how she would react upon seeing him. They hadn’t run into each other since he kissed her unexpectedly in his office.
The previous day she’d spent at a nearby shopping center buying new clothes for the trip. Not a dime of the bonus had been used a decision Melanie felt good about. The monetary reward for signing with Luke would be used to bulk up her bank account, and ultimately, go towards the cost of the condo she would purchase upon returning to Fresno at the end of the summer. Financially, she felt this decision to be a smart move. The money she would make almost
justified her impulsive decision to join Luke and receiving the letter of support would be the ultimate win. She could tie this summer up with a tidy bow at the end.
She heard Luke’s voice before he boarded the plane and she buckled her seat belt, attempting to look distracted and not at all concerned with his presence. The attempt failed the second she looked up and found his piercing gaze directed at her. The attention didn’t last long. Kendra walked up behind him and handed him some papers. They sat down and began talking in low, serious voices and going over the document.
A short time later, the flight attendant closed and locked the door. The pilot, an acquaintance of Luke’s, guided the plane further away from the hanger and took off down the runway into a cloudy blue sky. Melanie looked out her window at the sight of the other airplanes stationed on the runway at San Francisco International Airport. The buildings and the air traffic control grew smaller in her sight. The bay expanded out in front of them until the pilot drove the plane out west, towards the ocean.
They had been in the air for some time. Luke remained busy working with Kendra and from what Melanie could see, Vivian slept. Stevie read a magazine and Latonya read a book. Ripples and bumps met the plane high in the sky. Melanie glued her hands to the armrests. She didn’t mind flying, but she preferred to be on solid ground. The conditions out of the window showed off thick clouds connected together as far as she could see. More thumps disrupted the plane and Melanie’s hands flew to the seat belt buckle.
Kendra turned around and saw Melanie’s death grip on the strap of her seat belt. “You shouldn’t worry,” she said. “Captain Miller and the co-pilot are the best at their job. All of us on this plane have flown in worse conditions.”
Another bump jostled Melanie’s entire body. “Do you fly a lot on this plane?”
“I fly wherever Mr. Harrison goes.” She snuck her boss a sideways glance. Luke sat with his back to them and his laptop open in front of him. “He used to travel much more when he actually hunted the gems. Now that he’s more business than thrill-seeker, we’re on the ground more than in the air.”
“What changed?”
“Vivian came home.”
“I see.” Melanie tried to imagine Luke turning down an opportunity to be out in the field.
“You’ll get used to this life, trust me. Flying commercial is a complete downgrade once you get accustomed to this.” The plane gave a hearty shake and Kendra’s face paled. “I’m sure the pilots will get through this turbulence soon.”
Luke looked back over his shoulder at Melanie. As quick as he looked at her, he turned back around and refocused on the laptop open in front of him. Concentration on the screen in front of him took over his expression.
“I hope so.” Melanie smoothed out a wrinkle on her shirt. “How long have you worked for Mr. Harrison?”
“Three years ago, he hired me on the spot.” Lowering her face and her voice, she continued, “He’s a great boss, once you get to know him, or in your case, get to know him again.”
Melanie pursed her lips. “Fair enough; we used to know each other.”
“Then I don’t need to say much more.” Another round of rough air shocked the cabin. “Ugh. I think I might lose my lunch.” She unbuckled her belt and got up from her seat. “Excuse me.”
The moment Kendra disappeared into the restroom, Luke closed his laptop, and turned back to face Melanie. “How did your family take the news of your promotion?”
“This is not a promotion, and no, I haven’t told them.” She drummed her fingers on the armrest.
“You haven’t told them?” Obviously intrigued by her answer, Luke cocked his head and continued, “Where do they think you’re going to be for the next three months?”
“Kiss or no kiss,” she whispered furiously, “my personal life is none of your concern.” Boundaries needed to be set—mostly for her sake, particularly with the way Luke undressed her with his eyes. The sooner she cleared this up, the better she would feel. “I think this is an excellent time to go over the parent evaluation.” She reached inside her bag and took out the bulky binder.
“What’s in there, a bill to Congress?”
“I use hardcopy forms.” She searched for some type of table to rest her binder upon. “I prefer them.”
Luke got up, reached down by her leg, and pressed a button. A small tray table popped up. Melanie dropped her binder on the tray with a thud. Stevie looked up from her magazine and returned to it.
The top of the form Melanie had filled out with information about Vivian: name, chronological age, sex, and the name of one parent. There was some catch-up to do, which meant Melanie would have to find out about this other woman; the woman who had gotten close enough to Luke to have his child. Between Luke dumping her and today, he’d fallen for someone enough to have her child. The notion forced a bolt of jealousy within Melanie whether she liked it or not. She coughed, shook her pen, and proceeded with asking the one question she didn’t want to hear the answer from. “I’d like to know about Vivian’s mother.”
Luke returned to his seat. “A little early for this kind of interrogation, don’t you think?”
“I’m not flirting with you. I’m doing my job.”
“You’re sure there’s no part of you sitting there that wants to know why someone else is the mother of my child.” Luke grinned. “At one time, you wanted to marry me. You saw us having children together. You were that transparent.”
Melanie’s face turned to stone. Embarrassment crept up her cheeks. She was mortified to have him say this with Latonya and Stevie in earshot. “I have never wanted to marry you,” she said flatly.
I had the organza gown with the draped bodice already picked out. So what if I had taken Jessie to the little boutique and tried on the dress to get her opinion?
“What is Vivian’s mother’s name?” she proceeded with professionalism in her voice. She would address the issue of Luke bringing up their past openly, without her consent, in Maui. She wouldn’t be made a fool by him discussing their past again.
“Her name is Ava Sullivan.” Luke scribbled something on the corner of Melanie’s form.
She didn’t read the message and wrote down the name. “Will Ava need to be included in reports for Vivian’s progress?”
“Ava doesn’t impact Vivian’s life at all. She’s out of the picture and I don’t want her name on any of your forms.”
Whew.
She continued and filled in Luke’s name and other information about Vivian: address, birth weight, and the name and contact information of Vivian’s pediatrician.
“Are there any other concerns you have with her speech or her development?” The pen hovered over the document.
Luke’s jaw hardened. “I have no other concerns.”
Melanie put down her pen. “I’ll be looking at more than speech. There are six areas related to her language development I’ll be considering when creating a services plan: expressive and receptive language, social and self-help skills, fine and gross motor skills. At the Growing Tree, we look at a child’s deficiency in those areas. Children who meet less than twenty-five percent in one area qualify for services. In other words, if she scores above this number, she’s probably close to or above how other children her age are performing, what we consider inside a normal range. The areas she scores below twenty-five percent are where I’ll concentrate my time with her.” Melanie picked up her pen and tapped it slowly on the table. “In the public space, children have to qualify as deficient in order to receive services; otherwise, everyone could come knocking on our door and demand services, which would take up resources intended for children who actually need them. You’re paying me whether she qualifies or not, so I’ll focus on the areas of her greatest needs and work in the other ones as secondary. Is she involved in any play groups or classes?”
Stevie turned around and said, “None.”
Luke grew quiet in front of her and she brought the binder to her chest and spread her fingers
on the back.
“There’s nothing like cold, airplane water on my face to feel better,” Kendra said, rejoining the group and gave Luke one of her curious, inner-circle glances. “Apparently my stomach and turbulence aren’t meant to be friends.” She sat down, arranging her suit jacket over her belt. “Am I interrupting?”
“No, we’re finished.” Luke moved his chair back around to the laptop. “I need to talk to you.”
“What did you say to him?” Kendra mumbled and sat back down. “He’s in a bad mood, I can tell.”
“It wasn’t me. He needed something and you weren’t here to go fetch.” Melanie released the lock on the chair and turned her back on Luke and Kendra. The look she’d seen in Luke’s eyes while she’d brought up the speech therapy lecture had gotten to him. She thought she’d glimpsed something close to fear. A man who used to trot the globe and slept in the jungle wouldn’t be afraid of a little evaluation for his daughter, would he? Fear wasn’t in his nature.
Sweet, shy, little Vivian sat a few feet away kicking her legs. She wasn’t keeping up with her peers and Luke knew it. Melanie’s gaze sailed over to Luke, whom sat staring at a document on his computer screen. Somehow Vivian’s development had slipped down a steep crack between her parents. Melanie would have to dig to get the full story. She also had her work cut out for her.
She reached for the binder and pretended to go over the forms, until she found the one where Luke had written his note. A shot of heat run up her spine. Her eyes widened.
I look forward to seeing my tourmalines on your naked body.
