“He’s such a little boy.” Candy grinned. “Alex, that is. In some ways, it seems he never grew up after our parents died.”
Hannah knew that Candy and Alex had been orphaned at a young age. After their parents had died in a boating accident, they lived with their grandparents and then a string of foster homes.
Hannah rested her head against her chair and smiled. “He doesn’t look like a little boy.”
Candy chuckled. “Are you interested in Alex or Tanner? Make up your mind. But hey, if that gorgeous millionaire wants you to stay for another week, soak it for all it’s worth. Food’s paid for. What more can you ask?”
“He wants me as a tutor for his little boy, not as a permanent houseguest.”
But would she be a permanent fixture if Tanner loved her and asked her to marry him? The thought was too silly to contemplate. It must be the medicine. She’d known him less than two months. The man most likely had a handful of girlfriends from Clearbrook Valley to Timbuktu.
Yet like it or not, her attachment to him was growing stronger, and the faster she moved out of his house the better.
“I thought you were supposed to be the nanny.”
“That too,” Hannah said, knowing she wanted much more, but was afraid of the consequences of falling in love again. “I adore that little boy. But I have to get on with my own life.”
She sat up and grabbed her lemonade. Sweat began to break out on her brow, and she gazed across the lawn. She really didn’t have the strength to walk back to her room. She should have stayed in bed. Her stomach was churning due to the medicine, and she felt as weak as a kitten.
Candy’s drink clanked against the table. “What about your new job? I’m sorry about the library. I hope it wasn’t Alex that got you fired.”
Hannah shrugged, knowing that Mrs. Gould had never liked her anyway. “Reach Medicals might make a decision any day. They still have my resume. The human resource manager was pretty nice. I’ve been calling for my messages at home. If nothing pops this week, I’ll probably give him another call. And about the library, good riddance. I have my degree and should be making more money soon. Mom wants to stay in Clearbrook Valley. She likes it here. But if things don’t work out, Alex told me he could set me up in Chicago. I could probably look for positions in Denver too, but things are getting tougher with this economy. I don’t like to think about moving, but Chicago might be my best bet if Reach Medicals doesn’t give me a call.”
Hannah stared at the side of the pool where Alex was acting like a chicken, flapping his elbows and squawking madly, making Jeremy laugh. The man looked like a bodybuilder in one of those store magazines, bulging muscles, glistening tan, straight white teeth. But she wasn’t interested.
She had fallen for a man who dressed in Armani suits, drove a Jaguar, and had the cutest smile in the world...and still loved another woman. His dead wife.
Candy groaned in disgust. “Come on, Hannah. Don’t tell me you’re not going after Mr. Millionaire in there? If you marry him, your money worries will be over.”
Hannah put the cold lemonade to her head. “He wouldn’t marry me.”
“Why not?”
“He doesn’t love me.”
Candy stirred the ice cubes around in her glass with her straw. “I see,” she said softly. “He’s been a gentleman through and through. And you love him, is that it? It can happen, you know. Two days, two weeks, two months. Some things are meant to be. He isn’t like Nick.”
“Yeah, right.” Hannah shut her eyes again. She had no idea where she stood with Tanner. Candy knew about her past, and Hannah usually could tell her friend anything, but right now, Hannah was as confused as her friend about her relationship with Tanner.
Candy’s cell phone rang, and she pulled it from her purse. She looked at her text and told Hannah she had been called into work. “Sorry. Hospital is short today. Thought I’d have a little more time.”
Hannah slouched in her chair. “No problem. I need to rest anyway.”
Candy reached over to feel Hannah’s forehead. “You’re too warm. You need to get back inside and take a nap. You’ll start feeling a lot better real soon. Sometimes antibiotics take a toll on your system. Just don’t take things too fast. And take your probiotics.”
Hannah nodded, wondering how she would make it up the stairs. “I’ll go to my room in a few minutes.”
“Alex,” cried Candy. “Come on, we’re going.” She waved him in and Hannah noted Jeremy’s frown.
“Let him stay,” Hannah said. “He’s playing with Jeremy.”
Candy gazed at her friend. “He likes you, Hannah. I’m not going to mince words with you.”
Hannah really didn’t care. She was exhausted, and if Alex could keep Jeremy happy, that was more important than fending off the man’s advances. Besides, he wouldn’t try anything today. She was too tired to even walk.
“He’s fine here,” Hannah added. “I’ll be going back to bed soon and Jeremy will have a playmate.”
Candy’s brows drew together. “He really, really likes you. I’ve never seen him so crazy about anyone before.”
Hannah let out a light laugh. “The only reason he likes me is because I turned him down for dinner.”
A smile tipped the corners of Candy’s mouth. “Yeah, maybe you’re right. I’ll see what he wants to do. If he stays, I’ll call one of the other nurses for a ride. You take care of yourself. I’ll be checking in on you soon, and to tell you the truth, I would feel better if you stayed here for a few more days. You’ve been running yourself ragged the past few months. Things finally caught up to you.”
Candy walked around the pool to speak to Alex. The smile on Jeremy’s face told Hannah the man was staying.
Hannah watched Candy leave.
Beneath the cover of dark sunglasses, Hannah glanced toward the pool and caught Alex staring at her. The thoughtful shimmer in those blue eyes made her suddenly wish she hadn’t talked Candy into making her brother stay. The man was telling her that he didn’t care if she was sick or not.
Well, she thought with a frown, why should she feel bad about a man wanting her? Tanner hadn’t made a move toward her in over a week. She was feeling a little depressed and unwanted. A little flattery went a long way when someone was sick.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Every muscle in Tanner’s body tensed as he gazed past the French doors, catching sight of Hannah’s slumped shoulders. She looked exhausted. During the past week, he’d restrained himself from kissing her again, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t kept a keen eye on her health. But she didn’t need him breathing down her neck like a crazed animal.
His eyes traveled down her long, tanned legs encased in a pair of cut-offs, and his lips thinned in annoyance. Richards was out there. Where the hell was a towel when you needed it?
The phone rang. He turned to pick it up, his eyes still attached to Hannah’s blond head as she leaned her head against the chair and closed her eyes.
“She should be in bed,” he mumbled, suddenly angry. “Stubborn woman.”
“Pardon?”
“Nothing,” Tanner said, shaking his head. It was Jack from Reach Medicals, muttering something about a job opening.
“I thought you already filled that position,” Tanner replied in an irritated tone.
“I did fill the position,” Jack replied. “And I know you told me you didn’t like to micro-manage. But since you were involved in this at point one, I thought you’d be of some help. Miss Elliot called a few days ago, and I said we were still holding her resume. But right now, Reach Medicals has a government contract to fill and we’ve lost two of our best people, one to a company in Texas and one to retirement. The new engineer I hired won’t be enough. I need one more person, and Hannah Elliot fits the bill. I was wondering if you’d found a permanent slot for her, or if it’s all right for me to give her a call?”
Tanner waited a few seconds before he answered. Guilt wrapped around his heart. He knew he was being selfish,
but he wanted Hannah here at home - and not just for Jeremy. A small voice picked at the back of his brain, telling him that managing Hannah’s life without her consent wasn’t right, but he ignored it.
For a minute, he felt as if he were acting the part of his English ancestor the Duke of Elbourne. No, he thought, from what he’d heard about the duke, the man had been an arrogant aristocrat who had interfered in his daughter’s choice of a husband. And it wasn’t as if Tanner was forcing Hannah to do anything.
Besides, he wasn’t exactly meddling with her choice of a husband, was he? He was...well...he was helping her, providing her with a good income for her and her mother. After a few months, he would tell her the truth and offer her more money than Reach Medicals would ever pay her. Yes, that’s exactly what he would do.
Tanner may be the first born son, but he told himself he was nothing like the snobbish duke. No, he was not like the man at all.
“I really need to fill that position,” Jack put in.
“Think I’ve found a slot for her, Jack, but give it a good week, then get back to me. I’ll be working from home for awhile. If she calls, stall for time. I need to work out a few details first.”
When Tanner hung up, he couldn’t help but notice the movement taking place outside. It looked as if Candy Richards was leaving and the gorilla staying. Staying?
The ape’s yell hit Tanner’s ears like a clanging cymbal. Jeremy laughed at Alex’s bellow, but it didn’t seem as if Hannah was paying much attention. Her lashes fell against her pale cheeks. She seemed as if she wanted to be anywhere but outside in the heat.
What the hell was she doing outside? She was sick!
Tanner glanced at Alex and grew more annoyed every passing second. The gorilla’s gaze was glued to Hannah’s sweet body, as if she were a piece of fruit ready for the picking.
Jealousy whipped through his veins, and the realization finally hit him.
Stop trying to run from the truth. Stop running. Period.
He wanted Hannah to stay at his house forever, and neither Richards nor Reach Medicals was going to stand in his way.
“Hannah,” Jeremy called, waking her from a much-needed nap. “You want to see me make a somersault?”
Hannah jerked up. “Don’t you dare! You have a broken arm, and it’s not supposed to get wet.”
“Oh, pooh. When I get this thing off, then do you want to see me?” His eyes lit up with glee as his feet slapped the water. “Alex said he’d help me.”
Hannah angled her gaze and caught Alex swaggering toward her, his tanned, muscular form dripping water alongside the pool.
Oh, please. Not now.
She pressed her hands against her eyes that burned with fatigue. “I’d love to see you do a somersault, pumpkin, when you get your cast off. But right now I have to get back inside. My head is starting to hurt.”
“Oh,” the boy said, guilt filling his voice. “Dad said I wasn’t supposed to bother you too much today.”
“You’re not bothering me. I’m just a little tired, that’s all.” She started to rise when she felt a steel arm slip around her waist.
“Let me help you, darlin’.” Alex’s hard wet body pressed against hers, and she flinched as he helped her to her feet.
“Thank you, Alex.” She was a little unsteady and accidentally stumbled into his broad chest. He felt cool to the touch.
“Sorry,” she mumbled, her heart beating with embarrassment.
“Anytime, darlin’. You don’t look so well. You want me to carry you into the house?”
Hannah awkwardly cleared her throat and felt her knees go weak. “I hate to ask, but if you could just hold my arm, I think I can manage—”
“I’ll help her,” Tanner’s voice snapped behind them, the outburst setting Alex’s hand deeper about her waist.
Hannah flinched. What was he doing home?
“I thought you went to work, Dad,” Jeremy said, surprised.
Tanner glared at Alex. “Thought I’d work at home for a while.”
Biting her lip, Hannah felt the tension grow to dangerous proportions as Alex flashed a challenging white smile in Tanner’s direction. Hannah bit back a groan when she felt Alex’s hold on her almost lift her off her feet.
“No need for the muscle department to chime in here, Clearbrook. I’ve got everything in control, as you can see. You can go back to work. Don’t worry about us.” A clap of air gushed from Hannah’s chest as Alex swept her into his wet arms.
“I suggest you put her down, Richards. Now.” There was a steely edge to Tanner’s voice that gave Hannah the feeling the millionaire wasn’t going to take no for an answer.
Alex turned around so quickly, Hannah started to feel the world spinning. She put her hand to her head and groaned.
“She’s getting sick! Can’t you see that?” Tanner brushed up against Hannah’s shoulder. “Give her to me.” Tanner’s hard tone made Alex grip her tighter.
Hannah took one look at Tanner’s smoking eyes and swallowed hard. At that moment she wished she could throw both men in the pool to cool off.
“I have her, Clearbrook.” Alex dropped his gaze to Hannah and caressed her leg. “Just tell me where to go, darlin’.”
Hannah barely glanced at Tanner, but she didn’t need to, she could feel his intense gaze drilling into her. Was he jealous? The thought hit her like a blast of cold air. It was ludicrous, but after the scene in the library, anything was possible. Could it be that Tanner did not just like her, but really wanted her, Hannah Elliot, the little widow without a penny to her name?
Taking a chance, she smiled back at Alex. “I appreciate your help, Alex, but I think you better put me down. Tanner can help me inside.”
Alex shrugged and set her sandals to rest on the grass. As soon as her shoes hit the ground, she was abruptly swept weightless into Tanner’s arms, and without a word, he headed toward the house.
“Hey, Alex, now you and I can play some more.”
Jeremy’s voice drifted to Hannah’s ears. But Tanner didn’t stop. He plunged past the patio doors into the mansion and started down the hall, his heels clapping at a pace fast enough to make her dizzy again.
She noted the determined hardness of his jaw, and though she wanted nothing else than to be held in his arms, she decided enough was enough. She didn’t know what this man wanted anymore. She was totally shocked at his behavior. He was cold one moment and hot the next.
“I think I can walk on my own now.”
His silvery gaze clung to her face. A vein pulsed on the side on his neck. “Don’t think so.” His footsteps thudded up the stairs. “You look as weak as the coffee Mable made this morning. So for the next week, no visitors.”
“No visitors?” Two delicate brows slammed together in rage. “What do you mean no visitors? And where does this extra week come in? I appreciate your hospitality, but I believe can leave anytime I like, and if you think for one minute—”
She wasn’t able to finish before his lips came swooping down to meet hers. The kiss was hard and demanding, leaving her weaker than before. Breathless, she stared back as he lifted his head and kicked open her bedroom door. He placed her on her bed, bent down, and began taking off her sandals. Her breathing seemed to echo off the walls.
“Your mother wouldn’t like it if I sent you home when she wasn’t there. Fritz told me she’d be home in another week. If you want, you may go home then, but not until. Understand?”
He rose and stood over her with such a commanding presence she found herself speechless. No wonder he owned almost half of Clearbrook Valley. Well!
Still reeling from his kiss, she watched in silence as he turned to leave. She eventually found her voice. “My mother has nothing to do with this!”
Before he grabbed hold of the doorknob, he glanced over his shoulder, his determined gaze sending the blood rushing to her head. “And another thing, if I ever see Richards touching you again, I’ll knock his brains out.” He caressed her with that Clearbrook smil
e, making her insides turn to mush, and then he was gone.
Her jaw dropped open in shock. What had just happened? Was Tanner falling in love with her? Was she already in love with him? He wasn’t like Nick, was he? He may be arrogant and demanding, but he would never try to run her life, telling her what she should do and shouldn’t do, would he? But didn’t he just tell her she was staying at his house? Yet he was looking after her health, she told herself.
Still, it was hard to keep the facts straight when he kissed her like that.
Suddenly, her life seemed out of control, and it was all because of Tanner Clearbrook. The question was, what was she going to do about it?
Alex Richards glared at Tanner as they stood beside the sparkling blue water of the pool. Jeremy had hurried into the house to go to the bathroom, and the two men didn’t speak until the boy was out of sight.
“Are you interested in Hannah, Clearbrook? Or are you just using her?”
“I don’t care for you, Richards. If my boy weren’t here—”
Alex raised his hands in protest. “Hey, only asking. I want to know where you stand. I like Hannah. She’s pretty, intelligent, and lonely. Everything that makes her desirable to a man like me. Oh, and did I mention too sweet to be taken advantage of, if you get my meaning.”
Get his meaning? Tanner’s eyes narrowed as he inwardly counted to ten and sank into the chair beneath the umbrella. Richards didn’t seem like he was going to leave peacefully.
“Have a seat Richards. You look a bit tired.”
The big man laughed and leaned forward, palming the table with his beefy hands.
Tanner felt his blood rumble. Only minutes ago, those tanned hands had been wrapped around Hannah like a boa constrictor.
“Tell me something, Mr. Millionaire. You want her for your son’s nanny,” he looked Tanner up and down and snarled, “or you want her for yourself?”
Tanner fought to control his anger. He took hold of the lemonade pitcher and poured two glasses. “You think I’m going to talk to you about my life? You’re crazy. My business is not your business, Richards.”
Almost Midnight (sweet contemporary romance) (Colorado Clearbrooks) Page 13
