“It’s okay.” Viv shook her head with a wave of her hand when he remained silent. “I just appreciate you bringing the bag and all the backups, especially the candy. Having her medicine is clearly more important than my hygiene at the moment.”
He was such a jerk. Here he was worried about his fears, when Viv was constantly putting everyone’s needs ahead of her own. From being an incredible foster mother to Katie, to working at—no, excelling at—two jobs because of him, the woman was a marvel. And all she wanted was a damn shower.
“Go shower. I’ll watch her.”
Viv’s eyes widened in surprise, mimicking his own feelings. The offer was out of his mouth before he could talk himself out of it, but he wasn’t sorry. The second her shock wore off, her entire face softened and her smile warmed something deep within him...something he’d thought he buried with his wife and unborn child.
He thought Viv might argue or tell him not to worry about it, but she quickly handed Katie over and muttered a thank-you as she dashed down the hallway.
Gripping the child beneath her arms, Jack looked into her baby blue eyes. The irony that she’d lost her parents and he’d lost his own child was not wasted on him. But it wasn’t like he was going to be in Katie’s life permanently. Still, holding her didn’t make him miserable. In some strange way he couldn’t explain, having her in his arms was rather therapeutic.
Katie smiled as drool ran down her chin and dripped onto his hand. Even that didn’t turn him off. When he tucked her against his side, he felt a bit awkward. But the way she kept her eyes on him, as if she fully trusted him, had his heart stirring.
He hoped like hell Viv stuck to that five-minute plan because he wasn’t sure how much longer his emotions or his sanity could hold out against the power of this innocent infant.
* * *
Viv felt human again. She’d managed a quick shower, hair washing included, and she’d brushed her teeth. She’d been mortified that Jack had to see her so...so blah. There had been no way around it, though. She’d needed the bag and she’d known he would be at the office.
The fact that he’d brought her the name-brand candy had her wondering if he was reaching out to her on a personal level. Obviously, but why?
Viv wasn’t going to dig too deep into this, because even if Jack was trying to become personal, she was harboring a colossal secret. Pulling in a deep breath as she tugged her tank top over her head, Viv realized this case might never be solved. Would she have to hide the truth from Jack forever? But he deserved to know, even though it might ruin his quest for justice...and her chance at a deeper connection with him.
Worry coiled low in her belly. She didn’t like secrets and she’d never been a liar before.
Well, until she became a spy for Jack and started working for the O’Sheas. Her moral compass had never been so screwed up in her life.
As she came down the hall, she wondered how long she should give herself before she told him. Each day that passed only added more layers to her guilt. But before she could give herself a time line, the sight in the living room stopped her every thought.
Jack was the sexiest man she’d ever met and reduced her insides to mush every time he entered the room. But seeing him cuddling a sleeping baby might just be the ovary buster.
Nestled in the crook of his arm, Katie seemed perfectly content to catch some much-needed rest against Jack’s broad chest. And Viv was a tad jealous.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered as she crossed the room. “I tried to hurry.”
Jack’s eyes met hers, then traveled down her body. Every part of her tingled just as if he’d touched her. Perhaps she should’ve put on more than a pair of sleep shorts and a tank, but she’d been in a rush and grabbed the first thing she came across.
“She was out almost as soon as you walked away,” he stated, glancing back down at Katie. “Now what do I do with her?”
Inching closer, Viv brushed against his arm as she stood on her tiptoes to look down on Katie. Such a precious little girl, one who trusted so easily. Viv didn’t want Jack to leave just yet, but she wasn’t sure if he wanted to continue to hold the sleeping baby.
“Are you hungry?” Viv asked, looking back up at him. “I could make dinner for us. But if you want to get home, I totally understand. Nothing I make would compare to Tilly’s cooking.”
A smile flirted around the corners of his mouth. “I can stay. She isn’t cooking tonight. I actually threatened to give her the week off, because she’s about as subtle as your neighbor and wanted you to come back for dinner...and breakfast.”
Viv couldn’t help the images of all the possibilities surrounding that scenario that popped into her head. But she’d never spend the night in Jack’s bed—especially after she revealed the truth.
“Then maybe Martha and Tilly shouldn’t meet,” she stated as she moved around him. “Would you mind holding the baby for a bit longer while I get dinner ready?”
Jack’s lips thinned as he stared at Katie. “Not one bit.”
There was a sadness to his tone, one Viv wanted to explore but had no right to. She had bigger problems...like cooking a dinner that a millionaire would find appealing. She had a feeling microwave mac ’n cheese wouldn’t make the greatest impression.
Viv tried to block out the image of Jack holding a baby in her living room while she made dinner. There was so much wrapped in this moment—fear, hope, nervousness, sexual tension. All she could do now was concentrate on cooking. Later, she’d sort out her emotions—and decide when to come clean to Jack about his birth father.
Seven
Jack held Katie while Viv ate her simple meal of hamburger, baked potato and salad. She had protested, but Jack had insisted, gentleman that he was. Or maybe he’d just taken pity on her after witnessing her tears and frustration earlier. She was so grateful he was here—not that she should get used to having him around.
Once she was done, Viv crossed to the living room, where Jack sat on her hand-me-down sofa. He looked so out of place with that designer suit, groomed hair and a baby sleeping across his chest. Still, he looked perfectly at home, too. How cruel of her heart to cling to such a ridiculous fantasy.
Viv eased the still-sleeping baby from his arms so he could get up and go eat.
“I never dreamed she’d sleep this long,” Viv muttered. “I’m just going to lay her down in her room. I’ll be right back.”
Viv had gotten his plate ready and poured him a glass of iced tea, which was all she had unless he wanted whole milk or water. Definitely nothing like the dinner he’d served her at his house. But she wasn’t ashamed of how she lived. She wasn’t a billionaire, but she rocked the thousandaire title pretty well.
As long as she had enough funds to keep fostering and caring for children who had nobody else, she didn’t care how padded her bank account was. A trip to Tahiti would be nice, but was definitely not a necessity.
Viv took her time laying Katie down in the white crib she’d found in a secondhand shop and repainted. The yellow bedding was cheery, yet calm, quite the opposite of Viv’s nerves.
The stress of the secret was weighing on her. The fear of the unknown, the future, scared her more than anything. But she had to remain quiet for now...all the more motivation to help Jack clear up this case sooner rather than later.
Darkness had long since settled in, causing the tiny night-light to kick on in Katie’s room. Viv gave the baby one last glance before pulling in a deep breath and tiptoeing away. After being up all night and agitated all afternoon, Katie would sleep until morning, she hoped.
Viv backed out of the room, pulling the door closed. Jack’s strong hands gripped her arms just as she was about to turn.
“Sorry.” His whispered word by the side of her cheek sent shivers through her. His firm touch on her bare arms nearly had her leaning back aga
inst his chest. “I didn’t want you to trip over me.”
Viv turned, but Jack didn’t take a step back. So close. He was so close, yet with just the soft glow from the kitchen light and the small lamp in the living room, she could barely make out his expression.
“I need to get going,” he told her. “I just wanted to thank you for dinner. Tilly is the only one who cooks for me, so this was a nice change.”
Viv refused to believe a man who’d traveled the globe, both for business and pleasure, was impressed by a meal she’d thrown together.
“Actually, before you go, could we just talk?”
She didn’t want him to leave.
Jack tipped his head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Viv stepped away from the door so she didn’t wake Katie. “Why isn’t it a good idea?”
He moved in front of her, raking a hand over his hair, ruffling it, reminding her of the unkempt way he’d worn it when they’d first met. The man could seriously shave his head or grow his hair long and still have just as much sex appeal.
His eyes narrowed. “Exploring this tension between us isn’t a good idea.”
Wait...what? He thought she was about to bring up the chemistry between them?
First of all, she wasn’t that brave. Second, he clearly thought of her in that way or it wouldn’t be an issue. Part of her wanted to jump up and down, but the realistic side remembered the damning journal in her bedroom.
She’d just wanted him to stay so she’d have some company. Okay, that was a lie. She wanted him here so they could talk about something that maybe wasn’t only work. Perhaps if he would just slide into personal territory even once, maybe he’d see she was more than an assistant. She was a woman with a desire for her boss.
“I was—”
“I don’t like tension in my work space,” Jack continued. His broad shoulders blocked the light from the living area.
“And you think there’s a problem between us?”
Why did she suddenly sound husky, like some seductress? She certainly wasn’t trying to seduce him. Not that it would be a hardship.
“I think you drive me out of my mind.” Jack took a half step closer, towering over her and doing nothing to slow her rapid heartbeat. “I blame myself for my thoughts, but I blame you for making me want things I have no business wanting.”
Viv’s breath caught in her throat. He’d never made such bold statements before. She’d caught him looking, but he’d never, ever been this audacious. She’d be lying if she denied the sudden thrill of knowing he couldn’t ignore his feelings. All this time she’d thought he was made of stone. Clearly, this man was all flesh and blood. And sending her smoldering looks from mere inches away.
“I’m not trying to do anything to you,” she murmured. “I’m attracted to you, but I know you’re my boss and that’s a line we can’t cross, even if you were interested in me that way.”
Jack muttered a curse, took a step forward and had her pinned between his hard chest and the wall. He propped one hand next to her head as he leaned in.
“If I was interested?” he repeated with a laugh of disbelief. “Do I look like a man who isn’t interested, Viv?”
She bit the inside of her cheek. Treading this unfamiliar territory was not how she thought the evening would go down. She needed to tell him about the journal... That would squelch any interest he had. But now wasn’t the time.
Jack placed his other hand on the opposite side of her head. He didn’t touch her, but there was barely enough air moving between them in that miniscule gap.
“Just one taste,” he whispered. “You should stop me now.”
He didn’t give her an option to answer before his mouth covered hers...not that she would’ve protested. She’d waited too long for this moment and she was going to savor each and every touch.
But the kiss remained his only touch. He didn’t rush, didn’t force. He didn’t need to. The slow, sensual way his mouth moved over hers instantly had her wanting more.
He lifted his head slightly, just enough to change the angle before capturing her lips beneath his again. Viv couldn’t hold back. She didn’t have the willpower Jack apparently possessed.
She lifted her hands to his shoulders as he nipped at her lips. When he shifted slightly, bringing their bodies flush against each other, Viv let out a groan. If he’d offered to take her to her room right now, she wouldn’t have objected.
Jack left her mouth to trail kisses along her jawline. Before she could stop herself, his name escaped her lips in a whispered plea.
He stilled beneath her touch and slowly lifted his head. When their eyes connected, there was enough of a glow for her to see he was done. His pained expression was back, the torment he inflicted on himself so evident from his thinned lips and the creases between his brows.
“Jack,” she muttered once again. “You don’t have to stop.”
His hands fell to his sides as he took a step back. A chill enveloped her and she knew that self-erected wall was back in place.
“I need to go.”
She didn’t get a word in before he turned on his heel. In moments, the front door opened and closed, leaving her feeling even worse than before the kiss.
Viv slid down the wall, pulled her knees to her chest and dropped her head. Why did he have to kiss her? If she’d known he was going to have instant regrets, she would’ve preferred he leave her alone. Now all she could feel were his lips. He’d touched her nowhere else, but her entire body still hummed.
And from his reaction, she knew he would never touch her again.
Tears burned in her eyes. She’d practically inhaled her boss, then begged him not to stop. How the hell would she ever show her face at work tomorrow?
* * *
“If you have nothing to hide, then meeting me won’t be a problem.”
Jack’s gloved hand gripped his steering wheel. Frustration rolled through him from all angles, especially concerning that kiss he’d experienced an hour ago. He could still taste her.
But now his anger shifted from himself to Ryker Barrett. This was one tough guy to crack, but Jack was tougher. He wasn’t intimidated by the mob family’s thug.
“Meeting you would be a waste of my time,” Ryker replied.
“On the contrary,” Jack countered. “You can’t dodge the fact you all are the key suspects in the Parkers’ murders.”
“Nothing to dodge. Do you honestly believe we’d steal the items we wanted to auction? Pretty hard to pull that off, even for us.”
Jack hated this man. Hated the way he blew off the fact the Feds were swarming all around the O’Sheas. Either they were that arrogant or they truly had nothing to hide. Jack refused to believe this family had turned so lily-white after Patrick’s passing.
The patriarch was notorious for getting deals done, no matter the cost. He’d been careful, had the right people in his back pocket and had never even gotten so much as a parking ticket.
And Jack would be the one to bring them all down.
“Come by the coffee shop next to my office tomorrow at eight,” Ryker finally grunted.
Jack hung up and tossed the phone onto the leather passenger seat. Snow continued to fall and here he sat outside Viv’s apartment. He’d battled whether to go back in and apologize, then he’d opted to call Ryker and set up a meeting instead. He wasn’t worried about meeting with him, especially in a public place. The O’Sheas—and their henchman—were playing it smart now, anyway. They knew they were being watched and didn’t want to bring more attention to themselves.
Jack would start with Ryker, then move to Braden, Mac, anyone who would talk and give Jack the lead he needed to crack this damn case.
It was getting late and he still had a call to make with one of his clients in the UK, to go over s
ome security detail he was sending a team to cover. A simple job that would pay an easy seven figures. It was the one aspect of his life where he could maintain control and keep his sanity intact.
Because kissing the hell out of Viv had cost him everything.
He never showed weakness, never let his guard down, but he had done both with her. He’d gotten too damn cozy holding Katie while waiting on Viv to cook dinner. This wasn’t some suburban family setting, yet it had sure felt that way to him.
Beyond the whole domestic feel of the evening, Viv had come out from her shower smelling like lilacs and innocence. They were both damn lucky all he did was kiss her. He’d at least held on to that last thread of control by not putting his hands all over her...but damn, how he’d wanted to.
She was his assistant. The only woman, other than Tilly, he’d let into his life on any level since his wife had passed.
Jack knew his wife would’ve wanted him to move on. That wasn’t the issue. The issue was the pain he’d gone through when he’d lost her. Every single damn day since her murder, he’d had to live with the fact that he hadn’t been there to protect her. Did he want to open himself up to even the slightest risk of that happening again?
No. He had business dealings all over the world, clients who demanded his full attention. There was no woman who would understand, not even Viv. Besides, he was a much different man than he’d been a decade ago. Life had blindsided him and left him to pick up each shattered piece. He hadn’t even had the energy to put all the shards back together. Instead he’d opted for a fresh start, completely revamping his future goals.
Never once had seducing his assistant been on his list.
Jack put his SUV in gear and pulled from the curb. He had to put some distance between him and Viv. Had to get his head on straight so he could come out on top during tomorrow’s meeting. And he had to forget the way Viv had kissed him back with total abandon and want. Because he knew if he went back up to her apartment to apologize now, they’d end up taking a step he wasn’t sure he’d ever be ready for.
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