Penny added, “Daddy says I’ll always float to the top if I relax.”
Emma didn’t look any more relaxed than he felt. Still, she recovered and told Pippa and Penny, “I found the ball the same time your dad did, and we practically tripped over each other.”
The two girls laughed, and Daniel gave Emma credit for telling them the truth without being totally honest...unless she really thought that was all that had happened.
Daniel swam off after that and decided to swim a few laps himself. After his fifth lap, he bobbed up and saw that his daughters and Emma were exiting the pool. The exercise had helped him regain his composure. He supposed he was ready to try to ignore Emma’s body in her wet bathing suit as they all prepared to go home.
* * *
When they returned to Daniel’s house after swimming, Emma watched Paris carefully. She thought Paris had looked pale after she’d gotten out of the pool. She shouldn’t be pale with the sun they’d had that day. She’d asked Paris if she was feeling okay and Paris, as always, had brushed off her concern. From the first day she’d been here, Emma had taken notice that Paris still wasn’t eating as much as her sisters. She’d also witnessed Daniel scolding Paris, encouraging her to eat more. That hadn’t helped.
Once they’d changed clothes and Emma had hung up the bathing suits to dry, feeling a bit shy about hanging Daniel’s on a drying rack on the screened-in porch, she heard Paris tell Daniel, “I’m going to check on Fiesta.”
Emma decided to take the opportunity to talk to Paris. Maybe she could frame it in a way that wouldn’t put Paris on the defensive.
A few minutes later, Emma let herself into Fiesta’s room and closed the door. She smiled when she saw Paris sitting on the floor, Fiesta nestled in her lap. “She’s bonded with you.”
Paris looked up at Emma, her hair still wet from her shower. In that moment, she looked much younger than eleven.
“Do you think she’s healthy enough to feed her kittens?” Paris asked.
“She’s eating much better. If we keep feeding her well while she’s nursing, hopefully they’ll have enough to drink.” Emma took the opportunity to make a comparison. “Fiesta needs the right nutrition, not only to have healthy babies, but to be able to nurse them. That’s why we chose the cat food that has the right nutrients.”
Paris narrowed her eyes and stared at Emma. “Are you trying to make a point?”
Emma shrugged. “Maybe. Cats and people have many similarities. Just like Fiesta, you need the proper nutrition for your bones to grow and strengthen, for your hair to be glossy, for your skin to have a healthy glow. Exercise alone won’t do that. You need vitamin-rich foods, a balance of protein, carbs, fats and fiber.”
Emma lowered herself to the floor beside Paris and began to pet Fiesta. She stayed quiet and Paris didn’t ask any more questions. But when Emma finally left the room, Paris appeared to be thoughtful. Thoughtful enough to listen to Emma and her dad?
Emma hoped that was possible.
Knowing they would be spending the afternoon at the pool, Emma had planned for a quick supper—toasted turkey-and-cheese sandwiches along with a salad and the iced tea she’d prepared earlier. It would be an adequate meal. Pippa and Penny would raid the cookie jar. Emma wanted to bake homemade cookies with them tomorrow to have something a little better for them than the store-bought brand.
After dinner, when Paris had only taken two bites of her sandwich and eaten a bowl of salad, Daniel asked Emma, “Do you need help cleaning up?”
“Not tonight. There’s not that much to load into the dishwasher. I’m sure you have other things you’d rather be doing.”
“I did bring work home, but if you need help, I’m here.”
Remembering exactly how she’d felt in Daniel’s arms in the pool, she quickly repeated, “I’m fine.”
Daniel looked as if he wanted to say something, but then he nodded and headed for his office. By the time Emma returned to her suite, her skin was prickly. Checking the neckline of her sundress, she saw her skin was indeed red against her gold locket. She wore the locket every day because inside of it was a memory of her mother.
Now she unhooked the clasp on the locket and set it on the dresser. She’d been so concerned about the girls slathering on sunscreen that she’d only remembered to do it to herself once. She’d lowered the straps on her sundress and was ready to smooth lotion on her sunburn when Daniel came into her room. She’d absently forgotten to close the door.
Daniel stopped when he saw her before the mirror, her straps lowered. He came closer and she was immobilized. The moment seemed to be electric, pulling them toward each other.
Daniel gently touched her shoulder and ran his fingers down the path of the sunburn on her arm. “That’s going to hurt later.”
She turned to face him. “It’s starting to hurt now,” she murmured.
“You felt what happened to me in the pool today,” he said. She felt a bit dizzy with Daniel being so close. He’d showered before supper, too, and she caught a whiff of soap—and male.
“What happened?” she asked softly, knowing she was blushing.
Yes, she had felt his arousal. But would that have happened with any woman...or just with her? When Daniel tilted his head, she knew what was coming. She could back away and deny the feelings she was starting to have for him.
But she didn’t.
She was holding her breath, expecting his lips to find hers, but they didn’t. He kissed her cheek first. She’d been kissed on her cheek before, mostly by family. This was totally different. The feel of his lips on her skin created such turmoil inside of her. She wanted more. Yet, she couldn’t be impulsive.
But Daniel was kissing her cheek again and then the corner of her lip. All she could do was reach up and encircle him with her arms. She did want more than nibbles. She wanted more than this. To her dismay, she wanted him. Their near-tryst—his body intimately pressing against hers—in the swimming pool had shown her that.
It wasn’t just his lips on hers that created the need inside of her, it was the scent of him, the tautness of his muscles, the feel of his arms around her. She couldn’t think, not about anything in the past, not even about the future. The fire between them in the present was all she could see and hear and feel and give in to.
His arms tightened around her, and she knew she should break away. But his kiss was masterful and exciting and everything she’d ever wanted to feel.
Then a question entered her mind: What did it mean?
That question brought her back down to earth. She pushed away and when she did, her head cleared. Suddenly she heard Daniel’s daughters scrambling down the stairs. Pippa’s voice was sweet and high. Penny’s voice was lower and rambling. Paris’s voice was modulated.
Daniel didn’t try to keep her in his arms. As soon as she retreated, he did, too. “I don’t regret that,” he said huskily. “Do you?”
She had to tell him the truth. She shook her head and pulled the straps to her dress back up to her shoulders. “No, I don’t regret it. But what does it mean?”
He ran a hand through his hair and looked troubled. “I’m not sure. But the one thing I can tell you is that I haven’t felt this attraction to a woman in over two years. I think that says something, don’t you? Tell me how you feel.”
“I feel lost and confused. I told you that in the past I was impulsive and I don’t want to be that way again.”
“I understand.”
His words were sincere and she believed him.
Daniel nodded to the door. “I can hear the girls. If I can hear them in here, then they’re being pretty loud.”
Emma smiled. “I guess that means they’re either excited about something or angry about something. I just hope Paris isn’t angry with me. I thought she looked pale when she got out of the pool, so I spoke with her earlier about the nutrition that Fiesta needs, and how it�
�s not so different from what humans need. I mean, cats need the right nutrition to make their bones grow and their fur glossy, while we need nutrition to be healthy and strong. She seemed to take it in, but I don’t know if she’s going to take it to heart.”
“One other thing that I like very much about you is the way you care.”
She had been hoping this attraction wasn’t just physical and his words now made her feel lighter, even happier. “I do care about them. I’m just not sure what to do about Paris.”
“All we can do is keep them all engaged. If we listen to them, hopefully they’ll listen to us.”
Did he really mean that?
“I know you probably want to put something on that sunburn,” he continued. “I was going to let the girls watch a YouTube video of a cat having babies. Do you want to join us?”
Yes, she very much wanted to join them. However, she feared that every bond she made with Daniel and even his daughters could easily be broken if he decided he didn’t want her in his life anymore. She shouldn’t get too attached.
She responded to him in the most tactful way. “I think watching that video would be a special moment for you with the three P’s. So I think I’ll stay here.”
Studying her for a long moment, Daniel said, “Maybe you’re right. I’ll let you know how it goes in the morning.”
“In the morning,” she repeated, looking forward to making breakfast for him and the three P’s. She wanted to enjoy every minute of being part of this family that she could...before it ended.
Chapter Seven
In his office the following day, Daniel couldn’t stop thinking about that kiss with Emma last night. He suspected she didn’t just want an affair. What did he want? He felt a real need for her. The thing was—was that need only physical?
He was still contemplating that question when the he heard the buzzer from the reception area—probably the woman coming to interview for the associate position. Emma had insisted that today she needed to do chores around the house so he told her he didn’t really need her at the office. He’d have to answer the door himself.
When he opened it, he found an attractive woman there. He asked, “Megan Jennings?”
Megan was about five-eight with wavy black hair that hit her shoulder blades. She was pretty, with high cheekbones, full lips and light brown skin.
Her dark brown eyes studied him now, as if she was assessing him. “I’m Megan.”
He immediately extended his hand to her. They shook and then he motioned her inside.
Daniel was dressed in a short-sleeved oxford shirt and khaki slacks. Even with the air-conditioning, sometimes the humidity snuck in.
Megan, on the other hand, was wearing a navy blue suit, but there wasn’t a bead of sweat on her brow and he had the feeling she was used to wearing suits.
In his office, Daniel had her résumé in front of him on his desk. He’d called her references and they’d been stellar. Tapping the sheet in front of him, he said, “I can’t find anything wrong with you!”
She kept a straight face, but he thought he saw the corner of her mouth twitch up.
“What am I supposed to do?” she asked. “Give you a list of my faults?”
“That might be a good start, so I know what to expect.”
She seemed unfazed by his humor and his request. Daniel was glad she wasn’t easily scared away. That was important.
She responded, “To start with, working in a law office, I believe everything I have to do should be professional.”
“No argument there. Why do you think that is a fault?” he asked.
“Some clients might think I’m a little standoffish.”
“Good to know. Anything else?”
“I’m single, particular and I’ll drop a client if he or she isn’t honest with me.”
Daniel’s gaze met hers. “Right away?”
“That depends. Sometimes people lie because they’re scared. I can understand that. But if they lie more than once, then I know it’s a problem.”
“You’re talking about criminal-defense matters? I didn’t think that was your specialty.”
“It’s not. I guess what I’m saying is that I’ve dealt with white-collar crimes, too. I’ve met CEOs who don’t think they need to tell the truth to anybody.”
“I know what you mean.”
“Let me ask you a question.”
“Go ahead.” It would be interesting to see what she asked.
“Why are you hiring an associate?”
“I used to have a partner, but he took a position at an Alexandria law firm. Since he left, work has piled up considerably and I need an associate.”
“And I need a job,” she said honestly.
“I understand you moved here from New York City.”
“Yes, I’m a transplant but so excited about the house I’m renting. It’s in the historic part of town. I’ve never lived in a house like that.”
Glancing down at her address, Daniel frowned.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, apparently reading him correctly.
“I just noticed your address. I have to warn you that you have an eccentric neighbor who’s constantly under the threat of eviction. I’ve never been pulled into the situation directly, so I don’t know the details. But I thought you should know.”
Megan just shrugged. “If that becomes a problem, I’ll take care of it. I’ve been on my own and I’m used to taking care of myself.”
Leaning back in his chair, pleased with the conversation, her résumé and references, he admitted, “Usually in this situation, I would have my office manager show you around, bring you up-to-date on the computer programs and that type of thing. But Raina is out of town for two weeks. My nanny, who has office-manager experience, will be filling in when she can, but she had other things to attend to today. Maybe tomorrow the two of you can get together and she can show you around.”
“Does that mean I’m hired?” Megan asked with a sparkle in her eyes.
“That means you’re hired,” Daniel concluded. He breathed a sigh of relief. Nanny problem solved... Associate problem solved.
This had been a good start to the summer.
However, he thought about that kiss with Emma last night. The situation with her could grow more complicated than he wanted it to be. He’d deal with that when he had to. He’d become good at compartmentalizing. His daughters came first. Work came second. And Emma? In time, he’d figure out where she fit in.
* * *
When Daniel came home, Emma was in the backyard with the girls. Pippa, Paris and Penny were playing dodgeball and Emma was strolling up and down the flower bed, looking pensive. The rhododendrons were blooming and she reached out to take one of the blooms in her hand. It was bright fuchsia. As she meandered down the garden along the house, she also stopped where snapdragons bloomed. She apparently liked flowers. Good to know.
Lydia had liked jewelry, not flowers.
The comparison made him want to forget the idea altogether. After he joined Emma by the garden, she looked up and smiled. Her hair had curled in the humidity and she’d tied it back. She looked younger that way.
“How’s the sunburn?”
She was wearing a tank and shorts and he could see she was still red.
“It’s not as sensitive this morning. I even put sunscreen on before I came out here.”
“You were playing dodgeball, too?”
“Until they got the best of me. I’m not very good at pummeling my opponent with the ball.”
Daniel laughed. “You see it that way. The three P’s see it as sports.”
“Pippa’s not too fond of it, either.” She pointed to the youngest, who had headed over to climb the combination jungle gym and treehouse.
As close as he and Emma were standing, their arms brushed when Daniel tu
rned to look at the girls. “I hired Megan Jennings.”
“You did? That’s wonderful. So she was what you were looking for?”
“Yes. I think she’ll work out really well. Do you think you could come in tomorrow while the girls are at camp, show her around and introduce her to the computer programs?”
“Sure.”
He glanced at his daughters but then his gaze returned to Emma once more. She was studying him, too. That pull of attraction he couldn’t deny was yanking on his emotions...and his regrets.
“Your managerial skills are on the level of a CEO’s,” he said.
“That’s idle flattery,” she teased.
“No, it’s not. The way you scheduled the three P’s and the way you’ve taken over Raina’s job in the office without blinking an eye... You’re talented, Emma Alvarez, whether you want to admit it or not.”
She looked speechless for a moment, but then she admitted, “I don’t think anyone’s ever told me that.”
“Then I’m glad I’m the first.” His voice had gotten a little husky and he didn’t know what that meant. He’d figure that out later, too.
Daniel heard a loud gong sound coming from the house. When they’d moved into this house, he’d learned quickly that the doorbell could be heard in every room.
He checked with Emma. “Are you expecting anyone?”
“No. You aren’t?”
“No. Unless Shannon decided to make another unexpected appearance. She often does that. She also knows to come around back, though. I’ll go check.”
* * *
A few moments later, Emma was shocked when she saw who came into the backyard with Daniel. It was her father!
Knowing her mouth had rounded, she quickly closed it. Jorge Alvarez looked as king-like as he always did. When she’d read storybooks with her mom, her father always reminded her of the king...and that’s how she thought of him. He was a tall man and his shoulders never slumped. Well, that wasn’t quite true. They’d slumped for a while after her mother had died. But then he’d regained his footing and become the father she knew now. And at this moment, he didn’t look happy.
The Nanny Clause Page 8
