by Leanne Banks
His instinct was to deny it immediately, but he wanted to give her a better answer, an answer that would take the doubt away from her. “There’s superficial beauty and there’s inner beauty,” he began.
She rolled her eyes. “Oh, don’t tell me I’m pretty on the inside and that’s where it counts.”
“You are beautiful on the inside, but it shows through on the outside. In your eyes,” he said, lifting his hand to her cheek, “in your smile, in the way you move.”
He met her gaze. “And the way you want me makes me want to make love to you all the time.”
Her eyes widened, and her cheeks turned pink. “Really?”
“Really,” he said, taking her mouth and knowing deep in his gut he wasn’t the right man for her. She deserved a man with a heart, and Jack knew he didn’t have one. But she loved him, and her sweet sensuality filled an empty place inside him. Her devotion was more seductive than anything he’d ever faced.
“I’m not right for you,” he said, giving her the only warning he could. She was soft and warm, utterly responsive to him. He slipped his hands beneath her gown and felt her nipples harden beneath her touch; her heart raced against his palm. Was there anything more seductive than Amanda’s obvious desire for him? His blood heated and pooled in his loins. “I can’t resist you. Do you want me to stop?”
Her breath hitched, and the sound might as well have been an intimate caress from her hand.
“No,” she whispered, arching against him. “Don’t stop.”
Delilah scampered to Jack the second he walked in the door from the airport after returning from a short business trip. She wrapped herself around his leg until he dropped his suitcase and petted her. As he walked toward the back of the house, he overheard Amanda and Lilly in the kitchen.
“Three care packages,” Amanda said, and there was a rustling of paper. “My sisters and brother will be glad to get these.”
“Do you send cookies every time?” Lilly asked in a voice muffled, Jack suspected, by a cookie.
“Every time,” Amanda said. “When I was in college, I didn’t have anyone to send me cookies, so I always wanted to make sure my sisters and brother got a little extra TLC sometimes. Can you think of someone else who could use some TLC?”
Silence followed. “Daddy. He’s been workin’ hard.”
“Great idea,” Amanda said. “You are brilliant. Did you know that? Beautiful and brilliant and kind.”
Jack’s chest tightened at the conversation. His three-year-old daughter had thought of doing something nice for him. Amanda was teaching Lilly things he would have never considered. His life had been turned upside down in the past months. His house was littered with toys, his refrigerator covered with Lilly’s pictures, and the woman in his life gave him peace at the same time she quietly haunted him when he was away from her. God knows, he wasn’t comfortable with all the changes, but at this moment, he wouldn’t change a thing.
He strode into the kitchen. “Do I smell cookies?”
Amanda swung around from the kitchen table and smiled. Dressed in shorts and a cropped top, she looked casual and sexy. His gaze fell to her long, slim legs, and he remembered how they felt wrapped around him. “You’re home early,” she said, her eyes lighting in welcome.
“Daddy!” Lilly ran across the room to give him a hug. Jack dropped his attaché case and swung her up in his arms, heedless of the cookie crumbs she rubbed on him.
“Have you been busy?” he asked her.
She nodded. “Helpin’ ’Manda make care packages for her sisters and brother ‘cause their mom died like mine. ’Cept I don’t need a care package ‘cause I got you and ’Manda and Delilah and I’m not in college yet.”
Jack blinked at Lilly’s reply. That was the most she’d ever said to him since she’d come to live with him. He grinned. “Sounds like you’ve got it figured out. On the way home from the airport, I brought some videos for you to watch with the housekeeper tonight while I take Amanda out for a grown-up dinner.” He glanced at Amanda and saw a look of surprised pleasure cross her face.
Lilly pursed her little rosebud mouth. “What are the videos?”
“I think she may have inherited her negotiational skills from the Fortune side,” Amanda murmured.
Jack had done his research with the video clerk. He named the contents of his stash, and the movies met with Lilly’s approval.
“Can I watch them now?”
“May I please watch them after my bath?” Amanda prompted.
Lilly echoed her, and Jack ruffled her hair. “Yes, you may.”
Lilly skipped off to her room, and Jack turned to Amanda, who was taping the packages. “So, no one ever sent you a care package?” he asked.
She gave him a sideways glance. “You were eavesdropping.”
“No, your cat detained me against my will at the door, and I overheard you.”
Amanda’s lips twitched. “That, I believe.”
“I thought you said you went to college for two years before your mother died,” he said, helping himself to one of the cookies on the plate.
“I commuted because it was less expensive, and my mom still needed help.”
Jack thought about the devotion his parents had showered on him throughout his growing-up years. He had never lacked for anything.
The silence seemed to make her uncomfortable. “It’s not a big deal,” she said. “My background may be very different from yours, but it’s not really that unusual. I think I turned out okay.”
The sliver of defensiveness in her tone made him grin. He pulled her into his arms. “You turned out better than okay. I just thought you deserved to have some TLC along the way.”
He looked down at her, and the odd thought struck him that he would like to give that to Amanda. Jack had been so focused on work during the past few years that he’d never thought about taking care of anyone else. He thought of the jeweler’s box in his attached. Was he changing?
Dismissing the thought as too complicated, he lowered his mouth to hers for a long kiss that made him want to take her up to his bedroom. “I’m surprised at you, Amanda. You were never tardy for work.”
She wrinkled her brow in confusion. “Tardy?”
“I’ve been home more than five minutes, and you haven’t thrown yourself at me, telling me you’ve been counting the minutes when I would arrive.”
She laughed and shook her head. “I didn’t know that was a job requirement. I don’t have a lot of experience in throwing myself at men. I may need some training.”
“I’ll train you,” he said, breathing in the combined scent of sugar, vanilla and Amanda. “First, you kiss me,” he told her.
She lifted her lips to his and rubbed them back and forth in a slow rhythm that made his blood heat.
“Then you rub your breasts against my chest,” he whispered.
Amanda did as he instructed, and Jack felt himself grow hard. Instinctively she undulated against him, and he lowered his hands to her bottom, guiding her. Her tongue tangled with his in a surprisingly carnal kiss.
Jack remembered how good she felt naked beneath him, as he thrust inside her. He groaned, remembering they were in the kitchen. Lilly could walk in any minute. He reluctantly pulled away. “You learn quickly.”
She took a shaky breath, revealing her own arousal. “You are an excellent teacher.”
The look in her eyes said she would have let him take her on the kitchen table. Jack reined in his overwhelming desire to do just that. “I wanted to give you a thank-you and TLC dinner out tonight. Since I’ve been out of town the last few days, you’ve been stuck in the castle,” he said. “Plus I’ve missed being alone with you.”
Her gaze deepened with emotion. “I think I like that reason best.”
A couple of hours later, Amanda sat with Jack in a table tucked into the corner of The 510 Restaurant. Originally a turn-of the-century apartment-hotel, the exclusive restaurant exuded an elegant ambience with high ceilings, chandeliers and Q
ueen Anne chairs.
Amanda sipped her wine and tried to relax. It was difficult with Jack’s attention devoted totally to her. “How did you manage reservations?”
“I called from the plane,” he said, “and the owners know me.”
“It’s beautiful,” she said.
“Yes, and the food and service are great. A good escape from the castle,” he said with a grin.
“Yes,” she agreed and wondered how long Jack would stay interested in her. Amanda had spent a lot of time wondering about that during the past week. “That reminds me. I’m thinking of taking Lilly to a play group. It’s time for her to make some little friends.”
“You think she’s ready?”
“If I stay with her the first time, I think she’ll be okay. It crossed my mind that she shouldn’t get too attached to me since you’ll be getting a permanent nanny and I’ll come back to work.”
Jack frowned. “I hadn’t considered that.”
“I don’t know who it’s going to be more difficult for—Lilly or me. I’m just as attached to her as she is to me.”
“There’s no rush for you to leave,” Jack said, reaching for her hand. “More than one Fortune likes having you at our house.”
Her stomach dipped. “And I like being there for both of you,” she murmured.
“Jack Fortune,” a male voice called. “It’s been a while.”
Jack glanced up at a couple approaching their table. Amanda spotted the red-haired woman and thought she looked familiar.
Jack stood. “Ken, Trina, it’s good to see you,” he said shaking the man’s hand. “This is Amanda Corbain. Ken Dearborn and Trina Sullivan.”
Amanda shook hands and greeted them both. Trina edged closer while Jack and Ken talked.
“I’ve heard your name before. I just can’t place it,” the sophisticated red-haired woman said. She closed her eyes for a second, then opened them. “Jack’s secretary,” she said. “You’re Jack’s secretary.”
“Yes, I was,” Amanda said, feeling awkward under the woman’s curious gaze. “I’ve had a change of assignment. I’m taking care of Jack’s daughter for a little while.”
Realization crossed Trina’s face. “Oh, his daughter.” She made a tsking sound. “Such a shame about Sandra’s accident. Is her daughter as pretty as she was?”
“At least as pretty. Lilly’s a joy,” Amanda said.
“Well, I know Jack’s daughter is very important to him. If you’re taking care of her, then I know you’re important to him, too,” she said with a too-bright smile.
The waiter appeared with their meal.
“We should go,” Ken said. “Don’t be a stranger, Jack. It was nice meeting you, Amanda.”
After they left, the waiter served their meal. Distracted by Trina’s comments, Amanda silently ate.
“You’re too quiet,” Jack said. “What did Trina say?”
Her stomach tightened. “Just small talk. It took her a moment to remember I was your secretary.”
He nodded. “I’m sure she was quick to remind you of your place.”
Amanda thought about denying it, but smiled instead. “She was somewhat subtle about it. She was eyeing my wine, so I guess I’m lucky she didn’t dump it in my lap. She’s not happy to lose you.”
“She didn’t ever really have me,” Jack said bluntly.
“Who has?” Amanda asked.
Jack lifted his eyebrow. “Pardon?”
Amanda resisted the urge to feel intimidated beneath his intent gaze. “Who has really had you?”
He put his wineglass down and glanced away, then back at her, his gaze wry, yet thoughtful. “That’s a good question.” He took her hand. “You make me think.”
“Is that good or bad?”
He lifted her hand to his lips. “Ultimately good. I’m just not used to it.”
Even though he hadn’t really answered her question, Amanda felt as if he’d been honest with her, and it made her feel closer to him. They finished their entrées and listened to the waiter recite the choices for dessert.
Jack nodded toward her. “What would you like?”
“They all sound delicious, but I’ve had enough.”
He turned back to the waiter and asked for the check. Jack looked at her. “I have something I want to give you.” From his suit pocket, he pulled a rectangular black velvet jeweler’s box and placed it in front of her.
Floored, Amanda stared at the box.
“Open it,” he urged her.
Her heart pounding in her chest, she met his gaze and shook her head. “Why did you do this?”
“Because I wanted to thank you for all you’ve done for Lilly,” he said. His green eyes deepened with passion. “And me. Open it.”
Biting her lip, she opened the box. Nestled in the velvet lining lay a strand of pearls. Amanda’s breath stopped. “They’re beautiful,” she said. “I—I—I don’t know what to say. They’re beautiful, but this is unnecessary. I adore Lilly, and you know how I feel about you, so—”
Jack gently squeezed her hand. “It’s a gift, a thank-you. Accept it.”
“I don’t know how,” she confessed in a whisper.
Jack’s gaze grew gentle. He stood and walked behind her. “It’s easy. You put on the pearls,” he said, lifting the necklace from the box and fastening it around her neck. “Then you say ‘They’re beautiful. Thank you.’”
She swallowed a lump in her throat. “They’re beautiful. Thank you.”
He lowered his head to hers. “Then you kiss me.”
She raised her lips to his. He made it so easy for her to forget that he wasn’t in love with her.
Carol paid a surprise visit the following week after Amanda put Lilly down for a nap.
“The boss let us off early because we just finished a big project at work. I hadn’t seen you in a while, so I thought I’d drop by. Very nice house,” Carol said, looking around the formal living room. She grinned slyly. “I could be a nanny in these kind of surroundings.”
“You’d last a day or two,” Amanda said. “You’re too independent.”
She flopped onto a love seat. “I dunno. This is pretty nice. I like your hair.”
“Thank you.”
“Now, tell me everything.”
Amanda quickly shared some of the recent events. “But he’s not in love with me,” she finished, wondering if she was warning herself as much as she was warning Carol.
Carol shook her head. “He doesn’t love you? The man has made love to you, given you pearls, taken you out to the best restaurant in Minneapolis and he doesn’t love you?”
“Right,” Amanda said.
“If he doesn’t love you, then what does he feel for you?”
“He likes me,” Amanda said, wincing at how lame that sounded. “He likes me intensely. Carol, mine isn’t a face that would launch a thousand ships.” She stood, restlessly adjusting a lampshade.
Carol sighed. “Most of us weren’t born with a face that would launch a thousand ships. We just do the best with what we’ve got. I’ve always thought you hid your light under a bushel.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re so quietly pretty. There’s nothing wrong with that. But didn’t you ever want to make a little noise with your appearance?”
“No,” Amanda said, thinking she’d always stuck to tried-and-true conservative styles.
Carol groaned. “You always look like you’re ready for an inspection from Social Services.”
“I always had to be,” Amanda said, remembering the scary years after her mother died.
“Well, you don’t now.”
Amanda frowned. “But my job—”
“You’re a temporary nanny.”
“But I will be a secretary.”
“And you can wear a range of clothing. Besides, despite your previous misconceptions, aren’t you more than your job?”
Amanda chewed her lip thoughtfully. “Yes.”
“What are you thinking?”
“Chloe Fortune gave me the name of a spa that does makeovers. I let a stylist trim my hair a couple of weeks ago.”
“It looks good,” Carol said, nodding her head expectantly. “So?”
“So you’re right. I don’t have to face Social Services anymore. Maybe it’s time for me to have a makeover.”
“Hallelujah!” Carol said.
Amanda looked askance at her friend. “There is such a thing as too much enthusiasm right now.”
Carol rubbed her hands together. “This is gonna be so much fun. You must take pictures. You must share them with me.”
“I don’t know if the spa takes pictures.”
“I don’t mean pictures of you. I mean pictures of Jack when he sees you.” She laughed. “I can’t wait. When he finds out you’ve done a makeover for him, he will be on his knees.”
Amanda shook her head. “I can’t imagine Jack on his knees. That won’t happen,” she assured Carol. “Besides, I’m not getting this makeover for Jack.”
Carol wrinkled her brow. “Then who are you getting it for?”
Amanda thought of all the years she’d done everything she could to keep her family together. Dressing and acting older had begun as a necessity, then turned into a habit. Her life was different now, her responsibilities were different. She smiled at Carol. “I’m getting it for me.”
Ten
Lilly accompanied Amanda to The Red Carpet Spa and Salon. While Jacques wrapped strands of Amanda’s hair in foil, Amanda read The little Engine That Could to Lilly. Then Gina gave Amanda a facial and cosmetic application. The good-natured makeup artist powdered Lilly’s nose and put lipstick on her little mouth. Sheer indulgence or insanity drove Amanda to spring for a manicure for Lilly at the same time she got a French manicure.
The wardrobe consultant failed to conceal a slight grimace at Amanda’s plain dress and offered several suggestions from the adjoining fashionable boutique. Amanda bought one outfit from head to toe, along with two dresses and the most romantic nightgown she’d ever seen.
Although she bit her tongue at the hem length of the suit and the heels were taller than she usually bought, when Amanda looked in the mirror, she almost didn’t recognize herself. Her hair was lit with gold highlights, and a long bang curved over one well-groomed eyebrow. Her eyes looked large and alluring, her mouth full and sensual. In the suit, stockings and heels, her body was slim, youthful and sexy.
