Damn! I had forgotten that I was supposed to get meat out of the fridge to defrost for tonight. Mrs Hall had requested the night off, and apparently, Bryce was entertaining a friend. He was planning a barbecue in the alfresco area, and I had to make some salads to go with it. I laughed inwardly. I hoped the friend would be happy with canned potato salad and shredded iceberg lettuce. I suppose I could cut a tomato or two to throw in as well. Hey, I hadn’t applied to be the chef. If he was unhappy, he could make the damn salads himself.
“Come on, Charlie,” I said. I held out my hand to the toddler.
Bryce, strangely, had anticipated my lack of skill in the salad department, and brought home some gourmet salad tubs from a deli in town.
“Thought it might make your life easier,” he grinned, as he plonked them down on the kitchen table. “Since Mrs Hall isn’t here to do it.”
I grinned back. “Why, thank you, sir,” I replied. “How you think of me.” I grabbed the tubs, pouring them into some bowls. “There you go. No one is ever going to know that I didn’t make them myself.”
“Cara, you are hilarious,” he said, rolling his eyes. “Did you defrost the meat?”
“I think I am capable of that at least,” I said, indicating the meat trays on the bench. “As long as you don’t want me to cook the damn thing. I wouldn’t know how to operate a barbeque to save my life.”
He looked astounded. “Of course, you don’t,” he said. “Barbeque is a man’s domain. It’s an Aussie tradition, the men gathered around the grill poking at burnt pieces of meat. It makes us feel like we’ve provided for our women.” He grinned at me, slowly. “It’s the caveman instinct. You’d better watch out that I don’t drag you by the hair back to my cave after dinner is over.”
I looked at him. The sexual tension crackled in the air between us.
He was looking hot. He had gotten out of his work suit and was wearing a pair of shorts and a short-sleeved shirt. His dark hair still glistened from the shower. Super sexy.
“Cara!” Charlie toddled into the kitchen, holding up his drink cup.
The spell broke. We both looked down at the little boy.
“Why don’t you do it, Bryce?” I said, grabbing the cup and handing it to him. “Fruit juice, mixed with water. I need to freshen up anyway.”
I left them to it, Bryce gazing after me as if I had just left him alone in a lion’s den. He needed to bond with Charlie. It wouldn’t hurt him a bit.
They were both on the floor, absorbed in creating a tower of blocks when I returned.
Charlie was happily handing blocks to Bryce, who seemed intent on building the highest tower he could manage. The blocks wobbled precariously, before suddenly falling in a heap around them.
Charlie laughed, a big belly laugh, full of joy. Bryce started laughing too, suddenly picked him up, throwing him into the air. Charlie continued giggling.
I crept past them, back into the kitchen. I didn’t want to disturb the moment.
The door bell sounded.
“Could you get that, Cara?” Bryce called, still absorbed with Charlie.
Of course, it would be Bryce’s friend. I tried to remember his name as I walked to answer it. Zane? At least I thought that was what Bryce had said.
A man stood there. He was tall, and rugged looking. Sandy hair.
“You must be Zane?” I stretched out my hand. “I’m Cara. Please come in.”
The man smiled. It was then that I noticed a woman, standing slightly behind him. Strange. Bryce hadn’t mentioned that a couple was coming.
“Cara, nice to meet you,” said Zane, as he stepped through the door. “Can I introduce my sister, Tanya.”
The woman stepped forward. Long, blonde hair, straightened to perfection. She had poured herself into a classic little black dress which showed off her stunning figure. Was she a model?
“Nice to meet you,” she smiled.
Bryce
I looked up from where I was playing with Charlie on the floor.
“Zane!” I stood up, reaching to take his hand. “Long time no see mate!”
It was then that I saw the woman. Wow. A beauty. But hang on a minute. She looked familiar. It couldn’t be, could it…?
“Bryce.” She stepped forward, smiling a megawatt smile. I was almost blinded by it. “You haven’t forgotten me, have you?”
“Of course not,” I said. I reached over and pecked her on the cheek. “Tanya. It’s been so long.”
Cara was standing there, looking from me to the guests. She looked a bit perplexed.
“Cara,” I said. “Have you met Zane? We used to go to school together. And this is his sister, Tanya. Tanya and I used to…”
What could I say? We had never been serious, but we had been seeing each other for a while. Hardly ex-girlfriend material. But it was a bit awkward.
“We used to date,” Tanya chimed in. “Back in Melbourne, years ago.” She looked at me, quietly assessing.
“And this is Charlie,” I said, picking him up. “My son.”
“Oh, what a little love,” cooed Tanya, coming over to me. She reached out her arms. “May I?”
“Of course,” I said. “Be my guest.” I handed Charlie over. Tanya started making baby noises at him. Charlie looked a bit startled.
“Women,” grinned Zane. “Show them a baby, and they all turn to mush. Biological clocks start to wind into overdrive.”
“A drink?” I said over my shoulder, as I walked to the drinks cabinet. Zane followed me.
“I hope you don’t mind,” he said to me, in a whisper. “She just showed up this afternoon, flew in from Sydney. Surprised the hell out of me. I didn’t want to leave her alone at the hotel.”
“Of course not, it’s fine,” I said, quickly. Well, what could I say? And really, it was fine. Tanya and I had dated for about two seconds, five years ago. There hadn’t been a big bust up. We had just drifted apart, kind of like all my relationships did.
I looked at Zane. He hadn’t changed a bit, still buzzing with that frenetic energy. Well, he had to. The man owned one of the biggest cattle stations in Australia. It took a lot to run an operation of that size.
Zane and I had met at school in Melbourne, one of the most exclusive. Finn had gone there, too. But whereas Finn and I travelled to school daily, Zane had been a boarder. His father owned the biggest cattle station in the Northern Territory, and was mega rich. Old Rupert Connelly thought it would be better if his son boarded, as a lot of the Outback ranchers did. There wasn’t a lot of choice for schooling in the middle of nowhere.
Zane and I had kept in touch, and I had met Tanya after we graduated. She was working as a model, having decided to leave the Northern Territory behind for good. She flitted between Melbourne and Sydney, sometimes working, but more often than not just living the socialite lifestyle. Their father had left her well provided for, she had a sizeable trust fund let’s not forget. The modelling was more of a dalliance, so she could have access to the latest clothes and industry events.
I handed Zane his glass. “How’s things? I haven’t seen you in a long time.”
He sighed, staring at his whiskey. “It’s been full on man. I’m travelling a lot, but still trying to get back to the station when I can.” He stopped, hesitating. “I suppose you heard what happened with Joanna and I.”
I nodded. “Yeah, I heard,” I said. “It’s rough. Where is she now?”
“She’s taken the kids to Adelaide, staying with her parents,” he said. He sounded low. “I’m trying to get them back, but you know how it works. The courts always favor the mother, even when you’re one of the richest men in Australia. A divorce is coming.” He swallowed his whiskey in one.
I felt awkward. I never knew what to say in these situations. “I’m sure it will work out,” I said, a bit lamely.
“Anyway!” Zane plastered a smile onto his face. “I see you have issues of your own. I never knew you had a child. What happened to his mother?”
I looked at him.
“It’s very sad,” I said. “I dated Abigail a few years ago, but it wasn’t anything serious. We parted as friends. I got a call from her lawyer a month ago, telling me she had just passed away from cancer and that I was named on the boy’s birth certificate as his father. It blew me away, I can tell you.”
“She never told you about him?”
I shook my head. “Never. It’s so strange, you know I would have provided for them both. Abigail was always the independent type, though. Maybe she just wanted to go it alone, until she realised what was the prognosis for her illness.”
“And how’s it going, with him?” Zane gestured to the little boy. Tanya was still playing with him, while Cara had wondered off to the kitchen to check on things. “I see you didn’t waste any time getting a hot nanny.” He grinned.
“It’s going great,” I lied. Then I stopped and thought about it, for a moment.
How was it really going? I barely knew. Cara seemed to have settled into her role with Charlie. But I had been working flat out, and hadn’t spent much time with him. I frowned. That had to change.
Then I looked at Cara. Yes, she was one hot nanny. Was Zane interested in her?
“I haven’t noticed,” I lied, again. Zane gave me a quizzical look, but didn’t push it.
“What does a girl have to do to get a drink around here?”
Tanya had suddenly approached us. She had her megawatt smile on again, and tossed back her blonde hair, slowly.
She was a beautiful woman, there was no doubt about that. Maybe I should re-visit what we had once had, for old time’s sake. She was in town, and I hadn’t been with a woman since I left Melbourne.
Then I looked at Cara. Black hair in a top knot, wearing a pale blue sun dress which contrasted against her newly acquired tan. She had been spending a lot of time with Charlie on the beach. She wasn’t my usual type, that was for sure. Tanya was kind of the prototype for the women I liked.
But there was just something about Cara. She was unbelievably sexy. And she had a brain in her head. I could converse with her about any topic, and she always held her own.
I shook my head. She was the nanny. She had her own life in America. She had been friendly with me, but had kept her distance. I had no idea what she really thought about me. Most likely she thought I was failing at being a good father.
I poured Tanya a drink.
Cara
I watched Bryce flirt with Tanya by the side bar. A leopard never changes its spots, obviously.
Amber had told me of course. About Bryce and his women. But I hadn’t seen him in action until now. Well, why should I have? I had been focused on looking after his son after all.
I tried not to let my heart sink. Yes, I found him attractive. Very attractive. I had been trying to keep a lid on it though. I knew his reputation. And he was my boss. He had never indicated that he wanted anything more from me than a professional relationship.
I had no right to be upset. And yet, I was. He was a player, through and through. I had met the type before. They led to nothing but heartbreak.
I watched it progress, all through supper. Tanya would laugh, a little too hard at something Bryce had said. And Bryce would focus his attention on her. I excused myself half way through the meal, saying that I had to check on Charlie. I wished them all a good night. Bryce looked surprised, but he accepted it. Well, I was only the help, wasn’t I? It had been nice of him to include me in the meal, but he hadn’t had to.
I heard the front door open when they left. Probably Bryce and Tanya had made plans to meet up later, or over the next few days. I could see it coming a mile away. I tried to concentrate on the book I was reading. I could hear Bryce in the kitchen, and then there was silence. He must have gone to bed.
I thought I might like some hot chocolate, to settle my mind. I padded into the kitchen, down the stairs. I flicked the light on. I had just finished pouring the water into the mug when I heard a sound behind me. It was Bryce, leaning against the kitchen table.
“You scared me half to death,” I said to him. I walked to the fridge to get the milk, trying hard not to spill it on the way back to the bench.
He frowned at me. “You went to bed early.”
I continued pouring the milk into the drink. Steady. My hands were shaking, just a little.
“Yes.” I didn’t look at him. “I was a bit tired. Maybe too much sun today.”
“You were very quiet at dinner.”
“What did you want me to do?” I put the spoon onto the counter. “Monopolise the conversation? You and Tanya seemed to have had it all stitched up anyway.”
He looked at me. “Tanya and I knew each other, years ago. I haven’t seen her in a long time. Why shouldn’t we talk?”
“No reason at all,” I said. I felt cross with myself. What was I doing?
He came up behind me. “I don’t understand what’s wrong.”
“Nothing’s wrong,” I said, irritably. “I’m just making myself a drink. You can talk to whoever you like.”
I turned to walk away, but he grabbed me by the arm, forcing me to turn toward him.
“Cara,” he said. I looked down at his hand on my arm.
Suddenly, we were kissing. In the middle of the kitchen. He wrapped his arms around me, forcing me to be still in his arms. His lips were amazing; I couldn’t believe how wonderful it felt, just being kissed by him. I felt heat course through my body, making me go limp in his arms.
He held me tighter, exploring my mouth slowly. I could feel his hardness against my leg, pressing into me. And then, he was trailing kisses down my throat. I could feel him trembling.
“What is this old thing?” he said, huskily, drawing my night shirt up. It had seen better days, that was for sure. I almost blushed, thinking he was seeing me in it. He was probably more used to hundred-dollar lingerie. That was what Tanya would wear to bed, I could almost guarantee it. I tried to get her out of my mind, but she was there. Butting her way between us.
I broke off the kiss, panting. “Bryce, I don’t know if this is a good idea,” I said.
He looked at me, breathing just as heavily. “Cara, I know you want this as much as I do,” he whispered.
I backed away. “I find you attractive, sure. But I can’t compete with the women in your life.”
“What women?” He frowned.
“Amber’s told me everything.” I had almost regained my breath. “About you. About how you change your women like partners in a barn dance.”
“I’m single,” he said, raising an eyebrow. “I’m able to see anyone I goddamn please.”
“Yes,” I said. “And I’m not stopping you. I don’t want to be another notch on your belt Bryce, that’s all.”
“Cara…”
“You didn’t even know you had a son, Bryce.” I looked at him. “A beautiful boy. How many more children do you have out there? Have you even ever thought about that?”
His face changed. “That’s going too far.” He looked at me, a little sadly, then walked slowly back up the stairs to his bedroom.
Had I gone too far? I just didn’t know.
I needed to protect myself. My heart had been broken, before. I knew Bryce’s type. What had Amber called him? The Playboy of the Western World. Someone best kept at arm’s distance, if you knew what was good for you.
I had made the right choice. So why did I feel so bereft?
Bryce was gone by the time Charlie and I were up.
I still felt unsettled by what had happened between us. As much as I wanted him, I was scared. And believe me, I did want him. The kiss had been simply amazing. I hadn’t felt that way toward a man in a long, long time.
I guess I had always had issues in that regard. I would run a mile from being hurt by a man. Probably something to do with my father. He had abandoned my family when I was small, and it still hurt. I hadn’t seen him in years. It was one of the reasons I felt so strongly about how Bryce treated Charlie. And my father had been a player, always cheating on my
mom. Until he had left her for good, running away with one of his women.
I didn’t want to end up like her, struggling to survive, trying to take care of me and my sister while working two jobs. She had been a strong woman and I was very proud of her, but it had been tough. I thought of my little sister, Bianca, a year younger than me. She had never been able to trust men, either. She had never had a serious boyfriend, and worked herself ragged trying to build up the fashion business she had set up since graduating from design school earlier this year.
That was what it was like, when you gave your heart to a player. It ended up in a million pieces on the floor. Thank God, I hadn’t given Bryce my heart to play around with. That I had stopped it before it grew into something I couldn’t control.
It was much better, keeping a lid on who you gave your heart to.
Much better.
Bryce
It was business as usual over lunch, in one of Surfer’s Paradise’s top restaurants.
I was used to working lunches. It was how a lot of business got done. But today, I was finding it hard to concentrate. My mind kept going back to Cara.
I couldn’t help it. I kept replaying over and over how she had felt in my arms. How hot she was. It had taken all my strength not to bend her over the kitchen table and have her then and there. I thought I had shown a lot of restraint.
I thought too of her words about me. How I was untrustworthy. That I used women. A lot of it was true; I really didn’t have a great track record in that way. I couldn’t help it. I tried, I really did. But I would always get distracted by the next beautiful woman who walked in front of me.
But she had gone too far, when she insinuated I had a tribe of children out there. I wasn’t Casanova, for God’s sake. What was wrong with good old fashioned lust, anyway?
Daddies & Nannies: A Contemporary Romance Boxset Page 27
