‘We?’ Carrie echoed, her hackles instantly rising at his arrogant assumption that he was coming inside with her to decide what was best for Danny. She was his guardian. Nikos Kristallis didn’t even know him. ‘I’ll take him inside,’ she said firmly. ‘There’s no need for you to go to any more trouble. Thank you for your help,’ she added, in a voice she knew didn’t sound convincingly grateful.
She reached out to take the pushchair from Nik, but he held it out of her reach.
‘I’m not going anywhere until I make sure my nephew is all right,’ Nik said flatly. ‘Now, stop wasting time and let’s get Danny inside.’
Nik sat in the only armchair and watched Carrie tidying her flat with quick efficiency. She was still dressed in the tight-fitting exercise gear that must be what she wore for work. He felt his body stir with pure male appreciation as he admired her long-limbed yet curvaceous feminine shape.
There was no doubt that she was very well toned, and there was something incredibly sexy about her swift and supple movements as she worked systematically around the single space that seemed to serve as kitchen, dining area and living room.
The area was small, but as Carrie put Danny’s things away Nik saw that it was very well organised. The stylish design of the place still spoke of Carrie’s carefree days as a young single woman, without any attachments or responsibilities, but the child’s things were fitted in neatly and looked as if they belonged.
Danny was sleeping in the bedroom. A dose of infant painkiller, a drink of warm milk and a long cuddle were all that it had taken to send him off into what looked like a very peaceful sleep. Carrie had spoken of the everyday ailments that babies sometimes suffered from—quick to come and equally quick to go. She’d seemed to know what she was talking about.
Nik had deliberately kept out of her way while she took care of the baby, giving her the space and time she needed. He had been impressed, and rather surprised by what he’d seen.
Since his first meeting with Carrie she’d seemed quite jumpy, and full of nervous energy. He hadn’t expected her to be so calm and loving towards the child. Somehow he just hadn’t taken her for the warm, motherly type.
But recognising that Carrie did have some good points as a carer did not change Nik’s plan. This was not the way he wanted his nephew to be brought up. No matter how well intentioned Carrie was, she was on her own, and she still worked full time. How could she possibly give the child what he, with all the might of Kristallis Industries behind him, could give?
For instance, this flat was so small, and there was only one bedroom. The cot took up most of the available floor space, and there was no chance that an additional bed, even a child-sized one, could be squeezed in next to Carrie’s double bed when Danny got older.
His blood stirred at the thought of Carrie’s bed—or rather at the image of Carrie lying in it. It was a small double, but a double none the less, and that meant it was made for sharing. He flexed his fingers to prevent his hands clenching at the suddenly intolerable thought of Carrie sharing that bed with anyone.
‘That’ll do for now,’ she said, startling him out of his thoughts as she paused for a moment with her hands resting on the curve of her hips. ‘Coffee?’
‘That would be perfect,’ Nik replied smoothly, despite being caught deep in thought, and watched as she turned to fill the kettle with water.
God, but she was gorgeous! With her back still towards him, she stretched up into a high cupboard for the mugs. The simple action made her top ride up, separating from the black stretch pants that clung so alluringly to her shapely bottom and legs. Several inches of pale skin were suddenly revealed, and hot desire for her slammed into him, hard and unexpected.
Of course she was a good-looking woman. He was a red-blooded male and he’d been aware of that from the second he’d laid eyes on her. But suddenly he wanted her with a power that knocked the breath right out of him.
He remembered the way that pale skin had felt beneath his fingers, the way that supple body had melded so electrifyingly to his. He thought about yesterday’s kiss, and instantly his heart was thumping powerfully in his chest.
He hadn’t meant that kiss to be more than a simple distraction to enable him to replace the mobile phone in Darren’s pocket. But once he’d been holding her lithe body in his arms, and she had moulded herself to him like a second skin, his animal desire had threatened to take over.
And if he didn’t get himself under control soon, the urge to seize her and kiss her again might take over now.
But would that be such a bad thing? The rational part of his mind told him to avoid making a difficult situation more complicated. There was more at stake here than a passing fling with a gorgeous woman.
But Nik wasn’t known for playing it safe. His instinct told him to pull her into his arms and kiss her senseless. She wouldn’t object if he did. He’d seen her looking at him with those sexy green eyes, and felt the way she’d responded to him the previous day.
‘It’s only instant coffee, I’m afraid,’ Carrie said, twisting round to look over her shoulder at him.
She sucked in a startled breath and stared at him warily. The raw intensity of his expression made her pulse start to race. He looked dangerous. He looked ready to spring up out of the chair and come towards her. What did he mean to do?
‘Instant is fine.’ Nik’s eyes skimmed over her in a way that made her skin start to heat up alarmingly.
Carrie gripped the edge of the counter and turned back to the coffee, trying to ignore the mixture of anxiety and excitement that was suddenly coursing through her.
Why was he looking at her like that? A shiver ran down the length of her spine and she fought the urge to fidget. She knew she was being silly, overreacting like a teenager. But she still felt self-conscious. She could feel his eyes burning a trail over every part of her body.
‘Do you take milk and sugar?’ she asked, without looking round.
‘No, thank you,’ Nik replied.
She needed milk for her own coffee, and she stepped across the tiny kitchenette to the fridge, acutely conscious of his gaze following every movement she made.
It was ridiculous! She was a fitness instructor—used to people watching her body. Every day people focussed on the way she moved, and studied the precise alignment of her anatomy.