“Those places…I read about how bad they were and I didn’t want Nan to end up like that.” I drew in a breath, forcing myself to continue. “Anyway, she passed on, and I found her birth certificate and some phone numbers in her desk drawer. I called one of her friends who suggested that I make the trip.” I glanced at him to see if he was following.
He folded his hands across his chest, digesting my every word.
I pulled my own hand back, setting it on the pillow. “I figured I might as well get a job here. I don’t have anyone waiting for me back in the States.”
“No boyfriend or husband?”
I smiled, distracted by his blatant question. “No. No boyfriend or husband. I’ve never been married.”
“Neither have I,” he replied. “Although I came close.”
“Thank goodness you didn’t marry her,” I declared.
“I agree.”
It was the nicest and the longest conversation we’d ever had. I was beginning to feel like the ice was breaking between us. He’d revealed himself to be a real person with real feelings. I knew it would take much longer to actually consider him a friend, but this was a good start.
“What were you watching?” he asked, diverting the subject to more pleasant things.
“Lunch Detectives.”
“Is that any good?”
I shrugged. “Seanan seems to like it.”
“What is the premise?”
“It seems to be about kids stealing other kids’ lunches,” I reported. When he laughed, I added, “There’s a lot of talk about healthy things to eat and about sharing as well.”
“I trust you not to let her watch anything inappropriate,” he said.
“I wouldn’t.”
“One of her other nannies used to watch horror films while Seanan was in the room. It gave her nightmares for a month.”
“That’s horrible!”
“I know.” He leaned forward, preparing to rise. “It’s hard to find good help.”
“Heavy is the head that wears the crown,” I teased.
He gave me a quizzical look, one that told me he wasn’t sure if I was kidding. He didn’t ask, though. Instead, he stood up. I understood that our chat had run its course, and that he was heading for bed. He didn’t move toward the stairs, and I realized that he probably wanted me to get up as well.
I wasn’t in the habit of spending any time in the living room by myself, so I put the pillow aside and got to my feet. We walked toward the stairs together, almost as if we were going to go up.
When he reached the banister, he put a hand on the solid oak railing, preventing me from moving forward. My bedroom was at the end of the hall, past the stairs. His room was on the second floor. We were at a crossroads, each one prepared to go their separate way. And yet, he created a blockade that wouldn’t allow either of us to move.
I looked up at him, expecting to be intimidated. What I saw was something closer to love. His eyes were burning with intensity, hunting down my soul. I felt my heartbeat quicken, my lips parting in surprise. Was this it? Would he ask me to join him in his bed that night, to brush away all the pretense between us?
“Iwillhave you,” he said, his voice gruff.
I stood still, my feet nailed to the spot. He hadn’t said it as a request or even as a demand, but as a promise. I felt my knees go weak, and I was afraid I would collapse if I had to stand there any longer.
He stepped forward, wrapping one arm around my waist. Pulling me close, he captured my lips, bearing down on me with all the power at his command. I was swept away in a torrent of passion, losing my footing as the flood waters grew. To regain my balance, I held on to his arms, the massive bulge of his biceps only further captivating me.
The kiss was intoxicating. I could taste the scotch on his tongue, its ancient flavor full of fire. He wasn’t timid or exploratory; he claimed my mouth and didn’t let go. I held on for dear life, feeling my reservations float away.
I felt dizzy, his embrace the stuff of legends. I wanted to drag my fingers through his hair. I wanted to scratch his beard and rip the shirt from his chest. If he picked me up and took me to bed with him, I wouldn’t resist. I would spread my legs wide open and wait for him to come to me.