She threw her hands up in defeat. “Whatever. Get me in the video if you want.”
He laughed. “Such enthusiasm, right, Gino?” He said, catching the baby’s attention. Gino patted his thighs and spouted a bit of gibberish.
“Wish we could get him to crawl again.”
Whitney stooped beside the toy box and tossed a colorful ball a few feet away from the baby. “Hey, Gino. See the ball?”
He slapped his chubby hands on his thighs.
Whitney tossed another toy over by the ball.
Gino screeched.
This time she tossed a little stuffed frog she knew was one of Gino’s favorites. Finally, he rolled to his knees and crawled after it.
Darius’s face blossomed into a broad smile. “Got it.”
She lifted herself from the floor. “You need a real video camera. Come on. We’ll take Gino to your office, get on the Internet and have one delivered.”
Darius scooped Gino from the floor. “Sounds good to me.”
They trooped to the second-floor office Darius used. Whitney was not surprised to see he had a second swing set up beside his office chair. When Gino wasn’t napping, Darius usually kept his baby brother with him.
He slid the baby into the swing and turned the knob at the top that not only set the swing in motion but also activated the music box. Then he dropped to the chair behind the desk, hit a few buttons on his keyboard and brought his monitor to life.
At first they went on a generic search that led them to the websites of a few well-known brand names of cameras.
When bending down to view the screen became awkward, Whitney leaned her hip on the arm of Darius’s chair, half sitting so she could see better. After reviewing the websites for the brands with five-star recommendations, Darius ordered the camera he wanted and clicked off the website.
“We should have it tomorrow.”
He looked up at her and she suddenly realized how close they were. At first she was surprised their attraction hadn’t sprung up. Then she realized something amazing. She was sitting so close their arms had brushed yet she hadn’t panicked. Hadn’t noticed, really. She was blessedly comfortable with him. Relaxed. Content. Almost … happy.
No. She was happy. She liked him. And not just as a friend or co-guardian. She liked him.
She bounced from the arm of his chair. “Okay. Now that that’s settled,” she said, trying not to sound confused or angry or even weepy and scared. Liking him, seriously liking him, meant taking steps, doing things.
Kissing for real.
Getting to know each other.
Making love.
The thought caused her heart to stop. She could see them making love. And why not? They were attracted and they were already getting to know each other. They’d flirted. They worked together. Hell, they’d already kissed.
How had they gotten beyond her barriers?
It didn’t matter. She wouldn’t couldn’t get involved with another man again, especially not someone to whom she was committed because of a baby.
FOR THE FIRST TIME since getting Gino, Darius felt his world righting. He had grown more than comfortable with his role as Gino’s father. Plus his feelings for Whitney had taken a sudden, unexpected turn. Now that he realized she might be agreeable to an affair, their attraction no longer seemed wrong. It was just part of the picture. Part of who they were. And if they continued to grow in friendship as they had been, pretty soon he was going to act on it.
As they drove home from the city the following Tuesday evening, he realized “pretty soon” might come sooner rather than later. There she sat, long lean legs crossed, her soft yellow hair tumbling over her shoulders as she worked, tempting him. Over the past few weeks, she’d slowly changed the way she dressed from oversize suits to simple sweaters and skirts. She’d also relaxed her hairstyle, as if she was returning to her normal self. And she was captivating. Gorgeous. If he didn’t stop staring at her, he’d be in sad shape by the time they reached the estate. So he did the only thing he could to get his mind on something else. He started talking.
“Nick’s flight has been moved up. He’ll be at the house on Friday afternoon of the weekend he and Cade are staying, instead of Friday evening.”
Whitney looked up. Her pretty Persian-cat eyes warmed with humor. “So are we going home early to meet him, or are you risking the silver?”
“I told you. I’m not worried about the silver, but I’m not so sure I want to leave him alone with Liz.”
She burst out laughing. “Oh, come on.”
“No, you come on. He’s a womanizer.”
Her head tilted. “Really?”
He scuffed the toe of his shoe in the limo carpeting. He’d just called his brother a womanizer as if it was a bad thing when he intended to try to get Whitney into bed.
“He’s got thirteen years on her.”
She nudged his shoulder. “Stop acting like an old man.”
He glanced up, caught her gaze. “I am an old man.”
“At thirty-eight?”
The question came out on an airy giggle and everything inside of Darius thundered to life. He hadn’t flirted with anyone in weeks. Maybe months. But there was something about flirting with Whitney that was more fun than normal. Maybe because only a few weeks ago this kind of conversation would have been foreign to her. And he’d helped her get to this place.
Surely that meant he could be allowed to enjoy it?
“Maybe I’m not so old as I am experienced.”
She snorted and glanced down at her papers again. “I’ll bet you are.”
He knocked the toe of her high heel with the toe of his oxford. “Wanna find out?”
She looked up, her eyes filled with fear. But in a blink the fear was gone, replaced by curiosity.
Oh, yeah. She wanted to find out.
The mild tingle of arousal in his gut suddenly became a raging river. He could have ravaged her right there in the limo.
And not been sorry.
That shocked him. He really wouldn’t have been sorry. In his mind’s eye he saw nothing but pleasure with her. No sadness or fear for her. No guilt or recrimination for himself.
This really was going to happen.
Finally, she said, “Don’t flatter yourself,” and returned her attention to her paperwork, but he knew she was lying. She wanted him as much as he wanted her.
It was a milestone for her. One he wouldn’t take lightly. He would make sure the moment was right when he seduced her. But he would seduce her. Not just for his own pleasure but for hers, and to bring her wholly back to the woman she was supposed to be. He couldn’t bring back her child. Couldn’t change her memories. But he’d been helping her take steps to recovery all along. He could help her take the next one.
After dinner, he would lure her into the den and they’d have ‘the’ conversation. He wouldn’t risk any misunderstanding. They both had to be clear