Her words had set the scene for the sort of evening he’d been hoping to enjoy, just the three of them.
“You were pretty determined that your nights would be free, remember?” Blake had followed her into the living room. “Besides, I don’t feel right about leaving Drew after what happened.”
She settled onto the pale blue couch and started feeding Drew before she answered. “Really, Blake, it’s only a wasp sting. He’s perfectly fine and there’s no need for you to stay.”
“Are you trying to get rid of me?” He sat beside her, immediately realizing he was too close when his thigh bumped against hers. The contact delighted him. So did the way she bit down on her lower lip.
“Of course not.”
“I don’t believe you.”
She shifted on the soft cushion, but there was nowhere for her to go. He’d boxed her in.
“It has nothing to do with you. I don’t want your sister thinking you don’t trust me to take care of Drew.”
“She’ll understand that I’m staying home because otherwise I’ll be wondering how he is the whole time and be terrible company.”
“She’s going to blame me for not keeping a close enough eye on him.”
“I will tell her it was my fault.” Blake’s lips thinned. “I’ll explain I had you thoroughly distracted.”
“You really shouldn’t do that.” Concern thrummed in her voice. “She will think we’re...”
A rosy flush spilled over her cheeks. The sight of it confounded him. Why was she acting embarrassed? The kiss they’d shared had given him a clear picture of the attraction between them. She’d responded boldly to every sweep of his tongue. He hadn’t anticipated that she’d throw herself into the kiss with sweet abandon, or that he’d be equally swept away by the softness of her skin and the heat of her mouth.
“That we’re...?” He prompted.
She kept her attention fixed on Drew. “Why did you kiss me?”
Her voice was so low he almost didn’t catch the question.
“Because I wanted to.”
“It complicates things between us.”
More than she knew.
“Things are already complicated between us.”
She eyed Blake as she handed him the empty bottle. “Why did you really want me here this summer? There are hundreds of terrific nannies in New York. You could have had your pick.”
“I like your company. I thought you’d enjoy spending a couple months at the beach.”
Her scrutiny intensified. “No ulterior motives?”
“Such as?” he prompted, voice silky smooth, wondering if she was brave enough to voice the challenge in her eyes.
“We haven’t even been here two hours and already you’ve kissed me.” The exaggerated rise and fall of her chest betrayed her agitation. She was practically vibrating with tension. “Do you expect me to sleep with you?”
“I’m considering the possibility,” he admitted. At some point during that explosive kiss, he’d lost control. Her effect on him was both intriguing and disturbing.
“You don’t mean that.”
Blake forced his tone neutral. “I do.”
“But you’ve never given any indication that you’re interested in me.” Her soft blue eyes grew incredibly large in her pale face.
“As you pointed out earlier, I was married. These days I’m free to be attracted to any woman I want.”
“Sure, but there are hundreds for you to pick from who are much more suitable.”
“Maybe I’m not looking for suitable.” He took her chin and forced her to meet his gaze. “Maybe all I’m interested in is a woman who moans when I kiss her.”
Her lips parted on a sharp inhale. “You caught me by surprise.”
“And if I gave you fair warning? Would that make a difference?”
“You can’t be serious.”
He stared at her soft mouth, remembering how it felt beneath his. The passionate tangle of her tongue with his. If Drew wasn’t snuggled in her arms, his eyes focused on Bella’s face, Blake would lean over and show her just how powerful the chemistry between them could be.
“Would you like me to demonstrate just how serious I am?”
“No.” She shook her head vehemently. “Don’t toy with me, Blake.”
“I assure you, that’s the last thing I intend to do.” Deciding he’d pushed her to the very edge of her comfort zone, Blake got to his feet. “We’ll talk more about this later. Right now I need to change if I’m going to make it to Jeanne’s on time.”
Brain reeling from her exchange with Blake, Bella stared after him. What had she gotten herself into? Had coming to the Hamptons with Blake and Drew been a huge mistake? The last thing she’d ever expected was that Deidre would have been right about Blake. What had his kiss meant? Was she a naive fool to read anything into it at all?
Blake was single. She was a warm body. Was it as simple as that? But why would he choose her when the Hamptons were filled with far more suitable women? Maybe she shouldn’t ask questions. Maybe she should just pack and get the hell out.
Unfortunately, now that she’d given her sister the three-thousand-dollar advance on her salary, she would have to stay and be Drew’s nanny for at least two weeks.
Besides, she couldn’t just leave father and son in the lurch. No matter how often she tried to put her needs first, it was inevitable that she would put acting responsibly before self-preservation. She was trapped here. Incarcerated by her belief system.
When Blake came home from his stepsister’s dinner party, she would simply tell him that nothing like that kiss could ever happen between them ever again. Blake would understand and agree. Surely he didn’t want to complicate their working relationship. It had been a one-time misstep, incongruous and regrettable, and never to be repeated.
The baby in her arms was stirring back to full wakefulness. She carried him upstairs and found a large bedroom with pale blue walls, decorated with sailboats and furnished with a dark cherry crib, dresser and changing table. The last time she’d been here, the room had just been finished. The stuffed animals that now filled the window seat that overlooked the ocean hadn’t been here. There’d been no baskets on the floor filled with stacking cups and electronic games. No well-worn books had filled the shelves.
Now the space looked lived-in. Loved.
Bella set Drew on the floor near the basket of toys and began unpacking his clothes. A fire truck with a siren held his attention for as long as it took Bella to fill one drawer. After that he crawled to the low bookcase and began pulling out one story after another. Seeing the mess he was making, Bella left the rest of the unpacking for later and joined him on the floor.
“What should we read first?” She scanned the books.
“He’s particularly fond of Belly Button Book,” Blake said from the doorway.
Bella located the story and turned to thank him for the suggestion, but the words faltered on her lips at the sight of him in khakis, a white polo shirt and navy blazer. The casual clothes reminded her of those days last summer when they’d sat on the back porch and he’d told her about his favorite places in the