Taking the position was a good thing, she’d told herself last night as she’d stood beneath the rain showerhead, washing hours of stomach-churning airport smells down the drain. She had a paying job, and both she and the baby had a place to live. At least temporarily.
She just wished she didn’t feel so weird about it.
Small fingers patted her knee. “Good morning. Are you awake yet?”
Then there was the other reason she’d agreed to come here. Mariah. The brilliant child who had touched her heart in Denver.
“Good morning,” she muttered after clearing the gravel from her throat. She stretched and looked around for a clock. An Asian-influenced wall hanging, more art than clock, read seven o’clock. Kelsey stifled a groan. Five hours of sleep to a pregnant woman was next to none.
“I hear Daddy downstairs,” Mariah said, raising up on her knees. “If we want to see him, we’ll have to hurry. He’s a very busy man.”
Kelsey’s heart squeezed. The little girl must have gotten up some time ago to bathe and dress herself in anticipation of spending time with her dad. Except for the mismatched colors, she appeared to have done a good job, fully dressed in a purple hoodie and green sweat pants. Her natural curls, still damp from a shampoo, had been ruthlessly stripped back from her face with a red headband.
Kelsey patted the child’s knee. “I doubt he’ll leave until we’ve had an opportunity to work out the conditions of my nannyship.”
Mariah giggled, putting both hands over her mouth in that adorable manner. “That’s a good one. Nannyship. Is it a real word I should add to my lexicon?”
A six year old with a lexicon? Good heavens. Kelsey shook her head and sat up. Sumptuous ivory sheets slid over her shoulders and pooled in her lap. “Not real, but real fun.”
“Should I leave so you can get dressed? Or would you like to begin my classes now? I brought in some of my books.”
“I thought you wanted to see your father.”
“I do, but he always says we must prioritize. Important things like work and education come first.”
“Seeing your dad is important, too.” Kelsey threw the covers back and swung her feet over the side of the bed. She dug her toes into the soft rug. “You go on and say good morning. I’ll be down shortly.”
The child scrambled off the bed and rushed to the door before turning back.
“I think your nannyship is going to work out perfectly,” Mariah said, grinning, and then she bounced through the door and disappeared.
Kelsey hoped the little optimist was right.
By the time she dressed and descended the stairs, Ryan and Mariah sat at a small table in the breakfast room pouring over a computer-generated document. They were so engrossed that neither heard her soft footsteps on the stone-tiled kitchen floor.
A weak winter sun spilled through French doors and gleamed on the two dark heads bent close together. Mariah’s face was a study in attentiveness, soaking up the attention from her daddy. Ryan was in profile, his angled jaw free from the stubble of last night, his firm, sensual lips in motion. His mouth fascinated her and she tried hard not to imagine that he was probably a dynamite kisser. When the corners tipped up to smile at his daughter, she nearly swooned. Gone was any hint of the despair she’d imagined last night. Exhaustion and imagination could be the only sensible explanation for Ryan’s odd reaction to her silly comment about pregnancy.
Gone, too, was last night’s deliciously rumpled traveler. This morning he looked polished and professional. Unfortunately, he also looked every bit as yummy.
She felt like the governess mooning over the lord of the manor in one of those gothic novels. A most disconcerting flutter of awareness invaded Kelsey’s being. That would not do. It would not do at all. Wasn’t she supposed to be immune to good-looking, successful men after what happened with Mark?
As if he felt her stares, Ryan glanced up. The remnant of his smile was still in place. She smiled back, fighting a blush because of her wayward thoughts.
“Good morning. I see you survived the night.” Amusement danced in his eyes. She wrinkled her nose at him and he laughed. “There’s fresh coffee in the carafe if you’d like some.”
With a shake of her head, Kelsey touched her tummy. “No thank you.”
Though she was long past morning sickness, her stomach had tangled into a thousands knots. Might as well face it. She’d have to be very careful around Ryan Storm. Something about him disturbed her in a dangerously elemental way. To make matters worse, she felt obligated to him. Neither feeling sat well. But she also firmly believed Mariah needed her, and right now, Kelsey needed to be needed. She and her baby also needed this job.
“Join us then,” Ryan said, pulling out a chair next to his. “I’d like to get things settled quickly and get to the office.”
“You’re going in to your office this morning?” She’d expected him to stick around and observe her with Mariah today.
“Daddy’s time is very valuable,” Mariah said gravely.
Well, so was everyone’s. Wasn’t time with his child valuable, too? His attitude wiped away any thoughts of how hot he was.
“I’ve already checked your references, which are excellent by the way.”
“I knew that,” she groused. The fact that he was up early after minimal sleep, checking references and looking so good added to her irritation. She still felt like roadkill and probably looked worse.
Ryan didn’t seem to notice. He pushed the computer printout toward her. “Mariah and I were going over the list of duties and responsibilities. I’ll leave those for you to look over. If you have any questions, my office number is there as well as my private cell. Do not give that to anyone.”
As if she would.
“Here’s Mariah’s schedule.”
“Schedule?”
“Janine worked out a schedule of study so Mariah could make the most of her time.”
Kelsey had a feeling she and Janine would not have gotten along. “But she’s only six. Why don’t you let us play it by ear for a few days and then decide exactly what course of action we want to take?”
“I want her educated, Kelsey. That’s why I hired a teacher. Just stick to the schedule and we’ll get along fine.” The words were mild, but the meaning was tempered with steel. She was not to question his authority. And she shouldn’t, of course. Mariah was his child.
“Okay. I can do that.” She hoped.
“I’ve also left full instructions about the alarm system and other household concerns. A housekeeper comes in daily. She’ll prepare lunch, take care of the house and prepare dinner before leaving. Her name is Abilena Rueda. How’s your Spanish?”
“Poor to nonexistent.”
“Abilena understands a bit of English, but if you need her to do something, tell Mariah. Her Spanish is coming along fairly well.”
“Daddy bought me some CDs,” Mariah said proudly. “Acquiring a foreign language has become a necessity in today’s global market. Isn’t that right, Daddy?”
Ryan got that helpless look on his face again. The one that said Mariah’s intellect both pleased and frightened him. “That’s right, peanut. Knowledge is power.”
Returning his attention to Kelsey, he pointed to a number on one of the sheets of paper. “Is the salary sufficient?”
Kelsey