“That’s the siren”? Yes. “That’s my sexual fantasy come to life”? Sure. But “that’s the babysitter”?
Hell no.
“But where’s Hope?” Julia stuck out her bottom lip. “I liked Hope. When is she coming?”
Kelsey swayed from one foot to the other. “Maybe I should go.”
Ross had almost started to nod when his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and took a quick look at the name on the screen.
Armand Herriot.
He snapped straight in shock. “Come in,” he said abruptly, turning Julia around and pushing her back into the house. He motioned for Kelsey follow, suddenly not caring in the slightest that he’d just invited his one-night stand into the house with his children. “I’ve got to take this call.”
…
Kelsey watched Ross’s broad back disappear into a sitting room while the little girl who wore Ross’s striking azure eyes gazed back at her. They examined each other in silence.
Her pulse still raced at the sight of him. Ross Bencher. The man she’d fantasized about for three years. The best sex of her life. Total abandon in a hotel room. The shoulders, the hands, the eyes…all of it just as she’d remembered. And she remembered other things, too. Things she absolutely shouldn’t be remembering in front of a child. And these were the kids he’d told her about? Jenna was the wife he’d just divorced?
What kind of sick sense of humor did fate have, anyway?
Big blue eyes stared at her.
Don’t panic.
With an enormous effort of will, she pushed the memories of Ross out of her head and tried to think of the various bits of advice Marie had given her for dealing with the children. Don’t talk down to them. Be firm but pick your battles. Listen. Play. Be creative. Before you say no, ask yourself why.
She crouched down so she wasn’t looming over the little girl and held out her hand. “I’m Kelsey. It’s nice to meet you.”
Julia looked at her hand as if it was a scaly reptile and took a step back. She furrowed her brow. “Hope was supposed to be here today.”
Kelsey withdrew her hand. Note to self: six-year-olds don’t shake hands. “I know. But she got really sick last night, so she couldn’t come today. She’ll be here later in the week.”
“I like your hair.” Julia fingered her own messy locks. “I want braids but my dad can’t do them. He can’t even do a ponytail. Can you braid my hair?”
Relieved to find something she did know how to do, Kelsey nodded vigorously. “I can do regular braids or French braids. I bet you’d look pretty with French braids.”
Julia nodded. “Yep. I do.” She turned and started up the stairs. When Kelsey didn’t immediately follow, she turned around and motioned impatiently. “You should come to my room. I’ll show you Bear and Hot Foot.”
Unsure if she should try to do something with the older boys, Kelsey stopped at the top of the stairs. “Where are your brothers?”
Julia grabbed her hand and started to tug. “Luke is in his room playing his DS. He’s grumpy. I don’t know where Matt is. Probably the basement. He likes it down there. Now come.”
Kelsey envisioned the call later that day to Marie: “Yeah, I kinda lost one of the kids. But the six-year-old told me he was in the basement. How was I supposed to know he’d wandered out into traffic?”
“Er, why don’t we go find your brothers first, and then we can check out your room.” When Julia scowled, she tried to imagine what Marie would do. Something creative, probably. She brightened. “I know. You can give me a tour of the house. We’ll start with the basement and save your room for last. Because it’s the most special, of course.”
Julia considered her options. “Okay,” she finally agreed. “But I’m going to get Hot Foot first. You wait here.”
She ran down the hall and ducked inside one of the rooms. Kelsey breathed a sigh of relief as she waited for the little girl to return.
Was Ross even going to let her stay? She had no idea, but she hoped that he wouldn’t. He was supposed to be a one-night stand. She was never supposed to see him again. They’d said and done things that night that were meant to stay between strangers. She’d told him about her fear of Annapurna. He’d described how hard it had been to sign his divorce papers. And the sex… Her face burned at the very thought of her abandon in his arms. She’d screamed his name and talked dirty. She’d let herself feel all the things she’d never felt and do all the things she’d always wanted to do.
And now she was supposed to make his kids peanut butter sandwiches and take orders from him like a good employee?