Inherited:OneChild(6)

       
           



       

The instant they entered the room, Annalise spun around to face him. She   did her best to hide it, but she was seriously rattled. A deep flush   sculpted her sweeping cheekbones, while her eyes rivaled the sun in   their intensity. Though she stood without moving, the ringlets which had   escaped her control trembled in agitation.

She took a deep breath, drawing his attention downward to where the vee   of her jacket clung to the attractive swell of her brea**sts and traced   the outline of her narrow waist and the womanly flare of her hips. For   some reason the nondescript black suit didn't seem so nondescript   anymore. Not when he examined all it concealed.

His nanny was a knockout.

"Color me officially overwhelmed," she announced.

"I have every confidence that you'll acclimate," he replied.

Worry dug a small line between her brows. "I'm not so sure. I've only   seen the smallest fraction of this place and I'm already blown away."

"Relax, Ms. Stefano. One of the reasons I hired you was your impressive self-control."

"No, the reason you hired me was because all the other rats had deserted   the sinking ship." She paced off a small measure of her agitation,   giving him an excellent view of her endless legs and gloriously rounded   backside. She spun around to face him. "Is this the sort of home   Isabella came from?" she asked. "Was she accustomed to this sort of   grandeur? To living among so many antiques?"

Jack forced himself to ignore the tantalizing view and focus on the   business at hand. "No, Joanne and her husband, Paul, lived a far more   simple life."

Annalise's expression grew troubled. "So many changes, poor baby," she   murmured. "It must be even more overwhelming for her than it is for me."

"This is where and how I live. In time, my niece will become accustomed   to it. She won't have any choice." He lifted an eyebrow. "Unless you   expect me to sell a home that's been in my family for over a hundred and   fifty years?"

She waved that aside. "No, of course not." She regarded him in momentary   silence and he could see her marshaling and organizing her thoughts  and  impressions. "May I ask a personal question?"

Not a road he wanted to head down. Nonetheless, he inclined his head. "Feel free."

"How did you gain custody of Isabella? Did your sister request you as guardian in her will?"

"It would have simplified matters if she had. Unfortunately, she didn't."

"So, you simply took your niece in? There was no one else?"

Anger flashed through him. He planted his fists on his hips and faced   her down. "You say that as though you don't consider me an appropriate   guardian."

She hesitated. "That's not the word I'd use. You have a … a magnificent   home. You're a successful businessman. You're well-intentioned-"

"But?"

She frowned. "Weren't there any other family members willing to take her? Someone who has more time to devote to her care?"

"No. Paul has a sister. She flat out refused."

"Flat out? But, why?"

"Because Isabella isn't blood kin. Joanne and Paul adopted Isabella when   she was only a few days old. For some reason, that let Paul's sister   off the hook."

"And put you on it?" Annalise had adopted an expressionless mask again.   But he'd begun to realize that the less emotion she showed, the more  she  felt. "Is that why you took her in? Because no one else stepped  up?"

He gave her the look that would have most men in his rarified world   trembling in their Berluti loafers. "Ms. Stefano, I hired you as   Isabella's nanny, not as my personal pop psychologist. My reasons for   assuming guardianship of Isabella have nothing to do with you or the job   you are to perform. A job for which I'm paying you quite a lot of   money."

To his amazement, she didn't back down. In fact, she took a step closer.   "Have I hit a hot button, Mr. Mason? Did you feel obligated to take  her  in? Are you protecting your image? Concerned with media scrutiny?  Is  that why Isabella's here, so your personal and business image don't  take  a hit?"

Fury vied with a primal awareness, one with a raw, sexual edge. Or   perhaps the fury exacerbated the awareness he'd experienced the first   moment he'd set eyes on her. "You are walking a very thin line, Ms.   Stefano. If I had anyone who could take your place, I'd fire you on the   spot."

"For asking tough questions? Or do my questions hit a little too close to home?"                       
       
           



       

Her questions were identical to those Mrs. Locke had asked. That alone   gave him pause. He was a private man who kept his personal life as far   from the high beams of the media headlights as possible. He also kept   his emotions under tight control, even tighter than Annalise did.   Another lesson he'd learned at his father's knee. As much as he hated   the idea, he needed this woman. Isabella needed her. She might be the   only person capable of keeping his tiny family intact.

He forced himself to answer her. "Other than Paul, Isabella was the most   important person in my sister's life." He swallowed past the tightness   constricting his words. "At one point, Joanne was the most important   person in mine. Isabella is part of my sister, all that's left of her.   My niece is hurting and I have no idea how to help her."

The anger drained out of Annalise. "You hired me to take care of   Isabella. And that's what I intend to do." She gestured in the general   direction of his niece's bedroom. "Tell me something, do you think that   overstuffed toy factory you call a bedroom is in her best interest?"

What the hell was she talking about now? "It's the smallest of the bedrooms. She chose it herself."

Annalise's breath escaped in a quiet sigh. "The issue isn't the square   footage of her room. I couldn't even say what size it is because it's   stuffed to the rafters with toys and games."

"I'm just trying to create a home for her."

"By buying her things. That's not how you create a home. Isabella doesn't need things. She needs love and attention."

"I'm doing the best I can." He hated the gritty quality that climbed into his voice.

Annalise took note and a softness slipped into her voice. "Your niece doesn't need more stimulation, Jack. She needs less."

For some reason, her use of his first name had a devastating effect. He   forced himself to listen to Annalise's words, when what he really  wanted  to do was yank her closer and see if all that passion would  spill over  into their embrace. Would spill onto him. She gave so  generously of  herself to a little girl she didn't even know. How would  it feel to have  some of that emotion directed at him?

The instant the thought blazed through his mind, he rejected it. Damn it   to hell! Had he lost every ounce of common sense? This wasn't part of   the plan.

He deliberately turned his back on Annalise and walked to the window,   giving himself some much needed breathing room. Resting his arm on the   sash, he gazed out at the backyard. It had been designed as a peaceful   haven, secluded from the bustle and noise of the city traffic. He   retreated there whenever he had a tough business decision to make-or a   tough personal one. It was there that he'd made the final determination   to accept responsibility for Isabella. It was there he'd come to the   conclusion that he'd have to marry in order to retain custody of his   niece. Would it be Annalise who ultimately became his wife?

He turned around, surprising a look of compassion on her face. "CPS   wants to take Isabella away from me," he found himself admitting.

Annalise couldn't quite control her flicker of alarm. "Why? What did you-" She broke off abruptly. "What concerns them?"

"That's not what you were about to say." It was his turn to close the   distance between them. "You were wondering what I'd done wrong that   caused CPS to step in."

Her breathing quickened as she finally seemed to sense she'd pushed him too far. "Why are they involved?"

"I already told you. Paul and Joanne didn't designate a guardian. CPS   needs to make sure I'll do an adequate job." His mouth twisted. "So far   they're less than impressed."

"But you mean to change that."

He fixed her with a fierce look. "Allow me to make myself clear." He   paused to give his words more impact. "I'll do whatever I must in order   to keep Isabella. Any. Damn. Thing. Is that clear enough, Ms. Stefano?"