Inherited:OneChild(7)

"Annalise."

Why didn't she back down? Did she know nothing about his reputation? Or   did she simply not care? "You're not the least intimidated by me, are   you?"

She lifted an eyebrow. "Should I be?"

"Yes," he stated baldly. "But you're like a damned dog with a bone. You just don't let go."

She stunned him by leaning in and offering a teasing smile. "Isn't that   precisely the sort of person you want on Isabella's side? I'm a  fighter.  And you're right. I don't give up."                       
       
           



       

He paused to consider. He did need someone like her, someone who'd help   him take on Mrs. Locke. Maybe it was time to listen to her. "What do  you  suggest?"

She didn't hesitate. "Two things. First, simplify Isabella's environment   so she isn't so visually stimulated and overwhelmed. Second, I suggest   you take a few weeks off work and spend time with her in a-" she  spared a  brief glance around "-shall we say, in a more basic setting."

"I can't afford to take a few days off right now, let alone a few weeks."

Annalise tilted her head to one side, and more curls escaped from the   knot at her nape, tumbling down her shoulders and back in glorious   abandon. No wonder she attempted to maintain such tight control over her   hair. It was every bit as willful as the rest of her. Her eyes  darkened  as she regarded him.

"I thought you were willing to do whatever it took to keep custody of Isabella," she said. "Any. Damn. Thing. Remember?"

"I have a business empire to run."

"Then let her go."

The softly spoken recommendation-identical to the one his lawyer, Derek,   had made-hung in the air between them, vanquished only when he  released  a single, harsh expletive. "I must have been insane when I  hired you."

"Would it help if I promise I'll always put Isabella's best interests first?"

"I don't doubt that for a minute." He forked his fingers through his   hair. Every instinct told him she was right. He'd just been looking for   an easier solution. He should have known he wouldn't find one. Building   his import/export business had been no different. It had required  total  dedication and had demanded his attention every hour of every  day, and  then some. "Fine. We'll try it your way for now."

Her grin blew him away. "Thank you."

He snagged the collar of her suit jacket and tugged her close. Close   enough that he could feel the explosion of her breath against his   jawline. "We'll try it your way for now. But one stumble and that   changes. Are we clear, Ms. Stefano?"

"Are you a perfectionist, Mr. Mason? Are your employees expected to be just as perfect?"

She'd reverted to a more formal manner of addressing him and he could   guess why. Since she couldn't pull free of his hold without losing their   small battle of wills, this was her subtle way of putting some  distance  between them. "Jack," he reminded her. "And yes, I am a  perfectionist. I  can afford to be-just as I can afford to hire the very  best and expect  them to give me precisely what I want."

She didn't cave, not one inch. Instead, she continued to gaze at him   with those ancient, deep-set eyes, eyes that seemed to alter color with   her every mood change. Right now, they reminded him of tarnished gold.   "In that case I'll have to see that you get your money's worth."

His gaze dropped to her mouth, a mouth full and lush and red, and more   enticing than the legendary apple Eve had offered Adam. "I'll hold you   to that," he warned.

Temptation beckoned, urging him to take a bite of sin. He didn't bother   resisting. Something about this woman made him want to stake his claim,   to gather up all that passion and energy she tried so hard to hide and   allow it to storm through him. He'd been so cold for so long. He  needed  her heat, needed to feel the flames of desire. To-just this  once-release  the rigid control which governed every aspect of his life.  What harm  would this one time make?

Was she as curious as he to see where their embrace took them? He could   spare her the suspense. He'd accomplished step one of his marriage   project. He'd hired a nanny who would put his niece's best interests   first and stick around long enough to satisfy CPS. Now for step two. To   engage her emotions just enough that she'd cave to the insanity of   marrying him.

He lowered his head and captured her mouth with his. He half expected   Annalise to yank free of the embrace, but to his relief, she didn't   resist. Nor did she burn with the same fire sweeping through him.   Instead, she responded with a heady delicacy. Her mouth turned soft and   responsive, yielding for those first seconds. Then her lips parted ever   so cautiously, and she deepened the kiss.

Rational thought disintegrated. All he could think about was the woman   in his arms and how quickly he could strip away the layers of clothing   until burning flesh collided with burning flesh. He skated his hands   down her back and cupped her lush backside, pulling her more fully   against him. His groan slid from his mouth to hers.                       
       
           



       

A soft moan hummed in her throat and she slid her hands across his chest to his shoulders. "Jack … "

The sound of his name, overflowing with feminine desire, swept away the   final remnants of his self-control. He urged her backward across the   room toward the padded window seat overlooking his cloistered garden.   The back of her legs bumped against the half-wall and she teetered on   the edge of tumbling. He grinned against her mouth, preparing to follow   her down onto the thick cushions, when an unmistakable noise distracted   him. The sound of weeping crackled through the baby monitor clipped to   his belt.

He released Annalise, and for an endless second their gazes locked and   held. Shock and disbelief glittered in her eyes, though whether directed   at his actions or her own, he couldn't quite tell.

The breath exploded from her lungs and she shook her head. "Oh, no.   Hell, no. This is not going to happen ever again, Mr. Mason. Are we   clear on that point?"

"Crystal. And just so you know?" He traced a finger along the curve of   her cheek and watched as her eyes overflowed with helpless desire. She   fought it, but it was there for him to see. "It will happen again, for   one reason and one reason only."

Her chin shot up. "And what's that?"

"I doubt either of us will be able to keep our hands off each other."

With that, he turned and left the room, unwilling to admit even to himself how difficult he found the choice.





Three




I sabella crouched in the middle of the large bed, lost amid the piles   of pillows, dolls and stuffed animals. He crossed to sit on the edge of   the bed. Annalise appeared in the doorway behind him and stepped   hesitantly into the room.

"Hey, Baby Belle," he murmured. It had been his sister's nickname for   her daughter and using it often helped soothe Isabella. "All done with   your nap?"

She stared up at him, her green eyes dewy wet and far too resigned for a   child of five. She nodded in response to his question before turning   her attention to Annalise. To Jack's surprise his niece didn't scream as   she often did with the other nannies he'd hired. Nor did she appear  the  least interested. Instead, she stared with apathetic acceptance. He   sighed. Too many changes in too short a period of time.

"Isabella, this is Annalise. She's your new nanny. The three of us are   going to spend the day together getting to know each other."

Recalling Annalise's concern about the room, Jack swept a swift   assessing glance around. Now that he looked-really looked-the place   resembled nothing more than a toy store that had exploded in messy   exuberance. She was right. The kaleidoscope of colors created an   agitated blur that didn't allow the eye to settle. Why the hell hadn't   he noticed it before?

"You know-" he offered tentatively "-it's pretty crowded in here, isn't   it? There's hardly any room for you, let alone all these toys. I wonder   if your new nanny can fix that problem."

No response from his niece, but Annalise caught the ball he lobbed in   her direction and put it in play. "You're right, Jack. It is too crowded   in here." She took a seat on the floor, folding her lanky frame so her   height wouldn't seem as intimidating. "I'll bet your toys would like  to  have their own room so they're not so uncomfortable crammed in here.   What do you think, Isabella? Shall we pick out a special room where  your  dolls can stay when you're not playing with them?"