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Darcy couldn’t get a good read on him. When he looked at her she couldn’t tell if he was angry or turned on. Ridiculous to think a piece of eye candy like Colin Alexander would find her attractive, but he volleyed between being pissed and raking his eyes over her.
No way would she bring up the fact he turned her inside out. She’d always been a professional and this job was no different...except for the fact she needed this one more than any other.
Just as Darcy turned, Colin was rounding the large center island. Even in the openness of the kitchen, the man seemed to dominate the room. She stepped back, the edge of the counter biting into the small of her back.
“Is she asleep?” Darcy asked, trying to keep her voice steady, though she felt anything but.
“Yes.” His eyes pinned her in place as he rested one hand on the granite counter. “We need to talk while she’s down.”
Swallowing, Darcy nodded. This was like the equivalent of the breakup in a business setting. Still, she wouldn’t go down without a fight.
“I need to clean the rug first,” she told him, knowing he probably recognized the stalling tactic. “I wasn’t sure where you kept your vacuum.”
“There’s a handheld one in the utility room. I’ll get it later.”
Oh, this wasn’t good. An image of her grandmother flashed through her mind. Darcy had promised Gram before she passed that Loving Hands would stay up and running. Then love had entered the picture...or what Darcy had thought was love. How could she have been so naive as to trust a man with her life and her family business, and not see that he was a lying, greedy user?
* * *
Colin leaned against the island and crossed his arms over his broad chest. “Why only one bag?”
His question jerked her from her thoughts. That’s what he’d initially wanted to talk about? Her luggage?
“How many bags do I need?” she countered.
A sliver of a tattoo peeked out from beneath the hem of his T-shirt sleeve. Darcy’s belly clenched. She’d always been a sucker for ink. But shallow lust is what got her into a mess of trouble the last time. A sexy, smooth-talking man and tats over solid muscles...she refused to go down the same path again, when all she’d met at the end of her journey was a broken heart. Not that Colin was a smooth talker. He was more of a blunt, grumpy, irritable talker.
“Will you be sending for more belongings?” he asked.
Still stunned that this was what he’d wanted to discuss, she shook her head. “I have all I need. Does this mean I’m staying?”
When he raked a hand through his tousled hair, a masculine, woodsy scent slid across the gap and straight to her. How did the man positively reek of sex appeal when he looked like he’d spent days without sleep?
“I want to discuss the trial period,” he told her, shifting his weight with a slight wince. “The contract we mentioned on the phone was for six months. I’ll give you one month to prove that you’re the right fit for the job. Anytime in that month we can decide to terminate the agreement.”
Relief spread through her in waves. She would definitely win him over in a month. She was good at her job, she’d been raised helping her grandmother care for children and, honestly, raising kids was all she knew. The irony of the situation as it related to her personal struggles was not lost on her.
And, actually, caring for kids wasn’t all she knew, just all she knew to pay her bills. Cooking was her hobby, her therapy, really, but it wouldn’t keep her afloat financially no matter how much she enjoyed it.
“That sounds fair.” She rested her hands on either side of her hips, gripping the edge of the counter with her palms.
“I know we agreed on compensation,” he went on as if conducting a business meeting and not standing in his kitchen with sexual tension vibrating between them. “I’ll give you half now and the other half at the end of the six months, if you stay. Between now and the sixth month, there may be incentives along the way. Bonuses, if you will.”
“And if I leave at the end of this month?”
Colin’s bright eyes held hers as he lifted a shoulder. “Then take the first half of the money and go. No incentives.”
Half the money was better than no money. Still, she needed the full amount to pay off Thad’s debt and jumpstart the agency again. This job would save her business and get her back where she needed to be so she would make sure she impressed him with her skills.
She was an excellent cook, if she did say so herself. Surely that would be another check in her favor. What single man wouldn’t want someone who had hot meals ready for him every single night?
“I expect you to care for Iris during my working hours which I already went over with you on the phone,” he went on. “I don’t expect you to cook every meal, that’s a duty we can share. I do need you to drive if we go out, as I’m still recovering from an accident that has limited my activities. If all of this is fine with you, then you can stay.”
Darcy nodded, though she wanted to ask about his injury. But now wasn’t the time and if she stayed on as nanny, she’d most likely discover what had happened to him.
“I’m fine with that deal.”
She held out a hand to shake. He darted his gaze down to her hand, then back up to her face. With an emotionless expression, Colin slid his warm, strong hand into hers and an electric sensation shot straight up her arm. His eyes widened for the briefest of moments. The grip on her hand tightened.
This wasn’t happening. No way could an attraction form so quickly, be so intense. She’d been convinced the tension and fascination was one-sided. Apparently not.
Darcy swallowed, wondering what he was thinking, feeling. She didn’t want the awkwardness to settle between them. This was only day one, though, so she’d chalk it up to them getting a feel for each other...not the chemistry that was growing and already causing problems.
“Do you want to give me a tour of the house?” Darcy asked, needing to remove herself from temptation.
Colin blinked, dropped her hand and nodded. “Of course. I also wanted to let you know that if you need an evening off to go out or have some personal time, just give me notice. I don’t expect you to put your life on hold and work twenty-four hours a day.”
Laughter bubbled up and Darcy couldn’t keep it contained. Colin’s brows drew together.
“You find that funny?”
Waving a hand in the air, Darcy shook her head. “I have no social life. I won’t require any time off.”
He tipped his chin down slightly, causing a longer strand of dark hair to fall over his eye as he studied her. “You keep surprising me.”
Besides his striking looks, Colin had a voice that would make any woman tremble with need. She didn’t want to tremble, didn’t want to have any type of unexpected attraction toward this man or any other. From here on out, until her agency was back in business, Darcy vowed to stay focused. No men, regardless of how lonely she was. She didn’t need someone to complete her, not by any means. But there were those nights she missed being held, missed the powerful touch only a man could provide.
“I’m really pretty simple,” she told him. “My work keeps me happy so I don’t need anything else.”
“What about friends? Boyfriends?”
Okay, that wasn’t subtle. Was he asking as an employer or as a man?
Pulling her self-control up front and center, Darcy stepped away from him and headed out of the kitchen. “How about that tour while Iris is sleeping?”
* * *
Two weeks and a great deal of sexual tension later, Colin led Darcy down the hall toward the back of the house, well aware of her closeness behind him and even more aware of the unspoken attraction that seemed to be hovering between them. He’d been struggling to keep any emotions hidden. He didn’t want her to look at him and see any sign of lust. Colin had no room for such things, not when he and his daughter were desperate for help.
But each time he’d seen Darcy with Iris, something had moved in him. Something he couldn’t identify. He assumed at this point she had no boyfriend. She’d made no mention of one even though she’d never come out and answered him when he’d grilled her on the subject her first day.
She’d managed to put him in his place without a word. Fine. He didn’t have time to get involved in her personal life and he sure as hell shouldn’t want to.
Earlier today, when he’d mentioned working out, he’d seen a brief interest pass over her face. He figured if he showed her the gym and they both made use of it, maybe they could work through...whatever this was brewing between them. He couldn’t speak for Darcy, but fourteen days of strain and sexual tension was taking its toll on him.
Colin headed toward the back of the house where the first floor bedroom had been turned into a gym. He’d specified to his designer all the equipment he’d need to continue his therapy on his own and to keep in shape. He had to keep his workouts inside now since his injuries prevented him from going out for a run or rock climbing. He’d never rock climb again. His one main passion in life had been stolen from him.
Shoving aside unwanted anger and frustration, Colin eased the French doors open and stepped inside.
“I know you’re busy with Iris, but I wanted you to know this is available to you any time you want to use it. I have weights, a treadmill, elliptical, bike, all top of the line.”
“Wow, you certainly take the meaning of home gym to a whole new level.” Darcy glanced through the room and smiled. “I’ve never had much time to devote to a workout before.”
Colin didn’t think she needed to work out at all, but he wanted to extend the offer since he’d been using the gym and he hadn’t invited her to make use of the space yet. Darcy’s shapely body was perfect from every angle...and he’d studied it at every opportunity since the moment she moved in.
“You’re more than welcome to everything in here if you decide you’d like to try,” he told her.
“I’ve never used any of these machines before,” she muttered. “But I’m sure I could muddle my way through.”
Or he could offer to show her.
Colin cursed himself. If they were both going to use this space, he knew they had to do so at different times. The last thing he needed to see was a sweaty, flushed Darcy because that would conjure up a whole host of other images and fantasies.
At this point, he had to get something out in the open. They’d gone two weeks with passing glances and innocent touching as they worked with Iris. Each day he found it more difficult to quash his desires. And Darcy was a damn good nanny, so getting rid of her was not an option.
“I need to be honest with you,” he told her.
Tucking her long hair behind her ears, Darcy nodded. “Okay.”
“You’re a beautiful woman,” he began, hoping he wasn’t making a mistake. “There’s a pull between us and I don’t think I’m being presumptuous when I say that. However, I plan to remain single and I have every intention of keeping our relationship professional.”
Darcy’s mouth had dropped open. For a moment he wondered if he’d gone too far or if his imagination had taken over.
Upfront and honest was how he preferred everything. Okay, obviously there were exceptions since he was keeping a colossal truth from her. But his royal status wouldn’t affect her life. She was a nanny, she’d get paid, they would part ways in less than six months and their personal lives could remain private, for the most part.
“Then I’ll be honest, too.” She laced her fingers in front of her and lifted her chin. “I won’t deny the attraction. I mean, you have to know what you look like, but that’s just superficial. I still don’t know you very well because you’re so quiet and brooding, but my main focus is Iris. I promise I’m not here looking for anything other than a job. I’ve had enough difficulties in my life the past few years. Does that help ease your mind?”
Part of him wanted to know what she’d been through, but the other part told him to shut up and deal with his own issues. Had she just called him brooding? He suppressed the urge to smile at her bluntness. Admiration for this woman who wasn’t afraid to speak her mind mixed right along with his arousal where she was concerned. The combination of the two could prove to be crippling if he didn’t keep a tight rein on his emotions.
Still, Darcy wasn’t like any woman he’d ever known. She wasn’t blatantly sexual, she wasn’t throwing herself at him even though she’d admitted to being attracted, and she’d been in his house ample time to try her hand at seduction. Not once had she come out with skimpy pajamas or purposely been provocative to try to capture his attention. Perhaps that was just another reason he found her so intriguing and refreshing.
Would she be so controlled if she knew who he really was, how much he was worth?
Being a member of royalty had always made him an instant magnet for women. His late wife hadn’t cared about his status, which was one of the things that had initially drawn him to her. But then reality had hit, and the accident that nearly claimed his life wedged between them at the same time she’d discovered her pregnancy. Months of stress and worry had torn them apart and for once in his life, money couldn’t fix his problems.
“You okay?” Darcy asked.
Her delicate hand rested on his bare arm and Colin clenched his teeth, fighting away the memories. He couldn’t live in the past, trying to pinpoint the exact moment his marriage went wrong. Like everything else, little things started adding up to bigger things and, slowly, the marriage had just dissolved.
Iris was his main concern now. He needed to relax, work on being a regular father giving his daughter the best life possible.
And to decide whether to renounce his title. The pressure of knowing that their wayward cousin, who didn’t deserve the title, would have it if something happened to Stefan was overwhelming. He hated being in this position, but ignoring it wouldn’t make the situation go away.
“Colin?”
Nodding, he let out a sigh. “I’m fine,” he assured her, hating when her hand slid away. Those gentle fingertips trailed down his arm before leaving him wanting more than just an innocent touch. “Anything you want to ask about the equipment while I’m here with you?”
Her eyes roamed over the apparatus in the workout room. An image of her sweating with him flashed through his mind which led to other images of them sweating and he cursed himself. If he didn’t get control over his libido he’d have more trouble on his hands than he could possibly handle.
“If I wanted to start working out, what would you recommend? The treadmill? I’m pretty out of shape.”
Out of shape? Everything about her shape screamed perfection. He never was one of those guys who needed his woman to be supermodel thin. He preferred having plenty of curves to explore.
When her eyes came back to his, he fought the urge to pull her inside and get that sweat going. He’d bet his royal, jeweled crown she would look even sexier all flushed, with a sheen of perspiration across her body.
“Do you really want to work out?” he asked. “I don’t want you to feel pressured. I’m just offering the room to you.”
Darcy shrugged. “I could stand to lose a few pounds.”
Anger simmered beneath the surface. “Who told you that?”
Darcy entered the room and checked out the elliptical, the treadmill, the free weights. “He’s no longer in the picture, but that’s not what matters. What matters is that I’ve let myself go, and with all of this at my fingertips I don’t see why I shouldn’t take advantage of it while I’m here.”
Colin stepped in and came up behind her, close enough to touch. He clenched his hands at his sides. “If you want to feel better about yourself, that’s one thing. If you’re doing this because some bastard told you you’re overweight, then I have a problem.”
Her shoulders stiffened as she turned. The second she realized how close they were, her eyes widened, but she didn’t step back. Their bodies were only a breath apart and with each inhale, the tips of her breasts brushed against his chest. He was playing with fire and damn if he could stop himself. He’d always lived for the adrenaline rush and Darcy got his blood pumping.
Being this close he noticed a sprinkling of freckles across her nose. There was so much innocence in this woman, yet in some ways she seemed too tough to be innocent. She’d gone through hard times, according to her. Even if she hadn’t said so, he could tell by the way she was headstrong, determined and focused. How the hell could he not find that completely sexy?
“My weight may have been mentioned in my last relationship,” she told him, keeping her eyes on his. “But he’s history and I want to do this for me. Will you help me or not?”
Would he help her? Close quarters, alone without Iris as a buffer and having Darcy’s body as his sole focus for hours? He may not want this attraction, but it was there nonetheless and only an idiot would turn her down.
“I’ll help you,” he told her. “We’ll start tonight after Iris goes to bed. That work for you?”
Her smile spread across her face, lighting up those expressive eyes. “It works if you take it easy on me.”
Oiktirmon. Mercy.
“Oh, I plan on giving you just what you need.”
Four
What had she been thinking? Darcy had been so impressed by the gym she’d opened her mouth before she could even think about what she was saying. Now she’d committed to exercising with someone who should be posing for calendars sans shirt, while she looked like the before picture on a Weight Watcher’s ad.
She’d been taken with Colin and his blunt declaration of attraction. Apparently a lust-filled haze had clouded her mind and hindered her common sense. He’d called out the obvious and now they both had to deal with the tension that would no doubt envelop them every time they were together.
Dinner had been comfortable, though. Iris as the focal point certainly helped. Now she was bathed and in bed, and Darcy had pulled on her favorite yoga pants and an old Loving Hands T-shirt. After pulling on her worn tennis shoes, she headed toward the gym.
The whirring of the treadmill filtered out of the partially open doors and into the hallway. When Darcy peeked around the corner, she was so, so glad she had the advantage of being behind him. Obvious eye-candy images aside, she was thankful no one could see her because there was no way she could take in this male form, all sweaty, shirtless and in action, and not stand here with her mouth open, eyes wide.
The full view of his tattoo caught her attention. A dragon started over one shoulder blade, swirled down one biceps and disappeared over his shoulder to the front. Her fingers itched to trace the pattern, to feel all that taut skin beneath her fingertips. Surely there was some meaning behind the image. Most people had tattoos based on something personal in their lives. She couldn’t help but wonder if she’d ever uncover anything beneath the surface with him.
Just as Darcy eased the door open, Colin stumbled, shouted a curse and smacked the red emergency button on the treadmill. Gripping the sides of the machine, he panted, head hanging between his shoulders.
“Are you all right?” she asked, crossing to the piece of equipment in case he needed help.
Colin jerked his head around, wincing as he caught sight of her. “I thought you’d be longer with putting Iris down.”
As he turned completely and started to step down, his leg went out from under him and he collapsed, landing hard on the belt of the machine.
Darcy squatted beside him, her hands resting on his bare knee. “Colin, are you okay?” she repeated.
Stupid question, as he’d obviously hurt himself and was trying to hide the fact. Still, she couldn’t just stand here and not do or say something.
“Fine,” he bit out through gritted teeth. “I’m supposed to walk every day, but the doctor says if I feel like it I can try jogging.”
“Is that why you were running full speed on an incline when I came in?”
His eyes met hers. There went that click once again when this man stared at her. The intensity of his gaze couldn’t even be put into words because she’d never experienced such a force in her life.
“I’m not going to be held prisoner by this injury.” His tone left no room for argument. “And I don’t want your pity.”
Colin’s eyes held hers another second before they dropped to her hands on his knee. The dark hair on his leg slid beneath her palms as she started to remove her hands. Instantly, his hand covered hers, holding her in place.
“I wasn’t feeling pity,” she whispered. “Attracted, intrigued, yes. Not pity.”
His thumb stroked the back of her hand. “This can’t be an issue.”
She knew he wasn’t referring to his injury or the fact that she’d found him in a state of pain.
“It’s already an issue,” she retorted, not even trying to pretend she had no idea what he was referring to. “We just have to take control of the tension instead of it controlling us.”
His eyes held hers, the muscle ticked in his jaw. “Are you ready to get sweaty?”
Darcy swallowed, then took her own advice and tried to get a grip. Offering a smile, she said, “If you’re trying to keep this attraction on the backburner, I think you probably shouldn’t ask questions like that.”
Laughing, Colin started to rise. “Just wanted to see the look on your face.”
The man actually laughed. And there went that zing of desire shooting through her again, because a brooding Colin was sexy, but a smiling Colin was flat-out irresistible.
Darcy came to her feet. “I’m sure I didn’t disappoint,” she joked.
As Colin got his feet beneath him, Darcy took a step back. “So what are you recovering from?”
Raking a hand through his hair, Colin sighed and shook his head. “A life I’ve left behind,” he muttered.
Curiosity heightened, she wanted to know more about this mysterious man who’d so easily and swiftly captured her attention.
“Tell me what your goal is,” he said, resting a hand on the rail of the treadmill. “Are you wanting to lose weight, tone up or just work on feeling better about yourself?”
“All of the above.”
A wide smile stretched across his face. The combination of those bright blue eyes and that knee-weakening smile could have any woman throwing all morals and professional behavior out the window.
“Let’s get started,” he said, clasping his hands together.
An hour later, Darcy was questioning her sanity and wondering why she’d let those sexy, dark-skinned muscles sway her judgment. How in the world did she think she could keep up? This man was obviously in shape and she was obviously...not.
She resisted the urge to bend over and pull in much-needed air to her overexerted lungs.
“Ready for more?” he asked, hands on his hips, devastatingly handsome smile on his face.
She sent him a glare. “I’m not a masochist.”
“You’re honest,” he replied, using his T-shirt to wipe the sweat off his brow. “I prefer honesty.”
“That makes two of us.”
He moved over to the small refrigerator in the corner of the room and pulled out two bottles of water. After handing her one, they both uncapped the drinks and took long pulls. Water had never tasted so good.
“So why the nanny business?” he asked, propping his foot upon a workout bench. His elbow rested on his knee, the bottle of water hung between two fingers. “Because you’re an amazing cook. Dinner was pretty damn delicious. All of the meals have been great, but tonight’s was my favorite.”
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