Marrying the Virgin Nanny

And

The Nanny And Me

By

Teresa Southwick

www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author

TERESA SOUTHWICK lives with her husband in Las Vegas, the city that reinvents itself every day. An avid fan of romance novels, she is delighted to be living out her dream of writing for Mills & Boon.

Marrying the Virgin Nanny

By

Teresa Southwick

To Charles Griemsman, who is simply a joy to work with. You’re the best!

Dear Reader,

I love kids. From the time I was a little girl, if someone in the neighborhood had a baby I was glued to their side. I’m the middle child of six and helped with the younger ones, who were almost as big as me. These days, my definition of family isn’t just those with whom I share DNA, it includes the people who touch my heart and become part of my life.

Maggie Shepherd, the heroine of Marrying the Virgin Nanny, was abandoned as a baby at the Good Shepherd Home for Children. The nuns and kids there became her family and she’d do anything to protect them, including marrying Jason Garrett, the wealthy boss who makes her an offer she can’t refuse.

Jason has his own family problems. He needs a nanny and is dealing with a controlling father who keeps getting marriage wrong. When Jason meets Maggie, he’d do anything to make sure she’s there for his infant son—anything except fall in love.

For me, the only thing better than holding a baby is writing about one, especially the littlest matchmaker who brings Jason and Maggie together. I hope you enjoy their story and look for the next two books in THE NANNY NETWORK series.

Happy reading!

Teresa Southwick

Chapter One

Margaret Mary Shepherd had never been the sort of woman men undressed with their eyes.

But if Maggie had to pick someone for that particular job based solely on looks, Jason Garrett would be right at the top of her list. Dark curly hair and eyes the color of coal complemented the brooding look he no doubt used from the boardroom to the bedroom.

Standing in the doorway of his penthouse condo just off the Las Vegas Strip, Maggie listened to the wail of an infant and knew the exact moment the decibel level went up. The man winced, an expression that was perilously close to panic and put him on the fast track to fear. It also told her that what she looked like underneath her crisp denim jeans and blue turtleneck sweater wasn’t even on his priority list.

“I very much hope that you’re Ms. Shepherd from The Nanny Network,” he said.

“I am.”

“Thank God.” He opened the door wider for her to enter. “Ginger Davis promised that you would be here within the hour.”

“She said it was an emergency, Mr. Garrett.”

He ran his fingers through his hair and from the looks of it, that wasn’t the first time. Quite a tall man, he forced her to look up. His wrinkled white dress shirt with sleeves rolled up and recklessly loosened striped tie only added to his potent masculinity.

“I need a nanny,” he said. Desperate need, judging by the ragged expression on his face. “Ginger assured me that infants are your specialty—”

An enraged, tiny-baby wail came from somewhere nearby. “Right on cue. That must be yours.”

“My son, yes.”

“I’ll just go—”

“Wait.” He glanced in the direction of the cry. “According to your employer you are the very best at what you do, but I’d like some confirmation.”

The baby’s distress was making Maggie want to tell him what he could do with his confirmation. “Isn’t that why you contacted The Nanny Network? The agency has made its reputation by conducting thorough personnel background and qualification checks. Peace of mind is part of the service.”

“I haven’t had a chance to check out Ginger Davis and The Nanny Network the way I’d like. But I’m not hiring ‘Ginger and Company.’ You’re the one who will be taking care of my son. The circumstances I find myself in—”

“What is your situation, Mr. Garrett?”

“I’ve had three nannies since my son was born and he’s only a month old, born December eleventh. I need someone to care for him, someone I can trust.”

The cry increased in pitch and urgency and Maggie couldn’t stand it.

“Look, Mr. Garrett, I’m not sure what your problem is that makes it a challenge for you to keep a nanny, but the job interview can wait.” She turned in the direction of the crying.

“Hold on a second—”

“Not while that baby is upset.”

As she hurried down the hall with the man hot on her heels, Maggie’s impression of his home was understated sophistication and simple elegance that probably cost a bundle. The guy was loaded, some kind of genius developer sensation. And what did any of that matter to the tiny infant who was clearly distressed about something?

She found the nursery and hurried over to the crib. The infant was on his back, thank goodness. His little face was red and the desperate cry was constant, high pitched. His hands and feet were going a mile a minute and his little mouth quivered in the way babies did that could just break your heart.

Without hesitation, she reached in and scooped him into her arms. “Oh my goodness, sweetheart,” she cooed. She lifted him against her chest and rubbed his back, making him feel as secure as possible. “It’s going to be okay. I promise.”

She pressed him close and gently swayed, the movement coming automatically. When he’d calmed enough, she settled him into the bend of her elbow, then took his tiny hand in hers and brushed his palm with her thumb. The intensity of the cries diminished until the sound was more like a cat’s meow, one that was telling her off big time for letting the situation deteriorate to such a low.

“I know, sweetheart. You’re absolutely right. The conditions here are deplorable and completely intolerable. But things are looking up.” She glanced at Jason Garrett who was watching her through narrowed eyes.

“I wasn’t finished talking to you.” He wasn’t accustomed to losing control of a situation.

“I was finished talking to you until this little one is sufficiently reassured that his needs will be met.” She cuddled the child close. Smiling down she asked, “What’s his name?”

“Brady.” He moved close. “Brady Hunter Garrett.” Tentatively brushing a finger over the downy dark fuzz on the child’s head, he smiled.

Maggie’s stomach quivered and pitched. He’d been all brooding darkness until he looked at his son. It was an expression so tender and loving her heart quivered and pitched, too.

“It’s a good, strong name.” She continued to caress the tiny palm as she said, “It’s nice to meet you, Brady Hunter Garrett.”

“Are you always so take-charge?” he asked.

“Are you always so long-winded?”

“What does that mean?” he demanded, the brooding look back.

“Brady’s needs come before yours.”

“Not when my need is to make sure he’s safe,” Garrett snapped.

“It’s easy to see why you go through nannies like napkins at a car wash.”

“I don’t have to explain myself to you. I’m the employer; you’re the employee.”

“Not yet. If you can interview me, I should be extended the same courtesy to decide whether or not I want to work for you.”

“Do you screen all potential employers?”

“This is the first time.”

Maggie wasn’t sure why she was doing it now except something was weird here. Her specialty was infants from birth to six weeks. Go in, stabilize the situation, so new mom could get her sea legs and some rest, get out before she, Maggie, fell in love with the child and couldn’t leave without breaking her heart. Ginger Davis, owner of The Nanny Network, had always placed her in work situations with couples—husband and wife or man and woman living together in a committed relationship. Always she’d met the infant’s mother first. Not this time.

“Where’s Mrs. Garrett?” she asked.

“I’m not married.”

“But Brady has a mom.”

He frowned and his perpetual dark look grew positively black. “The woman who gave birth to him is not going to be a part of his life.”

Was that his way of saying she’d passed away? If only there’d been time for Ginger to fully brief her on this position.

“Is she—I mean, was there a medical problem?”

“Nothing like that. All you need to know is that she won’t be an issue.” And the scowl on his face put an end to further questions on the subject.

She had news for him. A mother who disappeared from your life could be an even bigger issue. Maggie knew from firsthand experience.

“Now, if it’s all right with you,” he continued, “I have a few questions.”

“I’m an open book,” she said.

“May I see your references?”

“I didn’t bring anything with me.”

“Then you’re the first who’s arrived without them.”

“I’m between assignments, Mr. Garrett, and was expecting to have several weeks off. Ginger said this was an emergency and I should come right away. She promised to messenger over whatever paperwork was required.”

“I require it before you interact with my son.”

“Then we have a problem.”

She stared at the little boy in her arms who was sucking on his little fist and staring up at her with his father’s dark eyes. There was a funny sort of tightness in her chest just before she felt a powerful tug on her heart. He was a beautiful child, but that wasn’t a surprise because his father was an incredibly handsome man.

This was a first, too. She normally felt nothing but the general nurturing instincts that babies always generated in her. This was different. Because there was no mother in the picture? Because she was one of a long line of nannies in his short little life? Because Jason Garrett clearly needed her? Or was it the man himself?

He was as compelling as any Gothic romance hero she’d ever read. He was Mr. Darcy, Heathcliff and Edward Rochester all rolled into one tall, muscular, attractive and dashing package.

She would be the first to admit that her hormones hadn’t been out for a test drive in quite a while. But they were making up for lost time in a big way now. This father-son duo packed a powerful punch in the few minutes she’d been here. How much damage could they do if given half a chance? It was a disaster in the making.

“I don’t think I can work for you, Mr. Garrett.” She shifted the baby into his arms and the way he instantly stiffened told her he wasn’t used to this.

She refused to let her sympathy cloud her better judgment and walked out of the room.

“Ms. Shepherd—” He caught up with her in the foyer. “Wait—”

Bracing herself, she turned to face him but could only raise her gaze to the collar of his shirt. “There’s no point in wasting any more of your time.”

“It’s my time and I’m asking for just a few more minutes of yours.”

“I don’t think there’s anything left to say.”

“That’s where you’re wrong.”

“I’m wrong?” she said, taking her purse from the table and sliding the strap over her shoulder.

The baby started to whimper and flail his fists and the just-this-side-of-panic look was back in his father’s eyes. “Okay. Maybe I’ve been a little hasty in judgment. But look at it from my perspective.”

“And what is that?”

It was a mistake to ask, but that wasn’t her first one. Going soft when he all but admitted he was wrong was the number one slip-up.

“Nanny number one couldn’t soothe him, and made some excuse about why it’s all right to let babies cry during the night. When my son cries it’s because he needs tending to and I’m in favor of feeding on demand as opposed to making him wait for a scheduled time.”

“I agree.” To her way of thinking babies always had a reason for crying and should not be ignored. The child came first. Period. The caretaker was always on call. “What happened to nanny number two?”

“A family emergency.” He glanced at his son, a fiercely protective look. “Something I understand all too well.”

She’d never had a family, at least not a traditional one. “That’s not her fault.”

“No, but now it’s my problem. And I have to ask—you walked in and had him quiet in thirty seconds flat—how did you do that?”

She shrugged. “I’m good at what I do, Mr. Garrett.”

“I couldn’t say about babies in general,” he said, a smile cutting through his uncompromising expression. The transformation was amazing. “But I saw for myself that with my son you’re very skilled.”

She wasn’t the only one. Her skill was infants, his was flattery. At first he’d kept it securely under wraps, along with his seriously compelling charm. Now that he needed them, he pulled out both and set them on stun. “Brady is a beautiful child.”

“He’s more than that, Ms. Shepherd—”

“Maggie.”

He nodded. “He’s my son, Maggie. I’m a demanding boss. I’ll admit that. And I don’t know a lot about babies. I’ll admit that, too. But most important for you to know is that I’m a protective father. It seems to me that when caring for a child there are some basic nonnegotiable principles.”

“Such as?”

“Doing your job. When I arrived home from the office unexpectedly, I found nanny number three on the balcony with a glass of wine and Brady in his crib crying.”

Maggie was shocked. “That’s horrific.”

“I thought so, too, and fired her on the spot.”

“Good for you.”

“So, you see, I find myself in a situation. I have a business to run.”

“I’ve heard of it. Garrett Industries is developing that huge project just off the 15 freeway, the one monopolizing all the construction cranes in the Southwest.” When he grinned again, her chest felt funny even before her pulse fluttered.

“There’s nothing I’d like better than to stay home and care for my son, but I have obligations. People are counting on me and I’m counting on you. I’m in great need of your services.”

“What about my references?”

“I understand that there’s no way to measure a person’s ability to do a good job, but it would reassure me to see something in writing that says you’re qualified to care for children. But I’d like to hire you right now, references pending.”

When Brady started to whimper harder, she really felt as if this was a father-son tag team. They were piling it on. His crying went from half-hearted to off the chart in a matter of seconds and Jason handed him back to her.

“Hey, sweetie,” she soothed, and tried stroking his palm again. After several heaving sobs he started to quiet.

“I think I’ve just seen all the references necessary,” Jason said. “He wouldn’t stop crying for me and I offered him a thousand dollars. The interview is over, you’re hired.”

Maggie wasn’t so sure this was a good idea, but she simply couldn’t walk out on this child. “Okay.”

“Brady is asleep.”

Jason looked up and saw Maggie in the doorway to his study. He’d been completely focused on the information in the envelope that Ginger Davis had messengered over. Reading about his new nanny was priority number one and he’d forgotten about asking her to join him when the baby was settled.

Sitting behind his flat oak desk in his home office, he held out a hand. “Have a seat.”

She picked the left wingchair across from him, then folded her hands in her lap as she met his gaze.

“Is Brady all right?”

“He’s an angel,” she said, smiling for the first time. “He’s bathed, fed and sleeping like a baby.”

“Good.” He nodded toward the stack of papers. “Ginger is very efficient.”

“I’ve always found her to be a woman of her word.”

Good to know because The Nanny Network charged a hefty amount of money for the service provided. Everything in life came with a price tag, but you didn’t always know if it would be worth what you paid.

In the case of his son, he wasn’t disappointed. He’d never known a love like he’d felt when he saw Brady for the first time. And the feeling had multiplied tenfold since he’d brought him home from the hospital. When Catherine had broken the news about the unplanned pregnancy, her next comment was that it would be history soon. Jason couldn’t accept that his child would be removed as if it were nothing more than an inconvenience, an annoyance, a stain on the carpet.

After intense negotiation and a large settlement, he had a son whose mother received a bonus for signing off all rights to him. He’d have paid her far more than she’d happily taken, but that had been enough to finance plastic surgery or any other physical enhancement to further her acting ambitions. What he hadn’t counted on was how complicated finding competent child care would be.

“So you finally have my references?” Maggie asked.

Her voice pulled him back from the memories, and he glanced at her before again scanning the résumé that included very thorough background information. “You’re an orphan?”

“That would assume my parents are dead. In fact, I don’t know where they are. I never knew them at all. As an infant I was left on the steps of the Good Shepherd Home for Children where I was found by Sister Margaret and Sister Mary.”

Her tone was so moderate and matter of fact it was several moments before the pieces formed a complete picture. She’d been no bigger than Brady when she was discarded, an annoyance, an inconvenience. “So Margaret Mary Shepherd—”

She nodded. “I was named after two nuns and a home for abandoned children.”

It wasn’t often that people surprised him, but he was surprised now. “Forgive me, I don’t know what to say.”

“That implies you pity me.”

“No, I—”

“It’s all right. I consider myself lucky. Everyone was good to me. No one turned me away when I asked for more gruel.” She smiled at her reference to the famous scene in the dark Dickens book. “I had a roof over my head, a bed to sleep in and people who cared about me. I’m healthy and privileged to do a job I love. I didn’t end up in a Dumpster or as a sensational, sad headline in the newspaper. It could so easily have been a story with a tragic ending, but someone cared enough to give me to the sisters.”

Catherine hadn’t cared, but for a price she’d given him Brady.

Maggie Shepherd met his gaze and her own was unapologetic, clear-eyed and proud. There was no sign that he intimidated her and he wasn’t sure how he felt about that. Considering his recent nanny problems he’d have preferred a healthy dose of fear.

At first sight he’d thought her plain, although her wide dark-blue eyes that sort of tilted up at the corners were very unusual. Her brown hair was pulled back in a long ponytail. If worn long, it would spill over the shoulders of her turtleneck sweater and down her back. For some reason, he wanted very much to see it loose, maybe so that she’d look older, less like a fourteen-year-old babysitter.

When she’d held his son and smiled, the mouth he’d thought a bit too wide was suddenly intriguing. The tender expression in her eyes when she looked at the baby made her beautiful. Not home-run-with-the-score-tied-in-the-ninthinning exciting, or touchdown-to-take-the-lead-with-thirty-seconds-left-in-the-fourth-quarter stunning. But the individual features blended on a canvas of pale, flawless skin mixed with an air of sweetness and formed a pretty picture.

He folded his hands and settled them on the desk as he leaned forward. “Do you wonder about your parents?”

Her serene look didn’t slip. “It’s a waste of energy.”

“But aren’t you curious about anything?” He couldn’t help wondering if Brady would have questions about where his mother was and why she’d disappeared from his life. The truth wasn’t pretty, and Jason wasn’t prepared to tell it. But at least he knew what the truth was. Maggie had no details about her parents and he wondered if that bothered her. “Do you ever think about where they are? What they’re like? Why you are the way you are?”

She stared at him for a moment, then stood, serenity suddenly shattered. “If this is your way of saying you think I’m unsuitable for the nanny position…”

He stood, too, and noticed for the first time how small she was. Fragile, almost. He towered over her and now it made him feel like a bully until he remembered her fierce determination to comfort a distressed baby. She’d been like a force of nature.

“I didn’t mean to pry,” he said. “But I feel within my rights as a father to know the woman in whose care I’m leaving my son.”

“If you don’t trust me, I’d appreciate it if you’d simply say so.”

“There’s nothing in your background, personal or professional, that made me change my mind about hiring you.”

“Fine. Then, if it’s all right with you, I’ll go settle in while Brady is sleeping.”

“Will you stay for another moment? I have just a few more questions.”

She hesitated, then sat down again. “All right.”

“When did you first become aware that you’re a ‘baby whisperer’?” he asked, rounding the desk to sit on the corner closest to her. “I’m just curious.”

“I’ve always been around children. Everyone at the home was expected to help out, but it never felt like a chore to me. Then my first job while I worked my way through college was with a wealthy family who had four children, ranging in age from an infant to early twenties. He was in college.” Her lips pressed together for a moment before she added, “I found I liked babies.”

But she hadn’t liked something. Jason wondered about that and also about what she did after college graduation. Her background information had only said that she’d spent time in the convent without taking final vows.

“Why did you decide to become a nun?”

“I admired the sisters and wanted to be like them. It was important to me to give back, help people the way I’d been helped.” Her face was all innocence and sincerity that couldn’t quite hide the shadows.

“There are many altruistic professions that don’t require such a structured lifestyle,” he said.

“I knew what I was leaving behind in the secular life.”

So she’d dated and still chose to enter the convent. Or maybe dating drove her into the convent.

“You didn’t find what you were looking for with the nuns?” He was pushing the boundaries of this interview and he knew it. But she stirred his curiosity.

She sighed and thought for several moments before answering, as if choosing her words carefully. “It wasn’t a matter of not finding what I was looking for in the convent as much as I’m simply not good nun material.”

The corners of his mouth curved up. “Oh?”

“When you’re close to final vows, it’s a time for reflection and honesty. I simply had too many doubts.”

“About what?”

“Me.” She shrugged. “There was an expectation of sacrifice and commitment that I wasn’t sure of being able to sustain.”

“I see,” he said.

“And speaking of expectations—” she shifted in her chair, and met his gaze “—it’s time we discussed what you expect of me.”

“Take care of Brady. He’s your only responsibility. I have a cleaning service and a cook who also runs the household. If you need anything let Linda know.”

“Fine. But that’s not what I meant.” She blew out a breath. “It’s obvious to me that you’re not comfortable with Brady yet. Do you need me to teach you how to take care of him?”

“It’s your job to do that.”

“I’m not being sarcastic or judgmental,” she added quickly. “It’s just that this is different for me.”

“How so?”

“You’re a single father.”

“Is that a problem?” he asked, thinking about her first job and the oldest son. Did she get hit on? The thought made him angry. “Like I said before, if I could care for my son, I’d do it in a heartbeat. But I have a large company and need to work.”

“I understand. And are the people working for you entitled to scheduled time off?”

“Of course, but—”

“I require one day off a week. Saturday, until midday Sunday. That should be stipulated in the contract that arrived with the rest of the paperwork. Can you handle the baby for a day?” She met his gaze with a direct one of her own and when he hesitated, she said, “Since I’ve been with The Nanny Network it’s never been a problem. But I’ve never worked in a home where there wasn’t a father and a mother.”

“Like I said, the woman who gave birth to Brady is a nonissue. I’m paying you to—”

“To be his mother?” she asked.

“No—” He’d paid a woman to bring him into the world and was going to pay Maggie to take care of him. There was no need to put a finer point on it. “Why does this matter?”

“Because you’re a single father, it would make good sense for you to find a long-term situation. If I’d known that, I would have turned down the job.”

“Why?”

“I only stay for six weeks, then—”

“What?”

“That’s also in my contract. My assignments last no longer than that.”

Jason didn’t want a parade of strangers coming through. He didn’t want a revolving door on Brady’s care. Continuity and stability were the cornerstones of a well-adjusted childhood and he’d do whatever was necessary to give his son the best cornerstone money could buy. He wanted long term now. He wanted Margaret Mary Shepherd.

She watched him carefully, gauging his reaction. “Ginger will find someone else—”

“What if I don’t want someone else?”

From the moment she’d ignored everything but the need to protect a baby—his baby—she’d had him. No one else would do.

Shadows turned her eyes navy blue and she pulled her lips tight for a moment. “I won’t stay beyond what’s stipulated in the agreement. It’s important that you’re aware of that up front.”

“Are you already angling for a raise, Maggie?”

“This has nothing to do with money.”

Right. And he was Mother Goose.

“Look,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “This isn’t something we need to decide tonight. When the time comes, we’ll discuss new terms.”

She stood up. “Six weeks, Mr. Garrett.”

“Call me Jason.”

“All right, Jason. But I’m not budging on my deadline. I won’t stay more than six weeks.”

He watched the unconsciously sexy sway of her slender hips as she walked out of his office after issuing what could only be construed as a challenge. Obviously Margaret Mary Shepherd had never negotiated with someone who was willing and able to pay whatever it cost to have her.

Chapter Two

Maggie stretched the baby out on her thighs and curled his fingers around her thumbs. “Hey, big boy. Where’s that smile? I know you’ve got one for me,” she cooed to him. “Let’s see it.”

He wasn’t five weeks old, and yet he was showing signs that he was on the verge of smiling. Would he look like his father? Her heart tripped up at the thought. This little guy wouldn’t be in that heartthrob league yet. The lack of teeth thing could be an issue. But his dad was something else. Jason Garrett had a very nice, very potent smile when he chose to use it. And Brady showed every indication that he’d be the spitting image of his dad.

Stretching out, the baby pressed his little feet into her abdomen and she wondered, not for the first time, what it felt like when life moved inside you. This child was a beautiful miracle, one his mother had walked away from. Not unlike her own mother.

She liked to think lack of money and resources had factored into the decision to abandon her. But Brady’s father clearly had big bucks. The penthouse was understated elegance with recessed lighting, soft yellow paint on the walls, plush white sofas and dark wood tables. Walking on the thick beige carpet was like sinking to your knees in softness. Expertly lighted art hung on the walls and expensive glass pieces and figurines were scattered throughout. In fact, before her tenure here ended, she felt duty bound to remind him to put the pricey stuff up high when Brady got mobile. A toddler’s oops in this place could cost way more than most people made in a month.

She glanced out the floor-to-ceiling windows with a spectacular view of the lights on the Las Vegas Strip and the valley beyond. Scenery like that didn’t come cheap.

Jason had thoroughly checked her out, and she’d returned the favor, grilling Ginger for information. Her Nanny Network boss had assured her there were no sexual harassment or hostile work environment accusations against him. No hint of scandal or impropriety. Quite the opposite. Everyone who worked for him had only good things to say. Employee retention at his company was exceptionally high.

So why couldn’t he retain the mother of his son? Maggie would really like to know the answer to that question.

As if he felt her attention drifting, Brady cooed his irresistible baby coo, and she smiled. “I wasn’t ignoring you, sweetie pie. You’re a charmer in training, that’s what you are.”

His mouth curved up at the corners as he happily kicked his feet. She laughed and a corresponding sound gurgled up from deep inside him in what could only have been a laugh.

It was a major “awww” moment, melting her heart like ice on a summer sidewalk. And that was cause for alarm. She didn’t do the heart melty thing. That wasn’t to say she didn’t love babies, all babies. She did. But her thing was not to get attached. On her first day, this little guy had easily hurdled her defenses, then grabbed on to her emotions with both of his tiny hands and the sweetest disposition in the world. He was already starting to feel special and she had enough time left on her commitment for him to do a lot of damage.

Rubbing her thumbs across his tiny knuckles, she smiled. “You are too cute for words, Mr. Garrett.”

“Thank you.”

The familiar deep voice came from behind her and slid over her senses like warm chocolate and whiskey. Maggie had lost count, but this was the fourth or fifth time today Jason Garrett had dropped in unexpectedly. All that practice should have helped her get used to him. Unfortunately, she wasn’t even close to comfortable with Sin City’s most eligible bachelor and overachieving tycoon.

“Actually, I wasn’t talking to you,” she said. “I didn’t know you were there. Just like a couple hours ago when you stealthily sneaked up behind me. And the time before that. And the time before—”

“Yeah.” He came closer and set his suit jacket on the sofa back, then rested a hip beside it. He leaned forward and smiled at his son. “Hi, buddy,” he said, then looked at her. “I get your drift.”

“And I get yours.”

“I’m not subtle?” he asked.

“Not even a little bit.” From the moment they’d met, she’d figured out that he wasn’t the most trusting of men. His behavior today was further confirmation. “You’re checking up on me.”

“Does it bother you?” he asked, not taking the trouble to deny it.

“No. Quite the opposite. I respect you for protecting your son. If every child in the world was cared for so well, it would be a much better place.”

What she didn’t say was that his defensive actions not only made her respect him, she liked him, too. That was a good thing, right? How come it didn’t feel that way? All she felt was uneasy. The last time she’d liked a man this much the feelings had grown into love. He came with a family who liked her back and she’d felt as if she was getting everything she’d always wanted. Then it didn’t work out, a major blow that had hurt a lot.

She chanced a glance up at Jason, and her stomach dropped like an airplane hitting turbulence. The sight of him in his rumpled white dress shirt and loosened red tie made it hard to breathe. It was much safer to look at the baby.

“Your daddy’s home, Brady. For good this time? Or can we expect ongoing guerrilla warfare tactics this evening?”

“I’m in for the night. You can stand down.”

“Good to know.”

Jason leaned over again and stirred up the scent of him, something spicy and sexy and all male. Something that made it impossible for her senses to stand down. She felt tingly all over.

He reached out and loosely caught hold of a tiny foot. “Hey, buddy. How are you? Did you have a good day?”

The baby waved his arms and smiled. Jason laughed and the sound warmed her clear through. She was exceptionally good at resisting warm and fuzzy, but there it was again. As if she needed more proof, that double whammy convinced her the combined effect of the Garrett men was pretty potent and highly dangerous stuff. She scooped the baby into her arms, then stood and walked around the sofa.

“He’s fed, bathed and in his jammies. All ready to spend some time with his daddy.” She settled Brady in his arms and backed away.

This felt weird. After a year at The Nanny Network, Maggie had lots of assignments under her belt. When the man of the house returned from his day at work, Maggie faded discreetly away to give mom and dad couple- and family-bonding time. She waited in the background, ready to jump in and help if needed. The only couple here was father and son. She’d never been in this situation before and didn’t quite know what to do with herself.

Jason smiled down at his child. “He smells good.”

“Yeah. I don’t think anything smells better than a freshly bathed baby.”

He looked at her and something dark and dangerous glittered in his eyes for a split second before disappearing. “And he seems pretty happy.”

“He’s been an angel all day.”

“I may be a new father, but I know this mood can disappear in a nanosecond. Before that happens, would you mind taking him while I get out of this suit?”

“Of course.”

She took the handoff and tried not to think about him changing. The situation already felt too intimate. She walked around the living room, then into the kitchen. Never in her life had she seen such a beautiful, functional kitchen. Maple cupboards were topped by black granite and in the center was an island big enough for its own zip code. The appliances were stainless steel, including the Sub-Zero refrigerator and two ovens. A glass French door closed off the walk-in pantry that was tidy and organized. In her assignments, Maggie had seen lots of different houses and condos, but never anything as gorgeous as this.

It was past dinnertime and she’d already eaten, but the cook had left a plate for Jason. She felt the need to keep busy and settled Brady in the infant seat on the floor beside the glass-topped dinette. After spinning the toy strung in front of him, she watched him watch it until his interest kicked in. Then she took the plate of lasagna from the fridge, removed the plastic covering and stuck it in the microwave. There was also a salad that she tossed vigorously with Italian dressing.

When Jason returned in his worn jeans and powder-blue pullover sweater, her insides got a vigorous tossing of their own. He looked as good in casual clothes as he did in slacks and tie. Maybe better, if possible.

She realized she’d been staring and to fill the awkward silence said the first thing that came to mind. “I’m warming up your dinner. You’re probably hungry.”

“I am.” He had a funny sort of intense expression on his face. “If it’s all right with you, I’ll have a quick bite to eat before hanging out with Brady. Could you stick around?”

“Of course.”

He glanced into the microwave. “Something smells good.”

“Yeah.” And she wasn’t at all sure she meant the food. “Linda is a good cook. But you already know that.”

“She’s been with me for several years.”

Stability. Since she never stayed more than six weeks, that was a foreign concept to her. She leaned over the infant carrier and nudged it with a finger, partly to keep nervous hands busy. Partly to rock the baby and stretch out this unpredictable contentment as long as possible.

“I can’t help wondering what Linda’s job interview was like,” she said.

Jason glanced at her over one broad shoulder. “She had terrific references.”

“Was there a test? Did she have to prepare pheasant under glass out of corn flakes and tofu?”

He laughed. “Are you implying I’m a demanding boss?”

“Heaven forbid.”

“You’d be right. And I won’t apologize for it.” When the microwave beeped, he retrieved his plate and brought it to the table where his salad waited. “I don’t demand more of anyone else than I’m willing to give. That said, working with food is relatively easy. Babies, not so much. Because I’m willing to give everything I’ve got.”

“You’re his father. That’s the way it should be.” She didn’t have the right to give everything and had to hold part of herself back. Otherwise, leaving hurt too much.

Brady’s snorts and grunts changed tone indicating that the grumpy portion of the evening was about to commence. She was grateful for the distraction because the words made her like Jason even more. “I’ll take him into the other room so you can eat in peace.”

“Stay.” He put a hand on her arm and stared at it for a second before meeting her gaze. Shrugging, he added, “Peace is highly overrated. I haven’t seen him all day.”

“I beg to differ. What with the unannounced visitations.”

“Let me rephrase. I haven’t had a chance to spend quality time with him. Keep me company. It won’t take long to wolf this down.”

Her arm tingled from his touch and she felt strange, out of her element, which made her want to run and hide. But how could she refuse? Especially when he said it like that. Not to mention that he was the boss.

“Okay.”

But when she tried to sit, the baby wasn’t happy. She stood and her body automatically started a gentle swaying motion. She turned Brady so his back was against her chest and father and son could see each other. She caressed the baby’s palm with her thumb because he seemed to like that.

“So, tell me,” Jason said, “what did I miss today? What did you do?”

“Let me see,” she started. “I changed diapers. Fed this little guy. Played with him. Sang songs—for your information, his favorites are ‘Row, Row, Row Your Boat’ and ‘Rubber Ducky.’”

“He told you that?” Jason chewed as he studied her.

“Not in so many words. But in body language, he was rockin’ out.”

“Meaning he didn’t have a meltdown during the performance?”

“Pretty much,” she confirmed.

He laughed, then forked up a bite of salad. After chewing, he asked, “What else?”

She thought about the day. “He took two naps, during which I’m quite sure he had a significant growth spurt. I can feel the difference in density already.”

“In one day?”

“Absolutely.”

Singing his son’s praises and giving the blow-by-blow of Brady’s day made her feel more connected than she liked. And protective. She couldn’t shake the sensation of wanting to go run interference for him because he was starting out life with one strike against him. Like her.

Jason smiled tenderly at the boy. “Way to go, buddy. Getting bigger is your job.”

“Speaking of jobs,” Maggie said. “What did you do today?”

Thoughtfully, he chewed a bite of lasagna and washed it down with water. “I had a great day. In between nanny surveillance, I closed a billion-dollar deal, which will net enough money to make a significant donation to a prestigious university. It’s more than enough to ensure that my son will be accepted and get into whatever program he wants.”

“So you bought him a way into college?”

He tilted his head thoughtfully. “Let’s say I removed any doubt.”

He was a man who had the means to get what he wanted.

Twenty-four hours ago Jason had said he wanted her, and here she was. The thought set off a powerful quivering in the pit of her stomach as she recalled the dark and determined look on his face when he’d made the pronouncement.

He wanted her.

That was a heady notion, a thought she refused to take any further.

After Jason finished eating, he set his dishes in the sink, then took the baby from her. Murmuring tenderly, he settled Brady in the crook of his muscular arm, and Maggie barely managed to hold in a sigh.

Was there anything more appealing than the sight of a handsome man holding a tiny infant in his strong arms? If so, she’d never seen it.

She watched the two Garrett men walk away, although technically only one was walking. But that didn’t change the fact that she was alone. Along with the solitude, common sense came pouring in. She’d never felt a pull on her heart like this. Was it because she was a stand-in mom, being the only female on the premises? Is that why she was feeling so connected to the single father and his motherless baby?

Whatever the reason, she had to stop. She was an employee, a very temporary one, nothing more. Soon she would be a nanny to another baby. And darned if the thought of leaving was about as appealing as a header off the top of the Stratosphere. It must have something to do with the fact that they were a family without a mom and she was a woman without a family.

This strong reaction, with five weeks and six days to go, made her wish she hadn’t agreed to stay at all.

Jason wasn’t accustomed to concentration problems when he worked—either at the office, or at his home office, which was where he was now. The baby had changed his life in so many ways, and could be a distraction, but that wasn’t the problem. It had nothing to do with adjusting to his new situation and everything to do with the new nanny.

Maggie.

Margaret Mary Shepherd wasn’t the sort of woman who would normally capture his notice. She wasn’t classically beautiful nor did she have legs that went on forever. As a matter of fact, he’d never seen her legs except covered by denim, apparently the uniform of efficient nannies these days. Her appeal was all about character. She was dependable, efficient and sarcastically witty.

Admittedly, his taste in women left a lot to be desired. Case in point: his son’s biological mother who had required a large sum of money to guarantee Brady’s very existence.

Maggie wasn’t like that. If she was, it would have been easier to put her out of his mind.

A soft knock sounded on his study door. It couldn’t be Brady, so by process of elimination…His stomach tightened just a fraction with what felt like anticipation.

“Come in,” he said.

And there was his distraction in the flesh, wearing jeans and a yellow sweater, looking a lot like a slice of sunshine.

“Maggie. Hi.”

“Sorry to interrupt.”

“Not a problem.” He removed his glasses and turned off the computer, giving her his full attention—full, because she’d already had part of it since she arrived five days ago. “What can I do for you? Is Brady okay?”

“Fine. He was a little fussier than normal tonight. I hope he didn’t disturb you.”

“Never.” Thoughts of her had disturbed him, but that wasn’t her problem. Nor was it something he intended to share. “Any idea why he was restless?”

She stayed in the doorway. “Babies are a guessing game. He could have been overtired. Maybe gas. There’s no way to know. You listen to the various cries—”

“It all sounds the same to me.” Jason leaned back in his chair and linked his fingers over his abdomen. “They’re different?”

“Very.” She smiled. “There’s a frantic edge to it when he’s hungry. A sort of general dissatisfaction when he needs to be changed. Kind of a quiet mewling sound when he’s telling you off because his need wasn’t met in a timely fashion.”

“Fascinating.” As was the fact that she hadn’t moved any closer to his desk. “Where are my manners? Come in and have a seat.”

“Oh—I just wanted to remind you—”

He motioned her in and indicated one of the matching wing chairs in front of him. The smooth leather had gold buttons. Very pretentious. Very not her, but what could you do? “Please sit.”

“Okay.” She started to close the door the way it had been, then hesitated and opened it wide. “I need to listen for the baby.”

“Of course.” That was her job. She worked for him. At the office he didn’t find it necessary to remind himself that any woman was his employee. But it was different with Maggie. Must have something to do with the intimacy of living under the same roof.

She sat in front of him and the movement brought the scent of her wafting to him. It was sweet, which suited her.

“I just wanted to remind you that tomorrow is Saturday—my day off. And I won’t be back until noon on Sunday. You’ll have to get up with Brady if he needs anything. Should I notify Ginger to send someone to fill in?”

He thought about it for a moment, then shook his head. “I’m looking forward to time with my son.”

“Okay.”

The smile she gave him was full of approval and he felt like he’d given the correct game-show answer that would make all his dreams come true. Her reaction shouldn’t be that important to him.

“Do you have plans for the day?” he asked, mostly to distract himself from the unsettling thought.

“I’m going to do what I do every Saturday.”

“And that is?”

“Volunteer at the Good Shepherd Home.”

“I see.” No shopping? Lunch with the girls? A manicure, pedicure or facial? He was lying. He didn’t see at all. “What do you do there?”

“I fill in for one of the staff who takes a day off. And to answer your question, I do whatever needs doing. Cooking. Cleaning. Playing with the kids. Talking to them. Tucking them in at night. It’s important they know people care, that they’re not leftovers. Throwaways.”

“Is that how you felt?”

The question came out before he could stop it. His only excuse was that part of his mind was focused on her mouth, and its high sexiness factor. If she wasn’t his son’s nanny, he’d kiss her, take those unusually tempting lips out for a spin and see if they tasted as good as they looked. But she was the nanny and it wouldn’t be smart. He couldn’t think about himself when Brady needed her. And his son’s needs came first.

He shook his head. “Forgive me for prying. That’s really none of my business.”

“It’s all right.” She sighed. “Probably wouldn’t be normal for me not to have abandonment issues. Not letting that define your life is the challenge. My goal is to help the kids understand that message.”

“You’re a good person.”

She shrugged and her gaze lowered to the hands clasped in her lap. “I’m just trying to give back.”

“The home’s gain is my loss,” he said. Standing, he rounded the desk and rested one hip on the corner, just an arm’s length from her. He wouldn’t kiss her, but he wanted to get closer. Out of the frying pan into the fire. “Traditionally Saturday is date night. Your benevolence will put a speed bump in my social life.”

“Speed bump?” She met his gaze and spirit sparkled in her eyes. “You probably beat the women back with a stick.”

“Not lately.” He laughed. “Now that I think about it, dating is tedious. Time consuming. Hectic and energy draining. Especially now when I need all the energy I have for Brady.”

Again she gave him the approving smile. “Then you should think about settling down. Getting married. Did you know studies have shown that married men live longer?”

“I hadn’t heard that.”

“Oh, I know marriage takes energy.” The earnest expression on her face was cute and incredibly appealing. “But a committed relationship is different. And the rewards make it worth the effort.”

Not in his opinion. “And how do you know this? Have you been married?”

“Me?” She touched a hand to her chest. “No. But I’ve observed a lot of happy, contented couples who are united in their dedication to raising a family and making a life together.”

“You get around.”

She lifted her shoulders in a shrug. “Occupational hazard.”

A subtle reminder that her time with him was finite. She didn’t know it yet, but she wouldn’t have to look for another job.

“From my perspective, marriage provides nothing but stress and discord,” he said.

“Really?”

“Oh, yeah.” And then some, he thought. “It doesn’t work and inevitably leads to divorce and disillusionment or the demise of dreams. At the very least it causes bitterness and resentment.”

She frowned. “May I ask what your perspective is?”

“My father. He’s currently involved in financial negotiations in a divorce from wife number four and engaged to number five. I’ve had a front-row seat to discord and dying dreams.”

The look she gave him was filled with pity. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” His tone was more sharp than he’d intended. “It was and continues to be a good education. It’s cost Dad a lot of money, a good portion of which goes to the army of accountants he employs to keep up with alimony payments.”

“For what it’s worth,” she said, “I can see where that would give you pause. I might have abandonment issues, but at least I had stability. The nuns at Good Shepherd gave me that.”

He didn’t plan to debate the benefits and drawbacks of growing up in an orphanage versus the marriage-go-round of his own childhood. He had a thing about commitment; she had abandonment issues. That was information he would tuck away for another time.

He folded his arms over his chest. “Now that I’m a father, I can see where a case could be made for constancy. I’d be lying if I said it—marriage—hadn’t crossed my mind.”

“That’s the spirit,” she said.

He held up his hands. “Whoa. Finding someone to marry is a nice fantasy, but it’s easier said than done.”

“Are you one of those men who manufactures flaws in every woman he meets?”

“That’s a loaded question.”

“And probably none of my business. But you started it.” She tilted her head to the side and her silky ponytail brushed the shoulder of her sweater making his fingers itch to do the same. “I just meant that some men find the smallest excuses to walk away from a relationship, not really trying to make it work.”

“And you know this from firsthand experience?” Since he’d started the prying, what was the harm in a little more?

“Magazines. Articles in women’s periodicals.”

None of that was helpful information. “You don’t date?”

“I have two problems with dating.”

“Only two?” he asked.

She laughed. “Number one is lack of time. Between my job and working at the home, there’s very little left over.”

“What’s number two?”

“Lack of men.”

“Excuse me?”

“Think about it. My day revolves around infants. I go from job to job. It’s pretty intense.” She gave him a wry look. “And energy consuming. Besides, where am I going to meet someone?”

It was on the tip of his tongue to ask if he was chopped liver, but he figured that wasn’t a place he was prepared to go for too many reasons to list. But right at the top was the fact that he was way too pleased she didn’t meet men.

And suddenly the temptation to touch her was too much to resist when he was this close. And he didn’t trust himself to only touch her. Straightening, he moved back around to the other side of his desk, putting distance between them.

“I’m the last person who should give you advice,” he said.

“Actually, I think Sister Margaret and Sister Mary are the last ones to give advice on the dos and don’ts of dating.”

He couldn’t stop the grin. Wicked, witty sarcasm. It was incredibly intriguing. “Okay. Point taken.”

She looked thoughtful. “For what it’s worth, the most advantageous environment for Brady is one with positive male and female role models. That said, when you meet the right woman, you should snap her up.”

“That’s a challenge to do without Saturday nights. And make no mistake, it will take a lot of dating to get it right.”

“I’m sorry I won’t be around to watch.”

“I should think your curiosity would be powerful motivation to stay,” he said.

“There’s only five weeks left on my contract and I can’t extend it.” Genuine regret darkened her eyes.

And she wasn’t the only one. Unlike the other nannies he’d had, he actually liked Maggie. She was direct and didn’t play games. On top of that she was incredibly good with his son. He couldn’t imagine her being more loving, tender and nurturing if she’d actually given birth to the boy. In the nanny department, this time was indeed the charm. Did she really think he would let her get away without a fight?

Not so fast, Margaret Mary Shepherd. She hadn’t seen his very best stuff yet.

Chapter Three

“Good job on the bedtime prayers, Lyssa.” Maggie pulled the sheet and blanket up, then leaned over and kissed the six-year-old’s cheek.

In this wing of the home, the little girl was the youngest and the last of her ten charges to be tucked in. There were fifty children, from birth to eighteen, being cared for here and Maggie relieved one of the paid employees who took a much-needed day off. Her commitment to Good Shepherd Home for Children was unwavering because without this place, she wasn’t sure what would have become of her. The nuns continued to protect and care for kids who desperately needed them and Maggie considered it a sacred honor to assist in any way she could.

“Maggie?”

She felt a small hand patting her arm and looked at the blue-eyed, blond cherub clutching a tattered blanket. “What is it, sweetie?”

“I asked God to bring my mommy back.”

If Maggie had a dollar for every child who’d said that, she’d be a wealthy woman. The words never failed to tug at her heart because she knew exactly how the little girl felt. “I’m sure God will do His best to answer your prayer.”

Lyssa rubbed a finger beneath her nose. “But I thought God can do anything.”

She always hated this part. The children received religious instruction and were taught that the Lord is all powerful and merciful. The kids eventually came up with the same questions she had. If God loves me and takes care of me, then why don’t I have a mom or dad? In Lyssa’s case, her drugged-out mother and a boyfriend had abandoned the little girl at the bus station. There was no way this child would understand that God had taken care of her by making sure she was with the nuns here at Good Shepherd.

“God can do anything, sweetie.”

“Why did He let her go away?”

She met the child’s innocent gaze and wondered how to explain when she didn’t understand it herself. “All I can tell you is that God always does things right, even if it seems wrong to us.”

“Is it okay that I asked Him to bring Mommy back?”

“Of course.” Maggie stroked the hair away from the small face. “Just remember that if you ask Him for something and you don’t get it, you have to trust.”

“Why?”

“Because you can be sure He’ll give you what you need at the appropriate time. God can do anything He thinks is best.”

“I think my mommy is best.”

Maggie managed to smile even though the words hurt her heart. “And I think you’re pretty special.”

“I love you, Maggie.”

“I love you, too, sweetheart.”

When the little girl yawned and rolled to her side, Maggie let out a sigh of relief. For now she’d dodged the issue with Lyssa. But she couldn’t help thinking about the infant in the luxurious penthouse in the center of Las Vegas who would one day be asking his father a similar version of the question: Why isn’t my mother here with me? Why didn’t she love me enough to stay? In Maggie’s case, eventually the questions had hollowed out a place inside that became a need for someone to love her, someone who didn’t have to because it was their job. Someone to love her just for herself. Now she channeled that need into the extra-special care she gave every child who came into her life.

After one final glance at the four other twin beds in the room, she was satisfied that everyone was sleeping soundly. She turned on the nightlight and left the door open in order to hear the children during the night.

The house was a big Victorian located on Water Street in the Old Henderson section. Rumor had it that there’d been a brothel here once upon a time. Then the church acquired the property and turned it into a children’s home.

Maggie had spent a good portion of her life here and thought how different this place was from Jason’s posh penthouse. At the bottom of the wooden stairs there was a living room on her right and dining room on the left. Neither functioned in that capacity. Worn furniture and toy boxes said loud and clear that this was a place for children.

Her steps echoed on the wooden floor as she headed to the kitchen in the back of the house. Cold in body and spirit, she thought a cup of coffee would hit the spot. When she entered the large room with rows of tables and benches, she saw Sister Margaret sitting by herself, deep in thought.

Maggie loved this woman—not just like a mother. Sister Margaret Connelly was the only mother she’d ever known. And she looked troubled.

“They’re asleep,” she said, moving farther into the room.

Sister looked up and smiled. “Thank you, Maggie.”

“I was just going to pour myself a cup of coffee. Can I get one for you?”

“That would be nice, dear. I just made a pot.”

Maggie knew that because Sister always made a pot for their catching-up chat, a cherished weekly ritual. She smiled as she walked over to the old white stove with the electric coffeemaker beside it. She reached up and opened the battered-oak cupboard door and pulled out a green mug for herself and a blue one for Sister. After pouring the steaming liquid and putting sugar and cream in each, she carried both to the long, picniclike table and sat down across from the nun.

Maggie wrapped her hands around the warm mug, which felt incredibly good on a cold January night, and studied the woman who’d raised her. The order she belonged to didn’t wear habits and veils. That clothing was too restrictive for their active work with the children. She was in her usual uniform of striped cotton blouse, black slacks and thick, coordinating sweater. Blue-eyed, brown-haired Sister Margaret was in her early fifties with the spirit of a much younger woman. But tonight the years were showing and it had nothing to do with the silver strands in her hair.

“Is something wrong, Sister?”

“I was just savoring the quiet. It’s such a rare occurrence in a house with so many children.”

“You can say that again.” There were times at Jason’s, when Brady was sleeping soundly, that she experienced the quiet and missed the rowdy sounds of the kids. Loud and lively were normal to her.

“You must be tired, dear. That art project with the younger children must have worn you out. I can’t believe you were up for using real paint.”

Maggie nodded. “It was a little hectic. But the kids loved it. And keeping them busy is the goal.” On Saturday there was no school so channeling the energy was an ongoing challenge for her and the other volunteers.

“Speaking of keeping busy, didn’t you just take on a new job?” Sister blew on her steaming mug. “Where are you working?”

“Spring Mountain Towers.”

The nun’s eyebrows rose. “That’s some pricey property.”

“No kidding. In the penthouse, no less. The infant is completely adorable. His name is Brady Garrett.”

The nun took a sip of her coffee and studied Maggie over the rim. “And something’s troubling you. What is it, dear?”

“I can’t stop worrying about him when I’m not there.”

“You’ve been coming to Good Shepherd on Saturday since you started working as a nanny and this is the first time you’ve ever expressed concern about the child in your care.”

“This is the first time I’ve left the infant with a father and no mother.”

“Where is his wife?”

“He doesn’t have one.” Maggie remembered him talking about dating and her vision of him with lots of women. The idea was oddly disturbing to her. “Jason—he’s Jason Garrett—”

“The billionaire developer?”

“The very one. He only said that the baby’s mother won’t be an issue.”

“If only,” Sister said.

“Amen.” Lyssa’s bedtime prayer for God to bring her mother back still echoed in Maggie’s heart. Jason had more money than he would ever need and couldn’t give his son the one thing every child wanted most.

“What’s he like?” Sister asked.

How did she describe Jason Garrett? Her pulse fluttered and skipped just thinking about him. “He’s driven. Focused. He loves his son very much.”

“You left out seriously cute,” Sister added, blue eyes twinkling.

“I beg your pardon?” Maggie pretended to be shocked.

“I’ve seen his picture in the paper. And he was in that magazine’s yearly issue of best-looking bachelors.” Sister grinned. “I’m a nun, not dead.”

“Clearly.” Maggie laughed. “You’re right. He’s seriously cute—even better looking in person.”

“So if he’s devoted to his son, why are you worried about the baby?”

“What if Brady is upset and Jason can’t quiet him? I showed him the five S’s—” Sister slid her a blank look and she added, “The five S’s of soothing a baby. I’ve taught the technique to the volunteers here who work with infants. It was developed by Dr. Harvey Karp at UCLA. Swaddling, side lying, swinging, shushing and sucking. You wrap him tightly in a receiving blanket to simulate the security of the womb, hold them on their side in your arms, swing gently back and forth and make a shushing noise.”

“That seems simple enough.”

“Maybe.” She caught her bottom lip between her teeth. “But Jason builds big resorts. He’s not a baby kind of guy. What if he can’t handle it? What if he—”

“Needs you?”

“I know that sounds arrogant—”

Sister reached over and squeezed her hand. “Not at all, Maggie. It just shows how much you care. And I worry you’ll get hurt because of that marshmallow heart of yours. You have to be careful.”

The warning was too late, but Sister didn’t know about that. Now there was no point in making both of them feel bad. “I’m a big girl now.”

“That doesn’t mean I don’t still worry about you.” Sister shook her head. “Some children never get over a deep anger and resentment about growing up in an orphanage, present company excepted. You were always a sweet child, loving easily and accepting without question.”

That may have been true when she lived here, but that changed after she fell in love and then lost even more than her heart. She still cared deeply, especially about children, but now she had parameters in place for her own protection. That way she didn’t have to hold part of herself back. But she was already more attached to Brady than she’d ever been to an infant and it had only been a week. That didn’t bode well for her marshmallow heart.

“I’m older and wiser now, Sister.”

“That sounds ominous.”

“I just meant that as a working woman of the world I’ve acquired experience.”

“You sound sad.”

“No.” Maggie shrugged. “I guess all the constant moving around in my job is making me restless. Making me yearn for stability.”

Odd. It hadn’t occurred to her when they talked, but that was something she and Jason had in common.

Sister’s eyes filled with sympathy. “I didn’t know you felt that way.”

Maggie hadn’t, until very recently.

“It’s just that I haven’t felt like I belonged since I left here at eighteen. When I entered the convent after college—” She ran her index finger around the rim of her mug. “I think I was looking for roots, like I had here at the home.” Maggie saw the worry she’d noticed earlier in the nun’s expression. “What is it, Sister?”

“It’s not your problem—”

“So there is something.”

Sister sighed. “The state has scheduled an inspection of this building.”

“Isn’t that standard procedure?”

“Yes. But we’ve been aware for some time that the home needs extensive and expensive repairs—starting with a roof and the plumbing and it’s not in our operating budget. The diocese doesn’t have the money, either.” She shook her head. “We’re hoping to get by just one more time, but if we don’t, they could shut us down.”

“But where will the children go?” Maggie couldn’t imagine what would have happened to her without the love and support of Sister Margaret and everyone else here at Good Shepherd.

“We’re looking into alternative placements, but the state is already burdened with more children than they can care for.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Maggie asked.

Sister tried to smile. “That’s very sweet of you, dear. But I don’t think so. The Lord provides, and every day I ask Him to provide for us.”

Maggie would pray, too. For Lyssa’s sake, and all the rest of the kids at Good Shepherd, she hoped the volume of prayers would produce a miracle.

In his study, Jason looked at the computer screen to check his e-mail and rubbed his hands over his face, scraping his palms on the scruff of beard he hadn’t had time to shave. He was bone tired. If he didn’t know better, he’d swear a gravel truck had overturned in his eyes. Brady had been up every two hours during the night. The only way he’d napped was while being held and rocked. Jason had always thought building a resort was stressful, but that was before becoming a father. Right now he’d welcome budget woes, a spike in the cost of building materials and labor disputes.

And Maggie.

He’d take her in a heartbeat. As if his son heard that thought, the baby let out a cry. Just one. Just enough to say he’d need something soon.

“Brady,” he groaned, rubbing his hands over his face again. There’d barely been time for a shower, let alone a shave. He looked at the gold clock on his desk. Thirty minutes until noon, when she was due back. If there was a God in heaven she was the punctual type.

He was walking past the foyer on his way to the nursery when the key sounded in the lock just before Maggie walked in. She was better than punctual; she was early.

“Hi,” he said, casually lifting a hand in greeting.

“Hi. I’ll check on Brady.”

“Do you have X-ray hearing?”

“No. Why?” she asked, hurrying down the hall.

“You just opened the door.” The baby had been quiet since that one dissatisfied cry. “How did you know he needed something?”

“Whether he did or not, I would have looked in on him. It has nothing to do with super hearing.”

“I’m not so sure.” He followed Maggie to her room where she set overnight bag on the floor and her purse on the bed. Then she went next door to the nursery. “It’s like you’re tuned in to his frequency.”

“Hi, sweetheart.” She lifted the baby out of the crib and cuddled him close. “I missed you.”

“I bet you say that to all the boys.”

Jason leaned a shoulder in the doorway and folded his arms over his chest as he looked at her. He’d expected a tart comeback to his comment, but there was only silence, which seemed out of character. What the heck did he know about what was or was not in character for a woman who’d come close to being a nun? He’d only known her a week. Still, she seemed like the spunky type and not inclined to overlook an opportunity for a retort.

He’d spent a lot of time in this room over the last few weeks, more than the entire eighteen months he’d lived here. But he hadn’t taken the time to notice what a good job the decorator he’d hired had done. The walls were a pale olive green with white baseboards, crown molding and doors. A changing table in maple stood on one wall with the matching crib beside it. The sheet, quilt and airplane mobile were in shades of green, yellow and pale blue. Stuffed animals filled every flat space and corner of the room. Satisfaction trickled through him that he could give his boy the best.

Including the best of care. Which was all about Maggie.

She kissed Brady’s cheek and rubbed his back as her body went into the automatic swaying motion. In her worn jeans, sneakers and pullover red sweatshirt with the words Good Shepherd on the front, she was a sight for sore eyes. Weird that the gravel in them was gone now. And he felt as if he was seeing clearly for the first time in over twenty-four hours.

He’d felt her absence, and not because it had been too quiet without her. Brady had filled a lot of the silence with his outstanding pair of lungs. Now that she was here, he had a bad feeling that the deficiency he’d felt had nothing to do with taking care of the baby and that was unsettling.

“How was your day off?” he asked.

“I think he’s hungry.” She set Brady on the changing table. “When did he last have a bottle?”

Jason glanced at his watch. “About three hours ago.”

“Just as I suspected. You’re ready to eat.” She undid his terrycloth sleeper and slid his legs out, grabbing one tiny foot and kissing the toes. “You have hollow legs, Brady Garrett. Yes, you do.”

Jason was completely caught up in the tenderness that she lavished on the baby. And apparently he wasn’t the only one. When she smiled down, Brady’s tiny mouth curved up in response. His arms waved and legs kicked with genuine excitement rather than agitation. If that was anything to judge by, the little guy had missed her, too. No, not too. That would mean Jason had missed her and he refused to admit to anything but feeling her absence.

He was so caught up in that thought and watching her with his son, it took him several moments to realize she hadn’t answered his question about her day off.

Now that he thought about it, she looked tired. There were circles beneath her eyes that made them look even bigger and more vulnerable.

“I’ll get a bottle,” he said.

“Thanks.” She glanced at him for a moment, then finished changing the diaper.

Jason went to the kitchen and took from the fridge one of the formula-filled bottles she’d prepared before leaving yesterday and set it in the automatic warmer. When it was ready, he returned to the nursery where she sat in the glider with Brady.

“Did you have a good time with Daddy?” she said to the baby, holding him close.

As if talking back, the baby made a cooing sound that was new and Jason’s chest tightened with tenderness. He’d never worked as hard in his life as he had taking care of his child. His only goal had been to make sure Brady was comfortable, happy and content. But it was nice just to be a spectator and watch, noting the milestones in his son that he’d been too busy to notice.

Maggie smiled at the cooing, and said, “I know, sweetheart. I bet you were an angel. Because you’re just the best baby in the whole world. I’m so glad you have food and a place to sleep and a roof over your head.”

Her eyes darkened and there was an edge to her voice. For the second time he remembered that she hadn’t answered his question. “How was your day off, Maggie?”

She glanced up and held out her hand for the bottle. “See what Daddy brought, Brady?”

He handed it to her, then leaned a shoulder against the wall and watched while the boy latched on to the nipple and eagerly started to suck. Maggie smiled gently but it never chased the shadows from her eyes.

“What’s wrong, Maggie?”

Her gaze lifted to his. “Excuse me?”

“How was your day off?”

“Same as always,” she said. “I helped with the kids.”

He didn’t know if her reaction was the same because he had no basis for comparison. No one would accuse him of being the most observant guy on the planet, but even he could see that there was something eating her. “Are you always bothered after spending your day off there?”

“I’m not in the habit of discussing things with my employer.”

“Look, I’m a businessman.” He slid his fingers into the pockets of his jeans. “And the nature of your employment makes it necessary for you to live under my roof. The lines blur. As your friend and employer I ask again, what’s wrong?”

She sighed as she set the bottle on the table beside her, then lifted the baby to her shoulder to gently rub his back. Within moments he burped, a sound that did a father proud. Instantly, he started squirming and whimpering, a sign he wasn’t finished eating.

When she had Brady settled, Maggie looked up. “What’s bothering me? Roofs.”

“Would you care to elaborate?”

“Very soon the kids at Good Shepherd may not have one.” She sighed. “Sister Margaret told me that the building needs repairs. If they’re not done, the state could withhold or refuse to renew a certificate of occupancy, putting their license to operate in jeopardy.”

“I see.”

Her expression was ironic. “How could you possibly understand? You live in a castle in the clouds. That world is so far removed from your frame of reference.”

He couldn’t argue with that and decided not to try. “What are they going to do?”

“Sister says they’re hoping for an extension that will give them time to come up with a plan. She’s been there for a long time and if anyone can come up with a miracle, it’s her.” She glanced down at the baby who was limp and relaxed in her arms. “She told me not to worry.”

“And it’s obvious you’re following that order.”

“Trying to.”

Maggie stood with Brady in her arms and looked around the room. “Where’s the infant seat?”

“The other room.”

She walked out of the nursery, down the hall and stopped dead in her tracks as she surveyed the living room. Jason had been so caught up in having her back that he’d forgotten this chaos. There were blankets, clothes, stuffed animals and toys everywhere. The infant swing, with a onesy hanging from it, stood in front of the sliding doors to the penthouse patio. It seemed a clash of cultures with the landmarks of Vegas just outside.

Numerous used baby bottles sat on the coffee and end tables as if Brady had invited over all his infant buddies and they’d had a blow-out party the night before.

Maggie looked up at him, then back at the clutter and chaos. “So, how did it go?”

“Good.” The casual tone was forced. After glancing at the disorder he met her gaze and smiled. “Everything went fine.”

“I can’t believe you’d stand there and lie to my face when it looks like a gigantic baby store exploded in here.”

“It’s the truth,” he protested. “By my definition of the word fine, that’s how it went.”

“Oh?”

“Yes. There are no casualties to report. Therefore things went fine.”

“Has the cleaning staff seen this place yet?”

He shook his head. “They have the weekend off.”

“Well, it won’t be fine when they do damage assessment.” The corners of her mouth turned up. The spunky comebacks she was firing off were more like the Maggie he knew.

As he watched her easily put the baby in the swing that he’d needed blueprints and specifications to operate, he breathed a sigh of relief. Now that she was back, all was right with his world.

“Maggie?”

She stood and put a finger to her lips as she walked over to him and drew him far enough away to not disturb the baby. “What?”

“Brady missed you.”

“He told you that?” she asked, her mouth curving up in a smile.

“Pretty much.”

Now that he was this close, he couldn’t seem to stop staring at her mouth. “And I’m so glad you’re back I could kiss you.”

“Always nice to be appreciated.”

It was more than that. But he ignored the pull of attraction and concentrated on what was best for Brady and, by extension, himself. After twenty-four hours without her, he never wanted the penthouse to be a Maggie-free zone.

The time had come to step up his campaign to change the terms of her employment.

Chapter Four

Maggie’s large, comfortable room in the Garrett penthouse was more like what she imagined a luxury hotel suite would look like, including its own bath. The walk-in closet was big enough to live in and the oak dresser, armoire, headboard and nightstands all matched. No garage sale or flea market stuff here. Brass lamps stood on either side of the king-size bed, which was covered in a beautiful Laura Ashley floral-print comforter. Accent pillows in shades of light pink and rose were piled high. A flat-screen TV was mounted on the wall in the sitting area complete with sofa, recliner and reading lamps.

Hands down, it was the most beautiful space she’d ever had in her life. But all of it paled in comparison to what she’d found on the dresser after settling Brady for the night.

She stared at the black-velvet jewelry box. It was not a very large box and she’d heard that good things come in small packages. Another in a list of gifts from Jason.

For the last four weeks he’d been doing thoughtful things like this. Flowers. Candy. A generous bonus in her paycheck. All of that was wonderful, but didn’t make her heart pound like it was now. She’d have to be deaf, dumb and blind not to know he was wooing her. Not in a romantic way. More of a loyalty retention, boss-employee appreciation sort of way.

But romantic things came in small packages, too. Hand shaking, she reached out and picked it up. In her whole life no one had ever offered her a small black-velvet jewelry box. She’d dreamed and fantasized about Jeff giving her an engagement ring—something that would fit in an elegant container like this. She hadn’t thought it could, but her heart pounded even harder.

Even as she ran her index finger over the soft, curved lid, she had an uneasy feeling. Flowers were a sweet gesture. Candy was candy. And a bonus for exemplary work was not out of the ordinary. But this was…She wasn’t sure what it was.

“Open it, you nit,” she chided herself. Lifting the lid, she gasped when two large diamond-stud earrings winked and sparkled. “Oh, my—”

They were quite possibly the most beautiful things she’d ever seen. And she had to give them back. Right away. Before the idea of trying them on took hold.

If Jason’s routine held true to form, this time of night with his son settled in sleep, he could be found working in his study. The door was ajar, with light trickling onto the plush hall carpet. She raised her hand to knock and took a deep breath before tapping lightly.

“Come in.”

She pushed the door wide and met his gaze. “May I speak with you?”

“Of course,” he said, pushing his glasses to the top of his head.

He’d changed out of his suit into jeans and a white cotton shirt, with sleeves rolled to just above his wrists. The missing power tie did nothing to diminish his power and one look tied her insides up in knots. That was so not how she wanted to feel for this conversation.

She walked in and set the jeweler’s box on his desk. “I spent time in the convent, but that doesn’t mean I’m stupid and naive.”

He glanced down, then met her gaze. “I’m not sure what I did to make you believe I think that, but nothing could be further from the truth.”

“You’re trying to bribe me into changing my mind about staying as Brady’s nanny.”

“Bribe isn’t an especially flattering word.” He closed his laptop. “I prefer the word incentive.”

She put her hands on her hips and lifted her chin toward the velvet box. “So you don’t deny that’s a shameless attempt to convince me to extend my contract?”

“No.”

That took the wind out of her sails. “Oh.”

“It was the latest in a string of attempts—flowers, candy and a very generous bonus.” One dark eyebrow lifted. “All of which you accepted graciously.”

“This is different.”

“How so?”

Good question. It was personal? Not personal enough? “It just is,” she said stubbornly. “I can’t accept diamonds. It feels wrong.”

“What if I told you they’re cheap imitations?”

“Are they?”

“No.”

“Then it’s too expensive, extravagant and any other ex word you can think of,” she said.

“Not for me.” He smiled, but there was no warmth in it.

“Look, Jason, don’t think I’m not grateful that you appreciate my work with Brady—”

“It doesn’t look like work when you’re with him.”

Doesn’t feel like it, either, she thought. No way would she tell him that and have him use it against her. “He’s a sweet-heart. But I can’t stay any longer.”

“Why?” There was an angry edge to his voice. “Look, Maggie, I’m not hitting on you.”

“I didn’t think that.” Not really, even though a tiny part of her had hoped.

“Are you afraid I will if you stay? Did someone do that to you?”

“No.” If only it had been that ugly. Self-righteous anger would have helped her get over her hurt.

“Then tell me why I can’t alter the terms of this agreement and hire you permanently at an incredibly generous salary.”

“Because money isn’t everything. It doesn’t buy happiness.”

“It buys a hell of a lot of security.”

“It doesn’t buy an insurance policy against heartbreak.”

“What are you talking about?”

The dark, angry expression on his face chipped away her resolve that her past was no one else’s business. Maybe she did owe him an explanation.

She gripped the back of the chair in front of his desk until her knuckles turned white. “When I turned eighteen, I had to leave Good Shepherd because I aged out of the system.”

“Aged out?”

“Too old for state funding.”

“That stinks.”

“Yeah,” she agreed. “Fortunately I’d graduated from high school and I was determined to go to college. I had some scholarship money but still needed to work. My experience helping at the home came in handy. I got my first nanny job, which included room and board. I lived with a family and took care of the three minor children.”

“Minors? That implies there was an adult child as well.”

“The oldest son—Jeff Warren—This is the family I told you about.” A vision of brown hair and blue eyes flashed through her mind. He was handsome, smart and sweet. And he broke her heart. “He had a bachelor’s degree and was working on his master’s.”

“And he hit on you?”

“It wasn’t like that. We dated.”

“And then he hit on you?”

“You have to let that go.”

She almost smiled at his tenacity. If she had any stars left in her eyes, she might believe Jason was jealous. But Jeff had taken all the twinkle out of her and left the hard reality in its place.

“What then?”

“We dated. The family liked me and approved of the relationship. We were engaged to be engaged.”

“So it was all good?”

“Until Jeff’s father got a promotion and was offered the opportunity to build a mega resort in Macau.”

He frowned. “I guess he didn’t want to commute?”

“No.” She laughed and tried to keep the bitterness out of it, although without complete success. “Jeff’s parents decided to move the family and gave him the option of finishing school here. He agonized over what to do, but eventually came to the conclusion that a classroom was no substitute for life experience. He moved with the family and we agreed that calls and e-mails would keep us connected. His parents said I was like a daughter to them and promised to keep in touch, too. It wasn’t ideal, but we’d formed a bond and I finally had a family.”

“But no happy ending?” He removed his glasses from the top of his head and tossed them on the desk. “Otherwise this wouldn’t feel like a cautionary tale.”

She didn’t bother with a short affirmative answer. “He communicated at first, but it lessened over time and finally just stopped. When I called, he admitted that he’d met someone and was engaged.”

“Son of a…”

Sadness welled up in her. It wasn’t as acute, but still had the power to wound. “His parents eventually stopped communication, which was only natural under the circumstances. But natural didn’t make it any easier to come to terms with. I gave them my loyalty, my heart, and I lost everything.”

“That’s a tough break, Maggie, but—”

“Don’t tell me it will be different here. You have to do what’s best for your family, and I’m not part of it.”

“You’re what’s best for this family,” he said.

“For now. But what if that changes? And don’t tell me it won’t. I know better.” She rounded the chair and sat, gazing intently at him. “After I left the convent, Ginger placed me with a couple who’d just had a baby. Mom was on maternity leave and I helped out, staying on when she returned to work. That baby had me from day one and I gave everything I had because they said the situation was permanent. With my help she could have it all—a career and a baby.”

“Don’t tell me,” he said. “No happy ending here, either.”

“After six months she said it was too hard to be away from her child. She was missing too much and wanted to be a stay-at-home mom. So I lost everything again.” It shamed her that the memory still brought tears to her eyes. “How could I even be mad? Having a mom is the ideal situation.”

A hard look darkened his eyes. “Not if Mom didn’t want you in the first place. Not if your own mother doesn’t care enough to stick around.”

“Is that personal experience talking?”

He shrugged, which neither confirmed nor denied, yet the expression on his face was anything but neutral. It made her curious about him and that was dangerous, another in a long list of reasons why she was right to stick to her time limit.

“It may not seem like a big deal to you, but I never want to go through that again. I’ve found that my time limit works for me. And Ginger has structured a marketing campaign around my skills and restrictions. I’m an expert at assisting inexperienced parents through the transition and adjustment of a new baby.”

“What about my situation?” he asked angrily.

“Ginger has an impressive employee list. Many of them prefer long-term assignments—”

“That’s not good enough.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m sorry you got hurt in the past. That happens when you wear your heart on your sleeve.”

“Not anymore,” she protested.

“That’s where you’re wrong. You still care. Maybe too much, but you can’t help that. It’s one of your most impressive qualifications. But now your caring has a short shelf life to keep you from getting hurt.”

“I’m glad you understand.” She stood. “I have a week left on my contract and then I’m leaving.”

He stood, too, and towered over her. “Fair warning, Maggie. I’ll find a way. Everyone has their price. If you put enough zeros on a check, it takes the sting out of life. However you want to say it, anyone can be convinced.”

At the door, she chanced a look at him and felt a pull on her heart. “Not me.”

Not with money. However, if he showed the slightest interest in her she wasn’t sure the bravado would hold up. She’d walked into his office looking for a fight. Now she realized the reaction was out of proportion to his generous gesture. It was earrings. Big, expensive diamond earrings, but impersonal jewelry nonetheless.

The only reason she could come up with for her meltdown was that she’d half expected to see a ring in the black velvet box. It was stupid and naive, both of which she’d denied being, but that didn’t change the truth.

She’d felt the sting of rejection once before, when she learned of Jeff’s engagement. When she’d seen the earrings, it was even worse. She’d felt a lot like a mistress who was being appeased. And she’d been disappointed.

This was a sign as big as any on the Las Vegas Strip that she would be lucky if another week here with Jason Garrett didn’t cost her as much, or more, than she’d lost in the past.

Maggie had finished packing her clean clothes and had the dirty ones in a laundry bag stashed by the half-opened door. On the tufted-silk bench at the foot of the bed she’d put out a pair of jeans and sweater for when she left in the morning. Ginger had a replacement coming. Jason had met and approved her, however ill-tempered and reluctant his attitude.

Now all she had to do was say goodbye to father and son.

Tears burned the backs of her eyes and her heart squeezed painfully at the thought of leaving. She caught her blurred reflection in the mirror over the dresser. It was going to hurt terribly when she walked out the door for the last time. A sob caught in her throat just before she heard a soft knock on her door.

Jason pushed it wide and stood there. With his tie loosened and the white shirt wrinkled from a long day at the office, he was incredibly appealing. For the last six weeks, it had grown increasingly difficult to keep from saying, “Hi, honey, how was your day?”

Quickly she turned her back to him, hiding the powerful reaction. Oh, God, not now. It was so not the time for her resolve to weaken. Leaving was the right thing for her.

“I’m sorry,” she said, struggling to keep her voice steady. “Brady’s already asleep. He was just worn out.”

“It’s all right. I wanted to talk to you anyway.”

Too much to hope he wouldn’t make one last push to change her mind. A man like him wouldn’t be as successful as he was without a dynamic personality, a stubborn streak as wide as the Grand Canyon. Probably it worked for him with women, too. And she might even have changed her mind if her acute response to him just now hadn’t convinced her she’d be safer away from him and Brady.

The thought of that sweet little boy punched a hole in the dam of her feelings and the tears she’d barely managed to hold back trickled out.

“There’s nothing left to say, Jason.” This time her voice broke.

“Are you crying?” He moved close and put his hands on her arms.

“No.”

“If I haven’t said it already, I will now. You’re a lousy liar.”

“It’s not full-on crying. Just a tear or two.” She sniffled and tried to step away.

His grip tightened and he turned her, pulling her into his arms and against his broad chest. Wrapped in his comforting embrace was probably the safest she’d ever felt in her life. How could that be when the things he made her feel were big and scary? The emotions swimming inside made her want to both run and stay.

He rubbed a hand up and down her back. “Don’t cry, Maggie. Everything will be fine.”

“I know. It’s just—” A giant knot of emotion cut off her words.

“You’re sad.”

She nodded against his chest.

“You want to stay.”

She nodded again.

“So don’t go.”

She shook her head, then permitted herself one last moment to savor the sweet, solid feel of him before stepping away. “I have to. Everything is all arranged.”

“It can be unarranged. I’ll call Ginger and cancel your replacement.”

Brushing the moisture from her cheeks, she blew out a long breath. “Then what?”

“We go back to business as usual.”

“And what happens two months from now if you change your mind? You find Ms. Right and don’t need a nanny and kick me to the curb.” She looked at him, the fiercely determined expression in his eyes. “What about me? That sounds incredibly selfish, but I—”

“I’ll have a contract drawn up for any length of time you want. If my situation changes, I’ll pay it out, no questions asked. I’ll even add a rider for a bonus, proportional to time employed versus the amount of time left on the contract.”

She realized he didn’t get the emotional toll this was taking on her. “You think money can solve any problem?”

Without hesitation he said, “Yes.”

“You’re wrong, Jason. Money isn’t the solution to everything.”

“It doesn’t necessarily buy happiness, but it can buy a way out of problems. And that may be as close to happy as a person can get.”

“Money doesn’t keep your heart from breaking,” she protested.

“Do you love Brady?” He nudged her chin up with his knuckle, forcing her gaze to his. “Don’t lie to me, Maggie. I’ll know if you do. You’re exceptionally bad at it.”

“I guess I missed Deception 101 when I was in the convent.”

“You’re stalling. Do you love my son?”

Judging by the way her heart was breaking, the answer to that question was easy. “Yes.”

“Then don’t go. Stay and help him grow into the best person he can be.”

She shook her head. “My mind is made up. There’s nothing you can say to change it.”

“There must be.” A muscle in his jaw moved as his dark eyes turned almost black with frustration. “What if I asked you to marry me?”

She stared at him for several moments, not realizing she’d been holding her breath until she dragged air into her lungs. “That’s a joke, and I’m not even going to dignify it with a response.”

“Why not? I’m dead serious.”

“Oh, please.”

He rested his hands on lean hips, a challenging stance, as he met her gaze. There was a glitter in his eyes, as if he’d hit on the right button. “Marriage is a serious contract. It would protect your rights, something you never had in the past.”

Her heart was pounding, yet it felt like all the blood had drained from her head. She couldn’t think straight. He must be kidding, toying with her. And yet he looked completely determined.

“Marriage?” She held out her hands, a helpless gesture. “I don’t even know how to respond to that.”

“You need to come up with an answer, Maggie, because I still need one.” They stared at each other and tension rolled off him in waves. “How much will it take? When you showed up, I couldn’t help thinking I’d hit the jackpot. Nothing you’ve done has changed my opinion. I want to keep you. Name your price. How much will it take to convince you that I’ve never been more serious in my life? You’re the answer to my prayers.”

Prayer. She remembered another motherless child at Good Shepherd Home who prayed for a mother. That home was the only permanent one Maggie had ever known and it was still a haven for children. But not much longer unless Sister Margaret’s prayers were getting results. She’d told Lyssa that God gives you what you need at the appropriate time.

The home needed money. A lot of it.

“Answer me, Maggie. What will it cost for you to marry me?”

She said the first thing that popped into her mind. “A million dollars.”

“Done,” he said without hesitation.

Chapter Five

“I don’t believe you’d give me a million dollars to marry you,” Maggie said.

“You don’t know me very well.” He stared her down. “Believe it.”

When he calculated a nine-month pregnancy as opposed to raising the child for an indefinite length of time, Jason figured it was a bargain. He’d paid Catherine as much just to bring Brady into the world and she’d been giddy at the number of zeros on the bonus check simply for staying out of their lives.

Not that he wanted that greedy, grasping, self-centered woman anywhere near his son, but when he’d made the deal, he hadn’t counted on the complications of caring for and bringing up a child.

Maggie’s protective instincts had kicked in before she even saw Brady. She’d refused to talk until the baby was comforted and content. After Brady’s first nannies, her presence these last few weeks had been like a cooling weather system from the north taking the heat off a desert summer.

Not until Maggie had walked into his life had he understood what a difference the right woman could make, in terms of child rearing. It would be stupid to let her get away, and he hadn’t taken the family company to a whole new level of success by being stupid.

Maggie stared at him as if he had two heads. “I don’t know whether to laugh or be afraid.”

“Why?”

“Why?” she repeated, her voice rising. “You just offered me a large sum of money to marry you. It’s like a scenario for an outrageous reality show. Or Punk’d.” She looked up and around the room’s ceiling. “Do you have cameras on me right now? Is this going on TV?”

“Don’t be silly.”

“Right back at you.”

“On the contrary,” he said, “this is the least silly idea I’ve ever had. It makes complete sense.”

“Not to me.” She folded her arms over her chest, drawing his attention there.

The only part of this idea that was silly had to do with his level of attraction. Instead of decreasing with time as he’d thought, the longer she stayed, the more appealing things he noticed about her—the subtle curves of her body that jeans only accentuated. Her high, firm breasts outlined by sweaters, blouses and T-shirts. His escalating curiosity about how her full lips would taste, how they’d feel against his own.

This was not a good time to let all that considerable appeal distract him from negotiating with her.

“Nothing about this makes sense,” she said.

“Can you be more specific?”

“In this day and age men don’t pay women to marry them.”

“That’s where you’re wrong.” He held up three fingers. “Three words. Anna Nicole Smith.”

“Oh, please. Completely different situation. The man was ninety-something and she was after his money.”

“How do you know he wasn’t looking for someone to nurture his children?”

“If I remember right, his son was in his fifties or sixties. The guy could take care of himself. By any stretch of the imagination she was a gold digger.”

“Maybe he was interested in companionship and was willing to pay for it. Strictly a business deal. Not unlike what I’ve proposed.”

“How do you know I’m not a gold digger?”

The idea that she could be manipulative and calculating made him smile. “The definition of a gold digger is someone who uses her feminine wiles for gifts or monetary gain. You haven’t done that. And I will have my attorney draw up a pre-nuptial agreement to protect me from any possible challenge to my financial assets. It would just be a precaution. Something a smart man does.”

“At this particular moment, I have some serious doubts about your intelligence level. A smart man wouldn’t propose this in the first place.”

“He would to do right by his son. What kind of father would I be if I didn’t secure the best possible future for Brady?”

“You’d sacrifice your own future for his?”

That presupposed he had a romantic future. He didn’t. No woman could get close because he wouldn’t let them. “I’m not sacrificing anything, Maggie.”

“Because you love him.”

It wasn’t a question, and that pleased him. “Yes.”

“A father should love his son enough to do anything for him, but that doesn’t mean you should do anything for him.”

He took a step closer, near enough to reach out and touch her. Something he badly wanted to do again after holding her in his arms. In the mirror behind her he could see her back, the trim, ramrod straight posture. Or it could be tension. This was a big step. It should give him pause, but the more he thought about it, the more right it felt.

“Tell me something,” he said. “Do you need the money? Is there something you could do with it?”

She caught the corner of her bottom lip between her teeth. “Doesn’t everyone need cash?”

He looked at her and smiled. “I don’t.”

“Okay.” She slid her fingers into the pockets of her jeans. “But the average person could use a large sum of money. If not, Las Vegas would just be a tiny town in the desert. It’s built on dreams of winning big.”

“And I’m offering you an opportunity to do that. It’s not a dream and there’s no luck involved. All you have to do is say the word. And you didn’t answer my question. Is there something you could use money for?”

“Yes.” She looked down and her silky hair framed her face, teased her cheeks.

His heart lurched and his hands tingled with the urge to tunnel his fingers in all that shiny hair and cup her face. “Tell me what it is.”

She met his gaze. “The Good Shepherd Home is in a bad way. I told you about the building being in disrepair. Sister Margaret and Sister Mary have done everything, talked to everyone they can think of. So far the money isn’t pouring in. And I don’t think bake sales and car washes will make a dent in what they need.”

“I’ve just offered you the perfect solution.”

The conflict raging within her shadowed her eyes. “It’s not perfect.”

“Nothing ever is. But we both get what we want.” He took her hands. It seemed safe enough until he felt her doubts in the trembling and the softness of her skin. But he hung on and squeezed gently, reassuringly. “You’re afraid of getting emotionally attached, then losing your position as nanny. I need someone I trust with my son. If you marry me, I get what I want and you’ll have a guaranteed place in my household. Another plus is the money to bail out Good Shepherd. Call it a sign-on bonus.”

“If it closes, the kids will lose their home. And each other. Some of them are the only family they’ve got.”

Like her. He’d spent a lot of years resenting the revolving door of women through his father’s life and the fact that his mother walked out when he was barely old enough to remember her. But he never forgot the grief and anguish of wondering what he’d done to drive her away. Still, he’d never had to worry about a roof over his head or where he was going to live. Or who would take care of him because his father had secured the best help money could buy.

“You have the power to make a difference, Maggie. All you have to do is say yes.”

Her gaze jumped to his. “Why marriage, Jason? What if I just agree to stay?”

“I want a guarantee, too. Assurance that you will stay. That no one will hire you away.” And another thought struck him, this one more disturbing. “What if you find Mr. Right? What if some guy swoops in, sweeps you off your feet and marries you himself? I need stability for my son, and marriage does that.”

Jason stared at her hands, still in his. With his thumb, he brushed her left ring finger picturing another man putting an engagement ring there, the symbol of his promise to keep her forever. The idea didn’t set well.

The same instincts that made him a successful businessman should have warned him to go slowly with this proposal. Unfortunately, he didn’t have that luxury. He needed to seal this deal now, while she was off balance. Before she had a chance to sleep on it and say no in the morning. If that happened, she’d walk out on her own terms. And he needed her to stay on his.

“I have to have your answer, Maggie. What’s it going to be? Will you marry me?”

She pulled her hands from his and folded her arms over her chest. “Jason, I just don’t—”

“As soon as you say yes, I’ll write a check to Good Shepherd with a lot of zeros on it.”

“You could stop payment,” she pointed out.

Clearly he wasn’t the only one with trust issues. “If it will make you feel better, I’ll set up an account. You can have an independent attorney look over the paperwork to make sure there’s nothing funny going on. I’ll jump through hoops if you want, but I need an answer now. Yes or no, Maggie?”

“It does feel a lot like God putting me in the right place at the right time,” she hedged.

“I’d call it a sign,” he agreed. “Are you in?”

Her beautiful eyes were full of doubt but she finally said the word he wanted to hear. “Yes.”

He held out his hand and hers was shaking when she settled it into his palm, signifying the agreement.

“Is everything ready to sign?” Jason looked across the desk at his attorney.

Blake Decker of Decker and Associates had handled his father’s third and fourth divorces, and was currently involved in financial negotiations for dissolution of property with the most recent, soon-to-be ex-wife.

“Of course it’s all ready. But a lawyer’s job is also to advise. They don’t call me counselor for nothing. I need to ask if you know what you’re doing.” The guy was in his thirties, tall, black-haired and physically fit. What women today call a hottie. And one of the city’s most notoriously marriage-phobic bachelors. “What are you thinking, man?”

“I’m marrying Maggie Shepherd. What’s your point?”

Blake leaned forward in his chair. “You’re making a legal commitment to the nanny. It’s a hell of a step to take for continuity in child care.”

“Then it’s a good thing you’re not taking it.” Jason knew exactly what he was doing. “But you’re entitled to your opinion.”

“My opinion is that marriage is the worst possible risk. I’ve never seen one work out.”

“With good reason. You’re a divorce attorney.”

“And I’m making an unbelievable amount of money doing what I do, which goes to what I just said. Getting married is a straight shot to legal, financial and emotional complications that you don’t need. Trust me. I’ve been through it.”

“That’s because you, along with most of the rest of the population, go into marriage with starry eyes and unrealistic expectations.”

“And you’re not?”

“Strictly business. I need someone to care for Brady. Maggie is exceptionally good at it. She’s already exceeded my expectations, and your job is to safeguard the financial part. Considering the fact that you negotiate so many breakups, I figured you were the perfect guy to draft a loophole-free prenup.”

“If you insist on going through with this, she won’t be able to touch your assets when it blows up in your face.”

“That’s not going to happen. Maggie isn’t like that.”

“That’s what all starry-eyed grooms say,” Blake pointed out.

“I’ve never had stars in my eyes.” Just the opposite. Jason figured he was born a realist and life reinforced his basic nature.

“What about emotional fallout?”

“Not a problem. We’re not in love.” He liked and respected Maggie. She was smart, funny and pretty in a pure, innocent way that was incredibly appealing. But love? Jason knew better than to go there. “We both have good reasons that don’t include a relationship. All the cards are on the table.”

“So I can’t talk you out of it?”

“No.”

“Don’t say I didn’t try.” Blake shook his head and leveled a “poor bastard” look at him, then opened the file. “I have the prenuptial agreement. And the paperwork is drawn up for a million-dollar trust. I’ll be the administrator for the funds that go to the Good Shepherd Home for Children.”

“Good.”

“Then we’re ready to get all the pertinent signatures.” Blake pushed the intercom button and asked the receptionist to send Maggie in.

Jason had the strangest sensation of wanting to leave before any papers were signed, but he was his father’s son, a witness over the years to the worst in relationship fallout that had shaped the man he was today. No way he’d take this step without safety measures in place because marriage was like sex with a condom—sometimes it breaks. He’d seen that happen, too, and Brady was the result.

But there was something inherently sweet and unspoiled about Maggie that he didn’t want tainted or shattered. Seeing the lawyer had been all about protecting his son and himself. And now he couldn’t shake the feeling of wanting to protect Maggie, too, from all the sordid and sleazy aspects of why they were here.

Still, she needed money. No matter how innocent she seemed, it was always good to have safeguards in place.

Maggie and Jason sat in the back of his town car with the baby strapped in between them sound asleep. His driver was taking them to the courthouse to get married.

Married.

Margaret Mary Shepherd, abandoned baby and almost a nun, was going to marry one of Las Vegas’s wealthiest and most eligible bachelors. It was absolutely and completely surreal. Long ago she’d rigidly and deliberately put any thoughts of a wedding day out of her mind. But when rogue dreams had managed to leak through, there had always been sunshine.

Not today on her actual wedding day. It was cloudy. The forecasters were predicting rain. In the desert. It never rained in the desert. Actually, it did, but when that happened flash floods were the result.

She swallowed any misgivings and reminded herself that there was a greater good here. The home was going to get the repairs so desperately needed, and she was going to be able to stay with the baby boy she’d fallen head over heels for.

And his father?

Jason was staring out the window at the buildings going by. His profile could have been carved from any one of the rocky mountains surrounding the Vegas valley. He hadn’t said anything since leaving Blake Decker’s office. His lawyer was a very handsome man—in her opinion not as good-looking as Jason, but they said beauty was in the eye of the beholder. If that was true, it pointed to her having a crush on her soon-to-be husband. She supposed that was better than not being able to stand him.

As far as the pros and cons in her decision to accept his proposal, all the checkmarks stacked up on the positive side. In a town with huge hotels and resorts that were built on losses, she was getting a legal commitment that would make her a winner. She couldn’t get tossed out in the cold. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t nervous.

“Jason?”

He turned his head, his glance dropping on the baby first. His eyes softened and a heartbreakingly tender smile lessened the craggy angles of his face. “Hmm?”

“I thought Mr. Decker was very nice.” She’d felt the need to talk, but that was a lame thing to say. There was still time for him to back out. None of that paperwork meant a thing if there were no vows.

“Blake? Nice?” He met her gaze. “I’m not sure he’d think that was a compliment.”

“Why?”

“Most attorneys wouldn’t consider that adjective in keeping with their job description. And Blake Decker feels that way more than most.”

“But it’s just a job. I’m sure he’s a very nice person.”

Staring at her, he shook his head slightly. “Do you really believe that?”

“Of course.” She clasped her hands together. “I know lawyers are called all kinds of unflattering names. Shark. Snake. Weasel.”

“You forgot barracuda.”

“That, too. But it doesn’t define his true nature. It’s his job to know the law and advise the rest of us who don’t.”

A guilty look flashed into his eyes, then disappeared. Working with kids at the home she’d seen the expression a lot and was pretty good at detecting it. Although what he had to feel uncomfortable about she couldn’t say.

“Here we are,” he said as the car slowed to a stop. Was that relief in his voice?

Jason opened the door as she unhooked the baby’s car seat. He reached back inside for the handle and lifted Brady out without waking him.

Following him up the concrete steps outside the Clark County Courthouse, her heart started to race, and it wasn’t about hurrying up steps or going through the metal detectors. The official atmosphere was crystallizing. It was one thing to discuss marriage and another thing to walk into the halls of justice to speak legally binding vows.

Their footsteps echoed on the marble floor as they made their way to the elevator that took them to the clerk’s office. He’d explained this to her. In Nevada, no blood test was required, but both parties wishing to marry had to appear before the county clerk for a marriage license. After proper identification was verified, a fee of fifty-five dollars in cash was paid and a certificate allowing them to marry exchanged. Her stomach lurched, not unlike the way it reacted in the elevator.

But everything went as he’d said it would. Then she followed Jason down the hall and into a room with generic plastic chairs lined up in the middle. Jason set the still-sleeping baby down on the floor by the first row. She’d always thought that if she married, it would happen in church. She’d have been wrong. Her wedding was happening in the same building where criminals went on trial and justice was meted out. It was best not to dwell on that.

Maggie sat and looked at the other couples waiting to get married. One girl who hardly looked old enough to be here wore a strapless, long white gown. Her husband-to-be didn’t look like he shaved yet. A middle-aged woman, with the portly man of her dreams, was dressed in a black-and-white suit. Maggie’s beige dress with matching jacket couldn’t have been more unremarkable. This wasn’t an especially good time to realize she’d wanted her wedding day to be remarkable.

Strapless-wedding-dress girl leaned across the chair separating them and smiled. “Your baby is so precious.”

Maggie started to explain that he wasn’t hers, then decided not to go there. “Yes, he is. Thank you.”

“I’m going to have a baby,” she confided.

“Congratulations,” Maggie said.

“Thanks.” She looked at Jason who was speaking with the clerk. “He’s pretty cute, too.”

Maggie studied the dashing figure he cut in his conservative navy suit, dark hair stylishly cut and her heart pitched and rolled. “I couldn’t agree more.”

“You guys are an awesome family.”

Did that make her “awesome” by association? Before she could answer that question, Mr. Awesome returned. “We’re all set,” he said, picking up the car seat.

Maggie looked around at the couples who had been there when they walked in. “All these people are ahead of us.”

“Blake pulled some strings. A justice of the peace he knows pretty well managed to get us in right away.”

“Don’t you get thrown out of amusement parks for taking cuts in line?”

He laughed. “I told you nice wasn’t exactly the best adjective for my attorney.”

“Still, it feels wrong. Shouldn’t we wait our turn?”

One dark eyebrow lifted. “Are you stalling, Maggie? Maybe you’re having second thoughts?”

Second. Third. Fourth. But God had given her the means to a miracle, and now she decided it best not to think at all. “I gave my word.”

He nodded. “Then let’s do this.”

She sighed once, then squared her shoulders and followed him through a door. The room was an office, the man before them an officer of the court.

“Fred Knox,” he said, shaking hands with Jason. Then he glanced at the baby. “Nice-looking fella.”

“Thanks.” Jason’s voice was warm with pride.

“You’re here to make this family official.”

Jason met her gaze. “That’s the idea.”

“Let’s do it, then.” He opened a book and settled their marriage license on it. “Do you Jason Hunter Garrett take Margaret Mary Shepherd to be your wife for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health?”

“I do.”

When he repeated the words to her, Maggie said, “I do.”

“Do you have rings to exchange?”

Jason reached into his jacket pocket and produced a jeweler’s black-velvet box with two gold bands inside and handed them over. He’d thought of everything.

The man said, “These rings signify that love is enduring, without beginning or end.”

And sometimes it’s nonexistent because this marriage wasn’t about love. In spite of her sound logic and self-reassurances, the thought made her sad.

Jason slipped the band on her left ring finger and it fit perfectly. His large hand dwarfed hers as she did the same, using a little effort to slide the circle of gold over his knuckle.

“With the authority vested in me by the state of Nevada, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Garrett. You may kiss your bride.”

Maggie’s eyes widened as her gaze shot to Jason’s. She was also aware that most business deals ended with a handshake, not a kiss. Her heart was pounding, but he seemed cool and in control. His hands on her arms were strong as he drew her against him. Then he lowered his lips to hers and her eyes drifted shut. The touch of his mouth was warm and soft. His hands slid down her arms and left heat in their wake. Her heart fluttered, quick and hard. Then he pulled away and she wasn’t ready for it to be over.

“That’s it then,” he said softly.

Was that it? She looked at him and the intensity in his eyes made her shiver with a sort of excitement that was as new and different as her marital state. Before she had a chance to guess at what he was feeling, Jason glanced at his watch.

“It’s getting late. We have to go.”

After congratulations and goodbyes, he took the car seat and placed his hand at the small of her back to guide her outside and to the waiting car. When they were settled inside, he gave the driver instructions to drop him at his office and take Maggie and the baby home.

“You’re going to work?” she asked.

“I’m late for a meeting,” he explained.

Of course he was. This was just another day at the office to him. What had she expected?

That was the thing. Until she’d taken each step and realized otherwise, she hadn’t been aware of having expectations. Getting married felt like a big deal to her, but to him it was simply the first business deal of the day.

She’d never expected to be sad and disappointed on her wedding day.

Chapter Six

It was his wedding day.

“Night,” Jason said to himself, something tightening inside him.

He tossed back the remainder of the Rémy Martin in his glass as he glanced around his study, noting that everything was the same. The lie echoed through him and collided with the heat that still lingered from kissing Maggie after their vows. The sensation was a lot like what happened when cold and hot air smashed together. Turbulence. Tornado.

All day he’d tried to get her off his mind. Some of it was about the bruised look in her eyes when his driver had left him at the office and Maggie realized her wedding day would be nothing out of the ordinary.

The devil of it was that there’d been nothing pressing workwise and he could have taken her someplace special for lunch. He hadn’t because it was important to set a tone for the marriage. They were husband and wife in name only per their deal. What had seemed like a good idea at the time didn’t look as rosy from this side of the marriage license.

Like every other night since she’d been his nanny, Maggie was bathing the baby and he was working in the study. He wanted to be with them but was keeping to his protocol of establishing a pattern. It seemed important until tension and heat ground through him.

He shot to his feet, grabbed his empty glass and went to the sideboard where he kept the cognac. After pouring another shot, he drank it down, glad for the burn in his throat and the scorching all the way to his gut. For that few seconds the scalding was all he could think about. When it subsided, there was still a vision of Maggie and the innocently seductive way she’d slid her tongue over her soft lips after he’d kissed her.

The phone rang and Jason was grateful for the distraction. “Yes?” he said into the receiver.

“Mr. Garrett, it’s Peter Sexton.”

The doorman. “What is it, Peter?”

“Sir, a Mr. Hunter Garrett is here to see you.”

His father. “Send him up, Peter.”

“Right away, sir.”

The old man usually stopped by Garrett Industries corporate offices if he had something to say. This must be important. Jason had a pretty good idea what it was about.

When the bell rang, he opened the door. “Hi, Dad.”

“Jason.”

Hunter marched right in. “I need to talk to you.”

“I figured.” He shut the door. “Let’s go in my study.”

Jason led the way down the hall and held out a hand for his father to take one of the chairs in front of the desk. It occurred to him for the first time that the pretentious leather and gold buttons suited his father much better than his nanny. There was a resemblance between Hunter and himself, but he’d gotten his dark eyes and hair from the maternal DNA, not that he remembered much about the woman who’d birthed him. The few pictures he’d managed to find confirmed it.

The man who’d sired him was often called distinguished and that was fair. He was tall, and a personal trainer hammered him into fitness. Silver streaked his brown hair and his blue eyes, never brimming with warmth, were glacial at the moment.

“Would you care for a drink?” Jason asked him.

“Yes.”

He poured another and set it down in front of his father before taking a chair on the other side of the desk. “How are you, Dad? How’s Tracy?” Wife-to-be number five.

“Fine.” The older man downed the contents of his glass, then leaned forward. “I didn’t come to update you on me or my fiancée.”

“Then why did you come?”

“What’s going on, Jason?”

“Care to be more specific?”

“Don’t be coy.” For the first time Hunter’s eyes were warm. Must have a lot to do with the glare. “There was a disturbing rumor on the news about the president of Garrett Industries at the Clark County Courthouse with an unidentified woman.”

“I see.” If his thoughts hadn’t been so preoccupied with Maggie, he’d have seen this coming. Marriage licenses were public record and he didn’t have an especially low profile. Someone was bound to notice. Call him perverse, but he was going to make his father work for this. He stared down the old man without saying more.

“I put in a call to Blake Decker.”

“Oh?” What did that say about father-son communication that he called the attorney for information? “What did he say?”

“Nothing. He cited attorney-client privilege. That means he’s your lawyer. Since when, Jason?”

“Today.” Technically he’d had representation since making the call to draw up all the papers. But they’d been signed today. And he’d had his five-hundred-dollar-an-hour lecture on the potholes and pitfalls of ball-and-chain lane.

“Who’s the woman?”

“Since I didn’t see the news, I can’t be sure who you’re referring to.”

Hunter’s eyes narrowed. “The one at the courthouse. Who is she?”

“Her name is Margaret Mary Shepherd.” Garrett, he added to himself.

“What is she to you?”

That was actually a very good question and something he’d been trying to figure out, what with the lopsided amount of time he’d been thinking about her. But he’d throw his dad a bone here. “She’s Brady’s nanny.”

“Please don’t tell me you’re fooling around with the nanny.”

“All right. I won’t tell you.”

Silver eyebrows drew together as he scowled. “Are you aware that the price of stock can rise and fall with even a hint of scandal? Hanky panky with your nanny is a very good way to get your name in the newspapers for all the wrong reasons.”

His father should know. Marital escapades were his stock in trade. “Look, Dad, I’min charge of the company now. You’re chairman of the board of directors of Garrett Industries.”

“I’m also your father.”

“Yeah.” By the tone he was assuming the old man felt the family connection gave him free rein over his life. “What’s your point?”

“In this news item there was mention of a marriage license. So just why were you at the courthouse with her?”

“I married Maggie, Dad.”

The old man wasn’t often speechless and historically it didn’t last long. “You’re married? Legally?”

“Yes.”

“At least you had the good sense to consult Blake.”

“What? No congratulations?” Jason asked.

Without comment his father went on, “Did she sign a prenup?”

“She did.” The rest of their terms were none of the old man’s business.

“Good. If you made an honest woman of her there’s no impropriety. No lawsuits for harassment.”

“For what it’s worth, the confidentiality agreement she originally signed is legally enforceable if breached. And The Nanny Network does thorough and extensive background checks on its employees.”

“What is her background?”

Jason remembered Maggie’s flare of temper when she assumed he was judging her for being abandoned at Good Shepherd. He decided to keep that part to himself and go with the later years. “Maggie was in the convent.”

“She’s a nun?” Hunter stared at him, again speechless.

“Not quite. She didn’t take final vows.” Jason finished the cognac in his glass.

The wheels were turning in Hunter’s head and a crafty look slid into his eyes. “So she played hard to get.” He nodded knowingly. “Marriage will put to rest any hint of impropriety while you fool around with her.”

Anger knotted in Jason’s gut. Fool around with Maggie? He wished he could say the thought never entered his mind, but since kissing her that’s pretty much all he had thought about. And none of his thoughts were up for discussion, with his father or anyone else.

“Maggie isn’t the kind of woman you fool around with, Dad.”

“Maybe. But in my experience every woman has an agenda.” Hunter nodded thoughtfully as he mulled that over. “Blake Decker is very good at his job, so even if she does, she can’t take a chunk out of you financially in the divorce. Which is all you have to worry about.” He smiled for the first time. “At least you’re thinking with your head, along with other parts of your anatomy.”

By association and genetics Jason felt slimy. He might think about it, but acting on impulse wasn’t going to happen. He’d safeguarded his son’s care and used Maggie to do it. No way would he compromise her further.

“Almost a nun.” Hunter put his empty glass on the desk and stood. “I can understand the novelty. She’s not your usual type.”

“Yeah.” And that worked both ways. He wasn’t her type, either, not nearly good enough.

“Do yourself a favor, Jason.” His father pointed a warning finger at him. “Don’t make the mistake of falling in love.”

Preaching to the choir, Jason thought. “Not a problem, Dad.”

A sound in the doorway drew his attention and he saw Maggie standing there with the baby in her arms.

“You must be Maggie.” Hunter studied her, then nodded his approval. “I’m Hunter Garrett.”

“Jason’s father.” Then she looked at the baby who started to fuss. “And Brady’s grandfather.”

“Yes.” He looked at Jason with a gleam in his eyes. “It’s time for me to go. I’ll leave you two alone.”

He left with the same abruptness as his arrival. No congratulations or welcome to the family. No apology for dropping by on their wedding night, Jason thought darkly.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” Maggie said, staring at the closed front door. “Apparently he didn’t come to see his grandson.”

“That’s Dad.” A walking, talking cautionary role model. And his only family besides Brady.

“I brought the baby to spend time with you before he goes to bed.”

“Thanks.”

She settled the boy in his arms. “If he needs me, I’ll be in my room.”

It didn’t escape his notice that she’d said if the baby needed anything. That specifically excluded Jason, which started a burning deep inside him. Why did the need for something crank up exponentially when you knew it was off-limits? He wanted her. As of this morning he had the right to have her in his bed. As his father had so indelicately put it—he could fool around with her and not worry about impropriety.

But he didn’t dare touch her.

As she backed away, he noticed the same bruised look he’d seen a few minutes ago and knew she’d heard the last part of his conversation. The part where he acknowledged that he locked her into a legal relationship, confirmed that she wasn’t his type and was adamant that he’d never have feelings for her. But why should it bother her? She was getting what she wanted out of the deal.

But he couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d caged a butterfly. He’d never felt more like his father’s son than he did now and he didn’t like it one bit.

When Jason’s driver dropped Maggie off in front of the home she saw Sister Margaret out front, pulling her black sweater tight against the wind. There was a truckload of—well, trucks—scattered on the property and along the street nearby. Pallets of roofing tiles and lumber waited on the cement driveway.

Maggie’s footsteps crunched on the ground and the tall nun turned. Instantly a welcoming smile creased her worn face.

“Hi, Sister,” she said with a wave.

“Maggie!” The nun opened her arms and gave her a big hug. “How are you?”

“Fine.”

The fib was automatic, more like being economical with the truth. Mostly she was fine. Her body was functioning well, maybe a bit too well, especially when thoughts of Jason Garrett crept in and made her skin flush and her heart race. It had been more than a week since he’d kissed her at their wedding and the memory of his mouth on hers made her want more of the same. The feel of his chest pressed against her breasts made her hot and tingly all over, so her body was firing on all cylinders.

But her spirit? Not so fine. After hearing Jason tell his father that loving her was not part of his plan, her spirit had pretty much imploded. Although that information was not something she’d burden Sister Margaret with.

“How are you, Sister?”

“Excellent.” She turned back to watch the workmen tearing off the rundown roof. “We’re getting this old building in shape and the state granted us an extension for the work. The children have a home and all’s right with the world.”

“I’m glad.”

Sister looked down at her. “Without the generous donation from your Mr. Garrett none of this would be possible.”

Maggie opened her mouth to say he wasn’t hers, but decided more truthful economy was indicated. As far as the state of Nevada was concerned, he was hers. Legally her husband. At his luxurious penthouse, she would never be his wife, only the nanny. As guilty as it made her feel to withhold facts, Sister Margaret did not need to know she’d married Jason for his donation. And he’d married her to ensure her loyalty to his child.

She didn’t want to see the disappointment in Sister’s eyes when she confessed to marrying the man for his money, no matter how well intentioned she’d been.

“And there’s more,” Sister continued.

Maggie wasn’t sure her guilty conscience could handle more. She pulled her Windbreaker around her as a gust of cold blasted her. With clouds covering the sun, it was very chilly. Or maybe that was just the freeze in her heart.

“What else did Jason do?” she asked.

“He took care of getting bids on the renovations. I spoke with him myself and—”

“You talked to Jason?” Oh, good Lord. Did he say anything about their arrangement?

Sister nodded. “He’s quite a charming man. Very nice phone voice.”

He was even nicer to look at, Maggie thought, but kept the information to herself. And she knew all about that whiskey-and-chocolate voice. Somehow he’d used it to talk her into this arrangement. But if she was being honest, it had taken precious little effort on his part to convince her this arrangement would work.

“Jason is many things positive,” she agreed.

“After helping us out with the donation I didn’t want to take up his time with those details, but he insisted. He assured me that in his business dealings through Garrett Industries he has many contacts and finding the right company to do the work for us would be easier for him.”

“He’s built some pretty spectacular resorts here in Las Vegas.”

“Does he talk about that?”

“We mostly talk about the baby.” His baby, Maggie silently added. But every day Brady felt more like hers and she let herself go there. Because of the marriage, she wasn’t going to lose him. “I’ve read about his work in the Review Journal. I read aloud to the baby.” She shrugged. “It’s never too early to start reading to a child.”

“I can’t argue with that. And speaking of arguing, when I tried to do that with Mr. Garrett, he asked whether or not I wanted to get the best quality construction for a rock-bottom price.” Sister laughed. “Only an idiot would have said no to that.”

“And you’re one smart cookie, Sister,” Maggie said.

“Before I knew it, the roofing company called and scheduled the job, and here they are. Next up are renovations to the plumbing. Also thanks to your Mr. Garrett. A crew will be available when this part of the project is complete. Which shouldn’t be more than a week.” She looked up at the threatening sky. “And with help from the good Lord, we will not get rain until after our brand-new roof is in place. Gus said that—”

“Gus?”

“The man in charge,” Sister explained. “He said the job will take several days. Demolition—that’s taking off the old roof—will be the most time-consuming part. Because of the weather they’ll put plastic over it. But I’m thinking we might want to move the children in those upstairs rooms just to be safe.”

“Okay. I’m here to help however you need me,” Maggie assured her.

Sister draped an arm around her shoulders. “You’re a blessing from God.”

That was something Sister had said as far back as Maggie could remember, but now it felt different. She was glad that she’d been in the right place at the right time to make God’s plan happen for this very special home. But she knew, as surely as she knew the thermometer would hit triple digits in July, that if Sister was aware of the facts behind this donation, she would not consider it a blessing. And that’s why she could never find out.

Maggie would do anything to keep the smile on this woman’s face. Including a lie of omission.

“We also have to keep the children inside and away from the workmen for their own safety.”

“I understand.”

“Sister Mary and another volunteer took a group of older kids to the movies. We received some free passes and the timing couldn’t have been better. The little ones will be easier to look after inside.”

“Okay.” Maggie linked her arm through Sister’s as they walked toward the house. “We’ll keep them busy.”

“You can read aloud from the newspaper,” Sister teased.

“I promise you they’ll love it,” Maggie said.

“I’m sure they will. Sweetie, you could read the phone book and have them eating out of your hand. You’ve always had a way with the little ones.” On the covered porch Sister Margaret stopped and took in the sight of the workmen. “It’s so important to give them a positive start in life.”

“I absolutely agree.” Wasn’t she doing that with Brady? She was grateful for the chance to give him all the tender, loving care he needed for a positive start in his little life.

“I want to do more, Maggie.” Sister looked down at her. “This donation is so extraordinarily generous. With Mr. Garrett’s help it will go further than just the repairs. There will be money left over for unexpected expenses. Or maybe a scholarship for someone who might not otherwise be able to go to college.”

“That’s wonderful, Sister.” She’d struggled with money while getting her education. It would be fantastic to ease the way for an exceptional student with limited resources.

“It’s a gift that will keep on giving.”

Maggie looked at the woman beside her, the genuine happiness she felt at being given the means to smooth the way for others. Maybe even more good would come out of the deal she’d made. She’d always felt that she got a miracle the night the sisters found her on this very porch and took her in. Through The Nanny Network, God had put her in the right place, in Jason Garrett’s path, so that she could pay her miracle forward.

She hoped so because personally this deal had landed her right in purgatory. It was a state of temporary misery where a soul could make up for past sins and earn a pass to heaven. She’d been taught that it was a condition where one could see what they were missing out on but not participate.

By that definition, she was definitely in purgatory. She had a front-row seat of what a family of her own could look like, a clear view of what she’d always wanted. But it wasn’t actually hers.

She’d had a wedding, but no wedding night. And the more time she spent with Jason, the more her body felt the emptiness, the more she yearned to be his wife in every sense of the word.

He was a good man, a man she respected more every day. For the sake of the child he loved more than anything, he’d married a woman he could never love. Somehow she’d have to make peace with what she’d done.

She’d have to find a way to live with seeing what she wanted every single day, all the while knowing she couldn’t ever really have it.

Chapter Seven

Practically from the first moment Maggie had walked into his life Jason was aware of her in all the wrong ways. Tonight was no exception, unless you counted him wanting her more. That probably had something to do with feeling her absence. Not because flying solo with his son was an inconvenience. Just the opposite. He cleared his schedule without hesitation to make time for Brady. The more time he spent with him, the more confident he felt. But the penthouse had seemed so empty while she’d been gone doing her duty at the home.

That’s the thing. He couldn’t find a shred of a clue that she considered what she did a duty. Instead she only talked about what she got out of helping and felt selfish for getting anything at all. That purity of spirit was a big part of why he couldn’t get her off his mind. He’d never known a woman like her.

With an almost soundly sleeping Brady pressed to his chest, Jason walked the floor in the living room as he looked at the bright lights of Las Vegas below him. Maggie had returned this afternoon. Normally she was perky and chatty and full of stories about the children and activities at Good Shepherd. Today she seemed troubled.

And how long had it been since he’d actually been aware of a woman’s mood?

“Never.” When Brady squirmed in his arms, Jason gently patted his back and made the shushing noise Maggie had taught him. “Sorry, pal,” he said softly.

He continued to move until the baby completely relaxed, a sign that he was sound asleep. After walking down the hall into the nursery, he settled Brady on his back and gently brushed the dark hair from his forehead as tiny lips pursed and sucked in sleep.

A tenderness unlike any emotion he’d ever known welled up inside Jason as he pulled the blanket up to his child’s waist. He wouldn’t stay covered long because he was really moving around a lot, getting bigger every day. Maggie had informed him that soon Brady would be rolling from his back to his stomach. Amazing how much had changed since Maggie had come into their lives.

Including the fact that she was his wife, Jason thought.

His body went tight with need. Wasn’t life ironic? He’d never been without a woman when he was a single man. Now that he had a baby and a wife, regular sex was a distant memory.

After sliding the baby monitor in the back pocket of his jeans, he walked out of the nursery. In the hallway, he heard sounds of the treadmill coming from his home gym. He’d bought an elliptical trainer, free weights and treadmill for the convenience of a home workout and not taking time away from his son. In the evening, while he and Brady hung out, it had become her habit to use the equipment.

Work waited in his study but he was too restless and distracted for spreadsheets and reports. Knowing it was probably a stupid move, he headed in the other direction.

The door was open and Maggie was walking briskly on the treadmill, her back to him. She was wearing a tank top and knit pants, both of which clung to the curves he’d been dreaming about, shifting his body into high gear. Instantly he had a mental picture of those shapely legs wrapped around his waist while he was buried deep inside her.

She was the one exerting herself, but sweat popped out on his forehead. He’d swear he hadn’t made a sound, but only moments after he’d stopped in the doorway she looked over her shoulder and surprise registered in her expression.

“Jason?” She placed her feet on either side of the moving tread, then slid the speed lever to off so the machine slowed and finally stopped. “Is Brady all right?”

“Fine. He’s asleep.”

She grabbed the small towel draped over the handrail and wiped the moisture from her face.

The view from the front was just as good as the back, maybe better. The brief tank was moist and clung to her small, firm breasts. His skin felt too tight and his nerve endings were tingling. He was probably giving off some kind of electrical humming sound, which could explain how she’d known he was there. Or it could have been a moan, something he wouldn’t have heard because of the blood rushing from his head to points south.

She blew out a breath and brushed the dark hair off her forehead. “This is early for him to go down. Maybe I better check to see if he’s really settled.”

“Take five. I’ve got the baby monitor. We’ll know if sleep is a false alarm. My son isn’t shy about letting his needs be known.”

“I’ve noticed.” The words were light and teasing, but her normal smile was missing in action.

“Is something wrong, Maggie?”

“No.” Her gaze jumped to his. “Why?”

“You’ve been uncharacteristically quiet since you got back from Good Shepherd today. Did something happen?”

Turning away, she walked over to the elliptical machine and grabbed the sweatshirt hanging there. After pulling it over her head, she slid her arms in and pulled it down. The bulky garment hid even more of her skin and the curves that made his body tighten with need and ache to touch her. He very nearly reached out to tug the damn thing off, but resisted the urge, just barely, by sliding his fingers into the pockets of his jeans.

Maggie met his gaze. “There are lots of things happening at the home.”

That didn’t answer his question. “Define lots of things.”

“Workmen were there ripping off the roof. Out with the old, in with the new.”

“Good.”

“Sister Margaret tells me when that job is finished, there’s a plumbing crew waiting to make the necessary repairs and upgrades.”

“Excellent.”

“Yes, it is.” She draped the towel around her neck.

“And yet you look as if there’s something not right.”

“Do I? Everything feels fine.”

Not in his skin. But he wasn’t about to share that. His household was in place and rocking the boat would be an incredibly dumb thing to do.

He reached out and brushed a dark strand of hair from her forehead, much as he’d done with Brady just a few minutes ago. “Really?”

She nodded, then swallowed hard. “It was very nice of you to get bids and line up building contractors for Sister Margaret.”

Very nice. She thought his lawyer was nice. It wouldn’t surprise him if she could find redeeming qualities in Attila the Hun. As far as adjectives, he’d have much preferred studly. Athletic. Long lasting. And just like that his mind was right back in the sack.

He swallowed the need as best he could. “I know people. It wasn’t a problem.”

“Still, you’re a busy man. Taking the time to help was very gracious of you.”

Very gracious? More bland adjectives that made him feel sexless.

“The very least I could do to make sure no one took advantage.”

“Sister Margaret wanted me to be sure and thank you. It’s much appreciated. The kids and the nuns are incredibly grateful.”

“What about you, Maggie?”

“Me?” She looked surprised, confused, doubtful. And incredibly beautiful. The pulse at the base of her throat fluttered wildly.

“Yes, you. Do the renovations meet with your approval?”

“If it means that the home will stay open, I absolutely approve of everything.” Her chin lifted a notch as she met his gaze.

“I’m glad. Because truthfully, I’ve never met anyone at the home. When I made those phone calls to line up contractors, it was all about you.”

“Me?”

“It’s my way of thanking you for everything you’ve done.”

“You put a million dollars in trust for something I care deeply about. We both got what we wanted. I don’t understand why you went above and beyond to help.”

That made two of them. He wasn’t the only selfish bastard in the world, but definitely somewhere near the top. Having a child had shown him, for the first time in his life, what it was like to care about someone other than himself. And Maggie was important to his son. That’s all it was about. That’s all he’d let it be about. This was not a good time to have doubts about their business arrangement.

“Call it a bonus,” he said. “To put the smile back on your face.”

The corners of her mouth curved up and suddenly all the effort was worth it. “That wasn’t necessary. But thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

She stared up at him, then blinked and moved toward the door. “I—I better go check on Brady. See if he needs me.”

Jason needed her. Just to talk. To laugh. To fill up the emptiness inside him. Just a little longer.

He curved his fingers around her arm to stop her. “Wait, Maggie—”

She looked up at him, her eyes wide pools of innocence that drowned his willpower. He drew her against him, cupping her cheek in his hand.

“Maggie,” he whispered again.

She opened her mouth to say something, but before she could he touched his mouth to hers. The soft sweetness of her lips was more intoxicating than the pricey liquor he kept in his office down the hall. Desire ground through him and knotted in his gut. He slid his hand beneath the bulky sweatshirt and settled it on her lower back, just above the curve of her butt, and pressed her more firmly against him.

Some vague instinct warned him to go slow and he fought the need to kiss her hard and possessively. He nibbled the corners of her mouth and felt her heart pounding against his own. Dropping small kisses on her cheek, then her chin and finally her neck, made her shiver and moan. When he stopped at a sensitive place just beneath her ear, she shuddered. Then he licked the responsive spot and blew softly until her groan echoed inside him. The sound sent arrows of need through him and his body tightened in response. Blood pounded in his veins and his chest felt like it would explode. The sound of Maggie’s ragged breathing turned him on like he’d never been turned on before. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. For God’s sake, she was his wife.

“I need you, Maggie,” he whispered, his breath stirring her hair. His voice was ragged with desire.

He was about to scoop her into his arms when she pulled her mouth from his and stared at him, breathing hard. Something dark pushed the innocence from her eyes.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I don’t want to be a novelty.”

“Excuse me?” He was struggling to draw air into his lungs and that kiss blew his mind. There wasn’t much left to take in and decipher a remark from out of left field.

“Your father said I was a novelty. ‘Almost a nun’ was different for you.”

“Don’t pay any attention to my father—”

“You mean the part where he was proud of you for protecting yourself financially? The part where he was pleased that you were thinking with your head as well as—other parts of your body? You planned ahead for a plaything. Offered marriage so stock prices wouldn’t go down because of a scandal with the nanny.”

“You know that’s not how it was,” he said, anger burning as hot as desire had only moments before.

“It’s all about Brady, I know. But he’s asleep now. Technically I’m off duty, or at least on a break. But you just kissed me.”

“That’s not breaking news.” He couldn’t deny it. Her lips were still moist from the touch of his own. But when a Garrett was backed into a corner he came out fighting. “I started it. And you kissed me back.”

“It was a knee-jerk reaction.” She stared at him for several moments, still breathing hard. “I’m not asking for love.”

“You heard that, too?”

“Oh, yeah.” Her frown pushed out any hint of sunshine, and it was his fault. “Just so we’re clear, that’s the last thing I’m looking for. But I will not be disrespected.”

“That was never my intention,” he assured her.

When he’d kissed her, he’d been thinking with his hormones, which were in perfect working order. Before she could argue that point, a sound came from his back pocket where he’d put the monitor.

“It’s Brady. Break’s over,” she said. “I have to go to him.”

“Right.”

She hurried out of the room, and when she was gone, Jason felt her absence again. But this time it was all about the ache shooting through him.

He knew when it subsided he would be relieved that he hadn’t taken Maggie to his bed. But right now he couldn’t feel the blessing and struggled for logic.

Sleeping with her would have been a huge mistake. Sex was a complication that would destroy everything he’d so carefully put in place.

But he had to wonder what sin he’d committed. What transgression was so wicked that he was being punished by this gut-twisting desire for the one woman he didn’t dare touch?

Masculine and sexy sat on Jason Garrett like a cloak and crown. Maggie had been enveloped in it last night and wanted more. She’d barely managed to break away before willingly becoming another one of his playthings. It made her wonder again about Brady’s mother, but no matter how Jason had treated her, there was no way to reconcile abandoning her baby. If Brady was hers, Maggie knew there would be no walking away. He wasn’t her biological child and she couldn’t walk away. But there was also the small matter of the marriage to his father.

Although being driven around was a darn nice perk of the marriage, she thought, watching palm trees and buildings go by. Jason’s driver had picked Maggie and Brady up from the penthouse. She sat in the back with the baby in his car seat, sound asleep beside her. The movement always did that to him. Jason had forgotten his briefcase and she’d needed the car for errands. She’d told his secretary she would swing by the office and drop it off while they were out. And, of course, the woman had said she was dying to see the baby.

Her heart seemed to expand in her chest when she smiled at the infant, probably the only person on the planet who could make her smile this morning. After what happened the night before, specifically THE KISS—all capital letters.

She wasn’t so innocent that she didn’t know he’d wanted her. If only the feeling wasn’t mutual, but she’d be lying if she said that. Sleeping with Jason would complicate her already complicated life, but every part of her had tingled and begged to finally know what it felt like to be with a man. And not just any man.

Jason Garrett was the man she wanted. It couldn’t be explained away by the fact that she hadn’t been kissed in a very long time—before she’d entered the convent—by her disastrous first love. She hadn’t slept with him and there’d been no one since. Technically that meant she’d saved herself for the man she married.

Silly her. When he’d dangled a million dollars in front of her, she hadn’t inquired what he expected of her as his wife. Jason had been gone when she got up with Brady this morning. Now she had to face him for the first time after that kiss. In front of other people. Just goes to show that God had a sense of humor.

After exiting the 215 Beltway onto Green Valley Parkway, the car pulled into a business complex, then stopped in front of a multistoried building. As soon as the movement ceased, Brady’s eyes popped open.

“This is it, Mrs. Garrett.”

For a nanosecond, she thought the driver was talking to someone else. “Thanks, Martin. I’ll only be a few minutes.”

“Want to leave the little guy with me while you run the briefcase up to Mr. G?”

“I appreciate that, but his father wants to show him off.”

Maggie had the baby in one hand and the briefcase in the other when she walked into the Garrett Industries building. Her sneakers squeaked on the lobby’s marble floor as she headed for the elevator. After entering, she set both her burdens down and pushed the button for the eighth floor where Jason’s office was located.

The elevator opened right into the reception area and a half-circle cherrywood desk that sat in the center of the room. Behind it was a redhead in her twenties wearing a headset for answering the phone.

When a muted ring sounded, she pushed a button and said, “Garrett Industries, Mr. Garrett’s office. This is Chloe. How can I help you?” She listened for a moment and said, “Let me transfer you to customer service. Hold on, please.”

Chloe De Witt. Jason’s secretary. They’d talked just a little while ago.

Maggie stopped in front of the desk. “Hi. I’m—” She was going to say Margaret Mary Shepherd. But she wasn’t anymore. She was Maggie Garrett, although she had no idea who Maggie Garrett was. With the very efficient secretary staring at her this was no time for an identity crisis. “I’m Maggie.”

“Hi.” Chloe flashed a professional smile, then disconnected her headset from the phone and came around the desk. She was wearing a snug gray pinstriped skirt and long-sleeved white blouse tucked into the waistband. The four-inch black spiked heels made her slender legs look a mile long. Her thick auburn hair was stylishly cut and brushed her silky collar. She was pretty enough to be a model. Or a show girl. Either or both of which were probably Jason’s type.

After a quick glance at her own dark denim pants and red pullover sweater, Maggie felt like the peasant from Plain-ville, a drab and uninteresting dweeb.

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