“I’d like to continue working here after my baby comes. Don’t worry. I can still provide excellent care for your daughter.” here after my baby comes. Don’t worry. I can still provide excellent care for your daughter.”

“Good.” Ryan ran a hand across the back of his neck and looked at a painting on the far wall. Anywhere but at Kelsey’s pregnant body. “You’ll let me know if anything changes?”

“I’m past six months. The only thing that’s going to change is the size of my belly. Women have babies all the time and still take care of their other children.” She blushed. “Not that Mariah is my child. I mean… I didn’t mean…”

He brought his gaze back to hers. Those charming freckles had appeared, and he was tempted to touch them. “I know what you meant. Feel free to make a nursery out of the extra room.”

“That’s so nice of you, Ryan. Thank you.”

If she didn’t stop looking at him that way he wasn’t sure what he might do. She made him feel special, important, powerful—like a man who could move mountains.

Kelsey Mason was a dangerous woman. Dangerously beguiling.

A romantic at heart, Linda Goodnight believes in the traditional values of family and home. Writing books enables her to share her certainty that, with faith and perseverance, love can last for ever and happy endings really are possible.

A native of Oklahoma, Linda lives in the country with her husband, Gene, and Mugsy, an adorably obnoxious rat terrier. She and Gene have a blended family of six grown children. A former elementary schoolteacher, she is also a licensed nurse. When time permits, Linda loves to read, watch football and rodeo, and indulge in chocolate. She also enjoys taking long, calorie-burning walks in the nearby woods. Readers can write to her at linda@lindagoodnight.com

Look out for more of Linda’s books, coming soon!

THE MILLIONAIRE’S NANNY ARRANGEMENT

BY

LINDA GOODNIGHT

www.millsandboon.co.uk

THE MILLIONAIRE’S NANNY ARRANGEMENT

For all my friends and colleagues at Butner School. Thanks for a million laughs and a lot of great years.

CHAPTER ONE

WITH A JERK, KELSEY MASON opened her eyes and groaned. She squinted at her watch. Nearly twelve hours since her flight had been canceled, stranding her in a strange city, with no money and less hope. The armrest of the standard-issue airport chair jabbed into her back, already achy from the load she carried around her middle. Every bone in her body protested as she rotated forward and straightened.

“You talk in your sleep,” a tiny voice commented. “Sombniloquy.”

Swiveling toward the sound, Kelsey was speared by a pair of huge liquid-brown eyes in a face that couldn’t be more than six years old.

“You talk pretty big for a little girl.” Kelsey stretched, rolling her head on stiff shoulders.

“I’m a genius.” The child said it as matter-of-factly as Kelsey would have said, “I’m a teacher.” If that was true. Which it wasn’t. Not any more anyway. She was no longer a lot of things she’d once been.

Glad for the distraction and amused by the dark-haired angel in front of her, Kelsey shifted around on the miserable chair until she found a comfortable spot for her belly and said, “I’ve never met a child genius before. What’s your name?”

“Pollyanna.” A dimple flashed. “Well, not really. I’m reading that book and decided to change my name. My real name is Mariah.”

“Pleased to meet you, Mariah. I’m Kelsey.” Kelsey smiled in spite of the crick in her neck. “I loved that story, too. Have you seen the movie?”

The child looked shocked. “Absolutely not. Daddy says the book is always better than the movie so you should read before watching and then compare and contrast.”

“Daddy is absolutely right.” Wherever he was. Kelsey glanced around but spotted no one watching the little girl. The man should be arrested for allowing a child this young to run around a huge airport unsupervised.

“We’ve been stranded here in Denver all day waiting on clearance. Actually, seventeen hours and twenty-two minutes but that’s close enough to a day, don’t you think?”

“Yes, I do. I’ve been here for twelve.”

“It’s fun, isn’t it?” Fun wasn’t the exact term Kelsey would use. “There are so many interesting people to talk to. Did you know the man over there,” the child pointed, “works for the queen of Netherlands? He’s going to send me her autograph. And that lady over there is really upset because her boyfriend moved to Syracuse with his mother. She gave me a dollar to go away. I bought her a cup of coffee with it. Daddy says never take money from strangers.”

“Did he ever tell you not to talk to strangers?”

“All the time.” The child giggled, covering her mouth with both hands. Long dark curls danced around her shoulders. “But I’m discerning.”

“What if I were a bad person?”

“Are you?”

“No. I’m a teacher.” Or was before she’d given up everything to be Mark’s wife. “And I like kids. But I could have been a bad person.”

Brown eyes batted in innocence. “What could happen in a crowded airport?”

Well, actually lots of things, but Kelsey wasn’t one to frighten small, unattended children. “Bad people have ways.”

“But you aren’t bad. You’re nice. You’re having a baby. Mommies are always nice, except I don’t have one, but I’m interviewing. Would you like to be interviewed for the position?”

Kelsey laughed, though the sound was hollow and tinged with bitterness. “For the position of mommy?”

“Well, Daddy wants me to have a private tutor-slash-nanny. But I really want a mommy. My first mommy died a long time ago.” If the memory pained her, the little girl gave no indication, but Kelsey couldn’t stop the sharp pang of sympathy.

“So,” the little girl went on, “do you think you could handle both positions?”

For tutor and mommy? What an interesting conversation. And Kelsey had no idea how to respond to such a question without treading on unpleasant ground. Fortunately, she didn’t have to. At that precise moment, a harried man sprinted toward them. Tie askew, his jacket billowed out at the sides. Kelsey did her best not to notice the lean, lanky, fit body beneath.

“Mariah!”

A radiant smile lit the little girl’s face. “There comes my daddy. He’s nice. You’ll like him.”

Considering that she’d already formed a negative opinion of the man, Kelsey doubted it. Especially now that she saw him. Even without her contacts, she would have noticed this guy and run the other way—if she could move that fast. Tall and dark, with hair and eyes that matched his daughter’s, he was too good-looking. Too successful-looking, too. And she was so off good-looking, successful men it wasn’t even funny.

The child leaned in and whispered conspiratorially, “He’s been really depressed lately. Almost clinical. Don’t tell him I mentioned it, but I thought you should know. It’s the whole thing with that Dallas Businessman of the Year Award and the pressure of success. Being discerning as I am, I can tell. It’s such a trial for him to deal with a genius child and run a multi-million dollar operation. So, if I can just find a mommy to keep me under control and out of his hair while he works, I’m sure he’ll be better.”

Kelsey stared at the child and then at the father, coming toward them like a stealth bomber, fast and furious, sleek and dangerous. It really irked her that this bright child thought she was a bother to her father. How unfair, and what a jerk he must be to make her feel that way.

“Daddy, come on over and meet my friend, Kelsey. She’s having a baby, and I’m interviewing her for the job.”

The man closed his eyes briefly and shook his head, hands on hips to catch his breath from what must have been a jog around the concourse.

“I apologize for my daughter, Miss—” When she only stared instead of filling in the blank, he finished with “—Kelsey. I’m Ryan Storm.”

His name sent a shock wave through her. Ryan Storm? Ohmigosh. It couldn’t be. But a second look through squinted eyes confirmed it. It was him. Ryan Storm, backstreet boy of Bartlett High turned Wall Street wonder, all grown up and looking good. Real good.

He didn’t know it, but she’d once had a crush on him, most likely because he’d been so unsuitable for a goody-two-shoes who never broke the rules.

She’d always had lousy taste in men.

“You’ve already met my errant child, Mariah, who will likely be the death of me.” He took the little girl by the hand. Mariah beamed up at him with unabashed adoration. “I’m sorry if she was bothering you.”

“She’s actually very entertaining.” And you should have known where she was.

“That’s one word for it.”

Mariah at his side, he slid into the chair next to Kelsey, bringing with him the scent of a very recognizable and equally expensive men’s cologne. How could he smell good after so long in an airport? She probably smelled like dirty gym socks.

“Where you headed, Kelsey?” he asked, as if she wanted to have this conversation.

“Nowhere.”

He looked surprised at the empty answer, and she winced. Shouldn’t let her hopelessness stick out for everyone to see. The last thing she wanted was pity. She had enough of that for herself.

“Actually, I’m going to Dallas.” She cast a doubtful eye at the huge observation windows. Sleet continued to ping against the panes. “Someday.”

He grinned, and darn if he wasn’t even better looking. She flat out hated him. “I know what you mean. We’re going to Dallas, too.”

She knew that. Everyone who could read knew Ryan Storm lived in, worked in and practically owned Dallas. Ryan Storm, businessman of the year, entrepreneur, most eligible bachelor. All the things she didn’t like in a man.

Well, actually there was one more thing she didn’t like in a man. Deceit. Mark had been so good at keeping her in the dark. And none of that was Ryan Storm’s fault or his daughter’s. It was her own fault for being so gullible, for wanting to believe.

The man of the year had turned to look at her during the conversation and suddenly his eyes narrowed. “I hope you won’t take this the wrong way, but you look familiar. Have we met?”

She almost laughed. Did he realize how insulting that was? Not only did he not recognize her, he wanted to be sure she didn’t mistake his question for interest in her as a woman. Like anyone would be interested in a pregnant cow who hadn’t had a shower and shampoo since night before last.

“Bartlett High, Dallas east side, Mrs. Rutger’s history class. Although you slept through most of it.”

A flicker of recognition dawned behind an intense brown gaze. His mouth dropped open and he raised one finger in a struggle to remember her name. “Kelsey…Kelsey…” He snapped his fingers. “Kelsey Slater, boy hater.”

The old nickname made Kelsey laugh. She hadn’t really hated boys, but with braces, glasses and freckles, the oft-repeated comment served as ego protection. Guys liked her. They just didn’t date her. The butterfly hadn’t exited her cocoon until after high school. Contacts, straight teeth and the right makeup had done a world of wonders.

“It’s Kelsey Mason now, but how did you remember that silly nickname?”

Expensive fabric whispered as Ryan lifted one wide shoulder. “A mind that never shuts off.”

“You mean the way it did while your daughter was running around the airport alone?” She widened her eyes in horror. Had she really said that?

“Pardon?”

Apparently she had, and the man of the year hadn’t taken it too well. “Never mind. None of my business.”

Braces may have fixed her teeth but nothing had corrected her habit of saying what she thought. Sometimes her big mouth got her in trouble.

Mariah, who had been patiently taking in the conversation, tugged on her father’s sleeve. “Daddy, please. You’re interrupting our interview.”

Ryan dragged his offended gaze from Kelsey to his daughter. “Sorry, peanut, but I don’t think Kelsey would be interested in the position.”

“But I think she might be the one, Daddy, although we haven’t yet discussed credentions or salary.”

“Credentials,” he corrected.

Mariah nodded. Her curls bounced on the shoulder of a dark green jumper. “You can ask her about that.”

“I don’t think so. Married ladies usually aren’t seeking nanny positions.” He indicated Kelsey’s left hand. “See? She has a wedding ring.”

Boy, was he observant!

“Oh.” The child looked betrayed as she spoke to Kelsey. “You didn’t tell me you were married.”

Kelsey twisted the ring, wondering why she bothered to wear it. For the baby, she supposed. Certainly not for any residual attachment to Mark. “I’m a widow. My husband died.”

Saying the words aloud seemed as unreal now as they had a few months ago. Mark was dead, his body lost in a horrible explosion that sunk the extravagant yacht he was sailing to a buyer in Greece. She felt both horrified and guilty. Horrified that it happened. Guilty to feel so little grief.

Her expression must have shown the stress of the last few months, because Mariah’s little hand took hers. “Don’t be sad, Kelsey. Daddy and I will make you feel better. You can come to our house and have hot chocolate and graham crackers in bed.” The bouncy curls swirled toward Ryan. “Can’t she, Daddy? We’ll make her feel better and she can look after me while you work. Then she can be my mommy and give me a baby sister. She’s a teacher, too, so she can help us with our geography. I still get mixed up with India and Indiana, you know. It’s the perfect solution.”

Ryan appeared as muddled by his little girl’s logic as Kelsey felt. After staring at the child for several beats, he ran his fingers across the top of his head in an exasperated manner. “You’re a teacher? You wouldn’t be needing a job, would you?”

He didn’t know the half of it. “Exactly what kind of job?”

He gave a short laugh. “It’s nothing quite as involved as Mariah has in mind. You see, Mariah’s au pair has gotten married. We’re on our way home from the wedding.”

“And Miss Janine hasn’t been replaced yet,” Mariah said, folding both hands on Kelsey’s kneecap and staring up into her face. “We interviewed a few candidates, but I have the final veto.”

Her father rolled his eyes and looked pretty much helpless. “It’s a deal we made. I choose qualifications. She chooses someone she likes. I work long hours and need someone I can totally trust with my child.”

“Sometimes I don’t see Daddy for days,” Mariah said. “He works very, very hard, you know, and although I miss him terribly, I understand. People depend on him. That’s why your credentions have to be exemplary. We’ll be spending a lot of time together. I really want a baby sister. And I promise to be lots of help with her. I’ll read all the baby books and learn everything. You won’t have to worry one little bit. And I’m always well-behaved. I promise. Aren’t I, Daddy?”

All during this long persuasive speech, Mariah’s little face was a picture of hope. Kelsey’s heart twisted. With each word, Kelsey had grown more sure that Ryan Storm was a success-oriented workaholic and not much else. Poor little Mariah.

“Yes, you are, peanut.” Ryan tweaked the end of the little girl’s nose and then spoke to Kelsey.

“So you see, with Mariah’s intellect, I need to hire someone who can not only care for her full-time, but who can homeschool her as Janine did. She didn’t fit too well in kindergarten and I don’t intend to expose her to that again.”

“Kids in kindergarten didn’t like me much, although I’ll never understand their reasoning. Playing with blocks seemed a little silly to me, but I was still nice to them and helped them organize the blocks into a color-coordinated map of Dallas.” Mariah frowned. “For some reason, that made them all run away.”

Ryan tilted an eyebrow at Kelsey as if to say, see what I mean? “Private tutors, in my opinion, are best for children like Mariah.”

“Eventually, she’ll have to learn to interact with other children,” Kelsey said. “No matter how bright she is, she needs to learn to play like a normal kid.”

“I’m far more concerned with making the most of her intelligence. Kids are born knowing how to play.”

“Well, I think you’re wrong about that.” Kelsey didn’t know what possessed her, exhaustion she supposed, but she was still annoyed that the child had been running loose in the airport without supervision. Add to that Mariah’s concern about her father’s emotional well-being, and Kelsey figured the guy needed to get a clue. “Socialization is important, too, particularly at this age.”

“My daughter is quite social, as you have already observed.”

“That’s not what I meant. Did it ever occur to you that she needs to be a little girl instead of worrying about you?” Oops. Now she’d gone too far.

He blinked, those intense eyes hardening to onyx. “Excuse me. I think this interview is concluded.”

Well, la-dee-da. Concluded.

“And here I didn’t even know an interview was going on. Silly me.” Story of her life. Lose the job before she even applied for it. Before she could shove the next words back down her smart-aleck throat, she blurted, “Sounds like somebody needs a nap, and I don’t mean your daughter.”

After a tense ten seconds while her former classmate contemplated her with both surprise and curiosity and maybe even a little horror, he turned aside and stared out the frosted window.

Steepling his fingers, he bounced them against his chin with a sigh of utter hopelessness. For a fleeting moment, Ryan Storm, king of Storm International, looked like a lost child himself. Kelsey felt a twinge of sympathy, which made no sense under the circumstances. First of all she should be red-hot and furious at his dismissal, but she wasn’t. She thought his defensive reaction was kind of funny and pompous and completely characteristic of the brooding young man she’d known in high school. He’d moved through the hallways with a know-it-all stare and a chip on his shoulder the size of Texas Stadium. Though he said little, his groupies followed, anxious to do the bidding of the rough-edged boy in fitted T-shirt and faded jeans. He was in command even then.

Secondly, and probably most important given the unpredictable state of her emotions, here was a man of enormous success and confidence who had the world in the palm of his hand. She, on the other hand, was a mess. Why should she feel sorry for Ryan Storm?

Mariah, who hadn’t missed a single glare or sigh or comment, glanced from her father’s stormy face to Kelsey’s and back again. “Can’t we negotiate?”

Worry filled her dark eyes and pinched Kelsey’s conscience. Concern for her daddy emanated from her small form in pleading waves. Here was a child who could probably read Shakespeare but was stuck with a workaholic father who hadn’t a clue. If ever a little girl needed a mommy, this one did.

“Didn’t you hear? Kelsey isn’t interested in the job,” Ryan muttered.

Maybe it was the child’s big brown eyes.

Maybe it was the father’s lost expression. Maybe it was hormones.

Most likely it was pure desperation.

“Actually,” Kelsey said. “I think I am.

CHAPTER TWO

SLOWLY, SLOWLY, RYAN TURNED towards the woman. First, she’d told him he had no idea how to raise his own child. And now, she wanted to work for him.

He didn’t think so.

He ran a hand down his face, heard the scratch of beard left untended.

Bone weary of sitting in this airport, he had missed two crucial meetings, and had just spent forty-five minutes on the telephone trying without success to salvage a deal gone sour. By the time he’d ended the call, Mariah had done one of her disappearing acts. His little girl was the only person on the planet who could ruffle his composure and send him into panic mode.

When he’d rounded the concourse and seen her here, talking to the pregnant woman, safe and sound, he’d nearly imploded with relief. If anything happened to Mariah, he couldn’t go on.

Losing Amanda had nearly killed him. Losing Mariah would.

As it was, she drove him crazy, her brilliant mind too young to make appropriate decisions and too smart not to explore the world around her. Once, she’d gotten away from Janine with a handful of change from his dresser and had boarded the trolley for a trip to the Dallas World Aquarium. A quick-thinking driver had saved them all a great deal of grief.

The child needed a keeper who was as smart as she.

Running on minimal sleep, he wasn’t in the best frame of mind to make decisions. But Kelsey Slater, boy hater? Probably not.

All the reasons why he should not hire Kelsey loomed before him as obvious as her pregnant belly. That was the number one reason right there. Pregnant women made him nervous. No, not nervous. Terrified.

But she was someone he knew, at least had known. Kelsey had been the nice, ordinary girl in the front row whose hand was always in the air, volunteering to head the homecoming committee or to do cleanup after the dance. Only she looked so different. Really different. Her glasses had hidden the most stunning blue-green eyes he’d ever seen and a delicate, heart-shaped face framed by long, loose hair the color of his bedroom furniture. Mahogany. And he shouldn’t be thinking of his bedroom in the same sentence with a nanny applicant.

Sheesh. He was tired.

“What makes you think you’re right for the job?”

“What makes you think I’m not?”

The fact that I want to shut that sassy mouth of yours with a kiss.

For a horrified second, he thought he might have spoken aloud but when she didn’t slap his face, he breathed a sigh of relief and said instead, “My daughter seems quite taken with you. Her needs are paramount.”

“As they should be.” She shifted uncomfortably. An airport was no place for a pregnant woman. She didn’t look too far along, but her face and arms were thin, as if she’d recently lost weight instead of gaining. She could be about to pop for all he knew. A shudder of dread quivered up his spine and, in spite of the frigid temperatures, sweat broke out on his upper lip.

“I have a number of people to interview once we’re back in Dallas. I’m sure I’ll find someone suitable.”

She gave him a look that said she questioned his sanity, a legitimate concern at the moment.

“Look, Ryan,” Miss Pregnant and alone said.

“Let me be honest here. I need a job and a place to live. I allowed my Texas teaching credentials to expire and even after I renew them, it’s the middle of the term and I’m pregnant.” She would have to bring that up again. “Finding a position isn’t going to be easy.”

No. She wouldn’t do. He couldn’t put himself through the agony of being reminded of those last days with Amanda.

“I’m an excellent teacher,” Kelsey said. “And a good person who adores kids and knows how to get the best out of them. You know me, at least somewhat. That has to be a plus. I can do a good job for you and for Mariah.”

He could read through an applicant’s motives faster than gossip and Kelsey’s were nothing short of desperation.

Sympathetic feelings had no place in business dealings, but he had to admit to having some. The Kelsey he remembered was a nice girl, almost too good, if talk among the guys was to be trusted. But hiring a nanny who could also homeschool his daughter in the manner he considered best was business. Purely business. If Kelsey had those qualifications—and she did—those were the only things that mattered. However, her attitude toward child-rearing was far different than his. He knew what was best for his daughter and if he hired Kelsey, she’d have to do things his way.

But he didn’t want to hire her. She was pregnant. And a little too bossy. Nope, no way. No deal.

Then why couldn’t he get past the lines of tension around her soft mouth or the worry in those stunning eyes? Why did he keep sitting here beside her, listening to the soft drawl in her voice and wondering what it would be like to have her in his employ, in his house?

“What about your family?” Surely, she was returning to Dallas to be with caring family members. Someone who could keep a close eye on her until the baby came.

Pink tinged the crest of her cheekbones. Any makeup she might have worn was long gone by now, and a smattering of freckles popped through the clear, lovely skin. The color of her hair, the fascinating freckles were like sprinkles of colored sugar on a bowl of cream.

Good lord, when had he become a poet? He really was too tired.

“My dad and stepmother still live in Dallas,” Kelsey was saying, a little too stiffly. “But I’m not a charity case. I do not want to live off them or anyone else. I earn my way.”

Ryan realized he had insulted her somehow.

But in doing so, he’d discovered something important. For whatever reasons, Kelsey was down on her luck but she had a lot of pride. He’d been there, done that. Could completely relate. So much so that he admired the thrust of her chin and the glitter of pride in her eyes. She was stubborn, opinionated and pregnant. But she was also smart and qualified and someone he knew.

Mariah was right. They did need Kelsey Slater, boy hater. He’d interviewed half a dozen women already, but none that suited. On the other hand, none were pregnant former classmates who attracted him either. Everything in that sentence, other than the former classmate part, was not in Kelsey’s favor.

Still, he needed to concentrate on his work, especially right now with the Toliver takeover on the horizon. Something about Kelsey annoyed and worried him as much as it attracted him—but maybe that could actually work to his advantage. He was gone sixteen hours a day or more anyway. No need to even see her or her pretty mouth or pregnant belly.

He shivered at the last thought. That was the deal breaker right there.

But his schedule next week was now doubled due to this airport delay. Given his aversion to day-care centers, he needed someone reliable—and fast.

If not for the pregnancy, Kelsey Slater, boy hater could fill the bill very well.

In high school, she’d been friendly to him even though he’d never run in her social circle. Truth was, his social circle had been on the outer edges, the group of boys and girls just shy of trouble. He’d been their leader, though most of his after-hours were spent working and trying to keep his family afloat. With a father who wandered in and out of his life at odd intervals, the role of man of the house had fallen to him most of the time. He’d worked his butt off, too, all the while plotting his way out.

His jaw tightened. He’d made it. With the sweat of his brow, unholy hours and a few unholy alliances he wasn’t particularly proud of, he’d scratched his way to the top. By all that was good and right, he was going to stay there. Mariah would never know what it was like to come from the bottom of the barrel.

To keep his relentless work pace, he needed someone reliable to care for his daughter. He flicked another glance at the familiar woman with the blue-green eyes.

In his world, those who hesitated were lost. Deals could make or break on five minutes of indecision. He was known to make decisions quickly on gut instinct. So he swallowed down the last inner scream of protest and made one.

“You’re hired.”

Kelsey couldn’t believe her ears. A gift horse had arrived upon the scene, literally falling from the sky. Did this mean the fickle finger of fate had decided to smile on her for a change?

“But I can’t be.”

Annoyance flashed on chiseled features. “Are we going to have this argument again?”

“Don’t you want references? Shouldn’t we discuss expectations and duties, days off and salary? You could be hiring a serial killer to care for your daughter.” Shut up, Kelsey. Shut up!

Ryan raised a finger in silent command. Thank goodness. “You aren’t a stranger. You just told me you were totally trustworthy and I believe you. And I’m a very good judge of character, as is Mariah.”

Kelsey huffed. “Six-year-olds trust anyone with bubble gum or a puppy.”

No wonder lady luck enjoyed tormenting her. She made it so easy.

Mariah came to life, face alight. “Do you have a puppy?”

“No honey, I don’t.” Kelsey ran a hand down the child’s arm to soften the disappointment.

Mariah had just made her point. “See what I mean?” she said to Ryan.

“You cheated. Even I’m a sucker for puppies.”

She’d have to give him points for that. “But still, there are things to discuss.”

“We can evaluate references and execute a contract once we’re back in Dallas. If at that time the particulars don’t suit one of us, we can, as Mariah says, negotiate.”

And she knew who would come out on the short end of that stick. Her. Ryan had pulled himself out of poverty to multi-millionaire status. He hadn’t gotten to the top of the heap on those stunning looks alone.

“You need a job. I need a nanny. Let’s say a trial run. Thirty days. Deal or no deal?”

Who was she kidding? There was no way she could turn down his offer.

“Fine,” she said. In her desperate state, she should be kissing his feet in gratitude. For the past five months, she’d held herself together with pride and spunk and not much else. When the cars and the house, the boats and the business all went on the auction block to pay off debts left by her late husband, Kelsey had gone from being the Mercedes-driving wife of a successful yacht dealer to being pregnant, alone and dead broke.

She should be grateful instead of argumentative. But she hated feeling obligated and something about Ryan Storm irritated her. Rubbing at tired eyes, she fought back tears. Resentment and despair welled in her. The baby reacted to her distress and fluttered around like an oversized butterfly. She laid a hand to the mound beneath her heavy sweater.

As if she’d slapped him, Ryan jerked, riveting his attention on her stomach. “Are you okay?”

“Sure.” If she’d survived the last few months, she could survive being stranded in an airport.

Ryan swallowed. Kelsey wondered if the question had been deeper than a polite inquiry.

“Good. Good,” he said. “You don’t look fine. You look dead on your feet and stressed to the max.”

“Thanks.” Roadkill. She looked like roadkill.

“No insult meant.”

“None taken.” Yeah right.

“Mind if I ask what happened to your husband?”

The nightmare that had begun five months ago was never far from her thoughts. If she was going to work for this man, he needed to know.

She shook her head setting her hair into motion. It felt heavy and greasy against her scalp. What she wouldn’t give for a shower and shampoo and a comfy bed.

“Mark was sailing a yacht to its new owner in Greece when something went wrong. An explo

sion of some kind. He was lost at sea.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Thank you.” She never knew what else to say, though her answer sounded so unfeeling. It wasn’t that she didn’t feel terrible about Mark’s death. It was that she was still so angry and bewildered at what he’d done.

“He was never found?”

One of the reasons the insurance company had refused to pay. No body, no money. A morbid prospect, she thought. “No. The investigation is ongoing but the Coast Guard insists no one could have survived the explosion and subsequent fire. There was nothing left of the yacht other than debris.”

She’d heard the story and repeated the words so often to investigators, insurance adjusters, reporters and friends, but they still held that element of horror. No matter how she felt about Mark, she’d never wanted him dead.

The marriage had been rocky for so long that Kelsey was embarrassed to play the grieving widow. Still, hadn’t she gotten pregnant in an attempt to draw them closer together? Foolhardy, she knew now because, instead of fixing the problem she’d made things worse. Mark had not been happy to add, as he called it, the financial burden of rearing a child to his busy life. She’d thought the notion ridiculous given how well they were doing financially. Or so she had thought.

Only after the accident did she discover some important details Mark had forgotten to mention. The business was in deep trouble. The money he took with him was all they had. He’d also put Mason Marine and all the accounts payable in her name. At first, she’d thought the action was sweet and loving—until reality dawned. Her husband had not left her the business as a means to care for her and their baby. He’d left her holding the bag.

A warm, masculine hand pressed against hers. Both Ryan and Mariah were studying her with concern. “Hey. You went a million miles away. Sorry to bring up such a painful topic.”

She’d expected compassion from the child, but from Ryan? The man was as much as an enigma now as he’d been in high school.

How did she explain to him, or to anyone, that the greatest pain was not in losing a husband but in the knowledge that her husband hadn’t really cared for her, or their child, at all?

She didn’t. Her personal pain was her own.

“It’s behind me now.” A total lie. A mountain of debt and a string of bill collectors snapped at her heels like Doberman pinschers. Somehow, some way, she’d repay all that was owed.

He hitched an eyebrow in the direction of the soccer ball around her middle. “Not everything.”

For the first time since Ryan Storm had stormed into her life in the middle of a snow storm, Kelsey felt a sense of calm at the mention of her pregnancy. However inconvenient the timing might be, her baby was the one joy, the one good thing, left in her life.

She stroked a protective hand over her belly. “Yes, there is the baby.”

And she’d do whatever it took to make a good life for her unborn child.

“So is it a deal? You’ll come to work for me? I promise you’ll be well-compensated.”

Well-compensated. She could deal with that. Here was a chance to save for the future, to pay off debts, to start over again for the sake of her child. What else could she say?

“A thirty-day trial?”

Ryan’s smile was more dazzling than the Texas sun at high noon. He offered a hand. As his long, competent fingers encircled her slender hand, Kelsey experienced an array of emotions. Relief. Safety. And oh dear, a zing of physical attraction too strong to be ignored.

Ryan must have felt it, too, for he didn’t turn loose of her hand for the longest time. Instead, he stared down at her with an intense and probing expression. Butterflies that had nothing to do with the baby fluttered in Kelsey’s belly.

“Daddy, Kelsey, look,” Mariah’s little voice interrupted. The adults dropped their hands as if they’d held hot potatoes and turned toward the little girl. She pointed at the windows. “The snow stopped.”

“So it has.” As though nothing had passed between them, Ryan turned away from Kelsey and got up for a closer look.

Maybe the moment had been her wild imagination. Maybe it had been her fluxuating and unpredictable hormones. But she didn’t think so.

The flutter intensified and she thought of her baby. This job was the best thing for him or her. And since Kelsey had no intention of ever getting romantic with a success-oriented workaholic like Ryan, she was perfectly safe. With that firmly in mind, she rose to follow Ryan and Mariah to the windows. Her cramped legs and back thanked her.

“The cloud cover seems to be breaking,” Ryan was saying.

“It is, Daddy. See right there?” Nose pressed to the window, Mariah turned her face toward her father. Her expression was sweet and confident. “Just like I told you before. Everything will work out fine. And it has. We found Kelsey, and now the storm has stopped. Things are looking up.”

Kelsey caught Ryan’s eye and both adults chuckled.

Yes, indeed. Maybe things were finally looking up.

Even if Ryan Storm was a little too attractive.

CHAPTER THREE

MARIAH HAD BEEN RIGHT. Planes began to fly again in a matter of hours. Once their seats were secured, the newly formed trio trudged to an eatery for a late-night snack and a round of general conversation. In that hour, Kelsey began to feel far more comfortable with the idea of working for Ryan and tutoring Mariah. The child desperately needed a woman’s influence and nurturing. And if there was one thing Kelsey could do, it was nurture.

The first sign of a snag came when Ryan said, “Before we board, I’ll call ahead to be sure a car is available to take us home from the airport.”

“I can get a cab.” She poked a fork into her fruit cup, spearing a piece of melon. It was the only thing on the menu she could afford.

Ryan, who’d ordered a full country breakfast, paused in mid-bite, frown puzzled. The result of not shaving in a while framed his mouth in such a sexy manner, Kelsey could hardly stop staring.

“Why would you need to do that?”

“It beats walking.”

“You aren’t walking. You’re going home with us.” The words were a statement of fact that brooked no argument.

Kelsey gulped, swallowing a whole grape. “You’re kidding, right?”

“I hired you because I need you now. Tonight. Tomorrow.”

The choice of words, coupled with his manly, scruffy look, brought to mind all kinds of possibilities. Troubling possibilities.

“I wasn’t expecting to begin work quite this soon.”

Nonchalantly, he applied grape jelly to his toast. The sound of knife against toast scraped against her nerves. “That was the deal.”

Not the way Kelsey remembered. She shook her head. “I’d be a lunatic to go home with a strange man in the middle of the night.”

“I’m not a stranger, Kelsey. You know me, and you have my assurance. You are perfectly safe with me and Mariah.” He wiped a bit of ketchup from Mariah’s chin. “Right, peanut?”

Mouth full of hamburger, Mariah batted her long-lashed eyes and bobbed her head at Kelsey in reassurance.

The little girl was such a sweetheart. Kelsey patted her hand and winked.

Though she’d been away from Dallas since her marriage four years ago, she still kept up with the local news. Ryan made the business news quite often and was known as a straight arrow who didn’t party, much to the dismay of Dallas society. And he had a child, for goodness sake.

“But my family is expecting me.” Sort of.

“Call them.”

“At this time of night?”

He gestured with his fork. “Either way, you’ll wake them.”

The man had an answer for every argument. “Now I understand how you became successful at such an early age.”

He grinned. Her stomach dipped so that she almost backed out of the entire deal.

But in the end, her desperate need for a job and a place to live, along with Ryan’s quiet insistence, won out and she agreed to go straight to his home. As a last-ditch effort at common sense, she’d phoned her father to let him know her where-abouts. He’d been none too happy about the late call, so she’d been brief, promising to drop by as soon as she was settled in her new job. Jim Slater had mumbled, “Fine,” and hung up. It was no more than Kelsey had expected. Relations had been strained since her father remarried so soon after her mother’s death.

Still, she felt strange following Ryan Storm around the airport, through the terminal and into the waiting limo.

The sensation didn’t improve upon arriving at his upscale, two-story town house in east Dallas.

Ryan, on the other hand, behaved as though he brought strange women home all the time. The thought gave Kelsey pause. Maybe he did. Maybe he was just ultra sneaky about it.

With Mariah draped across his shoulder asleep, he nudged his chin toward the stairs. “Second door on the right.”

Kelsey went ahead of him, flipped on the light and stripped the covers back on the canopy bed in preparation for the slumbering child. Ryan smiled his thanks and slid his small, limp load between the pink princess sheets.

“Shall I undress her?” Kelsey asked but didn’t wait for an answer. She reached for the child’s shoes while Ryan stripped away her coat.

“Good enough for tonight,” he said quietly. “Let her sleep.”

In the hush, she watched him tuck the cover beneath the sleeping beauty before placing a kiss on her forehead. Mariah squirmed, mumbled and then flopped over, burrowing deeper into the soft, inviting bed.

Tenderness crept into Ryan’s exhausted face. He stood beside the bed, looking down at his child for several long, sweet seconds. Emotion fluttered beneath Kelsey’s ribcage as she wondered about the man who was never home but who appeared to adore his child. Was he simply unaware of how much his child needed him? Or was he, like Mark, more concerned with success than with his family?

She also wondered about Mariah’s mother. What kind of tragedy had taken her at such a young age? What kind of woman was she that a man like Ryan Storm had married her? Did he still love her? How well had Mariah dealt with her mother’s loss?

Straightening, Ryan snapped off the bedside lamp, plunging the room into semidarkness. The resulting atmosphere was softly intimate, too much so. With a tilt of his head Ryan motioned toward the door. They brushed arms in the doorway and Ryan stepped back, letting her pass first. The air between them trembled with the same something she’d felt in the airport when their hands had touched.

“This way,” he murmured, gesturing to the left. “Your room will be this one next to Mariah’s if it suits.”

“I’m sure it will.” Right now, she just wanted someplace to lie down and put her feet up. And a shower. Oh, a shower would be heaven.

“I’ll bring your bags up in a minute.”

“I can get them.”

As if she’d threatened to burn the house down, Ryan spun around, jaw tight, eyes blazing. His mood had gone from tender to angry.

“You will not carry bags upstairs. You will not even carry grocery bags from the car to the house. Nor will you lift anything heavy while in my employ. Ever. Understand?”

Kelsey took one step back, surprised at the intensity of the remark. Was this guy moody or what?

“I’d be pretty stupid not to,” she snapped. “Although I see no need for you to be cranky about it.”

Ryan said nothing else, but his odd mood quivered in the air. Pushing a door open, he motioned her inside. Still miffed by his sharp comments, she brushed past him, but the move was too close for comfort. As in the airport, she caught the scent of expensive male cologne, glanced the surprisingly muscled arm stretched flat across the raise-paneled door. He still hadn’t shaved and his shirt—unbuttoned at the collar, his tie long ago stuffed into a pocket—was coming untucked. The result was bedroom sexy and deliciously rumpled.

Darn. There she went again.

Living under the same roof with a man who caused her mind to think such things might not be such a smart move. But it was done. At least for thirty days.

“It’s lovely,” she said when they entered the bedroom. A small sitting area, complete with desk, chair and television opened into a bed and bath. Sleek, elegant and modern with mint-green walls and cream trim, it was generically right for a guest or an employee of status.

The room was as beautiful as any she’d ever seen, but Kelsey felt oddly disappointed. A lump of loneliness rose in her throat. She and her baby had no home to call their own. All her dreams of decorating a nursery, buying the perfect furniture and giving her baby everything tormented her. The only thing she could give her baby now was love.

She must have looked as lost as she felt because Ryan touched her shoulder. She glanced up, saw the mood had changed again. “You’re dead on your feet. Go to bed.”

At the unexpected kindness, tears burned the back of her eyes. “I have to take a shower first.”

He remained there, staring at her for several seconds. “You’ll be okay here?”

She swallowed back the troublesome emotions and forced a cheeky grin. “Sure I will. You promised not to murder me.”

The corner of Ryan’s mouth quirked. “If you need anything tonight—”

“I won’t. Go to bed, Ryan. You’re as tired as I am.” And if he stood around any longer, she might cry and embarrass them both.

“But I’m not pregnant.” The comment was an accusation, as though he resented the fact that he’d hired a pregnant nanny.

“It isn’t a terminal disease,” she said.

As though she’d slapped him, Ryan recoiled. Behind the outline of dark beard, his natural tan drained away. For a moment he wrestled with something. His mouth opened and closed. His chest rose and fell. And then without another word, he whipped around and left the room.

But not before Kelsey saw the misery in his eyes.

“Kelsey, wake up.”

Kelsey awakened in a strange room, disoriented. She lay very still, moving only her eyes until they focused on Mariah perched cross-legged next to her, books spread about her in a circle. The cobwebs cleared. She’d thought it was a dream, but she was really here, in the home of Ryan Storm. Memory came flooding in. In some moment of insanity she’d agreed to work for a man she barely knew.

Okay, so she’d been attracted to him. What woman on planet Earth, pregnant or not, wouldn’t be? And she’d been flattered at the instant trust he’d placed in her. After all, he was Ryan Storm, king of Dallas. Able to buy tall buildings with a single check.

Taking the position was a good thing, she’d told herself last night as she’d stood beneath the rain showerhead, washing hours of stomach-churning airport smells down the drain. She had a paying job, and both she and the baby had a place to live. At least temporarily.

She just wished she didn’t feel so weird about it.

Small fingers patted her knee. “Good morning. Are you awake yet?”

Then there was the other reason she’d agreed to come here. Mariah. The brilliant child who had touched her heart in Denver.

“Good morning,” she muttered after clearing the gravel from her throat. She stretched and looked around for a clock. An Asian-influenced wall hanging, more art than clock, read seven o’clock. Kelsey stifled a groan. Five hours of sleep to a pregnant woman was next to none.

“I hear Daddy downstairs,” Mariah said, raising up on her knees. “If we want to see him, we’ll have to hurry. He’s a very busy man.”

Kelsey’s heart squeezed. The little girl must have gotten up some time ago to bathe and dress herself in anticipation of spending time with her dad. Except for the mismatched colors, she appeared to have done a good job, fully dressed in a purple hoodie and green sweat pants. Her natural curls, still damp from a shampoo, had been ruthlessly stripped back from her face with a red headband.

Kelsey patted the child’s knee. “I doubt he’ll leave until we’ve had an opportunity to work out the conditions of my nannyship.”

Mariah giggled, putting both hands over her mouth in that adorable manner. “That’s a good one. Nannyship. Is it a real word I should add to my lexicon?”

A six year old with a lexicon? Good heavens. Kelsey shook her head and sat up. Sumptuous ivory sheets slid over her shoulders and pooled in her lap. “Not real, but real fun.”

“Should I leave so you can get dressed? Or would you like to begin my classes now? I brought in some of my books.”

“I thought you wanted to see your father.”

“I do, but he always says we must prioritize. Important things like work and education come first.”

“Seeing your dad is important, too.” Kelsey threw the covers back and swung her feet over the side of the bed. She dug her toes into the soft rug. “You go on and say good morning. I’ll be down shortly.”

The child scrambled off the bed and rushed to the door before turning back.

“I think your nannyship is going to work out perfectly,” Mariah said, grinning, and then she bounced through the door and disappeared.

Kelsey hoped the little optimist was right.

By the time she dressed and descended the stairs, Ryan and Mariah sat at a small table in the breakfast room pouring over a computer-generated document. They were so engrossed that neither heard her soft footsteps on the stone-tiled kitchen floor.

A weak winter sun spilled through French doors and gleamed on the two dark heads bent close together. Mariah’s face was a study in attentiveness, soaking up the attention from her daddy. Ryan was in profile, his angled jaw free from the stubble of last night, his firm, sensual lips in motion. His mouth fascinated her and she tried hard not to imagine that he was probably a dynamite kisser. When the corners tipped up to smile at his daughter, she nearly swooned. Gone was any hint of the despair she’d imagined last night. Exhaustion and imagination could be the only sensible explanation for Ryan’s odd reaction to her silly comment about pregnancy.

Gone, too, was last night’s deliciously rumpled traveler. This morning he looked polished and professional. Unfortunately, he also looked every bit as yummy.

She felt like the governess mooning over the lord of the manor in one of those gothic novels. A most disconcerting flutter of awareness invaded Kelsey’s being. That would not do. It would not do at all. Wasn’t she supposed to be immune to good-looking, successful men after what happened with Mark?

As if he felt her stares, Ryan glanced up. The remnant of his smile was still in place. She smiled back, fighting a blush because of her wayward thoughts.

“Good morning. I see you survived the night.” Amusement danced in his eyes. She wrinkled her nose at him and he laughed. “There’s fresh coffee in the carafe if you’d like some.”

With a shake of her head, Kelsey touched her tummy. “No thank you.”

Though she was long past morning sickness, her stomach had tangled into a thousands knots. Might as well face it. She’d have to be very careful around Ryan Storm. Something about him disturbed her in a dangerously elemental way. To make matters worse, she felt obligated to him. Neither feeling sat well. But she also firmly believed Mariah needed her, and right now, Kelsey needed to be needed. She and her baby also needed this job.

“Join us then,” Ryan said, pulling out a chair next to his. “I’d like to get things settled quickly and get to the office.”

“You’re going in to your office this morning?” She’d expected him to stick around and observe her with Mariah today.

“Daddy’s time is very valuable,” Mariah said gravely.

Well, so was everyone’s. Wasn’t time with his child valuable, too? His attitude wiped away any thoughts of how hot he was.

“I’ve already checked your references, which are excellent by the way.”

“I knew that,” she groused. The fact that he was up early after minimal sleep, checking references and looking so good added to her irritation. She still felt like roadkill and probably looked worse.

Ryan didn’t seem to notice. He pushed the computer printout toward her. “Mariah and I were going over the list of duties and responsibilities. I’ll leave those for you to look over. If you have any questions, my office number is there as well as my private cell. Do not give that to anyone.”

As if she would.

“Here’s Mariah’s schedule.”

“Schedule?”

“Janine worked out a schedule of study so Mariah could make the most of her time.”

Kelsey had a feeling she and Janine would not have gotten along. “But she’s only six. Why don’t you let us play it by ear for a few days and then decide exactly what course of action we want to take?”

“I want her educated, Kelsey. That’s why I hired a teacher. Just stick to the schedule and we’ll get along fine.” The words were mild, but the meaning was tempered with steel. She was not to question his authority. And she shouldn’t, of course. Mariah was his child.

“Okay. I can do that.” She hoped.

“I’ve also left full instructions about the alarm system and other household concerns. A housekeeper comes in daily. She’ll prepare lunch, take care of the house and prepare dinner before leaving. Her name is Abilena Rueda. How’s your Spanish?”

“Poor to nonexistent.”

“Abilena understands a bit of English, but if you need her to do something, tell Mariah. Her Spanish is coming along fairly well.”

“Daddy bought me some CDs,” Mariah said proudly. “Acquiring a foreign language has become a necessity in today’s global market. Isn’t that right, Daddy?”

Ryan got that helpless look on his face again. The one that said Mariah’s intellect both pleased and frightened him. “That’s right, peanut. Knowledge is power.”

Returning his attention to Kelsey, he pointed to a number on one of the sheets of paper. “Is the salary sufficient?”

Kelsey squinted, her contacts still a little watery. When the numbers focused in, she gasped. “Sufficient? Ryan, with this amount I can begin to pay off some of my—” She caught herself in time to keep from blurting out the painful truth of her finances.

But Ryan was every bit as bright as his child. His gaze narrowed as he studied her face. “If you need money just say so. Finances are not a problem here.”

Heat rushed up the back of her neck. Money didn’t used to be a problem with her either, but times change. “I can take care of it.”

“I want your focus on teaching Mariah, not on worrying about finances. If you need money, tell me.”

Humiliated but also grateful, she said, “That’s kind of you, Ryan. Really. But I can handle it.”

“Sure?” He seemed sincerely concerned.

“I have some old debts from the move. No big deal. Don’t worry. I have everything under control.” Right, and she could run the Boston marathon in five minutes in high heels.

“All right. If you need anything, all you have to do is ask.” He took another sip of his coffee and pushed away from the table to slip into his jacket. “I’ll see you lovely ladies later.” He glanced at his daughter. “That’s called alliteration—lovely ladies later.”

“Alliteration.” Mariah savored the word on her tongue as if it was good chocolate.

“Kelsey can teach you more about that.”

“Cool.” Mariah hopped down from her chair and followed him through the kitchen, through the foyer to the front door where he crouched down for a hug.

Kelsey had followed the pair, though she didn’t know why, and the sweet moment between father and daughter squeezed her heart. He might be clueless, but Ryan appeared to be a caring daddy.

Three days later, as she checked Mariah’s schedule, Kelsey was having second thoughts about Ryan Storm’s parenting skills. It was six o’clock and the man had not yet appeared. Again. And the child was still studying as if she were taking the bar exam in the morning.

By now, their schedule was practically memorized and Mariah knew it better than Kelsey did. After all, Miss Janine, who Kelsey did not like at all, had manufactured this form of child torture some time ago. Mariah seldom complained, but an occasional sigh told the tale. Janine’s regimented, unimaginative idea of educating a small child took a toll, both on the teacher and the student. Kelsey, who loved teaching, had never been so bored in her life.

“I think this is about it for the evening, don’t you, sweetie?” she asked, gently closing the ancient-history book. “How about a game before bedtime?”

“Chess?” Mariah asked.

Kelsey thought if she lost another game of chess this week she’d die of humiliation. “How about something else? I think my brain needs a rest. How about—” She looked around for ideas.

“Monopoly? I’m really good at that.”

Kelsey laughed. “I’ll bet you are. Another tycoon in the making.”

But she got the game out anyway, as eager for some fun as the child.

They were in Mariah’s muted blue playroom which was more of an office than a fun place to hang out. The chest full of toys and games wasn’t opened until recess which occurred three times a day—fifteen minutes in the morning, immediately following lunch and mid-afternoon. The rest of the time was spent in study. After dinner each evening, Mariah could read or play educational games before an early bedtime. From morning until night, every minute of Mariah’s day was regimented as strictly as the military, which meant Kelsey’s day was, as well. No shopping excursions. No visits with neighbors. No opportunity to get reacquainted with her beloved native city.

Frankly, she was suffocating.

To make matters worse, she’d seen Ryan only once, for less than an hour, and Mariah hadn’t seen her father at all. The man was a workaholic to the extreme. He rose before either she or Mariah and returned long after Mariah, and sometimes she, had retired for the night. When he was at home, he disappeared into his office with a plate of food left by Abilena, not to be seen again that evening.

Several times each day, he phoned to check on Mariah, but the calls were brief and to the point. “How are things going? Good. Need anything? No? Bye.”

Mariah, bless her little heart, was a trooper about her father’s apparent indifference. Kelsey’s thoughts were not so generous.

During the Monopoly game, Mariah paused time and again to listen for the garage door opening, the hope in her expression apparent.

“Do you think Daddy will be here to tuck me in tonight?” she said, adding a hotel to Boardwalk.

“He’ll have to hurry. It’s time for your bath now.”

“What about our game?”

“Let’s leave it to finish another time.”

Mariah looked doubtful. “Janine never let me leave things out. She said I had to learn the importance of taking care of my possessions and not to take things for granted even if my daddy is rich.”

Though the statement carried some truth, the manner in which it was said rankled. Had Janine been jealous of this child?

“Tell you what. You get your bath. I’ll put the game in a safe place and then we’ll snuggle up and read in bed for a while. Deal?”

Snuggle time was fast becoming a part of their routine that both of them enjoyed.

“Deal!” Mariah’s brown eyes danced as she skipped off to the bathroom.

After straightening the play room, Kelsey slipped into her robe and rejoined the sweet-smelling, freshly bathed child. Mariah was already in bed, her dark hair curled into squiggles across the pale pink pillowcase.

Intentionally choosing a simple, silly, rhyming Dr. Seuss book, Kelsey joined her. Together they giggled and snuggled, talked and made up stories.

When Mariah began to yawn and her eyelashes drooped for the third time, Kelsey pulled her close for a hug. She smelled of soap and shampoo and the cool essence of childhood.

“Time for lights out, precious.”

Mariah cast a longing look toward the doorway. “I guess Daddy got stuck at the office,” she said trying to rationalize why her father had not arrived. “He’s a very busy man.”

“Would you like to give him a call? Tell him goodnight? I’m sure he’d like that.” She wasn’t sure of any such thing, but she could hardly bear the disappointment wafting in waves from Mariah.

At the eagerness in the child’s face, Kelsey reached for the telephone.

Ryan answered the cell phone on the third ring. “Is something wrong?”

“Mariah wants to say goodnight.”

“Oh. Sure. Put her on.” He sounded distracted. Not that she cared. Mariah was more important than whatever he found to do at this time of night.

The father and daughter spoke for a couple of minutes. All the while, Kelsey watched Mariah’s face, listening to her sweet chatter, her delighted giggle at something Ryan said, and finally the wistful “I love you, Daddy” before returning the phone to Kelsey and snuggling down onto the pillow.

“He’s nice,” she said with a smile before letting her eyes flutter closed against soft, round cheeks.

Kelsey thought her heart would crack right in half.

Mariah had no mother and an absent father. She had no friends or doting relatives that Kelsey had seen. Mariah Storm was truly a poor little rich girl. And her father didn’t have sense enough to see a problem. Either that or Mariah was an afterthought, a responsibility and nothing more.

It was time to have a little heart-to-heart with the man of the year. And he probably wasn’t going to like it one bit.

CHAPTER FOUR

DOG TIRED, RYAN TOSSED his jacket and tie over a chair as he entered the town house, eager to flop down for an hour or so in front of the tube and think about nothing. The house was quiet and dark, as it always was when he arrived home. Only the hum of the refrigerator and the snick of the heating unit broke the silence. Mariah would be asleep by now. He’d sneak in later and grab a kiss.

The nanny must have gone to bed early, too. At nearly six months along, she probably tired easily. Amanda had.

He dashed that train of thought immediately and poured a glass of wine, his only concession to relaxation other than workouts in the basement of the office building. A gym for employees was one of the perks of working for Storm International. Healthy bodies translated to healthier work habits, better production and fewer sick days.

Kicking off his shoes, Ryan collapsed in the overstuffed leather chair and pointed the remote. As a kid, he’d dreamed of the day he could say he was a millionaire. Others had erroneously considered him rebellious or lazy, but he’d been plotting the future, figuring angles and working his tail off while others slept.

Lord, he was tired. But a man didn’t stay on top without working sixteen hour days. One slip and he’d be back in the slums again, grubbing for every dollar. The mere thought of returning to those days spurred him to work harder and harder. He would never allow Mariah to live the way he had as a youth.

Setting his glass on the hexagonal table, he leaned his elbows on his knees and scrubbed both hands over his face. Maybe he should go on to bed. His day started early.

“Ryan.”

At the soft voice, he jerked his head up. Kelsey stood in the wide entry of the living room. He hadn’t heard her come down the stairs. She wore a long blue robe of some soft-looking fuzzy material that covered her from neck to toe and turned her eyes aquarium blue. In the loose, flowing garment, her pregnancy was hardly noticeable.

“Hi. I thought you were in bed by now.”

She smiled and moved into the room, taking a seat on the couch across from him. After slipping off a pair of slip-on house shoes, she curled her feet beneath her.

Ryan’s stomach dipped at the pleasantly domestic sight. In the faded light of one small lamp, Kelsey looked pretty and soft and vulnerable. Forcing his gaze away, he reached for the wine glass.

Ryan Storm had a hard and fast policy never to get personally involved with an employee. Never, never, never mix business with pleasure. And yes, after a very long day of haggling and dealing, looking at Kelsey was pure pleasure. But he’d seen too many CEOs fall to the wayside over a pretty assistant.

Trouble was, he also had a policy never to hire a beautiful woman to work in his house. Janine had been hired in part because she was older and matronly. He’d never expected the woman, who seldom left the house, to find husband number three and move away. He was still puzzled about that turn of events.

What had he been thinking the night he’d insisted on bringing Kelsey home with him? She was pretty and pregnant. Good grief. He was an idiot.

“I need to talk to you about something.”

Her mahogany hair was swept away from her forehead and clipped with a tortoiseshell barrette. Straight and simple, her hair fell to her shoulders, gleaming in the lamplight as she moved. Her pale skin was scrubbed clean so that she looked fresh and young and innocent. If he breathed deeply, he was certain to catch the scent of fragrant soap and shampoo.

He would not allow himself that luxurious temptation. “Shoot.”

She made a huffing sound. “Don’t tempt me.”

Puzzled, he tilted back in his chair. “Sorry. Did I miss something?”

“Constantly.”

No matter how lovely she looked, the woman was talking in riddles. A straight-shooter, riddles always annoyed him. “Look, Kelsey, I’ve had a long day. Could we have this conversation another time?”

With a sarcastic curl of her lip she said, “Should I make an appointment with your secretary?”

The nanny was getting testy and he had no idea why.

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