And then he met her eyes

Even in the darkness of the room, he could see that they were shimmering with desire. The blinds were open, allowing moonlight to spill into the bedroom. The vision of Salina on the bed, ready to make love with him, made his breath catch.

He wanted this. But he had to make sure that she wanted it, too. “Are you sure?”

In response to his question, Salina sat up and pulled the robe off of her body. All she wore now was an oversize T-shirt. Nothing had looked as sexy on a woman. No lace bra, no thong underwear—absolutely nothing.

“I’m sure.”

About the Author

KAYLA PERRIN has been writing since the age of thirteen and once entertained the idea of becoming a teacher. Instead, she has become a USA TODAY and Essence bestselling author of dozens of mainstream and romance novels, and has been recognized for her talent, including twice winning Romance Writers of America’s Top Ten Favorite Books of the Year Award. She has also won a Career Achievement Award for multicultural romance from RT Book Reviews. Kayla lives with her daughter in Ontario, Canada. Visit Kayla at www.KaylaPerrin.com.

Books by Kayla Perrin

Kimani Romance

Island Fantasy Freefall to Desire Taste of Desire

Taste

of

Desire

Kayla Perrin

www.millsandboon.co.uk

This book is for my father, Lenworth.

You were always a hard worker,

a man of the highest integrity,

and one our family could always rely on.

In short, you are the best father a girl could ask for.

I love you today, tomorrow, and always.

Dear Reader,

What is your passion? Do you love knitting? Painting landscapes? And is your passion something everyone knows about, or a well-guarded secret?

From childhood, my passion was crafting stories. They say, do what you love, and the rest will follow. That’s what I did, and turned my passion into a career.

Salina, my heroine, has a culinary passion. Offered a shortcut to becoming a chef, she soon learns that this offer comes with a price—one she won’t pay.

People often put their love lives on the back burner when pursuing their goals, and Salina and Jake are no different. But for them, love is the silver lining after some awful events—if only they’ll embrace it.

I hope that whatever your passion is, you’re fitting it into your life. But my greater hope is that you don’t put love on the back burner. Because that’s the greatest passion of all.

Happy reading!

Kayla

Chapter 1

Salina Brown knew well and good that you should always trust your instincts, and indeed she had done that through her entire twenty-seven years. She was smart enough to know that if your gut said something was wrong, you should pay attention. And yet this time, she had ignored her gut, told herself that there was no way the legendary Donald Martin would do anything out of line.

Even before she got on the train in Brooklyn and headed to the Upper East Side for what Donald Martin had said would be “the opportunity of a lifetime,” Salina had had a niggling doubt, the odd sensation that perhaps things weren’t as Donald said they were.

But he was the expert chef with an endless list of clients. Who was she to question if someone had hired him to prepare a special dinner at a private residence? The Upper East Side address made it clear that whoever had hired Donald had money, and didn’t wealthy people love to host dinner parties at their lavish residences? Especially during the holiday season. Despite her reservations, Salina had no doubt that Donald catered such private dinners all the time, and for him to offer her the chance to work with him tonight … well, how lucky was she?

That was the thought Salina concentrated on as she headed to the address where she would be helping Donald to cater the dinner. That and the fact that she would be gaining invaluable private contacts, the kind that would only help her own business grow one day.

Two months earlier, she had been lucky enough to meet the legendary chef at a charity event her sister’s law firm had been involved in. And wonder of all wonders, after talking to him, he had offered her the chance to work with him. It had been a dream come true for Salina, whose latest passion was to become a chef. Being able to apprentice with one of New York’s greats in the business would surely help fasttrack her own path to becoming a chef with her own restaurant one day.

Salina glanced up at the mid-rise condo building overlooking Central Park, her heart beating a little faster. She was nervous, she realized. Nervous about doing her best and proving to Donald—and to herself—that she had what it took to succeed in the competitive world of professional chefs.

Salina approached the beautiful old building, where the immaculately dressed doorman greeted her with a smile and opened the door for her. Inside the building’s foyer, the concierge asked her who she was here to see, and she told him what Donald had instructed her to say—that she was his guest.

“Ah, yes. Mr. Martin told me to expect you.”

Salina had never been greeted by a doorman back in her native Buffalo, and not in the Brooklyn neighborhood where she lived with her sister. Of course, she had seen exactly this on television and in the movies, and she couldn’t help thinking that this was a taste of what her own life would be one day. That by following her passion, she would be able to live at this kind of exclusive address.

Not that she needed all the frills of a lavish lifestyle. Rather, she believed that by following her passion success would come. Every person she admired whose story she had heard or read, all said the same thing. That while not necessarily seeking monetary success, it came when they followed their heart’s passion, and Salina was determined that she would be no different.

Indeed, it was why she was here, wasn’t it?

“I’ll let Mr. Martin know that you’re on the way up,” the concierge said pleasantly.

Salina nodded and then headed toward the elevators. Soon she was on her way up to the penthouse floor. By the time she was glancing down the hallway to determine in which direction she was supposed to head, she saw a door at the end of the hallway on the right open up. Donald appeared, smiling widely, and gestured to her to come.

Salina made her way down the hallway to him, loosening her scarf as she did. There was no snow outside, but it was frigid, and she was glad she’d thought to wear a scarf to help protect her face from the cold.

“Hello, Donald,” Salina said as she reached him.

“Good evening,” Donald responded, and held the door open wide for her to enter. As Salina stepped into the apartment’s foyer, he added, “Let me take your coat.”

Salina gazed around the immaculate residence. While the building itself was a prewar establishment, this unit had been renovated to reflect the design style of the 21st century. Sleek, white leather sofas, polished mahogany hardwood floors and modern art on the walls—the place could easily be featured in a home décor magazine.

“Did you have any trouble finding the place?”

“None,” Salina said. “Your directions were perfect.”

“Good.” Donald took Salina’s coat and hung it on the nearby coatrack. As he did, something suddenly struck her as peculiar.

There were no other coats on the rack except for one.

“Where is everyone?” Salina asked. “Or are the residents not arriving until we have the cooking complete?”

“Follow me,” was Donald’s reply.

Salina frowned. That wasn’t the response she had expected. In fact, she suddenly got that odd feeling again. The one that said something wasn’t right.

Because if she had come here to help with the cooking, then why did she smell the aroma of food? And not just any food, but Donald’s famous spicy curry chicken—the very meal she had told him was her favorite.

Salina’s feeling intensified when she followed Donald around the corner toward the dining room and saw that the table was set with two place settings. A bottle of wine sat in a carafe between the table’s head spot and the one to its immediate right.

Donald stopped walking and turned to face her. As if he had sensed the direction of her thoughts, he said, “I prepared the meal you said was your favorite. This one is your favorite, isn’t it?”

Salina knew that what she was about to ask was somewhat silly, because her mind already understood what was going on—even if her heart wanted to deny it. “Didn’t you want my help in doing the cooking?”

“Ah, yes. I did tell you that I wanted you here to help me prepare a meal.” Donald smiled devilishly. “I admit, I told you a little white lie.”

“A little white lie?” Salina asked, her tone implying she was still in the dark.

“There are two place settings here,” Donald said, gesturing to the table. “One for me. And one for you.”

“B-but—what about the guests? What about the dinner party?”

Now Donald chuckled softly. “That was the little white lie. You’re the only one I’m expecting.”

“Th—this is your place?”

“Yes.”

He had lied to her, told her he needed help in catering a Christmas party. All because he wanted to get her here for a romantic evening?

“I wanted to spend some time with you,” Donald went on. “Alone.”

Salina looked at him as if he had grown two extra heads. “Why would you want to spend time alone with me?” Again, she was aware that she sounded silly, or perhaps that she was playing dense. But she simply didn’t understand why Donald would invite her here for this kind of romantic dinner, to spend time alone with him, as he had said. “For God’s sake, you’re married.”

“My wife wanted to escape to Barbados with the kids before Christmas,” Donald told her, no discernable reaction at all to the fact that Salina had just mentioned his wife.

And then, without warning, Donald walked toward her and slipped an arm around her waist. He pulled her against him. “Come on,” he whispered. “You know what’s going on.”

She wriggled herself free from his arms and stepped backward, away from him. “No, I don’t. I don’t understand this at all. Not one bit.”

“I’ve prepared a special dinner for a very special lady.” He took a step toward her and Salina instinctively took a step backward. Donald chuckled softly. “What’s the problem? You don’t like my grand gesture?”

“Are you for real?” Salina asked. “Are you seriously pretending that the issue here isn’t that you’re married?”

“My marriage is none of your concern.”

“None of my concern?” Salina shot back. Was the man that foolish? Was he so completely arrogant that he thought she shouldn’t care that he had a wife and kids?

“Let me rephrase that. My marriage … it’s essentially over. It’s been dying for a long time. And ever since I met you … well, I knew we could have something special. Yes, I was hard on you in the beginning. I’m sure you remember. I was fighting my attraction for you. But then it all became so clear to me. Why fight it? I met you by chance, was extremely attracted to you, and then it turned out that your desire was to become a chef. I saw that as destiny.” Donald paused. “Our destiny. You and I, Salina, we can be a team.”

Salina was flabbergasted. She couldn’t even believe what she was hearing. “I don’t know what you were thinking, but I do not get involved with married men. I don’t know what you expected of me, and I’m sorry if you believe that I somehow led you on.”

That wasn’t what she believed, not in the least. She had simply worked hard for a man who, at first, had been incredibly demanding. She’d believed that he’d been testing her, making sure that she had what it took to work in the competitive culinary business. The tougher he was on her, the harder she had worked because she’d wanted to impress him, show him that he hadn’t been wrong in taking her on as an apprentice. That meant working late into the night and not arguing when Donald expected her to be back at his busy midtown Caribbean restaurant the next morning.

But Salina would say what she felt was necessary at this moment, including taking the blame for his error in judgment, because the bigger goal was that she get out of the apartment without incident. She suddenly had no clue what Donald was capable of.

And she also didn’t want to make an enemy of him. No, she would never be able to work for him again. But the New York culinary scene was relatively small. And Donald was famous. If he bad-mouthed her because she rejected his advances, that would be a hindrance to her achieving her goal of becoming a chef.

Donald moved toward her swiftly and once again drew her into his arms. “I already explained to you that my marriage is basically over. It’s you I want.”

And then he planted his mouth on hers and kissed her.

For one stunned moment, Salina couldn’t move. But then she sprang into action and fought Donald off her with all of her might. She was disgusted with him, more disgusted than she had ever been with anyone, and she wondered how it was that she had not seen his true nature before now.

Or maybe she had. After his initial coldness—relentless with his demands and coming off as a bit of a jerk—he had suddenly changed. Smiles and winks replaced his scowls. And there were little touches that she always found a bit too friendly … like the ones on her arm or upper back. And sometimes she’d catch him looking at her in a way that had her feeling distinctly uneasy.

But Salina had written it all off as harmless. Since he worked all day in a busy kitchen, she simply believed that he was the type of man who flirted as a way to ease the tension.

It was very clear now just how wrong she was.

Free of his embrace, Donald shot her a gaze of utter disbelief. Disbelief that soon turned to anger. He seemed unable to accept the fact that she was actually rejecting him.

“You’d better consider the consequences of your decision.

Because if you leave now, you’ll never work in the restaurant business again.”

And just like that, Salina knew that Donald would be the type of man who would be ruthless in his vengeance. He did not like to be rejected, and it was clear he would make her suffer for it. The fact that he would even want to continue with the dinner and whatever else he had planned if she caved to his threats spoke volumes about his unsavory character.

“If that’s the way it has to be,” Salina said firmly, “then that’s the way it has to be. I’ve never slept with anyone to get anything, and I’ve never been afraid of hard work. If you can’t respect me for that, that’s fine. If my life is going to be a little more difficult in terms of achieving my goal because I won’t sleep with you, then so be it. But I am about to walk out that door right now, and if you touch me—I swear to God I will scream so loud everyone in this building will come running to see what’s wrong. And then I’ll press charges against you for sexual harassment. So don’t you dare think you can threaten me.”

Salina wasn’t sure where she got strength to stand up to Donald like that. Perhaps it was the fact that she knew that if she stayed in his apartment with him and tried to play nice, it would end badly for her. Playing nice with a man like Donald Martin, whose ego was clearly larger than the state of New York, would only lead to more problems. She had to be firm, had to get out of the apartment immediately.

Donald was clearly shocked by her words, and Salina could see the anger on his face, but he made no move to walk toward her as she stepped backward one foot at a time, her eyes watching him carefully. When she reached the living room she turned and hustled to the foyer, where she grabbed her coat and scarf from the coatrack. She didn’t look back as she scrambled out the door.

Salina left the apartment, running. She ran straight for the nearest exit sign instead of the elevator, and ran down sixteen flights on pure adrenaline.

She was aware of the odd looks she got from the concierge and then the doorman, but she didn’t care. She wanted to get as far away from this upscale New York address as possible.

She was humiliated. As she slowed to a fast walk instead of a jog, Salina asked herself if she had done something to let Donald think that she would be the type of woman who would sleep her way to the top.

Seeing the subway sign, she almost cried with relief. To her, the sign must have been like what a buoy would be to a person drowning in deep water.

She made her way down the stairs, contemplating the question she had asked herself. No, she decided. She had not portrayed herself as a woman who would barter sex for success. She was not going to take the blame for Donald’s bad behavior.

Perhaps she should have been firmer with him before. When he’d started with the little smiles and touches, maybe she should have made it clear to him that he was crossing the lines of professional conduct.

But it was too late now to change the past. All Salina could do was move forward.

And as she got onto the subway car and sank into a seat in the corner, all she could wonder was how something that had started with such promise could go so terribly wrong.

But what had happened in Donald’s penthouse suite proved the adage true: that if something seemed too good to be true, then it was.

Donald Martin may have been one of the best chefs in New York city, but the price to learn the ropes from him had proved too steep.

The opportunity of a lifetime, gone in an instant. God help her, how would Salina ever accomplish her dream now?

Chapter 2

Three weeks later Salina was still in the dumps over what had happened with Donald Martin. She had applied at many more restaurants, hoping that she would have some success in landing another apprenticeship position. She had anything but. She didn’t know if Donald had bad-mouthed her in any way, but suspected that he hadn’t. Indeed, if he was smart, he wouldn’t. He had to know that if he did anything to hinder her opportunities for employment, she could easily let the world know about his failed seduction plan. And given the fact that he knew Salina’s sister was a lawyer—one who specialized in civil litigation—the thought must have come to him that Salina would slap him with a lawsuit if he tried to mess with her possible future employment in any way.

No, Salina believed that prospects were grim because the economic downturn had affected many restaurants to the point where they weren’t taking on any new employees. What that meant for her was that she was going to have to go back to her original plan—go to culinary school in order to see her dream fulfilled. And after the experience she had with Donald, she valued the idea of taking the regular route to success, as opposed to the shortcut. That said, the regular route was going to take her years and thousands of dollars. Thousands of dollars for culinary school that she didn’t have.

She had two options. Either she could head back to Buffalo and once again work in day care, or she was going to have to find something else to do in the city. She was loving the vibe of New York and wanted to stay. But she needed to stand on her own two feet and not live off her sister.

There was another reason she didn’t want to head back to Buffalo. All her friends and family there had had such high hopes for her when she told them she was heading to New York to work as a chef. She didn’t want to go back to her hometown with her tail between her legs, as the saying went, because that would be admitting she had failed.

She was at home on Thursday evening looking through the classifieds and trying to see what other positions might be available when her sister came in the door and practically sang, “I have the perfect opportunity for you.”

“What kind of opportunity?” Salina asked.

“The kind that means cash,” Emma replied, smiling brightly. She wore her hair short, the style Halle Berry had made famous, with bangs falling over her forehead. It was a professional look, easy to maintain and suited Emma’s face very well.

Salina narrowed her eyes as she stared at her sister. “Ah, I get it. You want me to start pulling my weight around here,” she joked.

“You know you’re welcome to stay here as long as you want or need,” Emma told her. She approached the table where Salina was sitting, and placed her briefcase on it. “Seriously, though. I think I have the answer for your job woes. At least for a little while.”

Salina put down the paper she had been reading, feeling hopeful for the first time in three weeks. “You got me an interview for a job? What kind of job?” The answer came to her a moment later. “Oh, I know. The receptionist at your law firm finally quit, didn’t she?”

Salina wasn’t sure she wanted to do reception work, as it wasn’t the kind of job that would advance her particular career interest. But the truth was, she was at a point where she had to acknowledge that beggars couldn’t be choosers. She would do what she had to in order to accomplish her bigger goal.

And that goal was to fund her way through culinary school.

“No, not a receptionist.” Emma began to unbutton her coat. “It’s in a field you’ve worked in before—well, sort of—so I think it’s right up your alley.”

Salina narrowed her eyes at her sister. “I’m confused.”

“Of course you’re confused. How many job avenues have you followed?”

Emma smiled wryly, and Salina had to concede that her sister had a point. It was true that she had, in her short twenty-seven years, contemplated about four major career paths. She had become a lifeguard at seventeen, and thought for sure she would end up working in that field for a very long time. Not simply as a lifeguard, but in management at a recreation center. She enjoyed working with children, and especially enjoyed the summer programs where she had helped inner-city kids learn how to swim.

Her love of working with children had led her to her second career path: working in day care. She had done so for four years, hoping to one day have her own child-care company. However, she found that she got too attached to the little darlings in the day care, and when they left to go to school, or because their parents moved, Salina had always been deeply saddened. She realized just how easy it was to get attached to children, and that had her rethinking her career choice.

She had gone on a totally different career path after that, applying to get onto the police force. Again, she’d been interested in doing a job where she could help people and be a positive role model, and she felt she could do that as a police officer in the city of Buffalo. She had gone through the initial physical training and study—and then realized that law enforcement wasn’t for her.

Just six months ago she had decided to pursue her latest passion: cooking. All her life she had liked to cook, to make meals and desserts for family and friends. After hearing a radio show where a woman had talked about how people should turn their passion into a career, the proverbial light-bulb had turned on in her brain. She loved to cook. She should become a chef.

Salina had done her research and learned that it would cost a small fortune to go to a respected culinary school. But there were other ways to achieve her dream. If she could be hired as an apprentice, she could learn the ropes from a master and gain the skills necessary to become a chef and open her own restaurant one day.

“Can’t guess?” Emma asked.

“Well, I know it’s not going to be police work,” Salina said, smiling sweetly. “Is there a community pool that needs a lifeguard?”

“I’ve gotten you a job as a nanny,” Emma told her, since she clearly couldn’t guess.

“A nanny?” Salina asked. “I’ve never been a nanny.”

“That’s why I said that it was sort of in a field you’ve worked in before. A colleague at my law firm needs someone immediately. His nanny had to go to Mexico for a family emergency, and he’s left in a bind. He needs someone right away.”

“But I’ve never been a nanny,” Salina repeated.

“But you’ve worked in day care. You worked in day care for four years. That’s a long time, and that’s relevant experience.”

Salina frowned, but realized that her sister was right. She did have experience, and she could work as a nanny, even if she hadn’t officially done so in the past. “Who needs the nanny? Is it someone I met before?”

“Jake McKnight,” Emma replied. “And yes, you met him.”

Even before Emma said that Salina had met him, a vivid image of Jake McKnight came into Salina’s mind. She had met him at the same charity event where she’d met Donald Martin, albeit briefly.

What Salina remembered was that he was a very attractive man, and one who had stayed at the charity event for a very short time. Initially, upon meeting him and shaking his hand, Salina’s interest had been piqued. In fact, she had been surprised at her instant interest in Jake McKnight. Perhaps because it had been such a long time since she had been involved with anyone—the last guy being an aspiring musician she had met at a friend’s party in Buffalo—she had been particularly susceptible to an attractive face, not to mention a body that was clearly fine. But after that initial handshake, Jake turned away from her and greeted the next person, and so on. As Salina had watched him, she had come to the conclusion that he was the brooding sort. He hadn’t been smiling, but he had made the rounds at the event, greeting everyone, and then he quickly left. Salina had gotten the impression that he was not the kind of guy who liked to socialize.

“I met him at that charity event,” Salina said.

“That’s right,” Emma said. “Jake’s a really nice guy, and had the misfortune of losing his wife two years ago. It was a tragic accident. Slippery roads, and her car skidded off the highway into a ditch, hitting a tree. Jake was devastated.”

“Oh, how awful!” Salina said. Now she understood why he was brooding. To lose someone you loved so unexpectedly and in such a horrible way, had to be absolutely heartbreaking.

“Like I said, he’s in a bind,” Emma explained. “His nanny is from Mexico, and apparently her mother is gravely ill. She had to leave immediately, and with Jake being a single parent, he needs help. He can’t very well bring his daughter to the office every day. He had to today though, which is how I got to know about his issue. I told him that you were looking for work and that you had extensive experience in day care. He was immediately interested. This will be a win-win situation. A good temporary job for you, and a lifesaver for him.”

Salina was relieved to hear the word temporary. As much as she had enjoyed working in day care, despite the emotional downfalls, she didn’t want a career in child care anymore. She loved kids, but her goal was to become a chef.

“How temporary?” Salina asked.

“Probably two weeks,” Emma said. “That’s what he said. His nanny got on a plane two days ago. I get the sense that she’s going to be in touch with him to let him know exactly how much time she needs, but two weeks was her best guess. He did say that her mother was gravely ill, so if she passes away, who knows? I suspect it could be anywhere from two weeks to four, depending on how much time Maria might want to spend with family dealing with funeral arrangements and so forth, if it comes to that.”

Salina considered her sister’s proposition. “I agree that this might be a great temporary job for me, but what if I get a call about permanent employment?”

“You can cross that bridge when you get to it,” Emma told her. “Probably within the time that it would take for Maria to go to Mexico and return, you wouldn’t be starting your new position yet. And if you don’t get a job in the meantime, at least you’ll have some income.”

Salina nodded, but she wasn’t entirely convinced. “How old is his child?”

“He has a little girl, and she’s four. From what I witnessed of her in the office, she is very well behaved.”

“Four. That’s such a darling age,” Salina commented. The problem however, was that with four-year-olds—cute as a button and typically loads of fun—you got attached to them more easily. At least, Salina always had.

“You’re going to do it, right?” Emma asked.

Did Salina really have any other choice? She would be helping out her sister’s colleague and herself in the process. “I—I guess.”

“You don’t sound excited,” Emma commented.

“It’s not exactly what I had in mind in terms of employment, but like you say, I’ve had some experience in day care, so I’m sure I can do an adequate job. And as long as it’s only temporary, and I don’t have to worry about my true career goal being derailed.” And if this job helped to put extra money in her pocket so that she could fund culinary school, all the better.

“Great,” Emma said. “I told Jake you would call him this evening, arrange to meet him immediately.”

“What?”

“I told you, he’s urgently in need of someone. There’s no time to waste.”

“Where does he live?”

“He’s in Manhattan,” Emma explained. “Actually, United Nations Plaza. The Trump World Tower residences there.”

“That’s a nice address,” Salina said. And even though she knew she shouldn’t, she couldn’t help thinking about Donald Martin, a man with money who had felt that he was entitled to something extra from her. Salina didn’t like the idea of possibly meeting another wealthy man who had expectations of something on the side for his pleasure.

“Don’t worry,” Emma said, and Salina knew that her sister had read her thoughts. They were close that way, and could often gauge what each other was thinking. “Jake is a true gentleman, and in fact, he hasn’t even dated since his wife’s death. He has totally thrown himself into work. Jake’s not going to do anything crazy.”

Salina nodded. “Course not. You know him, and you wouldn’t recommend me for the job if you thought there was anything untoward about him. I just couldn’t help thinking about Donald for a moment. I guess that I may be a little jaded.”

“I know,” Emma said. “And I told you that you totally need to slap Donald’s behind with a lawsuit. What he did to you was out of line and unconscionable.”

Salina raised her hand. “I know, but a lawsuit would be emotionally taxing, and mean that I have to see him in court, not to mention spend money that I don’t have.”

“I wouldn’t charge you,” Emma said. “You know I would do it for the satisfaction of seeing a jerk like him go down.”

“Well, there would have to be some cost. Court costs, I don’t know. The bottom line is, the most important cost to me would be the emotional one. And I’m not willing to pay it.” Salina spoke firmly, hoping to put an end to this discussion once and for all. She knew her sister loved her and had her best interests at heart, but the idea of justice for her was not the same as Emma’s thoughts on justice.

To turn the conversation away from the ugly experience she only wanted to forget, Salina said, “So, you want me to call Jake now?”

“Yes, that would be great. I told him to expect your call.” Emma smiled sheepishly, the look saying that she knew her sister would have said yes to the deal all along.

“All right, give me his number.”

Emma rattled off the phone number, and then explained that Jake should be at home because he had left work early with his daughter.

“I’ll call him right away.”

Salina went to the bedroom to make the call in private, and a minute later she had Jake on the line. “Hello, Mr. McKnight?”

“You must be Emma’s sister,” he said without preamble. “Salina?”

“Yes,” Salina answered. She couldn’t help noting that the man’s voice was deep and sexy.

“Please, call me Jake.”

“Okay. Hi, Jake. I understand you need a temporary nanny.”

“Yes. Can you start immediately?”

Salina had not expected that Mr. McKnight would want her to start immediately. She figured he might even be interviewing other prospects to feel one hundred percent comfortable with his decision. But she said, “Absolutely. If you want me to start right away, I can.”

“By right away, I mean right now. If you could come to my home, meet with me and meet with my daughter, that would make things much easier for when you officially start tomorrow morning.”

“You want me to come right now?” Salina asked, glancing at the clock. It was shortly after 6:00 p.m.

“Is that a problem?”

“No. No problem at all. Just tell me your address, and I’ll be on my way.”

As Salina scribbled the information on a pad, the image of Jake’s handsome face popped into her mind. Releasing a sigh, she vowed to resist the temptation of his allure and promised herself to keep the assignment professional.

Chapter 3

An hour later Salina had exited the subway and was heading to Trump World Tower. The building was enormous, its black-and-bronze-tinted glass stunning. Across the street was a park with landscaped grounds and fountains, which Salina could only imagine was incredibly beautiful in the spring and summer. The Trump building towered over the neighboring United Nations Plaza Tower, a structure with a unique design that angled inward as it neared the top, to form a pointed peak. Both addresses were high-priced real estate, and Salina couldn’t help remembering that unfortunate day weeks ago as she headed toward the exclusive residence on the Upper East Side, but she swallowed her nervousness and reminded herself that Jake McKnight, devoted father and widow, was not Donald Martin.

She went through the typical doorman greeting, followed by the concierge calling her up to Mr. McKnight’s suite. Within minutes, she was on her way up the elevator to the fifty-sixth floor.

A few minutes later she was knocking on door 56-B. Within seconds Jake opened the door.

And even though Salina had known he was very attractive, she was taken aback by the sight of him.

The man was gorgeous. She had forgotten just how much so. He was tall, definitely over six feet. He had wide shoulders, the kind that said he worked out or had played sports. He was clean-shaven, making his strong jawline clearly evident. His golden brown skin was similar in complexion to hers. Everything about him was utterly sexy, but his eyes were his most compelling feature—brown with flecks of gold.

“Hello,” Jake said.

“Hi,” Salina responded. And she noticed in Jake’s eyes the same expression she had seen the night of the charity event. Then, she had thought he was simply brooding. Now she recognized the look for what it was—sadness.

“Thanks for coming right away,” Jake said.

“No problem. I’m happy to help out.”

“Come in.”

Jake stepped backward so that she could enter the apartment, and Salina did so, looking around as she did. The first thing she noticed was the high ceiling, probably around ten feet. The living room area was large, with polished oak floors. Salina guessed that this space alone was probably twelve hundred square feet or so. The unit boasted floor-to-ceiling windows with an incredible view of the New York skyline. Though it was dark outside, Salina could see the Chrysler building in the distance.

Jake’s furnishings were tasteful and elegant. A sandy-beige-colored sectional was near one window in the living room, which looked soft and comfortable. A matching recliner was opposite that sofa close to one of the walls. On the main wall facing the large sectional was a giant plasma television, likely sixty inches.

Unlike Donald’s residence, this condo didn’t feel sterile. It felt homey. In fact, there were toys scattered over the floor in front of the sectional—little horse figurines and stuffed animals. And as Salina walked farther into the living room, she could see that there was a little girl sleeping peacefully on the sofa, a knit blanket wrapped over her small frame.

“Oh, my goodness, she’s adorable,” Salina couldn’t help exclaiming. And she was. The little girl’s hair was done in two pigtails, and she had one of the cutest little faces Salina had ever seen. Round, like a cherub. She looked like a little angel.

“Thank you,” Jake said, a smile touching his lips. Then he faced Salina once more. “I realize that we never talked about a price. I just offered you the job and you accepted. But rest assured, the salary I’m offering is going to be well worth your time.”

And then Jake told her a figure, and Salina was flabbergasted. It was more than she had expected. At least double what she thought he might offer—and very generous.

“Will that be okay?” Jake asked.

“Okay? That’s more than okay. In fact, it’s quite generous. Thank you.”

“No. Thank you. You are really helping me out here.”

“What time do you expect me to arrive for work?”

“I know you’re in Brooklyn, and really what I need is someone to be here in the mornings with Riquet, and get her up, get her dressed for preschool. At noon, she needs to be picked up from her preschool, and you would take care of her in the afternoon. She has a number of activities she’s involved in, like her art class, ballet, piano lessons and gymnastics. Four days of the week, she has something to do in the afternoons. That also includes scheduled play dates.

Maria has the schedule set, which I’ll show you.” He paused. “I know this is sudden, but you’ll have a pretty demanding schedule, so I was thinking that, with you living in Brooklyn, it’d be better if you lived here for the time being.”

Salina swallowed. “You want me to live here?”

“Ideally, yes. I’d love for you to be a live-in nanny, like Maria was. Like Maria is,” he corrected. “I think it will be much simpler that way.”

Salina hadn’t considered that the position would be live-in, but it made sense, given the fact that she didn’t live down the street from him. The commute every morning on a crowded subway would be stressful and annoying.

She said, “I understand.”

“If you’re not comfortable with that, then by all means you can feel free to come in each day. That said, your job will begin at six-thirty in the morning. I think it would be easier for you if you were right here on the premises and didn’t have to add extra time to your day by coming and going.”

“Yes, that makes sense.” Salina paused, crossed her arms over her chest. “I feel I should disclose something here—in case it’s a concern to you. I’ve never been a nanny before. I’ve only worked in day care.”

“Well, your sister speaks very highly of you. I trust her opinion and her judgment. If she says you’d be a great nanny, I believe her.”

Salina nodded. “I appreciate that.”

“I’m the one who’s grateful.” He paused briefly. “Let me show you your bedroom. Whether or not you decide to commute each day, you can use this bedroom as your private space while you’re here.”

“Okay.”

Salina followed Jake to the right, to the hallway that led to two bedrooms. On the wall, she noticed a series of portraits of Jake, a toddler and a beautiful dark-skinned woman with shoulder-length hair and a warm, earnest smile.

Jake’s late wife.

“Right here,” Jake said.

At the sound of his voice, Salina hustled forward to the bedroom door he had just opened. As she walked into the room, she was pleasantly surprised at what she saw. The bedroom was a decent size, with an oak four-poster bed decorated to a woman’s sensibilities. There was a desk in the room, as well as a recliner in the corner beside the window. This window also went from the ceiling to the floor. Salina walked toward it and looked outside. She smiled at the sight of the East River.

Turning to Jake, she said, “Your condo has amazing views.”

“It’s a beautiful location. The views are priceless.”

“I couldn’t agree more.”

“This is the bedroom where Maria sleeps,” Jake explained. “Should you decide to live in while you’re working for me, this is where you’ll sleep, as well.”

Salina nodded.

“You probably have friends you hang out with, and maybe you’re dating. Once Riquet is in bed, you’re free for the evening, and you can head out and do whatever you like. I usually work late, but on occasion I get home around six, so if you have particular plans or want to head out to shop, eat or simply have some downtime, you’re free to do that.”

“Right,” Salina said.

“You’ll find there’s room in the closet for your clothes should you decide to live here for the next two weeks, and there’s also a bathroom off this bedroom that you would have all to yourself.”

“Excellent.” One of Salina’s reservations over the idea of living here while working for Jake was the idea that she might not have enough personal space during her off hours. But the condo was large and had enough room for her to have a space to call her own.

“I think I heard Riquet,” Jake said suddenly, and walked past Salina out of the bedroom. As he passed her, she got a whiff of his cologne. It was a musky scent that flirted with her nostrils.

Salina wrapped her arms around her torso as she slowly walked behind Jake. Her eyes lowered to his jeans—and his butt. As behinds went, it was certainly a cute one.

And then she felt guilty. Why was she checking him out? The answer came to her immediately. He was gorgeous. Of course she couldn’t help noticing how fine the man was.

Salina wondered why a man as attractive as Jake was still single. In a city like this where eligible bachelors were few, why had another woman not snagged him? A lot of men who were suddenly left with a small child to raise would have tried to find a new partner, if only to give the child a mother figure. The fact that Jake was still single must mean that he wasn’t ready for a new relationship.

Why am I even wondering about Jake and whether or not he’s ready for a relationship? Seriously, Salina, how inappropriate is that?

Jake, who had disappeared into the living room, looked in Salina’s direction once she got there. “Ready to meet your new charge?” he asked.

“Absolutely.” Salina walked farther into the living room, approaching Riquet slowly. “Hello.”

“Hi,” Riquet said guardedly. She was looking at Salina with suspicion.

“You remember I told you that someone else would be coming to work as a nanny for a little while until Maria comes back?” Jake said.

The girl nodded, keeping her eyes on Salina.

“Well, sweetheart. This is her.”

“My name is Salina,” Salina said gently. She took a seat on the sofa near Riquet’s feet. “What’s your name?”

“Riquet,” Riquet answered. “It’s French.”

“It’s a very pretty name.” Salina glanced to the left at the papers scattered on the coffee table. “Did you draw that picture?” Salina asked. “The one of the horse? Because it’s beautiful.” She was complimenting Riquet as a way to hopefully have the girl warm to her. This poor darling had suffered a lot in her young life, having lost her mother. Now, with her regular nanny gone, she might feel confused, distressed and afraid.

Riquet nodded. “Yes, I did.”

“You’re very talented,” Salina said, smiling. Which wasn’t a lie. The artwork displayed a lot of promise for a girl so young. Other four-year-olds were drawing stick figures or scribbling, but Riquet’s art showed dimension and depth. Salina was certain she was a budding artist.

Riquet sat up, smiling, too. “I love horses,” she said. “I love to draw horses eating food, or running in fields, or anywhere. Did you know I rode on a horse before?”

“It was a pony in Central Park,” Jake said.

“Daddy, it was a horse,” Riquet insisted. Then she rolled her eyes, as if to say he simply didn’t understand.

Looking at Jake, Salina saw him bite back a smile.

“You know, honey—you’re right. It was a horse. I forgot.”

“It was a small horse, but it was still a horse,” Riquet went on. Then she looked at Salina again. “Do you like horses?”

“I love horses,” Salina told her.

“My mommy used to love horses, too,” Riquet said sadly. “She’s in heaven now.”

“I know.” Salina sighed softly. “I’m so sorry she’s not with you anymore.”

“Daddy said she had a more important job to do in heaven. She’s an angel now, and she watches over me and daddy, to make sure we’re safe.” The little girl smiled broadly.

The words tugged at Salina’s heartstrings. Such bravery for a girl so young.

“I saw her picture,” Salina said. “She was very beautiful.”

“She’s the most beautiful angel in heaven. My daddy says that all the time.”

Hearing Riquet speak made it clear to Salina that Jake McKnight was a man of honor. It was obvious he had loved his wife dearly, and in her absence he had tried to share with his daughter all the wonderful things about the woman. In this day and age, when happily-ever-after stories were tainted by the reality of infidelity and divorce, Salina admired the fact that Jake had truly loved his wife.

“Can I show you my bedroom?” Riquet asked.

“You want to show me your bedroom?” Salina asked.

Riquet nodded vigorously. “I have lots of horses in there.”

Salina stood and extended her hand to the girl. “Sure.”

A smile spread on Jake’s face as he watched Riquet walk off toward her bedroom with Salina. He was impressed. Salina had instantly taken to his daughter. Indeed, Riquet had also instantly taken to Salina in a way he had never known her to so immediately like or trust anyone else.

It did his heart good to know that he had made the right choice. Thank goodness for Emma letting him know that her sister was not only in need of work, but that she had worked with children before. It was clear Salina was a natural. She obviously loved children, and would be a great replacement for Maria while she was gone.

He heard laughter, airy and bright, as he approached Riquet’s bedroom. Salina’s and Riquet’s. It had been a long time since he’d heard laughter like that between these walls, the kind that filled the apartment with warmth.

Emma had told him that Salina was twenty-seven, which meant she was a good twenty years younger than Maria. Maria had brought a wealth of experience to her position as nanny, having raised two children single-handedly. Those children were now attending NYU, her daughter studying to be a future filmmaker, and her son in a pre-med program. Maria was a gentle and loving woman, and had been a good replacement caregiver in the wake of his wife, Janine’s, death.

From everything Emma had said—and from what Jake was witnessing now—Salina would also be an equally good replacement. He could tell that she was a free spirit, unlike Maria, who was more serious, and she would no doubt do well with Riquet. He only hoped that with her younger age she wouldn’t be obsessed with partying every night, or gabbing on the phone with her friends at all hours. That had been the problem with the first nanny Jake had hired, a twenty-two-year-old au pair from England.

But he had known Emma for five years, and he trusted her. Indeed, if Salina was anything like her sister, she would be an extremely hard worker.

Salina and Riquet exited the bedroom, the two holding hands. This was working out better than he had expected. Here he had worried that Riquet would not take well to Maria’s replacement, but he needn’t have been concerned.

Salina met his gaze, her lips parted in a smile, and Jake was instantly struck by her beauty. She had big, bright eyes, a slender and shapely frame, and full lips that made him think of kissing. Indeed, he felt a pull of attraction so strong for her in that moment it stunned him. He opened his mouth to speak, but found he had to swallow first.

“Um,” he said, but no other words came to his lips.

“Riquet’s bedroom is gorgeous,” Salina announced. “And all those pictures of hers on the wall … My goodness, she’s a talented little artist.”

“Yes.” Jake cleared his throat. “Yes, she is.”

“Are you sleeping over?” Riquet asked.

“Not tonight, sweetie,” Salina said.

Riquet looked up at Salina with doe eyes. “Please?”

“I can’t. I don’t have anything I need with me.”

“Awww.” Riquet crossed her arms over her chest.

Jake bent down in front of his daughter. “Don’t worry. Salina will be back in the morning before you wake up. She’s going to be your nanny while Maria is away, so you’ll be seeing her every day. Okay?”

Riquet nodded, accepting Jake’s words.

“I’d better go,” Salina said. “I’ve got to head back to Brooklyn, then get back here bright and early.”

Jake stood to face her, and once again her lips were parted in a slight smile. Goodness, those lips were sexy, and he couldn’t help thinking that they looked utterly kissable.

Jake’s chest tightened. What was wrong with him? It wasn’t like him to feel this kind of attraction to a pretty face.

He averted his gaze, hoping to break whatever temporary spell he was under.

“Bye, Riquet. See you tomorrow. See you in the morning, Jake.”

“Yes, see you in the morning,” Jake replied. “Oh—wait.”

He hurried to his bedroom and retrieved the extra key. Returning to the foyer a moment later, he passed it to Salina, his fingers brushing against hers as he did.

Damn if he didn’t feel an electrical charge.

“I’ll let the staff downstairs know your status as my new nanny, so you won’t have any problem coming and going. And with this key you can let yourself in to the apartment when you arrive in the morning.”

“Thanks.”

Jake nodded, still making sure to avoid direct eye contact with Salina.

Once she was out the door, he released a breath he didn’t realize he was holding.

He would take a cold shower, and hopefully that would rid his system of whatever had him in its temporary grip.

By the morning he would be back to normal.

He was sure of it.

Chapter 4

“So how did it go?” Emma asked when Salina returned to the apartment, her eyes bright with expectation. “How did you like him?”

“It was great,” Salina responded. “Jake seems like a lovely man who really adored his wife. The apartment is still filled with her pictures, memories of the two of them together, and of course of them with their daughter. Riquet is just precious. It broke my heart as she was telling me how her father told her that her mother is in heaven, and that she’s one of the most beautiful angels up there.” Salina sighed. “I can’t imagine that kind of heartbreaking loss. Especially after they couldn’t have been married all that long. It’s one thing to lose someone after years and years of marriage, but to be left with a small child to raise—”

Salina stopped speaking and inhaled a deep breath. She could already see herself getting attached to Riquet, and she needed to do her best to keep a bit of an emotional distance. She would only be in the girl’s life temporarily.

“I assume you’ll be starting in the morning,” Emma said.

“Yes. I was worried that Riquet might take a while to get used to me, but she really took to me. I’m not sure why, maybe it’s just her friendly nature. She’s really adorable, and I’m excited about this opportunity.”

“Good,” Emma said. “I’m glad.”

“You said he hasn’t dated since his wife’s death?” Salina found herself asking.

“No,” Emma replied, shaking her head. “Janine was his world. In fact, what I’ve seen him do more than anything else is throw himself into work even more than he did before.”

“Workaholic, hmm?” Salina said. “Isn’t that like the pot calling the kettle black?” Maybe people who worked in the legal field had to be workaholics. The devotion to the kind of work they did—which at times could be mind-numbingly boring going through all those case files, as far as Salina was concerned—had to require that a person be totally committed to their vocation.

“I know I’m bad,” Emma began, “but Jake’s even more of a workaholic than I am. At least I take the weekends off. Zachary would have a fit if I didn’t make time for him. He already complains that I don’t spend enough time with him as it is. Jake, however, has been known to head into the office on Saturday and work all day. It’s obvious to me and everyone else at the firm that that is his way of dealing with the pain.”

“He works on Saturdays?”

“Oh, yeah. Quite a bit.” Emma paused. “He didn’t talk to you about his schedule?”

“Well … not really. I guess I just figured it’d be a Monday-to-Friday gig. That said, he’s offering me a very generous salary, so I’m not going to complain.”

“This’ll be great for you,” Emma said.

“And speaking of my new job,” Salina began, “I’d better get to bed. I have to be there bright and early in the morning.” She went to her sister and gave her a hug. “Thanks again, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

The early morning commute to Manhattan was awful. Not only did the world seem a colder, more miserable place, Salina couldn’t help thinking that she could be snug in bed for another hour, instead of up at an ungodly time to head to work. She was glad she’d decided to pack a small suitcase—just in case—because she had a feeling she would end up staying at Jake’s place tonight.

When she arrived at Jake’s residence, she found that she had no problem gaining entrance to the building, as he’d told her she wouldn’t. She made her way up to the fifty-sixth floor, her stomach tickling on the insanely fast ride up the elevator.

She felt a little awkward letting herself into the apartment—as though she should knock first—but it was early, only a little after six, and she didn’t want to wake Jake if he wasn’t already up.

She opened the door and crept into the apartment. As she stepped into the living room, she was surprised to see Jake sitting at the nearby dining room table.

“Oh,” she said, startled. She put down the travel bag she’d brought with her. “I didn’t think you’d be up.”

He was wearing a T-shirt and black silk pajama bottoms, and looked like he was ready to pose for a high-end photo shoot. How was it that he looked just as good so early in the morning as he had the night before?

“Morning,” Jake said, rising. “I wanted to make sure you had all the information you needed for the day.” He lifted a black book from the table. “This is Riquet’s schedule, with all the pertinent phone numbers you’ll need, the address for her preschool and the addresses where she needs to go for her various extracurricular activities.”

Salina approached Jake and he handed her the book. The gold-embossed letters engraved into the leather read: “RIQUET’S CALENDAR.”

“It should all be self-explanatory,” Jake went on as Salina opened the book and found the appropriate date in January.

Salina continued to flip the pages forward. She could see that Riquet’s calendar had been scheduled all the way to March. Even play dates.

“There’s a lot in there, but what you’ll notice is that the schedule is the same for every week. Today is Wednesday, so after preschool Riquet has a play date from one-thirty to two-thirty with Sarah, and then ballet lessons.”

“The play dates are always the same every week? With the same kids?”

“Yes,” Jake replied. “Maria believes—and I concur—that having a regular routine for Riquet is the best thing. This way, she’ll know what to expect every day and won’t feel any anxiety.”

Salina nodded, but she didn’t totally agree. Routines were necessary, yes. But so was spontaneity. A child needed to learn that there could be a break from routine and that the world wouldn’t fall apart. Life didn’t always follow the pattern people planned for.

Jake’s wife’s premature death proved that.

Salina flipped back to today’s date on the calendar, and noted that in the lunch column even a meal had been marked in. Macaroni and cheese. Certainly the girl’s routine wasn’t so rigid that there couldn’t be spontaneity when it came to meals?

“Everything should be in there that you need, and if you find you’re confused about anything, please don’t hesitate to call.”

“Got it,” Salina said. As she closed the book and looked at Jake, offering him a smile, she noticed that he averted his gaze.

“I’m going to get dressed, get ready for work. Riquet usually wakes up by seven, and on Wednesdays Maria makes her pancakes for breakfast. Her preschool is about a twenty-minute car ride—Ed, my driver, will be downstairs at eight to pick you up.”

“We have a driver?”

“Once he gets me to the office by seven-thirty, he heads right back here so he can take Riquet to school. Once she’s in her class, he can bring you back to the apartment or out to do shopping, run the necessary errands you need to.”

“Okay.” Salina nodded. Being a nanny in New York City entailed a lot more than she’d anticipated. Riquet’s schedule was busier than she’d known any child’s to be back in Buffalo.

“I’m going to shower now,” Jake said, still not directly looking her in the eye.

Once Jake headed off in the direction of his bedroom, Salina went to the kitchen. It was large, with a wraparound counter that ended in a breakfast bar. The cupboards were maple, a contrast to the pale beige backsplash and beige-tiled floor.

Coffee was already brewed in an elaborate-looking coffeemaker. Salina would have to ask Jake how to use it.

Though she had time, she went into the cupboard and looked for the items besides eggs she would need to make pancakes. She found flour and sugar, but no vanilla, and sadly no cinnamon. She would make sure that she picked those items up today once Riquet was in school.

Salina spent the next few minutes familiarizing herself with the kitchen. It was a chef’s dream. Double ovens, a gas stovetop, large counter space for working … She would enjoy making many a meal here.

She glanced toward the dining room and saw that the only thing on the table was Jake’s large coffee mug. There were no plates in the sink. Jake hadn’t eaten.

He hadn’t said that she should make breakfast for him, and Salina wondered if he planned to pick something up on the way to work. Perhaps a bagel. Something he could eat quickly and go.

Well, that wouldn’t do. Jake was already up with files before him, doing work. He needed food for energy and sustenance.

Salina brought her small suitcase to Maria’s room and set it on the bed. Then she went back to the kitchen and measured the ingredients to make pancakes. She was finishing the first batch when Jake entered the kitchen.

Freshly showered, the man looked sexy as hell. Salina swallowed. She needed to keep things in perspective. She had to remain professional, and not go all tongue-tied when she saw him. So what if he was a gorgeous man, with his white dress shirt partially unbuttoned and revealing a hint of golden brown skin on his chest, and the scent of his aftershave smelling so incredibly appealing? None of that would affect her performance as nanny.

Salina placed two medium-size pancakes on a plate for Jake, then extended it to him. She already had butter and syrup on the table for him. “You didn’t say if I should make breakfast for you, but I took the liberty.”

Jake finished buttoning his shirt, then took the plate from Salina. “Normally I eat on the run,” he began, “but this is good. Thank you.”

Salina glanced at the clock on the microwave’s display.

It was almost six forty-five. She took the skillet off the stove and placed it on a back burner, then turned to head toward Riquet’s bedroom to check on her. But before she got out of the kitchen, Jake spoke.

“These are delicious,” he said.

“You like them?”

“I’ve never had pancakes this tasty before. And these are fluffy and light … amazing.”

Salina beamed. “And I didn’t even get to make them the way I normally do—with all the ingredients I typically use.”

“They taste better than this?” he asked, his tone saying that was hard to believe.

“Oh, yeah.” Salina walked toward him. “When I have all the right ingredients, they’re even better.”

“Then I might just ask that you make these again tomorrow morning,” Jake told her.

Salina noticed that he was looking at her directly in the eye, not avoiding her gaze as he had been earlier.

“Anything you’d like to eat for breakfast, I can make it for you. I make a really great western omelet with turkey instead of ham. Home fries, the whole bit.”

“You’re a budding chef, are you?”

Salina guessed that Jake was just making an offhanded comment, but she said, “Actually, I am.”

“You are?” Jake asked between swallows.

Salina took the liberty of sitting at the table beside him. “Yes. I guess my sister didn’t tell you. But that’s how I came to be in New York. I thought I would pursue my passion for cooking. Right now I’m trying to save money for culinary school.”

“Ahhh. No, Emma didn’t tell me. How long have you been cooking?”

Salina shrugged. “As long as I can remember. It’s always been a passion of mine. I hope you don’t mind if I change some of Riquet’s lunch dishes—with her permission, of course.”

“Sure. If she doesn’t mind, I’m sure she might even enjoy a change of pace.”

Salina heard the sound just as Jake looked beyond her. She turned, following the direction of where he was looking. Riquet, holding a stuffed horse, had just walked into the adjacent living room.

Salina rose from her chair and went to greet the little girl. “Good morning, Riquet.”

Riquet beamed at her. “Good morning.” Then she went to her father and threw her little arms around his chest. “Morning, Daddy.”

“Morning, sweetheart,” Jake said. “You’ve got to get ready for preschool now. You be a good girl for Salina, okay?”

“I will.”

Salina took Riquet’s hand and then walked with her to her bedroom, ready to start her official duties as nanny.

The day with Riquet passed without incident. After Riquet went to her preschool, Salina had Ed, the driver, take her to a market where she could pick up a number of fresh vegetables and fruit. She’d noticed that Jake’s place didn’t have much fruit, perhaps because Maria hadn’t been around to do the shopping.

Salina stuck with the macaroni and cheese for lunch, simply because she didn’t have time to prepare anything more elaborate by the time she’d run around doing the shopping. She had added extra cheese shavings to the top and baked the macaroni for five minutes so it would melt, and Riquet really enjoyed it that way.

Salina picked up beef, mushrooms and noodles and prepared a beef noodle dish for dinner. Quick, easy and tasty. She prepared a plate for Jake and kept it in the microwave, but when seven-twenty rolled around and he hadn’t shown up yet, Salina put the dinner in the fridge.

She went back to Riquet, who was coloring in the living room, and sat beside her, watching her work on her latest masterpieces.

She’d had a good first day with the little girl. They had shared a lot of laughs as Ed had driven them from one activity to the other, Riquet regaling Salina with stories about some of the kids in her preschool. For such a young girl, she was quite perceptive.

Riquet had a bubbly and vivacious personality. She truly was a darling, and a joy to work with.

Having worked with some kids who had been spoiled and selfish, this was a welcome change. While Salina loved children in general, she hadn’t liked the way some at the day care where she’d worked had had an appetite for all the latest gadgets at such a young age. Hand-held gaming devices were her biggest pet peeve. Riquet seemed to relish the joy of being a normal little girl. That meant that she enjoyed coloring, drawing, singing, watching television and using her hands and her imagination to entertain herself.

There was no Wii in the apartment, no Xbox 360 and the girl didn’t even have a Nintendo DS. Salina was relieved. She saw some parents introduce these electronic gaming devices into their children’s lives at too young an age, and she felt it was totally inappropriate. Clearly, Jake was a conscientious father, and Salina admired that about him.

At seven-thirty, Salina said, “Time for your bath, Riquet.” The girl was to have her bath, and by eight o’clock be dressed and ready for bed.

“Does your father come home late every night?” Salina couldn’t help asking Riquet as she bathed her a short while later.

Riquet nodded. “Mmm-hmm. He works all the time,” she added sadly.

Twenty minutes later, Salina had Riquet out of the bath, dressed in her pajamas and lying in her canopy bed that was filled with stuffed animals. She read the story Riquet requested, after which she gave her a kiss on the forehead and turned out the lights.

Still no Jake.

Emma hadn’t been kidding when she said the man was a workaholic. Salina could totally see now why he preferred a nanny to be of the live-in variety. If he got home too late, all Salina would be able to do was head to her sister’s apartment, climb into bed and get up the next morning to start the day over again.

She was glad she’d brought her suitcase with her.

Waiting until nine o’clock was all she could handle, because it had been a tiring day. Salina left a note for Jake, letting him know that his dinner was in the fridge and simply needed to be warmed up.

And then she retired to her own bedroom, got undressed and went to the bathroom to take a shower.

She was back in the bedroom, naked as the day she was born, when the door suddenly opened.

Chapter 5

Salina had no time to react. She should have said something—screamed or called out—but by the time the thought came to her, it was too late. Jake was standing in the bedroom.

Staring at her totally naked body.

She saw his eyes widen and his expression morph from surprised into mortification. That’s when she sprang into action, grabbing the towel she had tossed onto the bed, in a futile attempt to cover her body. What was the point now? He had already seen her in the buff.

“Oh, God!” Jake exclaimed, quickly backing up. “I’m so sorry. I knocked—you didn’t answer—God, I feel like an idiot.”

Salina said nothing, just scrambled backward into the bathroom. There she sank onto the bathtub’s edge and let out an angst-filled breath. Oh, Dear Lord, the man had just seen her without her clothes on!

Salina sat in the bathroom, not moving for a good five minutes. She was embarrassed. Never had a man she hadn’t intended to, seen her without any clothes on.

And the last person she wanted to see her like this was her employer.

It’s okay, it’s okay, she repeated to herself. It’s not the end of the world. It was an accident, no big deal. Jake’s probably seen plenty of women naked in his lifetime.

But despite the words she told herself, Salina still felt awkward. How could she face him again, after such a humiliating moment?

She allowed herself a few more minutes of wallowing in embarrassment before she got up, got dressed in her pajamas, slipped a robe on top of that and then went out to see Jake.

He was sitting on the sofa, his head hanging low. When he saw her, he looked up and said, “Salina, I couldn’t be more sorry. I knocked, and when you didn’t answer, I thought maybe you were lying down. I just wanted to check on you, see how your day went. I am the world’s biggest idiot, and I hope you don’t think poorly of me. I behaved inappropriately, infringing on your privacy. I’m truly, truly sorry for that.”

Hearing Jake apologize so profusely, Salina realized that she wasn’t the only one who was humiliated. In fact, judging by his expression, he might feel even worse than she did.

She offered him a small smile and joined him on the sofa. “Don’t beat yourself up,” she began. “It was an accident. I’m not the first naked woman you’ve seen,” she added good-naturedly, hoping to put his mind at ease, when in fact, humiliation was still flowing through her veins. It was a weird thing to have someone see you naked when you weren’t planning on it.

Jake groaned, the sound telling her that he would probably feel guilty about this for a long while. He didn’t meet her eyes.

“Hey,” Salina said softly. “Look at me.”

Slowly, Jake met her gaze. Salina held his eyes, silently letting him know that it was okay. It had been embarrassing, yes, but certainly she would survive. And someday she would be able to laugh about the moment.

And as she stared into Jake’s eyes, something happened. She felt a frisson of heat. She had felt it before—indeed, she had felt a spark of attraction for Jake the very first time she had met him. And seeing him yesterday, too, she had been reminded of just how gorgeous he was. Something about him spoke to her on a level she didn’t understand, but she had been prepared to ignore the feelings.

But now …

Now, she suddenly felt different. Because, looking into Jake’s eyes, she felt heat warming her body from her center, and rolling out to every other part of her. There was something smoldering in Jake’s eyes, something beyond the guilt that he had been feeling moments ago.

Jake was the one to look away. He stood abruptly and walked toward the dining room. “I see you left me some dinner. Thank you. But I’m sorry you went to the trouble. You didn’t need to.”

“Did you already eat?”

“Yes,” Jake admitted. “I ordered in at the office. I should’ve told you. It wasn’t on the schedule that you needed to prepare something for me, so …” His voice trailed off.

So he lived and died by his schedule, did he?

“Maria already knows that about me. But of course, she’s worked for me for two years. I should have been more explicit in my instructions to you.”

“It’s okay,” Salina said. “I just figured—I was making dinner anyway, why not make some for you? I’m happy to do that for you, if you like. As I told you earlier today, I really love cooking. If you call and tell me the time you’ll be getting home, then I can better judge—”

“You don’t need to go to all that trouble,” Jake told her.

“It’s no trouble.”

“All the same, I don’t want to bother you.”

He was back to not looking at her. Clearly, he still felt bad about what had happened.

Or was it something else?

“I suppose you’ve had a long day and simply want to unwind,” Salina said quickly. “I’ll get out of your hair.”

Feeling slightly discomfited, she spun around and hustled back to her bedroom.

Only when Jake was certain that Salina was out of sight did he sink into the plush leather chair at his dining room table. He buried his face in his hands.

He felt like a complete idiot. How could he have just opened the door and entered her room when he hadn’t heard a response from her? He should have figured that maybe she’d been showering. It was just that Maria had always showered in the morning.

Maria, Maria … Oh, man. It was becoming more evident with each passing moment that Salina was not Maria.

The sight of her naked … Dear God. In that first moment as he’d seen her, before common sense had kicked in and told him that what was happening was wrong, he had seen a vision more lovely than he could have ever imagined.

Salina was beautiful on the outside, on the inside, and she was sexy as hell without any clothes on.

Jake pounded his forehead with his closed fist. Did he have a right to even think that? He had seen her by accident. He had unwittingly violated her privacy, and here he was enjoying the memory of her naked body. Surely that was wrong.

But, Lord, she was a vision of loveliness. Jake may have buried himself in work after Janine’s death, telling himself that he would never love another woman, but he was still a man and couldn’t help reacting to one.

That was all too clear right now. His entire body was thrumming with sexual awareness. It was a reaction that surprised him.

He found it hard to look at her already, having felt a definite reaction to her beauty, as it was. Now that he knew what she looked like naked—how would he ever face her again?

He could only hope that Maria returned from Mexico sooner, rather than later, and that his life as he had known it would return to normal.

Jake was avoiding her.

That was completely clear to Salina. Ever since he had seen her naked, he had barely looked at her. Two more days had passed, and he had busied himself getting ready in the mornings, telling her not to worry about making breakfast for him. He came home late in the evening and went to his bedroom almost immediately. He wasn’t unpleasant. But it was clear that he was doing his best to not have to spend any meaningful time with her.

They were acting as if they had once been lovers, for goodness sake—former lovers who now had to share the same space and felt awkward with each other.

Yes, Salina got that he felt bad—but shouldn’t she be the one who felt worse? She’d been the one caught in the buff. She had gotten over it. Why hadn’t Jake?

She even suspected that he had told her she could go home on Friday night, that he would be staying at home on Saturday, simply because he didn’t want to have her around.

Salina found herself wondering if she had totally misjudged Jake. Not misjudged his honor, that wasn’t in doubt. But for a moment, as she had stared into his eyes after the incident, she thought she felt something spark between them.

A spark of mutual attraction.

Now, with the way he was avoiding her, she wondered if she had misread him completely. If she, clearly drawn to his good looks and decent nature, had been reading into things with him because she wanted something to be there that wasn’t.

She returned to Jake’s condo on Sunday evening, shortly after six. She had the concierge call up to the apartment to announce her arrival, and when she got to his door, she knocked instead of using the key. Jake opened the door, but it was Riquet who scurried past him and threw her arms around Salina’s legs. At least one of them was happy to see her.

“I’ve missed you!” the little girl exclaimed.

“I missed you, too,” Salina said, smiling. It felt good to be back. She hugged Riquet long and hard, and then released her and looked at Jake. “Hi, Jake.”

Jake smiled stiffly. “Hi.”

Salina wanted to roll her eyes. She wanted to tell him, Enough already. You saw me naked. Let’s move on. But she did no such thing.

“We just started watching a movie,” Riquet announced.

“Oh, yeah? Which one?”

“The Tale of Despereaux,” Jake answered. “You missed about fifteen minutes. Feel free to join us if you want. But it’s an animated movie, so don’t feel obligated to watch it if you don’t want to.”

“Are you kidding? I love animated movies.”

“It’s about a mouse,” Riquet explained, tugging on Salina’s hand and pulling her into the living room. “It lives in the castle.”

“Ahh,” Salina said. “I remember seeing the commercials about it. Have you seen Ratatouille? The one about the rat who wants to be a chef?” When Riquet shook her head, Salina continued. “That’s an excellent movie. We’ll have to watch that one sometime.”

Riquet plopped down onto the sofa and Salina sat beside her on the right. Jake sat on the other side of Riquet.

Salina soon realized that, while Riquet had said we, she should have said I. Jake wasn’t really paying attention to the movie. He sat with a folder on his lap, and he was going through a file, making notes. A laptop was open and on the coffee table in front of him.

A Sunday night, and still he wasn’t taking a break from work.

Before the movie was even over he got up, gathered the file and his laptop and went to the bedroom.

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