Nanny and the Beast

Whether it was simple anger he was feeling, or something else, one thing was certain—he had to get rid of Sophia Stanton. And he had to get rid of her now.

“Hold on a second,” she said. “Would you just lighten up? I didn’t mean to make you angry. I wasn’t negotiating the schedule. I was simply attempting to discuss it. You know, in an exchange of ideas.”

“Semantics,” he pointed out.

“It’s all the same thing.”

“It most certainly is not.”

But her gaze veered away from him even as she tucked her arms tightly under her breasts. He couldn’t help but notice how the huffy action lifted the ample mounds, accentuated the roundness of them. He swiped his fingers over his jaw as the errant thought that she might be trying to tempt him flitted through his brain.

He had to stop this kind of thinking. It was unreasonable and bordered on paranoia. Not every woman was as conniving as Ray Anne. Or as rash and immature as Lily. Still, he couldn’t completely shut out his suspicions.

The ringing phone woke Hailey. He glanced down the hallway toward his daughter’s nursery and then toward the telephone in the kitchen.

“Go ahead and answer that.” Sophia got up from the couch and dropped the list of rules onto the coffee table. “I’ll go see to the baby.”

“It’s someone from work. I’m sure of it. I should have been in there already.”

“It’s okay,” she said. “Take the call.” Then she started down the hallway toward the back of the condo.

He watched for a second, impressed that even though he’d just canceled his contract with the woman she hadn’t hesitated to offer her help. He was also impressed with the way her bottom swayed when she walked.

Immediately, he shook the thought from his head and went to answer the phone. Sure enough, his secretary was calling to alert him that a couple of his less experienced employees had questions before they could get started working this morning.

“I’ve got a problem here, Jen,” he said. “Tell all four of the new hires to go into the simulator and answer the investing questions. Be prepared to hear them grumble because they completed the program once already, but going over the course again will be good practice. No one achieved a perfect score when they tested last week. Tell them that anyone scoring one hundred percent has lunch on me.”

“You know how competitive they are,” Jen warned. “You’ll be buying four meals. What’s the problem there? Is Hailey ill?”

“She’s fine. I’ve got nanny problems.”

“You’ve sure had plenty of those,” his secretary commented.

“Tell me about it.”

“The placement service you’re using has a great reputation. Everyone says so. I’m surprised you’re having such trouble.”

“Frankly, so am I. But things will turn around soon. I’ve broken my relationship with the service and plan to hire my own nanny. Things should look up from here on out.”

Having actually formulated a plan and spoken the words aloud, Michael felt once again in control of the situation. He liked to be in charge of things, liked to command his own destiny. He promised Jen he’d arrive at the office by noon before hanging up.

“So I really am fired.”

He turned at the sound of Sophia’s voice. He hadn’t suspected she’d been in the kitchen doorway eavesdropping on his phone conversation.

She shot him a sheepish smile. “I patted Hailey’s bottom and she fell right off back to sleep. And her diaper was dry. I checked.” Then she added, “I wasn’t snooping on you. Honest, I wasn’t. I just happened in at the tail end of your call.”

Sophia took two steps into the kitchen, and he watched her smooth her fingertips over the shiny granite countertop.

“I do wish you’d reconsider,” she said. “I’ve never been fired before. And I know you won’t believe it, but I’ve never had a single dissatisfied client.”

“Until now.” He moved to the sink, picked up the coffee cup he’d used earlier this morning and put it into the dishwasher. “I understand your position. But you have to understand mine. I expect certain things from the people I employ. And I wasn’t getting those things from the nannies you sent.”

He restrained himself from commenting that he seriously doubted he’d get them from her, either.

“I think it’s best if I hire my own nanny,” he said.

“And you think you’re going to find one before noon today?”

Something twinkled in her big blue eyes, as if she had a big secret that no one else was privy to. What was it with this woman that she had to question his every move?

He certainly hadn’t gotten to where he was by allowing naysayers to influence him. But something about this vivacious woman had him wanting to prove that he knew exactly what he was doing…even though he damn well didn’t.

“That’s exactly what I intend to do,” he told her. “You’re not the only nanny placement service in Wilmington.”

“Actually, I am. That’s why I started my business here. There are several in Philadelphia. But I seriously doubt they’ll send their nannies this far south.”

Refusing to allow this information to daunt him, he quickly regrouped. “I’ll start with temp agencies, then. Surely, they can supply someone to watch Hailey.”

There was warning written all over her face. “I doubt that temp agencies do background checks on their employees.”

“I’ll check the newspaper, then.” She made him feel as if he were standing on shaky ground. “Someone has to be in need of a job.”

“Yes, but who is that someone?” Sophia asked. “I doubt you want just anyone caring for Hailey. If you contact someone through an ad in the paper, I strongly suggest you do a thorough investigation. You’ll need to give the person a letter stating you’re offering them a job that requires a background search, and send them to the state police. Troop two in New Castle County is the only place you can get it done in northern Delaware. The police will fingerprint the person, take the necessary information and then you’ll be sent a report.”

Sophia was offering him some excellent information, suggesting things he hadn’t even thought of. In fact, he wished he’d had a pen and paper on hand to jot down notes. Why was he feeling so damn irritated with her when all she was doing was continuing to be helpful?

“Of course,” she added, “you’ll have to wait ten to fourteen business days to receive the all-clear from the police.”

There it was again. That glimmer in her gaze. She seemed to enjoy delivering news that put a damper on his plans. Obviously, she realized there was no way he could wait two weeks before hiring someone to care for Hailey.

He rejoiced when an idea popped into his head. “I can send her to a day care temporarily until I’m able to find someone and get the background check completed.”

Sophia shook her head. “I doubt you’ll find a day care that’s willing to take a baby under six months old, and even if you do, infant spots are always on reserve. You’ll have to wait six, eight—” she shrugged “—ten weeks, maybe.”

He frowned. “You have an awful lot of doubts.”

“I’m only trying to help,” she told him.

“For some reason,” he murmured, “I have grave doubts about that.”

She chuckled, and the clear buoyancy he heard in it sent a strange tremor through his gut.

Confusion forced him to ask, “What’s funny?”

Her expression straightened. “Your joke. You just complained that I had lots of doubts. Then you said you have doubts.” She lifted her shoulders. “It was a cute joke.”

“It wasn’t a joke.”

She blinked. “Oh.”

She stood there, smiling. Then her smile slowly grew to a wide grin.

Michael had never thought of himself as dense. Quite the contrary. To achieve success in the cutthroat investment business, a person had to have intelligence, a quick wit and nerves of steel. However, he was left feeling quite lacking, indeed, when realization slowly dawned.

“Okay, I’ve figured it out.” His jaw tensed as he released a frustrated sigh.

Now he knew why her tone had reflected such self-confidence, even when he’d been in the midst of firing her. Now he knew why humor had sparkled in her eyes, and why she stood there grinning.

“No other nanny placement services in the city.” He began ticking off the list on his fingers. “No proper temp agency employees available. No newspaper ads to help. No background checks for two weeks. No day care that will agree to take my newborn daughter.”

He’d wanted to get rid of her. Not because he didn’t think she could care for Hailey. Oh, no. Not at all. His reasons for wanting her out of his home were far more personal in nature.

He leaned his hip against the cabinet. “You’ve known all along that I’m stuck with you? At least for the time being.”

Mischief skittered across her gaze and tugged at the corners of her luscious mouth. “Well, I’ll admit that I haven’t known all along.” She grinned openly. “But I feel I do have the right to feel pretty smug simply because I figured it out before you.”

Chapter Three

Just as Sophia slipped on her jacket, Michael entered the living room.

“You’re leaving?” He actually looked startled.

“Well, yes,” she told him. “It’s Saturday. I’m off today and tomorrow. I was going to come find you before I left. Tell you that Hailey was only up a couple of times through the night. She should awaken early this morning.” She picked up her purse. “I’m off to check on my cat. Pick up my mail. Check with my assistant that everything’s okay at the office. I have laundry to do, a few errands to run and—”

“Of course. Of course. Everyone deserves time off.”

The trepidation edging his words was unmistakable.

“Michael, you’re not afraid to be alone with Hailey, are you?” Instantly, she realized she’d made a poor choice of words. A dynamic man like Michael didn’t appreciate the inference that he might be fearful—of anything. Some quick rephrasing was certainly in order. “What I meant to say was that you have no reason to be uncomfortable with your daughter.” A tiny furrow bit into her forehead as she pointed out, “The other nannies you’ve employed had weekends off. I’m sure they did.”

He nodded. “And every weekend has been two days of hell.”

Sophia smiled. “Surely you’re exaggerating.”

But he didn’t return her smile. “I honestly believe Hailey and I make each other nervous. She gets cranky. I get edgy.”

“Oh, come on. Hailey’s a good baby. She’s been calm and easygoing for me since I moved in on Thursday. And she’s been great for you in the evenings, too.” Meaning only to inject a little humor, she added, “I could tell you some stories about children who were suspected of being true devil-spawn.” She chuckled, and he did have the grace to smile, albeit fleetingly.

“Besides the fact that your daughter’s so laid-back,” she continued, “you’ve done great with her over the past couple of days. You’ve made great strides. You’ve learned to feed her properly. You’ve bathed her.” She grinned. “And I haven’t had a single diaper fall off her little butt since I showed you how to fit them more snugly.”

Again he nodded. “I know. And you’re right. I’ll be fine. I’m sure.”

He didn’t sound sure.

Just then Hailey’s cry came from down the hall.

“Sounds like Her Majesty is awake,” Sophia quipped.

“I’d better get in there.” He glanced behind him, distracted by the baby. “You have a great weekend.”

“Thanks. I’ll see you bright and early Monday morning.”

Hailey’s cries swiftly elevated to wails, and Michael’s gaze collided with Sophia’s. In an instant, he seemed to be standing on the threshold of panic.

Calmly, she remarked, “Sounds to me like a ‘my-diaper’s-wet-and-I-don’t-like-it’ cry and a ‘feed-me-now’ cry all rolled into one.” She set her purse down. “You change her diaper and I’ll get her bottle ready.”

At first, she thought he might reject her offer of help. But obviously he was too smart for that.

“Okay,” he agreed. “But as soon as she’s settled, you can go. We’ll be all right. I know you have things to do.”

She answered him with an easy nod and they went off in different directions.

As the bottle was warming, Sophia thought back over the time she’d spent in Michael’s home. She’d arrived feeling angry and resentful over his treatment of the women she’d placed in his home to care for Hailey. The nannies had described him as harsh and bossy and superior, and Sophia had bore the brunt of that behavior from him, too. But what those young women hadn’t seemed to grasp was that there was a logical reason behind The Beast’s growling exterior. Sophia suspected his controlling, inflexible conduct regarding his daughter was due more to his feelings of paternal inadequacy than it was his need to flaunt his authority as their employer. Of course, Sophia would never try to delude herself. He was a complicated man whose strong personality could never be completely comprehended—not in just two short days, at least. However, he had proven to her that he was willing to compromise, although she had pushed the issue a time or two. Although his list of rules remained in plain sight so they wouldn’t be forgotten, Michael had made concessions on some of the sillier ones. In fact, just last evening the three of them had taken a stroll to the park.

Sophia thought it funny, the many times over the past few days he’d staunchly referred to the information he’d read in the outdated parenting manual he’d been using as a reference. Patiently, she had worked to show him that there was a huge difference in reading instructions printed in a book and in the real, hands-on experience of caring for a newborn. And he’d been an excellent pupil, as eager to learn as any other new father would be.

She placed a drop of the formula on the tender skin of her wrist and, finding the temperature to be perfect, she twisted the top back onto the bottle securely and headed toward the nursery. Michael was just then swaddling a cranky Hailey in her blanket as Sophia entered the room.

“Good morning, Hailey,” Sophia called softly, peering around Michael’s shoulder. The baby was too busy fussing to give her much notice. “Are you hungry, honey? I’ve got your breakfast right here.”

Michael still looked a little freaked when he took the bottle she held out to him. Tucking his daughter in the crook of his arm, he said, “Let’s go out into the living room. As soon as I can get her quiet, you can go.”

“I’m in no hurry,” she assured him. Any other response would have only added to his anxiety. Besides, she spoke the truth.

He went down the hall, murmuring softly to Hailey. Walking behind him, Sophia couldn’t help but notice how he was dressed. He looked good in the business suits he wore during the work week. But today he was dressed very casually. The horizontal hunter-green piping that spanned the upper back of his cream-colored polo shirt emphasized his broad shoulders. The denim fabric of his jeans hugged his muscular thighs. The man had a great body.

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