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My jaw dropped, and Elliot chuckled. “Shut up,” I muttered.
“You’re not mad, Catherine.”
“Says you.”
He laughed again. “I’ve never seen this pouty side of you.”
“And I’ve never heard you say you want to see me naked. We’re both learning things about each other.”
He cocked his head. “Did I say that?”
“It was implied.”
“Hmph. If that’s what you wish to think.” I rolled my eyes. It couldn’t be helped. “That little move got Mary thrown out.”
“Don’t be so obtuse and I won’t roll my eyes at you.”
One side of his mouth hooked. “I remember when you didn’t talk back.”
“And now you’re missing the days when I was a little mouse around you?”
“Did I say that?” he repeated.
His head was tilted down, and mine was tipped back. We watched each other, both with a hint of a smile. I still should have been annoyed with him, but that wasn’t what I was feeling. Awareness of our proximity made my breath quicken. His warm, broad hands cupping my elbows and the intensity of his gaze tracing over my features set alight long-cooled embers in my belly.
The chimes of the doorbell shattered the moment, making me jump. Elliot’s hands fell away.
“That must be the next nanny,” I said, turning toward the door.
Sharp cries from the baby monitor stopped me in my tracks. Elliot swept the monitor off the table, checking the screen.
“Josephine’s awake and pissed off.” He started for the stairs in a rush, like he couldn’t get to her quickly enough. “I’ll get her while you let the nanny in.”
“Okay. Thank you.” My heart did a funny thing at the sight of Elliot Levy bounding up the stairs to collect my daughter.
With no time to decipher what the twister inside my chest meant, I hurried to the door.
A broad man with soft brown eyes and a flop of chestnut hair stood on the other side. His smile held all the warmth Mary’s hadn’t.
“Hello. You must be Sam.”
He offered his hand. “I am Sam. You’re Catherine Warner, correct?”
His big hand engulfed mine as we shook. “Please, come in. And call me Kit.” I waved around the grand entry. “Joey and I are staying here temporarily. It’s okay to oooh and ahhh—I did the first time I saw it.”
With a grin, he swiveled his head left and right. “Oooh. Ahhh.”
I laughed, optimism blossoming. “Come on in. My friend Elliot is grabbing Joey. She just woke up from a nap, so she’ll be joining us for the interview.”
“That’s great. I’m eager to meet her,” he answered.
Joey’s cries greeted us in the living room. The girl was clearly hungry and angry about it. I directed Sam to a seat then met Elliot on the other side of the room, where he was jiggling and swaying with my daughter.
“I changed her, so she’s extra mad,” he told me.
My breath caught. I didn’t know exactly why, but Elliot changing Joey’s diaper had made my throat tighten with emotion.
“Thank you so much.”
