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“Sit up, darlings. I’ve made your favourite.”
“Oh, goody yum.” John scampered into his seat and Ian followed suit, slightly less enthusiastic in his appraisal of the meal that they regularly requested.
“And if you are very good, and make sure you eat all that yummy kale, there’ll be a lolly after dinner.”
“Bribing the children with sweets?” Alex queried sotto voce.
Sophie grinned and nodded, her heart thrilling at the idea of his disapproval – though she couldn’t have said why.
“They’re just vitamin lollies, Thios,” Ian countered. Though he was little, he didn’t miss a thing.
“I see.”
Sophie sat across from the boys, and indicated with a wave of her hand that Alex was welcome to join them.
His presence made the large space feel constrained somehow. Or perhaps that was just the way his leg brushed against hers beneath the table. She jerked away, not caring that it was an unmistakable gesture of innocence.
She fixed the children with an assessing gaze and then leaned forward. “Fork, darling one.” She turned to Alex, ignoring the way her heart began to palpitate in her chest. “John loves to use his fingers. We’re working on it, aren’t we?”
Alex found it difficult to fault Sophie’s credentials as a nanny, at least. She was attentive, affectionate, kind, patient and thorough, not letting either boy leave the table until both had finished their meals, and urging a form of conversation between the two without being overbearing. Though Alessandros had very little experience with children, he had eaten in enough restaurants and witnessed the appalling behaviour of this generation to be impressed. Though he preferred to give his sister some of the credit, he wasn’t sure that was deserved.
More seamless supervising as the boys were washed, their teeth were cleaned and they were wrangled into bed.
“But daddy was going to read to us!” Ian said darkly, his eyes moist from unshed tears.
“I know, darling, but daddy and mummy are out discussing grown up things.” Alex studied her from the door. Her voice quivered a little, but she didn’t otherwise betray any emotional response to the fact that Eric and Helena were enjoying a romantic evening.
Was that because she didn’t feel anything? Or because she was so assured of her place in Eric’s affections that she didn’t care?
Helena’s notion had been so easily dismissed before he’d met her. But now?
Coldness gripped his heart. How could Eric live under the same roof as this woman and not notice her numerous charms?
As he watched, Sophie’s face lifted towards the door and her eyes lanced his. His stomach clenched with desire, hot and undeniable.
He was used to the effect he had on women, but it was unusual for a woman to stir those same feelings of powerless attraction in him. In fact, he prided himself on his ability to remain detached from almost any situation.
Helena was, of course, an example. Seven years his junior, he loved her almost as a daughter, rather than a sister. She had always been young for her age, and he bore boundless maturity brought on by the responsibilities that had dogged him almost from birth.
He listened as she read to the boys, her voice mesmerising and intoxicating in equal measure. The story was one he hadn’t heard; then again, why would he have? Even as children, no one had whispered sweet stories to them as they fell asleep. And as a grown man, he had little time or interest in books.
John was asleep before she’d finished, and Ian was not long behind.
Sophie finished the story though, and then gently closed the pages and stood. She kissed first Ian, and then John, before settling their sheets over their little shoulders.
He intentionally waited in the doorway for her, so that she’d have to brush past him. He didn’t know if she was involved with his brother in law, though he suspected it was highly likely.
The only thing he knew for certain was that he wanted Sophie all to himself. For a while at least.
CHAPTER TWO
“She was crying again, Eric.” Sophie kept her voice low, and her head bent towards her employer.
“Where?” He was tired. So tired of worrying about his wife, and trying to make her happy and well.
“In the laundry. Early this morning. Before I went for my walk.”
“She didn’t come to bed last night.”
