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Three
For the first hour in her new situation, Felicity was left alone to unpack and settle in. She had seen enough to know that one of Wynn’s employees was unpacking for the big boss. Wynn and Ayla were in the living room getting acquainted.
Occasionally, Felicity heard Wynn’s deep voice and the baby’s chortles of laughter. Wynn’s words came back to her. I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure she grows up happy and healthy. Did that mean fraternizing with the enemy to protect the child in his keeping?
Did Wynn hate Felicity for what happened in the past? Surely not. Surely, he understood she had been as much of an emotional wreck as he had been in those days. Yet his antipathy remained.
When her things were tucked away in closets and drawers and her personal toiletries stored in the bathroom, Felicity ventured out into the luxurious apartment. It was huge. Certainly, far more square footage than any of the homes in Falcon’s Notch.
Felicity hovered in the doorway to the living room. Wynn’s back was to her, so she studied him as he played with Ayla. In some scenarios, a baby would have the effect of softening a man, making him look more sensitive, more human, more tender.
Oddly, that was not the case with Wynn. In the same way that a lion plays with its cub, no one watching would be fooled. Wynn might be protective of the child in his care, but he was no less dangerous to Felicity.
He had removed his jacket and rolled up his sleeves. His arms were tanned and muscular. His thick, glossy black hair was styled in an expensive cut. A wave of longing washed over her. She had missed him so much in those early years. She thought she and Wynn would be making a life together. Instead, Felicity had been forced to carve her own path in the world.
Considering the constraints of her background, she’d done well. She had been lucky to have teachers who worked with her to find good scholarships. Once enrolled in college, she had cobbled together work study and traditional hourly jobs.
Graduating with a four-year degree had been one of the proudest moments of her life. Then on to her next goal. Becoming a flight attendant. The process hadn’t been easy. Only 1 percent or so of the hundred thousand yearly applicants were accepted into the training program. It had taken three years for Felicity to get in. After that, the sky was the limit. Literally.
She had done her time working run-of-the-mill domestic flights. But eventually, the opportunity came to take an international assignment. At last, she began fulfilling the dream she and Wynn had talked about for so long.
But it had been lonely at times...
Now she looked at the man who shared her yearning to see the world. He had achieved his dream, as well.
Had it made him happy?
Inhaling a deep breath and letting it out to steady herself, she walked into the room and took a seat opposite man and baby. “It looks like the trip didn’t bother her,” Felicity said calmly, though she felt anything but relaxed.
Wynn shot her a dark-eyed gaze. “Indeed.” He tickled the baby’s tummy, eliciting a string of happy syllables. Ayla’s sunny smile was at direct counterpoint to the tension in the room.
“Is there anything I can do to prepare dinner?” Felicity asked.
“I didn’t hire you to be a cook.”
“Don’t snap at me, Wynn Oliver,” she said, her voice heated, but not enough to alarm the baby. “I don’t know why you’re in such a prickly mood, but this whole setup was your idea.”
At last, he smiled faintly. “Sorry, Fliss. I never like being out of my element. You know that.”
She cocked her head. “You’re at home in your own place. I’m the one who should be bitchy. Not you.”
Now the smile broadened. “You’re calling me bitchy?”
“You know what I mean.” She paused and sighed. “There’s a lot of pressure, right? I respect you for doing this. It’s a huge commitment.”
“Would you like to hold her?”
The question caught Felicity by surprise. “Of course.” She had barely gotten to touch the child before now.
Wynn handed Ayla over and watched as the baby grabbed a lock of Felicity’s shoulder-length blond hair and sucked on it. Wynn seemed moody again, his gaze hooded, his eyes darker than usual.
Felicity felt her heart turn over in her chest. She had always hoped to have a child one day. But not like this. Already, she could imagine the pain ahead. She would fall in love with Ayla, and at whatever point Wynn was finished with his pseudo nanny, Felicity would be out the door, heartbreak complete.
Wynn shoved his hands in his pockets. “I am getting hungry,” he muttered.
She shot him a glance. “I thought your minions handled your every need.”
“Snarky Fliss. Some things never change. They work for me. For the most part, during regular business hours. The clock isn’t running now. We’re on our own. Do you still like Chinese?”
