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Nick sat on the edge of a tufted recliner in the living room, waiting, his anger festering. Restless, he bolted toward the sofa, gave it a once over then plopped himself in the middle.
He eyed the room, taking in the comfortable surroundings. It hosted an off-white leather couch, surrounded by king size recliners. Several plants accentuated by perfectly placed track lights, and a large fifty-five gallon fish tank enhanced the warm, cozy effect of the room. A comfortable room, he acknowledged and immaculate. Too immaculate—too sterile. This room had nothing of Kelsey in it. No character, no feeling. It was a picture perfect room, nothing more.
A large white bearskin rug hugging the bricked-in fireplace caught his eye. Suddenly he visualized holding Kelsey in his arms against that rug. How soft she would be. Her golden hair would fan across the fur and he would take her into his arms . . .
Lord what was he thinking? How had anger turned his emotions upside down? No, anger hadn't done it, Kelsey had.
Beautiful. Kelsey O'Sullivan was beautiful. Exactly what his mother had been trying to tell him, only he hadn't realized it till now. He had come to think of her as attractive, but more on the inside than out. What else was he to think with the prim and proper Miss-Goody-Two-Shoes dressed in linen and thick black glasses?
But—how could he erase the image of her lying in that bed, in a tangle of silk, sensuous blue silk. Yet even as his body stirred, another part of him saw a lonely woman. That part of her he wanted to hold and comfort, and give her the child she so desperately needed.
No! He refused to become involved with Kelsey. The relationship wouldn't last past the giant screen TV and them on the rug. It was pure fantasy and he'd do well to remember that.
The housekeeper, Dorothy, interrupted his train of thoughts, bringing a tray of coffee and cups and offering Nick cream and sugar. Nick declined the cream and sugar, but accepted the coffee gratefully for the distraction. She also brought a small plate of sweet breads and placed them on the big round coffee table, careful not to get too close to Nick. Although Dorothy was polite, she was distant. Before she left the room she gave him a keen appraisal.
"Thanks Dorothy, but you didn't have to go to all the trouble," Nick insisted, casting her a charming smile.
"No trouble. It's my job."
Nick sank into the softness of the sofa, reaching for the coffee, he leaned back. God, he was tired, frustrated, and mad. He was mad, wasn't he? Then why couldn't he get the picture of Kelsey lying in her night shirt, her glorious head of hair going everywhere and a body that would make any man respond, out of his head? Beautiful! Tiny and perfect!
Not that this changed anything. It didn't. It just complicated things. Now he had to deal with his strong attraction towards her and the baby thing.
"I'm sorry, Nick, I'm really not my best this time of night. I'm a morning person and can barely keep awake after nine," Kelsey chattered aimlessly as she pattered into the room with her big blue fuzzy house slippers on. She smoothed the sleeves of her long cotton robe and avoided all eye contact.
Nick didn't like the way his body responded to hers the minute he laid eyes on her again. His jaw quivered, as his hands fisted. He didn't want to be attracted, he wanted to be angry.
"I'm sorry about the hour, Kelsey, but your call made me curious enough to look at that damn check, and that's why I'm here. I couldn't sleep. Not with that payoff staring me in the face."
"Payoff?" she murmured, as she stirred sugar into her coffee. The cup rattled and she stilled it with her other hand. Nick's eyes went to her hands. She smoothed her lips together.
His hands stretched then fisted again, anguishing with pent-up frustration. "Yeah, the little $100,000 payoff."
"Oh that!"
He wasn't buying it.
"I suppose we should have discussed it, in more detail. I got the distinct impression the less we discussed, the better," she added flippantly, still not giving him the benefit of a straight glance.
"Yeah, maybe we should discuss several things, while we're at it." He gritted his teeth, making a grinding noise that had her glancing at him.
Nick was determined to learn the truth, once and for all.
"Such as?"
She leaned back into the sofa, crossing her legs and pulling the robe over them. The sofa swallowed her. She looked tiny and delicate, almost vulnerable, and her eyes filled with an ever present sadness.
"Such as, what is your story, Kelsey? The real story, the one you're not tel
ling. Who are you, Kelsey O'Sullivan? Why are you so desperate for a child, and why this way? All the questions I should have asked before I agreed to this."
She frowned as she sipped the hot coffee, and then shot him a glance. Her blue eyes captured his with a jolt.
"You didn't get the report I sent you?" She yawned again. She was stalling and he knew it. "Sorry."
"Report? Oh, that. Yeah, I got that, but it doesn't say anything about who you really are and what you're really about, now does it?"
She shot him an uncertain glance. "I gave you the same information I required from you."
