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Her auburn hair is frizzy around her face from the chaotic day. The candlelight flickers, drawing out the notes of red.
I know who she is and where she works. I know she wants to take Benjamin away from me.
But it’s getting harder and harder to imagine her being casually cruel the way I’ve seen people in her line of work be.
It’s also getting harder and harder to deny the attraction I feel for her. Frazzled or not, infuriating or not…
She’s tempting.
36
TIMOFEY
Slowly, her expression softens. I can see her swallowing whatever defense of herself and her profession she wanted to make.
“My dad didn’t put up a fight to keep me,” she says simply. “We agreed I’d live with my grandma, though we had very different reasons. I knew I was safe there. He knew I’d be out of his hair. The only times he cared was when he needed something from me. Usually, that something was money.”
Her eyes go glassy. I think she might cry.
Before the emotion can take hold, I reach across the table and slide her plate closer to her. “Eat.”
She sniffles awkwardly, swallowing the emotion. “Someone has a one-track mind.”
“I’ve hired you to be a nanny and so far, I’ve taken care of you more than you’ve taken care of Benjamin. At this point, I’m just protecting my investment.”
She jabs a finger in my direction. “That’s what you get for having me arrested.”
“And this is what you get for being a royal pain in the ass.” I point to her plate. “Dinner from a five-star restaurant that is soft enough you don’t need a knife to cut it. Don’t say I never did anything for you.”
Piper looks down at her plate with fresh eyes. When she blinks up, there’s a small smile on her lips. “I never took you for the thoughtful type.”
“Good. I’m not.”
“Whatever you say.” Her coy smile taps against the iron facade of my guard. I ignore it. “After everything else you’ve put me through today, I wouldn’t have been surprised if you poured me a bowl of dog food.”
“After everythingI’veputyouthrough?” I hitch a thumb over my shoulder. “Let’s not forget whose kitchen is destroyed.”
“Let’s not forget whose body is destroyed.” Piper jerks her injured shoulder up to showcase the bandage, but immediately regrets it. She inhales sharply, her face creasing with pain.
I’m on my feet and moving around the table before I can stop myself. I barely manage to curb my instinct before I actually touch her. “You really can’t get through one fucking dinner. Unreal.”
She doesn’t even try to defend herself. “I was stupid. The pain meds made me feel invincible. I should be taking it easy, but I got caught up in—”
She looks up at me and then quickly away.
She doesn’t have to finish her sentence. I can guess how it would go.Caught up in you. Caught up in this moment.
Some of the anger in me fizzles at that.
“I should have been more careful,” she concludes. “But I’m fine.”
“Maybe you haven’t noticed, but being careful isn’t in your wheelhouse.”
She purses her lips. “I’ll be fine. Let’s just finish dinner.”
I start to move back around the table, but I hear another hushed wince from Piper. Her injured arm is still folded against her body. Just the movement of reaching for her plate is causing her pain.
“For fuck’s sake,” I hiss under my breath. I turn around and snatch her fork out of her hand.
