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“That’s why you told me off in front of your brothers and James?” As soon as the words are out, she winces. “That’s not fair.” She looks away. “You’ve already apologized for it, so I shouldn’t be dwelling on it.”
“I was a bastard for being short with you that way. Truth be told, Arthur’s deadline is weighing heavily on me and, probably, screwing up my judgment. And then, you walked into that room, looking so beautiful. And I wanted to tear out the eyes of everyone there who was seeing you. I wanted to carry you out of there and finish what we started at my penthouse when we first met.”
“Oh.” Color flushes her cheeks. When she meets my gaze again, her eyes flash, but this time, with something like…lust?
It turns my blood to lava, and my balls to steel. I bat aside my desire, choosing my words carefully. “I felt it was beneath you to be gathering up those empty beer glasses.”
Her forehead wrinkles. “I was being hospitable.”
“I know. And honestly, there’s nothing wrong with what you did. But I felt… I felt—” It’s my turn to look away until my emotions are under control. “I felt, you deserved better. I felt, you deserved to be more than Serene’s nanny. I felt… If you’d been doing it as my wife, it would have been fine.” I glance back at her. “But you are Serene’s nanny, and I worried you were demeaning yourself by clearing the glasses. That you were taking on the role of the cleaning lady.”
She blinks. “If I were your wife and clearing away the empty glasses, it would have been fine. But as Serene’s nanny, it felt wrong?”
The back of my neck heats. “When you put it that way, it feels illogical, but trust me, there’s been nothing logical about having you under my roof and watching you with my daughter, seeing the two of you grow close in the last month.”
The skin around her eyes relaxes. “I really am very fond of Serene. There’s this connection between us I can’t explain.”
“She has that effect on people.” That tightness in my chest dissolves a fraction. Talking about Serene will do that to me. It’s the only time Priscilla and I have actually communicated. We see eye-to-eye when it’s anything related to Serene.We also used to see eye-to-eye when it was us, skin to skin.
As if she senses where my thoughts have turned to, her pupils dilate. The pulse at the base of her neck speeds up. Those unspoken emotions spike the air between us. “You know, what we have is more than what most marriages are based on.”
"What do you mean?”
“We both care for Serene and can offer her the stability she needs. And we know enough of each other to know we’re compatible in bed.”
Her flush deepens. She licks her lips, and I have no doubt, she’s recalling the last time we were in bed together. A groan builds in my throat, and I swallow it away. I have to slide my legs apart to accommodate my raging erection.
I realize now, my trying to keep things professional between us would never have worked out. It’s a blessing in disguise that Arthur’s deadline forced things into overdrive.
I never would have been happy for things to progress organically between us. My patience would have run out before that. At some point, I’d have taken things into my own hands. Come to think of it, I've already been doing that on a daily basis. But the fact is, not even the possibility of risking upsetting her enough to leave her position as Serene’s nanny would have stopped me. Perhaps, my grandfather wasn’t entirely wrong in his actions.Am I giving the old coot credit?
I shove those thoughts aside, bringing my focus back to her.
“The chemistry between us only built over the past year. Since you came to work for me, I’ve been aware of you in a way that’s intruding into my thoughts and taking over my dreams. There hasn’t been a single day I haven’t woken up without having dreamt of being inside of you.”
“Oh, my God.” She squeezes her eyes shut. “I can’t believe you said that.”
“It’s true,” I say softly. “I understand it feels inopportune, even crude and opportunistic, that I’m asking you to marry me now, but believe me, I mean it. And to show you how much, there won’t be a prenup.”
Her eyes fly open. “No prenup?”
“I know it’s unheard of, especially when you think about the billions that I stand to inherit if you marry me. It means everything I have is yours. You’ll have access to the Davenport fortune. You won’t have to worry about paying your rent or debts. Of course, if you want to hold down a job, or even start your own daycare, I won’t stop you.”
“You’d be okay with me working?” She frowns.
The fact she asked that question reveals she’s at least considering the option. I release the breath I wasn’t aware I was holding. It’s too early to celebrate, though. “Of course, if that’s what you want. I’ll never stop you from following your heart and doing what you need to do to feel fulfilled.”
She swallows. “That’s unexpected.”
I frown. “It shouldn’t be. I’d never do anything that would make you feel insecure or unhappy. I’d never make you feel like I’m taking advantage of you. I’d never stop you from reaching your full potential. Being a single father has taught me how important it also is to maintain perspective. Which means, having some kind of link to the outside world. It was—still is—tough, managing both a kid and a job, but there have been times when the job has also been my sanity, know what I mean? After the unpredictability of dealing with a child, the discipline of a conference call and the petty bottom line-related arguments between team members is almost a relief to defuse.”
She half-smiles. “That’s very insightful of you. In fact”—she looks at me closely—“since you walked into The Fearless Kitten and offered me this job, I’m often amazed at how self-aware and reflective you've become.”
“Having a child can do that to you, huh?”
Her forehead smoothes out. Some of the tension leaves her body.
“What do you say? Everything I have will be half yours. You’ll have financial stability. You'll be independently wealthy, without being beholden to anyone.”