Page 152 of Perfectly Matched: Harbor Falls Romance Collection

The father took the baby from her and placed the little girl in a swing by the sofa.

“I am so sorry,” he said.

“No worries,”

she countered, feeling a little sorry for the naked baby.

“Isn’t she cold?”

He glanced back and then tucked a baby blanket around the child.

“There. I’ll get her dressed in a minute.”

Wyn resisted the temptation to wipe her palms on her jeans. She was wet, icky, and definitely unsure of her next move. Her brain was fuzzy and frazzled—like an odd sort of whirlwind had just swept through her life. She took two hesitant steps backwards and glanced nervously toward the front door. The term fight or flight came to mind and it didn’t take her long to make a decision—she didn’t want to fight to make this work. Hell, this place was a crazy farm. She wanted to turn and flee as hard and as fast as she could and not look back.

She didn’t.

Something made her plant her feet and look squarely at the man standing before her. That something, she finally realized, was the determination of her friends. She imagined them sitting on each of her shoulders—Zach on one side and the girls on the other—cheering her on.

They meant well. They didn’t want her to give up. They believed in her. Now all she had to do was get her gumption up and believe in herself.

She could do this. Right?

Wyn bit her lip. Suddenly she wasn’t so sure.

Something else made her hesitant. Her befuddled brain worked to sort it out. Something about the man standing before her that seemed a tad off kilter. Maybe even…

Familiar? Her breath caught in her throat. Did she know him? He said he’d grown up around here and she’d lived here all her life…

The boys squirmed and giggled behind their father. Identical twin boys. Damn. That notion had never occurred to her. He turned his attention to the boys, speaking low and saying words she couldn’t hear, giving her a chance to think this situation over for a brief minute. Thankfully. She needed a breather.

He did look familiar. He was darned good looking for one thing and distractingly cute, so it was likely a specimen like him had not gone unnoticed by her in the past. That was not good. Would he recognize her and blow her cover?

Why hadn’t she thought of this before now? Harbor Falls was small town enough and most people knew most people—or knew of them. Had her path crossed with this man’s at some point?

She hoped not and studied him more. His mussed hair was black as night, with just a touch of gray at his temples, and his eyes were even darker. He had nice features, rather chiseled, but not so god-awful male model chiseled that he looked unreal—like he’d been sculpted with a plastic surgeon’s scalpel, plumped with collagen, or shot full of Botox. Not like many of the men she associated with in the acting world. He wasn’t that kind of good-looking. He had what she liked to call normal good looks.

And a body to match. Except, well, the body she would probably rate above normal. Since he was wearing little more than boxers and t-shirt, she could see most of it quite well, and what she did see was well-worked-out muscle and sinew.

Something about him nagged at her. Then again, she saw so many people at Dee’s while waiting tables that people all start to look alike.

Waiting tables. Dammit. She didn’t want to wait tables the rest of her life. Breathing deeply, Wyn took in and held a cleansing breath, just as a yoga teacher had taught her long ago, and let it out very, very slowly.

I am an actor. I can do this.

Be the role. Be the nanny.

Her potential future employer turned and looked at her, and then glanced back at the boys who were now wrestling behind him. She cocked her head to the side as he bent over, grabbing at the boys, his boxers tightening across his derrière.

Hmmm... Nice buttocks.

She shook her head. What was she thinking? This man was the children’s father, which meant that they also had a mother, which meant he had a wife, which meant that he was off limits, which meant she had to stop ogling his high and tight buttocks.

Oh brother, what had she gotten herself into?

“So what do you think?”

He turned then and faced her, flashing a semi-sexy and very unfatherlylike smile.

What do I think?

His smile deepened and he glanced down for a moment. She studied the top of his black-haired head and then…

Then she knew.

Dammit. No. No. Please God. No.

Not him. Rob Black? The new casting director at Actor’s?

Her brain raced with anything she knew about him. He had grown up in Harbor Falls but left after high school. He was well-known in the industry and had recently taken on the local gig when the last casting director left. Although he was somewhat of a celebrity, the locals didn’t talk about him much—unless some unsavory story hit the tabloids and then everyone was an expert. Most people in Harbor Falls didn’t know what he did or that he’d enjoyed some notoriety in the business.

Of course, she knew. She tried to keep up with things she needed to know in her line of work. He was known for dating the most beautiful women and a lot of them.

This was doo doo. Deep pile. Deepest. Ever.

A small wave of panic coursed through her body.

Would he remember her from the audition? Had he recognized her face? He had barely paid her any attention the other day, so probably not. Plus, she had tried to play herself down for the nanny interview. She’d borrowed those silly horn-rimmed glasses of Charla’s—at her insistence—and was now glad that she had. She wore no makeup and had pulled her long hair back severely into a ponytail.

She took a hesitant step. Backward.

Retreat, Wyn, now. You’ll find another job. Get the rent paid. Oh hell, the rent…

“Stop!”

he commanded.

Startled, she shot back, “What?”

“Don’t go. Please. Don’t.”

“Mr. um… I, uh, maybe I should come back later after you have....”

No!”

The look on his face was pure desperation.

“Let me just,”

he glanced about.

“take care of a few things and then—”

Abruptly, he stopped talking and lowered his gaze to her chest. She felt self-conscious.

“And then we can finish the interview.”

What in the world?

“Finish? I don’t think we’ve even started. Have we?”

Wyn looked down at herself. A smear of chocolate sauce graced the front of her white shirt. Her good white shirt! Her left side was wet. And she smelled. Would she get the smell out of her clothes.

“I really don’t think....”

Mia burst out crying and he rushed to scoop her up and into his arms. He glanced back with a look that wounded Wyn’s heart. He looked desperate. Holding the soaking, naked baby in his arms, trying to wrap her awkwardly up in the blanket, he said.

“Please, just give us a chance.”

She could tell he was having a moment of realization. Perhaps he was even embarrassed. He gave her a once over, obviously taking in her damp hip, chocolate stained blouse and all, and then turned to look at the boys and the mess on the great room furniture, and then to the kitchen behind them. “Look,”

he began again.

“I realize this looks bad and… I’m so sorry. I don’t know what to say, or do.”

He paused and took a breath, then continued.

“I know this is not a very good impression but I promise if you just give us a chance, we’ll...”

His gaze darted about the room then he barked orders at the boys.

“Chaz! Ham! Get off that floor and get cleaned up. Take your brother, too.”

“But.”

“Just do it!”

He raised his voice.

“Use the shower upstairs. All three of you get in it!”

He then sheepishly looked back at Wyn. The boys scrambled.

After they were up the stairs and out of earshot, Wyn said.

“Really, sir, there is no need to shout at the boys.”

She prided herself on sounding very nanny-like. Now, how fast could she get out of here?

He blew out a breath.

“You’re right. I just…”

His voice softened, sounding a little defeated.

“Look, as you can tell here, I really need your help. I’ve been trying to find a nanny for a couple of days now and when they take a look at this menagerie they turn tale and run. I can see that same look on your face but I also think somehow you’re different.”

She huffed out a breath. Please don’t blow smoke up my ass.

“Hm. Not sure about that.”

But, deescalated a little at his words, she contemplated the circumstances. This situation was a challenge but perhaps that’s what she needed. What would a real nanny do in this situation?

“Here.”

She reached toward him.

“Give me the baby. Where is her room? She’s shivering.”

He hesitated a moment before handing her Mia. Wyn noticed there was a round wet spot on his t-shirt exactly where the girl’s little bottom had been. So they’d both been christened.

“The nursery is down the hall. This way.”

Wyn panicked only slightly while she followed him down the hallway. She’d never in her life given a baby a bath or changed a diaper. She’d read, however, all three baby care books Charla had checked out for her at the library yesterday afternoon. She hoped she could pull this off.

“Here’s her room. And here are her things.”

He pointed to a changing table with a small dresser tucked into the corner beside it.

Wyn laid the baby down on the changing table and looked over the area. The little girl cooed up at her.

“Well, baby girl,”

she said softly back.

“What’s your name?”

“Oh, it’s Mia,”

he said, still standing at her side.

She glanced up. She really really needed him gone.

“Mia. That’s a pretty name.”

She took a quick look around Mia’s room again, wondering where the baby bathtub was, and then said.

“Mr. Black, why don’t you go take a shower, too?”

He gave her a blank stare.

“Mr. Black?”

She met his gaze.

“Excuse me?”

“You called me Mr. Black. I didn’t tell you my name.”

Wyn’s cheeks heated up. Shit.

“Well, uh, of course you did. Didn’t you? When I was standing in the door.”

He hadn’t but…

“Brown…ing.”

“What?”

“My name. Robert Browning. I’m not sure where you got Black.”

Puzzled, Wyn looked up from the baby and stared at him. Was she wrong? He was Rob Black, wasn’t he? Why was he calling himself Robert Browning?

“Oh? I’m sorry. I’m not sure but I thought you or your assistant said…”

“It’s Browning. Robert. But please call me Rob.”

This she did not need. He was totally confusing her. Black? Browning? Call him Rob? No. Something wasn’t quite kosher here.

“I really think I should call you Mr. Bl—Browning.”

“You said I should call you Wyn.”

“I did? Oh, no. Let’s keep this on a business level, Mr. B-Browning. I prefer it that way.”

“I insist we are on a first name basis. I want the children to feel like we are family.”

“But we’re not.”

“But you’re going to be living with them.”

“A pure matter of business.”

“Please. Cut me some slack here? I’d like to just call you Wyn and I am not a Mr. B-Browning kind of person.”

He hesitated. He was Rob Black. She knew it. Why was he trying to convince her otherwise?

“Please?”

She stared. Hells bells.

“I suppose, but….”

Dammit. Turning toward the baby, Wyn realized she was taken aback. This turn of events wasn’t where she wanted to go. Was he keeping her confused on purpose? This she did not need.

She didn’t dare let things get too casual or her guard might drop and then the cat would be out of the bag. She had to maintain the nanny persona. And she had to remember that evidently he was married and that he was in the industry.

Bingo! Perhaps that’s why he’s trying to go undercover here. He didn’t want her to know who he was, obviously. What was that thing that hit all of the tabloids a few months ago?

Looking at him, she said.

“Fine. But call me Miss Wyn. That’s what all of my other clients and their children call me.”

She had no clue where that came from but it seemed to work. Then she thought of something.

“Oh, just one question.”

He tipped his head. “Yes?”

“You’re wife? She’s away on business?”

His eyes glazed over for a few seconds.

“Ah, yes. She works for a major auto business company based out of Japan. She’ll be there for a couple of weeks.”

Nodding, she replied, “I see.”

But she didn’t see. This proved her theory. He was making things up. Gina said his wife was away helping with an elderly family member. Perhaps this was the reason she should retreat. A number of misplaced truths here. What was going on?

Mia whimpered from the table. She returned her attention to the baby.

“Really. We’ll be fine,”

she told him.

“I’ll get little Mia cleaned up while you handle the boys.”

How difficult could it be to give a baby a bath?

She guessed she’d find out.

A thud sounded from upstairs and they both glanced toward the ceiling.

He nodded.

“I’ll check on the wild things upstairs.”

Then he was gone.

“Thank, God,”

she whispered.

Wyn looked down at the naked baby girl. The child played with her toes. A stripe of chocolate sauce still lay across her cheek and forehead. Her belly smeared with the same. Poor thing.

Much as she really didn’t like kids—or maybe it was that she really didn’t know kids— she hated to see this poor defenseless little girl smelling like a chocolate covered urine thing.

Likely, she smelled like that herself, but she’d take care of the baby first. She glanced about. No baby bathtub but no matter. Maybe it was in the bathroom. She spied a package of baby wipes on the dresser and decided those would do for the time being.

“Let’s see if we can get you cleaned up and dressed, Miss Mia.”

In no time, she’d wiped the baby clean, as best she could for now. Then, she diapered and dressed Mia and sat her in a baby seat on the floor. She took a swipe with bleach wipes over the changing table, too, and even changed the sheets and blankets on Mia’s bed. Glancing about, Wyn stuffed the soiled sheets and clothing into a hamper and made a mental note to come back later in the day and run the laundry.

Wow. Was she really thinking like a nanny?

“There. That was easy enough,”

she proclaimed, feeling confident in her abilities so far. Maybe she really could do this. She turned back toward Mia and lifted her into her arms.

“So what do you think, girlfriend. Breakfast? I have absolutely no idea what to feed a baby like you.”

“Cereal with a bottle chaser.”

Startled, Wyn flinched and found Rob standing behind her. She didn’t know he was anywhere close. And he was a mite too close.

“I thought you were with the boys.”

“In a minute.”

He stepped closer. His dark eyes fixed on hers. “Here.”

He held out something. Wyn looked at his offering. It was a t-shirt and a pair of gym shorts.

“I thought maybe you’d like to get out of those clothes.”

She swallowed. Hard. Oh shit. Is Rob Black one of those slimy dudes who thinks he can come on to women and get what he wants as long as he pays them off and she sign a confidentiality agreement.

“I don’t understand.”

Seriously, your brain is overthinking, Wyn. Come on. He’s not that kind of guy.

Is he?

Rob cleared his throat.

“Please. I’ll pay to have your clothes cleaned. In the meantime, this is the best I can do.”

“Well, I don’t think that’s appropriate….”

They both glanced at the clothes in his hands. He brought his gaze up to hers and smiled.

“Yeah. Sorry. You’re right.”

Wyn set Mia back down in the crib.

“Look. I’m a mess. You’re a mess. This whole freaking house is a mess. Perhaps I should go home and come back to do the interview tomorrow.”

Rob shook his head.

“No. Not tomorrow. Tomorrow is too late.”

“Too late?”

“Yes.”

He paused and gave her another once over, straightened up to at least six feet two inches tall, cleared his throat and said.

“You’re hired.”

Wyn felt her eyes grow wide. “But—”

“But nothing. I need a nanny and I need one today. You fit the bill. You’re hired.”

“What about...?”

“The interview? You just passed it. In fact, you’re on the clock right now. And as your employer, I’m suggesting that you get out of those soiled clothes and take a shower. Wait. That didn’t come out right.”

He glanced at the clothes again.

“You’re clothes are soiled and I’m just trying to make amends here. We’ve got a bit of work to do this afternoon and I’m sure you don’t want to be wearing baby pee all day. There is a guest bathroom upstairs and everything you need should be in there.”

He handed her the extra clothing again.

She gathered them in her hands, albeit reluctantly. “Oh.”

He picked Mia up, then turned and snapped his fingers.

“On second thought, use the bathroom in the master bedroom next door. I guarantee you it is cleaner than the one the boys have been using upstairs. The master is off limits to the kids. Congratulations, Miss Wyn. You’re my nanny.”

He turned and headed for the door with the baby.

“I’ll get Mia some breakfast now.”

For a moment, Wyn simply stood there, almost afraid to breath. Slowly, she exhaled, long and deep. The action did nothing to calm her nerves.

He’d hired her. She’d made it through the first hurdle. She got the job—she was the nanny.

His nanny, he’d said.

But in reality, she was an actor. Here she was, pulling off the biggest acting job of her career, playing out the scenes in front of one of the most notable casting directors in the country—and he had no clue.

She had to keep it that way.

This was just to get her over the hump. Right? She only had to prove things to herself—not to Rob Black or anyone else in the industry.

Right?

So be it.

The gig was definitely on and she couldn’t wait to get word to Zach and the others. In her brain somewhere, she thought she heard a distant voice shout the word, “Action!”

****

Mia spurted a glob of rice cereal that landed on Rob’s lower lip. Par for the course. At least it wasn’t peas. He wiped it away and glanced toward the master suite down the hall. She was in there. Taking a show shower. Running water and lathering up soap.

The nanny. She’s here for the kids, not you. Stop fantasizing, stupid.

He was uneasy with this on so many levels. First, his brother would kill him if he found out, and likely he would find out because the older boys couldn’t keep a secret. Hell, he wouldn’t keep a secret like this from his brother anyway. He had to tell him soon. He just had to convince him and his picky sister-in-law that Miss Wyn was trustworthy and capable and all would be well. Eventually.

Oh, there would be some yelling—mostly words about Rob being irresponsible, which was the kind of language he’d heard from his family for years—but in the end, Rob would smooth it all over and all would be well.

Right?

Second, he had to tamp down his libido. He wasn’t sure if the ramped up sexual desire snaking up inside him was from the adrenaline rush of the last fifteen minutes, or due to the fact that he’d been without for several months, or from the intoxicating effect his newly-hired nanny appeared to have on him. She was attractive and smart. Two things that switched his buttons. Yet there was something soft and demur about her. A hint of mystery too. Shit, he was semi-aroused just thinking about her in his shower. He had to get out of the damned boxer shorts and get a shower himself as soon as possible.

Make no mistake she could handle the job. He hadn’t hired her for her looks or for the fact that he was drawn to her. He had hired her on the spot while he’d watched her care for and talk with Mia. He knew then she would be the loving, caring type of nanny he needed for the kids.

He hoped he hadn’t botched the whole thing with the name issue. She had thrown him curveball when she’d called him Mr. Black. Why? Did she know who he was? How could she? He supposed one could get confused between Black and Browning… Ugh. He’d made that up on the fly.

Had Gina slipped and called him Mr. Black when she spoke with her on the phone? That had to be it.

He wasn’t a household word. Unless one was in the industry, or followed it, the name Rob Black wouldn’t ring a bell to most people. He was a casting director, not an actor. Yet, he’d made a name for himself in the acting world because of his uncanny ability to pick the right actor for the right role—even if it appeared he was going against the grain. It worked for him on numerous occasions.

But that’s not what most people remembered him for—to his chagrin. The publicity he mostly got was around the women he dated. Famous women. And a lot of them.

Would a born-and-bred, small town, Harbor Falls nanny, keep up with shit like that?

He didn’t know.

At least he would be around for a little over twenty-four hours so he could observe this nanny, this Miss Wyn, with the kids and feel as comfortable as possible leaving them with her for a few days. Then he’d tell his brother.

Getting to know her personally was important for the kids, right? Was it a bonus if he got to know her a little better for himself, too? After this was all said and done, and his brother and sister-in-law were back home, it might do him good to spend some time with a decent, homespun Harbor Falls born-and-bred woman like her. She appeared about his age, probably a few years younger. They could be compatible, perhaps.

That wouldn’t hurt a thing. Would it?

After all, it was one of the things he’d told himself that he wanted. A normal, picket fence, lifestyle. He was tired of the celebrity dating scene.

What the hell am I thinking? Back off Black. This woman is off limits and you’re off women. She’s the nanny, for God’s sake. Gina’s headline predictions rang in his ear.

But a small voice inside squeaked that she was no danger to his business or career—not like Melinda, whom he had dated for a few months and who tried to ruin him when the dating didn’t go to the next level like she’d wanted—a big fat diamond ring, a Manhattan apartment, and kids.

None of those three things fit into his lifestyle at that moment. And even though he wanted kids someday and loved Manhattan, he didn’t love her. Not enough to change his life for her. When he’d revealed that bit of information, that’s when she’d blown up and vowed she’d ruin him. She’d put him up on one of those websites for scorned women who wanted to get back at former lovers who had wronged them. She’d lied about his character and his use of the casting couch. The tabloids picked up on the story and the heyday began, indicating that Rob was into kinky sex and threesomes. That’s when he’d sued them all for slander and finally, had won his case.

That’s when he’d taken a break from dating.

And that’s when he left L.A. Home, family, and Harbor Falls was both his salvation and his future. He just had to land this potential movie deal in L.A.

The shower was still running. He could hear the steady drone of the water and the slight rattle of pipes. An image popped into his head of steamy water cascading over Miss Wyn’s naked body and of him opening the shower door. Rob took a deep breath and exhaled long, trying to will away the tightening in his groin.

This he could not do—fantasize about the nanny. No.

He guessed old habits were difficult to break.

He switched off his libido and finished feeding Mia, instead. The boys were wrestling upstairs and he had to get that under control immediately. He noted that the time was barely nine-fifteen in the morning. He blew out another breath. It was going to be a helluva long day.

Would she stay the course? The next few hours would tell the tale.