dull thuds, as if things were being dropped to the ground, and then a softer click and scrape. ‘Don’t worry, he doesn’t have to sign for it.’
Unflappable disappeared when Imogen yelped, ‘That’s a baby!’
What?
‘Hey, wait! You can’t just leave a baby here.’
‘Those were my instructions, miss.’ The voice started to recede. ‘Just following orders.’
Jasper shot out from his hiding place in time to see his butler accost a man almost twice her size and pull him to a halt. ‘What is wrong with you? You can’t just go around dumping unknown babies on people’s doorsteps.’
‘The baby is neither unknown nor am I dumping him. I was hired to escort the baby to Mr Coleman. And I’m rather pleased to have managed it before his next feed is due. As far as I’m concerned, my job here is done.’
Ice trickled down Jasper’s spine. Ignoring it—and the baby capsule sitting on his doorstep—he forced himself forward. ‘There has to be some mistake.’
‘No mistake,’ the man said, turning towards Jasper. ‘Not if you’re Jasper Coleman.’
Imogen released the man’s arm and stepped back to let Jasper deal with the situation, but she didn’t disappear back inside the house and he didn’t know whether to be glad of her silent support or not.
‘You are Jasper Coleman, right?’
He wanted to lie, but there was a baby involved. ‘Yes.’
‘Then there’s no mistake.’
His gut clenched. There was only one person who would send him a baby, but… It was impossible! She’d said she hated him. She’d said he’d ruined her life.
The man gestured to the baby capsule. ‘Mr Coleman, meet your nephew.’
On cue, the baby opened his eyes and gave a loud wail.
Jasper couldn’t move. ‘What’s he doing here?’
‘Your sister hired me to escort the baby here from Australia.’ He pulled a card from his pocket and handed it across. ‘Belforte’s Executive Nanny Service, sir.’
‘You’re a nanny?’
‘One of the best. If you check with the office, you’ll see that everything is in order. I believe you’ll find a letter from your sister in one of the bags. I expect it’ll explain everything.’ And then he frowned as if suddenly recalling something. ‘Mrs Graham did say that if I saw you to say the word Jupiter. She said you’d know what that meant.’
His gut twisted. Jupiter had been their password as kids.
The baby’s cries grew louder and more persistent.
He was aware of Imogen glancing from him to the nanny and back again, but he couldn’t meet her eye. He couldn’t move.
‘You’ll have to excuse me. I’m expected in Rio for my next assignment by nightfall. Have a nice day.’ And then he turned and strode away, evidently washing his hands of them all. And who could blame him? It wasn’t his baby.
It didn’t stop Jasper from wanting to tackle him to the ground and force him to take the baby back. Damn! What game was Emily playing now? He swallowed down his panic and channelled the coldness he’d spent the last two years perfecting. He would find a way to deal with this and—
Imogen pushed past him to sweep the crying baby up into her arms and cuddle him. ‘Hey there, little dude, what’s all this fuss about? You feeling a bit discombobulated? I don’t blame you.’
The baby batted his face into her shoulder a couple of times, rubbed a fist across his eyes, while Imogen cooed nonsense, and then he finally looked up at her. She sent him a big smile before blowing a raspberry into his hand. To Jasper’s utter astonishment the baby not only stopped crying but smiled back, as if Imogen was the best thing he’d seen all day.
And Imogen Hartley visibly melted.
Right, she’d said she’d wanted a promotion. He wondered how she’d feel about the position of nanny?
IMOGEN BOUNCED THE baby on her hip and winced at Jasper’s white-faced shock. A baby turning up on his doorstep was obviously the last thing he’d expected. Cool eyes darkened and a bitter resignation twisted his lips, making her heart thump. She fought an urge to go over and put her arm around him, to try and comfort him the way she did the baby.
But why should he need comforting?
She moistened her lips. ‘This is your nephew?’
He nodded.
She waited, but he didn’t offer anything else. ‘What’s his name?’
‘George.’
It was too hard to look at Jasper, so she smiled at George instead. ‘Hello, gorgy Georgie!’
Jasper swore. Not particularly badly, but with a venom that made both her and the baby jump. Okay. So he really hadn’t expected the arrival of this baby. And he was really unhappy about it.
But little George stared at his uncle with wide fear-filled eyes and looked as if he was about to start crying again. So she bounced him gently and started singing, ‘I’m a little teapot.’
The baby turned to her again and his face broke out into a big smile. He waved his hands and made lots of inarticulate noises. What an adorable bundle of chubby-cheeked cuteness!
‘Hey, you going to be a singer, little guy?’ She glanced at his uncle. ‘How old is he?’
‘Nine months.’ Jasper stared at her oddly. ‘You’re very good with him.’
‘Back in the real world I’m Auntie Immy to four of the cutest babies on the planet.’
‘I thought you were an only child?’
Ah, so Aunt Katherine had told him a little about her, then. What other confidences had she shared? ‘An honorary aunt.’ She stuck her nose in the air. ‘Which everyone knows is the best kind.’
He stared at her for a moment before one side of his mouth hooked up. Her heart stilled mid-beat, before pounding again with ferocious abandon. That half smile transformed him completely—the stern mouth curved with a sensual lilt that chased away some of the shadows in his eyes. It made her think of summer and fun and…ice cream. She fought to catch her breath. From the first moment she’d clapped eyes on Jasper, everything about him had screamed undeniable maleness. But now he was also unmistakably gorgeous.
He sobered, the frown returning to his face, and she dragged her gaze away. Dear God, please don’t let him have misconstrued her scrutiny.
She
