staying in tonight. Rita, one of the maids who’s been working here a long time, is going to take care of him while we’re gone. I’m expecting her any minute.”
Reese took a shaky breath. Going out to dinner with Nick alone wasn’t part of her nanny job, but as the thought of turning down his offer entered her mind, she realized that she wanted to be with him so badly, she felt an ache to the palms of her hands.
“What should I wear?”
“Anything you feel like.”
In other words, formal dress wasn’t required. She was hot and sticky and needed a shower first.
“Don’t take too long. I’m starving,” he said in a husky tone.
She’d been hungry when she’d walked in the door, but with those words her stomach had too many butterflies to know what she was feeling. “I’ll hurry.”
Ten minutes later she joined him in the foyer wearing a sleeveless dress with a rounded neck in an allover black-on-white print. The summery outfit could be dressed up or down depending on her accessories. After brushing out her ponytail, she’d caught her hair back at the nape with a black chiffon scarf and slipped on low black heels.
When Nick saw her, the unmistakable glimmer in his eyes set a tone for the rest of the evening, making her feel feverish throughout their delicious dinner. A live jazz band prompted Nick to dance with her. He drew the eyes of every woman, young or old.
She thought of Cinderella, who got her chance to be spun around the castle ballroom with her prince. But in that childhood fairy tale, the author never described the feelings running riot inside the scullery maid who for one night had been transformed into a princess. The adult thoughts and desires of a woman weren’t meant to be read by dreamy-eyed little girls.
Nick had told Reese he wanted her to experience some nightlife while she was in his employ. In her naïveté she’d given in to that temptation and thought she could handle it, but if he pulled her against his hard-muscled body one more time he’d feel her trembling.
“You’re a wonderful dancer, Reese.”
“Thank you. So are you.”
“I could do this all night,” he murmured near her ear.
Don’t say another word, Nick. “If I hadn’t walked around Macy’s all afternoon, there’s nothing I’d like more.”
“I forgot about that. You should have said something sooner. We’ll go.”
Ever the consummate host who went out of his way to make her comfortable, they left the restaurant and rode back to the apartment in the limo. The maid was there to meet them.
“Jamie never made a peep.”
“Thank you, Rita.”
“Anytime.” Her brown eyes flicked to Reese with interest before she left the penthouse.
When the door closed, Reese looked up at her incredibly handsome escort. “Thank you for a lovely evening, Nick. I must be the luckiest nanny in New York with the nicest employer and the sweetest little boy.”
His eyes were veiled as he smiled at her. “We’ll have to do it again.”
No, no.
“Lest you’ve forgotten, Cinderella only had one night at the ball. It wouldn’t do for the hired help to expect a repeat with the prince. Good night, Nick.”
Reese left for her bedroom having meant what she’d said. To lose her head over this man when she was being paid to do a job for him would bring heartache—the kind she instinctively knew she would never recover from.
For the rest of the week she made certain she and Jamie were there to greet him when he walked through the door of the penthouse, but that was all. Once she’d told him about Jamie’s day and answered any questions he had, she disappeared to get going on her studies.
On the following Friday she was studying on her laptop when she heard Jamie’s distinct cry through the baby monitor. He hadn’t built up to it. One minute it was quiet in the room. In the next, he’d let go as if he’d awakened with a nightmare, or was in pain.
He’d only been down for an hour since his one-o’clock bottle. She slid off the bed and rushed across the hall to the nursery. Alarmed to see him in so much distress, she picked him up to comfort him.
“Uh-oh—you’re hot.” She walked over to the dresser with him to get the thermometer. To date his health had been so perfect, she’d almost taken it for granted.
“Hmm…l01.4. That’s not good. Let’s check to see what’s going on.” When she undid his stretchy outfit and diaper, she discovered he’d had diarrhea. “Oh—you’ve got a stomachache.” She got him all clean again and put him in a fresh diaper and a shirt.
For the next hour she walked him around the apartment on her shoulder, singing every song she could remember to comfort him. He remained restless and whimpered, then let out another heartrending cry before she felt him have another loose movement.
Back she went to the nursery and cleaned him up once more. This time she applied some rash cream so he wouldn’t get sore. When she picked him up again, he burrowed into her neck, still feeling hot.
Without hesitation she carried him to her bedroom and phoned Nick on her cell. This was the first time she’d called him at his office since coming to work for him. Though she hated disturbing him, she knew he’d want to be told.
“Reese?” He picked up on the third ring. “Is there a problem?”
“I’m glad you answered. Jamie’s come down with diarrhea and is running a temperature of 101. He’s going to need fluids to lower it, but I’m not sure what the doctor would prescribe.”
“I’ll phone Dr. Wells right now. How long has Jamie been sick? When I left him this morning, he seemed fine.”
“I know. He woke up crying in the middle of his afternoon nap. My sister Carrie uses Pedialyte when her baby gets dehydrated, so ask the doctor about that. Since we don’t have any on hand, I’ll give him some water for now.”
“I’m on my way out the door,” he declared in a decisive tone. “I’d planned to come home early anyway.” Secretly she was relieved. Normally Nick hid his emotions well, but this was his little boy who was ill. He must be as nervous as she was, if not more so. “While you try to get more liquid down him, I’ll call the doctor then stop by the drugstore.”
“Good.”
“I’ll be home soon.”
After she hung up, she went to the kitchen for a bottle and filled it with cool water. Jamie seemed eager enough to drink, but by the time she reached the nursery and fed him a little, he threw up.
She put him in the crib and changed his clothes for a second time. His temp had climbed another tenth of a degree. She wet a cloth and sponged his forehead and cheeks.
Before long Nick entered the penthouse. “Reese?”
“In
