to get her hopes up. She might not be willing to meet his terms.
“I don’t?” she echoed, knowing she sounded foolish but unable to think of a more profound response. Where was the outgoing, articulate Bethany Dale now? Tongue-tied by the nearness of a man she didn’t like, who certainly didn’t like her, but who could make her feel hot and breathless simply by standing within two feet of her.
Nicholas gave her a level look while Maree played with his hair. “If you still want that story, maybe we can work something out.”
A sinking feeling gripped her. Surely Nicholas Frakes wasn’t going to turn out to be one of those men who reduced everything to sexual favors?
She drew herself up, uncomfortably aware that she was trapped between her car and Nicholas’s hard body. But he was hampered by the baby in his arms. “I’m afraid I don’t need the interview that much,” she snapped.
For a half second he looked puzzled, then angry as light dawned. “Good grief, woman, this has nothing to do with your body. Just because Lana’s gone doesn’t mean I’m desperate yet.”
Contrarily, rather than reassuring her, his comment hurt more than she could believe possible. “Well thank you very much.”
Evidently realizing his mistake, he tried again. “I don’t mean I’d have to be desperate to be interested in you. You’re a beautiful woman, and from what I’ve seen today, you’re going to make some man incredibly happy. But this has nothing to do with you and me,” he insisted. “I want you to help me take care of Maree.”
This last came out in such a roar that the baby looked startled. It was nothing compared to the way Bethany felt. She had practically accused him of harassment when all he wanted was her parenting skills. He also thought she was beautiful, she couldn’t help noticing, and resisted examining how that felt. “You want me as a baby-sitter?” she asked, dumbfounded.
“In return for conditional access to the Frakes Baby House,” he confirmed. He raked one hand through his close-cropped hair. “What on earth did you think I was going to propose?”
If she hadn’t been so aware of him as a man, she probably wouldn’t have jumped to stupid conclusions, she told herself, wondering at the same time if there wasn’t an element of wishful thinking there, too. Did she want him to want her? Even though her mind produced an instant denial she suspected she wasn’t being entirely honest with herself.
“I don’t know what I was thinking. It’s been a confusing day,” she dissembled. “One minute you can’t wait to get rid of me and the next you want to hire me on a daily basis.”
“Not daily, full-time, live-in, although I’m glad I didn’t suggest it right off the bat, or goodness knows what conclusions you’d have drawn.”
“There’s no need to rub it in,” she said, feeling her face flame. In case she still harbored doubts, he was emphasizing that he wasn’t interested in her as a woman, but purely as a potential caretaker for Maree. The thought stung, but she had only herself to blame for misinterpreting his first overture.
He watched her closely. “Interested?”
“I don’t know about living in,” she said. Most of her misgivings stemmed from her own reactions to Nicholas himself. He might not be interested in her, but she couldn’t deny the flaring of attraction she felt around him. Sharing close quarters with him amounted to playing with fire, and she’d already been burned by her relationship with Alexander. She didn’t need another lesson in her inadequacies as a woman.
Not that she’d get it from Nicholas. Was that what she really feared, that she could live under his roof without affecting him in the slightest, while he had the opposite effect on her?
“Before the accident, my brother and sister-in-law lived here and had set the place up as bed-and-breakfast accommodation. So, you would have your own self-contained quarters,” he went on. “You’d have to live in because it’s too far to commute from Melbourne every day. Besides which, my work involves clients all over the world, so I’m at the computer till all hours. With you here, I might finally manage to catch up on some sleep. As well as giving you access to the dollhouse, I’m prepared to pay well for your services.”
The salary he named would get her out of financial trouble for some time to come. Added to the appeal of a story about the long-lost Frakes Baby House, the package would enable her to clear her debts and bring her business back from the brink.
“It’s only until I can find someone to fill the job permanently,” he added when she hesitated. “Surely the children’s shelter can spare you for a time?”
“As a casual, I work whatever shifts I’m available, so leave isn’t the problem.”
“Then what is the problem?”
He was, she admitted inwardly. No man had ever excited her the way Nicholas did. From the moment she set eyes on him, her response had been instant and annoyingly physical. If she agreed to work for him would it get worse, or would familiarity end up breeding contempt? There was only one way to find out.
“Your offer does have its attractions,” she said with more irony than he could possibly know, “but we need to get a few things straight. First, I’d love to look after Maree but I’m not a housekeeper.”
“Not a problem,” he confirmed. “I’ll get someone to clean the house and take care of the laundry.”
“And I’m a terrible cook,” she confessed in a rush.
“But your omelette was the best I’ve ever tasted.”
“It’s the only thing of mine you’ll ever taste. In fact it’s the only thing I can cook. So if that disqualifies me for the job...”
“No, no,” he denied hastily. “Maree is my first concern and you have her approval, which is what matters. As it happens I’m a passable cook when I’m not so worn out, so we can alternate my dinners with your omelettes. Do we have a deal?”
It was probably the craziest thing she had ever done, but she found herself nodding. “We have a deal.”
Chapter Three
Sam Dale loaded another box into Bethany’s hatchback. “Are you sure you have enough stuff in here? I can tie the refrigerator to the back if you like.”
Bethany pulled a face at him. “Very funny. It only looks like a lot because it’s a small car. I didn’t pack too much because I’ll only be at Yarrawong until Nicholas Frakes finds someone compatible to take care of Maree permanently.”
“Compatible with whom?”
To her annoyance Bethany felt herself redden. “With the baby, of course. He isn’t the slightest bit interested in me, only in how well I get along with Maree.” How could he be interested in Bethany after being involved with a famous beauty like Lana Sinden?
Sam’s eyes narrowed. “Are you sure he isn’t interested in you? Forgive my suspicious mind, and I’ll probably hate myself for admitting this, but you are an attractive female, even if you are my little sister. I don’t like the idea of you moving in with a virtual stranger.”
“I’m going to work for
