She had a feeling Mr. Alexander was a man who was used to being in charge. That thought alone had arousal hitting hard.
Focus, Darcy.
“Mr. Alexander?”
“Colin.” That husky voice slid over her. “Call me Colin.”
A thread of hope started working its way through her. “That would imply I’ll be here long enough to call you by your first name.”
The muscle clenched in his jaw, the pulse in his neck seemed to be keeping that same frantic pace as hers.
Before he could comment, she kept going, more than ready to plead her case. “We discussed a trial period over the phone. Why don’t we agree on a set time? That way if this arrangement doesn’t work for either of us, we have a way out.”
She’d care for Lucifer’s kids to get the amount of money she and Colin had agreed upon.
“May I be honest?” he asked, taking a step back as if he’d just realized how close they were.
“Please.”
Iris wiggled in Darcy’s arms. Darcy set the toddler on the floor to play then straightened to see Colin’s eyes still fixed on her.
“I wasn’t expecting someone so young.”
She was always mistaken for someone younger, which was normally a lovely compliment. “I turned thirty two weeks ago.”
His eyes widened as he raked that gaze over her body once more. At one time she’d been self-conscious of her slightly fuller frame. Being surrounded by so much surgically enhanced beauty in Hollywood would wreak havoc with anybody’s self-esteem.
She could still hear her grandmother’s words on the subject: Be proud of who you are, your body and your spirit. Nobody can make you feel inferior without you allowing it. So Darcy had embraced her curves and her size twelve wardrobe, meager as it may be. Besides, who was in charge of dictating what was and wasn’t socially acceptable?
Her ass of an ex had mentioned her weight. She should’ve known then he wasn’t The One.
When Colin was done taking his visual journey, he rested his hands on his hips and shifted his stance. With a slight wince, he moved in the other direction. That was the second time she’d caught him moving as if he couldn’t stand on one leg for too long.
“Are you okay?” she asked before she could stop herself.
“Fine,” he bit off. “You don’t look more than twenty-one.”
With a smile, she shrugged. “It’s hereditary and I’ll take that as a compliment.”
His eyes narrowed as he tilted his head. “It wasn’t meant to be one.”
Crossing her arms, Darcy glanced down just as Iris gripped Darcy’s jeans and pulled herself up. The little girl with bouncy dark curls started toward the other side of the living area, which was immaculate.
Where were the toys? The random blanket or sippy cup? Other than that stuffed lamb, there were no signs a child even lived here. Even if they had moved in just a few days ago, wouldn’t the place be littered with baby items?
Beyond that, from what she could see, the house was perfectly furnished, complete with fresh flowers on the entryway table and the large kitchen island she could see across the open floor plan.
“Perhaps you have an older, more experienced worker?”
The man was testing her patience. Withholding a sigh, Darcy focused her attention back on the sexy, albeit frustrating, guy. “I’m the only one available for the job at this time.”
Not a lie. She was the only one—period. Just last month she’d had to lay off her final employee. Letting her grandmother’s staff go had been heartbreaking, but the money simply hadn’t been there after several of her clients had changed agencies. They had been like family and had all worked so well together. Fortunately, everyone understood Darcy’s predicament and Darcy happily gave each of them glowing recommendations for other jobs. Hopefully she’d be able to get Loving Hands back on its feet and slowly bring her workers back.
“Listen,” she told him, steeling herself against any worry or doubt. She wasn’t going to borrow trouble yet. “I realize I look young. I understand how you only want the best for your daughter. However, everything I do will be monitored by you since I’d be staying here. You see something you don’t like or you believe her care is not up to par, let me know. That’s what the trial period is for.”
Colin glanced from her to Iris, who was now smacking her hands on the coffee table as if playing the drums. Darcy wasn’t about to give him a chance to answer, because she might not like the one he gave.
“I’m here now and from the dark circles under your eyes, you need to rest.” Darcy smiled, hoping he was not going to put up a fight. “I can take over while you take some time for yourself.”
She waited a beat, her heart pounding. Would he send her away simply because she wasn’t an old lady wearing an apron and sensible shoes?
Colin rubbed his eyes then raked a hand over his face, the stubble on his jaw bristling beneath his palm. Why was that sound so...erotic? His eyes settled on her again and she refused to look away, refused to step back or show any fear. This was her livelihood, her only option of getting out of the depths of hell she’d fallen into. Though being thrust into a lifestyle she’d dreamed about for years, a lifestyle that was completely impossible for her to have, was a whole other layer of hell.
When the silence stretched between them, hovering in the air like an unwelcome guest, Darcy was convinced he was going to show her the door. After what seemed like forever, Colin nodded.
“I’ll give you today to prove yourself.”
Never before had he allowed someone to steamroll him into going against his instincts. Yet a determined woman with enough killer curves to fuel any man’s fantasy for every lonely night had done just that.
Perhaps it had been her sensual body that had him caving and ignoring common sense. But Darcy had something else he admired—tenacity. She wasn’t giving in and she made very valid points as to why he should keep her around.
Such as the fact that he would be monitoring her every move while she was here. Perfect, just what he needed. Watching her every move might very well be his undoing. He’d wanted to figure out who he was as a man while he was here in LA, but this unexpected lust was an angle he hadn’t considered.
Colin clasped his hands behind his head and continued staring up at the vaulted ceiling in his master suite. Sunlight spilled in through the sliver of an opening in his blackout blinds. He hadn’t even bothered getting beneath his navy duvet because he knew his mind simply wouldn’t shut down, and getting too comfortable didn’t really matter. Napping in the middle of the day really wasn’t something he did, but he was exhausted.
Rest wouldn’t be his friend for some time, he feared. He’d needed a nanny fast. Based on previous families his assistants had interviewed, Darcy was the best option. Unfortunately
