An image of her grandmother flashed through her mind. Darcy had promised Gram before she passed that Loving Hands would stay up and running. Then love had entered the picture...or what Darcy had thought was love. How could she have been so naive as to trust a man with her life and her family business, and not see that he was a lying, greedy user?
* * *
Colin leaned against the island and crossed his arms over his broad chest. “Why only one bag?”
His question jerked her from her thoughts. That’s what he’d initially wanted to talk about? Her luggage?
“How many bags do I need?” she countered.
A sliver of a tattoo peeked out from beneath the hem of his T-shirt sleeve. Darcy’s belly clenched. She’d always been a sucker for ink. But shallow lust is what got her into a mess of trouble the last time. A sexy, smooth-talking man and tats over solid muscles...she refused to go down the same path again, when all she’d met at the end of her journey was a broken heart. Not that Colin was a smooth talker. He was more of a blunt, grumpy, irritable talker.
“Will you be sending for more belongings?” he asked.
Still stunned that this was what he’d wanted to discuss, she shook her head. “I have all I need. Does this mean I’m staying?”
When he raked a hand through his tousled hair, a masculine, woodsy scent slid across the gap and straight to her. How did the man positively reek of sex appeal when he looked like he’d spent days without sleep?
“I want to discuss the trial period,” he told her, shifting his weight with a slight wince. “The contract we mentioned on the phone was for six months. I’ll give you one month to prove that you’re the right fit for the job. Anytime in that month we can decide to terminate the agreement.”
Relief spread through her in waves. She would definitely win him over in a month. She was good at her job, she’d been raised helping her grandmother care for children and, honestly, raising kids was all she knew. The irony of the situation as it related to her personal struggles was not lost on her.
And, actually, caring for kids wasn’t all she knew, just all she knew to pay her bills. Cooking was her hobby, her therapy, really, but it wouldn’t keep her afloat financially no matter how much she enjoyed it.
“That sounds fair.” She rested her hands on either side of her hips, gripping the edge of the counter with her palms.
“I know we agreed on compensation,” he went on as if conducting a business meeting and not standing in his kitchen with sexual tension vibrating between them. “I’ll give you half now and the other half at the end of the six months, if you stay. Between now and the sixth month, there may be incentives along the way. Bonuses, if you will.”
“And if I leave at the end of this month?”
Colin’s bright eyes held hers as he lifted a shoulder. “Then take the first half of the money and go. No incentives.”
Half the money was better than no money. Still, she needed the full amount to pay off Thad’s debt and jumpstart the agency again. This job would save her business and get her back where she needed to be so she would make sure she impressed him with her skills.
She was an excellent cook, if she did say so herself. Surely that would be another check in her favor. What single man wouldn’t want someone who had hot meals ready for him every single night?
“I expect you to care for Iris during my working hours which I already went over with you on the phone,” he went on. “I don’t expect you to cook every meal, that’s a duty we can share. I do need you to drive if we go out, as I’m still recovering from an accident that has limited my activities. If all of this is fine with you, then you can stay.”
Darcy nodded, though she wanted to ask about his injury. But now wasn’t the time and if she stayed on as nanny, she’d most likely discover what had happened to him.
“I’m fine with that deal.”
She held out a hand to shake. He darted his gaze down to her hand, then back up to her face. With an emotionless expression, Colin slid his warm, strong hand into hers and an electric sensation shot straight up her arm. His eyes widened for the briefest of moments. The grip on her hand tightened.
This wasn’t happening. No way could an attraction form so quickly, be so intense. She’d been convinced the tension and fascination was one-sided. Apparently not.
Darcy swallowed, wondering what he was thinking, feeling. She didn’t want the awkwardness to settle between them. This was only day one, though, so she’d chalk it up to them getting a feel for each other...not the chemistry that was growing and already causing problems.
“Do you want to give me a tour of the house?” Darcy asked, needing to remove herself from temptation.
Colin blinked, dropped her hand and nodded. “Of course. I also wanted to let you know that if you need an evening off to go out or have some personal time, just give me notice. I don’t expect you to put your life on hold and work twenty-four hours a day.”
Laughter bubbled up and Darcy couldn’t keep it contained. Colin’s brows drew together.
“You find that funny?”
Waving a hand in the air, Darcy shook her head. “I have no social life. I won’t require any time off.”
He tipped his chin down slightly, causing a longer strand of dark hair to fall over his eye as he studied her. “You keep surprising me.”
Besides his striking looks, Colin had a voice that would make any woman tremble with need. She didn’t want to tremble, didn’t want to have any type of unexpected attraction toward this man or any other. From here on out, until her agency was back in business, Darcy vowed to stay focused. No men, regardless of how lonely she was. She didn’t need someone to complete her, not by any means. But there were those nights she missed being held, missed the powerful touch only a man could provide.
“I’m really pretty simple,” she told him. “My work keeps me happy so I don’t need anything else.”
“What about friends? Boyfriends?”
Okay, that wasn’t subtle. Was he asking as an employer or as a man?
Pulling her self-control up front and center, Darcy stepped away from him and headed out of the kitchen. “How about that tour while Iris is sleeping?”
* * *
Two weeks and a great deal of sexual tension later, Colin led Darcy down the hall toward the back of the house, well aware of her closeness behind him and even more aware of the unspoken attraction that seemed to be hovering between them. He’d been struggling to keep any emotions hidden. He didn’t want her to look at him and see any sign of lust. Colin had no room for such things, not when he and his daughter were desperate for help.
But each time he’d seen Darcy with Iris, something had moved in him. Something he couldn’t identify. He assumed at this point she had no boyfriend. She’d made no mention of one even though she’d never come out and answered him when he’d grilled her on the subject her first day.
She’d managed to put him in his place without a word. Fine.
