bit down on the inside of her lip to keep from firing back at Victoria. No need for the model-turned-actress to know how much Blake had shared about the reasons for his divorce.
“Of course you are.” Bella decided the safest thing to do was change the subject. “How have you been?”
“Just terrible,” Victoria said, her tone turning tragic. “I miss Blake. I made such a mistake leaving him.”
Bella was at a loss for what to say. Last night Blake had held her in his arms, made her come alive. Not once had he mentioned that he’d had dinner with Victoria or that she was staying with his stepsister.
“I’m sure you did what you felt was best at the time,” Bella murmured, grateful that Drew was beginning to fuss so she didn’t have to meet Victoria’s gaze.
“I was afraid. Blake put so much pressure on me to be the perfect mother. He has all these expectations because of what happened with his own mother.”
Curiosity aroused by Victoria’s declaration, Bella pinched her lips together to contain the questions that flooded her mind. Blake’s past was none of her business. But her silence acted to prod Victoria to more revelations.
“He never really recovered from her abandonment. He was only eight at the time. It’s why he expected me to stay at home and spend every waking second with Drew. But that’s not who I am. My career makes me happy.”
“Victoria—” Bella began, only to have the woman interrupt her.
“You can talk to him. You can make him understand that a woman can do both. Have a career and be a mother.”
“I really don’t want to get involved in what’s going on between you and Blake.”
“Aren’t you already involved?” Victoria’s gaze grew laser sharp. “Look at you. Blake and I have been divorced scarcely a few months and you’re already moved into his house and taking care of his son. You’re just one happy little family, aren’t you?”
“I’m Drew’s nanny. That’s it.” Unbidden memories of previous night rose into her mind and Bella felt heat rush into her cheeks.
Victoria’s lips thinned. “You’ve wanted him all along, haven’t you?”
“That’s not true.”
“Sure it is. I knew from the moment Blake introduced us that you would fall for him. A naive little farm girl from Iowa. What a laugh. I should have argued harder for a different surrogate.”
Bella’s breath caught in her throat. Victoria was a better actress than any of them gave her credit for. Bella had had no idea Blake’s ex-wife disliked her so much.
“I don’t think we should be talking about this in front of Drew,” she told Victoria.
The stunning former fashion model regarded her in disgust. “He’s nine months old.”
“He might not understand the words, but he’s sensitive to tone and body language.”
“Fine.” Victoria leaned toward Bella and lowered her voice. “Since you’re so worried about Drew, you’ll want to make sure I only have to say this once. Keep your little crush on Blake to yourself. He and I are meant to be together. That’s the way it is.”
That she made no mention of Drew irritated Bella. “They’re a package deal,” she reminded the other woman. “Blake is devoted to his son. He’s going to expect the woman he marries to be equally committed to Drew.”
“And I suppose you think that’s you?”
Bella was stunned by Victoria’s vehemence. How was it possible that such a beautiful, successful woman could be intimidated by her? “I have no interest in marrying Blake.”
“Why not? It would set you up for life. All your family’s financial problems would be a thing of the past.”
The slap of Victoria’s words loosened Bella’s tongue. “Like you, I don’t want to be a mother.”
“Yet here you are playing one to Drew.”
“I’m his nanny,” Bella repeated, enunciating each word so her message was clear. “Blake needed someone to fill in for a couple months. I needed money for my sister. It’s nothing more than that.”
“Then make sure it stays that way, because if anything you do keeps me from getting him back, I’ll make sure he knows the truth about Drew.”
Instinctively Bella clutched Drew tighter. Her heart jerked in alarm. “That will only hurt your relationship with Blake.”
“Remember the mother who abandoned him? If he finds out you’ve done the same thing to your son, he will hate you forever.”
Bella flinched away from the malice in Victoria’s eyes. “My relationship with Blake is strictly professional. I’m his son’s nanny,” she reiterated. “If he doesn’t want to reunite with you, it will not be because of anything I’ve said or done.” Shaken by her encounter with Victoria, Bella headed for the stairs. “If you’re looking for Blake, try the beach.”
Without another word Victoria marched off, leaving Bella to ascend the stairs on shaky legs. Thanks to their little chat, Bella was no longer certain a summer fling with Blake was a good idea. As tempting as it was to spend the next couple of months getting him out her system, as Deidre had termed it, with Victoria back in the picture and angling for a reunion, Bella was better off returning her relationship with Blake to a professional footing.
While she ran Drew’s bathwater, Bella stripped him out of his sandy attire. Either he was still energized by his time on the beach or Victoria’s hostility had riled him up; whichever was the case, Bella had a heck of a time keeping the sand from scattering all over the bathroom. Once he was seated in the water, splashing happily, she sat down against the wall and wiped her forehead with the back of her hand, following Drew’s antics with only half her attention.
It was peaceful sitting here. How many times had she watched her brothers or sisters in the tub? Too many to count.
Bella plucked Drew from the water and wrapped him in a thick towel. Cuddling him against her, she turned toward the door and spied Blake. How long had he been standing there? He’d showered but hadn’t taken time to dry his hair. It had a tendency to curl when it was wet. The sight struck her as adorable, a ridiculous term to use for someone as vigorous and masculine as Blake.
“I’m sorry Drew’s bath took so long.” She stumbled over her apology, thrown off balance by his clean scent and penetrating regard. “Give me a second to get him dressed for your lunch with Victoria. Is she still here or are you picking her up?”
“Neither.”
He continued to loom in the doorway, barring her way. Butterflies swirled in her midsection at the way he overpowered the generous space with his strong personality and commanding form.
“But I thought...?”
Blake hooked his free hand around her neck and drew her close. Bella was too startled to avoid the lips that came down to claim hers. Hard and demanding, the kiss stole her breath. She had no choice
