Daddies & Nannies: A Contemporary Romance Boxset Read online

  I spent the past week mulling over those three words—not the right ones, but pretty damn close—and I still was no closer to an answer. I wanted him to want to be with me, not need to.

  “Maybe you should stop trying to figure things out and take them at face value.” Edie pursed her hot pink painted lips and shook her head. “Who knows, maybe the universe is helping you out. Giving you a chance to have everything you’ve ever wanted, now you just have to be brave enough to reach for it.”

  That sounded great, right? I thought so too, but the truth was just the idea of his rejection stung. Hurt me to my core. That was the real reason behind my fear. “What if all he wants from me, is a pretend fiancée?”

  She smiles like she already knew my answer before I answered it. “Then you’d know he isn’t as great as you think. But I have a feeling he’ll surprise you.”

  I don’t know if surprised is the word I’d use because I’m pretty sure he sees me as his too-young, unsophisticated nanny; not the sexy woman I hoped he’d come to see. I gave myself the drive home to fantasize about Rafa seeing me as a woman, to imagine him kissing me and pressing his body into mine. About him smiling down at me before he entered me, or early in the morning before the rest of the world is awake. But when I pulled into the driveway, I killed the engine and shook those thoughts from my head. It was time to put my game face on.

  Five minutes later I was on the deck facing the ocean and happier than ever that I took the time to put my game face on. Mark and Crystal Wentworth were there. During the year and a half that I worked with Sofia, they’d come about a half dozen times, and each time it was filled with tension and stress. And now this.

  “Harper!” Sofia scooted off her chair and ran over to where I stood, looking pretty as can be in her fluffy pink dress. But she also looked uncomfortable in all those layers since it was eighty degrees outside. Her face lit up and I crouched down for a hug.

  “How are you kiddo?” This little girl was the sweetest kid I’d ever met. She was polite and curious, too serious when she wasn’t being a total goofball.

  “Good,” she murmured. “How is your abuelita?”

  “She’s great and I have a surprise for you from her. Later,” I whispered in her ear making her giggle. “Are you enjoying your visit with your grandparents?”

  Sofia shrugged her little shoulders. “Yes.”

  “For crying out loud, Sofia come over here this instant. You are not to be so familiar with the staff.” Crystal Wentworth was the biggest snob I had ever met. The woman lived in wool pants and silk shirts, giving no damns that it was not the right attire for southern California. Her blonde hair was shot through with silver and cut into a sleek boring bob.

  “Harper is my friend,” Sofia shot back, sending a world class pout to the woman.

  Crystal sniffed. “When you’re living with me we’ll have to work on your attitude,” she scolded.

  “Crystal,” Mark attempted to admonish, but it was clear who wore the pants in that relationship.

  But I didn’t work for the evil hag, and in fact, had a duty to protect Sofia. “That is not an appropriate topic of conversation to have with her and I’m sure Mr. Cavalleros wouldn’t approve.”

  “I’ll thank you to mind your business! Sofia needs a woman’s influence and I won’t sugarcoat that.”

  I wanted to smack the old biddy into the ocean, maybe hold her head down for a little bit just to scare the hell out of her. “Since you’re not her parent or her guardian now, it is not your place to tell her any of that. I think you’ll find, Mrs. Wentworth, that your particular brand of female influence is what is really detrimental to Sofia’s well-being.” She judged the little girl, refused to allow her to act like a child, instead treating her like a life-sized doll.

  “You can’t speak to me that way! I will make sure Rafael fires you for that, you little tart!.”

  “What is going on back here?” Rafael’s deep voice echoed around us, making my heart skip at his nearness.

  Sofia took off for freedom at the sight of her father. “Grandmother says I’m moving in with her, Daddy! Please don’t make me, I want to stay with you.”

  It was barely noticeable but I caught the lethal rage contained in his hazel eyes at his daughter’s words, her tortured plea. He smacked a kiss to her cheek that had my heart—okay and my lady parts—clenching with longing. “You’re not going anywhere. Except right now you’re going to play. I will be up with Harper shortly. Love you.”

  “Love you more!” And then she was gone, her hard-soled dress shoes clacking the whole way.

  When she was gone Rafa’s glare turned deadly, and Crystal was trapped dead center. “If that’s how you both want to play this, then you won’t see Sofia again until his nonsense is settled.”

  I swear my whole body shook at his low-spoken, yet intensely fierce words. Just imagining all that coiled power being unleashed was kind of turning me on. Inappropriate considering the situation. And the company.

  Mark stood, hands up in supplication. “Crystal misspoke Rafael, that’s all. There’s no reason this has to get ugly.”

  “Ugly? You’re trying to take my child, you haven’t even scratched the surface of ugly.” His long, lean frame was captivating to watch as he paced in front of the wrought iron patio table. “You attack me, how I raise my daughter and then you come into my home and tell her you’re taking her? Sorry Mark that is behavior that anyone who thinks they can be a better parent than I can, wouldn’t ever engage in.”

  Crystal stood and smoothed her pants, trying her best to maintain an air of dignity. But everyone knew there was no dignified way to get kicked out of someone’s home. “She is my only grandchild.” Her voice was barely above a whisper and thick with emotion, but I didn’t buy it and I hoped Rafael didn’t either.

  “Leave now. You are not allowed back until I say so. And don’t call or try to intercept her someplace, or I promise I will drain my riches to make sure you end up underneath the prison. Understood?”

  She nodded, but I could see it pained her to do even that much. “You better pray I don’t show you the same courtesy when I win custody.”

  God, but this woman was the most insufferable bitch I’d ever met and now she was threatening Rafael. I understood her grief but now she was terrorizing a man who was likely still grieving as well.

  “I wouldn’t count on it if I were you.” It popped out before I could clamp my mouth shut, so I owned it. If I overstepped, Rafael would tell me and I would take the hit, but someone needed to put her in her place.

  Crystal scoffed, looking wholly amused by me. I should have been offended but I wasn’t. She was born into a wealthy family and I wasn’t, that in no way made her better than me. Her behavior made her worse by far. “Oh that’s rich. An insubordinate nanny with a crush. You won’t even be here by then, dear. If Rafael is smart he will fire you long before this goes to court.”

  I knew it was a bad idea as soon as the thought crossed my mind, but at the same time I subconsciously had already committed myself to it. She was so smug and sure of her superiority that I felt the need to take her down all the way to my soul. So, I took a few steps until I stood next to Rafa and tucked myself into his side, planting a hand on his chest for good measure, and looked up at him with my most adoring smile. “Oh honey if you fire me I fear our marriage will be off to a bad start.”

  Rafael

  Days later, and I feared my shock would never leave me. Harper had been such an unexpected surprise when dealing with my former in-laws. Her staunch support of me and protection of Sofia had proven to me that she was the right person for the job all along.

  The truth was, after my drunken proposition in the kitchen I was certain that she might start looking for another job. It was a highly inappropriate conversation for an employer to have with his employee and I prepared myself for her resignation. But just like dozens of other times over the past year, she’d left me in awe of her strength and her kind heart. So now I nee
ded to see if she was serious, and if not, I needed to determine what will make her get serious about this.

  Yes, the more I thought about this scheme, the more it appealed to be. There was already a crazy kind of chemistry between us that crackled and sizzled in the air when we’re near each other. She wanted me physically as much as I ached for her. I knew that with certainty even though neither of us had ever acted on it.

  But there was more. We got along, shared details about our lives and laughed together, at least we did once she got over her extreme nervousness. We shared living quarters and spent a lot of time together, it wouldn’t be a stretch to see that we’d fallen into a relationship.

  And damn, but I couldn’t stop thinking about those sensual, intimate touches from the weekend. The feel of her soft hands, searing my chest all the way down to my heart with the heat she created. Violet eyes looked up at me, shining with so much affection and adoration that I’d been caught off guard. I wasn’t a man to spin fairytales, but the look in her eyes had me puffing out my chest and squaring my shoulders, making me want to be worthy of the look in her eyes.

  She’d called me honey, touching and stroking me so easily, it had gone straight to my head. And my cock. She was so effortlessly sensual and she didn’t even know it. Combined with the naiveté I often sensed in her, she was an irresistible combination of naughty and nice.

  And I wanted her.

  But first I needed to make sure Sofia was safe with me. She was my priority, and Harper and I could pull this off. We could pull this off and maybe enjoy a few fringe benefits in the process. Would Harper go for that?

  I didn’t know, so I stood straighter and knocked on her bedroom door, frowning at the closed door.

  “Come in.”

  I opened the door and froze. She was hunched over a metal work table which was scattered with the oddest tools I’d ever seen.

  “What on earth are you doing?”

  She smiled up me with a toothy grin. “I’m working. What’s up?”

  Working? “What kind of work is this?” Maybe I hadn’t been paying as much attention to her life as I thought.

  After a few more twists, she removed her safety glasses and wiped a hand across her face. “I make jewelry.”

  “Jewelry? Like beads and the like?”

  “No,” she answered me with a patient smile. “I make real jewelry using precious gems and jewels, quality materials and my own designs.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.”

  I couldn’t explain, but for some reason I felt thrown. Betrayed like she’d kept a secret from me. Only she hadn’t, I just hadn’t bothered to ask.

  “How long?”

  She shrugged. “About eight months.” Pushing back from her work station she stood and rubbed her hands against her hips. “Did you need something?”

  “Yes. I wanted to talk to you about this weekend.”

  Her posture stiffened, then became defiant. “I won’t apologize Rafa. That woman was out of line and she deserved a whole lot more.”

  I smiled and it turned into laughter. “Are you finished, or do you need to defend against more unmade accusations?” My smiled widened when her cheeks turned a vibrant shade of pink.

  “Sorry. What would you like to talk about?”

  “Does this mean you’ll do it? Pretend to be my fiancée?” I swear I saw a flicker of disappointment in her eyes, but then she nodded and I figured I must have imagined it.

  “Yes, I’ll do it.”

  “Fantastic.” I stepped closer because it felt too good not to invade her space, especially when that little strip of skin at the base of her throat began beating furiously in response. When her sweet scent of apples slid into my nostrils I knew I was lost. “What do you say we seal this deal with a kiss?” It was shameless but I didn’t care.

  She smiled. “That is what people expect an engaged couple to do, right?”

  In answer, I cradled her face with one hand and speared the other through her thick blonde curls, tilting her head back seconds before I swept in, tasting her mouth as though she were the only thing left giving me life. Her lips soft and sweet and pliant, opened up easily and I dove in, licking and tasting her tongue, exploring the depths of her mouth until she moaned and pressed her body to mine. The way she kissed me back felt good, right. It was slightly clumsy, but so full of passion I could have laid her right there on the work table and had her until we were both boneless. But I didn’t want to push.

  “You’re good at that,” she panted, eyes full of wonder.

  I brushed another kiss, gentler this time, before stepping back. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

  “Flatterer,” she kidded and stepped back.

  I left her room, feeling as though I had finally made some progress in the fight against the Wentworth family.

  “We need to set some ground rules.” Harper marched into my office looking fierce, and damn sexy in her tie-dye bikini. Blonde curls hung long and damp around her shoulders but my eyes tracked along the swell of her large breasts, rising up and down with her labored breathing. Fuck, but the way she looked, barely dressed, with exposed damp skin just made me want to strip her and taste every inch of her body.

  Instead my gaze returned to hers and I fought the smile that I knew she would interpret as me laughing at her. Smooth, delectable skin teased me, taunted me. I taunted back using only my gaze and when her nipples puckered, a satisfied smile crossed my face.

  “Rules about what, Harper?”

  Her gaze heated at the way I said her name but she quickly replaced it with a violet glare meant to intimidate. “You know exactly what, Rafa! Our relationship. I know we have to appear happy and in love in front of other people but I think we should keep the physical affection only for public consumption.”

  I took in her crossed arms and my gaze only slid over her cleavage before I took in her serious expression. I was disappointed, but I hadn’t given up. “And what about when Sofia says she’s never seen us so much as kiss or hold hands?” It was low to use my daughter to kiss and hold her but my desperation for her grew and I knew it would until our desire had been satisfied. “Speaking of, where is she?”

  But Harper wasn’t easily deterred and she had a ready answer on her tongue. With a shrug she told me, “She’s in the kitchen with Eleanor. We’ll say we kept it quiet for her sake until we got serious. Which is very recently.”

  I stood and rounded the desk, bridging the physical distance between us. She took a step back but not in fear, though wariness crept around the corners of her eyes. I ran a hand through her wet locks and she gasped. Perfect. “Were my kisses so awful?”

  “You know they weren’t,” she held up a hand. “Stay back.”

  I couldn’t help the chuckle at her command. “So, they were too good, is that the problem? You were too turned on and you’re afraid if we kiss in private, you’ll ravish me?”

  Even though I kept moving towards her, Harper stopped, held her ground. That defiant tilt of her chin made me want to smile and kiss her until she begged for more. But now she was serious. Intent.

  “Not at all,” she said but the blush that stained her cheeks said otherwise. “I just think it will be hard to remember that this is pretend if we’re kissing and touching nonstop all over the house.”

  “And other rooms?”

  “Definitely not.” She crossed her arms. Another lie.

  “Liar.”

  “No kissing,” she shot back.

  “Okay.”

  Harpers pink mouth opened to argue and then she froze. “Okay? Good. Great. Perfect. So,” she said again and straightened her spine to look me in the eye. “no touching and kissing in private. We’re in agreement.”

  “Right.” I smiled.

  “Good,” she said with a little too much relief for my taste.

  “After this,” I told her barely a second before I pulled her into my arms, enjoying the press of bare flesh where it touched mine. The kiss starts hot but s
he’s resistant at first, hesitant. But when she sank into me, curled her fingers into my chest and opened her mouth, it felt like heaven. My tongue touched hers and the heat intensified, sending currents of heat and electricity from me to her and back again. I needed to touch her more than I already was, running my down her back to glide over her ass before skimming up her hips and waist. Then my hands were there, on those delicious breasts that had kept me hard for months. They were more than a handful, hard points pressed to my palm when she arched forward. She moaned and I swallowed it up, caressing her tongue with mine and pressing my erection into her. Ah, but she was so hot, so damp for me. She pulled back and looked up at me with a glazed-over look.

  “Still think we shouldn’t do this?” I knew she was hesitant, but the way she kissed me back told me she was as affected as I was.

  With a smile and all the grace she could manage after being kissed within an inch of her life wearing a damp bikini, she stepped back and touched her lips with her tongue. Licked them like she could still taste me on them. “I think you’re going to make it very hard for me to resist you.”

  I grinned and invaded her space again, bracketing her petite frame within the walls of my arms. “So, so hard. Harper,” I whispered and moved my hips until she gasped at our connection, the pleasure that spiked through her.

  “You don’t play fair.”

  I leaned down until my lips brushed her earlobe. “No I don’t.”

  Harper

  Oh my god! That’s all I could say about that kiss in Rafa’s office. Even days later thinking about it made my panties wet, my mind wander back to the way he held me in his arms, grasping my breast and making me moan. It was everything that a kiss should be. It was hot and sweet, sultry, and so intense I thought I might embarrass myself. Thank goodness I didn’t because I couldn’t live if the single hottest moment of my life thus far was marred by humiliation.

  I couldn’t sleep for the erotic dreams chasing after me. And they all featured a tall, well-muscled prince with sparkling hazel eyes. After that kiss I didn’t even need explicit images to bring myself to climax in the middle of the night.