Single Dad Needs Nanny

by Teresa Carpenter

  In a matter of minutes she sat on the chaise, a fire burning brightly in the hearth. She had a wineglass in one hand, her book in the other. But Amy found it difficult to concentrate.

  Despite her determination, her thoughts drifted to the decisions she faced and she couldn’t focus.

  Her heart tightened and a few tears slipped down her cheeks. How could she leave Emma? She couldn’t love the little girl any more if she was her own daughter. And Dan—how could she tell him goodbye?

  Darn it, this wasn’t fair. To realize one dream, she had to give up another? Or did she? Tess had been a career woman. Would Dan support her?

  The pounding in her head increased and despite knowing it would only make things worse, Amy couldn’t help herself. She began to cry.

  Chapter Thirteen

  After walking Emma to her friend’s house, Dan stayed to have a beer and admire their recent renovation work. When the football game came on the big screen, it seemed rude not to stay and have a beer. But as the sun started to set he realized it was time to head home. Ted invited him to stay for supper but Dan had other plans for the evening.

  When he got close to home, a light in the parlor window beckoned and he quickened his pace. He wondered if Amy would be interested in going out tonight. Maybe they could take in a movie. With Steven still gone, she shouldn’t have other plans.

  His jaw clenched at the thought of the arrogant lawyer but he reminded himself that he was taking care of that situation. By the time Steven returned, Amy would be his fiancée.

  Dan pushed open the back door, expecting to find Amy in the kitchen. But that room was empty as was the dining room. He was in the hallway when he heard her. His heart stilled in his chest at the plaintive sound.

  He hurried to the parlor. She looked up when he entered the room, hastily brushing aside her tears. Though Dan told himself that if something bad had happened, she’d have called him on his cell phone, fear still gripped him in a stranglehold.

  “Is it Emma?” Dan could barely get the words out. How something could happen in the short time it had taken him to walk home, he didn’t know. All Dan knew was he’d never seen Amy this shaken. “Did Ted or Abigail call?”

  “No.” Amy drew a shaky breath and forced a smile. “They didn’t.”

  Relief flowed through him, but then he realized something still had upset Amy. And if it didn’t involve his daughter…

  Dan’s heart softened at the look of distress furrowing her brow. He found himself wanting to kiss and make whatever was bothering her all better. But even after what they’d shared, pulling her into his arms seemed too familiar a gesture. He settled for moving across the room and taking a seat next to her on the chaise. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

  “It’s nothing.” She smiled. “I just have a lot on my mind.”

  If not for the fact that she rarely cried, he might have believed her. His mind raced as he tried to figure out what might have upset her. She’d been in good spirits when she’d left the house this morning. His gaze narrowed. “You went to see your aunt.”

  She looked down at her hands for a moment before lifting her gaze.

  “She only wants what’s best for me.” Amy pressed her fingers against her temple. “Everyone only wants what’s best for me.”

  Dan forced a light tone. “And what is that?”

  “It doesn’t matter.” She closed her eyes briefly and exhaled a ragged breath, then rose to her feet. “My head really hurts. I’m going to bed.”

  Now that she mentioned it, he could see the lines of strain around her eyes.

  Dan stood, put an arm around Amy’s shoulder and steered her out in the hall toward the stairs. “Get into bed and I’ll bring you some warm milk.”

  Amy scrunched up her nose.

  “You don’t like warm milk?”

  She shook her head then winced at the movement. “Not so much.”

  “Come to think of it, neither do I.” Dan smiled ruefully. Hot milk had been his mother’s “cure for all that ails you.” It had been the first thing that had popped into his head. But he decided it was more appropriate for insomnia than for a headache. “How about some aspirin? Extra-strength Tylenol?”

  “There’s some Advil on the kitchen counter,” Amy said, glancing down the long hall. “I could take a couple more.”

  “I’ll bring them up.”

  Amy turned to him and laid her hand flat against his cheek, her eyes soft and luminous. “Thank you for being so nice to me.”

  His skin tingled beneath her touch and he was tempted to capture her hand and kiss her palm. But this, he reminded himself, wasn’t about his wants and needs, it was about making Amy feel better.

  “Don’t worry about a thing,” he said. “That headache is as good as gone.”

  Amy climbed the stairs, her feet as heavy as lead weights. Crying had brought her headache back with a vengeance. When she reached her room, Amy headed straight for the feather bed. She threw off her robe and slid beneath the covers. But even as she told herself to relax, her mind returned to her dilemma.

  She wanted the job but she wanted Dan and Emma, too. She already knew what Aunt Verna and Steven would say. But they didn’t understand. Dan wasn’t simply her employer, he was her friend. He cared about her. And she cared about him…

  “Here you go.”

  Amy looked up to find Dan standing next to the bed, tray in hand. Instead of just a pill bottle and water, there were two cups of tea and a plate of cheese and crackers.

  Placing the tray on a side table, Dan handed her the pills and water.

  Amy sat up, popped two tiny tablets into her mouth and washed them down. Although she’d been careful not to move too quickly, the pounding in her head exploded. She winced and brought her fingers to her temples.

  “Here.” Dan took a seat on the edge of the bed. “Let me do that.”

  He sat so close Amy could feel the heat from his body. “That’s okay. I’m—”

  “Stubborn,” he interjected, his teasing smile taking the sting from the word. His fingers brushed hers aside and he slowly began to massage her temples.

  “Humor me,” he said in a low, soothing tone. “I want to help. And I’ve been told I’m quite good at this sort of thing.”

  After several minutes, the pounding in her head eased. Some of the relief was due to the pills and the wine. But some was definitely due to Dan’s magic fingers. She sighed. “That feels good.”

  “You’re so tense.” Dan’s brows furrowed. “Let me see if I can get rid of some of this tightness.”

  His hands moved to her shoulders. Kneading the muscles between his strong fingers, he worked on the knots until she sighed with relief.

  When his fingers slid beneath the spaghetti straps of her top to focus on her shoulders, it hit Amy that she was naked beneath the shirt.

  She shivered.

  “Why don’t you lie down?” he said. “You can cover up and get warm and I’ll massage your neck.”

  “You don’t have to.”

  Dan placed a finger over her lips, stilling her words. “If you say that one more time—I’m going to have to—”

  Kiss you. Amy silently filled in the blank before abruptly turning on her stomach. She found herself oddly disappointed when he pulled the sheet up past her waist.

  “Do you have any lotion?” he asked.

  “On the dresser.”

  He was back in a second and, after rubbing the lotion between his palms to warm it, his fingers went to work on her shoulders.

  No massage Amy had ever experienced before had affected her in this way. The others had been administered by strangers, licensed professionals. Not by Dan who made her heart beat faster by just walking into a room.

  “If you want, you can rub my back, too,” Amy said.

  His hands momentarily stilled on her neck and she wasn’t sure which of them was more surprised by her boldness.

  “Unless you don’t want to,” she said hurriedly.

  “No
, that’s fine,” he said in a casual tone. “Do you want me to do it over the sheet? Or…?”

  Amy chewed on her lip. Dare she voice her true preference? Oh, what the heck.

  “If you’re going to use lotion, it’ll have to be skin.” Amy kept her tone nonchalant as if they were discussing the night’s dinner menu instead of him putting his hands inside her shirt.

  “Skin it is.” Dan pulled the sheet back to her waist and his hands slid beneath her shirt.

  Amy swallowed a gasp.

  His hands moved against her skin, slid up her arms, across her shoulders, then down her back. It was the softest, most tantalizing sensation, made more so by the knowledge that it was Dan touching her with such care, such firm strength.

  Her nipples tingled and an ache of wanting made her squirm. Each time his fingers traveled down the side of her body, Amy found herself hoping he’d take a detour to the front. But he was a perfect gentleman.

  After several minutes Amy was ready to scream with frustration.

  He was being kind.

  He was being solicitous.

  He was driving her crazy.

  Amy wanted more, but she wasn’t sure if asking for more was wise. After all, there were so many good reasons to remain lying on her stomach pretending this was simply a back rub.

  But when he leaned close and pressed a kiss against the back of her neck, she’d had enough. Without giving herself a chance to think twice, Amy flipped over. “I think I need a total body massage in order to completely relax.”

  It was as bold a statement as she’d ever dared to make but to her relief her cheeks remained cool. Dan’s gaze met hers. She could see surprise in his eyes, but there was something else there as well. A spark of hot desire that told her she wasn’t the only one who wanted more.

  The knowledge made her bolder still. She forced a teasing tone. “Unless you’re too tired? Or maybe you have a headache?”

  He shot her a wink. “I think I have enough stamina to go the distance.”

  The distance. Amy’s mouth went dry.

  “What about your headache?”

  “Headache?” Amy blinked and realized the throb had disappeared. “All gone.”

  “Great.” Dan leaned close and brushed her lips with his.

  The shadows had deepened and the bedside lamp bathed them in a golden glow, creating a private little world, a tiny island of glowing beauty with just the two of them in it.

  Dan’s lips moved down and he was soon exploring the soft skin behind her ears and down her neck, his mouth open against her, as his hands massaged her shoulders, her arms.

  “Does that feel good?” he murmured.

  “Oh, yes.” She exhaled the words. “But now instead of being cold, I’m hot.”

  His eyes darkened. “I want you to be comfortable.”

  Dan hooked the spaghetti strap of her T with one finger. “Less clothes might help.”

  “How about you?” Amy swallowed past suddenly dry lips. “Aren’t you hot?”

  Dan didn’t answer. Instead he sat up, quickly unbuttoned his shirt and shrugged it off then shot her an expectant gaze.

  Without taking her gaze off his muscular chest, Amy yanked her tank top over her head and sent it sailing across the room.

  For a long moment Dan simply stared. “You’re so beautiful,” he said. “I could look at you forever.”

  “More,” she said, although if pressed she couldn’t have said whether she wanted him to touch her or say more pretty things.

  Every part of her longed for his touch, his caress. Just when she thought she was going to faint with anticipation, he cupped her breasts in his hands, gliding his thumbs over her aroused nipples.

  She moaned low and deep, and grasping his hair in her fists, she tugged his head down. He appeared to know instinctively what she wanted, burying his face between the soft fullness of her breasts. His teeth scraped over one perfect swell followed by a slow, wet, luxurious lap of his tongue.

  Amy gasped in delight, her fingers biting into the muscles of his upper arms as she arched her back, silently begging him for more.

  Opening his mouth wide, he suckled her hard and deep and laved her nipple with the flat of his tongue. She closed her eyes and gave into the sensations racking her body. Yes, oh yes, this was what she’d longed for. This was what she’d dreamed about.

  She couldn’t keep still. Her hips lifted, she laced her fingers through his hair, encouraging him as he continued. The world seemed distant, dissolved, and Amy was aware of only the two of them as he gave her the intimacy her body and soul craved.

  His fingers closed around the top of her silky boxers, which were on the floor in a matter of seconds.

  Amy lifted her gaze, her pulse skittering at the blue fire in his eyes. No man had ever looked at her with such hunger, such desire. But no matter how much he wanted her, it couldn’t come close to how much she wanted him. She hooked her fingers around his waistband.

  “Off,” she demanded.

  She didn’t have to ask twice. His pants and boxers landed in a heap somewhere behind him, and he stood before her, in all his naked glory.

  Her eyes widened. Her tongue moistened suddenly dry lips. She knew she was staring but she couldn’t help herself. He was so big. Broad shoulders. Large hands. Huge…

  “Amy.” The single, husky-voiced word sounded faintly like a question.

  She wanted to reply, to say his name but she could only open her arms to him. He came to her then, leaning her back against the pillows, the breadth of his shoulders spreading her legs wider. When he pressed his open mouth against the sensitive skin of her inner thigh, Amy nearly jumped off the bed. The sight of his dark head between her legs, the brush of his tongue dampening her flesh brought a deep groan to her throat.

  “You smell so good,” he whispered, his warm breath caressing her. “Like flowers.”

  He blazed kisses all the way up her leg, across her belly, then moved away, leaving her quivering with need while he grabbed a tiny foil packet from the wallet in his pants’ pocket and readied himself for her.

  Amy stilled at the brush of his erection against her. For the first time she felt fear nip at the shimmering edge of arousal. It had been so long. And he was so…magnificent.

  He must have sensed her hesitation because he stopped. “If you’re not sure…”

  She could see his need, his desire, on his stunning face, in his brilliant eyes.

  This was Dan, she reminded herself shoving aside any doubts, and she trusted him. She wound her arms tightly around his shoulders and wrapped her legs over his.

  “I want you.” Amy lifted herself up, moving her hips against his in a sensual rhythm as old as time.

  Desire swamped caution as need, raw and wild, returned to consume them both. The urgency built, higher, hotter, then broke fiercely inside her, his name on her lips when she clawed his back and shattered. His hands on her hips, he held her tightly, his thrusts deep and hard, fast. On a groan, he shuddered violently, again and again.

  When he stilled, she slid her arms around his neck and drew him close. The weight of his body pressed her into the mattress. Smiling, Amy sank into the softness and brought him with her.

  “I’m crushing you,” Dan said when he could think again, when he could breathe. His heart was still thundering in his head, his lungs burning.

  “No.” Amy tightened her hold on him. “Don’t move.”

  Dan couldn’t have moved if his life depended on it. No experience had ever left him this spent, this weak. It took all he had to lift his head and gaze down at her.

  Her face was flushed, her lashes a damp tangle on her cheeks. As he watched, a single tear slipped free, tracing a silvery path across her temple before disappearing into the caramel-colored softness of her hair.

  His heart contracted. “Amy?”

  Her lashes lifted slowly.

  “Are you okay?” he asked quietly. “Did I hurt you?”

  “Yes. No. I—” She lifted an un
steady hand to touch his face. “Thank you.”

  He grabbed her hand and pressed it against his mouth. “The pleasure was all mine.”

  “It was incredible,” Amy said, still looking dazed.

  “If you ever need another back rub…” Dan let his voice trail off and shot her a wicked grin.

  Her laughter created all sorts of interesting sensations, none of them having anything to do with humor. Dan groaned, swallowing her gasp as he began to harden inside her.

  “Again,” he whispered.

  Shivering, her hands clinging to his shoulders, Amy gave him what they both wanted.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Amy woke before dawn, not certain she could move, let alone get out of bed.

  The pillow under her head was crooked, half-stuffed under the headboard. The bed was a mess, covers pulled loose and twisted, her plush down comforter on the floor. She had the vague memory of Dan pulling the top sheet over both of them but it now lay pooled at her feet.

  Still, she wasn’t cold.

  Her gaze slid to the man sleeping soundly beside her. He lay sprawled on his stomach, one arm thrown across her body, his hand resting just below her bare breast, fingers open and relaxed.

  Dan had been an amazing lover. Tender and gentle one moment, then lusty and demanding the next. Amy had only been with two other men and with both of them she’d been a passive participant.

  But not last night. Her gaze lingered on the thin red lines on his shoulder blades from her fingernails.

  Such loss of control wasn’t like her. She was quiet. Reserved. And according to her last boyfriend, undersexed. She wasn’t the type of woman who left marks of passion on a man’s back. Not the sort of woman who ever had moments of passion, for that matter.

  Her gaze lingered on Dan’s sleeping face. He looked younger in sleep, some indefinable tension gone. She still couldn’t believe Dan was here with her. The man she cared for, the man she felt achingly close to, the man she loved…

  Amy stilled as the reality washed over her. Despite her best efforts to keep her heart safe, she’d given it to Dan. While Amy desperately wanted to believe he felt as she did, she knew better than to confuse the physical act of making love with the emotional feeling of love.