“Jeannie,” he all but groaned.
“Yes,” she whispered back. His hands went to her waist and then he was walking her backward and kicking the door shut and—
Bang.
The sound of the door slamming jolted them apart. And not a moment too soon because the nanny emerged from the baby’s room, a perfectly swaddled Melissa in her arms. “Ah, Dr. Wyatt,” Maja said, smiling broadly. “We are doing well.”
Robert straightened his cuffs to give himself a moment to get his body back under control but then he made the mistake of glancing over at Jeannie. She was bright red and staring at her toes but he thought he saw a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
Lips swollen with his kiss.
That made him feel oddly proud of himself, as if he’d done something noteworthy instead of making a messy situation even messier.
Damn it all, he’d lost control and that wasn’t allowed.
When he was sure he had his responses locked down, he said, “Yes, Mrs. Kowalczyk. What is your report?”
“The organic formula is helping and lovely little Melissa is already less fussy. Miss Jeannie is an excellent student and has already learned how to properly swaddle a babisui and change a diaper.” She cast a maternal look at Jeannie. “I think, however, it would be good for Miss Jeannie to get out of the house. She has been under a great deal of stress and we all need a break, don’t we?”
“Excellent idea.”
He already had his phone out to call Reginald back as soon as he’d dropped Kelly off at home when Jeannie made a noise of surprise. “Not tonight, Robert! For Pete’s sake!”
“What?” That was how she’d sounded last night after he’d ruined the kiss. Like there was an expected code of conduct in situations like this and he wasn’t following it.
“I’m not going anywhere tonight,” she said, her tone gentler. “Just because I had a nap and a shower doesn’t mean I’m operating on all cylinders today.” Her gaze dropped to his lips and, as he watched, the tip of her tongue darted out and swiped over her lower lip.
Hmm. That was interesting. Did that mean she was having second thoughts about that second kiss? All he knew was that he could still catch the scent of oranges in the air.
Cautiously, Robert looked at Maja. She nodded in agreement. “Perhaps for lunch tomorrow?” she suggested.
“Lunch.” He didn’t eat lunch on a regular basis. He was always at the hospital, making rounds or seeing patients.
“It’s a meal? Most people eat it around the noon hour?” Jeannie was definitely smiling now. Something in his chest loosened.
She was teasing him, he realized. No one else would dare, but she did. “Yes, I’m familiar with the concept.” Her smile got even bigger. “I have appointments tomorrow but we could do lunch on Saturday.” He already knew Maja would be here. He was paying her an exorbitant rate to live in the first week, but it was worth it to see Jeannie without that haunted look in her eyes.
Maja was doing her job. Robert had made it clear that the nanny was responsible for making sure both people in this house were cared for.
Maja gave him that approving nod again as Jeannie said, “Okay, but nothing too fancy. And not Trenton’s.”
“Of course not.” He wasn’t entirely sure that he was welcome back. Better to wait until Jeannie could return.
Jeannie eyed him warily. “You do eat, don’t you? You never order anything but the Manhattan at the bar.”
“Of course I eat.” Darna made sure there were fresh-cooked meals for him at home. She cooked to his specifications and that was all he needed. He didn’t need to try the latest food craze or go out to be seen. He liked his corner at Jeannie’s bar and then he liked his peace and quiet.
For a second, he considered just bringing Jeannie to his town house and serving her the cuisine Darna left for him. If he called Darna right now, she’d probably have time to put together something special. Her roast pork was amazing and those little rice cakes wrapped in banana leaves—Jeannie would like them. He could show her his home and...
And...
That was a terrible idea. Yes, he’d kissed Jeannie twice now—but taking her to his home felt dangerous.
So Kelly would find a restaurant. Someplace quiet, but not romantic. Someplace where Jeannie could relax. Someplace where gossip would not reach Landon Wyatt.
Someplace where she could smile at Robert but a table would keep them from touching.
It was safer that way.
“I know the perfect place,” he hedged. He would know it by noon tomorrow, anyway. Kelly did good work. “Now,” he went on, because Reginald would be back soon enough and Robert had a role to fulfill. He held out his hands and Maja placed the baby in his arms without hesitation. Melissa squirmed at the change in elevation but when he cradled her, she blinked up at him with her bright baby-blue eyes. “Let’s see how we’re doing.”
Forty minutes later Jeannie had demonstrated everything she’d learned today—how to properly change a diaper, how to swaddle an infant securely, even how to hold the bottle so Melissa didn’t have to work as hard to drink.
The whole time Robert had watched her with those icy eyes, doing little more than nodding when she apparently passed inspection. Because that was what it felt like. An inspection. One she’d definitely failed yesterday. Today?
He’d kissed her.
He’d walked right up to her and kissed her and she’d kissed him back and everything felt so much better and that much worse at the same time because he was here and that was great but nothing made sense.
Because he’d kissed her.
And now he was standing there, judging her as she burped a baby.
A baby who thankfully fell asleep.
“Maja,” Robert said after Jeannie had laid Melissa down in the completely empty crib and they’d all returned to the living room, “you’ve done well today.”
Jeannie glared at him. Maja was a good teacher who obviously knew what she was doing but come on, Robert. Jeannie was the one learning everything from scratch on a few hours of sleep. But the man wasn’t even looking at her!
“Thank you, Dr. Wyatt,” Maja said, her eyes twinkling. “Jeannie is a most capable student.”
“Hmm,” he murmured as if he wasn’t sure he agreed with that assessment. Which made Jeannie glare harder.
But before she could tell him where to shove his humming noises, he said to the nanny, “Take an hour and get dinner.”
Wait. Jeannie cut a glance at Maja, who looked mildly surprised at this...well, this order. Which was pretty much how Jeannie felt, as well, considering they’d eaten dinner around six. But Maja was obviously used to taking odd orders from her clients, because all she said was, “Of course, Dr. Wyatt. I need to pick up more formula.”
“What...” Jeannie started to say as Maja grabbed her purse and was out the door in seconds. She moved awfully quick for a woman easily in her sixties.
“Reginald?” Robert said before the front door had closed behind Maja. Because of course Robert was on the phone. Probably ordering a butler or something. “An hour from now. Yes.”
She stared at him as he ended the call. What was Robert even doing here? Besides continuing to completely take over her life.
“I’m not going to work tomorrow,” she said. Unfortunately, it came out sounding petulant and immature. “I don’t want to and I’m not ready.”
“Of course you’re not,” he said, sounding almost agreeable about it.
“O...kay. So if you’re not going to convince me to get back to work, why are you here?”
He adjusted his cuffs. He still had on his jacket today, although she noted he had foregone a vest. Probably because it’d been close to ninety danged degrees today. To the average person, it might not look like he was stalling but she knew this was how Robert played for time.
/> He cleared his throat. Yeah, totally stalling. “Are you better?”
“I am.” God, this felt six kinds of awkward. She wanted...to go back to where they’d been when he’d walked up her front steps like a man on a mission.
Where he’d come because he wanted to see her.
“Will you sit with me?” she asked, holding out her hand.
He looked at her hand like he didn’t trust it. Or maybe he didn’t trust himself?
“Are you sure?” he asked and she heard the strain in his voice.
He didn’t trust himself. At least, not around her. The realization set her back on her heels.
“Yes,” she said because she knew he could be terrifying but he’d never once made her feel unsafe. “Are you?”
He hesitated.
“I only want to sit with you,” she said. “Come here.” It was as close to an order as she’d ever given him.
An emotion rippled across his face, one she couldn’t quite identify. She had to wonder—had anyone ever tried to tell him what to do before? Surely, at medical school?
“Please, Robert.”
Why didn’t he trust himself around her?
She didn’t think he was going to bridge the divide between them but then he laced his fingers with hers. They moved to the couch, and he sat. Stiffly at first, but when Jeannie sat next to him and tucked her head against his shoulder, she felt a tremor pass through his body and then, bit by bit, he relaxed.
She didn’t let go of his hand. Instead, she covered it with her other hand and stroked along the side of his thumb with her own. His hands were strong, with long fingers and impeccably groomed nails.
“Maja was what I needed,” she told him, but what she really wanted to say was that he was what she needed. “Thank you.”
“Good,” was all he said, because of course.
Her mind raced even as her body calmed. Like last night when she’d needed a hug, tonight she needed to lay her head on his shoulder and let his warmth seep into her body. If Robert was here, then things were okay. He wouldn’t allow it to be otherwise.
She thought of the nanny, the maid that would probably show up in the next few days, the lawyers, the insistence that she go back to work as soon as was humanly possible, hell, even lunch on Saturday—it all pointed back to something big in his life.
To the bad day he’d mentioned when he first showed up.
“Robert?”
“Yes?”
“Are you okay?”
She had the distinct feeling that, if she hadn’t been holding on to his hand with both of hers, he would’ve straightened his damned cuffs. “I won’t let any harm come to you. Or Melissa.”
She tensed. “Are we in danger?”
“No,” he answered too quickly and then, “No,” again, but softer.
“You’re touching me.” He smelled faintly antiseptic today. Surgery, she remembered.
“I...don’t mind.” He swallowed. Was he nervous? Because they were discussing feelings or because they were touching? “Because it’s you.”
The man might not spout romantic poetry or random compliments but... “That was probably the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
“What a low bar to meet.” Was that humor in his voice? He cleared his throat again. “You did well today. I’m impressed at how quickly you picked things up.” Her breath caught in her throat and she tilted her head back to find his face less than four inches from hers. “There,” he said, sounding almost cocky about it. “How was that?”
“Better,” she told him breathlessly. “Much better.”
He smiled. Just the corners of his mouth moving upward but it took everything warm and comfortable about him and kicked it right on over to pure, simmering heat.
“Good,” he said again.
That did it. Before she could talk herself out of it, she slid into his lap, straddling his powerful legs and bringing her pelvis flush against his. He inhaled sharply and she felt him tense underneath her.
“What are you doing?” he asked in a strangled voice. His arms stretched along the back of the couch, as far from touching her as he could get.
“Listen to me, you silly man,” she said, motioning in the narrow space between them. “I’m not afraid of you, Robert. I trust you.”
“You shouldn’t,” he ground out, digging his fingers into the couch cushions.
“Well, it’s too late because I do.” She cupped his face in her hands and made him look at her. “I’ve known you for years and I trust you so get used to it. I don’t understand you, but for the love of everything holy, stop acting like you’re a villain in this story.”
“Do you have any idea what I’m capable of?” he demanded, glaring.
Now she was getting somewhere. He couldn’t hide behind his shirt cuffs or the bar or the Manhattan. He couldn’t hide from her anymore.
“Yes,” she said, touching her forehead to his. “You’re capable of single-handedly saving incredibly sick children, you’re rescuing me and Melissa and you’re the most obnoxious perfectionist I’ve ever met. By, like, a lot.”
His chest heaved. “You don’t know.” As he spoke, his hands came to rest on the curve of her waist. “You just don’t understand.”
“No, I don’t.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder and hugged the man for all he was worth. “But I will because you’ll tell me when you’re ready,” she murmured against his skin.
After a heart-dropping pause, his arms curled around her. “Jeannie.”
She knew what he was going to say and she cut him off with a growl. He really was the most infuriating man. “This is not an obligation, dammit.”
“But—”
She leaned back. “Robert—did you ever think that I wanted to kiss you? That I’d want to do it again?”
Seven
She was sitting in his lap.
His lap.
Worse, she wanted to kiss him. Just kiss? Perhaps not, what with the way she straddled him, her breasts flush against his chest.
It should be wrong, the way her weight pressed him against the couch cushions. She shouldn’t be like this, definitely shouldn’t trust him. Not if she knew what was good for her.
“You want to kiss me.”
“I do.” She sighed, her warm breath stroking over his neck. “I’ve wanted to kiss you for years. Years. You never realized it, did you?”
He opened his mouth to point out the flaw in her logic, realized he had no idea what that flaw might be and snapped it shut again.
“I’ll take that for a no,” she said. Smugly.
People didn’t touch him. Yes, he’d shake hands with worried parents and examine their children, but outside of the office? Never.
Except for her, apparently. Because not only had he kissed her, but he also...liked her touch.
Jeannie molded herself to him. Her body was warm and light against his and it reached inside him, drawing an answering pulse from his blood. Her thighs felt strong and sure as they bracketed his legs and although he most certainly did not want an erection right now, all that pounding blood began to pound in his dick, as well.
Oh, yes—he liked it.
The heat of her core settled against his groin and he almost groaned at the delicious tension because she was sitting in his lap and he couldn’t remember wanting to be this close to a woman.
Much to his surprise, he realized he was stroking her back and he’d turned his face into her hair so he could inhale her scent.
It was good.
Because it was her.
She was a temptation he couldn’t resist.
She really had no idea what he was capable of, did she?
A tremor raced through his body. It wasn’t fear. Because Wyatts weren’t afraid of anything. He was merely h
olding himself back.
For her sake. Not his.
She wanted him...but not for his money or his power?
She was right. He didn’t understand a damn thing.
“Stop thinking, Robert,” she murmured against his neck. “Just be. We’ve both had crappy weeks and this is nice.” She sighed into him. “You’re a good hugger.”
He highly doubted that. When was the last time he’d been hugged?
Suddenly, he was talking without being entirely sure what was coming out of his mouth. “I’m not taking you out to lunch. You’re coming to my home. We’ll have a quiet meal on the terrace and...” He swallowed, trying not to sound desperate because desperation wasn’t allowed. “I... I can just be there. With you.”
What if she said no or demanded a fancy meal at a trendy spot, like he’d promised? The sort of thing that Dr. Robert Wyatt, a Top Five Billionaire Bachelor, should do?
The thought was almost physically painful. Because, he realized with alarm, that wasn’t who he was with her.
Say yes, he thought and dammit, there was desperation in those unspoken words.
Say yes to me.
Her lips moved against his skin. His body responded accordingly. He’d made her smile. It felt like a victory.
“Of course,” she agreed. She pushed back to look at him, her weight bearing down on him. God, she was perfect. “No obligations, no expectations. Just two people who can be together.”
All those colors in her eyes played with the light, making her look soft and otherworldly, like a princess who’d disguised herself as a commoner to test the prince.
He might have failed his mother but by God, he wasn’t going to fail Jeannie. She didn’t know what he was capable of. He prayed she never would.
“I’ll pick you up at twelve,” he told her, stroking his thumb over her cheek.
She leaned into his touch. “I’ll be waiting.”
* * *
“Are you sure this is okay?” Jeannie asked for the fourth time. Or maybe it was the fortieth.
Her sleeveless sundress was bright yellow, with a happy print of little pink and blue flowers all over it. Rona, the maid who’d arrived promptly at ten this morning, had even ironed the dang thing.
Seduction on His Terms Page 7