The Heir's Unexpected Baby
Jules Bennett
Will this billionaire boss fall for his assistant…and her baby? Putting his ravishing assistant in danger makes billionaire investigator Jack Carson uneasy. Till now, Jack's cared only about running his security company and bringing down the notorious O'Shea family. But using Vivianna Smith to infiltrate their organization has complicated his priorities. And burying himself in work is no longer protecting him from his feelings.The seismic attraction he's been suppressing has been tough enough. But watching Viv care for the baby she's fostering stirs up emotions from his tragic past. Despite Jack's certainty that Viv is hiding something, his raging desire is driving him to the limits of his self-control…
Will this billionaire boss fall for his assistant...and her baby?
Putting his ravishing assistant in danger makes billionaire investigator Jack Carson uneasy. Till now, Jack’s cared only about running his security company and bringing down the notorious O’Shea family. But using Vivianna Smith to infiltrate their organization has complicated his priorities. And burying himself in work is no longer protecting him from his feelings.
The seismic attraction he’s been suppressing has been tough enough. But watching Viv care for the baby she’s fostering stirs up emotions from his tragic past. Despite Jack’s certainty that Viv is hiding something, his raging desire is driving him to the limits of his self-control...
“Exploring this tension between us isn’t a good idea.”
Wait... what? Jack thought Viv was about to bring up the chemistry between them? He clearly thought of her in that way or this wouldn’t be an issue.
“I was—”
“I don’t like tension in my work space.”
“And you think there’s a problem between us?”
Why was her whisper suddenly husky like some seductress? She certainly wasn’t trying to seduce him. Not that she’d mind.
“I think you drive me out of my mind.” Jack took a half step closer. “I blame myself for my thoughts, but I blame you for making me want things I have no business wanting.”
“I’m not trying to do anything to you. I’m attracted to you, but I know you’re my boss and that’s a line we can’t cross, even if you were interested in me that way.”
Jack muttered a curse, took a step forward and had her pinned between his hard chest and the wall.
“If I was interested?” he repeated with a laugh of disbelief. “Do I look like a man who isn’t interested, Viv?”
* * *
The Heir’s Unexpected Baby is part of Mills & Boon Desire’s No. 1 bestselling series, Billionaires and Babies: Powerful men... wrapped around their babies’ little fingers.
The Heir’s Unexpected Baby
Jules Bennett
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
National bestselling author JULES BENNETT has penned over forty contemporary romance novels. She lives in the Midwest with her high-school-sweetheart husband and their two kids. Jules can often be found on Twitter chatting with readers, and you can also connect with her via her website, www.julesbennett.com (http://www.julesbennett.com).
To everyone who has opened their homes and hearts to foster children... you are truly a blessing.
Contents
Cover (#u03e32ebc-cfe7-5040-bdd1-ca9eb97a4e74)
Back Cover Text (#uc6e415dd-ba05-5840-bd29-2ee61ded3e68)
Introduction (#u3b9c68c2-f24e-5ab8-942a-a84085bb993e)
Title Page (#u9f5616f9-3e95-59b7-a4ea-85e9a6696e51)
About the Author (#uffbac152-4a55-5b65-b966-c716c3d9e696)
Dedication (#u151e8438-8713-57c9-800b-f96ecbe9855f)
One (#ulink_333ec262-4457-5b74-97d3-615afc51f5ea)
Two (#ulink_95ab57bf-26b2-5149-b9e3-2e3044db87dd)
Three (#ulink_6e9f7917-e436-565e-b567-aa05ada04e38)
Four (#ulink_5b765e6c-bfec-5d5f-8877-35606ab3a9e0)
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Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)
One (#ulink_1a5cc9d1-2198-580c-b25e-4becb95863e5)
“What are you doing here so early?”
Jack Carson brushed past Vivianna Smith and stepped into her apartment, trying like hell not to touch her. Or breathe in that familiar jasmine scent. Or think of how sexy she looked in that pale pink suit.
Masochist. That’s all he could chalk this up to. But he had a mission, damn it, and he needed his assistant’s help to pull it off.
Wouldn’t life be so much easier if Viv were only his assistant? He’d avoided the unwanted attraction for four years, yet the longer she worked for him, the more difficult that was proving to be. And lately, he’d been having dreams. Okay, fine. Fantasies. And she starred in every single one of them.
How the hell could he even have these thoughts about her? It was flat-out wrong, not to mention unprofessional.
“I need you to use that charm of yours and get more information.” He turned to face her as she closed the door to her apartment. “You’re going to have to dig deeper into the Parkers’ lives.”
Clint and Lily Parker were a young couple who had been killed two months ago in a robbery gone wrong. The perpetrators set the Parkers’ house on fire. The only survivor was a sweet infant named Katie...a baby Viv now fostered.
The burn in his chest was still crippling. Jack wasn’t going down the baby path, not even in his mind. He admired Viv for reaching out and helping a child, as she had so many times over the years. But babies weren’t for him. They never could be if he wanted to keep his heart intact.
“You’re positive the O’Sheas had something to do with that crime?” Vivianna asked, moving around him to head down the hall.
With no option but to follow her swaying hips, he fell in right behind her. He was human, and a guy. Where else could he look but those hips? She always had on those damn body-hugging skirts...he believed she referred to them as pencil skirts. Those curves would be the death of him.
“I know they did,” he confirmed.
The infamous O’Shea family of Boston was always slipping around the law, ignoring the basic rules of human decency. Jack’s main focus in life was bringing cocky bastards like that down. Every time he went against those believing they were above the law, he saw the person who had killed his wife and unborn child...and still ran free.
The O’Sheas might run a polished high-society auction house known around the globe, but he knew they were no better than common criminals. And Jack was about to prove to this arrogant family who was in charge. He would bring them down in a spectacular show of justice. And his ticket was the woman who fueled his every fantasy.
A year ago, Jack had set up the perfect bogus background for Viv. She was working only part-time for the notorious family, but that’s all he needed for her to gain intel.
The FBI had sought him out, needing someone with his experience and resources to infiltrate the O’Sheas. Since Jack was the best in the business of investigating, of course they needed him. That wasn’t vanity, either, just a fact. Jack could get things done when others couldn’t.
The millions he’d made hadn’t rolled in by him sitting back and delegating responsibilities. He’d worked his ass off, throwing himself into his work and opening Carson Enterprises when he got home from Afghanistan ten years ago.
He’d returned to find that he’d lost his entire family while he’d been overseas. What else had there been to live for other than seeking justice anywhere he could?
Since he’d already made a fortune, he often turned down jobs when they didn’t appeal to him. But the O’Sheas were right in his wheelhouse. They had been in talks with the Parker couple about acquiring some of their antiques when the robbery happened. There wasn’t a doubt in Jack’s mind that this tight-lipped family knew what really went down that tragic night.
Viv went into the nursery. Heart clenching, Jack opted to wait in the hall—demons and all that.
He commended Viv for her love of children, the way she fostered with open arms. Over the time he’d known her, he’d seen her with various children, but never an infant. He couldn’t get involved in any of that. The wounds he’d lived with for so long had never healed...probably never would.
Viv stepped back into the hall, Katie’s head resting against her shoulder. “I need to drop her off at the sitter next door and get to work.”
Viv was lucky that her next-door neighbor was a retired teacher and widow. She loved kids and took care of Viv’s foster kids when she was working.
“I’m doing what I can, Jack.” Her eyes held his and he hated how tired she looked. Beautiful, sexy as hell, but still tired. “They’re already suspicious because of the missing data. If I press too hard, they’ll know I’m not who I say I am.”
Jack hadn’t wanted to put her in this position. But he couldn’t back down when he had a job to do. And that job wasn’t staring at the V in her suit jacket as baby Katie tugged at the opening.
A flash of a white lacy bra taunted him, making him want to undo those few buttons to see if the lace...
Damn it. Get a grip.
She stepped forward, and Jack had to force himself to focus on her face. Which wasn’t a hardship. Viv was part Native American. Her grandmother had been in the Sioux tribe, so Viv had inherited high cheekbones, long, dark hair and deep brown eyes. He’d seen more than one man do a double take her way...and each time, Jack had wanted to throat punch the stranger.
Guilt banded around his chest like a vise. He shouldn’t be lusting after another woman. He’d had the love of his life; she was gone. Gone because he hadn’t been there to protect her or their baby.
Getting drawn to Viv was just a by-product of working together for so long. She was the only woman he associated with, other than his housekeeper-slash-chef, Tilly. He admired Viv because she was strong, with an undertone of vulnerability. Add in her striking looks and perfectly shaped curves and it was only natural he be attracted to her. But he had to keep his emotions beneath the surface where he could control them.
“I’m on your side here,” she told him with a soft smile, pulling him back to the moment. “Why don’t you come over this evening and we can talk more.”
“I have a conference call this evening with some clients in the UK.”
Viv gave a slight nod. “Oh, okay. Then tomorrow? I’ll make dinner and we can figure out our next step.”
Dinner? With her and the baby? That all sounded so...domestic. He prided himself on keeping work in the office or in neutral territory. But he’d come here this morning to check on her...and he couldn’t blame it all on work.
Damn it. The longer this case went on, the more protective he became—the more possessive.
“You can come to my place and I’ll have my chef prepare something.”
There. If Tilly was on hand, then maybe it wouldn’t seem so family-like. Viv often fostered kids who had no place else to go. He had no idea why she’d never settled down and started a family of her own, when it was so obvious she loved caring for children. But that was none of his business. Just because they were associates didn’t mean he had a right to pry into her life. Clearly, she didn’t want to discuss such things or she would’ve brought them up.
“I can do tomorrow,” she told him, her smile widening. “Katie and I would love to get out of the house. I get off work around four, so I’ll pick her up and be right over.”
Jack hadn’t had her over with a child before. On the rare occasions he and Viv got together outside the office, it was usually just the two of them. In the past couple years, ever since he started really noticing Vivianna as more than his assistant, he’d tried to keep their social interactions to a minimum.
“Any requests?” he asked.
Did her gaze just dart to his lips? She couldn’t look at him with those dark eyes as if she wanted...
No. It didn’t matter what she wanted, or what he wanted for that matter. Their relationship was business only. Period.
“Um...no requests.” She shook her head, offered a smile. “Whatever you have will be fine.”
Jack rubbed his damp palms against his jeans. He needed to get out of here. Between that telling look she’d thrown him, the precious baby still sleeping in her little pink onesie and his lack of sleep from working, his mind was throwing all sorts of impossible scenarios at him.
Jack crossed to the door and gripped the doorknob. He glanced over his shoulder as Viv closed in behind him. “Be careful, Viv. I don’t want you to take unnecessary risks.”
She shifted the sleeping baby and tipped her head. “You’ve taught me how to look out for myself. I promise I’ll be fine. See you tomorrow.”
Jack paused, soaking in the sight of her in that prim little suit, holding the baby. Definitely time to go before he forgot she actually worked for him and took what he’d wanted for months. He didn’t need any more heartache or distractions in his life.
* * *
It was finally four o’clock and Viv couldn’t wait to get out of her office at O’Shea’s and go see Jack. Ridiculous, this infatuation she had with her boss. Clichés were definitely not her thing, yet she’d be diving headfirst into his sheets if he gave her the green light.
Sad. She was a sad woman hoping her boss would notice her. Like she had time for a torrid, steamy affair. She was caring for a child, an infant. There was nothing sexy about the haggard, overworked-mom look. But Viv would never give up fostering. She could still be a mother, yet not get too emotionally attached.
The heartache of knowing she’d never have her own children was somewhat pacified, yet the underlying hurt was never too far below the surface. But work kept her busy and her attentions focused elsewhere. It wasn’t as if she didn’t have a full load at the moment.
Viv started at O’Shea’s part-time, which was perfect for her fostering schedule, not to mention that she still worked for Jack, as well. Being single, she had only a handful of people she could count on. Her parents were no longer around and she was an only child. She’d learned some time ago how to be independent, but even so, she needed some help when caring for a child and working outside the home.
Her quirky neighbor, Martha, was an adorable elderly lady who watched Katie most of the time, but when Viv was in a bind, she’d simply take Katie into the office. Well, her office with Jack.
Oh, she “worked” at O’Shea’s, but that was only a cover created by Jack to get her on the inside, up close and personal. Her real employer was one sexy, rich investigator who couldn’t move beyond his heartache to see there was still life out there.
If it wasn’t work, he wasn’t interested...which was the only reason he’d shown up so early at her house yesterday morning. The man had been through so much pain in his life, it was no wonder he was married to his job. He’d lost his mother when he’d been around nineteen, then he’d seen battle in war. His wife had been killed and he’d never known who his father was... Viv knew just enough details for her heart to break for him, but she wished he would try living again. She’d love to be the one to show him that not everything was harsh and cold...if he would only let her in.
Viv headed toward the back office of O’Shea’s. Laney, the youngest O’Shea and the only female sibling, was out front dealing with a potential client. Since they had discovered some information had been leaked to the Feds, at least one member of the infamous family was here at all times...which made Viv’s snooping a tad more difficult, considering she was here only about twenty hours per week.
Circling the antique desk that had been assigned to her in the office, she opened the top left drawer to find a pen. She wanted to jot down some items she needed to pick up from the store or she’d forget.
Katie was teething and the nights were getting longer and longer. Poor baby. She’d lost her parents and now she wasn’t sleeping. Viv wanted to comfort the sweet girl while she was in her care.
All kids that came into Viv’s home were precious, and they were all hard to say goodbye to. But Viv stayed strong for them. With this being her first baby, she worried how much more difficult it would be, both emotionally and logistically. She already had a demanding schedule, but she couldn’t turn away this poor orphan who’d just lost both parents.
At the moment, Katie needed more pain reliever for her swollen gums, and Viv was out of nearly everything. Grocery shopping wasn’t high on the priority list right now. Saving kids, helping Jack, trying to get Jack to notice her as more than a friend...would he ever? Her to-do list seemed to grow by the day.
Vivianna reached inside her desk for a pen and a slip of paper. She’d used this particular desk since coming here a year ago. During that time she’d earned the trust of the O’Sheas, and occasionally felt guilty about her act, but she wasn’t naive. She’d heard the rumors around Boston. Anyone who delved into the art or auction world knew who the O’Sheas were. The terms mafia and mob seemed to follow them wherever they went.
Something brushed the top of her hand. Viv jerked back, bent down, but didn’t see anything inside the drawer. If there was a spider in there tickling her skin there wouldn’t be enough antibacterial gel to kill those horrendous germs.
She quickly reached back in for her pen and paper. And once again something brushed the back of her hand.
Viv reached for her cell phone and shone the light inside the drawer, fully expecting to see a family of hairy tarantulas.
When she bent down, she saw a sliver of paper sticking out...from the top of the drawer? Since Viv had used this desk for so long, she had no idea what that could be.
She listened. Laney and the client were still talking. Viv’s desk sat in the corner, away from them, so the coast was clear. Pulling her chair over, she took a seat and bent to examine the underside of the desk. How had she not noticed anything before?
Gripping the paper between her thumb and index finger, she tugged slightly. When it eased out further, she noticed some cursive writing she couldn’t identify. Pulling a bit more, she felt something give. Putting her phone inside the drawer to shine upward, she reached with both hands. The board was loose.
Viv pulled slightly, careful to not make too much noise, but Laney and the client were now laughing. Perfect.
The board was a bit of a struggle, but it came loose. And a small book fell into the drawer.
Viv stared, curious about where it had come from and who’d hidden it in the desk. She quickly grabbed her purse from the bottom drawer and slid the book inside. She’d have to look at it later.
Grocery list forgotten—she could worry about that later—Viv grabbed her things. She belted her wrap coat and quickly hoisted her purse up onto her shoulder as she headed out the back door. The bitter wind cut right through her, but she was anxious to get to her car.
Once she settled into her older model car, Viv turned on her heated seat, locked the doors and pulled the small leather-bound book from her purse.
It didn’t take her long to realize she’d struck gold. The author of this journal was none other than the late Patrick O’Shea. The patriarch of the Boston family Jack was hell-bent on bringing down. The family she’d been infiltrating for a year.
As she skimmed the pages, she knew when she got to Jack’s house he’d devour this thing. She couldn’t wait to get this to him, to show him she was valuable and actually had something concrete they might be able to use.
She flipped another page, then froze as she read the entry. Her blood chilled as each word sank in. There was no skimming this one. In fact, she read it twice to make sure she wasn’t seeing things.
Heart in her throat, she knew there was no way Jack could ever see this journal. Everything he’d wanted to bring down the family was here...including the fact that Jack was Patrick’s illegitimate son.
Two (#ulink_ef0bd7b7-10ba-5f48-9a01-a1813bab71a1)
Heels clicked on the hardwood, the echo growing louder as Viv approached. Jack came to his feet and turned toward the entryway of the patio room. He’d had his chef set up dinner out here so they could close all the French doors and have some privacy.
Jack sucked in a breath the second she came into view. The punch of lust to the gut was nothing new, though. More and more, when he saw her, she never failed to have a dramatic impact...an issue he’d have to deal with on his own.
Her pink suit jacket cut in at her narrow waist, the matching skirt fell just above her knee and her black heeled boots showcased just how long those legs truly were.
He’d traveled the world, both in the military and for pleasure, and had seen stunning women all over the globe. But Viv, who managed to embody innocence, class and a touch of sultriness, was one woman he couldn’t get out of his mind.
Jack knew Viv would be gorgeous in anything she wore. That Native American heritage of hers set her apart from nearly every woman he knew. And the fact that she stood out in his mind only added to his guilt. He had to get a grip or he’d mess up their working relationship, and he refused to find another assistant. Viv was invaluable and they worked smoothly as a team.
And she was the only one he trusted to get inside the O’Sheas’ inner sanctum and bring back information.
“Sorry I’m late.” She blew out a breath, hugged little Katie closer to her chest. “She’s been a little fussy and I’m pretty sure her teeth are bothering her.”
Jack shoved his hands in his pockets. He had no experience with teething babies...not that he wouldn’t have welcomed it once. But that chance was stolen from him the night his pregnant wife had been in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Working with Viv seriously hit his emotions from every single angle. Self-control was key to him not losing his ever-loving mind. And if he focused on the task at hand, at bringing down the O’Sheas, then nothing else mattered.
“I hope I didn’t hold you up.” Viv glanced at the table, her eyes wide. “Wow. You really went all out.”
The yeast rolls, the turkey roulade with plum sauce, the roasted potatoes and veggies, wine...even pats of butter in the shape of doves. Tilly, his chef, housekeeper and wanna-be matchmaker, had gone a bit overboard. And Jack knew for a fact there was a homemade red velvet cheesecake waiting for them in the kitchen.
He gave a mental shrug. Tilly’s attempts were all in vain. Regardless of the fact that Jack had told her this dinner was strictly business, she clearly had ignored him and done her own thing...as usual.
Tilly had been his chef for nearly a decade and never missed a chance to set him up with a woman. Jack had turned down numerous blind dates she’d foisted on him. When he was ready, he could find his own damn date. Considering he was married to Carson Enterprises and dedicated to working for justice, he didn’t have time to worry about dating or keeping a woman happy.
Jack glanced at the overly romantic table, then back to Viv. “I told Tilly this was a business dinner, but she’s hell-bent on marrying me off.”
Viv quirked a dark brow. “Well, this is already better than nearly every date I’ve been on. I’m still recovering from the last one.”
Before Jack could ask what she meant, not that it was his business, Katie let out a cry. Viv patted her back and rocked back and forth, whispering comforting words in an attempt to calm the baby. Nothing seemed to be working, but he wasn’t exactly an expert...nor would he ever be.
“I left the diaper bag up front where Tilly hung our coats. Could you grab it for me?”
Diaper bag. Sure. Maybe this meeting would have been better suited to a phone call. Viv had her hands full, technically working two jobs and caring for an eleven-month-old baby.
Jack refused to feel guilty as he headed to retrieve the diaper bag. Viv had been with him long enough and she was a strong woman. He wasn’t worried she couldn’t pull this off. He was counting on her to pull this off.
And that irritated him on a certain level. He hated relying on someone else to get the job done. He was a hands-on guy, so waiting for her to feed him information was not his idea of a dream job. But the FBI was counting on him to uncover something that would tie the O’Sheas to the crimes against the Parkers. Then they would have the open door to search the rest of their dealings.
The gray-and-white-patterned bag sat next to the accent table by the front door. Jack grabbed the strap and jerked the heavy bag up onto his shoulder. What the hell was in this thing? How could someone so small need so much stuff?
He started back down the hallway, but stopped short when Tilly stepped through the wide arched opening leading into the kitchen.
“Everything all right, Mr. Carson?”
Mr. Carson. She’d worked for him for nearly ten years and he’d given up trying to get her to call him by his first name. Tilly epitomized respect. Ironic, considering she didn’t mind nosing right on into his love life...or lack thereof.
“Fine, Tilly. Thank you. Viv just needed her diaper bag.”
Tilly smiled, the corners of her eyes creasing. “That little girl is lucky to have Ms. Smith in her life.”
Jack nodded. “You’re off duty from playing cupid tonight.” And every other night.
A smile spread across her face, deepening the fan of wrinkles around her eyes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she claimed as she turned back to the kitchen. She stopped, threw a glance over her shoulder and added, “Just let me know when to serve the cheesecake for two.”
“I’ll serve it,” he told her with a laugh. How could he not admire her determination, even if it was wasted? “Why don’t you go on home?”
Her eyes all but sparkled. “Want to be alone? I get it. Consider me gone.”
He wasn’t going to correct her. Yes, he wanted to be alone with Viv, but not for the reasons Tilly assumed. She’d draw her own conclusions no matter what Jack said, so he wasn’t wasting his breath. Besides, he never let Tilly in on his cases. Keeping his work to himself was the only way he managed to crack cases and find justice for the people he helped. The money was just a bonus.
Tilly argued that he was too busy traveling for work and making money to find a woman. She often hinted that all that money was a waste if he had nobody to spend it on.
As much as the thought of another woman in his life terrified him, Jack couldn’t fault Tilly for her efforts. The woman’s heart was in the right place—he just wished she’d give up. He’d had the love of his life once. That kind of love didn’t happen twice.
As far as dating, well, he didn’t want to worry about that, either. He was perfectly content with the way things were. Worrying about himself was enough.
But part of him, okay a huge part, worried about Viv when she was with the O’Sheas. He’d be a fool not to worry. So much for not getting personally involved.
Katie’s cry pulled him away from his thoughts as he headed back onto the patio. Viv sat in one of the cushioned chairs at the table. She was muttering nurturing words and holding Katie in a cradle position.
Jack froze when he spotted the pale pink lace peeking from beneath Viv’s suit jacket. Mercy, not again. Katie had a white-knuckled grip on the V and was pulling the material apart.
The lace was quite the contrast against Viv’s dark skin...skin he shouldn’t be looking at and lace his fingers shouldn’t be itching to trace.
Pull it together.
He adjusted the diaper bag on his shoulder and attempted to ignore the fact this woman loved lace lingerie.
“What do you need out of here?” he asked, unzipping the bag.
She lifted her head and every time those dark eyes clashed with his, he struggled to look away. She had a power she wasn’t even aware of and he’d do good to remind himself she was off-limits.
“Just set it down. I can get it.”
Setting the bag at her feet, he stepped back and took a seat across from her. Unfortunately, when she bent down to dig inside the bag, Katie’s grip tightened and that V only widened. A little pink bow was nestled in the middle of her breasts.
Damn it all. How the hell could he conduct a “business” meeting like this?
“Just tell me what you’re looking for.”
He got to his feet and picked the bag up, forcing himself not to look her way. Focus on the bag. That was the only way they were going to get anywhere this evening.
“Oh, the pain reliever.” Viv shifted Katie on her lap, then adjusted her controversial jacket. “It’s a small pink-and-white bottle with a dropper lid.”
What the hell was a dropper lid? He shuffled through diapers, wipes, jars of baby food, lotion, a stuffed doll...
“Sorry. The outside pouch. I put it in there so it would be easily accessible.”
Of course she had.
Jack finally pulled out the right thing and handed it to her. With his hands on his hips, he stood back and watched as Katie settled back against Viv’s arm.
“It’s okay, sweetheart.” Viv put the medicine in her mouth, then seemed to be rubbing it on Katie’s gums. “You’ll feel better in just a minute.”
Viv had brought Katie into his office a couple times when her neighbor wasn’t available to babysit. During those occasions, Jack found a reason to step out for the day. Being near this combination of beautiful woman and enchanting baby was like getting smacked in the face with all he’d lost...his family being the sole reason he was determined to bring down those who kept skirting the law.
As Jack watched Viv console a fussy Katie, he couldn’t help but wonder what his life would’ve been like had his wife lived. He tried not to go there in his mind, but sometimes that just wasn’t possible.
“Sorry.” Viv looked up at him with a soft smile. “Why don’t you go ahead and eat. I’d hate to hold you up any longer.”
Thankful for the chance to focus on something else, Jack started filling both of their plates. “How was today? Did you work with Laney?”
Laney O’Shea, the baby of the clan, was now engaged to Ryker Barrett, right-hand man and family enforcer. The two were expecting their first child in the summer and Jack hated the jealousy that rolled through him. People like that shouldn’t get to experience the happiness that had been robbed from him.
“What?” she looked up at him, then back to the baby. “Oh, yeah. Laney was there all day.”
“Any interesting clients?” he asked. “Did Ryker or her brothers stop in?”
Viv eased the baby up onto her shoulder, patting her back in an attempt to calm her. “Ryker dropped by and brought Laney lunch. He’s been pretty territorial and protective of her since she got pregnant.”
Gritting his teeth, Jack set her full plate in front of her. “Did he do anything else? Use the computers, make a call?”
“No. He was actually in and out in about ten minutes.” Viv looked down to her plate. “There’s no way I’ll eat all of this.”
“Eat what you want. Tilly takes any leftovers to the homeless shelter by her house. She actually always makes extra and takes it there anyway.”
Viv stilled, her hand resting on Katie’s back. “That’s so sweet.”
Jack shrugged. “She’s got a big heart and she doesn’t mind using my money to help others.”
Katie’s cries had calmed. Either the meds had kicked in or the poor thing was exhausted from crying.
Viv picked up her fork and stabbed one roasted potato. “And what about you? I’d say your heart is big or you wouldn’t let her use your money for such things.”
“I have no problem helping anyone when I see the need.” He stared across the table, realizing she hadn’t looked at him since mentioning work and was now trying to steer the conversation into another territory. “I grew up with a single mother who worked hard to make sure we never wanted for anything. I figure she struggled raising me alone. I would often hear her crying at night when she thought I was asleep.”
Jack stopped, not wanting to dig too far into his suppressed memories. The past could easily cripple him, pull him down. The only thing he could use his past for was to propel him forward, to always remember where he came from. And he’d never forget the mother who sacrificed so much.
He pulled in a breath, determined to get back on track. “What happened today at the office?”
Her fork clattered to the plate, but she quickly picked it back up and shrugged. “Nothing. Just the same daily routine.”
Again, the lack of eye contact. He’d known Viv long enough, hell, he’d been a soldier and investigator long enough, to know when someone was lying. What was going on?
Slowly, without taking his eyes off her, he leaned forward in his seat. “What happened today?” he repeated, slower this time until she finally looked directly at him.
“Jack, I’m telling you what happened.” Now she held his eyes. Katie had fallen asleep and lay across Viv’s arm, curled into Viv’s body. “We were busy this morning with a new client and Laney handled that. I stayed in the back and logged inventory for the spring auction.”
He listened, easing back in his cushioned seat. Why was he doubting her? He’d never second-guessed her before and she was his most trusted ally in this quest. He wouldn’t have put her in this position if he didn’t trust her completely.
“And then Ryker came with lunch,” she went on. Her eyes darted down to the sleeping baby. “After that it was slow for about an hour and Laney and I ended up in the office talking baby things. She knows I foster and she had some questions.”
“Like what?” He literally wanted every detail of what went on in that office. The key to his case was in there and he was not going to rest until every possible avenue was explored.
Viv shrugged. “She was asking about different milestones at different ages. But I’ve never had an infant until now. My foster children have always been older. The youngest I’d had was three.”
Jack knew why Viv’s taking Katie in deviated from her normal pattern of only fostering older children. One, she’d worked with the Parkers when they’d come into O’Shea’s so she had a mild connection. According to Viv, she’d even played with little Katie during one of their visits.
Two, she knew the system was overloaded. Because she was certified to take in children, and since she was more than aware of the tragic situation, she’d actually asked to foster Katie.
“About an hour before we closed, an elderly lady came in and wanted to discuss some pieces she wanted to sell. She claimed they were from her honeymoon in Rome and thought they were valuable art.”
Intrigued, Jack tipped his head. “What were they?”
Viv picked up her fork and took a bite of her potato. “I’m not sure. She had some pictures, but didn’t want to bring the actual pieces without talking to Laney first.”
That all sounded like a typical, boring day. A day that didn’t help him one bit. But something was off. Viv had literally frozen when he’d first mentioned her workday at O’Shea’s, then she wouldn’t look at him.
“You’re sure that’s all?” he asked.
She shifted Katie to the other arm, which only aided in pulling her jacket open a bit more when Katie’s hand got caught in the V. Viv did readjust the gap, but not before he was awarded another view of the swell of her breast.
“I’m just stressed,” she assured him with a smile. “Katie is teething and the auction is going to be here before we know it. Working at O’Shea’s isn’t just me snooping and eavesdropping. They expect me to actually do a job, so it’s tiresome at times.”
Not to mention all the work she was doing for him. She was technically a single mother working two part-time jobs. But that part-time added up and when he was constantly meeting her outside of business hours, that didn’t help. Damn it, he was ready to wrap this case up and let the justice system take care of this mob family. But he had to be patient. It was a trait he hated, yet it was necessary in his line of work.
With Katie resting peacefully, Viv continued to eat. Jack didn’t press the topic again. He didn’t know if he was just reading too much into her actions or if she was truly just stressed, but he wasn’t about to add more to her plate.
“They don’t suspect you, right?”
Viv took a sip of her wine. “They suspect everyone who’s been in and out of that office. But, not me specifically. I’m careful, Jack.”
Why was his name on her lips like a tight ball of lust hitting his gut? He couldn’t afford the distraction—especially when it came to his damn assistant.
When this case was over, he’d head to his villa in Italy. He could relax, find a woman to spend a meaningless night with. He clearly was not thinking straight and he blamed everything on being overworked and sexually frustrated.
“There is a new shipment of paintings coming in on Monday,” Viv went on, oblivious to the turn in his thoughts. “I’m supposed to be off, but I thought I’d see if I could come in and just tell them I’d like some extra hours.”
Jack curled his fingers around the tumbler of bourbon and considered her idea. “I wouldn’t. They already know someone is leaking information. If you ask for extra time, that could be a red flag. I need you to do everything as you always had before.”
Viv nodded. “I guess that makes sense. I just wish there was more I could do.”
Taking a hearty, warm gulp of his favorite twenty-year bourbon, Jack wished there was more to be done. But he wasn’t inside, and using Viv as his eyes and ears was the only thing he could do at this point.
“I’d rather you explore the Parkers’ angle,” he told her, easing back in his seat and glancing at the sleeping baby. “You have the perfect lead-in, especially when you’re with Laney. Continue to talk about Katie, discuss how she’s adjusting, throw in the loss of her parents and you’ve opened up the floor.”
Viv pushed her plate back, wrapped both arms around the baby and pursed her lips. “That could work. Laney and I tend to always discuss the baby when we’re not talking about the auction.”
“Now’s the time. That’s the angle we need to work. If we can find out more about the night they were killed, I know it will circle us right back to the O’Sheas.”
Jack didn’t care what the initial charges were. This corrupt family had plenty of crimes they could be pinned with. But first he needed concrete evidence that proved the O’Sheas weren’t so squeaky clean.
No matter who was in charge now that Patriarch Patrick O’Shea had passed, this family was into illegals so deep, there was no way they could’ve gotten out in such a short time.
“I’ll be there from eight to noon tomorrow,” she reminded him, as if he didn’t have her schedule memorized down to the very last second. “I need to take Katie to the doctor for a checkup, so I’ll text you when I leave work.”
When Katie started to stir, Viv came to her feet. Rocking gently back and forth, Viv patted the baby’s back in an attempt to calm her once again. Jack watched as she instantly went into mother mode. Viv was the most giving person he’d ever known. A born nurturer. He’d checked her background thoroughly before hiring her, so he knew she’d never married or had kids. He’d seen quite a bit of hospitalizations when she’d been young, but she’d never mentioned an illness, so he never asked. He could’ve easily found out, but he’d snooped enough and didn’t want to betray her trust at this point. Honesty was of the utmost importance to him and he expected it to be a two-way street.
“I should get her home,” Viv stated. “She needs to rest and I need to get my own downtime or I’ll be of no use to anyone.”
Viv wasn’t a superhero, though she was a working foster mother juggling two jobs and carrying a colossal lie on her shoulders, so that was pretty much the same thing. Jack set his napkin on the table and rose to stand in front of her.
“Why don’t you see if your neighbor can watch Katie for a few hours extra each day so you can relax?” he suggested. “I’ll pay for it if that’s an issue.”
Viv’s brows shot up. “I don’t care about the money, Jack. The reason I became a foster mother was to care for children who don’t have anyone. Pawning Katie off on my neighbor just so I can nap will never be an option.”
“That’s not what I meant,” he retorted, though she’d made him look uncaring, which was not the case. He cared...too much. “If you don’t look out for yourself, how do you expect to do everything else?”
Her lids lowered, her breath came out on a deep sigh. She shook her head before meeting his gaze. “Everything I do is for those I care about. This child, you. I have no family, Jack, so I work to fill a void. When I stop working, when I stop caring for those around me, I start to think. I don’t want the down time. I can’t mentally afford it. Do you get what I’m saying?”
Jack swallowed the lump in his throat. How could she put his thoughts, his emotions, into such perfect terms? It was like they lived a parallel life, and he desperately wanted to know what made her this way. Why did she use work as her coping mechanism?
He’d already known she had no family. He of all people understood the need to connect with something in life and he clung to work...apparently so did she. He’d never heard her so passionate about it before, but he understood the ache, the emptiness that needed to be filled.
“You’re talking to the workaholic,” he told her, trying to lighten the intensity of the mood. “I just wanted to make sure you were taken care of, as well.”
Shoulders squared, she tipped her head. “I assure you, I’m fine. But I do need to get home and I promise I’ll text you tomorrow. We’ll get this,” she assured him. “We’ve come this far, we’ll make it the rest of the way.”
Jack helped her with the diaper bag, then assisted her with her coat and Katie’s coat—which was no easy feat, considering she was still asleep.
Once Viv was gone, Jack leaned against the front door and stared into the empty two-story foyer. Yeah, he understood perfectly about not having anyone. He’d bought this massive home in Beacon Hill after his wife died. He couldn’t stay in the small cottage he’d bought for her, the place where they’d planned to start their family. While he’d wanted to burn the cottage to the ground, he ended up selling it to a young newlywed couple who had the same dreams he’d once had.
He’d moved on, made more money than he knew what to do with and when he started looking for a permanent residence, he knew he wanted something large...something he’d never be able to fill with a family. He wanted the space so it didn’t feel like the walls were closing in on him.
Some might say he was flashing, living in a huge house all by himself, but he didn’t care. His cars, his vacation home in the mountains, the two homes overseas, they were all material things he’d give up in a second to have someone in his life.
No. Not someone. His wife.
Yet lately, when he would think of someone to share his wealth with, Viv kept popping up. He wanted to scrub that image from his mind because thinking of another woman was surely a betrayal to Carly...right?
As he headed down the hall and passed the kitchen, he instantly remembered the cheesecake. If Tilly came back in the morning and saw that none of it had been eaten, she’d be disappointed.
Easy fix. He’d be gone before she came in and he’d take it to the office with him.
Or he could take it somewhere else.
Viv claimed she didn’t need anyone to look after her, but that was a lie. And Jack would take on the role in the name of business...because that’s all he had time for in his life.
Whatever notions he had in his head about Viv, he had to remember she was his assistant. She could never be anything else.
Three (#ulink_a8a64e72-7661-57ac-9bad-839dcf88f81d)
With Katie turning one next week, Viv had decided that the baby’s shots were going to have to happen on her half day at O’Shea’s.
Now that the doctor’s visit was—mercifully—over, Viv was convinced the shots had hurt her more than they’d hurt Katie. Viv had just walked into her apartment, dumped the diaper bag next to the sofa and put Katie in her Pack ’n Play when someone knocked on her door.
She couldn’t suppress the groan that escaped her. She was soaked to the bone from the chilly rain. All she wanted to do was strip off her wet suit and get into her cozy pajamas. Viv had been able to shield Katie from the elements by wrapping her inside her coat and holding Katie’s favorite blanket over the tot’s head. Now Viv needed to get that blanket into the dryer or there would be hell to pay come bedtime.
The pounding on the door persisted. What were the odds she could ignore her unwanted guest? If she lived in a house, maybe, but in an apartment building she couldn’t have her neighbors put out.
“Vivianna?” Jack’s voice boomed and Viv realized her wish to pretend no one was out there had just vanished.
She crossed the floor, her shoes squishing. She wasn’t even going to glance at her reflection in the mirror next to the door. The drowned-rat look wasn’t becoming on anyone.
Flicking the lock, Viv opened the door. Of course Jack didn’t have one drop of rain on him. The large black umbrella he held at his side was dripping.
“You’re...”
“Soaked,” she finished. “I know. Come on in.”
She stood back so he didn’t have to brush against her as he stepped inside. Katie made noises and clapped when she spotted Jack. Inwardly, Viv tended to have that same reaction, but she wasn’t too keen on the fact that he was seeing her look so haggard and frumpy.
She’d really been confident this morning when she’d left for work in her gray pencil skirt and fitted, pale yellow sweater. She’d even taken extra time with her hair, since Katie had slept in. Now Viv must look like all she’d done this morning was shower...with her clothes on.
She was so over this winter weather. One day it snowed, the next it rained. Spring couldn’t come soon enough. But it was only February, meaning Valentine’s Day was fast approaching. A holiday she could totally live without.
“I brought this for you.”
Katie eyed the dish in his hand. She’d been too preoccupied with her looks to realize he held food.
Glorious food. She didn’t even care if that domed plate held a bologna sandwich, her stomach growled at the sight. She’d skipped lunch because she’d left work late and had barely made it to Katie’s appointment.
“Whatever it is, thank you,” she said, taking the covered plate. She headed toward the kitchen, cringing as her shoes made the most unpleasant noises.
Of all the times Jack could see her, of all the times he had seen her, this was not her best moment. She set the dish on the counter and pulled the lid off. A laugh escaped her.
“Cheesecake?” she asked, turning to glance over her shoulder.
Jacked shrugged out of his suit jacket and hung it on the hook by the door...as if he’d done so a thousand times. Seeing a man’s jacket hanging next to hers did funny things to her belly. Her eyes locked on the two pieces beside each other, and she didn’t want to dwell on it too long, but couldn’t get over the fact that this simple gesture seemed so intimate.
But he wasn’t staying, he was visiting, for pity’s sake. For a second, though, she wanted to pretend. He looked good in his all-black suit, with that rich, dark hair. He’d brought her cheesecake when she looked like a mess, and he didn’t seem appalled by her appearance. If he wasn’t the world’s most perfect man, then one didn’t exist.
Would he ever see her as more than an ally? As more than his assistant?
She hadn’t missed the way he’d sneaked a peek at her cleavage last night. He was a guy; they all did it. But when she’d caught his gaze on her, everything inside her had warmed, tingled. Because he hadn’t just looked and glanced away. No, there had been a hunger in his eyes she hadn’t seen before.
“What are you doing here so early in the day?” she asked, turning to lean back against the counter. “Not that four o’clock is early, but you tend to work much later than this.”
“I had a meeting today not far from here, so I thought I’d come by to see what happened at O’Shea’s today.”
Katie clanged her blocks together and squealed as she flung them out of her Pack ’n Play. Viv ignored them. This toss and fetch was an endless game and one she wasn’t going to get sucked into.
“I need to get out of these wet clothes,” she stated. “Can we talk after?”
His eyes raked over her wet body. Jack never needed words to get his point across. This powerful man had such a hold on her emotions, and he had no idea.
All this was her problem, she knew, but did he ever think of her outside of work? Not that she’d ever know. Jack’s personal life was never on the table for discussion. She knew of Tilly, his right-hand woman, but that was all. Anyone else in Jack’s life was there only because of work. To Viv’s knowledge, he didn’t even date...or if he did, he was extremely discreet.
“I’ll wait in here,” he finally told her.
Viv tiptoed through her kitchen and out into the hallway toward her bedroom. Once inside, she shut the door, thankful for the few moments to herself. She hadn’t expected him to just show up, with carbs and calories no less, so she was even more taken aback than usual.
Before the O’Shea case, Jack had never showed up at her apartment. He’d texted and called after hours, but all pertaining to work. Granted, his recent home visits also centered around work, but he’d seriously stepped up his game in an attempt to bring the notorious family down.
Viv closed her eyes and pulled in a shaky breath. The fact that Patrick O’Shea’s journal was hidden in her closet weighed heavily on her mind. Guilt, anxiety, fear...they all consumed her, making her question her next move.
She hadn’t been lying when she said she had no one in her life. Keeping a relationship with Jack, no matter how platonic, was imperative.
She needed to tell him what she’d learned, but how did she do that without hurting him? The FBI trusted Jack, was counting on him, and he was counting on her. He sought justice like he needed it to live, so telling him about her discovery would cloud his judgment...and hurt him in a way that would alter their relationship.
She didn’t want to hurt him, and finding out Patrick O’Shea was his father would most certainly destroy Jack. Still, he deserved to know. The question was, when should she tell him?
Viv made quick work of ridding herself of her wet clothes and shoes. She wasn’t telling him today. She couldn’t. There would be a right time, just...not now. Hopefully, a break in the case would come soon. Then she could give the journal to him and let him decide what to do with the information.
She didn’t bother drying her hair, just twisted it up into a messy bun. After throwing on a pair of yoga pants and an off-the-shoulder sweatshirt, she headed back out into the living room.
Jack still remained closer to the kitchen than the living room. His gaze was directed across the open space at Katie, who was oblivious as she chewed on the fingers of her plush doll.
“Let’s cut into that cheesecake and talk,” Viv suggested. She needed something to occupy her hands, her mind, other than the journal in the other room and the unnerving effect Jack’s presence had on her. “How did your meeting go?”
He didn’t answer her. He never even looked her way.
“Do you think she knows the significant people in her life are gone?” he murmured, almost as if his thoughts had traveled out into the open without his knowledge. “I mean, she seems happy with you, but is she aware of the void?”
Viv thought of that often since Katie had come to live with her. The older kids she had fostered obviously knew all too well the reality of why they were in foster care. But sweet little Katie would have no idea why her world was suddenly so different.
“She says ‘Mama’ over and over, but I’m not sure if she’s just babbling or actually asking for her. But I’m certain she notices the absence.” Viv crossed her arms, stood beside Jack and watched his face. “Are you okay?”
He blinked as if waking from a trance. “It’s been a long couple months. That’s all.”
When he turned to her, Viv stepped back. That intense gaze landed directly on hers and she had no idea what to do with the emotions stirring within her, from the guilt and anxiety over when and how to tell him about the journal, to the tension and chemistry that couldn’t be ignored. It seemed unlikely she was the only one who felt the air crackling between them, yet Jack was in total control and never let on that he thought of her in any other way than simply his assistant.
But he’d shown up on her doorstep with red velvet cheesecake his chef had made.
“Tell me about your meeting.”
He shook his head. “Later. I want to know what happened with you today.”
“Not much,” she admitted, then held up a hand to stop him when he opened his mouth. “But I overheard Laney and Braden talking. They said the FBI hadn’t contacted them in a few days, but they were keeping their guard up. Braden told Laney not to erase any records and that he had nothing to hide in regards to the Parkers.”
Jack’s eyes held hers, but he said nothing. She wasn’t delivering case-breaking news, but she had to tell him everything she’d heard, learned...except for the the piece of evidence that was burning a hole in her conscience.
“Something else happen?” he asked.
Viv pulled herself from her thoughts. Those midnight eyes still penetrated her, as if he were trying to read her thoughts...as if he could read her thoughts.
“Not today, but Braden said Mac was flying in on Monday and he’d be in the office all next week.”
“Why?”
Viv shrugged. “They didn’t say, but I’m working three full days next week and I’ll find out then.”
Jack raked a hand down his face and blew out a breath. “This is so damn frustrating. For years they flaunted their lifestyle in the face of law enforcement. Luckily, I work for myself and I don’t have to stick so close to the rules.”
Viv didn’t want to see him struggle, didn’t like that she’d found so little for him to go on. “I tried to engage Laney in conversation about the babies, but a client called and she was pulled away. Then I had to leave for Katie’s doctor’s appointment.”
Jack shoved his hands in his pockets and glanced at the ceiling. Watching him battle with this frustration was more difficult than Viv had thought it would be. But she had to keep the journal to herself for now. Everything—absolutely everything, from his life to this case—would change in the matter of seconds as soon as he learned about it.
“You’re in my office tomorrow.” He regrouped and focused his attention back on her. “I want both of us to go over every bit of intel we have on this family. Maybe there’s some tiny nugget of information we’re missing. Something that can put us on the right track. I want you ready for next week, when everyone is here.”
He was getting desperate, yet she understood his need to protect his reputation as being the best. Unfortunately, the journal she’d discovered wasn’t the master key to solving this equation, and she had nothing else.
“Tell the Feds that all the players will be available next week,” she went on, hoping to give him something useful, to buy them a bit more time. “With everyone at the office, something must be going on, or else they’re worried about this investigation.”
Jack leaned a shoulder against the wall and pinned her with his stare. “Maybe they have an idea who’s been leaking the information.”
The thought sent a shiver up her spine. Taking this job had been risky, but she’d agreed to let Jack create a solid cover for her. She’d put her life in his hands...literally, if all those rumors surrounding the O’Sheas were true. But Viv hadn’t been afraid. Jack wouldn’t let anything happen to her.
“I’m not getting that vibe,” she replied as she moved into the kitchen. “Do you want a piece of this cheesecake or not, because if I eat the entire thing, I won’t fit into my pencil skirts.”
His eyes traveled the length of her body. How in the world did that man evoke more emotions and glorious sensations with one look than some men did with foreplay? Seriously. How did Jack make her want him so much, so deeply, when he wasn’t even trying?
“Your figure is just fine, with or without the cheesecake.”
Viv turned away, because that sultry tone of his sent a combination of shivers and thrills darting through her. Add in the way he’d assessed her body—such as it was, clad in yoga pants and a sweatshirt—and she wondered if maybe she’d pegged him wrong for not showing any interest and keeping his emotions all closed off.
Katie let out a squeal, breaking the tension. She seemed quite content to sit and play with her toys for a bit. Thankfully, her pain reliever had kicked in fast after the shots.
Once Viv had generous pieces of the decadent dessert on a couple saucers, she crossed to her two-seater table in the breakfast nook. Well, technically it was her breakfast nook, dining room and home office, depending on the time of day. Her apartment wasn’t big, but it suited her needs. She rarely had guests unless it was foster children, so she didn’t require a grand table. Besides, the place was close to Jack’s office and the rent was perfect.
Though right now she did feel a little inadequate, remembering how amazing Jack’s patio had been. He most likely had an exquisite dining room and an eat-in kitchen, yet he’d still set up dinner on his screened-in sunroom. Just the little bit she’d seen of his house had left her in awe. The rich wood, the clean lines of the furniture, that grand entryway with a masculine yet impressive chandelier suspended from the second floor were worthy of a magazine. Her entire apartment could fit into that foyer alone.
Jack either had a perfect eye for detail and decor or he’d hired someone to tastefully, expensively decorate his mansion. He took a seat across from her, but her round table proved to be smaller than she’d thought when his knees bumped hers. Why did his every single action get her body all tingly and jittery? This was Jack. Her boss. Her very sexy, very single, very mysterious boss. Other than the fact that he was a widower, never dated and had served in the military, she didn’t know much else about his personal life...but oh, how she wanted to.
He scooped up a bite. “Tilly will be thrilled we’re getting to this.”
“Trust me, I’m more thrilled.” Viv wasn’t going to even think about calories right now. Turning down red velvet cheesecake would be a sin. “She’s going to be happier to know you came to my apartment.”
His eyes caught hers. “For business.”
Right. Business. What else would he want from her?
“Still, she seems ready to make sure you have a woman in your life.”
When he remained silent, Viv kept going. She would crack his shell at some point. Over the past couple years she’d worked for him, he’d not volunteered any information unless it pertained to a case. And the only reason Viv knew about his mother was that he always referred to her in the past tense. His father was never mentioned.
And Viv would’ve assumed Jack was a regular single guy had Tilly not slipped and said something about his “late wife.” That had been at the office. One sharp look from Jack and the woman’s lips were still sealed to this day.
“I don’t know how your dating life has been—”
“Nonexistent.”
Viv swallowed. She’d assumed as much...but why? He was, well, hot. He had money, not that a bank account made a man, but it wasn’t like he couldn’t get a woman. Maybe he just didn’t want to. Maybe he had some other reason for being married to his work and ignoring the world around him.
“I really should consider going that route, because I’ve had some doozies.”
Doozies? Way to sound classy, Viv.
Jack took another bite, obviously not feeling so chatty about his own personal life. Whatever. She was chatty enough for both of them, especially when she was a bit nervous. And between the attraction and the journal only a couple rooms away, she had plenty of unease spiraling through her.
“One time, I had a guy who offered me dinner and a movie.”
“Predictable,” Jack muttered.
“I can handle predictable,” she added with a laugh. “It was the expectations he had for the evening. Cooking me a frozen pizza and binge-watching old movies wasn’t my idea of a night out. He was shocked when I made an excuse to leave. He seriously thought...”
Jack laid his fork down and narrowed his eyes. “You’re kidding? Tell me you didn’t.”
Viv tipped her head. “I do have standards, Jack. It takes more than a frozen pizza to get me into bed.”
Those bright eyes held hers, then dipped to her mouth before traveling back up. “What does it take?”
Four (#ulink_81db9cac-47ef-5cc2-9a7d-cb7591c3844a)
Where the hell had that question come from?
This was why Jack had always refused to get personally involved with anyone. Yet here he was, asking his assistant what it took to get her into bed.
Clearly the case, and working so closely with this breathtaking woman, was making him delirious.
“Well—”
“No.” Jack held up his hand. “Don’t answer that.”
Viv quirked a brow, taunting him with a teasing smile. “You’re sure?”
There could be no flirting, no unwanted attraction. Too much was at stake—the case, his sanity.
When he remained silent, she laughed. “We’ll just say that it takes more than a lame dinner and a black-and-white movie.”
Jack laughed with her. He couldn’t help himself. “Any man who doesn’t pull out all the stops for you is an idiot.”
She tipped her head again, pursing her lips. “You never do that.”
Easing back in his seat, Jack met Viv’s eyes across the small table. “Laugh? No, I don’t.”
She crossed her arms and rested her elbows on the table. “Why not? What do you do for fun?”
“Stakeouts.”
She rolled her eyes just as Katie let out a cry. “I’m serious,” she stated as she rose to her feet.
Jack watched as she maneuvered through the living room to Katie. The little girl instantly extended her arms to reach for Viv. Jack turned away. All this...familial life was digging into that past wound, threatening to tear it wide open.
Some might say he was hard, uncaring, detached. Whatever it took to stay sane, to stay on top of his game, to help bring criminals down—to find justice... Jack didn’t care what label he was given.
He concentrated on taking the empty plates to the kitchen and placing them in the sink. Resting his hands on the edge of the counter, he pulled in a breath. He shouldn’t have come by. Venturing into Viv’s world, into her damn apartment, was not smart.
In his defense, he’d been close and she hadn’t texted, and he wanted to bring the dessert, so he’d broken his own rule of not getting into someone else’s personal space. Time to head back home, where he could hide in his office, drink his bourbon and contemplate his next move. He was done waiting around for the O’Sheas to slip up.
When he turned, he found Viv standing close to him...too close. So near he could see the dark flecks in her eyes.
“Something wrong?” she asked, her brows drawn in.
Katie pulled on Viv’s still-damp hair. All that gorgeous, silky, midnight-black hair. He’d be lying to himself if he pretended he hadn’t envisioned that mass spread out over his navy sheets. When had this woman gone from assistant to starring in his fantasies? Lately, the line between professional and personal was becoming more and more blurry.
Even from the start, when he’d interviewed her, he hadn’t denied her beauty. But after a few years of working together closely, and especially this past year, the dreams were becoming more frequent. Forget the fact that he vowed never to open himself up again; he was a professional having extremely unprofessional thoughts.
“I’ll let you get on with your evening,” he told her, ignoring the worried look on her face. She need not be concerned about him. His emotions had been murdered along with his wife, years ago. “I’ll be sure to tell Tilly you enjoyed her dessert.”
Viv seemed as if she wanted to say something else, but finally nodded and stepped aside to let him through. “If she wants to bake anything else and send it my way, she’s more than welcome. I have a sweet tooth.”
“I’m aware.” Jack nodded toward the bowl of chocolate candy on the counter. “Your desk at work has a matching bowl.”
Viv shrugged as Katie continued to pull on her hair. “I won’t apologize for my snacks.”
If those snacks were what kept that body all curvy and mesmerizing in skirts, then he’d buy her a full year’s supply.
No, damn it, he wouldn’t. Admiring her body wasn’t his job as her boss. He had to get the hell out of here before he made an absolute fool of himself. Sitting at her little table, watching her with Katie...it was all too much. She smelled too damn good and had that rumpled, sexy look down pat. The rain she’d been caught in hadn’t done a thing to diminish her beauty.
If circumstances were different—if he wasn’t a jaded widower, her boss and her protector on this job—then maybe he’d seduce her. Maybe then he’d exorcise her right out of his system.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked.
He still hadn’t moved, even though she’d made an opening for him to pass. Jack stepped forward, his eyes on hers.
“I’ve never seen you out of your professional element. I just...”
“What?”
Hell, he didn’t know. Wanted to touch her? Kiss her? To know if either of those would compare to his detailed thoughts of having her in his bed?
Viv shifted Katie in her arms, reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder. Jack stilled. Such a simple touch shouldn’t evoke instant bedroom fantasies.
“Everything will work out with this case,” she assured him. “We’re getting closer. I just know it.”
Yes. Let her think his moment of becoming a mute, staring fool had to do with stress from the case. The last thing he needed was for her to believe he was attracted to her. Hell, if she thought that, who knew what would happen?
Wait. He knew exactly what would happen...which was why he had to get out of here before he turned his thoughts into actions.
“I’ll see you in the morning.”
With that, he got the hell out. Maybe the chilly rain would cool him off and draw his thoughts back to the job—and not his assistant splayed across his bed.
* * *
The rain had stopped, but had quickly turned to snow. As if in tune with the crappy, depressing weather, Viv’s morning had gone downhill fast.
First her blow-dryer had gone kaput after about one minute of drying her hair. Then Katie had a blowout in her diaper, so that called for a change of every single item of clothing, from her onesie to her shoes. How did babies have that much in them that they could ruin an entire outfit?
To top everything off, Martha was sick and unable to babysit. Lovely. But nothing Viv couldn’t manage.
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