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Authors: Donna Fasano
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deep mahogany gaze sent a tremor of pleasure pulsing through her entire body. His eyes, his face, his whole countenance became so intense with unspoken emotion that she couldn't bear it another moment. She tugged her hand from his and slowly lowered it to her side. And when she got her nerve up to glance his way again, his expression had become unreadable.
Damn, her wild imagination was going to get her into deep trouble. She must have dreamed up the warm, enthusiastic look in his eyes. How would a man like him find someone like her even remotely attractive? Come on, Cassie, she silently scolded. Get real!
Still, she had to know what he truly thought of her remaining here as Andy's nanny.
"Professor..." She hesitated, remembering he wanted her to use his first name, and she still felt a little shy about doing so. " Joshua … you're not just doing this for Andy, are you? I mean, I know you're doing this for Andy, but I need to know that you trust me. I need to know that you aren't going to be worried about my ability to take care of your son."
He stood there behind his desk, glanced down toward the floor, and then directed his gaze once again at her.
"Cassie, I can honestly say that I wouldn't allow you to live in my house and care for Andrew if I felt you couldn't do the job. My son is the most important thing in my life. Hurt my son, and you'll be gone."
His blunt statement had her nodding. This she could deal with; an employer assuring an employee that she would keep the job only as long as she could perform her duties satisfactorily. But that was fine with her, it was what she was used to. She understood this kind of relationship and could work well with it.
However, she did wonder what she was going to do about those soft, almost enchanted feelings she felt toward Joshua. She couldn't dare let herself become attracted to the man. Oh, hell! She was already attracted to him. Admitting that was the only smart thing to do.
The hard thing was going to be controlling this fascination she had with him.
"There are a few things we need to discuss," he told her.
He motioned for her to sit, and then he lowered himself into his chair.
"It's not that I don't ever allow Andrew into the pool," he said. "It's just that I like to be present. I like to make sure he doesn't overexert himself."
"I told the boys they could only putter around in the water," Cassie assured him.
"But you should never have gone into the pool when you couldn't swim."
"Oh, but–"
"I don't mind the three of you using the pool," he stressed, cutting her off. "But I must insist that you let me teach you to swim first. We'll do it this evening."
"But I don't need –"
"I insist , Cassie. If you want this job you'll do this." The hard edge on his voice matched the hard gaze in his eyes.
Her mouth snapped shut. This was the employer talking, no, ordering the employee about what was expected.
Relax, she told herself. Don't let his demands bother you. But his tone alone fanned the embers of her ire and, try as she might, she couldn't stop her irritation from bursting into flame. In an effort to douse her temper, she laced her fingers in her lap and tightened her hold until her knuckles went white.
"We'll have a light supper," he instructed, his tone brooking no argument. "And then we'll settle the boys in front of the television. We'll cue up a nice, wholesome movie on the player, one that will keep them occupied for a while. We want the boys to view you as an authority figure, and if they see you in the position of student, it might undermine that goal. Besides, I wouldn't want you to be embarrassed if you didn't catch on right away."
Were she not totally ticked off by the way he was dictating, she might have found Joshua's effort to save her from humiliation almost charming. Fortunately, the thought was fleeting, chased off by her annoyance.
But she could swim. Like a damned dolphin. And now that she thought about it, the snappish manner in which
Damn, her wild imagination was going to get her into deep trouble. She must have dreamed up the warm, enthusiastic look in his eyes. How would a man like him find someone like her even remotely attractive? Come on, Cassie, she silently scolded. Get real!
Still, she had to know what he truly thought of her remaining here as Andy's nanny.
"Professor..." She hesitated, remembering he wanted her to use his first name, and she still felt a little shy about doing so. " Joshua … you're not just doing this for Andy, are you? I mean, I know you're doing this for Andy, but I need to know that you trust me. I need to know that you aren't going to be worried about my ability to take care of your son."
He stood there behind his desk, glanced down toward the floor, and then directed his gaze once again at her.
"Cassie, I can honestly say that I wouldn't allow you to live in my house and care for Andrew if I felt you couldn't do the job. My son is the most important thing in my life. Hurt my son, and you'll be gone."
His blunt statement had her nodding. This she could deal with; an employer assuring an employee that she would keep the job only as long as she could perform her duties satisfactorily. But that was fine with her, it was what she was used to. She understood this kind of relationship and could work well with it.
However, she did wonder what she was going to do about those soft, almost enchanted feelings she felt toward Joshua. She couldn't dare let herself become attracted to the man. Oh, hell! She was already attracted to him. Admitting that was the only smart thing to do.
The hard thing was going to be controlling this fascination she had with him.
"There are a few things we need to discuss," he told her.
He motioned for her to sit, and then he lowered himself into his chair.
"It's not that I don't ever allow Andrew into the pool," he said. "It's just that I like to be present. I like to make sure he doesn't overexert himself."
"I told the boys they could only putter around in the water," Cassie assured him.
"But you should never have gone into the pool when you couldn't swim."
"Oh, but–"
"I don't mind the three of you using the pool," he stressed, cutting her off. "But I must insist that you let me teach you to swim first. We'll do it this evening."
"But I don't need –"
"I insist , Cassie. If you want this job you'll do this." The hard edge on his voice matched the hard gaze in his eyes.
Her mouth snapped shut. This was the employer talking, no, ordering the employee about what was expected.
Relax, she told herself. Don't let his demands bother you. But his tone alone fanned the embers of her ire and, try as she might, she couldn't stop her irritation from bursting into flame. In an effort to douse her temper, she laced her fingers in her lap and tightened her hold until her knuckles went white.
"We'll have a light supper," he instructed, his tone brooking no argument. "And then we'll settle the boys in front of the television. We'll cue up a nice, wholesome movie on the player, one that will keep them occupied for a while. We want the boys to view you as an authority figure, and if they see you in the position of student, it might undermine that goal. Besides, I wouldn't want you to be embarrassed if you didn't catch on right away."
Were she not totally ticked off by the way he was dictating, she might have found Joshua's effort to save her from humiliation almost charming. Fortunately, the thought was fleeting, chased off by her annoyance.
But she could swim. Like a damned dolphin. And now that she thought about it, the snappish manner in which
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