stop being so angry at him. Maybe he’d literally been unable to help himself.
Or not, she thought, still not completely convinced.
But in any event, she had to find a way to insulate herself against the powerful attraction she felt. Especially since it appeared Nick didn’t have to do anything, or even say anything, to make her nerves sizzle and her body heat up. Apparently, he just needed to breathe in her presence.
Groaning, she climbed back into bed and pulled the sheet and blanket over her head. The triplets were still fast asleep in their cribs upstairs when Charlene tiptoed down the stairs and into the kitchen just before eight the following morning. Nick glanced over his shoulder and took down another mug from the open cupboard.
“Morning,” he said. “Coffee’s nearly done.”
Charlene breathed in the rich scent filling the kitchen and nearly groaned. “Bless you.”
Nick’s grin flashed, his eyes lit with amusement. He poured the rich brew into their mugs at the same moment that a knock sounded on the back door.
“That’ll be Melissa,” Nick told Charlene. He grabbed his computer case and crossed the kitchen to pull open the door.
A huge chocolate Labrador retriever leaped over the threshold and planted his paws on Nick’s shoulders, whining with excitement, his tail whipping back and forth.
“Ouch.” Melissa stepped inside, moving sideways to avoid getting hit. “That tail of yours is a lethal weapon, Rufus.” She waved her hand at the travel coffee mug and leather case in Nick’s left hand. “On your way out to work, boss?”
“Yeah.” Nick rubbed Rufus’s ears. “That’s enough. Down, boy.” The Lab dropped back onto four paws but continued to wag his tail, pink tongue lolling as he stared adoringly up at Nick. “I’ll check with the employment agency today,” Nick said, looking over his shoulder at Charlene, “and find out if they’ve lined up applicants for a second nanny.”
“I’ll keep my fingers crossed that they have—then maybe we both can start getting more sleep.”
Nick grinned, his eyes lit with rueful amusement as his mouth curved upward to reveal a flash of white teeth. Charlene suspected she was staring at him like a hopelessly lovestruck teenager, but she couldn’t bring herself to look away. No man should be that gorgeous.
“I’ll tell them we’re staggering from sleep deprivation. Maybe they’ll take pity on us,” he said.
“We can only hope,” Charlene said, tearing her gaze away from his smile. Unfortunately, she was immediately snagged by his glossy black hair, thick-lashed brown eyes, tanned skin with a faint beard shadow despite the early hour, handsome features…Were all the Fortune men this blessed by nature? she wondered. If so, heaven help the women who caught their attention—because females didn’t stand a chance against all that powerful, charming, handsome male virility. Perhaps she was fortunate that he was her boss and thus off-limits, not to mention he was also clearly far more sophisticated than she. Never mind the fact that he was also not interested in her. Because if he ever turned that undeniable charm on her, she’d give in without a whimper.
It’s a pitiful thing when a woman has no resistance to a man, she realized with wry acknowledgment.
“So long, boss,” Melissa’s voice yanked Charlene out of her thoughts. “Have a good day.”
“Good luck with the triplets.” Nick bent to give Rufus’s silky ears one last rub before disappearing through the door.
Charlene echoed Melissa’s goodbye before pouring herself another mug of coffee.
“The coffee’s fresh,” she told Melissa. “Want some?”
“Sure, why not.” Melissa slid onto a stool at the counter.
Charlene handed her a steaming cup and took a seat opposite her.
“Are the babies still asleep?” Melissa asked.
“Yes.” Charlene glanced at the digital clock on the microwave. “They’re sleeping in, probably because they were awake
Or not, she thought, still not completely convinced.
But in any event, she had to find a way to insulate herself against the powerful attraction she felt. Especially since it appeared Nick didn’t have to do anything, or even say anything, to make her nerves sizzle and her body heat up. Apparently, he just needed to breathe in her presence.
Groaning, she climbed back into bed and pulled the sheet and blanket over her head. The triplets were still fast asleep in their cribs upstairs when Charlene tiptoed down the stairs and into the kitchen just before eight the following morning. Nick glanced over his shoulder and took down another mug from the open cupboard.
“Morning,” he said. “Coffee’s nearly done.”
Charlene breathed in the rich scent filling the kitchen and nearly groaned. “Bless you.”
Nick’s grin flashed, his eyes lit with amusement. He poured the rich brew into their mugs at the same moment that a knock sounded on the back door.
“That’ll be Melissa,” Nick told Charlene. He grabbed his computer case and crossed the kitchen to pull open the door.
A huge chocolate Labrador retriever leaped over the threshold and planted his paws on Nick’s shoulders, whining with excitement, his tail whipping back and forth.
“Ouch.” Melissa stepped inside, moving sideways to avoid getting hit. “That tail of yours is a lethal weapon, Rufus.” She waved her hand at the travel coffee mug and leather case in Nick’s left hand. “On your way out to work, boss?”
“Yeah.” Nick rubbed Rufus’s ears. “That’s enough. Down, boy.” The Lab dropped back onto four paws but continued to wag his tail, pink tongue lolling as he stared adoringly up at Nick. “I’ll check with the employment agency today,” Nick said, looking over his shoulder at Charlene, “and find out if they’ve lined up applicants for a second nanny.”
“I’ll keep my fingers crossed that they have—then maybe we both can start getting more sleep.”
Nick grinned, his eyes lit with rueful amusement as his mouth curved upward to reveal a flash of white teeth. Charlene suspected she was staring at him like a hopelessly lovestruck teenager, but she couldn’t bring herself to look away. No man should be that gorgeous.
“I’ll tell them we’re staggering from sleep deprivation. Maybe they’ll take pity on us,” he said.
“We can only hope,” Charlene said, tearing her gaze away from his smile. Unfortunately, she was immediately snagged by his glossy black hair, thick-lashed brown eyes, tanned skin with a faint beard shadow despite the early hour, handsome features…Were all the Fortune men this blessed by nature? she wondered. If so, heaven help the women who caught their attention—because females didn’t stand a chance against all that powerful, charming, handsome male virility. Perhaps she was fortunate that he was her boss and thus off-limits, not to mention he was also clearly far more sophisticated than she. Never mind the fact that he was also not interested in her. Because if he ever turned that undeniable charm on her, she’d give in without a whimper.
It’s a pitiful thing when a woman has no resistance to a man, she realized with wry acknowledgment.
“So long, boss,” Melissa’s voice yanked Charlene out of her thoughts. “Have a good day.”
“Good luck with the triplets.” Nick bent to give Rufus’s silky ears one last rub before disappearing through the door.
Charlene echoed Melissa’s goodbye before pouring herself another mug of coffee.
“The coffee’s fresh,” she told Melissa. “Want some?”
“Sure, why not.” Melissa slid onto a stool at the counter.
Charlene handed her a steaming cup and took a seat opposite her.
“Are the babies still asleep?” Melissa asked.
“Yes.” Charlene glanced at the digital clock on the microwave. “They’re sleeping in, probably because they were awake
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