few months ago, when he and his siblings learned that the most successful woman in the corporate jungle was their paternal grandmother, they’d also been informed that they had three half brothers. After meeting them at one of Emerald’s receptions and finding themselves in the unique position of being the unexpected heirs of one of the world’s richest women, they’d become friends.
“And before you ask, I fully intend to invite our illustrious grandmother and her stiff-as-a-board assistant, too. She and I are going to have a little talk about her withholding information about my daughter,” he added.
Luke snorted. “Good luck with that.”
Making plans to talk again before the impromptu family reunion, Jake hung up, then called his other siblings to invite them to the gathering. With promises from all to attend, he walked into the foyer and ran right into Heather.
“Are you all right?” he asked, placing both hands on her waist to keep her from falling. A jolt of electric current as strong as a lightning strike shot through him and when she looked up, the awareness he detected in her aqua eyes let him know that she’d felt it, too.
“I—I’m fine.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t see you,” he said, filling his senses with her. The scent of her herbal shampoo and the feel of her softness beneath his hands sent heat coursing straight to the region south of his belt and his body’s reaction was not only predictable, it was inevitable.
“I…was just…on my way upstairs.” She sounded delightfully breathless and sent his blood pressure up a good ten points or so.
As if an invisible force held them captive they remained silent for so long, Jake finally forced himself to speak. “I…uh, was on my way to take a shower and call it an evening myself.”
Still operating on West Coast time, he hadn’t even entertained the idea of calling it a night. But he did need a shower. A cold one.
She nodded. “Well… I guess I’ll see you in the morning.”
“What time does Mandy wake up?” he asked, still holding her at the waist.
“Early.”
Finally forcing himself to step back, he motioned toward the staircase. “Then it would probably be a good idea if we call it a night.”
As if awakening from a trance, she blushed suddenly and ducking her head, started walking toward the steps. “Good night, Jake.”
“Night.”
He stood in the foyer long after Heather reached the second floor and disappeared down the hall. The sound of her voice and the realization that she would be sleeping just down the hall from him had him fully aroused in less than a heartbeat.
Taking the stairs two at a time, he made a beeline for the master bathroom. By the time he reached his bedroom, he’d already stripped off his shirt and left a trail of clothing on his way to the shower.
As he stood there punishing his body beneath the frigid spray, he couldn’t help but wonder how long Heather was going to deny the chemistry that flowed between them. They could fight it, try to run from it and argue that it even existed, but it was just a matter of time before they made love again. He had no doubt about that. The only question was when.
With a record-breaking crop of goose bumps and his teeth chattering like the wind-up ones found in a novelty store, he turned off the water. He grabbed a thick towel and began to vigorously dry off. They were going to have to work out the agreement for Mandy, and Heather had to come to her senses and accept the inevitable. He didn’t particularly like shivering his ass off in a shower so cold he could spit ice cubes.
* * *
“Heather, I’m sorry, but I’m not going to be able to watch Mandy for you this afternoon. I forgot that I have an appointment with the high school counselor to get Daily enrolled and set up his freshman schedule.”
“I suppose I could take her with me,” Heather said slowly, wondering how she was going to attend a meeting at Churchill Downs with a baby in tow.
“We can change that to another day, Grandma,” Daily offered, sounding hopeful. “I don’t care. I’m not all that into school anyway.”
“Young man, you’d better get ‘into it’ real fast,” Clara said sternly. “You’re in enough hot water as it is after that stunt you pulled the other night.”
“Listen to your grandmother, Daily. If you want a car like mine when you get ‘old,’ you’re going to need a good job. And that takes education.”
“Yes, sir,” Daily answered, shoveling a fork full of scrambled eggs into his mouth.
Looking up, Heather’s heart skipped a beat as she watched Jake stroll into the kitchen and seat himself at the head of the table. Dressed in a light blue polo shirt that emphasized the width of his broad shoulders and a pair of jeans that hugged his muscular thighs like a glove, he wasn’t just his usual good-looking self. This morning, he was white-hot. Busying herself with Mandy’s breakfast, she tried her best not to stare.
“What time is the meeting?” Clara asked. “Maybe we’ll be back before you have to leave.”
Heather shook her head. “It’s a luncheon meeting and probably won’t be over until late afternoon.” She spooned a bit of baby cereal into Mandy’s eager mouth. “I’ll just take her with me and hope she has a good long nap during the speeches.”
“I can watch her,” Jake spoke up as he took a couple of strips of bacon from the platter in the center of the table.
“That’s okay. I’m sure you have better things to do.” She wasn’t at all comfortable leaving her daughter with a man who she was almost positive had zero experience babysitting an infant.
Smiling, he shook his head as he took a sip of his coffee. “I don’t have anything going on this afternoon. Besides, it will give Mandy and me a chance to get acquainted.”
“Really, it’s not a problem,” she said firmly. “I’ll take her with me.”
An ominous silence suddenly reigned throughout the kitchen as Jake put down his coffee cup and their gazes locked. “Don’t be ridiculous, Heather. She’s my daughter, too. I have every right to watch her while you’re busy.”
“No way!” Daily said, his eyes wide. “You’re Mandy’s dad? I didn’t know that.”
“Come on, young man,” Clara said, removing the boy’s plate from the table. “You can finish your breakfast in our apartment before you go down to the stables to muck out the stalls.”
“But, Grandma—”
“You heard me,” the housekeeper said, cutting him off. “These two need to talk and they don’t need you hanging on their every word. Now move.”
Heather waited until Clara and a reluctant Daily left the kitchen before she turned her full attention back to Jake. “How many babies have you taken care of?”
“None.”
“That’s what I thought.” When Mandy protested loudly, Heather spooned another bite of cereal into her mouth. “You don’t have the slightest idea what to do with a baby.”
His frown deepened. “I’ve got to start somewhere.”
“My daughter isn’t an experiment.”
“She’s our daughter.” He placed his hand on top of hers. “I know you’re worried I won’t know what to do. But I promise, I’d never let anything hurt her.”
She could tell from the sincerity in his voice and the look in his eyes that he meant every word he said. But he admittedly had zero experience with babies.
“I won’t let her out of my sight the entire time you’re away,” he promised.
“Jake,