I raise an eyebrow, surprised that she’s talking to me. I rise and take the shopping bags from her hands, taking them through to put them on the kitchen counter. “I’m fine. And you?” I ask.
“Happy now that I’m home for Will’s dinner party?” She smiles. “I’m so excited. Are we ready to cook, pumpkin?”
Willow smiles and nods. “Yep.”
I place my hands on my hips as I watch her and Willow unpack the shopping bags. Who is this woman and what has she done with my grouchy daughter?
“So, what’s been going on around here, Mr. Masters?” she asks.
I shrug. “I’m surprised you’re talking to me, to be honest,” I admit.
Her eyes find mine. “Yesterday was yesterday, and we don’t hold grudges in this house, do we?”
“No. Because you did run him over first,” Samuel points out.
Brielle points at Samuel. “That’s right. I did.”
I’m silently grateful that she hasn’t come back prepared to launch World War Three.
“Do you want me to do anything?” I ask.
“Hmm.” She looks around. “I’ll get you and Sammy to set the table a little later, but nothing at the moment.”
“Okay.” I look around, wondering what to do.
“Go back to your book and relax.” She smiles.
I frown. She is the most confusing woman on the planet. Is she going to spike my food with arsenic?
I pick my book back up and sit back on the lounge.
I sit and listen to her help my daughter over the course of the next three hours. She’s teaching her to make fresh pasta as Sammy watches on from his place on the kitchen counter. Brielle is carefree, funny, and the children dote on her.
They are laughing freely, and I have to stop myself from smiling.
I thought I was just pretending to read before, but that was nothing, because now I’m not even focusing on the words on the page.
All I can hear is her voice, praising and directing my children, laughing and joking them, teaching them little life lessons as she does.
If only she knew she was tempting me to think about things I shouldn’t be thinking.
“Mr. Masters?” she calls.
I glance up, hoping she can’t read my mind.
“Yes, Brielle.”
She smiles warmly. “Can you and Sammy go outside and pick some fresh flowers for the table, please?”
“What for?”
“Because this is a dinner party and we want everything to be perfect.” I roll my eyes, thinking this is extreme. “Very well.” I get up from the lounge, and with Samuel in tow, go out into the garden.
The doorbell chimes at exactly 6:00 p. m. and I answer it. My mother and father greet me happily.
“Julian, this is so exciting.” Mother smiles. “Willow is learning how to cook. We’re so thrilled to be invited.” She kisses my cheek and my father shakes my hand. “Yes, yes, I know. Although this is all Miss Brielle’s idea,” I tell them dryly.
“Grandma and Grandpa!” Samuel squeals as he runs to jump into my father’s arms. “Hello, my boy.” He laughs heartily.
Willow comes down the stairs, smiling, and it’s the first genuine smile I have seen on her in a long time. She kisses my parents on the cheek and my father’s eyes dance with delight. “Where is this new nanny?”
“She’s just getting ready,” I answer.
I look around the house. It’s hard to believe it’s actually mine. The place is spotless with the smell of beautiful Italian food filling the space. The table is set and fit for a king, with fresh flowers and the best cutlery out on display. “Willow,” my mother gasps. “It looks so beautiful.”
Willow looks around proudly. “It was all Brelly.”
“Nonsense.” Miss Brielle smiles as she walks into the room.
My face falls at the sight of her. She’s wearing a red wrap around dress with her hair down and full. She may just be the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.
“Miss Brielle.” I gesture to my parents. “This is my mother, Frances, and my father, Joseph.” “Hello.” She smiles warmly as she kisses them both on the cheek.
My fathers’ eyes meet mine in a ‘holy shit, son, this woman is hot’ way, and I smirk.
I know, Dad, you don’t have to remind me.
“Come in, come in, please.” She gestures to the dining area. “Willow has made us the most amazing feast.”
“Have you, Willow?” My mother gasps again. “This is so exciting.”
“Would you like a glass of wine?” Brielle smiles. “I bought some non-alcoholic wine for you, too, Will.”
Willow’s eyes widen with excitement.
I fill everyone’s glasses, and my mother holds her glass up for a toast. “To Willow’s first dinner party.”
Willow beams with happiness, and I unexpectedly get choked up. “To Willow’s first dinner party,” I repeat.
Over the next four hours, I watch on as Brielle adds my father to her fan club. The food has been amazing, the laughter has flowed freely, and I have to admit, I have had a truly fantastic night.
“So, what do you do back home in Australia?” my father asks.
Brielle smiles and glances at me.
“She’s an engineer,” I tell them proudly.
“What?” my mother squeals. “Really? I had no idea.”
Brielle nods and laughs. “You all seem so shocked when you find that out about me.”
“What do you do exactly?” my father asks.
“I design machines, but mostly I work on creating prosthetic limbs.”
“Prosthetic limbs?” I frown.
“Yeah, and some hearing aids, too. I don’t actually design them, more fit them to the client’s individual needs. I mostly work in the health sector. However, I have designed a few elevators.”
I try to process what she’s telling me.
“Shall we make our guests a coffee, Will?” Miss Brielle asks, changing the subject.
Willow frowns in question.
“It is customary to offer your guests a coffee or tea to wind down.”
“Oh.”
“That’s what the chocolates in the fridge are for.” She smiles as she grabs Willow’s hand over the table. “Let’s get that sorted, shall we?”
They stand and go to the kitchen. Brielle whispers something to my daughter, and Willow smiles warmly. The sight of it makes my heart constrict. I knew Brielle was perfect on the outside. God knows, every man on the planet knows she’s fucking perfect on the outside.
But today, she’s a new kind of beautiful to me. The kind of beautiful that makes me want to rush closer and kiss her. The kind of beautiful that makes me want to hold her in my arms.
My cock aches at the memory of having her. She was tight, toned, and as loving as she is in everyday life. I want to be alone with her again… right now.
But that’s the problem: I will want her to leave soon, too, and then she would.
For the first time since their mother died, my children are happy.
I can’t jeopardize this with my carnal desires. Not now, not ever.
I have to put my children before myself, and I have to keep away from Miss Brielle.
My eyes linger on the beautiful woman wearing the red dress standing in my kitchen, and my heart constricts at the thought of never having her again.
She glances up, and our eyes linger on each other’s faces a moment too long.
I drop my eyes and blow out a defeated breath.
If only I were normal.
I walk along the hallway upstairs, prepared to start the morning routine. “Rise and shine, lovely little people,” I call.
I open Willow’s door. “Will, time to get up.”
“Get out,” she sighs groggily.
I continue walking down to Sammy’s room.
“Sammy, wake up, little angel,” I call as I walk in and sit on the end of his bed. We have a morning routine now. He crawls out of bed, onto my lap, and we cuddle for a few minutes until he wakes properly.
“Good morning.” I kiss his perfect little forehead, and he snuggles in closer. “How’s my little man today?” I ask.
“Good,” he mumbles sleepily.
We sit for a moment longer. “Get yourself washed up and I’ll meet you downstairs, okay?”
He nods and toddles off to the bathroom, leaving m
“Miss Brielle?” Mr. Masters calls from his room.
What the hell? I walk into his bedroom to find him with a white towel wrapped around his waist, and he’s shaving in his bathroom mirror.
My eyes widen.
“W-what are you doing home?”
He smiles at my obvious shock. “I do believe I live here.”
I shake my head. “I meant, why aren’t you at work?”
He carefully guides the razor down his cheek through the shaving cream, and I swallow the lump in my throat. The power radiating from his body nearly kills my ovaries, it wrestles them unconscious.
“I don’t have court this week. I have a scheduled break as I have conference meetings. Take a seat, please. I need to talk to you for a moment.” He concentrates on his jawline.
My heart begins to beat faster. “Okay,” I whisper. My eyes roam over his bare, muscular back, then over his rippled abdomen. He has a trail of dark hair that runs from his navel, disappearing beneath the towel. My mouth goes dry.
He’s just so…
I get a vision of his head between my legs the other night and I begin to tingle. This is one hell of a morning show.