Employee Relations

Employee Relations By Wynter Daniels Copyright 2011 Wynter Daniels

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the author.

Prologue Miami Beach, New Year’s Eve, 2000 When the clock on the mantle struck twelve, fourteen-year-old Scarlet Eldridge's blood ran cold. The time wasn't midnight or noon, but eleven-twenty, forty minutes before the new millennium. Someone close to her would die tonight. “Want another slice of pizza?” her older sister called from the kitchen. “Scarlet?” Layla appeared in the doorway. “What's wrong with you?” Words refused to come. Scarlet closed her hand around her neck, paralyzed with dread. Rain pelted the windows and a clap of thunder made her shudder. “You're pale as a ghost.” Layla rushed to her. “What's the matter?” “The clock,” she managed. “It chimed.” Layla stared toward the mantle. “Couldn't have. It's been broken since before we were born. Mama said it hasn't worked since her granny passed away, like twenty years ago.” She grasped Scarlet's shoulders and gently shook her. “You're scaring me. What's going on?” Layla wouldn't believe her, would probably make fun of her, but she couldn't shake the feeling that terrible news was imminent. “When a clock that hasn’t been working suddenly chimes, there's going to be a death in the family.” Acid burned the back of her throat. Layla's face tightened into a scowl and she lifted her hands in the air. “You and Mom are driving me nuts with those silly superstitions. I swear, Scarlet, you scared me to death.” “Oh, God.” All the air sucked out of her lungs when she noticed the gold chain around Layla's wrist. “Why are you wearing Mama's lucky bracelet?” She shook uncontrollably, fearing for their mother's life. “Calm down. She loaned it to me yesterday.” “But she's completely unprotected.” Her voice rose to a screechy pitch. She forced herself to focus on their parents’ plans for the evening. A party at a friend's place, her mother had told her. Only a few miles from home. “What if something happens?” She shut her eyes, silently praying for their safe return. “Nothing's going to happen. I don’t want to hear about creepy stuff anymore. Bad enough that Mama never shuts up about dumb superstitions, now I have to listen to you, too?” She started back to the kitchen. The sound of a car engine in the driveway eased Scarlet's fears. They were home safe. Thank God. But when she yanked open the front door expecting to see them, a soaking wet state trooper ran up the walk instead. Stars swam before Scarlet's eyes and her world slipped off its axis.

Chapter One Ten years later Scarlet’s cranky mood lifted a little when she saw Keith’s car in front of their apartment. Had he taken the night off from the restaurant? She quickened her steps, anxious to cry on his shoulder after her tough day. She slipped her key into the lock and pushed open the door. The room was quiet as a secret and all the lights were off. Maybe he was in the basement doing their laundry. She fingered the gold acorn she wore around her neck. Dropping her purse on the long counter, she headed for the bedroom to change. Working with preschoolers all day had left her caked in green finger paint and something sticky she couldn’t identify. As she entered the bedroom, a soft rustle pulled her attention to the unmade bed. Her heart leapt to her throat. “Hey, babe.” Keith sat in the middle of the bed, halfway under the covers. “What are you doing home so early?” “Jeez. You scared the hell out of me.” She toed off her shoes. How would she break the news to him? They were barely making it with both incomes. What if it took a while for her to find another job? Her pulse quickened. “I need to talk to you, after I change out of these clothes.” She set her hand on the closet doorknob. “No!” Keith threw back the covers. “Come here.” He was completely naked. What was he doing still in bed in the middle of the afternoon, anyway? She narrowed her gaze at him. “You look stressed.” He patted the mattress. “Let me rub your back.” Code for sex in Keith’s book. Maybe she should delay spilling the news until after he’d gotten off and all those feel-good hormones had done their thing. She stripped off her t-shirt, wriggled out of her shorts and dropped them into the hamper. “Now you’re talking.” Keith’s gaze raked over her body and a lusty grin lifted his lips. She tried to scare up a spark of desire, but in truth she was too upset about losing her job. That awful Mrs. Higgins had it out for her since Scarlet’s first day. Keith stood up and closed the distance between them. Wrapping strong arms around her waist, he pulled her against him and gave her a deep, tasting kiss. Automatically, her nipples hardened and strained against the fabric of her bra. She shut her eyes and skimmed her hands along his back. What would she do without him? He took her hand and led her to the bed. Before she got in, she took off her panties and bra. Lying on her back, she crooked a finger at him. “Don’t you want me to massage your back?” She couldn’t stifle a laugh. “Come on. I know what you mean when you offer me a backrub.” Instead of waiting for him to drop the game, she got on her knees and closed her fist around his cock. He drew an appreciative gasp. His cock hardened under her touch. “No, don’t.” No, don’t?

She’d never known him to play coy before, but he was always coming up with new games. She lowered her mouth to his erection and licked off the drop of seed that had collected at the slit. His low moan assured her she was on the right track. Cupping his balls, she licked the underside of his shaft. He took a step closer, giving her easier access. She flicked her tongue over his balls, felt him grow even harder. “That feels so good.” Threading his fingers through her hair, he moved her head slightly so the crown of his cock pushed against her lips. Heat bloomed inside her. She craved his touch. Her pussy ached for attention and her intimate juices pooled between her legs. She took his length into her mouth, swirled her tongue around it as she grasped the base tighter. “Oh, God, Scarlet, yes.” He thrust deeper into her mouth. But she wanted more than to give him head. She recalled just a few days ago how he’d gotten “too into it,” as he’d explained later. She’d given him a blowjob and he’d reciprocated with a kiss. This time she had to take more. Her wounds needed licking, and so did her other parts. She took his cock out of her mouth and closed her hand around it. Easing herself down onto her back, she waited as Keith climbed over her. He grabbed a foil packet from the night table. When did he take a condom out of the drawer? She shook off the question and slid her hand over his hard-on, pumping her fist over it. She let go when Keith had the condom ready to put on. He rolled it over his shaft, then climbed between her legs. “Ready for me to fuck you?” A little foreplay would have been nice, but it was okay. “Mm hmm.” He spread her legs apart, pushed a finger inside her, testing her readiness. She wanted him to look at her face when he slid his cock inside her, but his gaze wandered toward the mirror on the bathroom door. So he liked watching himself when they had sex. Lots of guys probably did. He pumped into her harder. She wished he’d touch her breasts, do anything that would assure her he wanted her here, and not just a hole to screw. But Keith loved her. She knew he did. Veins protruded on his neck. He was close to coming already. And he’d want to know that she’d had an orgasm as well. Grasping a handful of sheet in her fists, she forced a moan. Her fingers touched something foreign. Definitely not the rough, one hundred thread count sheets Keith had given her for her birthday. She closed her hand around something silky and turned her head to see what it was. Fear and disgust rallied in her gut when she held up a red silk bra. Another woman’s bra. “Yes, yes, yeeeesssss.” Keith stroked into her hard, then jerked twice and collapsed on top of her, panting. This couldn’t be happening. Her chest tightened and tears welled in her eyes. I can’t lose my job and discover my boyfriend is a cheater on the same day! She shoved Keith off of her and held the bra in front of his face. “Whose is this?” He covered his eyes, started shaking his head. “Whose?” She struggled to get a breath in. Shooting off the bed, she scanned the room. She marched across the room to the closet and yanked open the door. Instead of her clothes, she found a naked white woman, arms crossed over her huge breasts.

“I’m sorry, Scarlet.” Recognition hit her like a speeding truck, knocking her back. Her best friend, Holly stood there wearing nothing but the red panties that matched the bra she’d found on her bed. It was all too much. Her lover, her best friend, her job. Humiliation flooded her veins, made her teeter with nausea. She wanted to crumble to the floor and curl up into a ball, but she couldn’t. She refused to let them see what they’d done to her. An hour later she threw three black trash bags loaded with all her worldly possessions into the back of her sister’s Honda. “I don’t want to talk about it yet,” she told Layla as she climbed into the passenger seat. She snapped the seatbelt and watched the apartment building fade into the distance as they drove away. ***** Ethan Chandler's jaw dropped. “Did you hear me?” Carmela asked over the phone. “I can’t deal with her anymore. She's…she's in the way.” He'd finally see the child he'd spent years searching for. Ashley was coming home to him. He steeled himself against the rush of emotion. Relief, anger and hope. Carmela had disappeared off the radar with his child twelve years ago. No phone call to tell him Ashley was alive, nothing in all those years. She knew how devoted he was to that child, how much he loved her. “So you're throwing Ashley away now that she's giving you problems? Now that you've decided to shack up with a man who foolishly believes he wants his own children with you? Since you’ve shown yourself to be such a devoted mother and all.” Carmela hadn’t changed in a dozen years. “My decision has nothing to do with Stephano.” Her guilty tone told him otherwise. “She's your child too, Ethan. High time you dealt with her. And her name is Antonia now. Toni for short.” Antonia? No wonder he'd had no luck finding her. He'd been looking for a girl named Ashley in the states, not Antonia in Italy. “I'd have loved to have seen her, heard from her sometime in the last twelve years. We had an agreement—a legal arrangement—for us to share custody.” Did she even care that she'd ripped his heart out when she ran off with his baby? Or consider the damage to the child by suddenly yanking her father out of her life? Of course not. Carmela never thought about anyone but herself. “I didn't like your agreement. She was better off with my family near. You had no one to nurture her, to pinch her cheeks and tell her how wonderful she is. You don’t even know where your own mother is.” His blood boiled. “I nurtured Ashley. I loved her and told how wonderful she was. Until you disobeyed a court order and stole her.” All the years of frustration and emotional agony, the thousands upon thousands of dollars he'd spent on private investigators and lawyers, trying to find them. “And now she's coming here, to a father she probably can't remember.” “I told her you were dead.” The sucker punch knocked the air from his lungs. He gasped for a breath, tried to remain calm. “That I was dead?” Poor kid grew up without a father, just as he had. Carmela knew how strongly he felt about being a part of Ashley's life. Anger heated his blood. He wished he could reach through the phone and strangle her. “And now what? I've miraculously been resurrected?”

“Same old sarcastic Ethan.” Her shrill laugh sent chills up his spine. “She thinks you're her uncle.” “Her uncle?” After not speaking to her for more than a decade, somehow she still had the power to enrage him like no one else. He drew a steadying breath, prayed for the wherewithal to get through this gut-wrenching conversation. “I could hardly tell her I'd fibbed all these years.” “No, of course not.” He shook his head, amazed at the woman's gall. “You've left that task to me.” “Not necessarily. Nothing says you have to reveal who you really are.” Unbelievable. “So I should perpetuate your lies?” He tried to recall what he'd ever seen in Carmela, other than her dark, exotic features, long, shiny black hair and perfect breasts with nipples like rubies. She had the most talented muscles he’d ever experienced, muscles that clenched around his erection and milked him bone-dry. He’d loved her, laid himself bare and she’d ripped his heart out. He’d have done anything for her back then. What a lovesick idiot he’d been. Never again. His jaw tightened as he tried to purge the memory. “I won’t lie for you. Sounds like Ashley's had enough dishonesty in the last twelve years.” “Same stick-in-the-mud as always.” She sighed. “I have a life to live, Ethan. And honestly, Toni has grown into a spoiled, selfish girl.” “I wonder how that happened.” Stabbing pains behind his eyes intensified. Carmela had always brought out the worst in him. “Now, now. Be nice. Her plane lands in Miami at three-fifty, your time. I just checked on the website and it’s right on schedule. You'll have to show a picture ID to claim her.” “Sounds like a piece of cargo.” He grasped the phone so tightly he feared he might crush it. “Not a nice way to speak of your flesh and blood, darling.” “Go to hell.” He glanced at the calendar on his desk. Two meetings tomorrow would have to be rescheduled, but the business trip next week couldn't be. “Is that a way to speak to the mother of your daughter?” “You’re right. Fuck you, Carmela.” Click. “Carmela?” He listened and waited, still in shock. Silence. He shut his eyes and took a deep breath. She hadn't even told him the girl's flight number, the airline. Alitalia, he'd bet. He slammed the phone onto the cradle. How could this be happening? Finally, he'd be reunited with the child he'd spent years searching for, yet he knew he was totally unprepared. And his daughter thought he was her uncle, no less. His chest tightened as if he wore a compression suit, squeezing, choking the life out of him. Ashley didn't even know he existed. God only knew what lies Carmela had told her, what damage she'd inflicted. Turning to his computer, he logged on and searched today's incoming flights. Sure enough, there was an Alitalia flight arriving in Miami from Rome at three-fifty. His gut twisted into knots. He didn’t know whether to be ecstatic or furious. He was going to see his little girl—today! Glancing toward the corner of his desk at the framed photo of Ashley at two years old, he swallowed back a golf ball sized lump. He scrubbed his hands over his face then grabbed his jacket as he raced out the door.

“Where you off to, Boss Man?” Patti asked as he hurried past the reception counter. “Airport. I'll fill you in later.” Pushing through the glass doors, he broke into a run in the parking lot, ignoring the burn of the stifling midday summer heat. He checked the clock on the Porsche's dash, thankful for all the muscle the sports car had under its hood. Something rolled across the passenger seat when he turned a corner. Grabbing the small silver tube, he held it closer to his eyes. Lipstick. Must have fallen out of his date's purse last night. He tried to recall her name, but it was just out of reach. Didn't matter. He'd made his intentions clear before they'd had sex. No strings. No spending the night. He'd never lay his heart on the chopping block again. Carmela had cured him of that. He made it to the airport in nineteen minutes, then spent nearly that long searching for a place to park. Inside the terminal, the queue at security snaked around endless rope lines. When he finally arrived at the customer service desk to claim Ashley, his heart pounded a mile a minute. He wondered if that were more from exertion or sheer panic. What would his daughter think of him? Would she resent that he hadn't been there for her all those years? Did they have anything in common besides DNA? After showing his identification and explaining the situation, a clerk handed him a pass. He arrived at the gate as the first group of passengers disembarked. He searched the crowd for a fourteen-year-old who resembled the toddler he'd last seen more than a decade earlier. Was her hair still sandy brown, like his? Or had the color grown closer to her mother's jet-black? What if Ashley didn't like him? Should he spring his true identity on her right away or wait until later—or maybe even a few days or week from now? A teenager passed, ear buds attached to her head, hazel eyes darting around the area. She removed the earphones and nodded to the woman walking astride her. Could it be? He tried to remember his daughter's eyes, a striking shade of blue-green, like the waters of the Caribbean. Certainly they could have changed a little in all these years. He took a tentative step toward her, tried to get a better look at her face. Then he heard her speak. She was obviously American through and through. No hint of an Italian accent. He dropped back, continued scouting the line of passengers. A teen emerged from the walkway with fuchsia and black spiked hair, an earring through her eyebrow and an outfit that looked as if she'd pulled it out of a rag box—an oversized T-shirt gathered at her hip with a rubber band, faded, ripped jean shorts with torn fishnet stockings and high-heeled ankle boots. Thankfully, the girl looked too old to be his. She fingered a cigarette tucked behind one ear. Or was it joint? Nah. Not in public like that. What kind of parent allowed a teenager to parade around that way? A uniformed flight attendant holding a clipboard led the scary looking girl to a nearby counter. The teen's gaze darted around the terminal. Ethan cringed at the heavy black eyeliner and bright purple lip gloss. Had she looked in a mirror recently? Returning his attention to the line of passengers, he narrowed his gaze when he realized the exodus had slowed to a trickle: an elderly woman with a walker, a man in a wheelchair pushed by a male attendant. Where the hell was Ashley? When no one else came through the ramp, he headed to the desk. The juvenile delinquent girl gave him a once-over, then a snotty sneer. The flight attendant flashed him toothy grin. “May I help you?” Her smile widened. “With anything?”

Good. She was American. The last thing he needed now was a language barrier. “Yes.” What was that smell? Like body odor? He twisted toward the teenager and sniffed. The stench grew stronger. Didn't she wear deodorant? He fixed a smile on his face and returned his attention to the attendant. “I thought my d…niece would be on this flight. Can you check the manifest?” “I'd be happy to, sir.” She adjusted her glasses, took a pen from her pocket and held it above the clipboard. “What's the name?” “Ashley…er…Antonia—” God. What last name had Carmela given her? The child's birth certificate had his, but somehow, he knew Carmela would have changed the document. The woman's perfectly arched eyebrows drew closer together. “Ashley Antonia?” He bristled. “No.” On top of everything else, he now looked like an idiot, thanks to Carmela. “You're looking for me,” the girl beside him interjected. Her English was perfect, with a slight accent but the voice sent a chill over his skin. She sounded exactly like Carmela. “What name then, sir?” the attendant asked. His insides froze as he alternated his stare between the woman and the teen. Please, no. Don't let this…this misfit be my precious Ashley. “You don't recognize your own niece?” The flight attendant's glasses slid down her nose and the flirtation evaporated from her demeanor like rain on hot asphalt. “I haven't seen her for twelve years,” he explained. The woman's lips flattened into a judgmental frown. “I'll need to see your identification.” Her tone had turned to ice. He ventured a quick glance at the girl—his daughter—and sucked in a breath as he removed his wallet from his back pocket, pulled out his license. Fear clawed at the back of his throat. Where had his angelic little Ashley disappeared? This couldn't possibly be the energetic toddler with the most infectious laughter and the best hugs in the world. Or could it? He snuck another wary peek at her. Beneath the war paint he found those lovely turquoise eyes, the long, thick lashes, the tiny beauty mark on her right cheek. His heart clunked. What had Carmela done to his baby? What on earth was he going to do with this…this creature? She'd need round the clock supervision. Supervision he couldn't possibly provide alone since he had a company to run. He needed some help—right away.

Chapter Two Swallowing hard, Scarlet glanced around the waiting area of Chandler Specialty Software, Inc. As a black woman, she felt completely out of place. Everything glowed white from the hard couch she sat upon to the high reception desk to the walls. Even the petite blonde seated behind the counter wore a starched white blouse. She wondered why Mr. Chandler wanted to interview her here, rather than at his home. After all, whomever he hired would be living there and they'd definitely want to see the place, not to mention meet the kids. Thankfully, no other applicants were there—yet. How many did she have to compete with? She was positive the listing had only been posted last night since she’d been searching the newspaper’s online help wanted section for the past week. Fingering the gold acorn that hung around her neck, she prayed for good luck. She tugged at the hem of her skirt, unaccustomed to wearing anything but jeans or shorts. Good thing she was able to fit into Layla non-pregnant size. Her back ached from too many nights on Layla and Joe’s lumpy couch. With the baby arriving soon, Scarlet would have to move out. Just this morning she’d walked out of the bathroom and nearly crashed into her halfasleep, completely naked brother-in-law. God, I need this job. It would not only replace the one she’d just lost, but it would also give her somewhere to live that didn’t involve infringing upon her sister’s privacy. Best of all, she wouldn’t have to drop out of college. The double glass doors swung open and a tall man with light brown hair that barely grazed his shoulders breezed in. His confident stride left no doubt he was the boss. She sucked in a nervous breath and hoped he couldn't hear the banging of her heart against her ribcage. Please don’t let this be the guy I'm interviewing with. Way too good looking. He stopped at the coffee station and poured himself a cup. The cut of his expensive suit emphasized broad shoulders and a slim waist. The morning sun reflected in his emerald eyes. God, he was beautiful with a strong jaw, a cleft chin and prominent cheekbones. And no wedding band. Perfect, except for a slanted scar on his forehead. And he looked familiar. Realization slapped her like a blast of frigid winter air. Oh, no. He was the guy who'd nearly sideswiped Layla’s car a couple days ago in his hot little Porsche, the guy she’d flicked off. Her heart clunked. Damn. She'd hoped she had a shot at this job. Too good to be true. Now what would she do? Dropping her shoulders, she wondered if she ought to leave now. Save them both the trouble. No way would he hire her when he remembered her. She sobered at the vision of her future going up in a puff of smoke. I must get this job! He gave her a cursory glance before stopping at the reception desk. She breathed in and savored the woodsy scent that followed him. Was it possible he didn't recognize her? He drove that sports car way too fast, probably paid little attention to anyone but himself. She knew the type. Just like that bastard, Keith. Didn’t matter. The job would kill several birds with one stone. She’d work for the devil if she had to. He winked at the receptionist. “Morning, Patti. How's the new puppy doing?”

“Good morning. He ate one of my shoes yesterday, but we're learning to adjust to each other.” The woman gestured toward Scarlet. “Your first candidate's arrived.” He met Scarlet's gaze and her insides melted into a puddle of molten estrogen. All the air was somehow sucked out of her lungs. Composing herself, she studied his expression, but saw no hint of recognition. Thank goodness. But still, he was way too distracting. A distraction was the very last thing she needed now. Obviously, she couldn’t count upon her instincts when it came to men. She’d trusted Keith. Never again. She’d make sure not to put herself in a vulnerable position ever again. He bowed his head closer to the receptionist, lowered his voice. Not so low Scarlet couldn’t hear, though. “What's her name?” “Scarlet Eldridge.” Patti handed him a sheet of paper that might have been her résumé. Straightening, he swept his gaze over Scarlet as if she were a head of cattle he contemplated for slaughter. Icy fingers of fear crawled over her skin, sending a shiver up her spine. Yeah, he was totally hot, but way too scary. “Miss Eldridge,” he said coolly. “Would you come into my office?” His invitation sounded more like a death sentence. Maybe he'd recognized her after all. Blood pounded in her ears. Why was she so nervous? It was only a job—a job my life depends upon. The most perfect job she'd ever come across. Praying her legs wouldn’t fail her, she stood, followed him down a short corridor to a respectably sized office. A huge picture window afforded a spectacular view of sailboats gliding regally along Biscayne Bay. The furniture followed the same white theme from the reception area, except for the desk, which was a rich mahogany—a man's desk. She hoped he'd offer the intimate sitting area near the window, but he gestured to a chair opposite the desk as he set his coffee cup down and took a seat on the other side in a dark burgundy leather chair. She'd had enough psychology classes to know he wanted to appear authoritative behind that massive piece of furniture. No problem. She sat in uncomfortable silence as he read her résumé, giving his head an occasional nod. No wedding band. How could a man that good looking be single? Maybe he was a workaholic. Or awful to be around, although for some reason, she doubted that. Something struck her about his presence; his cool confidence seemed more than attitude. He exuded a quiet strength, a man who shouldn't be messed with, or else. She’d bet he left a trail of broken hearts wherever he went. With those sexy eyes, chiseled features and broad shoulders, women had to be falling at his feet. A shiver rolled over her skin. She wondered why he needed a nanny. Was he divorced? Or widowed? Yes, that must be it. Why else would he have his children enough to require live-in care for them? Her heart squeezed when she thought about his poor kids losing their mother. It had been so painful for her and she’d been nearly an adult when her parents passed away. She glanced at a bronze plaque on the wall and tried to read the inscription. Something about sponsoring a Little League team. Beside it a framed certificate of appreciation for coaching said team. Okay, so the man had a heart. But he was still a lousy driver. Finally he set the paper down and eyed her for a long moment. Stomach fluttering, she concentrated on remaining calm and unruffled by his burning stare. If only her libido would take a hike, just for a while. Her nipples hardened to painful points. Could he see them through her white blouse? She folded her arms over her chest, just in case.

“You've had several jobs in the last few years, Miss Eldridge. Why is that?” She squirmed, mentally practiced the answer she'd prepared. “Well, you see, um, Loving Care Daycare went out of business.” She held up her hands in surrender. “Which had nothing to do with the fact that I worked there at the time. Then, um, at Kids at Play, my manager and I didn’t see eye-to-eye about some of their policies.” Her heart pounded. Could she be screwing this up more? He lifted a sexy eyebrow. “Elaborate on that, please.” Damn. How am I supposed to concentrate when he’s staring at me with those eyes? “Okay, well, um—” “Without the use of the words um and well.” He set his hands on the desk, laced his fingers together. His tanned skin and strong hands distracted her for several seconds. What would his touch feel like? A rush of heat surged between her legs. She wiggled to stop that tingly feeling. Concentrate! “Are you all right, Miss Eldridge?” “Uh, yes. Fine. And call me Scarlet, please.” She couldn’t possibly tell him about the blowup she and the center’s director had. If her own sister hadn’t understood why she’d insisted on changing the curriculum and a few of the policies for her kids, why would anyone? But the center could have prepared the kids for kindergarten so much better if they’d only taken her advice. No, most people wouldn’t get that. They’d accuse her of being a control freak, as Layla had. Her pulse raced. She had to get this job, had to make him see she wasn't the flake her work history implied. Sitting taller in the chair, she captured his gaze. “I love children, Mr. Chandler. My life's goal is to be a kindergarten teacher and that's what I'm studying to become. I've had a few stumbling blocks in my path like my parents' death in a car accident.” She hadn't meant for that to come out like an excuse, but didn’t want to stop to clarify. “I'm attending classes at the community college but it's been a slow road. I take one or two courses each semester, which I'm more than willing to adjust to fit your children's schedule.” She leaned toward him and smelled another whiff of his cologne and more—pure man. “More than anything, Mr. Chandler, I want you to know I'll be the best damned nanny your kids could ever have. I'll be their friend, their teacher and I'll protect them as if they're my own.” A corner of his mouth lifted in a grin for only a split second, then his expression returned to the stony, businesslike one he'd worn earlier. “Really.” “Really.” She sat back, crossed her legs. Confident, in control. “To be perfectly honest, Mr. Chandler, I lost my last job because I wanted more for the kids there. I don’t believe in merely warehousing preschoolers.” His eyes sparkled with curiosity. “Oh?” “The center’s owner didn’t agree.” She hooked her fingers together to keep them from shaking. “Before that, I was let go from a daycare for suggesting to some parents that their children would be better served at another facility, one that would actually teach them something. In hindsight, most of it was my fault. I know it’s up to management to make those decisions. But I've learned a lot from my past mistakes.” God, he had a beautiful face; strong jaw line, a sexy mouth she'd love to… “Like?” She cleared her throat, prayed her voice wouldn’t falter. “Like you have to live with the rules your boss makes, even if those rules don’t match your vision. Like first and foremost, it

always comes down to keeping the children safe. Like every child is different and each brings a unique set of needs to the table. I plan to spend my life trying to meet those needs, give every kid I come in contact with that special something they require to help them grow into their full potential.” “Well spoken.” He eyed her for a long time, as if he were appraising an object d'art, deciding whether he should buy it. “The job,” he finally said, “pays six hundred a week plus room and board. Since I'm paying top dollar, I expect exemplary service. I need you immediately. My daughter's just arrived from Italy and needs lots of…prepping to fit in at an American school in the fall.” She nodded. Did that mean he was hiring her, just like that? And only one kid? Piece of cake. “No problem. I can start today if that works.” She wanted to jump up and down, scream, “Hallelujah,” shout how happy she was. He picked up the phone and pressed a button, his eyes never leaving hers. “You can cancel the other interviews, Patti. Thanks.” He hung up, wrote something on a paper and pushed it toward her. “Here's my address. Be there at seven this evening with your things. I'll be checking your references today so if there's anything you'd like to tell me, better make it now.” Squaring her shoulders, she shook her head. “I have nothing to hide.” Except my attraction for you. He tossed her a curt nod. “My daughter is fourteen. She's…a bit of a challenge.” Fourteen? Why did he need a nanny for a teenager? And what did he mean by a challenge? No matter. She needed this job—desperately. “I can handle it, sir.” But can I handle him? She prayed she could. ***** Ethan couldn't tear his eyes off Scarlet as he walked her to the door. Her rear end swayed gracefully under her black skirt and her legs…oh, those long, lovely legs, muscular and lean, gave her away as a woman who didn’t sit on her butt much. Shiny black hair pulled into a tight ponytail reflected the fluorescent lights in the hallway. Long, straight locks spilled over her back, making him want to plunge his fingers into the silky looking strands. He folded his hands in front of him to hide the growing bulge in his pants. Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea, hiring a woman who'd turned him on the second he'd laid eyes on her. She stopped and he nearly bumped into her, but thankfully caught himself at the last second. “Tonight then.” She turned to him and placed a hand on the glass door, long fingers and sleek red nails he could easily imagine scraping along his back. Shaking off the image, he cleared his throat. “Yes. Tonight.” He had a strict policy about not getting involved with women in his employ. Mixing business with pleasure was never a good idea. He held the door open, watched her cross the parking lot, slide into the passenger seat of an older model Honda. Squinting, he tried to see the driver, but couldn't. A boyfriend, perhaps? The thought cut through him. Ridiculous. He had no claim to her and never would. And why did she seem familiar? Maybe she had one of those faces. Calling that face to mind, that body, he felt his erection gain strength. What was wrong with him? He wasn't some teenager who got hard every time the wind blew.

She's an employee now. One he'd better not even think about sleeping with. Way too complicated. He'd learned his lesson years ago with Carmela. Much safer to stick with the nearly anonymous flings that had served his needs so well in recent years. His mind drifted back fifteen years. Carmela had been hired as his assistant when he worked for a large technology firm. He'd resisted her flirtations for a while, pretended he didn’t catch the barely cloaked sexual innuendos in her conversation, ignored how she'd brush against him as she'd pass in the corridor. Until they'd worked late one night an accounting program, ironing out the bugs. They ordered Chinese takeout and she lamented how badly her last boyfriend had treated her during the break-up. Like a fool, he'd pitied her, believed that everything was the ex's fault. She was an innocent victim. He wished he'd picked up on the red flags that night, put the brakes on before the affair even began. Only she was so sexy and his loneliness got the best of him. They made love that very evening on his desk, then back at his place. She became an unquenchable thirst, a burning need he couldn't deny. They made love constantly, everywhere. She rode him in the back seat of her car in a parking lot outside a restaurant in the middle of the day. He took her up against a building in an alleyway behind a nightclub. For three months they were inseparable. When she discovered her pregnancy, she disappeared for a week. He should have seen the writing on the wall then, known she'd take off with their child at some point. “Ethan?” Patti's voice broke through his thoughts. “Did you hear me?” He pasted a smile on and turned to her. “Sorry. What'd you say?” “Toni’s on line two for you.” “Thanks.” He returned to his office, shut the door and took a deep breath. How could he tell her he'd hired a babysitter for her? Maybe he ought to think up another angle. Scarlet could be a…a tutor. To prep Toni for the coming school year. Yes. That might work. A live-in tutor. He'd have to email Scarlet and let her know about the ruse. Steeling himself, he picked up the phone. “Yes, Toni. How are you?” “Awful. That's how I am.” Her voice was so loud he held the phone at arm's length. “What seems to be the problem?” “Your housekeeper is the problem. She's not my boss.” Her accent sounded particularly strong. He spun his chair around, watched a sailboat glide across the bay. The scene calmed him. “She took away all my cigarettes. Broke them into pieces. Then she dumped all my clothes into the washing machine . Even the clean ones.” God bless that Myra. He hoped the stench would be gone by time he arrived home this afternoon. “I asked her to look after you today. Until the tutor comes.” He waited for his last statement to hit her. Glancing at his watch, he counted. One, two… “Tutor?” she shouted at the top of her lungs. “I don’t need any tutor. The schools in Italy are far better than your American ones.” “Apparently you've already rejected Myra's company. I can hardly leave you alone all day.” “Why not? Madre lets me stay by myself all the time. Even overnight.” He cringed at the thought, flashed on his own childhood of long, lonely nights spent wondering if his mother would ever come back. “So that's legal there?” Silence. “Toni?”

“Isn’t it legal for a teenager to stay alone here?” “No way. Not until they're…sixteen.” Maybe she'd fall for it, at least until she made some friends to tell her otherwise. “So I have a babysitter until school starts?” She huffed loudly. “I won’t do it. I'll run her off.” He smiled, thinking about Scarlet. Toni would no doubt give her a run for the money, but for some reason he had confidence Scarlet would be able to handle the teenager. The only question was could he handle having such a beautiful, sexy woman so close?

Chapter Two Scarlet's heart kicked a wild beat against her ribcage when Layla parked the car in front of a huge house—a mansion, really. “Wow.” Layla leaned toward the windshield, scanned the immense home. “Moving up in the world, kiddo.” Although she appreciated the beauty of the place, Scarlet couldn't help but be intimidated by the grandeur. “Yeah. But can I do this?” This was a far cry from the urban daycare centers where she'd worked and from the blue-collar neighborhoods she'd lived her entire life. She smiled when she felt her sister's hand on hers, squeezing gently. Layla always knew what she needed. “Of course you can do it. I have faith in you.” Warm confidence filled her nearly empty coffer. She reached across her sister's large belly to give her a hug. “Take care of my future nephew, will you?” Layla nodded. “You take care of his aunt.” She rubbed her swollen middle. “I can’t wait until he comes. I've been ready for two months.” Scarlet chuckled. “You've been ready since we played house when we were kids. You always wanted to be the mom.” She thought about how Layla had stepped right into the maternal role after their parents died and wondered if her sister had missed out on anything because of it. “Won't be long now.” “And you always had to be the teacher.” “Someday. Taking one or two courses a semester should get me into my own classroom, oh, by time I’m fifty.” Scarlet climbed out of the car and pulled the suitcase Layla had lent her from the back seat. Sucking in a deep breath, she stepped away from the Honda and waved her sister away. “Go. I'll be fine. I promise.” Talk the talk and you'll believe. Layla inched the car forward, then, after a few seconds, drove out of the circular driveway. Scarlet felt for her gold acorn charm, touched it for luck. Taking another look at the house, she swallowed back her fear. Maybe mansion was an exaggeration. It only had one story, after all, but it sprawled over the lush tropical landscape like a lazy cat. Short, fat palms lined the walkway and a big oak draped with Spanish moss stood guard near the front door. The sound of running water drew her attention to a multi-level koi pond behind a cluster of low shrubs. An orange and white fish skimmed the water between a few small lily pads. She prayed she'd have enough free time to lounge on the wooden swing with a good book or her sketchpad. Her nerves calmed a bit by the peaceful scene, she headed to the door and rang the bell. Setting her suitcase on the threshold, she glanced down and noticed a glittering object on the stone step. Automatically she picked it up and gasped. A heads-down penny. Now she was really in for some bad luck. She dropped it as if it were on fire, watched it roll into the bushes. The leaded glass door jerked open and Scarlet's eyes widened when she saw a pink and black haired, Goth looking creature standing before her. The girl's sneer could melt an iceberg. Could this possibly be her charge? Scarlet took an apprehensive step away. Maybe this girl was only a friend of Mr. Chandler's daughter. Please.

The teenager raked her heavily made-up eyes over Scarlet. Angry eyes. “Are you my tutor? He didn’t mention that you were black.” She had an accent. Hadn't Mr. Chandler said she was from Italy? Oh, God. This was his daughter, all right. Scarlet opened her mouth to respond, but the girl slammed the door before she had a chance to speak a word. Looking toward the driveway, Scarlet wondered if Layla had parked nearby, waiting to make sure everything was okay, as she used to when they were teenagers. No such luck. The door opened again. This time Mr. Chandler stood there, a crooked grin on his handsome face that instantly stole her breath. Away from the austere atmosphere of his office, he didn't seem quite so stiff, although his sex appeal was just as intense as it had been hours earlier. More so, really, since he now wore a polo shirt and shorts, rather than the expensive suit he'd sported at the office. She drank in the lean, tanned legs, imagined running her hands over the roped muscle. His laugh sounded forced. “Please excuse my daughter.” “I'm not your daughter,” the girl shouted from another room. “You can’t do this to me.” His face flushed and that amazing chiseled jaw quivered. “As I told you, Toni is still adjusting to her new home.” “This is not my home.” Toni boomed with fury. Scarlet wondered if she'd made a huge mistake. Maybe this situation was more than she could handle. It was all well and good to say she could rise to any challenge, but could she? Her experience was limited to toddlers and preschoolers. The classes she'd taken concentrated on kindergarten aged kids and below, not adolescent train wrecks like this one. Her confidence shaken, she mulled over what she'd say to back out of this. Layla couldn’t have gotten too far yet. She'd probably still be somewhere in Coral Gables. Mr. Chandler took her arm and a jolt of electricity caught her off guard. Their gazes locked for a moment and heat rushed through her. Did he feel it, too? Judging from his dazed stare, she guessed the answer was yes. “Please forgive Toni her inhospitable greeting.” He picked up Scarlet's suitcase before she could protest, set it inside the foyer and led her into the house. Powerless to resist, she allowed him to draw her farther inside his lavish home. The long, bright foyer gave way to a living room with soaring ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows and a massive stone fireplace. Through the windows, she saw a lush garden and a black bottom pool with several chaise lounges scattered around the deck. She realized her jaw had dropped and quickly snapped it shut. How on earth could any child be unhappy here? The place was a virtual paradise. Mr. Chandler motioned toward a brown leather couch as he sat upon the wide stone hearth. “Toni's been on her own a lot, I'm afraid. Seems her mother wasn't much of a caretaker. More interested in her boyfriend-of-the-month.” “I can hear you,” the teen shouted from someplace nearby. The girl's angry tone sent a shiver up Scarlet's spine. She scanned the expansive room, trying to pinpoint where the voice had come from, but she couldn't figure it out. “I understand. But, Mr. Chandler, I think maybe this is more than I can—” He cut her off with a rigid hand in the air. “Call me Ethan. And I'm sure, as you told me earlier today, you're perfectly capable of handling one little girl.” Angling his head toward her, he threw her a challenging grin. “Your life’s goal is to give every child that special something to help them reach their full potential. Weren't those your words, Miss Eldridge?” Fear and doubt swirled in her gut. “But—”

“I've checked all your references and every one of them had the nicest things to say about you. I'm sure you'll do a terrific job with Toni.” He stood. “I bet you'd like to see your room and the rest of the house, right?” Now what? She wanted to run. Only when she caught his eye, she found it impossible to tear her gaze away from their emerald depths. “Um…yes.” Butterflies danced in her stomach, only she had no idea if they were there because she was scared to death of the daughter, or developing a massive crush on the father. She followed him through a long dining room that seated twenty, a family room filled with books, DVDs and a big screen TV. The kitchen was ultramodern with granite counters, stainless steel appliances and a commercial gas stove. It looked to be the size of Layla's entire bungalow. “The master bedroom is down there,” he said as they passed a short hallway. “Here's Toni's room.” He opened the door and growled. The floor was a sea of clothes, makeup and CDs. A sweaty, unwashed smell hung in the air. Scarlet tried not to breathe. “One week.” He shook his head. “How could she have made such a mess in one lousy week?” Although Toni wasn't in the room, Scarlet had the distinct impression she was nearby, watching them. She shuddered. What had she gotten herself into? Ethan led her further down the hall and pushed open a door. “This will be your room.” She brushed past him and for a too-brief second, felt the heat of his body. He seemed to have some sort of energy that drew her, sparked every nerve in her body. A wave of desire rolled over her skin, sent a hot aftershock to her core. Control yourself! Forcing herself to recover, she perused at her surroundings. Pale yellow walls, a checkered comforter with loads of pillows on a brass bed, a charming window seat where she could sit and sketch or work on the laptop computer she spied on the dresser beside a vase of fresh gladiolas. Everything was bright and sunny, even in the fading late afternoon light. This had to be the nicest room she'd ever had, better than the one she'd shared with Layla when they were growing up. “Bathroom's through that door,” Ethan said, breaking the silence. “Thanks.” She peeked inside and nearly sighed. Huge garden tub, two headed shower and a marble top vanity. Layla’s living room would fit inside this bathroom. And this wasn't even the master suite. She stepped back into the bedroom, tried to school the awed expression from her face. Ethan strode past her, set her suitcase on the bed and she took in another whiff of his cologne. She held her breath, hoping to memorize its piney freshness. No. I cannot find my boss this hot. “Help yourself to whatever you'd like from the kitchen. Myra, the housekeeper, cooks dinner every evening, but you're on your own for breakfast and lunch.” Did that mean they all ate supper together? She envisioned the two of them, playing footsy under that long table and an excited chill made her tremble. Her mind added the frightening teenager to the idyllic picture and her stomach swirled with trepidation. “Is it too cool in here for you?” He flipped a switch and the ceiling fan slowed. “I'm fine.” Running her hand along the soft comforter, she remembered to stop staring at him, all broad shoulders, long legs and kissable mouth of him. Stop it!

Think about something else. “Um…when do I get to officially make your daughter’s acquaintance?” Although she wasn’t so sure she wanted to meet the little angel. Maybe she’d stay hidden all the time and Scarlet wouldn’t ever have to see her. Fat chance. He ventured an annoyed glance into the hallway. “Soon as I can find her and sit her down. I'll let you know.” With that, he disappeared and the room temperature dropped a dozen degrees. She approached the window, sat on the fluffy cushion covering the window seat and could barely make out the edge of the koi pond. Everything looked so perfect here, including the man of the house. But what if she couldn’t make this work? From the brief glimpse she'd seen of Toni, she wondered if the girl was worth the nice salary and cushy digs. Who are you kidding? It wasn't like she had any other options now. Although Layla and Joe had been incredibly hospitable, she sensed how much they’d need their privacy when the baby came. Staring into the garden, she caught a streak of black and hot pink rush past. She pressed her face to the glass, hoping to see around the corner, but a tall hedge blocked her view. Something thumped against the wall, then over her head. What could that girl be up to? Scarlet left her room, found her way to the front door and crept outside. A black cat raced past, crossing her path. Bad sign. Following the stench of cigarette smoke, she inched along the side of the house until she came to a trellis with a few tendrils of confederate jasmine snaking through the bottom rungs. As sweet as the flowers smelled, the smoky scent was stronger. Stifling a sneeze, she looked up at green Converse sneakers hanging over the roofline, dangling carelessly. The scene reminded her of the Wizard of Oz, where the Wicked Witch of the East is crushed by Dorothy's house. She grinned at the image, but feared this girl might be even more difficult to tame than the fictional villain. Her heart pumped faster up as she grabbed the trellis and climbed a few rungs. Please let this thing be strong enough to hold me. A cloud of smoke drifted over the edge of the building and dissipated into the stifling summer air. Good thing the breeze blew away from her, since she was highly allergic. When she'd made it nearly to the top, she found Toni sprawled across the shingles, puffing away. “Thought I'd find you here.” Scarlet’s head spun when she glimpsed the ground, which suddenly seemed a long, long way down. The girl startled, sat up and held the offending cigarette behind her back. “I don't need a tutor. I'm way smarter than American girls my age.” One side of her mouth lifted in a defiant sneer. “Maybe smarter than girls your age, too.” “I'm sure you are.” Scarlet grasped the rain gutter, which didn’t feel much sturdier than the trellis. “But your dad wants me around, so maybe we can just hang out, have fun for the rest of the summer.” She tried to keep calm, but the wood beneath her feet complained every few seconds, popping and creaking. “What do you think?” Toni put the cigarette to her lips and took a drag, blew it directly in Scarlet's face. “I think I like to choose my own friends.” The smoke found its way into Scarlet's lungs. She coughed, then sneezed. Her eyes started burning and tears ran down her face. Another powerful sneeze sent her upper body backward far enough to loosen the trellis from the building. Desperately, she clung to the gutter, clawing at the tiles. A second after she heard the snap of part of the structure below, she saw a big grin on Toni's face.

You little… The wood splintered and sent her plummeting toward the ground. “Help!” This wasn't how she wanted to go, nor when she'd pictured herself dying. But all the signs had been there—all the telltale omens of impending terrible luck. The fall took on a surreal quality, slow motion until she landed in a thick shrub, cushioned by prickly branches, then rolled off into the koi pond with a giant splash. A six-inch-long fish flopped onto her neck. Swatting the slimy thing away, she flailed her arms around, finally found a branch to steady her, then a foothold and she tried to climb out. The bottom of the pond proved too slippery. Soaking wet and bearing scratches from her brush with the bush, she got to her feet in the middle of the pond and shook water off her arms, examined the damage. Aside from a scratch on the back of her calf and a few broken fingernails, she felt fine, save the embarrassment and anger. That damn black cat appeared out of nowhere, stood at the edge of the pond, mocking her, as Toni had seconds earlier. Tears threatened, but she held them back. I will not be bested by a bratty teenager. I will not be bested by a bratty teenager. Laughter from above drew her attention to the roof. The girl stood over her, perfectly at ease on her perch, laughing her ass off. Ethan came running from the front of the house and looked from Scarlet to Toni wearing a bewildered expression. “What the—?” Scarlet held up a hand. “Please don’t ask.” She peeled matted clumps of hair off her face and tried to smooth down her shirt as much as possible. “Come down here, Toni,” he barked. “Right now.” “Can't.” She pointed at Scarlet and laughed. “She took the ladder.” “Are you all right?” He offered Scarlet a hand, which she gladly accepted to get out of the pond. Had she ever looked more a fool? Once she was on dry land, Ethan turned his attention to his daughter. “Stay right there, Toni. I'll find a ladder.” He disappeared around the side of the house. “I think you've lost your job,” the teen teased, aiming a vindictive grin at Scarlet. “Thank you for your concern, Toni. You're just as sweet and caring as your father said.” That wiped the smile from the girl's face. Ethan returned carrying a ladder as if it weighed nothing. Propping it against the stucco, he looked up at his daughter and pursed his lips. “Come on down now.” With a roll of her eyes, she slid to the edge of the roof and climbed down. “Next time you want a little privacy, sit by the pond.” When his gaze meandered to said pond, he winced at the condition of it. A couple branches floated on the surface and the waterfall had slowed to a trickle, dammed by twigs and leaves. Scarlet shivered in her soaked clothes. “Sorry about that.” He threw her a quick glance and she wondered if he'd fire her. As apprehensive as she was about the job, she prayed he'd at least give her a chance. Just long enough to get back at his daughter. “Toni, please go get her a towel from the closet in the guest bathroom,” Ethan ordered. The girl stood her ground and made a show of yawning. He narrowed his gaze, deepened his voice. “Now. Toni shifted from foot to foot. Scarlet wondered if he'd pass the test. She didn't wait long for her answer. Bristling, Ethan pushed past her and headed inside.

Scarlet folded her arms across her chest and studied the teen. “Plan's already working, hmm?” Toni squinted. “Are you speaking to me?” “Yes. I'm talking to you.” Boy, were teenagers different from younger kids. “You've succeeded in making me look like a fool and we haven’t even been formally introduced yet. I shudder to think what you can do given a little more time.” The girl lifted a pierced eyebrow in challenge. “You ought to shudder.” What had she endured that led her to protect herself with such a prickly shell? When Ethan returned a minute later, Toni intercepted him before he could give Scarlet the towel. “I don’t like her.” She motioned toward Scarlet. “Get rid of her.” With that, she whirled around and headed for the house. Ethan's jaw quivered as he stood there, silently staring at Scarlet. He cloaked her in the thick, dry fabric, encircling her in his arms. A rush of liquid heat pooled between her legs. “So are you going to can me?” Her heart pounded, but it wasn't for fear of losing her job. His nearness sent shockwaves of excitement spooling through her. Her shoulders were on fire where he touched them and her legs felt like jelly. “Last time I checked, I was the parent. She doesn’t make decisions for me.” He finally moved away and Scarlet mourned the loss of contact. “I have no idea how her mother disciplined her, but whatever Carmela did, obviously wasn't working.” His furrowed brow suggested the topic was painful for him. She yearned to hold him, comfort him, but instead, she merely averted her eyes so he wouldn’t see her desire. “Obviously.” He’d emailed her earlier in the afternoon and explained that Toni had in effect, just met him the week before because she’d been gone since she was two. But she wondered what the story was between Ethan and Toni's mother. They obviously didn't have much communication and for some reason, she found that comforting. The black cat she’d seen earlier brushed against her leg. She gasped. “Is this your cat?” He bent to pet it. “I guess you've already met Jinx.” She pulled the towel tightly around her and backed away. “What an awful name,” she said, instantly wishing she hadn't. He shrugged. “Seems fitting for a black cat.” “So you don’t buy into the bad luck thing, with black cats I mean.” His smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Not at all. It can be a dangerous pursuit, relying on luck.” She stiffened, but arguing about superstition with her new boss didn’t seem like such a smart move. “I hope my daughter didn’t frighten you off.” His green eyes reflected the setting sun, sparkling with warmth and promise. How could she possibly tear herself away from this perfect man? But could she deal with that miserable, spoiled girl day in, day out? And a black cat? Her back tightened, ached from the previous night's sleep on Layla's couch. I have no other options. “It takes more than a…willful teenager to scare me.” She hoped her brave face convinced him she was up for the challenge. Glancing past him, she saw Toni in the windo w, cheek pressed to the glass, sticking out her tongue.

Swallowing past the fear lodged in her throat, Scarlet fixed a sunny smile on her face and winked at the girl. “Mind if I get cleaned up before we try that formal introduction you were talking about earlier?” she asked Ethan. God help me live through this.

Chapter Three Ethan poured two glasses of port, set one on the table in front of Scarlet. Her hair, still damp, had comb marks running through it. Even right out of the shower, no makeup or fancy clothes, she was one of the most gorgeous women he'd ever laid eyes on—and he'd seen his share of beauties. Her coal-colored eyes glittered like liquid stars and her lips, so full and soft lived up to her name. He'd love to feel those lips on his, rake his fingers through her dark hair, press her body—so curvy and ripe—against his. Being this close to her, he started growing hard. She works for me. I have to behave. Swallowing past the cobwebs in his throat, he tapped his glass to hers. “To a better start.” “I'll drink to that.” She raised her wine to her lips and he had to force himself to tear his gaze away. “I hope your room is okay.” He longed for her to be content here, to want to stay. “Did you enjoy your shower?” Enjoy your shower, he repeated in his head. How idiotic did that sound? Although he wished he could have been in it with her. His gaze trailed from her face down to her breasts, the plane of her stomach, swell of her hips. He imagined her naked, water sluicing over her satiny skin, making her slick and even more luscious. “Much better than the pond, actually. And nothing slimy jumped on me.” She set her glass on the table and grinned. Damn. She'd caught his roving stare. “Yeah. Sorry about that.” He had to push his salacious thoughts away, concentrate on his daughter, convincing her to come on board with the idea of a tutor. Sitting beside Scarlet, he tried to block out his fantasy of her in the shower. “I never thought Toni would do something as reckless as climb up onto the roof. For a cigarette, no less.” “Bad habits. The smoking and the roof climbing. I don’t know which is more dangerous.” She turned toward the window, treating him to a view of her profile in the fading light. The regal jaw he longed to run his finger along, the perfectly sloped nose and high cheekbones, like a model he'd admired on a billboard recently. Concentrate on Toni, not Scarlet. “Neither habit is acceptable. Especially for a fourteen-year-old.” He put his glass down hard on the table. “Where is she?” Clenching his teeth, he glanced into the family room. “I told her I wanted her out here at nine sharp.” Scarlet chuckled, a lovely sound, like wind chimes. “She doesn’t take well to being told anything, I gather.” “Unfortunately, you're right. Her mother apparently dragged her around Italy most of her life, following various boyfriends. She told her I was dead.” Saying that aloud felt like salt on the wound. Scarlet's hand flew to her mouth. “How awful. When did she discover you were alive and well?” He pinched the bridge of his nose, tried to stave off the headache he felt creeping into his brain. “Carmela put her on a plane last week, telling her she was going to stay with an uncle— me. She phoned me while the flight was somewhere over the Atlantic to have me pick up Toni upon her arrival at Miami International.” Scarlet looked as if she was about to cry. “How could a parent do such a thing?”

He wondered too. Had Carmela turned Toni into the rebellious imp she seemed to be? “Some people shouldn't be allowed the privilege of parenthood. They make you take a test to drive a car, to do many jobs, but that most important of endeavors, parenting is done poorly every day.” He touched a finger to the scar on his forehead and flashed on his father for a moment, the man who'd inflicted the wound. Most of the damage the man caused didn't show, though. Sipping his drink, he forced the painful memories to the back of his mind. Scarlet stared into her wine, frowning. “Have I said something to offend you?” The idea that he'd somehow hurt her bothered him more than it should have. She smiled, pushed her hair behind her ear in a gesture completely innocent, yet incredibly sensual. “No, no. I was thinking about my sister, Layla.” Did she have any idea how sexy he found her? “Oh?” “She's having a baby boy soon, due in three or four weeks. I know she'll be a good mom. And if she's lucky, her child won’t turn out like Toni.” Her eyes grew huge and she covered his hand with hers. “I didn’t mean that like…” Biting her lip, she took her hand back. “I'm really sorry.” The only thing he regretted was that their contact lasted only seconds. “It's okay.” The grandfather clock in the foyer struck nine-fifteen. Where was Toni? Probably smoking a cigarette somewhere. He took a healthy swig of wine. “I'll go get her.” Halfway down the hall he heard her singing, something in Italian. Knocking on her bedroom door, he waited, listened. Opening the door, he peered inside, saw her sprawled across the bed. Eyes squeezed shut, wires extending from her ears, her head bobbed to the beat of whatever played on her stereo. Her tightly closed fists punched at the mattress. Angry teen music must be the same in any language. He called her name loudly and she finally opened her eyes, sat up, tossed him a snarl. “What do you want?” She pulled out the earphones. He tried conjuring the two-year-old angel she used to be. “I asked you to meet me in the kitchen at nine.” She dropped a crinkled ball of paper onto the bed, then pushed past him through the door. After she'd gone, he hurried to the spot she'd vacated, opened the paper. A tattered photo of Carmela showed the woman had aged surprisingly well. Her beauty was still evident in the wrinkled picture. Was his daughter's anger really directed at her mother? Maybe he and Scarlet happened to be the only people around to absorb it. Returning to the kitchen, he found Toni sitting on the counter wearing a façade of arrogance and control, far away from the table where Scarlet sipped port. Toni pointed to the wine glasses on the table. “Where's mine?” “How about a soda?” he asked, already on his way to the fridge to fix her one. “You Americans are so uptight.” She kicked her feet against the cabinet. “Please get off the counter. There's a perfectly good chair waiting for you over there.” He gestured toward the table as he carried a can of soda over. To his surprise, Toni complied. She took the drink from him and sat opposite Scarlet. “I don’t need a tutor.” Slamming the can on the table, she threw an angry glance at Scarlet. “Let's not call her your tutor then,” he offered. “How about your companion? She'll keep you company while I'm at work.” He gave Scarlet a meaningful stare and she nodded almost imperceptibly. “You'd be bored out of your mind here all day by yourself. Also, I travel, Toni. I leave town a few times a month for days at a shot. I can’t leave you to your own devices.”

“I can take care of myself.” She folded her arms, hit them hard against her chest. “Of course you can. But would my house survive it?” He winked at her, then at Scarlet. “I'd like us to be friends,” Scarlet added. “Can we start over?” Toni lifted her chin higher. “I told you, I choose my own friends.” Scarlet shrugged. “Since you're new here, I'm betting you don’t have any friends in Coral Gables yet. Can we at least be civil until we decide if we like each other?” Toni stared at her, and Ethan could see the wheels turning in his daughter's head. She was considering Scarlet's request. He'd been right after all. Scarlet was a wise choice for the job. If only he didn't have such a strong desire to bed her every five seconds. “Would you give me a week?” Scarlet asked Toni. “Just one week to show you I'm not a terrible person.” Toni's heavy sigh told him she'd give Scarlet a chance. “Can I go now?” Toni pushed away from the table. “Sure.” He wanted to thank her for trying, give her a kiss, a hug or even a pat on the shoulder, but he dared not upset the precarious truce. After he heard the less-than-gentle slam of her bedroom door, he refilled his goblet, offered more wine to Scarlet. She held her hand over the rim of her glass. “I'm tired enough. It's been a long day.” He followed the line of her jaw to her long neck, watched the hollow twitch as she swallowed. Her caramel skin was so perfectly smooth and unmarked. Without thought, he dropped his gaze to the swell of her breasts, rising and falling with every breath beneath her terrycloth jumper. The zipper was open to just below the dark line of cleavage. He bit his lip, desperately trying to keep his desire in check. This woman was forbidden fruit, an employee and maybe the key to his daughter's acclimation to her new life. If she weren't off limits, he could fall hard for a woman like her—an excellent reason to stay the hell away. Shifting in his chair, he attempted to hide the growing bulge straining his shorts. Forcing his eyes up to hers, he captured her smoldering stare. Had she noticed how he'd helped himself to the visual candy she offered? “So tell me more about Scarlet Eldridge. Are you from south Florida originally?” She dragged a finger around the lip of her glass in such a sensual way he nearly bucked in protest. She crinkled her brow. “My folks moved to the state when my dad was offered a job at one of the old orange juice plants. He and my mother passed away a few months before my older sister started college.” A cloud passed quickly over her features. “She was my guardian until I turned eighteen.” He hesitated for a minute. She'd mentioned that her parents had died, but he suddenly wanted to know everything about her, even if that meant prying. “Is she much older than you?” The cloud returned to her face. “Four years, but we had no one else, only each other.” She hugged her arms around her body, rubbed her hands up and down her skin, although the room was warm. “We were a very tight-knit family. I didn't want to go live with some distant cousin I'd never met, so Layla and I sold the house and got an apartment. We didn’t have much money. It was tough for a long time.” He waited for her to elaborate, but she said nothing. He, of all people could relate to her reluctance to discuss painful memories. A picture of his father, drunk and angry, surfaced in his mind, his mother cowering in a corner. “I'm sorry. None of my business.” She looked at him for a fleeting second as she grasped the gold charm that hung around her neck. “Sometimes luck isn’t on our side.”

“Luck?” “Things happen that turn the fates against us.” The pain in her eyes spoke of how much she missed her parents. His mother had blamed her bad fortune at the gaming tables of Atlantic City on one bad omen or another. The culprit changed on a daily basis: an itch on her left palm, a black cat had crossed her path or she'd accidentally killed a bee. But he knew damned well that luck had nothing to do with him growing up with a mother who constantly abandoned him for days on end. Nor was it responsible for Carmela tearing out his heart. He'd sought out a black cat as a pet in a move he recognized as passive-aggressive. He forced his attention back to the present. “So your sister still lives here?” She brightened. “Yup. Layla's great. She and her husband Joe are expecting a baby in a few weeks. I think I told you that.” “Yes. Congratulations. Their first?” He thought back to the time when Carmela was pregnant with Toni. He'd been so full of hope and anticipation. Little had he known then the heartache he had in store. “Mm hmm. A little boy.” Her eyes sparkled with light. “I can’t wait.” He sipped his wine, set the glass down close to Scarlet's. “It's an exciting time. Babies are wonderful, especially when they have two committed parents.” He was surprised to feel her hand over his. Staring at her, he swallowed hard at the compassion in her expression. Did she read him so well, already? “We'll straighten Toni out.” She took her hand away. “All that anger doesn’t just appear one day. It's built over a lifetime, so it'll take a bit to break through it, uncover what's underneath.” She was so hopeful, not jaded like most of the people he knew. He couldn't contain his grin. “And how do you know all this, pray tell?” She gave him a smile he was sure she didn’t mean to come off as sexy as it did. “I told you, I'm studying to be a teacher.” “And does part of that education teach you to be so insightful?” She drained the last of her wine. “I've learned a lot about kids by working with them. Mostly younger children, but they all have ways of masking their pain. They add layer upon layer of protection. Like an onion, you have to peel one layer at a time.” He shuddered to think what his daughter must have had to deal with in her young life to rebel so openly, so loudly. “I plan to let her know I'll always be here for her even if her mother isn't.” Like neither of his parents were for him. Her nod seemed unconvinced. “What is it?” “Don’t be surprised if she takes a long time to trust in that. She's now dealt with abandonment from both parents.” He bristled. “I didn’t abandon my child. Her mother kidnapped her. I searched for years.” She stiffened at his angry tone, sat ramrod straight in the chair. “I know. But in a child's eyes, when a parent disappears from their life, they register that as abandonment. It works that way even when the parent dies.” She wrapped her fingers around the stem of her glass. “I didn’t mean to imply that any of this is your fault. Somewhere deep inside, I’m sure the death of my parents registered as abandonment, although it certainly wasn’t their fault. They were wonderful parents.” “Sorry. Guess I'm a little sensitive where she's concerned.” She stood, brought her empty glass to the sink and started washing it.

He followed with his. “Let me do that. You're not expected to do chores here.” She smelled of soap and a floral shampoo. He breathed deeply, intoxicated by the scent. She laughed, that wind chime sound again. He wanted to keep her amused so he'd hear it over and over. “I can clean up after myself.” He tried to take the soapy glass from her but instead, knocked it out of her hand. It fell into the ceramic sink and shattered. A few pieces bounced onto the floor. He glanced down at her bare feet and grimaced. “Stay still. There are shards on the floor, all around you.” “I'm so sorry—” He cut her off with a finger to her lips, the contact quickening his pulse. Their eyes locked, fire dancing between them. “It's not your fault. Let me get you out of here. I don’t want you to cut yourself and spill blood all over my floor.” He winked. “Gee, thanks.” In a swift move before she could protest, he whisked her off her feet and carried her out of the room, set her down on the couch in the family room. The surprised expression on her face made him laugh. And laughter was a good thing to diffuse the heat from where their skin had touched. “What? I said I had to get you out of there.” A lovely crimson flush covered her cheeks. Her desire simmered just below the surface, not buried deeply enough to escape notice. “Let me put on some shoes and I'll help you clean that up.” He shook his head. “I wouldn’t think of it. It's all under control.” “In that case, I think I'll go to bed, maybe read for a while.” She rose off the couch, adjusted her jumper. “Thanks for the wine.” He nodded, watched her go, unable to tear his eyes off the rear view. She's here for my daughter, not for me. He had to keep telling himself that or risk screwing up Toni's best hope of coming out of her rebellious stage in one piece. Scarlet hurried to her room, shut the door and let out the breath she'd been holding. Ethan's eyes had burned into her back as she'd walked away. A fling with him—sexy as he was—would only lead to disaster. What awful luck to find a perfect man whom she couldn’t have. No way would she risk this job. Anyway, he'd only hurt her in the end. She thought about the mirror she'd broken at Keith's apartment. It felt like ages ago, but less than a week had passed since her luck had turned so bad. That reminded her of her horseshoe. Glancing above the door, she smiled when she saw a small framed painting. No need to put a nail into the wall since one was already there. She opened the closet and retrieved the heavy piece of iron from her suitcase. Positioning a chair in front of the door, she stepped onto the seat and replaced the picture with her horseshoe, facing down, of course. Maybe that would ward off some of the bad luck that always seemed to follow her. Next she emptied the last of the items out of her suitcase: a makeup kit, her mother's lucky charm bracelet and the two framed photos Scarlet took everywhere. She pressed the picture of her parents to her chest. Setting the pictures on the night table, she thought about Toni. The girl obviously had no idea how precious her time with her father was. Would she ever be able to reach her, forge a connection with her? Family meant everything to Scarlet and she couldn’t imagine treating a parent the way Toni did Ethan. But after all the teenager had been through, the pain had to show itself somehow. The shrill ring of her cell phone jarred her out of her thoughts.

“Hey,” Layla said, sounding tired. “How's it going?” The comfort of her sister's voice calmed her. “Better now.” “So is that house as amazing on the inside as it looked from the exterior?” Scarlet scanned her room, the pale yellow walls, the delicate curtains, the expensive furniture and bedding. “It's pretty nice.” “What about the kids?” Sighing, Scarlet rolled her eyes. “That doesn’t sound very good.” “Well, there's only the one. A teenager who has pink hair, an earring through her eyebrow and an attitude that makes me want to run screaming from the house. And did I mention she hates me?” She heaved a deep sigh and sank deeper into the soft bedding. “I caught her smoking on the roof and she all but caused me to fall off into a koi pond. Thankfully, it was a soft landing and I didn’t get hurt. But geez, I could have broken some bones.” She rubbed the lone scrape she'd suffered in the fall. Layla chuckled. “Aside from that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?” “Very funny.” Scarlet didn’t find Toni laughable at all. “She's a really unhappy kid determined to make everyone around her miserable.” “Sounds like the teenager mantra. Most kids do their share of rebelling.” “This is more than rebellion, Layla. She's hateful and totally out of control. I don't think she even uses deodorant. It's like she doesn't want any human being to come anywhere near her.” “I'm so glad I'm having a boy first.” “Yeah. They're usually a little easier. Plus, you and Joe won’t abandon your kid, so he won’t feel like he has to piss you off to get your attention.” “Poor thing. She sounds like a real mess. What's her father like?” An image of Ethan filled Scarlet's head and her stomach flipped like she was riding a fast elevator to the top of the Empire State Building. “He's okay,” she lied. Okay? He's the hottest man I've ever laid eyes on. “How are you feeling?” she asked Layla, eager to deflect her thoughts from Ethan. “Same as I was a couple hours ago. Feet are swollen again.” “Prop them up. Better yet, let Joe rub them for you.” As much as she loved her sister, a part of her was jealous of Layla's happy marriage. She'd never had the series of ill-fated relationships Scarlet had. What had her sister done right that Scarlet kept getting wrong? She’d bet Layla had never been foolish enough to play with fire by lusting after a boss. “Joe's whipped. He started patrolling a different zone today. Lots of gangs and drug crime.” Layla's voice betrayed her worry. “Can’t he request a transfer or something since you're about to give birth?” “I wish. It's all part of the regular rotation. Something we'll have to deal with for a while.” “You know that four leaf clover charm I gave you a couple years ago?” “Mm hmm.” “Make him wear it around his neck or carry it in his pocket.” “Scarlet, he'd never agree to that. Anyway, it's only superstition. Things like good luck charms don’t work. You're too intelligent to keep this up. I wish Mama had never let you in on her weird supernatural leanings. It drove Daddy nuts, you know. And me, too.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. What was the harm in believing? If there was even a chance a good luck token could protect her, why wouldn’t she carry one and insist Joe did as

well? But they’d had that conversation about a dozen times. “Please have him carry it on him. For me.” Layla huffed. “I'll try, okay? If it'll make you feel better.” Scarlet knew from her sister's tone she wouldn’t even attempt it. “Can I say hi to him?” “He's resting. And don’t think I don’t know what you're going to tell him. He doesn't go for that luck stuff any more than I do, so drop it.” Scarlet stared up at her horseshoe. “Maybe if Mama had been wearing her charm bracelet— ” “Stop it, Scarlet,” Layla shouted. “Mama and Daddy's accident had nothing to do with luck. You're just like her with that superstitious mumbo jumbo. Do you understand the meaning of the word accident?” Layla huffed loudly, then her voice grew soft and plaintive. “I'm sorry, honey. I'm a little stressed with Joe starting work in the new zone and the baby almost here.” Scarlet cleared her throat, hoping her voice wouldn’t betray her hurt. “I know.” After they said goodnight, she crawled under the covers and turned out the light. Footsteps approached her door. Ethan's? Yes—they were too heavy to be Toni's. They stopped outside, waited, before moving on. Had Ethan been thinking about her as much as she was him? She pictured his dark hair, green eyes and killer body. Would he dream about her? She rolled her eyes at her vanity. They'd only met this morning, for heaven's sake. No way could she give in. She had everything to lose.

Chapter Four Scarlet peeled open one eye and saw a denim-clad butt bent over her dresser rifling around in a drawer. Shaking herself awake, she stayed perfectly still and watched Toni snoop for a few seconds. “Anything I can help you find?” she asked, her voice hoarse with disuse. Toni stood ramrod straight and turned to stare at Scarlet. “I was looking for…a hair clip. I left mine in Italy.” Scarlet took in the girl's short spiky locks and lifted an eyebrow. “Wouldn't want your hair to fall into your eyes, huh?” Without another word, Toni raced from the room, leaving Scarlet to shut her drawer and straighten the mess the girl had left. From now on, she'd have to lock the door before she went to sleep. She wondered what Toni had hoped to find. Something incriminating perhaps? Drugs or paraphernalia, the missing family silver, something that would force Ethan to fire her. Why was the little urchin so intent on getting rid of her? Maybe she feared opening herself to anyone, or perhaps she'd had a bad experience with someone in her mother's employ. Toni might be one of those people who hated everyone, but Scarlet doubted that. The teen's rebellion from society was way too loud, too in-your-face to be anything but a defense mechanism. Fifteen minutes later, Scarlet padded through the house, following the aroma of fresh brewed coffee. She entered the kitchen and found Ethan and Toni eating breakfast at the small table. “Good morning,” Ethan said, glancing up from the newspaper. “Sleep okay?” Toni’s intense gaze challenged her to inform Ethan of the early morning break-in. “Fine. Best night of sleep I've had in weeks.” She squared her shoulders and threw Toni a conspiratorial nod, hoping to gain a few points. “Great.” He pointed to the cabinet next to the refrigerator. “Mugs are in there. Help yourself.” “I have to fly to Chicago this afternoon,” Ethan said, folding the paper and setting it on the table. “I have a meeting first thing in the morning with one of my biggest accounts. While I'm there, I'll also meet with a prospective client.” Scarlet nearly dropped the coffee pot. “Overnight?” He couldn't possibly leave the two of them alone, not yet. Who knew what Toni might do? “Yes. I explained when I hired you that I traveled often. The business I'm hoping to secure could be worth millions to my company.” He met her stare. “Is it a problem?” Yes! “No, of course not.” Wasn’t like she suspected Toni would stab her in her sleep or anything. She eyed her charge, wondering if she had murderous tendencies. “If you'll drop me at the airport later you can use my car while I'm gone.” That did sweeten the deal a bit. Tooling around in his expensive Porsche might be nice. “Okay. Great.” Now all she had to do was think of things to keep Toni occupied so she'd stay out of trouble. An hour later, Ethan had left for his office and Toni was nowhere to be found. Scarlet sensed she was up to no good. The faint odor of cigarette smoke wafted through the house. Following her nose, Scarlet tried not to sneeze. She found a sixtyish woman dressed in Capri pants and a white T-shirt washing the breakfast dishes in the kitchen. “I'm Myra,” the woman said, offering a yellow-gloved hand.

Scarlet shook it, thankful for another adult in the house. “Scarlet Eldridge.” She scanned the area for Toni. Not seeing her, she said, “Toni's nanny.” Myra threw her a sympathetic glance. “Good luck then. That one's trouble.” “I can handle her.” She wished she felt as confident as she tried to come off. “Check the pool area.” Myra returned the empty carafe to the coffee maker. “I saw her go by in a bathing suit. “Thanks.” Scarlet headed to the family room and pulled open the French doors. Warm, humid air instantly attacked. Stepping into the yard, she found it deserted. She sniffed, detected the stench of cigarettes, stronger than inside. A puff of smoke rose from a nearby cluster of palms. Quietly stalking to the foliage, she considered how to handle the smoking issue. Ethan had made it very clear he wouldn't put up with Toni's habit. Pushing a frond aside, Scarlet's eyes widened when she found not only Toni, but a teenaged boy sitting on the grass, puffing away. At least she'd made a friend, which could be good or bad, depending on the boy's attitude. “We've got to stop meeting like this,” Scarlet said. Toni rolled her eyes and smashed her cigarette into the ground. “Why do you always show up and spoil my fun?” The girl tugged at her bikini top, adjusted her shorts. Her funky hair and piercings seemed so out of place without a trendy outfit. Wearing a plain black bathing suit, Scarlet could almost imagine her a normal girl—until she glimpsed above Toni's shoulders. The boy stood and swept his gaze over Scarlet. “Who are you?” A few red pimples dotted his face. He wore long board shorts low on his hips and a T-shirt touting a band she'd never heard of. She guessed him to be at least a couple years older than Toni. “I'm Toni's…” She glanced at the girl's smug grin, decided a little embarrassment was in order. “I'm her nanny.” “You are not!” Toni leapt to her feet. “Who the hell is Toni?” the boy asked. Toni gave her eyes an exaggerated roll. “She's talking about me.” “I thought your name was Diavolo. Are you even a real Italian? Your American is awfully good for a foreigner.” Better than his, apparently. Another eye roll. “I thought we could catch a movie after we drop your dad at the airport,” Scarlet told her. “What do you think?” Toni glared at her as if she found her the most repulsive creature on earth. “How about you drop Paul and me at the movies and you disappear. For good.” Not in this lifetime. “How about all three of us go,” Scarlet offered. No way would Ethan want Toni to go to the movies alone with some boy she'd just met. “Give us some privacy to discuss it, please.” Toni shooed her away like a pesky insect. Scarlet didn’t trust her, but she hoped she'd be able to hear what they said as she stepped around the palm. No such luck. A minute later the two joined her. “We'll go to the movies.” Toni winked at Paul, then headed for the pool. She jumped in, sending water splashing over Scarlet. Purposely, no doubt. Paul laughed like a sick hyena. “Thanks. I needed that to cool down.” Scarlet fanned her face. “Must be a hundred degrees already.” Refusing to let the teen win, she fixed a smile on her face and stepped inside, wiping

water droplets from her clothes. She spent the next few hours sitting on the couch, reading a romance novel, listening and watching the two teens frolic and play in the pool, right where she could see them. At two in the afternoon, Ethan came home from his office and picked Scarlet up on his way to the airport. “What do you two have in store this afternoon?” he asked. Scarlet marveled at his expensive car—the buttery leather seats, fancy electronics and sleek instrument panel. “I'm taking her and a neighborhood boy to the movies.” His worried glance made her wonder if she'd promised Toni more than she could deliver. “Is that bad?” She fastened her seatbelt as he turned out of the driveway and onto the road. “I thought it would be okay, keep her occupied.” His lips flattened into a thin, tight line. “Who is this neighborhood kid?” “His name's Paul.” She sank deeper into the bucket seat. She'd never ridden in such an expensive car, couldn't wait to drive it. “Do you know him?” “No.” He changed lanes and the Porsche accelerated effortlessly past slower moving vehicles. “I hope you plan to stay with her every second.” She nodded. “Of course.” She breathed in the smell of the vehicle—the rich leather, the scent of new car. Only there was something else. Something like a forest. She leaned a little closer to him, realized his cologne was what she loved most. Her arm, only inches from Ethan's, itched to rub against the fine fabric of his white shirt. Staring at his hand resting on the gear stick, she ached to feel those long fingers on her skin, cradling her face, cupping her breasts, brushing her lips. White heat spun inside her, a cyclone of desire. Moisture pooled between her legs, her nipples grew taut and painful. “You okay?” he said, breaking through her thoughts. If you only knew. “Sure.” She let out a nervous chuckle. “I was just…planning some things for Toni and me to do while you're gone.” His glance sent a shiver of renewed desire dancing over her skin. She forced herself to stare out the window the rest of the trip. They arrived at the airport and she remembered he'd be away overnight. To her shock, she already missed him. When he glanced to his left to merge into the departing flights lane, she dropped an acorn she'd brought from the yard into his jacket pocket for luck. Come back safely, she silently chanted as he pulled to the curb. Lifting his suitcase from the trunk, he said, “Take good care of her, Scarlet.” She circled around to the driver's side and opened the door. “I promise not to go over sixty.” He laughed, revealing that dazzling smile. “I was talking about my daughter.” Her cheeks warmed. “Oh.” He pulled her into a hug. “Bye, Scarlet. I'll miss you.” Surprised by his pronouncement, she quickly backed away, straightened her shirt. “Um…bye.” But his touch left an imprint of heat. His wink was her undoing. Her insides melted and she could barely stand. Leaning against the car, she hardly heard the horns blaring, the whistles blowing, the people shouting over the din as she watched him hurry inside the terminal. Gathering her wits, she slid into the Porsche, fingered the steering wheel, incredulous that he'd allowed her use of a vehicle that probably cost more than she'd earned in the last three years. Ethan's scent still permeated the interior of the car. She breathed in, shut her eyes for a moment, reliving the hug. Need bucked through her.

“Move it, lady,” a man shouted. She opened her eyes to see a cop motioning for her to move along. She put the car into gear and headed south to Coral Gables. Twenty-five heavenly minutes later, she pulled into Ethan's garage. When she entered the house the hum of the vacuum cleaner greeted her. Waving at Myra, she passed through the family room, peered out at the pool area, but found it deserted. An electronic bleep floated to her ears. Then another. She followed the sounds to Toni's bedroom, stuck her head through the half open door and saw Toni and Paul sitting on the floor playing a video game, a bowl of popcorn between them. They still wore their bathing suits—way too little clothing to be alone in a bedroom with raging hormones. “Ahem.” She pushed the door the rest of the way open. Toni looked up at her and the girl's expression shifted from happy to angry in the blink of an eye. “What do you want?” “May I speak to you? In private.” Scarlet smiled politely at Paul while she stepped back from the door. With a characteristic eye roll, the girl pushed to her feet and breezed past Scarlet into the hallway. “Yes?” “A boy in your bedroom would be one of those no-nos.” She set her hands on her hips. “No-nos? I don’t understand.” Scarlet was sure she understood perfectly. The teen probably spoke better English than half of Miami. “You can’t entertain Paul in your room.” Toni folded her arms, hit them hard against her chest. “There are so many rules here. I never knew tutors were so controlling.” “We'll be leaving for the movies soon so you'll need to change. Is Paul still joining us?” “I think so. I'll ask him.” She started toward her room, then stopped, turned around. “If I'm allowed to ask him a question in my room.” She threw Scarlet a sarcastic smirk, then went inside, slamming the door the second she'd cleared it. Scarlet waited a full minute before deciding to go in after her. Hand on the doorknob, she was relieved when it opened without her help. The two teenagers filed past, Paul towering over her. He had to be well over six feet and well under a hundred thirty pounds. Toni now wore a barely-there black mesh tank top and shorts over her bathing suit. Paul had on his T-shirt and sneakers. “We'll going in half an hour,” she called after them. No response. She followed them to the family room and found them starting a game of billiards. Satisfied she'd hear them from the kitchen, she went to have a bite to eat. “So, how do you like it here?” Myra asked as she entered the kitchen with a rag in one hand and a can of furniture polish in the other. Scarlet took a bite of her turkey sandwich and considered the question. “The house is lovely.” As is its owner. “Toni is a little challenging.” The older woman quirked a graying eyebrow. “Only a little?” She gave her head a heavy shake. “That one's more trouble than I could ever handle.” “It won't be easy to tame her.” Scarlet couldn’t resist the urge to pry some information about her boss out of Myra. “Have you worked for Ethan long?”

“Almost six years.” Myra set the cleaning supplies under the sink and took a seat at the table. “What do you want to know, sweetie?” A conspiratorial wink gave Scarlet hope she could trust the woman. “Nothing much.” She tried for a casual shrug. “Does he socialize a lot?” The woman let out a hearty laugh. “You're wondering about women.” “No, no. Just people in general.” But she knew the warmth suffusing her cheeks gave her away. “Okay, women. Does he have a girlfriend?” “You'd think he'd have a model or a movie star after him with his looks, but I haven't seen him date anyone seriously.” She fixed her dark brown eyes on Scarlet. “I don't think there's been anyone special in his life or I'd have met her by now.” “Good.” She shook her head. “I mean it's good that he can put his daughter first, no one in his life to interfere with their relationship.” “Mm hmm. Whatever you say, sweetie.” Scarlet bit into her sandwich, avoiding Myra's intense stare. “Far as I can tell, there's only been one lady he was serious about and that was Toni's mother.” “Oh?” She gave Myra her undivided attention. “She's the only one I ever heard him talk about. I dropped one of his photo albums once when I was dusting. A few snapshots fell on the floor. One of the two of them with Toni, when she was a baby, although they called her Ashley back then. Said so on the back of the picture.” She shrugged at Scarlet's unspoken question. “I think he had it bad for that woman for a very long time. Says he hates her now. You won’t find a picture of any other woman who's not related to him in this house. I don’t think he gives his heart easily. Or maybe he's still not over her.” Scarlet's chest tightened. Why should she care that he might still be pining over some other woman? I have no right to be bothered by that. He's my boss. That's all it can ever be. “It's good not to give your heart too quickly, right? He's got his head on straight.” She pushed her sandwich away. “I'm taking Toni and her buddy to the movies.” Myra nodded. “Keep an eye on them. They're doing some serious flirting.” “Don’t worry. I will.” Scarlet got up, dumped the remnants of her lunch into the trash and loaded her plate into the dishwasher. She herded the teens into the car and started toward the Coral Gables Mall. She stifled her laugh at the sight of the lanky young man squished into the tiny back seat. The ride was eerily silent. Scarlet turned on the stereo and hummed along to a Smoky Robinson song. “Old fogy music,” Toni declared. She fiddled with the buttons until a rap song came on. While the teenager concentrated on the radio, Scarlet dropped an acorn into Toni's purse. The third time Scarlet heard the word ho in the lyrics she turned off the radio's power, ignoring Toni's angry glances. When they arrived at the mall, Toni and Paul strolled in front of her, whispering and laughing, occasionally glancing back at her. Toni tried extra hard to make sure Scarlet knew she was being made fun of, but she'd be damned before she'd let them know their behavior bothered her in the least. Scarlet paid for the three of them and bought them each a tub of popcorn and a soda, but aside from an insincere “thanks” from Paul, they completely ignored her. Inside the theater, Toni insisted she and Paul had to be in the very back row. “Please don't sit with us,” she said. “I don’t want people to know I'm here with you.”

Nothing like stroking the old ego. Scarlet sat a few rows up and over to the right so she didn’t have to crane her neck to see them. When the previews started, she surreptitiously glanced back every few minutes. The pair seemed way too close for only having met in the last few days. Toni was way too young for any canoodling, but between the funky hair, the piercings and makeup, she easily carried off at least seventeen. Once the movie began, Scarlet sank down into the comfortable seat, enjoying the relative peace of the action flick. Cars chased and buildings exploded in the first few minutes. It wasn't really the type of movie she frequented, but a little while into it, the hero's young son was kidnapped and the plot ratcheted up several notches. Soon she became riveted by the mystery and the dashing star. When said hero took the heroine into his arms for a dramatic kiss in the closing shot, Scarlet sighed at the romantic notion. At least they'd end up living happily ever after. She'd probably never be that lucky—at least for the next seven years, until the broken mirror karma released her from its grip. Anyway, happy endings were usually reserved for the movies and the sappy romance novels she loved to read. In real life, people deserted those they professed to love. When the lights went up, she stretched, looked behind her, expecting to spot Toni and Paul. Instead of the teenagers, though she found two empty seats. Her pulse quickened. Frantically, she scanned the theater, tried to make out Toni's pink hair among the many heads filing toward the exits. She found one orange-haired teen, but no Toni. Had they beaten her out of the theater? That was it. They'd be waiting in the hallway. Heart pounding, she slipped into the aisle, tried to be patient as the line of patrons ticked slowly toward the door, which felt like it took hours. When she finally left the theater, she searched the lobby, the area outside the rest rooms, the concession. Her anxiety rose with each step. Bursting into the ladies' room, she ducked low and peeked under the stall doors in search of Toni's colorful Converse sneakers. Ethan and Myra had both warned her. Why had she allowed Toni to sit so far away? She could be anywhere now. No telling when she'd snuck out of the theater. Ethan was going to kill her. But first, he'd probably fire her and toss her out of his beautiful house. Where would she go? She couldn't go stay with Layla and Joe, not anymore. She'd have to camp out at the YMCA or a homeless shelter. Calm down. Breathe. First things first. She had to find Toni. For God's sake, the girl had only been in the United States a week and already she was lost in a huge mall. And they probably didn't have malls in Italy, so it would all be new to her. And Paul—had this been his idea? Did he have Toni cornered in some dark hallway, ready to attack her? Why not? He might not even be a neighbor. Maybe he was some slasher who preyed upon unsuspecting young girls. And it's all my fault. She hurried out of the theater and searched the immediate area. The food court was to the left, a few shops to the right. Food. Of course. Teenagers ate like horses. Toni had probably made a beeline straight for some eatery. Marching toward the concessions, Scarlet crossed her fingers. She scanned each cluster of Formica tables, perused every counter, every line, but she didn't see any shock of hot pink hair, no bright green sneakers. Her mind wandered back twenty years to when she'd become separated from her mother in a department store. She'd been playing a game where she crawled inside clothing racks, hid within

the garments until her mother peeked inside. She imagined each rack an island and she moved from one to the next, trying to go undetected so she could pop out and give her mother a little scare. When her mother hadn't come looking for her after a while, she emerged only to find her gone. A dark emptiness had filled her with fear—the same emptiness that resurfaced years later when she knew her mother and father would never be coming home again. Shaking herself out of the memory, she tried to focus on the task at hand. She located a security guard and described the girl. “I see five kids who match that description every ten minutes,” the portly officer told her. “Would you make an announcement?” She fingered her acorn necklace for luck. “Block off all the exits?” His hoarse chuckle let her know he didn’t take the situation nearly as seriously as he should. “How old did you say this kid was?” “She's fourteen. And she's with a boy, who's probably fifteen or sixteen.” He rubbed his fingers over his chin, eying her. “So we're not talking about a child abduction or anything?” “Well, no.” How could she make him understand the dire nature of the situation? Of course he wouldn't lift a finger to help since Toni had left of her own volition. An idea gelled in her mind. “She's kind of…slow.” She gave him a knowing stare. His eyes widened. “You mean like mentally slow? Retarded?” Without saying a word, she sighed. She could never come out and lie to the man, but she didn’t have to refute his conclusions. That wasn't really breaking the law, was it? “And the boy she's with?” he asked. Wiping away an imaginary tear, she nodded quickly. “Oh, man.” He took a radio from his belt, spoke into it. “Velma, do you copy?” Static and something she surmised was Velma's response came over the radio, but she couldn't make it out. “Okay, miss,” he said to Scarlet. “Dispatcher's calling all the other officers, sending them to the main exits. She'll also inform the department store security folks to be on the lookout.” His worried expression made her feel a little guilty for exaggerating the situation, but Toni might as well be mentally handicapped. Her command of English was…pretty damned good, actually. As long as they found the girl, Scarlet would deal with whatever consequences were in store. Nothing could make this week any worse than losing her charge on her very first full day on the job. “You want to wait in the security office or come with me to the east mall entrance?” the guard asked. “Um…” Dealing with one irate guard would be enough when they found out Toni was no more mentally handicapped than she. “I'll go with you.” She followed behind him, barely able to keep up as they passed clothing stores, candle shops, perfumeries. Before they arrived at the east entrance, the guard's radio crackled. She made out the words, “subject found.” Blowing out a long, loud breath, she stopped walking, waited as the officer held his handset to his ear and listened. “Be right there, Mac,” he said into the speaker. He gave Scarlet a stern nod. “They've got her.”

“Where is she now?” She prayed they'd hand her over quickly—so quickly that no one would realize the girl wasn't mentally challenged at all. “She was spotted sitting on a silver Porsche in the parking garage.” He chuckled. “Said it was hers.” He shook his head incredulously. Scarlet swallowed hard. “Well, it is.” She squeezed her eyes shut. “Actually, it's mine.” She huffed, frustrated at her temporary lack of communication skills. “Not mine, exactly. It's Toni's father's car.” The man's thick eyebrows drew together and he planted his fists on his waist. “Can I see some ID please, miss?” Oh Lord. Now he thought she was some sort of weirdo. She fished her license from her purse and handed it to him. “I'm her tutor. Well, no, not really. Her father hired me to be her nanny because her mother sent her over from Italy and—” He silenced her with a firm hand in the air. “So you're not her legal guardian. That what you're telling me?” She shook her head, then nodded. “I…I—” “I think we'll need to speak to her father or mother,” he said. “Just to be sure.” Her mouth grew dry. She was in a pool of quicksand and sinking fast. If they phoned Ethan and told him she'd lost Toni already, he'd fire her for sure. “I hate you!” called a familiar accented voice over the din of mall noises. Toni barreled toward her, red-faced. Paul and a female uniformed guard followed close behind. “How could you humiliate me like this?” Her tightly clenched fists and heaving chest filled Scarlet with dread. The male officer took a step back. “Yeah, I guess she belongs to you.” At least Toni was acting as though she were somewhat off balance, psychologically speaking, thus confirming Scarlet's assertion that the teen wasn't totally in control of her faculties. Patting the female officer on the back, the man said, “Let's leave them to their reunion, Mac.” Then he led the woman away, both of them snickering. “You are not my mother,” Toni said through clenched teeth. “How dare you send the police after me?” “They aren’t the police.” Scarlet scrubbed her hands over her face, praying she could keep her voice calm. “They're only mall security and anyway, you're the one in the wrong here. You slipped out of the theater and left the area. What did you think I would do?” “I've been taking care of myself for a long time now. I don’t need a babysitter.” She glanced at Paul, standing silently behind her. “I'm perfectly safe with him.” Sparks shot from her eyes. “Your father wants you with me, Toni.” She pointed to the exit. “Let's go.” “We'll see about that when he returns home. I'll have him fire you.” She brushed past Scarlet and stomped off. Scarlet stayed close behind, hoping to avoid another confrontation. But she wondered if Ethan really would let her go, knowing Toni still didn't want her there. Putting her hand to her throat, she fingered her acorn charm. She needed some good fortune now more than ever. If Ethan let her go, she'd be so totally screwed.

Chapter Five Scarlet woke the next morning to blaring rap music. The walls seemed to shake with the intense beat. This must be Toni's way of torturing her. The girl had hardly spoken a word last night from the moment they got home. She'd skulked through the house, slammed doors, stomped her feet and showed her displeasure at every turn. Scarlet lay in bed and cringed at the thought of dealing with her. She'd hoped for a few more minutes of sleep, but with the annoying music pounding in her ears, that proved impossible. After she washed up, she followed her nose to the kitchen. Fresh coffee beckoned from the counter. Abruptly, the head-banger's ball ended. Myra entered the kitchen looking way too chipper for the early hour.“G'morning,” she trilled. “How could you sleep through that racket?” “Well, I didn't.” Scarlet poured herself a cup of coffee. “Hence, the bleary-eyed look.” “I told her to shut it off and not to play it that loud again as long as she lived here.” Scarlet lifted an eyebrow expecting to hear how Toni had argued or otherwise bucked Myra's request. “And?” “She said, 'Okay.' Then she turned it off. No problem.” “Just like that?” Scarlet sipped her coffee, enjoyed the warm comfort. “Just like that.” Abandoning the remnants of her coffee, Scarlet made a beeline straight for Toni's room. She sucked in a deep breath. Confident, in control. Knocking hard on the door with one hand, she crossed the fingers on the other. “What now?” came the curt reply. “Can I speak to you?” Scarlet wished she'd remembered to slip an acorn into her shorts pocket. At least she had on her lucky necklace. Silence. “Toni?” She waited. “Please?” The door opened and Toni stepped aside to allow Scarlet to pass, letting out a loud sigh. The stereo played Italian pop music that sounded strange with the volume so low. Scarlet breathed through her mouth to avoid exposing her nose to the noxious body odor that permeated the air. She glanced around the room. An array of clothing items, accessories and shoes littered the floor. A glass of what appeared to be soda sat directly atop a wood table, a ring of water surrounding the base. On the unmade bed she saw a photograph of a dark haired woman, its edges curled. She picked it up. “Is this your mother?” “Yes.” Toni immediately tore it from her grasp then stashed it in a drawer. “She's beautiful. You look a lot like her.” What was visible beneath the piercings, Goth makeup and multi-colored hair. Toni shrugged, her brand of thank you. “May I?” Scarlet motioned toward the bed. Another shrug. She sat on the end, patted the area next to her. Toni stood her ground, hands on her hips. “What do you want?”

“I'd like us to find some common ground.” She scanned the mess on the floor, hoping for inspiration. “They have great shoes in Italy, huh?” She pointed to a pair of expensive-looking leather flats. “Madre gave me those.” Her eyes clouded—a chink in the armor. “She has good taste.” “Do you miss her?” Scarlet folded her legs Indian-style, hoping Toni would sit, relax and talk. “I'm fine.” The teen shot her a distrustful glance, then shook her head. “What did you want to say?” She swallowed hard. “I lost both my parents when I was about your age.” The familiar pang of emptiness accompanied the statement. “I still miss them.” “Sorry.” Toni finally sat on the carpet, but refused to make eye contact. “Thank you. I'm lucky to have an older sister. And soon a nephew.” She wracked her brain to think of other things to say, ways they might find a thread of mutual understanding. She eyed the stereo on the bookcase. “What American bands do you like?” “I don’t know.” Toni yawned. Scarlet glanced at Toni's hands. Black nail polish was chipped halfway down her nails. Even her toenails sported the black color, nearly as chipped as on her fingers. She'd bet Ethan would spring for manicures and pedicures if it meant Toni would open up a little, give Scarlet a chance. “I have an idea.” She refused to let Toni's skeptical expression deter her from her mission. An hour and a half later, Scarlet ushered the girl into a small salon in a fancy shopping area in downtown Coral Gables. The smell of perm solution, nail polish and hairspray gave Scarlet the warm fuzzies. The last time she'd been pampered with a manicure and pedicure was right before Layla's wedding. Joe's mother had footed the bill. As they perused the shelves for polish colors, she couldn’t help but wonder what Ethan liked on a woman. Was he a vampy red man? Or did he prefer the subtlety of a French manicure? Doesn't matter. Only she knew it did. She'd found herself dwelling on him constantly since they'd met. What sort of woman did he go for? How would it feel to have his arms around her waist, to tangle her fingers in his thick hair, to run her nails along his muscular shoulders? Heat suffused her body. She cleared her throat, suddenly aware of Toni's cold stare. Could the girl guess what Scarlet had been thinking? She took a step away and felt her cheeks warm. “How about that?” She pointed to a subdued frosty pink a few shades lighter than Toni's hair. “I'll get this one.” Toni grabbed a bottle of sewage-green polish from the bottom of the rack. Pasting on a smile, Scarlet took a deep red shade from the collection. As long as she and Toni were forging some sort of bond, it didn’t matter what butt-ugly color the teen chose. “I think this one will work for me.” Toni lifted a pierced eyebrow. “If you say so.” “You don’t like it?” Toni shook her head. “Too much.” This from the girl whose appearance screamed over the top. Scarlet wanted to laugh out loud. “Why don't you pick one for me?” Toni scanned the choices, finally exchanging Scarlet's lovely red for an iridescent steel gray. “I like this color.” Her expression was pure challenge. More than anything, Scarlet wanted them to be friends, even if that meant wearing industrial silver on her fingers and toes. She held out her hand for the polish. “Why not?”

Toni's smile was fleeting, but it gave Scarlet some hope her plan had started working. A tiny Asian woman led them to a back room where they climbed up onto pedicure thrones and the pampering began. “My mother used to take me for a pedicure every now and then.” Scarlet recalled the special times. “Just the two of us.” “Madre had someone come to the house to do hers. He'd polish my nails sometimes.” Her eyes clouded. “Not recently?” Scarlet desperately wanted the girl to open up, release some of the hostility that kept them at arm's length. Toni shrugged as if she were shaking off a pesky fly. “She has more important things in her life now than me. Otherwise, I'd be in Roma or Milano now, not here.” Her gaze slid over Scarlet from head to water-soaked toe. “And not with you.” Scarlet ignored the snide comment. “I miss my mother, too. It's tough, isn’t it?” Toni flipped through a magazine too quickly to even see the photos. “I don't know what you're talking about.” “I'm talking about that feeling of abandonment. That loneliness only your mother can fill.” She swallowed back the pain. This was about Toni's loss, not her own. “I totally get it, you know. I was about your age when my mother was ripped from my life.” “Madre isn't dead, like your mama.” She swiped under her eye. “She's alive and well. Living with a jerk named Stephano. They're always more important to her than…” She met Scarlet's gaze. “Than you?” Her heart ached for the teenager. Toni shrugged. “Whatever.” Scarlet remained silent for several minutes as her toenails were filed and buffed. “I know it's not the same, Toni, but I'm here for you. So is your father.” “I'm fine on my own.” Poor thing probably didn’t know how to lean on someone, to be mothered. Despite the girl's bravado, the fissures in her tough shell were beginning to crack. Scarlet recognized the signs from her own teen years. “This isn’t going to work,” Toni said a few minutes later as they had their feet massaged. “You can’t make me like you.” Scarlet stifled a smile. Toni was already starting to come around, whether the girl admitted it or not. ***** Scarlet settled into the swing beside the koi pond a few hours later, sketchpad in hand. Ethan's gardener had returned the area to its pristine state after all the damage her fall had caused. Although she'd initially thought she and Toni had made progress at the salon, the girl had clammed up again the moment they arrived at home. Rather than sit in the house and listen to Toni's blaring music, she opted to take advantage of the downtime and try her hand at sketching, something she'd been unable to do for years. But the setting had stirred something in her the second she saw it. The soothing sound of the tiny waterfall set her at ease, banished the stress of dealing with Toni all day. She studied the shape of the pond, the shadows created by the surrounding foliage. Pencil poised above the paper, she struggled with where to begin. A heavy fog settled over her that

creative part of her brain and shut it down. Familiar frustration pounded at her temples. Would she ever be able to draw again? Her ringing cell phone provided a welcome distraction, especially when she saw Ethan's name on the display. Unable to stifle her smile, she answered. “Hey.” “Hey, yourself. What's going on?” His deep, smooth voice made her insides flutter. “Since you answered, I'll assume my daughter hasn't roasted you over a fire pit yet.” Laughing, she set her art supplies beside her on the swing. “Not yet, but it's not time for dinner here for another hour, so there's still hope.” “Has she been giving you a hard time?” She flashed on her interactions with Toni, considered his question. Certainly yesterday had been trying, but today seemed a bit better. “She's coming along. We're getting to know each other.” “Good. Glad to hear that. Are you all settled into your room? Anything you need?” She held the phone closer to her ear, imagined him sitting with her, enjoying the peaceful setting. “It's all good. I like it here.” “I like having you in my home.” His voice was thick and low, alluring as hot fudge on an ice cream sundae. She shivered with longing. Did he find her as distracting as she did him? Her heart slammed against her ribcage. Maybe she'd read more into his words than he'd meant. “Um… so you'll be back tonight, right?” “I've moved my reservation to tomorrow. I have one more meeting tonight, then another in the morning. Flight leaves at two-thirty, Chicago time. I sent the information to you in an email.” She swallowed back her disappointment. “Okay. I'll check it and see you tomorrow then.” She shut her phone, pressed it to her chest. She couldn't wait for him to come home. “Was that my father?” Toni appeared out of nowhere. She picked up a branch and dragged it over the surface of the water. “Mm hmm.” Scarlet moved her pad aside, making room for Toni to sit, just in case. “His plans changed. He won’t be home until tomorrow.” The girl's face registered…what? Maybe panic, only for a split second, then returned to her usual I-couldn't-care-less expression. “Whatever.” She pointed to Scarlet's sketch pad. “What's that?” Scarlet slid it behind her back. “Just a tablet. I draw. At least, I used to.” Toni sat beside her. Scarlet tried to block out the girl's pungent body odor. “Why do you have it out here with you?” Toni asked. She'd asked herself that a dozen times. Every few weeks for the past decade, she'd taken out her supplies with every intention, every hope, of being able to draw again. But each time she'd found the well dry. She wondered if her talent and creativity had died with her parents. “I'm still waiting for inspiration, I guess.” “Draw me. I can sit still for hours.” Toni hopped off the swing and struck a pose on a rock beside the pond. “When I was little, Madre would take me to this man's house and I'd have to sit still for a long time while she went into the bedroom with him.” She stared at some point in the distance, then dropped her gaze to her lap. “It wasn't so bad. And I learned how to be very quiet and still for a long period of time.” Scarlet's heart nearly shattered at the thought of a little girl waiting in the next room while her mother had sex with some man. Summoning all her will, Scarlet opened the pad and studied her subject.

Please, let me be able to draw again. She took a deep breath and drew a curved line for the rock. Then she froze. Hand shaking, she swallowed hard and lowered the pencil to her lap. Why couldn't she unlock the vault deep within her where her skill lay dormant? It seemed more important now than ever before. Toni would undoubtedly take it personally. “Well?” Toni murmured. “Am I not a good enough model?” Scarlet sighed. “You're a perfect model, Toni. It's me. I haven't been able to draw since my parents died.” The girl's expression softened slightly. “Why not?” “I think it has to do with happiness.” A rogue tear escaped and she quickly brushed it away. “So many artists create their best work when they're really down in the dumps. But that's never been me.” “So you must be happy in order to draw?” She picked up a few acorns from the ground, tossed them into the pond. “I guess so.” She'd never thought about it that way, but she supposed that were true. And she realized if she were truly content with Keith, she'd have been able to draw. “I promise we'll try this again. Soon.” Toni gave her a halfhearted shrug. “I don't really care.” She stood, started toward the house, then stopped and turned back to Scarlet. “I keep finding acorns in my purse. Do you know how they got there?” Scarlet's face warmed. “They're good luck.” A sound on the roof caught her attention. The black cat ran along the edge, then leapt onto an oak branch and finally down to the ground. Scarlet shivered, hoping the thing would stay away from her. Toni swept the cat into her arms, kissed its head. “You don't like Jinx, hmm? Why not?” “I'm not an animal lover, that's all.” She rubbed her arms, trying to banish the goose bumps. “Are you afraid?” She took a step closer. Scarlet met the girl's stare. “Of course not.” She gathered her things and climbed off the swing. “I'll be inside.” Toni let the cat loose and it raced in front of Scarlet, crossing her path a second before she made it to the door. She stopped, looked back at the teenager. Toni had done that on purpose. “You're superstitious, aren't you? You put the acorns in my purse. And in my dresser drawers.” Scarlet said nothing. Toni bent over, laughing. “You are. That's why you hate Jinx.” Wasn't like people hadn't made of fun of her before for her superstitious nature. She was used to it. Ignoring the derision, Scarlet entered the house. The aromas of garlic and butter hung in the air. Toni didn't let the closed door deter her from following Scarlet inside. The girl sniffed loudly. “Mm, garlic. Good thing, too. We wouldn’t want a vampire to interrupt our meal.” She giggled and ran past Scarlet into the kitchen. Rolling her eyes, Scarlet tried to brush off the girl's ribbing. Letting Toni know her jabs hurt would only encourage her to keep it up. Upon entering the kitchen, she found Myra, setting the table. Toni took a can of soda from the fridge and poured it into a glass. “Want some?” she asked Scarlet. “Sure. Thanks.”

“Should I cross my feet when I pour or something for luck?” She snickered as she loaded another glass with ice. “Actually, you have to spin around three times, but only if it's a full moon.” Toni's eyes opened wide for a second, until she realized Scarlet was joking. Then she grinned and did three pirouettes in the middle of the room. “How's that?” Scarlet burst out laughing. “Perfect.” Myra folded her arms across her chest and lifted her brow. “What are you girls up to?” “Just having fun—at my expense.” She gave Myra a quick peck on the cheek before the older woman left for the day. Even though she knew Toni's snipes would no doubt continue, she had a feeling their relationship had taken a turn for the better.

Chapter Six Ethan settled into his chair at Les Nomades in Chicago. The restaurant, a cozy brownstone, was more appropriate for a romantic interlude than a business dinner, but the client he hoped to woo had suggested it. The widow of the owner of a large Midwestern employment agency, Amelia Brisbane sounded very interested in having Chandler Enterprises custom design software for her company. Although he'd never met her in person, he gleaned she was a shrewd business person from their numerous phone conversations. The maître de led a tall blonde in her mid-thirties into the room. God, her legs stretched all the way to Canada. “Here we are, Mrs. Brisbane,” the maître de told the woman as he pulled out the chair opposite Ethan's. Holy cow. He'd thought his companion in her fifties or even sixties. He never expected this. He stood, offered his hand, trying to tamp down his shock. “Amelia, so pleased to finally meet you.” Her eyes swept quickly over him as she shook hands. “Same here.” Turning her attention to the maître de, she said, “Bring us a bottle of that Bordeaux I had last week, will you, Henry?” “Of course.” He bowed his head as if she were royalty, then retreated. “A lovely wine I discovered last year in France.” She unfolded her napkin and set it across her lap and Ethan noticed her diamond ring, the size of a grape. “Won't go with my dinner, but it's so delicious.” He licked his lips, which were suddenly dry as the desert. “I'm looking forward to trying it, then.” “My motto is, you ought to try everything—once.” Sultry brown eyes drew his like magnets. Mixing business was pleasure was never wise, but he sensed it was exactly what she had in mind. He cleared his throat. “Have you had a chance to go over my proposal yet?” “I have.” She straightened, put on her business face. “There are a few things that concern me like training for my employees. We have thirty-four offices spread out over five states. One centralized training session won't work. I'll need at least seven different locations.” He nodded. “We can roll that into the bid. I'll have my people work on it.” A waiter approached with their wine and to take their order. Ethan raised an eyebrow when Amelia ordered for both of them. “I hope you don't mind,” she told him. “But trust me, you won't regret my selections. The Tasmanian salmon is to die for. And the roasted sweetbreads…” She kissed her fingers. “Heaven on earth.” He didn’t much care as long as he won the contract. “You sound like a woman who knows her food.” She leaned toward him and lowered her voice. “I know what I like when I see it.” She sipped her wine, licked a droplet from her upper lip seductively. “Or taste it.” The statement left no doubt as to her intentions. He shifted in his seat, suddenly uncomfortable. Loosening his tie, he suddenly thought about Scarlet. Why had she popped into his head? He erased the image and focused on his dinner companion. “Where are you staying?” She sat back while the waiter served their food. After the man had retreated, Ethan watched her take a small bite of salmon. “The Four Seasons. I'm heading home tomorrow.” No sense in letting her think he planned to stay in the

windy city any longer. If she had anything more than a quick fling in mind, he wanted to be upfront about his intentions. “Perfect.” After dinner, she followed him to his hotel. Strolling down the corridor toward his room, he wondered if sleeping with her might negatively affect Amelia's inclination to accept his company's proposal. No sense in literally screwing himself out of a lucrative contract. “About the software,” he ventured, reaching into his pocket for the key card. Touching two tiny round things in his pocket, he pulled out his hand, stared at the acorns in his palm. How had they gotten there? She stopped him with a hand on his arm. “This is outside of our business relationship, Ethan. We can discuss your proposal more over the phone.” Satisfied with her answer, he let her into his room. “Here we are.” He took off his jacket, tossed it onto a chair. “Can I fix you a drink?” Opening the mini-bar, he set two glasses on the counter, loaded ice into one. She sat on the edge of the bed. “Whatever you're having.” He poured them each two fingers of scotch, handed one to her. Tapping his drink to hers, he said, “to partnering.” She threw her head back and laughed. “That's good.” Taking a sip of whiskey, she eyed him. “Are you married?” After a healthy swig, he set his glass on the desk. “Nope. Never tried the stuff.” She stood, took a few steps closer. “A yummy guy like you? How come no woman's ever snatched you up?” “I work a lot. And I prefer to keep my entanglements short and sweet.” He gathered Amelia did the same. She loosened his tie, undid the top button of his shirt. He grabbed her wrist, held it for a few seconds. “You first.” His libido wasn’t onboard yet, although he couldn’t deny how attractive she was. She lifted a blonde eyebrow, set her drink down then smiled. Reaching her hands behind her back, she unzipped her skirt, let it fall to the floor and kicked it away. Then she lifted her top over her head, flung it across the room. Standing before him in a black lace bra and panties, stiletto heels and at least fifty grand in diamonds, she reached for her glass. Dipping a finger in the amber liquid, she swirled it around, then touched her chest, just above her cleavage. Ethan watched the whiskey drip between her breasts, felt himself harden but not much. “I've made a mess.” She unfastened her bra, slid it off. “Maybe you can help.” Amelia grabbed his tie, yanked him toward the bed. He stood over her as she sat on the edge, rubbed a hand over the swell in his pants. He shut his eyes and all he could see was Scarlet's face. No. He backed out of Amelia's reach. “You have too many clothes on.” What the hell was wrong with him? This amazingly beautiful, sexy woman was throwing herself at him. Why couldn't he go with it? Something held him back. Amelia huffed. “Look, I don’t give a shit of you're married or otherwise entangled. This is just for tonight, for the next couple of hours. What's the problem?” He wished he knew. “I'm not married, I already told you.” He had to give her a reason or risk pissing her off and losing her business.

“A girlfriend then?” Scarlet flashed in his mind again. “Yes, that's it.” Amelia shook her head, gathered her clothes and marched into the bathroom, slamming the door shut. Had he completely sank his shot at her business? A minute later she came out. “We could have had a great time, Ethan.” “I have no doubt, Amelia. You're a very sexy woman.” “I hope she knows how lucky she is.” Reaching around him, she picked up her drink, downed the remainder in one gulp. “I'll be expecting your proposal next week.” He drew a relieved breath and walked her to the door. “Thanks for understanding.” Ethan listened to the clack of her heels in the hallway until they were gone. He poured himself another drink and wondered what Scarlet was doing now. How had she managed to tangle herself around his brain in such a short time? Thinking about one woman while he made love to another—or tried to, at least—was so not him. He'd never been about being stuck in a relationship and letting opportunities pass him by, not since Carmela had left him. He had to purge himself of these ridiculous fantasies about Scarlet. An affair with her could only lead to trouble. ***** Ethan scanned the arriving flights area outside of Miami International Airport, searching for his Porsche. And for the woman he couldn't keep off his mind. Every hour he'd been away from her had worsened his condition, made him long that much more to be near her. Checking his watch, he considered calling her to make sure she'd remembered to pick him up. Before he could unclip the phone from his belt, the Porsche pulled to the curb. Scarlet climbed out and started toward him. “Hey there. How was the trip?” All the noise of hustle and bustle faded away. The only sound in his head was the click of her sandals on the asphalt and the hammering of his heart. His gaze focused on the gentle curve of her ass, her long legs and slim waist. Her hips, clad in tight-fitting denim shorts, swayed in time to the beat emanating from the car's stereo. A pink tank top strained across her ample chest. His eyes meandered to her long neck, the hollow of her throat, nicely muscled shoulders and upper arms. Damned if she wasn't even hotter than he remembered. “Ethan?” Her voice broke through his trance. “You okay?” “Yeah.” He snapped his attention to her face. “Of course I'm okay.” “How was Chicago?” Forcing himself to focus on what she was saying, he stared at her full, red lips. Had he noticed before that they were shaped like a heart? “Chicago,” he repeated, trying to concentrate on something besides her assets. “It was fine. Accomplished everything I intended.” Had a complete idiot taken over his brain? “Good.” She slid into the passenger seat as Roy Orbison sang about a pretty woman. Her legs seemed to move in slow motion as she tucked them into the car. Dear God, she had gorgeous legs. Oh, Christ. He was getting hard. Shifting his duffle to hide the growing bulge in his pants, he went around to the driver's side and climbed into the car. He threw his bag into the backseat, then looked across at her. “How'd it go with Toni?”

She pursed her lips and her eyes danced all over the place. “Fine.” “You sure?” She held up her fingers, showing him gray fingernails. Unusual color choice. “We went to the spa. I hope that's okay.” Was that what had her so nervous? “Of course.” He pulled away from the curb, joined the rush of taxis and limousines. “I wanted you to entertain her, make friends with her. Sounds like you did.” Her silence was unnerving. “You did get along, didn't you?” He sped up to pass a slow moving Cadillac. “We're…moving in that direction.” She wrung her hands. “Um…I have something to tell you.” Suddenly his heart pounded. “Where's Toni?” “She's home with Myra.” Scarlet's hand landed on his arm sending a shiver of excitement through him. “She's safe and sound. It's nothing, really. I mean, we worked it out.” She stared out the window. He tried to concentrate on the road. Cars whizzed past and he realized he'd slowed his speed. Pressing harder on the accelerator, he took comfort in the smooth power of the turbo charged engine. “Tell me what happened.” She let out a long breath. “How about we wait until you unwind, have a drink.” Much as he wanted to know what had been happening in his absence, she was right. “Have it your way.” Better to wait until he'd settled into his leather chair, shook off the tension of the day—and the rabid desire to make love to the nanny. “So what have you two been doing?” “Aside from making ourselves beautiful?” “Yeah.” He could hardly argue with that. Not that she needed any help. She was one of the prettiest women he'd ever laid his eyes on. More lovely than Carmela. And she seemed totally unaware of how men stared at her. Even now, as they sat at a red light, the guy in the next car couldn't keep his eyes off of her. Ethan glared at him a second before the man noticed and averted his gaze. What the hell is wrong with me? I have no claim to her. She worked for him, for God's sake. Off limits. Totally inappropriate to mix business with pleasure. Anyway, he wasn't interested in someone who made his heart race and his libido switch into overdrove. Love equaled pain. Best to keep entanglements short and sweet. Let them know from the get-go he didn't want any strings. Scarlet was the last woman he ought to consider for a meaningless fling. “We saw a movie,” she said. “Brought in Chinese takeout. That's about it.” They rode in silence for several minutes. He tried to concentrate on the road, rather than her lean thighs, so close to him. Or the charming way she talked with her hands, flipped her hair behind her shoulders. “Bought some body wash Toni flipped over at the salon.” Scarlet told him. “She voluntarily took a shower this afternoon.” “Great idea. Give her soap she enjoys using so she'll actually wash instead of staying smelly.” He turned into the driveway, raised the garage door, sorry their time alone had gone by so quickly. “So I probably ought to tell her she smells good, huh?” “Not on your life.” Scarlet unbuckled the seatbelt. “If she thinks you approve of something, she'll probably stop doing it.”

“Good point.” He reached into the back seat to retrieve his bag the same moment she turned to grab her purse. They froze, their faces mere inches apart. Her lips parted. He couldn’t tear his gaze from hers. Fire danced in her ebony eyes. He was drawn to her like a magnet, unable to stop himself as he plunged his fingers through her hair. The strands were silkier than he'd imagined and smelled of citrus and sunshine. He brushed his lips across hers, ran a finger along her jaw until she pressed her face against his hand. Powerless to resist, he kissed her, gently at first, flicking his tongue into her enticing mouth. She tasted of peppermint, cool and sweet. When she slid closer, let him know he undid her as much as she did him, his kiss grew more urgent and demanding. He tasted and explored, hoped the moment would never end. Desire uncoiled inside him and heated him to the boiling point. The fabric of his chinos strained against the swell of his cock. Kissing her felt so good, so right, like he'd never really found the right place to call home until this very minute, with her. He drank her in, couldn’t get enough of her sweet mouth. Then her hand was on his chest, pushing him… away? “No, Ethan. We can't.” He tried to silence her with a kiss, but she turned her head, reluctantly, he thought. “I need this job,” she was saying. “And as much as I want to keep going, we can't.” He sat ramrod straight, back against the seat as if he were pinned to it. Squeezing his eyes shut, he thought about baseball. Anything to keep from dwelling on her lips, her eyes, her luscious body. He pictured her in a pink uniform, like from A League of Their Own. Long legs and a short skirt, brim of her cap low and sexy. No, no, no. Men playing baseball. Anything to quell the raging hard-on he sported. Much as he wanted her, she was right. This could only lead to disaster. Pretend it didn't happen. Clearing his throat, he grabbed his bag and shot out of the car. Without waiting for her, he headed into the house and tried to ignore the idea that a five hundred pound gorilla had taken up residence at his house. He ran a multi-million dollar company and sold software all over the world. Certainly, he could block out his desire for one woman. One incredibly sexy woman who had a pull on him he couldn’t understand. A woman he craved like air and water. ***** Scarlet wiped her lips and straightened her shirt before climbing out of the Porsche. How could she have let herself be carried away in that kiss? That amazing kiss. Never mind. She had no choice but to make this job work and in order to do that, she had to maintain a platonic relationship with her boss. No ifs, ands or buts about it. Reaching into her purse, she felt around for her bag of acorns, rolled them between her fingers for good measure. She took a deep, calming breath before she proceeded into the house. Myra stopped scrubbing the sink and stared at her. “What's with you two?” Scarlet combed her fingers through her hair. Could that kiss have disheveled her? “What are you talking about?” “You and Ethan. You're both flushed.” Myra narrowed her gaze. “If I didn’t know better, I'd say there was some hanky-panky going on.”

“Hanky-panky? We just drove home from the airport.” Scarlet's nervous twitter sounded false, even to her own ears. Without waiting for a reply, she fled the kitchen, raced down the hall and into her room. She shut her eyes and collapsed on the bed. If Myra could see the desire on her face, and on Ethan's, Toni would surely see it next. There was no telling what the girl's reaction would be if she ever found out. No way could she allow anything to happen again. “Dinner's in the oven,” Myra called from the hallway. “I'll see you all tomorrow.” “Thanks, Myra,” she heard Ethan call. Then the front door shut. “Time to eat, Toni,” he said. Then he knocked on Scarlet's door. “You coming?” “Be right there.” She crossed the room to the dresser and studied her face in the mirror. What had Myra seen that gave them away? Her gaze focused on her lips, dark and still swollen. A rosy glow colored her cheeks. She fumbled through her basket of cosmetics until she found her lip gloss and smoothed some on. Then she dusted some powder over her entire face. Better. At least her lips now had a legitimate reason for being red and the pink was toned down on her cheeks. Giving her reflection the once-over, fixed a smile on her face, opened her door and marched to the kitchen as if the sexiest man in the world hadn’t just rocked her world with a kiss. Toni and Ethan stood side by side with their backs to her, Toni pouring glasses of water and Ethan taking silverware from the drawer. Even from behind, the resemblance between them struck her. Both had long legs and similar proportions, and their skin bore the same olive tone. She cleared her throat to make them aware of her presence. Only Toni turned to acknowledge her. “Hey. Myra made lasagna.” “Mm. One of my favorites.” But Scarlet knew she'd be lucky to force a few bites down with the butterflies flitting around in her stomach. “What can I do?” “Have a seat.” Ethan crossed to the table and laid forks and knives down, never looking at her for even a second. “Want to distribute those?” She tried to smile as she folded napkins and set the table. Toni carried the drinks over, then returned to the fridge and took out the salad Myra had prepared. “I'll toss,” Scarlet offered. A minute later, they all sat and started eating like any other family. “Scarlet tells me you two had a spa day.” Ethan speared a chunk of lettuce and brought it to his lips. He gave his daughter a flash of his devastating smile. Toni nodded and presented her green nails for his inspection. “What do you think?” “Your color choice is interesting.” He winked. “I'm glad you had fun.” Toni's expression relaxed. Seemed Ethan had passed some sort of test. She took a bite of salad as her gaze shifted between Scarlet and Ethan. Shrugging, she managed a smile. “It was fun.” Scarlet nearly fainted from shock. Had the teenager actually just said she enjoyed herself? Instinct told her not to respond. “There was this woman there getting a pedicure near us wearing this really short skirt.” Toni giggled softly to herself. “Every time the manicurist asked her to put her foot up on the ledge, the manicurist looked away.” She glanced at Scarlet and grinned. “I realized why when we were leaving.” “And?” Scarlet said. The teen's cheeks reddened. “She had no underwear on. I guess the manicurist didn't want to see the lady's…” She pursed her lips.

“Her privates,” Scarlet offered, rolling her eyes. “Some people have no class.” Toni chuckled. “That's not the best part. The manicurist read the name of the polish the customer had picked out.” She glanced from Scarlet to Ethan. “And?” Scarlet sipped her water. “Peep Show Pink.” She let loose a deep belly laugh. Ethan joined her, practically choking on his food. “Seriously?” Toni nodded as she held a hand over her heart. “I swear.” “That explains why the owner kept walking past.” Scarlet grinned. “I swear, he kept going over there, making small talk with the manicurist and the customer.” The tension that had filled the house before evaporated as they chatted about the other patrons at the salon, Ethan's trip, and Toni's view of her superior education and how she planned to outshine all the American students in her class when she started school at the end of the summer. After clearing away the plates, Ethan returned to the table with a pint of ice cream and a bottle of chocolate sauce. “Who's up for dessert?” Scarlet rubbed a hand over her belly. “As yummy as that sounds, I'm too full.” He leveled a doubtful stare at her. “You hardly ate a thing. Come on.” Renewed waves of desire coursing through her. Her mouth grew dry as the desert. “I…I can't.” “Fine.” Toni went to the cabinet and pulled out two bowls. “More for us.” Scarlet sat back and watched father and daughter fix themselves sundaes, talk about everything and nothing, and start forging a relationship. The doorbell interrupted the family time. Begrudgingly, Ethan went to answer it. He returned a minute later with Paul in tow. “There's someone here to see you, Toni.” The set of his jaw betrayed his disappointment at the disruption of their bonding time. Paul shifted from foot to foot, avoided Scarlet's eyes. “Wanna go swimming?” he asked Toni. She shrugged. Say no. Like a curtain falling at the end of a play, Toni's warmth faded and a cool façade settled over her features. “I guess.” With that, she left the room, leaving Ethan staring at her half-eaten ice cream. “She's starting to come around.” Scarlet swallowed back the lump in her throat. “It can’t all happen at once.” As if she hadn't spoken, he stood and cleared away the dessert dishes, then dropped them noisily onto the counter. Scarlet joined him at the sink and loaded the dishwasher. “She's making remarkable progress.” “If you say so.” He dumped the leftover salad down the drain and turned on the water before flipping on the disposal switch. When the grinding sound stopped, Scarlet touched his arm. “You're doing a great job with her.” He shook off her hand as if her touch pained him. “I don't need your approval of my parenting skills.” She flinched. What had she done to piss him off? Had the kiss destroyed things between them? Would he fire her now? He blew out a loud breath and shut off the faucet. “I'm sorry.”

“I didn't mean to—” “No,” he cut her off. “You've been wonderful, Scarlet. I feel like Toni and I were really connecting until that…” He gestured toward the backyard. “That boy showed up and turned her back into an adolescent porcupine.” She nodded at his description. “She can be awfully prickly.” “Have you noticed she doesn't call me anything? Not Ethan, not Dad, not Mr. Chandler, not asshole.” He yanked a dishtowel from the counter and dried his hands, threw it back down. “Excuse my language. I'm just…frustrated.” “Maybe she has to decide what role you'll play in her life before she gives you a title.” She moved to the table and sat, hoped he'd follow. “This is all so new to her. Allow her some time to acclimate to her new life. It's only been a week.” He joined her at the table. “How'd you get to be so wise?” His smile set her heart kicking against her chest. How had he taken control of her emotions in the short time she'd known him? Could it be more than physical attraction? He'll abandon you, like all the others. “Not wise.” She pulled her legs under her and sat akimbo on the chair. “I've been around kids for a while. I've come to learn about the workings of their brains.” “I'm lucky to have the benefit of your superior knowledge. Must be that acorn you dropped into my pocket before I left for Chicago.” A playful grin made his face even more handsome. Her cheeks burned. No use denying it. “You made it home safely, didn’t you? There has to be something to it.” “I'd have made it back safe and sound regardless. I'd rather put my faith in the pilot's skill and experience than in some silly lucky charm.” “It's not silly. Luck is real.” Hugging her knees to her chest, she looked away. Why did so many people insist there was nothing to superstition? Time and time again she saw how good luck charms helped and omens led to bad things. “Is your whole family superstitious? Or are you the only one?” That empty place in her heart ached as she thought about her parents. “My mother was a believer, but not Daddy.” His expression grew serious. “Oh, Scarlet, I'm sorry. I didn’t mean to dredge up a painful memory.” She shrugged off the gloom. “My sister doesn't buy into superstition. I keep trying to make her pay at least a little attention to it, what with a baby on the way and all. I knew it would be a boy from the way her wedding ring dangled in circles from above her belly.” “Huh?” Even scrunched into a disbelieving scowl, his face was still adorable. She waved away his doubt. “I knew long before the sonogram confirmed it that she was having a son, thanks to superstition.” “Odds were about fifty-fifty, though. That's an easy one.” She fisted her hands on the table. “Why can't you entertain the possibility that there are forces in nature you can’t explain away with logic or science?” “Why is it so difficult for you to accept that things happen in a random fashion? Sometimes events are out of our control. My mother lost everything relying on her luck at the gaming tables in Atlantic City. Every penny she'd earned, my college fund, rent, you name it. Ruined our relationship.” So that was what had caused the rift between them. “I'm sorry, Ethan. I didn't know.” She thought about her parents again. No way could she believe their deaths were merely random

occurrences. If it were, she and those she loved could be killed at any moment. “If events are completely random you can’t prevent bad things from happening and that’s really frightening.” She swiped at the moisture on her cheeks. Ethan set a gentle hand on her knee. “Some things can't be prevented. No amount of luck, good or bad, could have stopped Carmela from stealing my child away. And no good luck charm could have helped my mother win at cards.” Leaning toward her, he touched her cheek. “It's no one's fault that your parents died. Bad luck had nothing to do with it.” She backed away, shaking her head. “If my mother had worn her lucky necklace—” “No, Scarlet. It wouldn’t have made any difference.” No use trying to convince him. Just like Layla, he'd never believe in the power of superstition. “I should check on Toni and Paul.” She stood, pasted a smile on her face, then left the room. Moments later, she observed the two teenagers through the glass doors, frolicking in the pool, laughing and obviously having a great time. She prayed Toni never grew as jaded as she'd become, weary of men and the inevitable pain relationships caused. Pushing all thoughts of Ethan Chandler from her mind, she settled into the couch and turned on the TV. A bit of mindless fluff would keep her focus off the dangerous attraction to a man she could never have.

Chapter Seven Ethan found Scarlet fast asleep in front of the television a few hours later. Poor thing. She must be exhausted. And cold judging by the way she shivered. Reaching to a nearby chair, he retrieved a throw blanket and covered her up. She stirred for a second, then settled. Unable to stop himself, he brushed her hair off her cheek, marveled at her smooth caramel skin and silky hair. He never should have kissed her before, but controlling himself around her was proving more and more difficult every day, every hour. What he needed was a cold shower. Or a dip in the pool, which should be refreshingly cool this time of night. Leaving Scarlet on the couch, he shut off the TV, then went to his room and changed into swim trunks. He thought about asking Toni to join him, but when he passed her room, he noticed her light was out. Pressing his ear to the door, he heard her rhythmic breathing and knew she was asleep. Returning to his room, he used the French doors to enter the pool area. It had been months since he'd had a late night swim, something he used to do several times a week. He took a deep breath and savored the heady scents of jasmine and orange blossoms. The sound of crickets filled the air. He thought about his missed opportunity in Chicago. So unlike him to pass up a chance to get laid, and with such a hot woman. Knowing he shouldn't, he focused his gaze on the glass doors leading into the family room. Scarlet was still curled up under the blanket. The swell of her breasts rose and fell with each breath and riveted his attention. His cock came to life, hardening under his shorts. Cold water. Forcing his attention away from her, he strode toward the pool, dove into its cool blackness for relief. He did sixteen laps before pulling himself onto the edge for a rest. “Awfully late for a swim, don't you think?” Scarlet's voice jolted him to attention. She stood above him on the deck wearing a black bikini top and a towel around her waist. “I woke up and saw you out here, thought you might like some company. And thanks for the blanket, by the way.” All his resolve to keep his distance from her melted into the moonlit night. “You're welcome. And I’d love company.” She peeled off the towel, tossed it onto a chair and he thanked God he had a strong heart. “How's the water?” She sat beside him and dipped her toes in. “Great.” He barely recognized his own voice, husky with desire. He cleared his throat, gave his chest a hard slap. “Guess I swallowed some water.” Uh huh.” She stood, dove into the pool and sliced through the water with the grace and speed of a mermaid. When she finally broke through the surface, she let out a sensual moan. “I love swimming at night.” Hooking her elbows behind her on the ledge, she breathed heavy, hung her head back. Ethan couldn't take the sight of her all dripping wet, heaving chest, hair slicked back straight. He slid into the water and stepped in front of her, pinning her in place with an arm on either side of her. Her throat jumped with a nervous swallow and he yearned to kiss it, to kiss away all her doubts. “Ethan,” she started.

But he didn't want to hear it, not now. He silenced her with a kiss, tasted something minty on her tongue. Her palms pushed gently against his chest, but the halfhearted attempt to get him to stop didn't fool him. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. Despite the cool water, he grew hard, pressed his cock against her so she'd know how she affected him. She let out a soft sigh, then wrapped her arms around his torso, forcing him closer. Her breasts crushed into him, heightened his excitement. He reached behind her, cupped her ass, slid his hands down her thighs, then lifted her legs around his waist. God, he craved her. He untied her top, slid his hand inside and rolled her pebbled nipple between his fingers. He had to have her, right now. Lifting her onto the deck, he looked into her eyes, smoky with desire. He pulled himself up beside her and stared at her lovely exposed breasts, perfectly round and full with crimson nipples. Mouth watering for a taste, he lay beside her, kissed her hard. Their tongues danced skillfully together as if they'd been doing it all their lives. Heating to the boiling point, his body melted into hers. He ran a hand along her side and she trembled in response. She rocked her hips in rhythmic strokes while he kneaded her breast. Tearing his mouth from hers, he found that peaked nipple and suckled until her moans grew to a fevered pitch. “Let's go inside, Scarlet.” He had to get a condom and the spot was too risky. Nodding his head toward the French doors, he kissed her once more. “Toni,” she whispered. Panicked, he looked toward the house. Seeing no one, he questioned her with his eyes. Forcing her hand between them, she pushed him away. “We can't do this.” He couldn’t stop. “She could find us. And this changes everything. You know it would.” Damn it. Why did she have to be so practical, so…right? He sat up. “This is killing me, Scarlet.” “Me, too.” Without another word, she slid away, ran inside, leaving him cold and more alone than he'd ever been in his life. ***** Scarlet hurried down the hall, past Toni's room, which was blessedly quiet and dark. Once inside her bedroom, she leaned against the door, tried to purge the great wave of emotion and desire that had swept her under. What had she been thinking to take a midnight swim with Ethan? Of course things were bound to get out of hand. She knew he wanted her from that kiss in the car earlier, yet she threw them into a situation fraught with sexual tension. She couldn’t help it. His pull was like nothing she'd ever encountered. Her insides turned to mush the second he came near her. She shut her eyes, hoping to block out her opulent surroundings and all thoughts of Ethan Chandler. But what she saw frightened her more than getting involved with her boss. The faces of her old boyfriends filled her mind. Then the pain when the relationships had inevitably crashed and burned. Gut-wrenching, heart-searing pain. Tears rolling down her cheeks, she sank to the floor, knowing she'd already set her next heartache in motion. Even if what they had ended tonight, she'd hurt for a long time to come.

Only she knew it wasn't over. Like an itch neither could scratch, they'd keep finding a way to be together. All she could do was pray Toni never found them out and that the inevitable disappointment when it was over wouldn't leave her more bloody and bruised than she could handle. God help them. She had to go on, had to pretend tonight had never happened for the sake of her job and for Toni, fragile as a baby bird with a broken wing. None of this was fair to Toni. Ethan's top priority was his daughter, as it should be and he'd keep his feelings in check when the girl was around. But he'd taken a huge chance tonight and so had she. Toni could have caught them. If she had, the girl would never learn to trust Ethan or her. Wiping the tears from her skin, she stood, went to the bathroom to shower off her shame. But as the water sluiced over her skin, her mind was drawn to images of her and Ethan, slick with lust and sweat. His hands cupped her breasts, ventured down her belly, spread her thighs apart and roamed wantonly between her legs. Tracing a finger along her folds, he used his other hand to roll one of her nipples between his thumb and index finger. The heat of his touch seared her core and she cried out in ecstasy. She moved her hand to the juncture of her thighs, rubbed her flesh. Her sex hummed with long-denied craving as she pleasured herself, imagining Ethan touching her, stroking her until the erotic friction unleashed her climax. Her sex throbbed with bliss. Writhing under the water, she opened her eyes. This was as close to Ethan as she dared get from now on. If she could keep him in her fantasies and out of her bed, all the better for everyone involved. ***** Ethan sat at the kitchen table Saturday morning flanked by the women of the house. Strange how the three of them appeared as any other American family, only they were far from it. But he wanted that normal family experience for Toni, and maybe a little for himself. His own childhood had been a whirlwind of moving from place to place, scrounging for money and dealing with his mother's frequent depressions and occasional boyfriends. As much as he'd sworn to himself no child of his would grow up that way, his own daughter had fallen into a similar rut with her mother. No time like the present to change the course of the little remaining childhood she had left. He folded the newspaper and rubbed his palms together. “I have an idea.” Scarlet looked up from the Local and State section, questioning him with her lovely dark eyes. He flashed on their evening by the pool days earlier. In fact, he'd thought of little else. Tamping down the memory, he gritted his teeth, focused on the plan he'd devised to give his daughter some quality family time. Toni set the comics down. “You're sending me back to my Madre?” His mood plummeted, but he forced it back up. “I was thinking of a trip to the beach.” He stood, carried his coffee cup to the sink. “It's about a hundred degrees out,” Toni complained. “I vote we stay in the air conditioning.” Scarlet followed him to the sink and loaded her mug into the dishwasher. “It's cooler at the beach. You'll have a great time.”

Didn't she know he wanted her to join them? Could she still be angry that he'd made fun of her superstitious nature? Or was she embarrassed about their near lovemaking? Those amazing few minutes. He forced his thoughts back to the here and now. “You are planning to join us, aren't you?” He willed her to look at him and she did. She bit at the corner of her lip, the sensuous gesture quickening his pulse. “If you want me to.” If she only knew how much he craved being near her. “Of course I do. It'll be fun.” He glanced at Toni. “You like the beach?” She shrugged. “It's okay.” He lifted an eyebrow and stared at Scarlet, hoping she'd take the hint to give them privacy. “I'm gonna go get ready,” she said, backing out of the kitchen. “Let me know when you want to leave.” God bless her. She was already tuned into him. He turned his attention to Toni. “What's wrong?” Another shrug. “Don't you want to go to the beach? We can pick up some boogie boards and sandwiches. It'll be fun. I promise.” “One summer Madre and I spent a month at Albenga.” She huffed and laid her head on the table. “Where is that?” “The Italian Riviera. One of Madre's boyfriends had a house there. She promised she'd take me to see the ruins of the medieval baths and amphitheater, just the two of us.” Her eyes darkened. “She spent the whole month with her boyfriend and I sat on the beach by myself.” How could Carmela have done that to her? Why the hell did she bother taking Toni away from him if she only wanted the child out of the way? He tried to keep the anger out of his voice. “How old were you?” She sat up, scrunched her brow. “About ten, I think.” His blood boiled. A ten year old girl left alone in a strange city at the beach, of all places, where anything could have happened to her. He took Toni's hand. “Maybe it's time you have a good experience at the beach.” Her smile gave him a flicker of hope that they were making progress. She pushed away from the table. “I'll go change into my bathing suit.” Ethan did the same, then loaded the small truck of his car with beach towels, an old blanket and several bottles of sunscreen he'd scavenged from the medicine cabinet. Everything else they needed, he'd buy on the way. Scarlet stepped into the garage wearing a long T-shirt and a pair of rubber flip-flops that had seen better days. He wondered if she'd find it insulting for him to buy her a beach outfit and shoes. When Toni came out dressed in nothing but her bathing suit, he had his excuse. “There's a shop near the beach where I'd like to stop,” he told them. “We need some boogie boards and beach toys. I'm buying you both new swimwear.” Without waiting for objections, he slid into the driver's seat. “Come on, ladies. Time's a wasting.” When they arrived at the surf shop, Toni raced inside ahead of the adults. Ethan was pleased she seemed excited about buying some new things, since she'd resisted the idea only days ago. Scarlet hesitated at the entrance. “Um, you don't need to do this.” Damn it. He'd embarrassed her. He mentally punched himself. “Look, Toni might not accept me doing this for her if it appears I'm singling her out. Please, for Toni.”

Even through her sunglasses, he saw her eyes dart all over the place. “As long as we're clear that I'm not a charity case.” He slapped his hand over his heart. “A charity case?” Letting out a hearty laugh, he shook his head. “I'm not that kind of guy. I bleed green, capitalist through and through.” Her laugh sounded false. “Okay. Fine.” She yanked the door open and went inside. He found Toni near the surfboard display holding several pairs of long board shorts more appropriate for a teenaged boy than for her, but he'd be thrilled as long as she bought some new clothes that weren't torn or stained. She held up the hangers, showing him her finds. “Look. Can I try them all?” There were even a couple bikinis hiding amongst the shorts. “Knock yourself out.” She scrunched her forehead. “Why would I do that?” He chuckled. It was easy to forget she wasn't raised in the states, wasn't familiar with certain expressions. “That means, go for it.” “Okay. I will.” She practically ran the dressing rooms. Ethan picked out three boogie boards and carried them toward the register. Before he could get there, Scarlet intercepted him wearing a white one-piece suit cut down to her navel with a matching scarf tied around her hips. He sucked in a breath at the sight of her. Lucky the boogie boards hid his reaction, because his swim trunks were thin and loose enough to show his growing tent for what it was. “What do you think?” She twirled around. The suit tied at her neck and dipped to just above the crack of her tight ass. Desire pulsed inside him. Christ, even her back turned him on. “I love it. Buy it.” Please! The middle-eastern clerk came around the counter and tried to take the boards from him, but Ethan held on tight. “You want me to hold these up front for you?” the man asked in a thick accent. Ethan shook his head. “I've got them.” The man refused to relent, pulling them harder. “I hold for you.” Tearing his gaze from Scarlet's Ethan let out a nervous cough. “Let me hang onto them, please.” Scarlet took a step toward the men. “Aren’t we buying those, Ethan?” He nodded. “Toni's got a ton of stuff in the dressing room,” she said. “She'll be a while. Why don’t you set the boards down?” He allowed the clerk to take two of them. “I don’t like this one.” Holding the board against his middle, he spun around and marched back to the display, feeling like a total idiot. Scarlet returned to the dressing room to gather her things, wondering why Ethan was acting so strangely. Toni's pink hair appeared over the stall door. “Look what I'm getting, Scarlet.” Surprised by the girl's congenial tone, Scarlet opened the door to share a girly shopping moment. Toni held two bikinis, a mesh cover-up and a pair of rubber sandals. “I love them. What does your dad think?” “I don’t know. He'll be happy they're sort of normal.” The girl gave her selections an appraising stare and crinkled her nose. “They're kind of cute.” Scarlet stifled a grin. Toni got it. She knew what bothered Ethan, how to push his buttons. And how to placate him.

After a quick stop at a convenience store for drinks and snacks, they drove to Haulover Park and set up base-camp. The briny air tickled Scarlet's lungs and the ocean breeze sent a shiver of excitement dancing across her skin. Ethan handed Toni a bottle of sunscreen. “Spray this all over. The sun's brutal here.” She gave the can a cursory glance, then tossed it onto the blanket. Scarlet retrieved it and tried again. “You'll burn in a matter of minutes. Your skin's not used to powerful rays like we have here. Trust me. Even I’d burn without sunscreen.” With her signature eye roll, she took the lotion and begrudgingly applied it. “I'm going to walk down the beach.” “Hang on a minute.” Ethan fiddled with some gadgets that resembled cell phones. Scarlet realized they were two-way radios. He handed one to Toni. “Keep it set on channel three.” She huffed as if he'd ruined all her fun. “That's so embarrassing.” “Your choice. You want to go off on your own, I must be able to contact you.” Lifting an eyebrow, he shrugged. “Or, you can sit here with us.” Growling, she snatched a walkie-talkie from him. “Fine.” She stomped off, her feet throwing clouds of sand as she went. “And don't be long,” he called. “I want you back here in half an hour.” “You're a good father, Ethan.” Scarlet rubbed sunscreen over her arms. “A natural. You remind me of my dad in some ways.” He sipped his soda, set it down on the blanket. “Really? How?” She smiled at the vision of her father that came to mind, both stern and gentle at the same time. “He said things like, 'your choice,' too.” Putting her hands on her waist, she squared her shoulders, deepened her voice. “Go to the movies with your friends instead of studying for your math test, Scarlet. But if you do poorly, I'll ground you for two weeks. Your choice.” Her throat suddenly felt stuffed with cotton. She found her lemonade, turned away to drink and wipe away a tear. Recovering, she faced him, noticed he rubbed at that scar on his forehead again. He seemed to do that often when conversations turned to family. “Tell me about your folks.” Visibly stiffening, he coughed. “Not much to tell. They sucked as parents, that's all.” Scarlet recalled a conversation she'd had with Ethan about his mother. Something about her gambling all their money away. But she didn’t remember him ever mentioning his father. Curiosity niggled at her. “Is your father living?” The quiver of his jaw confirmed she'd touched a raw nerve. He stared at her, through her, really, as if distilling his memories, making them suitable for conversation. “I have no idea,” he finally said. “He left when I was very young.” His finger returned to the scar. “Did he do that?” She motioned toward his forehead. “Cause that scar?” New lines etched into his skin. “I don’t want to discuss it, okay?” Curiosity smashed, she heaved a quiet sigh. “What about your mother? You said she used to gamble.” He gave his head an exasperated shake, grinned at her. “You are persistent, aren’t you?” “I like to know what makes people tick.” Only it was more than that. She needed to learn his essence, what made him the man he'd become. “So? Where is she now?” Blowing out a long, slow breath, he dug at the sand with his fingers, making a small trench, then filling it in. “Somewhere in Nevada, last I heard.” “Do you ever see her?”

He shook his head, concentrating on a sand excavation project next to the blanket. “She sends cards at Christmas, my birthday. That's our relationship. She's an old picture in the photo album. A memory, nothing more.” She tried to scare up some understanding of how he could throw away his very own mother, but she couldn't do it. Couldn't fathom why anyone would, unless he'd been abused. “Did she hurt you, Ethan?” “Not physically, no.” Fast as lightning, he jumped to his feet. “I thought we were here to have fun.” He offered a hand up and she took it, getting a jolt from the contact. “You should contact her. Never know when that door shuts, locks you out forever.” Slicing an angry glance her way, he dropped her hand. “Enough, Scarlet. I know you miss your parents, but not everyone had a fairytale childhood, you know.” He grabbed one of the boogie boards and sprinted toward the water. “You coming?” he called over his shoulder. She'd pushed enough for one day. Taking one of the boards, she followed him to the shore, dipped her toes into the foamy water and shivered. Ethan stood about twenty feet into the water, waist-deep. “What are you waiting for?” he shouted over the pounding surf. Thankfully, he didn't seem annoyed by her nosiness anymore. Scarlet half walked, half hopped to him, dragging the board along the water by the attached rope. “There's a big one coming,” he said, gesturing toward an oncoming wave. “Get ready.” She positioned the board at a forty-five degree angle facing the swell and let the water lift her up high. Saltwater speckled her face, dampened her hair and she remembered how much fun this was, how much she enjoyed the beach. “Give me your hand,” Ethan insisted when the wave had set them down. “There's another monster swell out there.” Despite the cool water, her skin instantly heated from the contact. His eyes, smoky as sin, captured hers. Heart kabooming like a snare drum, she took in his rugged good looks; the tussled hair dotted with sand and water droplets, the dazzling green eyes and bright smile, not to mention his muscled chest and shoulders glistening with sea spray. Suddenly a wave pulled at her, dragged her feet along the sandy bottom until it lifted her high in the air, held her there a moment. She sucked in a breath, knowing she only had a split second before it overtook her, spun her around like a ragdoll. Holding fast to Ethan's fingers, she felt him tighten his grip, then grasp her wrist with his other hand. The board was long gone as she tumbled and rolled, but Ethan still had her and somehow she knew he'd never let her go. When the force pushed her down against the bottom, Ethan lifted her with an arm around her waist. Breaking through the surface, she found herself face to face with him. Concern etched his features, then his face relaxed with relief. “Okay?” She nodded, sucked in a big breath of salty air. “I let go of the board. Sorry.” Laughing, he drew her against him. “All I care about is that you're safe. The boards are replaceable.” Without thinking, she leaned into him, enjoyed the contours of his lean, hard body next to hers. Their lips were inches apart, a blink away from a kiss. The surf pounded, kids shouted with glee, seagulls cried out, but all sounds and sights fell away and the world fell silent. Nothing existed but the moment, the brush of his lips across hers, the taste of salt, the smell of suntan lotion and man. A gentle wave lifted them as one and Ethan crushed her against his body. Fingers threaded through her hair as he kissed her, endlessly, stealing her breath away and rendering her desperate

for more. It could have gone on forever, but for the icy slap of a wave on their skin. Eyes stinging, she took a step back, wiped the water from her face. Ethan scanned the frothy sea. “I think I see one of the boards over there.” He pointed somewhere over her shoulder. “I'll be back in a minute.” In the blink of eye, he was gone, gliding effortlessly across the waves. The moment evaporated, leaving a silence heavier than gloom in its wake. ***** Ethan swam to shore with one of the boards in tow. The other had gone MIA. Squinting against the noontime sun, he watched Scarlet get out of the water and make her way to the blanket. Even from this distance, soaking wet, she still did it for him. Good thing the water was too cold for much of a hard-on. What had he been thinking, kissing her again? Stupidity, pure and simple. Not to mention dangerous. And what if Toni had happened upon them, witnessed the lapse in judgment? Speaking of his daughter, he saw her running toward the water, waving both arms over her head. She yelled something, but he couldn’t hear her over the roar of the pounding surf. Hopping at the shore impatiently, she gestured for him to hurry. What could be so urgent? As he closed the distance between them, he noticed her excited smile, something he didn’t get to see nearly enough. “What is it?” “Some kids are playing volleyball down there. They asked me if I want in on the game. And lunch after.” Crossing her fingers, she made a puppy dog face. “Please?” He peered down the beach, but couldn’t see anything but families and small groups of beachgoers. No volleyball games being played. “Who are they? And where are they going for lunch?” “They go to a private high school in South Beach. They're cooking hot dogs on a little…” She bit at the corner of her lip, the way she always did when she was searching for an English word. “Like a cooker thing.” “A grill. So they're not leaving the beach?” “No. They invited me. They're nice.” She raised the walkie-talkie in the air. “And I have this. You can call me whenever you want.” His gut roiled. She was so young, but he had to give her a bit of freedom. “You check in with me every fifteen minutes, got it?” She nodded, excitement bubbling over. “I promise.” “And I'm walking you over there. I want to see where these kids are.” Her smile slipped a little, but recovered quickly. “Okay.” Pushing to her tippy toes, she planted a kiss on his cheek. “Thanks, Dad.” He sucked in a breath, feasted on the rush of emotion. Did she have any idea how that one little word had nearly knocked him over? He'd have agreed to just about anything if he knew she'd call him Dad and kissed him when he did. After filling Scarlet in on the plan, he followed Toni to a group of kids—mostly normal looking kids except for the boy with green hair and the girl with enough studs in her ear to weigh her head down. Ethan checked his watch. They'd only walked for ten minutes, so she'd be close by. “Remember to check in,” he told her, pointing to the walkie-talkie in her hand. Her eye roll accompanied a grin this time. “Yes, captain.”

When he returned to base camp, he found Scarlet stretched out on the blanket, skin slick and shiny, hair a tangle of damp curls. She could have been asleep, but he couldn't be sure because dark sunglasses hid her eyes. Damn, she looked hot in a bathing suit. He couldn't tear his eyes off her. “Want to take a picture?” she said. His pulse leapt like a jackrabbit. A nervous laugh, so unlike him, escaped his lips. “Sorry. I was…lost in thought.” She shielded her eyes, sat up. “About what?” He crouched down, sat beside her. “Toni,” he lied. “It's hard learning to give her some freedom. Letting her spread her wings a little.” “Being a parent isn't easy. There are no hard and fast rules.” He stretched out on the blanket beside her, leaned back on his elbows. “All I can do is the best I know.” “Mm hmm. I'm sure your mother tried as well.” Faster than lightning, his jaw tensed. She had to be the most infuriating woman—besides Carmela—he'd ever met. “How has my relationship with my mother become your personal crusade? Last time I checked, it was none of your business.” He instantly regretted his harsh tone. She only shrugged. “What kind of example is that setting for Toni? The fact that you have no contact with your own flesh and blood. How would you feel if your child wanted nothing to do with you?” He sat up and his shoulders started aching. Scarlet was truly a pain in his neck. “Drop it, please. We're here to relax.” He flipped onto his stomach, turned his head away from her, praying she'd shut up about his mother. What did she know, anyway? His mother had made her own bed She deserved the silent treatment he'd given her the last sixteen years. He heard Scarlet move beside him, felt her arm against his, smelled the coconut suntan lotion mixed with that appealing scent unique to her. Not perfume, just a hint of something citrus, maybe her shampoo. Damn woman was messing with his mind, wrapping herself around his brain and his heart and other parts as well. This was exactly why he never dated a woman more than a couple of times. Groaning, he rolled onto his side and slid away from her. He had to stop himself from freefalling. The abyss of desire would swallow him whole if he didn’t learn to reign in his emotions and quit letting his libido rule his actions. Mentally, he fortified the steel armor that had protected his heart for the last twelve years. Scarlet had to be off limits. He'd never again allow himself to give into his craving for her.

Chapter Eight Scarlet paced the darkened living room early the next morning, unable to sleep. The notion that Ethan had a mother, alive and well, whom he didn't even see or speak to, drove her crazy. Somehow, she had to make him understand how precious that relationship was, how easily it could slip away forever. His lack of interest in his father was perfectly understandable, considering the man had abandoned Ethan and his mother. But the mother thing, the whole idea made her skin prickle. His words threaded through Scarlet's brain. She's an old picture in a photo album. Curiosity on overdrive, she crossed the room to the bookshelves, slid out all three albums and carried them to the sofa. Opening the first, she found images of a baby, Toni, of course. A newborn in her father's arms, then her mother's. Her jaw automatically clenched at the sight of the notorious Carmela. Hearing some of the awful things the woman had pulled, Scarlet instantly disliked her, but she knew immediately why Ethan had fallen for the raven haired beauty. Her aqua eyes were shaped like almonds, fringed with long, thick lashes. Full, red lips and long hair swept away from her face brought Angelina Jolie to mind. Yes, she was beautiful, but even in silent photographs Carmela exuded danger along with intense sexuality. Scarlet flipped ahead, watched the baby mature to a toddler with features reflective of both parents: Ethan's brown hair, Carmela's striking eyes and deep red lips. The pictures abruptly stopped at the middle of the book, apparently the time when Toni had disappeared from her father's life. Reverently, she set the album on the coffee table, picked up the next and flipped it open. She couldn't contain a giggle at the sight of Ethan wearing a tuxedo over a white ruffled shirt posing with a bodacious brunette in the ugliest prom dress ever. In the next shot he stood solemnly sporting a cap and gown beside a middle-aged blonde who had to be his mother. Scarlet scrutinized the woman. She didn’t appear the horrible person Ethan made her out to be. In fact, she had a kind face, much like her son's. The album was chock full of pictures from Ethan's college days—crowded parties, loads of kids raising beer bottles toward the camera, girls in bikinis sitting on shirtless guys' shoulders. Something slipped from between the pages, landed on her lap. Setting the book aside, she examined the envelope and removed the card inside. She glanced toward the hallway, making sure no one was awake yet. This would definitely be construed as serious snooping, the kind Toni might engage in. Brushing away a quick stab of guilt, she read the sweet message Ethan's mother had written on the occasion of her son's thirtieth birthday. A PS at the end said she'd love to hear from him sometime, even gave a phone number and an email address. The note had practically sought her out, begged her to read it. Yes, fate wanted mother and son reunited, she was sure of it. She ran a finger along the faded handwritten return address. Dorothy Adams. She must have remarried, or perhaps taken back her maiden name. Checking the postmark, Scarlet's excitement slipped when she realized the card had been mailed nearly six years earlier. Could she possibly still be in Nevada and at the same number? I shouldn’t be doing this. He'll be really angry.

Maybe he would, but eventually, he'd forgive her, especially if he found it in his heart to repair the relationship with his mother. He could even give Toni the gift of a grandmother, something Layla's son would never get. She checked the clock on the wall and calculated the time in Nevada. Nearly three in the morning. Shutting the album, she kept out the card and envelope, then returned the books to their place on the shelf. She hurried to her room and locked the door. Booting up the laptop, she chewed her lip. Ethan would be furious, but this was for his own good. She reached to her throat for her acorn charm, remembered she'd left it on the night stand. Before she could do this, she had to have it on or the endeavor would surely backfire. A minute later, with the necklace safely fastened around her neck, she started typing an email. When she'd finished, she hit send before giving herself time to back out. All for the best. Now the ball was in fate's court. ***** When Ethan arrived home after work Monday evening, the house smelled like Myra's famous meatloaf. He found Toni in the kitchen eating a cup of yogurt, wearing a sour expression. She didn't acknowledge him when he entered the room. “How was your day?” he ventured. Her growl answered his question. “Rotten. Perfectly rotten, thanks to Scarlet.” His head instantly started pounding. Letting out a weary breath, he sank into a chair beside her. “Want to tell me about it?” “She wouldn't let me do anything all day long. Wouldn't even let Paul come over to swim.” She huffed as she stood and pitched the empty yogurt container into the trash. “I think you should fire her. She obviously hates me.” Hands on hips, she faced him, waiting for his response. His first reaction was to defend Scarlet. She’d already made so much progress with Toni. And in truth, he couldn't deal with not seeing her every day. She occupied his thoughts constantly, nearly to distraction while he worked, kept him up nights imagining the two of them making love. And realistically, he already knew his daughter well enough to surmise there was a piece of the story she wasn't telling. But his relationship with Toni was still too new, too precarious. Leaning his elbows on the table, he motioned for her to join him. Being close to her no longer meant breathing in a foul stench. Scarlet's idea of buying her girly soap and lotion seemed to be working. “Talk to me. What happened?” Toni refused to take a seat. Instead, she paced the floor, fists clenched. “We planned to go to the movies, but then she just changed her mind, out of the blue. Said I had to do some chores first.” He rubbed the bridge of his nose. “What chores?” Her shrug and the way her eyebrows rose confirmed that she held back some vital piece of information. “That doesn't sound like Scarlet,” he probed. “You have very few responsibilities here.” He noticed her jaw quivering, another trait she'd inherited from him. Suddenly she stopped walking and thrust her chin forward. “Ask the slave driver.” Wiping an imaginary tear from her cheek, she stalked from the room. Seconds later, her door slammed, intensifying his headache. He tried to concentrate on relaxing his tensed shoulders and neck. Before he went searching for Scarlet, he took two aspirin.

Unable to find her in the house, he stepped out into the garden and smiled when he heard the creek of the wood swing. Nearing the koi pond, he breathed in her citrusy scent and something inside him stirred to life. When he caught a glimpse of her, that something hummed, lifted his mood and sparked his libido. He flashed on the vision he’d had of her when he woke this morning with a hard-on. Picturing her nude body, he’d stroked himself, imagined it was Scarlet’s mouth on his cock, rather than his fist. His balls constricted with need that only she could satisfy. He had to stop this, had to rein in his lust. Glancing at her, he wondered if it was even possible. Her sleeveless polo shirt and shorts revealed way too much supple, brown skin. Strappy sandals gave full view of delicate feet and kissable toes. Kissable toes? What the hell was he thinking? This woman had him tied up in knots, obsessing over things he'd never even considered before. He had to get her off his mind, maybe call one of his willing bed partners so he could get laid. It had been too damned long. Had Scarlet ruined him for other women? Still, he couldn't tear his eyes off her. Gently rocking on the swing, she stared toward the pond, held a pencil over a sketch pad, but she'd not drawn anything. He waited, enjoying the view of her, sure that she remained completely unaware of his presence. She dropped her head, touched pencil to paper, but made no mark. After a long pause, she huffed then set the pad on the seat beside her. Ethan walked around the swing, cleared his throat. “There you are.” She startled, then smiled when she met his gaze. “Hey.” How could she destroy his resolve with just a glance? He straightened, squared his shoulders and sat on the coquina bench on the opposite side of the pond, afraid to be too near the object of his desire. “I hear you and Toni had a squabble today.” “She's determined to hate me.” She bit the corner of her mouth in that adorable way she had. “There's so much anger in that girl. I don't know how to break through it.” The frustration in those lovely eyes made him want to pull her into his arms and kiss it all away. When had he started caring so much? “She said you nixed the plan to go to the movies.” She nodded. “I told her I'd take her and Paul—after she cleaned up her room. Even after the last time when she…” Glancing toward the house, she blew out a long, slow breath. “I gave her until noon, but it looked exactly the same after she'd spent all morning holed up in there.” She lowered her voice. “Myra shouldn’t have to pick up Toni's dirty clothes from the floor, especially since Toni has so few responsibilities here.” “I'm trying to establish a relationship with her. We're working on getting to know each other, so I don't want to put too much on her.” It felt like a cop out, but he didn’t need to explain his parenting strategy to an employee. Who am I kidding? Scarlet's way more than an employee. “Keeping her room clean does sound reasonable,” he admitted after giving it a moment of thought. “Frankly, I haven’t pushed it because I'm seeing the changes come, slowly. Baby steps.” “She's definitely making progress, but I don't believe in coddling. It's personal responsibility, pure and simple. So many kids have no sense of that these days. I think that's why they have such an attitude of entitlement.” She looked up at the sky, as if all the answers were there. “My parents demanded Layla and I have lots of chores, a stake in the household. When we completed a job well, we usually got a treat—an ice cream cone or one of the treasure hunts our mom used to make for us. That was always our favorite. Knowing we'd contributed to the

household made us feel important. We were better kids for it.” She leveled a probing stare at him. “What about you? Did your mother give you lots of responsibility at home?” He had the uncomfortable sensation of being under a microscope. Why did she insist on bringing up the subject of his childhood over and over? He folded his arms over his chest. “We were discussing Toni, not me.” “But I think we tend to parent as we were parented. Your upbringing has everything to do with how you raise your own children.” He glanced toward Toni's window. “I'm a much better role model than my mother was to me.” Scarlet picked up her sketch pad, shifted to the edge of the seat. “Of course you are. Maybe you're better equipped to deal with a child than she was.” She got off the swing, stepped over to him and touched his arm. “I'm sure your mother has many regrets.” Her touch sparked a powerful zing that shot through him, transcended the irritation that always accompanied discussions about his mother. “I don't know about that.” Her dark gaze sparkled in the afternoon sun, but she furrowed her brow as if she worried about some great dilemma. “You really should give her another chance, Ethan. I'm sure she'd love to see you, meet her granddaughter.” Anger simmered below the surface. Why didn’t she get it? He'd made it perfectly clear the subject of his mother was off limits. “About Toni,” he started, hoping to move Scarlet along to the matter at hand. “I'll speak to her about her bedroom.” Scarlet took her hand away, hugged the sketch pad against her. “Thanks.” “So what do you draw?” He motioned toward the pad, hoped she'd show him something. “Nothing, actually. I haven't been able to since…” That sadness he'd seen a few times before returned. “Not for a long time.” “But you keep trying, hmm?” When she looked at him, her eyes glistened with unshed tears. “I'll do it, someday. I can’t give up. Not ever.” The sight of her sad face sent his guts tumbling. “Maybe if you took an art class, surrounded yourself with creative energy. It might unlock whatever's holding you back.” She let out a dry laugh. “I had the same idea. Didn't work.” She shrugged, seemed to shake off the blues. “About Toni…” “I'll go speak to her. Set her straight.” He gave her a wink, hoped he'd reassured her. When he entered the house, rap music blared, shook the walls and set his teeth chattering with the vibration. He followed the noise to Toni's room and pushed open the door. She lay across the rumpled bed, surrounded by clothes and magazines, eyes squeezed shut as she pounded out the beat with her fists. Far as he could tell, she hadn't straightened a thing since he last saw her room yesterday. The floor was a hodge-podge of CD cases, cosmetic bottles and balls of fabric he assumed were dirty clothes. A pile of towels, possibly wet, sat beside the open, empty laundry hamper. The odor of mildew hung in the air. When the song ended, Toni opened her eyes, jumped when she saw him. Recovering, she aimed the remote at the stereo and silenced it, then she sat up and tucked her knees against her chest. “Did you fire her?” “Of course not.” She hugged her arms around her legs and rocked. “I thought you said I came first.” The flimsy barb bounced off him. Did she really think he was that easy to manipulate? He brushed clothes off the desk chair before sitting. “Nothing is more important to me than you.”

Her stony silence chilled the air. “Asking you to clean your room is perfectly reasonable, and she asked you to do it because I insisted.” The white lie might shift some of Toni's anger away from Scarlet, he hoped. “Are you sleeping with her?” The question sent such a shockwave through him that he had to hold onto the seat to keep from shooting off of it. His mouth opened, then shut. “Because I can tell you like her. And that she likes you.” Her smug grin challenged him to deny it. “Of course not.” His body refused to stay still. Springing to his feet, he approached her and jabbed a finger toward her. “Never forget that I'm your father and I deserve some respect. I give you plenty of leeway, but you can not say whatever the hell you want to me.” He pointed to a dirty glass on her night table. “No eating or drinking in here. And don't leave this room until it's spotless. Are we clear?” Her jaw clenched defiantly. “What are you paying Myra for?” “Not to be your slave, that's for sure.” He stood his ground, refused to leave until she acknowledged his demand. “Fine.” Still shaken from her question, he hurried from the room, headed in the direction a cold beer. ***** Scarlet wondered if Toni would ever speak to her again. The teenager had holed up in her room for the last forty-eight hours, refusing to even come out for meals, although Scarlet suspected she'd snuck out and raided the pantry in the wee hours of the morning. The child had a strong will all right, but Scarlet decided she needed to coax her along or this could turn into a standoff with no winners. She knocked gently on the girl's bedroom door. “Toni? Can I come in?” “No!” Scarlet refused to allow Toni's stubbornness to thwart her efforts, so she opened the door anyway and found the teen sitting cross-legged on the floor sorting through CDs. “Don't you understand English?” Toni snapped. “I said no, meaning stay out.” Scarlet sat on the bed. “I have an idea.” Toni wouldn’t even look at her, but that didn't deter Scarlet from her mission. “What do you say I help you with your room, just this once, so we can move on with our lives?” “Why would you do that?” “Maybe I enjoy doing things with you. Maybe I'm tired of sitting at home when we could be at the movies or out shopping.” She shrugged. “Maybe I'm a clean freak who actually likes organizing peoples' rooms.” She took advantage of Toni's hesitation to pick up the discarded clothes on the floor next to the bed and tossed them into the open hamper. “Are you going to tell my father you cleaned the room for me?” She eyed Scarlet warily. “I'm not cleaning it for you.” She stood, plucked more laundry from the desk chair and the floor. “I'm only helping.” Suddenly Toni started moving in fast motion, stacking the CDs next to the stereo, placing books in the bookcase and picking up scraps of trash. They worked nonstop for an hour and by time they heard the garage door lift and knew Ethan had arrived home, the room was perfect. Scarlet hurried to the kitchen to greet Ethan and inform him of Toni's progress.

Ethan gave her a lazy smile as he entered the house. “Hey.” She wanted to tell him to sit, get him a drink and offer to massage his shoulders, but none of that was her place. “You look exhausted.” He nodded and sank into a chair, loosening his tie. “Long day.” He glanced into the dining room and lowered his voice. “Please tell me she's not still sulking.” On cue, Toni rushed into the room and planted a kiss on her father's cheek. “Welcome home. Want to check my room?” Shooting an apprehensive glance at Scarlet, he said, “Really?” “I think you'll be pleased,” she said. Toni took his hand and led him into the hall as Scarlet followed at a distance. He made all the appropriate oohs and ahs and pronounced the room acceptable. When they'd all returned to the kitchen, Ethan rubbed his hands together. “I have an idea, ladies.” Toni finished washing her hands and Scarlet stopped setting the table. He pointed to the casserole Myra had left on the stove. “Let's put that in the fridge and go out to eat.” His eyes sparked with renewed energy and something else. Mischief, perhaps. They piled into his Porsche and headed to a steak place in North Miami. “Why did we come all the way over here?” Scarlet asked over a medium-rare New York strip. “I thought you liked that little restaurant near the house.” Waggling his eyebrows, he forked a thin strip of prime rib into his mouth. “He's up to something.” Toni lifted her glass and eyed her father. “Aren't you?” “Perhaps.” When they'd finished eating, Ethan asked for the check and Scarlet excused herself to go to the ladies room. On her way out of the bathroom, she stopped when she noticed Ethan just outside the men's room talking to an attractive blonde. They stood way too close to be strangers. Curiosity niggling, she stepped behind a potted palm and tried to catch what they said. “…been so long, Ethan,” the woman complained. “Work's kept me busy, but I'll call soon.” “Promise?” she whined. “Yeah.” Scarlet's heart caught in her throat. Was he dating the blonde? She knew she had no right to be upset. Wasn't like she owned him or anything. They weren't lovers, she was his employee, but she was also more. He'd said he could think of nothing but her, yet this very pretty woman was practically throwing herself at him. “I know you said no strings and I'm all for that,” the woman went on. “But I was hoping we could have a repeat performance of last time. Maybe do it by your pool again.” Scarlet's blood ran cold. How many women had he made love to on the pool deck? She'd thought what they'd shared the other night had been special, different from anything before it, but she'd obviously been wrong. She stepped out from behind the plant and started back to the table, hoping she could get through the evening without bursting into tears. How could she have been so naïve? Ethan appeared out of nowhere and blocked her path. “You heard all that, didn’t you?” “I…I…” Flustered and hurt, she struggled to think of something to say. Ethan took hold of her shoulders. “Look, Scarlet, she means nothing to me. We were just…” “Just what? Fuck buddies?”

The shock on his face morphed into anger. “I had a life before I met you. Gretchen and I dated. I went out with lots of women and usually, I slept with them, all right? But I never got involved with them, emotionally. It was always just sex.” “Just sex? I had no idea you were such a…such a slut.” He grimaced at her characterization. “I have no desire to have my heart trampled ever again.” Glancing toward their table, he huffed. “Toni will be wondering where we are.” Scarlet returned to the table, pasted on a smile and sat next to Toni. “Line in the ladies' room. Sorry.” Ethan arrived moments after. “Shall we go?” Without waiting for reply, he headed out the door. Toni questioned Scarlet with her eyes, but Scarlet shrugged. “Let's go.” She had no right to condemn Ethan for his lifestyle, but knowing he'd been and still might be a player unnerved her. Could he be toying with her emotions or did he really have feelings for her? In the car, Ethan and Toni playfully argued about how much allowance she should get, and about what type of cell phone he planned to buy her. Scarlet stared out the window as they drove past several car dealerships. She wondered why Ethan was going home this way instead of the way they'd come. When he turned onto one of the lots, she looked at him. “What do you think of Toyotas?” he asked no one in particular. “They're very fuel efficient.” “Are you getting me a car?” Toni asked, squishing between them from the backseat. Ethan let out a hearty laugh. “You won't get your license for more than a year.” Groaning dejectedly, she crumpled back against the seat. He fixed his gaze on Scarlet and said, “Well?” Confused, she could only stare at him. “You're trading the Porsche?” Furrowing his brow as if in pain, he slapped his chest. “Never.” “I don't understand.” “I want to buy you a Toyota.” Suddenly serious, he patted her knee. “You need a car. Borrowing mine isn’t an option anymore. You screw up the mirrors every time you drive it.” “So you're buying a new car for me to use? Wow.” She hadn't meant to voice how impressed she was. He shook his head. “Not for you to use. Consider it a birthday gift.” Holy cow! Had she heard him right? “My birthday? That's not until March.” Shrugging, he opened his door. “Okay, Scarlet. An early birthday present.” Toni climbed over the seat the second Ethan was out of the car and followed him toward the rows of new cars. Scarlet couldn't move. Her heart drummed wildly and she thought she might pass out. He was actually buying her a car. A new one. She'd never owned a new car, hadn’t even driven one. But she couldn't let Ethan do this. It was too much. This was way beyond buying a car for her to drive Toni around, which would be reasonable. They'd known each other only weeks, after all. Across the lot, she saw Ethan gesture for her to join them. Sucking in a deep breath, she got out of the Porsche and strode to him with purpose. Hooking her arm through his, she pulled him away from Toni, who'd found a little white model to ogle over. “You can't do this, Ethan. Buy a car for me to use, don't buy me a car.” A big grin lifted one corner of his mouth. God, he was so handsome. “Actually, I can do it. I want to and I won't take no for an answer, so unless you're cool with me choosing the model,

you'd better get moving and decide what you want.” Smug as you please, he marched toward Toni. “How about a hybrid?” he called over his shoulder. She caught up and blocked his path. “Ethan, I'm serious. This is crazy.” He chuckled. “Maybe I am crazy. But you need a car and I want to buy you one. It's the perfect combination.” Mulling over his words, she made a decision. If he was so bent on doing this, why not? If and when she left his employ, she'd leave the car as well. “Okay.” “Great. Now stop talking and pick one out.” Two hours later, she drove off the lot in her brand new hybrid with Toni riding shotgun, talking incessantly about all the car's features and how amazing the whole experience had been. And Scarlet had to agree. The man who made it happen was pretty incredible, too. She thought about the argument they'd had at the restaurant. Regardless of Ethan's dating history, she knew he didn't do things like this for anyone else. When they returned home she could barely bring herself to go inside. The smell of new car tickled her nose. She stayed put, reading the owner's manual, trying to memorize every button, every lever. “You can’t sleep in there,” Ethan said, standing beside the vehicle. She hadn’t even noticed him, thought he'd gone in the house with Toni. “I've had apartments that were smaller.” “You never will again if I have anything to say about it.” His comment set butterflies to flight in her stomach. Feeling her face heat, she lowered her head and grabbed her purse from the passenger seat. “Guess I can read this inside.” Ethan opened the door and offered his hand. She took it and immediately felt the electric zing she always did when they touched. “I was thinking a board game might be fun.” He led her inside, still holding her hand. “What do you think?” She took a step away, broke their contact. “Um, sure.” Glancing at the clock on the microwave, she winced. “One that doesn’t last too long. It's late.” He gave her an eye roll more typical of his daughter. “You have the boss's permission to stay up late.” She'd love to stay up late with him, but it had nothing to do with board games. Those damn butterflies started flying again at the thought. “I'll go see what Toni would like to play.” Starting away, she stopped, touched his arm. “Thank you for everything. The car, dinner, this great job.” He stepped closer. “It's my pleasure, Scarlet.” His mouth was mere inches from her ear and the warmth of his breath sent a shiver of excitement through her. “I want to please you.” The sexual innuendo hit like a jolt of lightning to her core. He stood there a long minute, way too near, way too dangerous. There was only the pounding of her heart, the catch of his breath and the heat that ricocheted between them. When footsteps approached in the hallway, they separated in a flash. “Toni,” she called, knowing the girl was approaching the room. “Yes?” “How about a board game?” Ethan said, his eyes never leaving Scarlet's. “Sure,” Toni answered without entering. “I'll go get one.” “We have to stop meeting like this,” Ethan said under his breath.

“Yes, we do.” She feared she'd incinerate if this torture continued. To be so close and not be able to touch him was becoming more and more difficult. Yet acting on their desires would prove disastrous.

Chapter Nine “Telephone,” Toni told Scarlet a week later. “I think it's your sister. She sounds upset.” Could she have gone into labor? Or was something wrong? Heart leaping like a jackrabbit, Scarlet flew off the kitchen chair and snatched the handset from Toni. “Hello?” “Put on the news. I think Joe's in the middle of a hostage crisis in Overtown.” The panic in Layla's voice set every nerve in Scarlet's body on high alert. “Oh, God, Lin. Did the department call you?” She grabbed the remote from the coffee table and turned on the set. “Not yet, but I have a feeling.” Scarlet trusted her sister's instincts, even if Layla herself often doubted them. “Stay calm. I'm sure he's fine.” She tuned in the local news station and watched as the screen panned close to a warehouse where several police officers crouched behind a squad car, guns raised. “I can't see the cops' faces clearly. Why do you think he's with them?” “He always calls when something like this goes down. He knows how much I worry.” Sobs punctuated Layla's words. “Look at the guy on the left. Could be him.” Scarlet stepped close to the television and studied one of the figures. The officer bore a strong resemblance to Joe. “No, I don't think it's him,” she lied. “Too thin.” Layla let out a gasp. “What's wrong?” “Oh, no.” “Layla?” she shouted. “What is it?” Toni touched her arm. The girl's face was white as paper. Scarlet shrugged, wishing Layla would say something. “My water just broke.” Scarlet shut her eyes, prayed she had the wherewithal to handle this. “I'm coming to get you. Stay off this line in case Joe calls. Turn on your cell and call your doctor.” “Okay.” She was crying. “Hurry up.” Scarlet tossed the phone onto the couch and leveled an authoritative stare at Toni. “Get my car keys. I have to take her to the hospital.” Thank goodness Ethan had bought the Toyota last week or she'd be out of luck. While Toni ran to the kitchen, Scarlet checked the news again. A talking head had replaced the live video from the scene. Toni returned to the family room holding a set of keys in the air. “Let's go.” “You can't come with me, Toni. I have no idea how long I'll be gone.” She peered around the corner and saw Myra coming toward them. “Myra, I've got to go. My sister is alone and her water broke.” “Oh my,” Myra said. “Go, she needs you.” Toni's eyes glistened as she balled her fists. “No! I want to go with you. I…” She dropped her gaze to the floor. “I care about you. I want to be there for you.” Scarlet's eyes filled, but she clenched her jaw to hold her tears back. “Okay. We have to go now.” Myra walked them to the door. “I'll let Ethan know what's going on. Good luck.” They arrived at Layla's in record time. Scarlet opened the front door with her key and found her sister staring at the TV set, makeup streaked down her cheeks.

Scarlet ran to Layla's side, barely aware that Toni had followed her in. “Have you heard from him?” She kneeled in front of her sister. Layla nodded. “He's fine. But his partner was hit. Mike should be okay, though.” Scarlet wrapped her arms around Layla, held her while she sobbed. She knew it was as much relief that Joe was unharmed as it was sadness over his friend's injury. “Is this her suitcase?” Toni's voice was tiny and sweet, so unlike the girl she'd been only weeks before. Layla nodded. “Nice to meet you, Toni.” “Same here.” “We should get going.” Scarlet helped her sister outside. Half an hour later Joe met them at the hospital looking haggard and pale. “Thanks for getting her here, Scarlet. You saved the day.” She draped an arm over Toni's shoulder and smiled. “I couldn't have done it without my sidekick.” Toni rolled her eyes and shook off Scarlet's arm. “Yeah, right.” Despite the teen's protest, she and Toni had forged a special bond. “I'm going to take Toni to Ethan's office, then I'll be back.” Toni folded her arms across her chest defiantly. “I want to stay.” Scarlet threw a glance to Joe. He shrugged, then followed a nurse who promised to get him washed and suited up for the delivery. As soon as Joe disappeared down the corridor, Scarlet turned her attention to Toni. “This could take a really long time. I think your father will want you with him.” “Please, Scarlet. I have to know everything comes out okay with your sister.” Scarlet started to object again, but the pitiful expression on the teen's face kept her silent. “I know you think I'll be bored or something, but I won't. I've never been a part of a real family before. Let me pretend.” A giant lump formed in Scarlet’s throat. “Please?” How could she say no? “Let me check with your father.” Scarlet phoned Ethan and explained the situation. “Tell you what,” he said. “It's almost noon now. She can stay until I leave the office, probably about four-thirty. She ought to be good and bored by then.” “Maybe so.” Scarlet glanced at her charge. “I'll keep my phone on, so if you need to contact us, you can.” “Give me a call and let me know how it's going.” He cleared his throat. “I care, Scarlet…about your family. And you, of course.” “Thanks. Me, too.” She smiled at his awkward confession. “Bye.” Joining Toni in the waiting area, she found an arm chair and settled in. Toni, deep into a magazine, glanced at her for a second. “Does it hurt?” Her voice was so soft, Scarlet wasn't sure she'd actually spoken. “Does what hurt?” “Having a baby.” She kept her face buried in the pages, sure to avoid Scarlet's gaze. “That's what I hear.” “You want to have babies someday?” Her cheeks grew pink. Taken aback by the question, Scarlet rubbed her temples, mulled over how to answer. “I don't think that's in the cards for me. I'm not really the motherly type.”

Toni sliced a glance at her. “I thought you really liked kids.” Her tone sounded almost accusatory. “I do love kids. But becoming a mother requires one to have a relationship with the father. And I don't do those well.” “Bull.” Scarlet's first instinct was to reprimand her, but she held it back. “You can raise children alone. Madre did.” Not very well. “Kids deserve two parents, whenever possible.” Toni's gaze floated around the small room. “Do you think Ethan will ever get married? Maybe have more kids?” “I can’t speculate as to what your father will or won't do.” Now they were into dangerous territory for many reasons. “Would you like it if he did?” “No.” Her answer came swiftly and without reservation. She visibly tensed. “Not that I care. I'll be back in Italy after the summer.” She returned to page flipping. “Let's just say for the sake of argument that you stay here a while. What would you think if he found someone?” She shrugged. “I guess he wouldn’t need you then, huh? Even if I were still here, he'd probably let you go to keep peace with his girlfriend…or wife.” White hot jealousy tumbled her heart. The idea of Ethan with another woman made her crazy, even though she had no right to the emotions. “I'd be angry if he didn't consider me in that kind of decision,” Toni said solemnly, turning a page. “I should have input on something that big.” “I'm sure you'd be the first one he'd consider.” They sat in companionable silence for more than two hours before Joe came in, a huge grin splitting his face. He wore a set of scrubs and a matching hat. “A beautiful baby boy wants to see his Aunt Scarlet.” She jumped out of her seat and into his arms. “He's here? Already?” He hugged her tightly. “Layla refused anything for the pain. She's amazing.” “Let's go see him.” She glanced at Toni. “Want to come?” Toni shrugged, but her face lit up. “I guess.” “Right after they clean him up and weigh him. You'll both have to suit up and wash your hands before you come in.” They followed Joe into Layla's room a few minutes later. Scarlet couldn't hold back her tears when she saw her sister holding the precious bundle of joy she'd wanted for so long. “Come meet your nephew,” Layla said, staring lovingly down at her son. Scarlet hurried to the bed. The baby's face was round and only a little pointy on top. Amber eyes so like Joe’s were wide open and alert. The baby's heart-shaped mouth puckered and Scarlet's insides warmed. It was their mother's mouth. “He's beautiful, Layla. You did good.” Layla cuddled her son closer. “We've decided to name him after Dad. Meet David Allen Matthews.” “Congratulations.” Toni flattened herself against the wall on the opposite side of the room. “You want to see him?” Scarlet offered. “Come closer. He won't bite.” Layla chuckled. “Easy for you to say.” Toni took a tentative step toward them, then another. Throwing Scarlet a nervous glance, she neared the bed. Joe took the baby from his wife's arms and approached Toni. “Want to hold him?”

She shook her head. “I do.” Scarlet held out her arms and Joe handed her the baby. She lifted him to her face and sniffed in the scents of baby powder and innocence. “I love you, David.” “Can I?” Toni moved next to her and Scarlet carefully passed him to her, showing the girl the proper way to hold him. Joe sat on the bed. “Support his head.” Toni's expression softened as she studied the baby's face, touched his tiny hand and pulled him against her chest. “I'm pretty tired, guys,” Layla said, yawning. Scarlet nodded. “Now that I know everything is all right, we can go.” She faced Joe. “I'm a phone call away.” He took the baby from Toni and set him in a plastic rolling crib. “I know.” He hugged her. “And we're glad you are.” ***** Toni was strangely quiet over dinner. Ethan kept shooting Scarlet questioning glances, but she only shrugged in return. “Must have been pretty exciting seeing a baby minutes after he was born, huh?” Ethan sipped his wine and stared at his daughter. “You were the most beautiful baby I ever saw. Even the doctor said she'd never seen eyes such a striking color.” He reminisced, tried to recapture the amazing feeling the first time he'd held her. Toni's chair scraped against the tile floor as she slid away from the table and folded her arms over her chest. “Madre's eyes are the same color.” He looked at her plate which had hardly been touched. He wondered if allowing her to stay at the hospital had been unwise, after all. Perhaps the vision of a happy family had sparked something that bothered her. He steepled his fingers in front of him. “What's wrong, Toni?” She jumped out of her chair as if it were on fire. “Nothing.” Thankfully, she stayed in the kitchen, paced the floor. “Do you want to speak to me in private?” She stuck out her bottom lip, but said nothing. Ethan captured Scarlet's stare and tipped his chin toward the door. She excused herself. “Come here.” He patted her chair and hoped Toni would join him. Thankfully, she complied. “Tell me what's going on.” Her shrug was slow and somehow let him know she'd open up if he persisted. “Something happen at the hospital?” Another shrug. “Not really.” He searched her eyes for answers. “Is there a problem between you and Scarlet?” “No. She's okay. But…” When she closed her mouth he feared he'd never find out what was bugging her. “But what?” He took her hand and was pleased to notice she didn't pull it away. “What will happen to me if you fall in love with a woman? Will you send me back to Madre or off to a boarding school?” “I'll never send you away, Toni.” He stood, wrapped her up in a hug. “You're stuck with me.”

She nestled against his chest. “Promise?” Her childlike voice tugged at his heart. “I promise.” He held her at arm's length, met her stare. “Anyway, I don't plan to fall in love with anyone ever again.” She crushed herself against him, holding on for dear life. “I love you, Dad.” She loves me. He shut his eyes, savoring the moment. “I love you, too.” After cleaning the kitchen together, Toni challenged him to a swimming race. He let her win the first one. “Come on,” she complained. “I know you swim faster than that.” Ethan bolstered himself on the deck. “You won fair and square.” Toni rolled her eyes toward the heavens. “So you're going to let a girl beat you?” “Only one.” He kicked his legs, sending splashes of water into her face. Laughing, she swam away. “Ethan swims like a giiiirrrrllll. Ethan swims like a giiiirrrrllll.” Her voice echoed through the still night, loud and taunting. He left his perch and sliced through the water to her, dunked her as she giggled and flailed her arms. When she recovered, he got closer, looked her in the eyes. “You want a piece of me? Let's go. No holds barred.” She scrunched her nose. “No holds barred?” “That means I won't hold back. This time.” She squared her shoulders. “Let's go.” The next three times, he beat her by half a lap. That done, he pulled himself out of the pool and dried off. “That was fun, Toni. Thanks for getting me out here. I don't spend enough time playing. From now on I'm going to make a point to have more fun.” They were really forging a connection. After she went to bed, Ethan relaxed on the couch, going over the month's sales figures. Business was doing well and things with his daughter seemed to be falling into place—finally. He laid his head back against the cushions, shut his eyes and rubbed his temples. He'd just nodded off when a blood-curdling scream emanated from the back of the house. ***** Scarlet forced herself awake. Trying to acclimate herself to her surroundings, she frantically searched the dark room. Her room. The bed clothes were drenched in sweat. Her door flew open and Ethan stood there, silhouetted against the light from the hall. “What's wrong?” The panic in his tone was strangely comforting. She rubbed her eyes. “I'm sorry. Bad dream.” He let out a loud sigh. “I thought something had happened. I…I was afraid you'd hurt yourself or worse. I wouldn't be able to stand that.” He came inside and shut the door behind him. She sat up, hoped he'd stay for a few minutes, or until she'd gotten the images of the nightmare out of her head. He ambled to the bed. “Mind if I sit?” Comforted by his presence, she relaxed a little. “I wish you would.” She moved her legs to one side to make room. “Want to talk about it?”

Drawing her knees up to her chest, she yawned. “Same dream I've had a hundred times before. My parents are driving on a wet road at night. Another car comes out of nowhere, its headlights off. Mama grabs at her wrist for her good luck charm bracelet then realizes she forgot to wear it. Daddy swerves and…” She shut her eyes, holding back tears. “Oh, Scarlet. That had to be so awful for you and your sister.” He moved closer, wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. She leaned her head on his shoulder and they rocked together. “It's okay,” he cooed. “I'm here. I've got you.” She melted against him, warm in his strong arms. They stayed there a long time, holding each other, breathing in comfort. She lifted her head, met his smoky stare and a jolt of desire tore through her. He's my boss. I can't afford to screw up this job. The pull of her desire overruled her brain. She dropped her gaze to his lips. Her heart thundered in her chest so loudly she was sure he heard it. He rubbed his hands up and down on her back over the thin fabric of her nightgown. She yearned to feel those hands on her bare skin, touching her back, her hips, her breasts. Her nipples hardened and her breath caught in her throat. The vault deep inside where she kept her need locked up tight, started to open. A solid ball of longing melted, ran through her veins and dripped between her legs. Ethan's lips brushed her ear. “Scarlet.” He said it so softly, it might have been a prayer or a wish. Then he kissed her neck and she grew lightheaded with a hunger for more. Palm fronds rustled softly in the night breeze outside her window, reminding her where she was. She backed away, trying to give herself a moment of clarity, a chance to turn back. His eyes smoldered. For her. He was nothing like the other men she'd been with—boys really. Ethan was all man. Mature, together and sexier than anyone she'd known before. All that he was, all that he had, he wanted her. His eyes grew sad, regretful. “We shouldn't, Scarlet.” “No. We shouldn't.” Her heart pounded a hammering beat, pumping a thirst for him through her entire body. She had to continue. She lay back, took his hand and pulled him with her. He stretched his long body beside her, planting gentle kisses on her forehead, her nose, her lips. She shut her eyes as he lavished attention on her neck and shoulders. Threading his fingers through her hair, he pulled her to him, capturing her mouth. She opened to him, teasing the tip of his tongue with hers. Her entire body hummed with a hunger so powerful there'd be no denying it. Everything was at risk, but her craving for him proved too strong to resist. Passion took over as they kissed, exploring each other, tasting the forbidden fruit, so sweet. Ethan glided his hand along the curve of her hips, over her ribs, His touch felt so natural and right as he cupped her breast. Moaning with a need so intense, she was sure she'd die if he stopped. The swell of his arousal pressed against her upper thigh and she knew his yearning was as overpowering as her own. He broke free of the kiss, stared into her eyes with longing, telling her he cared and he wouldn't hurt her, without uttering a word. He pulled her face to his for another earth-shattering kiss. His touch was at once gentle and demanding, restrained yet powerful. Grinding his erection along her leg, he trailed his lips over her jaw, her neck, down to a pebbled nipple, eager for his attention.

She let out a quiet whimper as he sucked it into his mouth, seemed to lose himself in his task. Another wave of pleasure rolled over her body and she rocked against his hard shaft. His tongue did the most amazing things to her, stroking and sucking at an urgent pace. He rasped her taut peaks with his teeth, sending a shudder of bliss through her. Suddenly, he stopped, pulled away and stared at her with a fiery gaze. “Are you sure, Scarlet?” She answered with a kiss, powerless to object, regardless of the consequences. Wantonly, she ground her hips against his rock-hard cock. “You have too many clothes on.” Silently he got up, gazing down at her as he quickly shucked off his shorts and T-shirt. Scarlet took in his perfect form, all muscular angles and sinewy limbs. He peeled away the sheet that covered her as he sat beside her. “I've wanted you from the very first moment I saw you, but it's more than want now. I crave you every second of every day.” His words rippled through her, exciting every nerve, every cell in her body. She shivered in anticipation, knowing making love with Ethan would be far better than anything she'd yet experienced. A tiny voice from deep inside niggled at her, tugged at her brain to stop. Don't do it. He'll abandon you. Fear wrapped around her and she sat up, scooted to the other side of the bed. “I can’t do this, Ethan.”

Chapter Ten Ethan froze at her words. She was right. This could only lead to trouble. But, oh, how he yearned for her. He sat up, turned his back and buried his face in his hands, tried to think of something to reign in his raging hard-on. A cold shower might help, but he doubted it. Scarlet rubbed a gentle hand across his back, making it even tougher to walk away. “This might be the most disastrous thing we could do, but I can't deny how much I want you.” Her voice was low and throaty, incredibly hot. He swiveled to face her. “What are you saying?” She rose to her knees and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “That I'm weak. Too weak to stop.” Her eyes shimmered sapphire in the moonlight streaming through the window. When he traced a finger along the line of her jaw, he felt her shudder a ragged breath. The contact electrified her as much as it did him. Every inch of his body hummed with anticipation as if his very life depended upon her touch. Pulling her onto his lap, he kissed her hard, let her know how crazy she made him. She tasted of mint and vanilla and he couldn't get enough. Plunging his fingers through her silky curls, he breathed in her sweet scent. Everything about her made him want more and more. Restraint flew out the window as her velvet tongue danced wildly with his. But what if she changed her mind? Would he be able to stop if she changed her mind again a few minutes from now? He broke free, studied her face. “You have to be sure. No fair stopping once we've decided to go ahead.” She undid him with a sultry stare, an innocent nod he knew wasn't innocent at all. Like a siren, her pull was impossible to resist. Pressing her breasts against his chest, she moaned softly. He ran his hands over her back, slid her nightgown up and lifted it over her head. Dipping his head to a peaked nipple, he marveled at the round softness of her breasts, the velvety smoothness of her skin. The taste of her intoxicated him as he licked her aureoles. They fell back on the soft sheets together and he explored the gentle plane of her stomach, the fluff of silky hair between her legs. He licked a trail along the valley between her breasts, lower, lower still. She spread her thighs, invited him in. He breathed in the essence of her desire, knew she was already wet and ready. Running a finger along her folds, he heard her moan. He brought his lips to her sex and the heat nearly burned him. Her nub was stiff with need, but he refused to rush his pleasure. He wanted to make her beg for it, crave him as intensely as he did her. Teasing a finger close to her entrance, he smiled as she writhed. Her sighs came quicker while he teased his tongue over her labia, squeezed her ass cheeks. She fisted her hands in his hair, tried to urge him to venture inside. But he’d waited for this for what felt like years. He wouldn’t rush. With the heel of his hand, he rubbed her mound, adjusted his movements depending on her reaction. She quivered and gasped and he knew he’d found his mark. She convulsed with a powerful orgasm and she stifled a scream, but not enough that he hadn't heard. Tremors continued to rack her body but he kept up his advance, drawing her closer and closer to coming again. “Oh my God,” she cried softly. “Ethan, oh, Ethan.”

He slinked beside her like a tiger, rubbing his hard cock up and down along her drenched sex, luxuriating in her moans of delight. “Do you have—” “In the night table drawer,” she said. He reached over and found the box immediately, took a condom out without breaking the contact between their bodies. In a quick move, he tore the package open with his teeth and sheathed his erection. Then he pulled her atop him and let her know what he wanted. Without a word, she sat up, positioned herself to take in his length. This time would be all about her pleasure. She grasped him by the root and slid down over the crown of his cock. Inch by exquisite inch she took in all of him and rocked above him, moving in a slow, steady rhythm that set him on fire. She was dripping wet and tight and everything hot. Barely able to hold back, he reached for her breasts, rolled her rock-hard nipples between his fingers as she danced above him. His mind reeled with delirium as he fought against coming too soon. Her inner muscles squeezed his cock, juicing him, her slick walls lifting his pleasure to new highs. Quickening her pace, she gasped, shook with another orgasm. He continued thrusting into her, so close to his own climax, until he exploded inside her. Stars swam before his eyes and ecstasy shot through him like a thunderbolt. Deep spasms of relief engulfed him in euphoria. He lay beneath her, sated and spent, blown away by the intensity of his climax. “Oh, my God.” Scarlet's words echoed his thoughts. She slid off and nestled beside him. He shut his eyes for a minute, trying to make sense of the power of their union. It had never been so amazing, so totally mind-blowing before, even with Carmela. How had Scarlet managed to captivate him so quickly? How could they have instinctively known how incredible the sex would be? Tucking her closer, he breathed in the musky scent of their sex, let it surround him. The sound of her even breaths was strangely comforting, as if they'd been sleeping together for years, as if home had always been with her. A sliver of light sliced through the curtains and Ethan startled. He hadn’t meant to fall asleep. He studied Scarlet's sleeping form and his chest squeezed. The sex had been some of the best he'd ever experienced. He kissed the warm flesh on the back of her neck. But he couldn’t stay. If Toni discovered them together, there'd be hell to pay. Easing out of bed, he gathered his clothes and headed into the bathroom. He pulled on his shorts and slung his shirt over his arm. With one last glance at Scarlet, he slipped out of her room and started toward his. A sound behind him made him turn around. Toni stood in the bathroom doorway, mouth agape, face white as chalk. Shit! He started toward her, but she bolted away. Her door slammed a couple seconds later. He followed her, stopped at her room, held his arm against the door, thinking. What had he done? Would she ever forgive him? “Toni, can I speak to you? Please?” “Go away.” He squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his jaw. How could he have been so careless? “Please, Toni. It's not what you think.” “Liar!” How could he argue with that? Hanging his head, he backed away, hoping he hadn't screwed things up for good.

***** Scarlet reached across the bed, searching for Ethan's warmth. Not connecting with anything but a pillow, she peeled one eye open. Morning sunshine filtered through the curtains. He was gone. Heart sinking, she glanced toward the bathroom. Dark and empty. She sat up, shook off sleep's haze. Of course he'd left. Toni shouldn't find them together. Good thing he hadn't slept as long as she. Lowering her head to the pillow, she breathed in Ethan's scent and flashed on the amazing night they'd shared. A tingle of desire made her heart do double time and hardened her nipples, naked under the sheet. Hardly a virgin, she'd had four other lovers in the past, yet she felt like she'd never had a man make love to her before last night. His touch had held…what? Reverence? She'd never been so turned on, experience such ecstasy. Her body still burned with the memory. Planting her feet on the floor, she glanced at the clock. Holy cow. Nine-forty-five. Gathering all the energy she could muster, she raced into the bathroom and turned on the shower. Ethan had no doubt left for work more than an hour ago. Even Toni was probably up by now. After a quick scrubbing, she dressed in a hurry, then headed to the kitchen. The house was strangely quiet. Where were Myra and Toni? It was Friday, Myra's day off. That explained half the mystery. She poured herself a cup of coffee, then strolled to the family room. Scanning the pool area, she found it empty as well. Could Toni still be asleep? The girl rarely stayed in bed past nine. A bad feeling scuttled across her skin and she fingered her acorn charm. Coffee soured in her stomach. Setting the mug on the coffee table, she tamped down her uneasiness. It's only my imagination. Or was it? Heart pounding, she marched to Toni's room and knocked loudly on the door. No answer. “Toni?” She banged even harder but the girl didn't respond. Cracking the door, she peeked inside. No clothes cluttered the floor. No wall-to-wall junk. Even the bed had been made. Toni never made her bed. Something was very wrong. She charged through the door, studied the strangely neat room. Pulling open the closet, she gasped. Nearly everything was gone. She started toward the dresser but froze in her tracks at the envelope on the nightstand, propped against the clock. Blood drained from her face and her mouth felt like it was filled with sawdust. She grabbed the envelope, checked it for a name, but it was blank. Hesitating a moment, she wondered if she ought to let Ethan open it. If Toni had run off, though, time would be an issue. She tore it open and read. Ethan; I thought you were different, but you're not. You are just like my Madre. Now that you and Scarlet have obviously screwed each other, you won't have anything left of your heart for me. Scarlet pressed the letter to her pounding chest and shut her eyes. How had Toni found out? She steeled herself and continued reading. Don't try to find me. I'm through with you and Madre, too. I hope you and Scarlet will be happy together without me here to get in the way. Toni

Note in hand, she bolted from the room, running frantically through the house to the kitchen. She phoned Ethan's direct office line. “Chandler,” he answered. “Toni's gone.” “Gone? Where?” She forced her tears back. “I don’t know. She left a note.” She read it to him, waited as he processed the information. “Most of her things are missing.” “Shit,” he finally managed. “Did you check with that neighbor kid? What's his name?” She nodded. “Paul. Good idea.” “Phone over there. I'll be home in a few minutes.” Her tears refused to be held back any longer. “I'm so sorry, Ethan.” “Listen to me, Scarlet. This is not your fault. Do you hear me?” “Yes,” she managed. But it was her fault. If only she'd have been strong enough to say no last night. “I'll be there as quick as I can.” As soon as she hung up she called the neighbor's house. “Paul's still in bed,” the boy's mother told her. “I'm sure he hasn't seen Toni today.” “Would you mind asking him if he knows anything? It's really important. She huffed. “Fine. Hang on.” A minute later she came back on the line. “Like I told you, he hasn’t seen her.” “Okay. Thanks.” Next she called the police and reported Toni missing. “We'll put her name and description into the system and announce it over the radio,” the officer told her. “Be sure to call if she comes home.” “She looks a lot older than she is.” Scarlet bit at her fingernails. “I'll be honest with you, ma'am. That makes it harder, if she appears to be of age. Be sure to keep your phones on. They often call when they realize they've made a mistake.” She hung up and paced the floor. She wondered if the acorn she'd planted in Toni's purse weeks ago was still there. She prayed it was. When she heard the garage door opener engage, she ran out the kitchen door and met Ethan as he pulled his car in. His face was stony as death when he climbed out of his car. “Any news?” She solemnly shook her head. “Sorry.” They went inside together and sat at the kitchen table. Ethan drummed his fingers on the wood. “Where the hell could she have gone?” “I have no idea.” She searched his face, noticed new lines fanning out from the corners of his eyes. “How do you think she find out?” He sighed deeply. “She caught me leaving your room this morning.” Scarlet buried her face in her hands. How could she have let things go so far with Ethan? She knew if Toni ever found out, the girl would be angry, yet she’d slept with him anyway. What a selfish person she'd become. Ethan rubbed his hand along her back. “Please don't blame yourself, Scarlet. This is way more my fault than yours. I'm her father, for heaven's sake. I should have been more careful.” She met his weary stare. “I should have made sure the acorn was still in her purse. Then—” “Bullshit!” He bolted out of his chair, anger flashing in his eyes. “Your damn acorns and superstitions have nothing to do with why kids run away or why parents die in car accidents. It's bullshit. All of it.”

She clenched her fists, holding back tears. Now wasn't the time to argue. Or be hurt by words uttered in frustration. “Where would she go?” He punched his hand onto the counter. “She doesn't even know anyone here.” In that instant, Scarlet knew. “She's going to Italy.” He whipped his head around to face her. “Of course. She flew here from Rome. That must be where she's headed. But how could she pay for it?” Scarlet wracked her brain. “You loaned her your credit card yesterday to buy shoes, remember? I was going to take her to the mall this afternoon.” He closed the distance between them, took her face in his hands and kissed her lips. “You're brilliant. All we have to do is call the credit card company to find out from which airline she bought a ticket. We can have her intercepted when she gets off the plane in Rome.” “If she's even gotten onto a flight yet. What if she's still at the airport?” His eyes widened. “Let's go. You drive. I'll call my card company from the car.” They opted for the Porsche in the interest of speed. Halfway to Miami International, Ethan hung up the phone. “She didn’t charge a ticket. Pray she's at the airport.” She squeezed his thigh. “We'll find her. You have to keep the faith.” “She's too damn smart for her own good. I was so sure she'd have charged a ticket.” She signaled, then moved to the right lane as they neared their exit. “So she could be anywhere.” He rubbed his temples. “She took a cash advance, rather than buy a ticket. We can't be sure she's even going to Italy.” “I feel it in my bones.” “If I had her mother's number, I could at least warn Carmela. Have her be on the lookout.” She gripped the steering wheel tightly. “You must have it. Toni's called her mother a few times. Your outgoing call records will have Carmela's number saved” “Have I told you today that you're brilliant?” He unclipped his phone from his belt and started punching buttons. Scarlet drove into the airport and pulled into the short term parking area while Ethan waited on the phone. “It's Ethan.” He turned his torso away from her as he spoke. “Toni's run away and I have a feeling she's heading to Italy. Call me the moment you get this message.” He blew out a loud breath. “I wish I knew where the hell Carmela was. Toni mentioned something about her mother's boyfriend, a guy named Stephano, but didn’t say where he lived. They broke into a run toward the terminal. When they arrived at a bank of elevators, Ethan pressed the button, breathing hard. “Do you have a passport?” “As a matter of fact, I do.” She thought about the failed attempt she and Keith made to take a three-night Bahamas cruise a few months before she left him. He shook his head. “Forget I asked. I can't drag you into this. If we've missed her here, I ought to go by myself.” Scarlet took his hand. “This is both our fault. I'm in it for the duration.” She tried to read his expression. Had he gotten her double meaning? She wanted to help him find Toni and bring her back. But she hoped they'd begun something real and long-lasting last night. The notion of taking a trip with Ethan—albeit a treasure hunt for a runaway—made her skin prickle with anticipation.

He squeezed her hand, then gave it back to her as they boarded the elevator. Inside the terminal, they searched the Alitalia area, then the other carriers, but there was no sign of Toni. They scanned the departures board and found two direct flights to Rome leaving later that day. “I'm calling the police.” Ethan stepped to the wall and opened his cell. “There's got to be a way they can ground the flights until we know if Toni's on one of them.” Scarlet spotted a police officer near the escalator. “Be right back.” While Ethan made the call, she approached the officer. It had worked at the mall, after all. “Excuse me, sir. We have an emergency.” The cop looked her over. “Yes, ma'am?” “My…” What could she call Ethan? “My friend's teenaged daughter is probably trying to board a flight for Rome without permission. Can you check and see if she's on any of them?” He stared at her as if she had a pumpkin for a head. “Have you reported her missing?” “Yes.” He rubbed his pudgy chin. “A detective assigned to the case would have to make that request.” She shook her head. “No time. She could be boarding a flight as we speak.” Shrugging his shoulders, he threw her a sympathetic smile. “If she's able to make it to Rome, they'll get her there, ship her back home.” He didn’t seem to understand the gravity of the situation. Maybe Ethan was having better luck on the phone. “Thanks, anyway.” She stepped away from the officer and joined Ethan, who snapped his phone shut and shoved it into his pocket. “Court orders and protocol and regulations. I hate bureaucracy. Why doesn't anyone get it? Want to know what the kicker is?” She lifted her brow, afraid to speak. “Carmela had Toni's legal name changed to Antonia Chandons. I have no documentation stating I'm her father.” He blew out a breath and squeezed his eyes shut. “Ain't that grand? We're totally screwed.” She took his hand and held it firmly. “No, Ethan. We are not screwed. We're going back to your house, get the picture I took of her last week and make arrangements to fly to Rome.” She tightened her grip on him. “We will succeed. We have to.” He started to shake his head. “No!” She jabbed a stiff finger at him. “I won’t allow you to think any other way. Let's go grab our passports and pack a bag. We're going to Rome.” ***** Scarlet's body hummed with nervous energy. She looked down at her hand for the hundredth time, safely tucked into Ethan's on the armrest between the seats. This is about finding Toni, not about my love life. Yet she couldn’t quell the excitement that had every muscle in her body vibrating. Fingering her acorn charm, she took in her surroundings—the big, comfortable seats, the curtain separating them from the rest of the airplane and the tray with a nicer meal than many restaurants served. She'd never flown first class before, probably never would again. “Sam Waterman, my private detective said he hoped he'd have something for me by time we land in Rome,” Ethan said.

Scarlet straightened, shook off the romantic haze she'd reveled in the last few minutes. “You said he has a contact in Italy, right?” “Mm hmm. A guy named Vito Messina. I have his number.” “Does Vito speak English?” Ethan nodded. “Apparently, Vito spent the summers of his youth with an aunt in Brooklyn.” She wondered what they'd do if the PI came up empty-handed. What if she was wrong about Toni's intention to return to Italy? She swept the notion away. Her gut feelings were rarely off. And knowing so few people in the U. S., where else would Toni go? “What time do we arrive?” “Six in the morning our time.” He took his hand away to check his watch. “Noon, Rome time.” She leaned her seat back. “Guess we ought to get some sleep while we can.” Shutting her eyes, she thought about the previous night, making love with Ethan. She'd never had such incredible sex before. It now felt like a lifetime ago. She wondered where their relationship would land after they found Toni, but for now, Ethan didn’t seem to blame her for Toni running away. Too bad she couldn’t stop beating herself up for her part. “It's all your fault.” Toni's voice cut through her like a knife to the heart. Scarlet opened her eyes and saw the girl standing before her on the steps of a mansion surrounded by vineyards. “I didn't mean for anything to happen between me and your father. I tried to bury my feelings, but they wouldn't stay away.” Ethan appeared behind his daughter and shook his head. “You planned everything, Scarlet. You're fired.” He took Toni's hand and led her toward the front door. Before they went inside, he turned around and gave Scarlet a rueful glance. “Leave us alone now. We don't want you.” Then they disappeared into the house. “Scarlet.” She was tumbling down a hillside, away from Ethan, away from Toni. The grassy slope disappeared and suddenly she slid toward a rocky cliff. Waves crashed violently below. Clawing painfully at the craggy ground, she only slowed her progress, couldn't halt it. Over the edge she went, freefalling to her death, her blood-curdling scream unheard over the roar of the pounding surf. “Scarlet. Wake up.” Opening her eyes, she saw Ethan face, no longer frowning. “Another bad dream?” He pushed a lock of hair off her face and captured her gaze. She pasted on a halfhearted smile and nodded. “Sorry.” He handed her a blanket and pillow. “Flight attendant dropped these by while you were sleeping.” She spread the blanket over her legs and propped the pillow behind her head. “That's better. I'm sure I'll sleep fine now.” But as she shut her eyes, she had her doubts. How could she sleep soundly when she knew Toni had run away and could be in serious danger because of her? As soon as Ethan came to grips with the fact she was to blame, he'd drop her so fast it'd make her head spin.

Chapter Eleven Ethan sat opposite Scarlet at a sidewalk coffee shop on the Via Druso, and stared across the street at the Parco Egerio. Were it not for his current mental state, he'd be thrilled to be in Rome with her, taking in the sights and playing tourist, making love to her against the backdrop of one of Europe's most romantic cities. Instead, he tapped his foot to the sound of passing cars and honking horns, waiting for Vito Messina to show up for their meeting. When Vito had picked them up at the airport and dropped them at their hotel earlier, he'd said he was working on a lead and hoped to have some solid info on Toni's whereabouts by mid-afternoon. Ethan checked his watch again. Three pm. “It won’t move any faster if you stare at it, you know.” Scarlet winked at him. God, she was adorable. And sexy. Hopefully, her instincts would prove on target with Toni's intentions. He watched her sip her soda, lovely red lips meeting the glass. Those lips had set him on fire less than a day and a half ago. But he couldn’t think about that now, wouldn’t dwell on memories of their lovemaking, or how amazing it had been. When his cell rang, he snatched it from his belt and answered, hoping it would be Vito with some news. “What have you done to my baby?” Carmela's shrill voice set the hair on the back of his neck on end. “She could be anywhere, all alone. Why did she run away?” He didn't want to tell her why Toni had left. “Who knows why teenagers do the things they do? What we have to concentrate on now is finding her.” He tamped down his disdain for the woman. They had to work together, for Toni's sake. “I take it you haven't heard from her.” “No, of course not. Would I even be speaking to you if I had?” Bitch. Her accusatory tone started his head pounding. “I have an investigator working on it here in Rome and another in Miami.” He stared across the street at the tranquility of the park and tried to calm down. Despite their differences, she had to be as frantic with worry as he. “We’ll find her, Carmela.” “Ethan?” Her voice had changed, softened. “Yes?” “I know she's rough on the outside, but she's really a good girl.” “I know.” “I haven’t done too badly with her, have I?” Aha. She wanted to relieve her guilt. But he wasn't the man for the job. “Well, let's see. You stole her away from me and left the country. You convinced her I was dead, gored by a bull in Pamploma, I believe. From what I understand, you shoved her aside for each and every man who glanced in your direction. When she got in the way of your gold digging, you shipped her back to me with no warning.” “Bastard! This isn’t the time to assign blame. If it were, I'd have your head on a platter for letting her slip away. Don’t you have a babysitter or someone to watch her?” He looked at Scarlet, who immediately pretended not to be listening to the conversation. “Of course I do, but we couldn’t keep her under lock and key.” This was futile. And it wasn't getting them any closer to finding Toni. “Where are you living?”

She sighed. “Novara. In the north. Stephano's family has a villa here, Castello di Cantagallo.” He pulled a pen from his jacket pocket and wrote the name on a napkin. “Do you think Toni will try to get there?” “Who knows what that girl will do?” She remained silent for several seconds. “Why are you in Rome?” He bristled. “Isn't this where you sent her to Miami from?” “Yes, because we were vacationing there, but if she were trying to get to me, she'd have come to Milan, then on to Novara.” Dammit. If Carmela had only returned his call yesterday, he'd have known that. Now he was sure they wouldn’t find her in Rome. They'd come to the wrong damn city. “How far is Novara from here?” “Probably about seven hundred kilometers. Five or six hours by car.” “All right. We'll fly there today.” “You'll have to fly into Milan. We're about an hour from the airport. There are plenty of motels in town.” “Phone me if you hear from her. Let's set aside the games for once.” He regretted the last statement the moment it left his mouth. She snorted into the phone. “Do you think I'm some sort of sadist?” He knew better than to answer honestly. “I'm just as worried as you, you bastard.” With that, she hung up. Scarlet's empathetic expression took the edge off. “That didn't sound like it went well.” He returned his cell to his belt and took a deep breath. “You could say that.” “Good afternoon.” Vito stood over the table wearing a white suit, circa the early eighties. “May I join you?” Ethan gestured toward an empty seat. “Any news?” Scarlet scooted her chair over to make room. “Please tell us you've located Toni.” He held up his palms in surrender. “I've been working on the case less than a day, Signorina. These things take time.” “I spoke to Toni's mother a few minutes ago. She thinks Toni may have flown into Milan, rather than here.” Vito took a small notebook out of his jacket pocket and flipped back a few pages. “Milan, you say. Perhaps I should take a flight there tonight, scope out the area.” He picked up Scarlet's half-full glass and downed the remainder of her soda. Her jaw dropped, but Vito seemed not to notice, or care. “If she's on her way to see her mother in Novara, I want to intercept her before she gets there.” Ethan couldn’t chance that Carmela might try to keep Toni with her. After not having access to his daughter for most of the child's life, he refused to let her slip through his fingers again. Vito pursed his lips. “That may not be possible, Signor. She has quite a head start on us.” “Go to Milan—right away,” Ethan commanded. He turned his attention to Scarlet. “We'll check out of the hotel and head to Novara. If Toni makes it to her mother's before we can stop her, I want to be there to get her back on a plane with us.” He'd never let Carmela keep Toni from him again. *****

The commuter plane to Milan was old and noisy. Scarlet grappled for the bag of acorns in her purse and rolled the shells between her fingers, hoping she and Ethan would make it in one piece to their destination. Ethan laid his hand over hers. “We'll be there soon. Don’t worry.” She tossed him a smile, but her heart wasn't in it. She'd never much cared for flying and this airplane was a far cry from the jumbo jets she was used to in the states. Think about something else. “Have you given any thought to what will happen if Toni makes it to Carmela's before us?” She tried to concentrate on his features, rather than the bumping and scraping sounds the plane made. “Will Carmela want her back?” His jaw quivered as it had when they'd made love, right before he came. Her breath locked in her chest at the memory. “I'm not sure what I can do legally here.” He leaned his head back against the seat and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Under American law, we have joint custody. Or at least we did twelve years ago. I'm fuzzy on what happened to Carmela's rights when she took Toni out of the country.” “Since she sent her away, I'd think Carmela wouldn't fight you about taking Toni back to Miami.” Unless Carmela had a change of heart. If they had to leave the girl here for the time being, Scarlet wondered where that would put things with her and Ethan. Would their affair be over if he no longer needed her as a nanny or might that free them to pursue their relationship more openly? She chided herself for the selfish thoughts at a time like this. The captain made an announcement in Italian. “Let's hope he said we're landing.” Ethan rubbed his hand along her thigh. Desire pierced through the fear. She glanced out the window as the plane began its descent. The city appeared huge from her vantage point. Medieval cathedrals mixed with modern cityscapes. Chances of finding Toni here would be slim to none. She shuddered at the thought of the girl alone in such a big place. Please, keep her safe. Scarlet wanted to kiss the ground when they got off the airplane. Instead, she settled for Ethan's cheek as they marched toward the exit. He put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. “What was that for?” “For luck.” He rolled his eyes. “You and your luck. If we were really lucky, none of this would be happening.” He strode ahead of her and opened the door for her. They were heading to a villa to see the love of his life. Would seeing Carmela spark his desire for what they used to share? Her stomach churned. “Why don't we stay here in Milan and let Vito go to the villa?” Ethan led her to a cab and opened the back door. The driver took their bags and stashed them in the trunk. “What good can we do here? We don't speak the language. Vito does.” He ushered her into the car. “I know what I'm doing, Scarlet. We'll go to the villa first and scope it out. Then we'll get hotel rooms in the town.” “Okay.” Had he said rooms? Why weren't they sharing one as had in Rome? Her head started to ache. Did he have regrets about them making love, beyond Toni finding out about it?

They drove through Milan's bustling streets, which were alive with energy, even this late in the evening. Scarlet glanced at her watch. “Maybe we should check into a hotel and head to the villa in the morning. It's after eight-thirty now. It'll be almost ten by time we get to Novara.” She tried to keep her voice even, hold her anxiety in check. “It's rude to show up at someone's house so late.” “I have no problem being rude to Carmela after all she put me through.” He stared out the window. Scarlet gripped the armrest as she touched her acorn charm. They rode in silence through the streets. Soon, the city congestion gave way to suburban sprawl, then to countryside. Lush rolling hills glowed under the full moon. When they entered Novara, a Moorish castle was visible on a hill overlooking a lake. They drove along a wide thoroughfare flanked by tall trees and passed a large cathedral with an impressive spire, then several parks with statues of important looking men, some on horseback. Medieval architecture blended seamlessly with more modern structures, giving the town an eclectic look. The driver turned off a main street onto a narrow road that wound up and around hills. The village disappeared behind them. They passed through a set of gates connected by a high stone wall. Scarlet gasped as they neared the house, a large two-story box fronted by Italian cypress trees. The place had to be more than a hundred years old from the look of it. How could such a simple building possess so much elegance? The cab rolled noisily over the gravel-covered circular drive and stopped in front of a set of massive carved doors that were easily twelve feet high. Gas lanterns burned on either side of the entryway. She swallowed hard, fearing she was way out of her element. One of the front doors opened and a short, heavyset man with a dark moustache wearing Bermuda shorts and a polo shirt came out and waved. His bald head reflected the moonlight. “She's got to be kidding,” Ethan murmured. Scarlet got out of the car first and smiled at the man. “Hello.” “Benvenuto,” the man said with a thick accent. “Welcome to Castello di Cantagallo.” His smile seemed genuine and warm. “I am Stephano Cantagallo.” She approached and offered her hand. “Scarlet Eldridge.” Ethan climb out of the car as their driver retrieved their bags from the trunk. Ethan handed the man several bills and thanked him. Returning her attention to Stephano, Scarlet shifted from foot to foot, wondering where Carmela could be. She got her answer a second later when a tall, slim brunette with hair down to her waist emerged from the house in a white halter top and short shorts that left little to the imagination. Ethan stepped past Scarlet and shook Stephano's hand. “Nice to meet you. Ethan Chandler.” “Don't be fooled by his charm,” the woman stage whispered to Stephano. “He's a real bastard.” The wink she tossed at Ethan didn't soften her words. “And this must be the nanny.” She raked her turquoise eyes over Scarlet. “Nice to see you, too, Carmela.” Ethan set the bags on the ground and took a step closer to Scarlet. Scarlet studied Ethan's reaction to his former lover. Mister cool and calm's jaw quivered and his face glistened with sweat. Carmela still affected him and from the woman's arrogant grin, she knew it. Scarlet couldn't help being disappointed that Ethan didn't contradict Carmela's

characterization of her as the nanny. But what did she expect him to say, This is my new lover? In all honesty, she didn't know what they were to each other. Not yet, anyway. “Let's go inside,” Stephano offered. “The mosquitoes are… how do you say? Brutal.” He snaked an arm around Carmela's disgustingly tiny waist and led her inside. Ethan picked up the bags and gave Scarlet a shrug as he gestured toward the house. They followed the couple inside to a grand foyer with marble floors and eighteen-foot ceilings. An antique table in the center of the expansive space held a huge vase with an exotic flower arrangement. Then they headed through an arched doorway into a large parlor. Antiques were everywhere; ornately carved tables and chairs, impressionist paintings she suspected weren't reproductions. Carmela shut a set of French doors leading to a patio then stepped behind a bar. “We haven't heard a word from Toni.” She uncorked a bottle of wine and topped off a half-filled glass. “I take it your investigator hasn't located her yet.” She sipped her wine then licked a drop off her top lip in what Scarlet would swear was a seductive ploy aimed at Ethan. “Please,” Stephano said. “Sit.” “I called Vito from the car,” Ethan told them as he sat next to Scarlet. “He arrived a few hours ago and has been showing her picture around the airport and the train station. So far, he hasn't run across anyone who remembers seeing her.” “We must remain positive with our thinking.” Stephano lumbered onto a barstool. “In the meanwhile, you will make use of our hospitality, yes?” Ethan and Carmela both said no at the same time. They looked at each other and grinned and what Scarlet saw on their faces in that instant sent an icy chill through her veins. They were still in love. ***** No way could he stay here under the same roof as Carmela. Ethan watched Stephano crawl his thick fingers along the bar to Carmela's hand and something niggled at him. Jealousy? No way. He didn't love her anymore, not after all the pain he'd endured because of her selfishness. But he had to admire how beautiful she was, even after all these years. Her dark hair bore the same sheen as a dozen years ago and her skin, still luminescent, had hardly a wrinkle. And those eyes—God, those dazzling eyes—cut through him like a laser. She looked slimmer than he remembered and if he wasn’t mistaken, she'd had breast enlargement surgery, probably a gift from a man. “We're taking a room in town,” he heard Scarlet say. “No, no, no.” Stephano poured wine into a goblet and carried it to Scarlet. “From my brother's vineyard.” He handed her the glass, then went back to the bar and fixed another. “The villa has a guest house with two bedrooms. I insist.” Ethan studied Carmela's face. She gave him a subtle shrug. If Toni was headed here, this would be the best place for him to stay, but living under the same roof as Carmela, even for a single day unsettled him. “We should get rooms at a hotel, but I appreciate the offer.” “Nonsense.” Stephano looked genuinely hurt. “You're practically family and in my country, hospitality is the rule.”

Ethan's skin itched under his collar. He could stomach being here for a day or two, for Toni's sake. “If you're sure it's no imposition.” “Imposition?” Stephano repeated. “We will be insulted if you refuse.” Ethan looked at Scarlet to make sure she was onboard with the idea, but her expression was unreadable. Had she noticed the spark that passed between him and Carmela? Of course not. There was no spark, not anymore. Had to be his imagination. Carmela would always remain part of his past. He recalled the anger, the hurt he'd felt when she left him, like she'd ripped his very soul out. Searching Scarlet's face, he wondered if she had it in her to do the same. Would she ever hurt him as Carmela had? Scarlet had been nothing but sweet and helpful. But then, so had Carmela—at first. Then she'd turned into a shrew, a cheating, lying shrew. Maybe all women had that side. Why did it matter what Scarlet thought about their accommodations? Last time he checked, she was his employee. He accepted a glass of wine from Stephano. “Of course we'll stay. Thank you for your hospitality.” His phone rang and he prayed it was news of Toni. “Mr. Chandler,” Vito said. “Your daughter is in Milan.” Ethan shut his eyes and drew a relieved breath. “You're sure?” “Two clerks at the train depot recognized her picture, but they said the hair was a different color.” It didn’t surprise him that Toni had changed her appearance. She was smart enough to know they'd be looking for her. “What's our next step?” “Sit tight. I'll get a hotel room and start out again in the morning. With any luck, I'll locate her tomorrow.” “Okay. Thanks, Vito.” He hung up the phone and thought about his daughter wandering around Milan all alone. Where would she sleep? Did she have friends she could stay with or would she camp out on a park bench? He shuddered at the thought. Carmela crossed the room to him. “Has he found her?” The worry in her eyes softened her features. “She's in Milan. Hopefully headed here. My PI will redouble his efforts in the morning.” “Thank God.” She held a hand over her heart and his eyes automatically fell to her perfect breasts. Yes—definitely surgically enhanced. Scarlet cleared her throat. “It's been a long day, so if you all don’t mind, I need to get some sleep.” “Gabriella,” Stephano called. A short, middle-aged woman in a black and white uniform appeared in the doorway. Stephano barked orders at her in Italian. Then he turned to Scarlet. “Gabriella will show you to your rooms.” Ethan stood. “I'm pretty beat, too.” He picked up their bags and fell in behind Scarlet. “Hopefully we'll know more tomorrow,” he told Carmela. “Thank you, Ethan. Sleep well.” The maid took them to a small building behind the main house. She turned on the lights, then curtsied. “Buonanotte.” “Buonanotte,” Ethan repeated. She showed herself out and shut the door. Alone with Scarlet, Ethan could feel the darts she shot at him. What the hell had he done to piss her off?

Ignore it. But how could he? And more importantly, why should he? He'd done nothing wrong. Yet he'd felt the hostile vibes almost from the moment they'd arrived at the villa. She'd probably keep him up half the night, giving him the silent treatment until he guessed what he'd done and apologized for it. Was it his fault Carmela was still beautiful? Could Scarlet blame him for an affair he'd had more than a decade earlier? He turned to her to apologize for living, but she was gone. And so was her suitcase. He heard a door slam shut down the hall. Rolling his eyes, he picked up his bag and marched to the closed door. He tried the knob. Locked. “Scarlet, would you please tell me what I've done? Why are you mad?” The door flew open so fast, he'd have missed it if he blinked. “You are in love with that…” She pointed toward the main house. “That witch.” “I'm not in love with her, I hate her.” Leaning against the door frame, he sighed. “Look, Scarlet, we share a child. That child may be in danger. That gives us something in common that you can’t possibly understand.” Her eyes narrowed to slits and he swore he saw smoke rising from her head. “Don't you think I care about Toni? I love that girl. How could you say something like that to me?” Without giving him a chance to respond, she slammed the door so quick he barely had a chance to get out of the way. So much for apologies. If she thought he'd be doing any groveling, she had another thing coming.

Chapter Twelve Every time Ethan shut his eyes, his mind played images of Toni cowering in an alley or a doorway somewhere, hungry and afraid, a prime target for any weirdo to prey upon. The second he was able to force himself to stop thinking about her, he flashed on Scarlet's angry face when she'd slammed the door on him. Much as he wanted to forget it, forget her, he knew he was already in too deep. She'd gotten under his skin and he craved her so badly he could taste it. He replayed their lovemaking, fantasized about doing it again. She would come to him in that same sheer nightgown that barely hid her sensuous body. He'd lower the straps, take a peaked nipple into his mouth and suckle it until she'd beg him to make love to her. His cock hardened as his fantasy progressed. In his mind's eye, she got to her knees, lowered his pants and took his entire rigid length into her mouth. “Can't do this.” He opened his eyes and surveyed the big empty bed, the lonely room. They were in a beautiful villa in one of the most romantic countries yet they slept separately. It was all wrong. He sat up and stared at his door, willing her to knock on it, but nothing happened. He pulled a pair of shorts from his suitcase and put them on. Then he marched across the hall and knocked on her door. She didn't answer. He listened for signs she was awake, but he heard only silence. He knocked again. “Scarlet? Can we talk?” Nothing. He tried the knob with no luck. Why would she lock it? Leaning his cheek on the cool wood, he groaned. Could she be up and just refused to let him in? Or was she that hard a sleeper? Shaking his head, he shuffled into the living room and sprawled out on the couch. Much as he'd tried to shield himself from developing feelings for her, he cared way more than he should. For the past twelve years, he'd kept women at arm's length, let them share his bed, but not his heart. And that strategy had worked perfectly well—until now. The pounding in his head and the empty ache in his groin gave him all the proof he needed that getting too involved with a woman was a bad thing. He prided himself on being able to control every facet of his world. Now, two females had him spinning out of control. Women had always been the ones to upset his world, from his mother and her gambling habit to Carmela to Scarlet. His life would be so ordered were it not for them. Ordered…and boring. God, Scarlet was anything but boring. Making love to her had been more exciting than doing it with any other woman in years. Just sex, he assured himself. Good sex, but just sex. Easy to confuse lust with love, but he was in total control of his emotions. Who was he kidding? He had feelings for her—feelings he shouldn't. He closed his eyes and willed his brain to shut out images of her. Taking a deep breath, he consciously relaxed his body. He'd be no good to anyone tomorrow if he couldn't get any rest tonight. An owl hooted outside the window and pulled him closer to sleep. Something touched his hand. He looked up and saw Carmela standing over him, trying to coax him off the couch. She wore a strapless black gown, slit all the way to the North Pole. He couldn't help but stare at her legs, so long and lean, but he fought the desire. “Leave me alone.” “Come with me,” she whispered, her voice as enticing as a siren's.

He was powerless to resist. She led him outside to the garden, made him sit with her on the ledge of a fountain. A silver wine goblet appeared in her hand and she offered it to him. “Drink and it will be like I never left.” “No.” He didn’t want to but she held the cup to his lips and tipped the wine into his mouth. He saw them making love until they didn’t even have enough energy to speak. She'd devoured him, turned him into a wreck who craved her every second of every day. She stood before him, naked but for black spiked heels, her long dark hair fanning over her breasts like a silken shawl. “Ethan!” She pushed his shoulder, swatted his head. Forcing his eyes open, he saw Scarlet standing above him, poised to hit him again. “Quit it.” His voice was hoarse with disuse. “What are you doing out here?” She set her hands on her hips and crinkled her brow. “You were moaning and groaning so loud, you woke me up.” Guilt poked at his insides as he pushed the dream to the back of his mind, concentrated on waking up. Had he said Carmela's name aloud in his sleep? Scarlet seemed angry, but then he remembered—she was angry with him before. He rubbed his eyes and sat up, studied her in a pale blue silky nightgown that hugged every curve. “Banging on your door didn’t wake you, but a sleeping man's groans did?” The twinkle in her eyes let him know she hadn't been sleeping after all, only ignoring him. Why had she come out of her room now? Had she expected him to knock on her door all night? Beg her to speak to him? Those games were exactly why he refused to get involved with anyone. Well, that and his belief that all women would mess with his apple cart if given the chance. “You knocked?” Her eyes darted all over the place, avoiding his. “Sorry. I didn’t hear you.” She wasn't much of a liar. “I was going to ask if we could talk, but I figured you preferred to be left alone.” He leveled a challenging glare at her. “God, I suck at this.” Scrubbing her hands over her face, she growled. “I'm angry, Ethan. I can't pretend I'm not.” He patted the seat next to him. “Then talk to me. What's bugging you?” He knew what she'd say, but he hoped he could talk her out of the notion that he still loved Carmela. She sank onto the couch and closed her arms tightly around her body. “How could you have agreed to stay here, with her?” “You heard Stephano practically beg us to be his guests. And we're not staying with her. We're in his guest house.” “How do you expect to intercept Toni from here? It doesn’t make sense.” He lifted his hands in the air. “It makes more sense than camping out in a hotel miles from here and waiting for her mother to call and let us know if and when she's arrived.” Placing his arm tentatively around her shoulder, he pulled her close. Thankfully, she didn't move away. “Regardless of what you think, I have nothing but disdain for Carmela these days. We're here because I want to get my daughter and bring her back home where she belongs.” “And what about me?” She backed out of his embrace. “Do you have feelings for me?” He swallowed hard. God, he hated when a woman asked that question. In the past, with other lovers, he'd always answered with a kiss, effectively ending the conversation. He knew that wouldn’t work now and to be honest, he did have feelings for her, only he didn’t want them. “I like you, a lot. But I'm kind of preoccupied with finding Toni right now. I haven’t exactly had time to do any soul searching in the last few days.”

“Of course not. I'm sorry.” She sat up straighter. “I shouldn’t be going down this road while Toni's missing.” “Nothing to apologize for.” He kissed the top of her head. She snuggled closer, wrapped an arm around his waist. “I'm awful for slamming the door on you before.” “You are.” Searching her face for understanding, he smiled when she gave him a naughty grin. “You should be punished.” His stare wandered to her breasts, straining the thin fabric of her gown. “I'm afraid you're right.” She slid off the couch onto the floor and kneeled in front of him, resting her hands on his knees. Desire ricocheted through him. “However you see fit to punish me.” Her gaze alternated between his eyes and the bulge in his shorts. He licked his lips, anticipating a white hot time ahead. “First, I think you should strip.” His gaze meandered over her body and her sweet scent drifted to his nose. She stood, pulled her nightgown over her head, leaving her clad in skimpy blue panties. He got off the couch, took both her wrists in his right hand and raised them high above her head, and backed her against the wall. Her nipples hardened under his stare. He licked them as she moaned her satisfaction. Teasing a finger inside her panties, he delighted at her plaintive whimper. He ran his thumb lightly over her lips and separated her folds. “Please, don’t stop.” She rocked her hips to an ancient beat as he slid his fingers into her wet, ready sex. Desire tugged at him as her face contorted with pleasure. He rolled her hard nub then pushed inside her again. Quickening his pace, he felt her breath catch. Her cries electrified the air, heightened his building need even more, and sent a jolt of searing excitement through him. The second he released her wrists, she circled her arms around his neck and kissed him hard. His craving for her had to be fed. He met her smoldering stare and dropped his shorts to the floor. “Get on your knees again.” Her expression registered first surprise, then excitement. She knelt at his feet. Taking his cock in her hand, she gave him a look that sent raw need coursing through him. He shut his eyes, giving in to the sweet ecstasy her lips, tongue and fingers provided. “You are a bad, bad girl.” “Mm hmm.” She closed her mouth over his cock, took him inside the warm, wet confines and raked her teeth over his taut flesh. He threaded his fingers through her hair as she grasped his root and sucked on his shaft. Never releasing his erection, she got to her feet. She removed her panties, then hooked one of her long legs around his waist. He lifted her off the floor, pinned her against the wall, holding her by her gorgeous ass. Oh, God. His condoms were in the bedroom. Might as well be across the ocean. He couldn't wait and from the urgent way she rubbed against him, neither could she. “I don't have a rubber.” Her lips curled in an evil grin. “There's one in between the couch cushions.” He carried her to the sofa. “How'd it get there?” She lifted an eyebrow. “Don't ask questions. Just make love to me.” He laid her on the couch on top of her nightgown. She reached behind her and came up with a foil packet. “Voila.”

He barely got the thing open and on before she guided him on top of her. He entered her slow and gentle, losing himself in her tight lair. Unable to hold back any longer, he thrust deeper, harder. Oh, God, she was heaven on earth. Each stroke felt better than the last. Her cries grew to a fevered pitch as he gave her everything, melted into her. He grappled for control, stroking faster. Scarlet’s fingernails bit into his back but the sting morphed into delight. Deep spasms of relief shook him to his very core. His orgasm sent stars floating before his eyes. Her muscles contracted around his throbbing cock, milking him for every last drop of seed. Satisfied and totally spent, he lay beside her, still part of her. She purred like a kitten and snuggled close. Suddenly Scarlet gasped. He lifted his head to see what the problem was. She stared toward the window, her mouth agape. Following her gaze, he caught sight of a face at the window. Carmela. She disappeared in the blink of an eye. How long had she been there? “Holy shit.” ***** Scarlet's afterglow had extinguished the moment she saw Carmela through the glass last night. What kind of weirdo watches their houseguests having sex? At least Ethan hadn't gone to find his former lover, but rather opted to join Scarlet in her bedroom. They'd made love again around dawn, slow and gentle. After, they’d showered together then he went to his room to dress. As she sat at the vanity and and coated with mascara. Why had she taken extra time with her hair and in choosing an outfit? Ethan had made it crystal clear he found her attractive with no makeup at all, like she'd been last night. Carmela. A wave of nausea rolled through her gut at the thought of their hostess, the voyeur. There was no competing with a woman like her, no amount of makeup or glamorous clothes in the world to turn her into anything half as gorgeous as that woman. She sat taller and pointed at her reflection. “You will not get between us, Miss Carmela, Miss tall and beautiful. You had your shot at him.” Smiling at the sound of her affirmation, she headed for Ethan's room to see what he had in mind for this morning. Maybe he'd want to return to Milan to search for Toni. Ethan's door swung open before she reached it. He smiled at her and her stomach did a little somersault. He wore a pair of chino shorts and a polo shirt. If she didn't know better, she'd think he was a tourist ready to hit the local sights. Maybe someday. “I was just coming to get you.” An urge to take him back to her room for more lovemaking hit her, but she tamped it down. They had more pressing matters to deal with. “Any word from Vito?” The cloud that overtook his face swallowed up his warm smile. “Not yet. Let's get some breakfast, then we can discuss strategies with Carmela.” Scarlet's heart sank. Since when were they working with that woman? Last time they'd discussed it, the plan was to get to Toni first, before Carmela could convince her to stay. And why hadn’t he said a word last night about spotting Carmela watching them? He'd merely wrapped a throw around their bodies. Then, after a few seconds he'd pronounced the coast clear and they ran to her bedroom. It was like Carmela's spying had never happened.

Scarlet followed him at a respectable distance, more like his employee than his lover. When they entered the main house through the kitchen door, Gabriella ushered them onto the patio, where Stephano and Carmela were eating breakfast. “Buongiorno,” Stephano trilled. “The accommodations were fine, yes? I hope you slept well.” “I'm sure they did,” Carmela said with a wink at Scarlet. Scarlet's cheeks warmed. Purposely averting her gaze from Carmela, she threw a gracious smile at Stephano. “The accommodations are lovely. Thank you for your hospitality.” “My pleasure.” He gestured to two empty seats at the table. “Please, join us for breakfast.” Ethan held out her chair. “I'm expecting a call from Vito within the hour.” He sat between her and Carmela. “If he doesn’t have any leads, I'm going to Milan later to search myself.” Gabriella came out with steaming mugs of café au lait and set them before Scarlet and Ethan. “Grazie,” Ethan said. Carmela placed a biscotti on Ethan's plate, then passed a platter of breads to Scarlet. “I know how you love these, darling.” She threw Ethan a wink that turned Scarlet's stomach. When had he become her darling? Scarlet realized she had no idea what he liked, what he hated, what he couldn’t live without. In truth, Carmela knew way more about him. “Milano is a very big city,” Stephano said. “You would never search for someone in a city like New York, eh? This would be just as…how you say? Futile. Since you do not know much Italian, you'd be disadvantaged here. Why not wait for your detective to do what you've paid him to do?” “Sounded as if he was getting closer last night.” Scarlet took a bite of a buttery roll and watched several emotions play on Ethan's face but she couldn’t figure out what he was thinking. Ignoring Scarlet's comment, Carmela covered Ethan's hand with hers. “If we have no news by this afternoon, I'll go with you to Milan. At least I know the city and the language. Then you won’t have to bother with renting a car.” Ethan yanked his hand away and ventured a glance at Scarlet, then at Stephano. Why didn’t her tell her no? That he'd managed fine without her since she'd left. But he sat there silently, eating his damned biscotti. “Actually, renting a car isn’t a bad idea.” Scarlet squeezed Ethan's thigh, well aware Carmela could see under the glass top table. “Then we can split up, cover more ground.” Carmela aimed an evil stare at her. “I'm quite sure Ethan and I can handle this without the…” She raked her gaze over Scarlet. “…hired help. Why should he throw his money away on a rental when we can go together?” Scarlet clenched her jaw. “He's a millionaire. He can afford it.” Every bone in her body despised that woman. Ethan abruptly stood. “Ladies, please.” He gave them each a reproachful glance. “Let's hope Vito has something. If not, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Can we please bear in mind that Toni's still missing? She's the most important thing here, not who rents a car or who goes to Milan with whom.” Scarlet lowered her head, ashamed of her outburst. What had come over her? She'd acted like an insecure teenager. Pushing away from the table, she set her napkin next to her plate. “If you'll excuse me, I'm going to take a walk.” She fixed a smile on her face as she looked at Stephano. “I'd love to explore this exquisite estate of yours, if you don’t mind.”

Stephano swept his arm through the air. “Be my guest.” Giving Ethan's hand a gentle squeeze, she stepped away from the table, then descended three long marble steps to the garden. Hopefully, the beautiful scenery would clear her head and soothe the jagged edges Carmela had cut into her mood. Meandering down a shaded path to a rocky stream, she stopped to take in the beauty of the scene. The sounds of rushing water and the call of wild birds filled the air with a tranquil soundtrack. She hopped onto a boulder, then to the opposite bank. A meadow of white and purple flowers stretched out before her. Too bad she couldn't share the experience with Ethan. He'd probably never want to speak to her again after she'd shown her ass at breakfast. Bending to pick wildflowers, she heard something rustle nearby. An animal, maybe? She stood perfectly still, listening and waiting. A shadow hovered behind a cloche of trees. Whatever it was, it had to be big—maybe big enough to harm her. Did they have bears here? Mountain lions? Heart hammering, she searched the ground for a big stick or a large rock. Where was her cell when she needed it? Not that it would help her here. Unlike Ethan's fancy phone, hers didn’t work outside the U. S. She took a step toward a respectably-sized branch. The animal moved again. She froze, blood pounding in her ears. Holding her breath, she reached for the stick when a hand slid along the trunk of the tree. A fingernail with traces of green polish riveted her attention. She'd know those fingernails anywhere. “Toni!” Scarlet charged the few steps to the tree and grabbed the teen’s arm. Toni shook her off. “What are you doing here?” With her hair now a dark brown, the resemblance to Ethan was more apparent. “I could ask you the same question. Do you have any idea how worried we've been?” Toni folded her arms across her chest and leveled a defiant stare at Scarlet. “You weren't too worried about me when you screwed my father, were you?” Scarlet's face burned with shame. “My relationship with your father is none of your business. He loves you, Toni. So do I. You frightened us to death. That's why we're here. Because we were worried about you and I knew you'd come back to Italy. We came to find you and take you back home.” “Maybe I don't want to go back. Did you ever think of that?” Toni's red face and her clenched fists made her look like a spoiled five-year-old. “Maybe I want to be with my Madre.” What if Carmela had changed her mind and wanted her daughter back? Ethan would be crushed if he lost Toni again. Scarlet had everything to lose—her job and maybe Ethan, if he blamed her. Being out of work again would suck, but losing the man she was falling in love with, that would be devastating. And just her luck. “How did you get here? Last your father heard, you were in Milan.” She pointed over a ridge. “The bus from Milan dropped me down the road.” Her eyes narrowed. “He's had me watched, hasn’t he? I should have known he'd do something like that. Controlling bastard. I hate you both.” The words felt like a punch to the gut. “He was worried. You're the most important person in the world to him.” She took a step toward the girl and was relieved to notice Toni didn’t move away. “You've hardly given your father a chance.” “If he really put me ahead of everything else, he wouldn't have screwed my tutor.”

The pain in the girl's expression cut deep into Scarlet's heart. Toni would never accept her as Ethan's girlfriend, let alone more. Knowing she'd been responsible for Toni's hurt was more than Scarlet could bear. “All he wants is an opportunity to be the father you never had.” “All he wants is to sleep with you. I come last, just like I always did with my Madre.” Her cheat heaved with rage. “If he really loved me he'd have never been in your room with me in the house. That's not what good fathers do.” Scarlet tamped down the ache in her heart. “We're human, Toni. We made a mistake.” “If you have any feeling for me, you'd get out of his life. And out of mine.” Studying Toni's face, watching the girl's eyes brim with tears, she made a decision. Having lost her own parents, Scarlet refused to come between father and daughter. If Toni pushed Ethan away, it wouldn't be because of her. Ignoring the tightness in her chest, she took the girl's hand. “If you'll go home with him, I'll move out. I'll disappear and you won't have to worry about sharing your father's love.” Toni dropped her hand. “Fine. We have a deal.” Afraid she'd cry, Scarlet turned away and pointed toward the villa. “Go tell your father you're here and that you'll go home with him. He's been so worried about you.” Toni ran past her, heading toward the house. Once she was out of earshot, Scarlet finally allowed the tears to come. She sank to the ground and tucked her knees against her chest, mourning the love that would never be.

Chapter Thirteen Ethan refused the second cup of coffee Gabriella offered. Glancing at his watch, he wondered if Scarlet was okay. It had been nearly half an hour since she'd run off into the garden. He should have gone after her. “I have some business to attend to.” Stephano pushed away from the table and stood. He took Carmela's hand and kissed it. “Ti amo con tutto il cuore.” “I love you, too.” Carmela smiled up at him. “Will you be long?” He shrugged. “Not too long.” Turing his gaze to Ethan, he donned a stern expression. “I pray your Toni will be found safe and sound by the time I return.” “I hope so. Thanks.” Ethan watched the older man leave then realized he was now alone with Carmela—exactly where he didn't want to be. “I'm going to call Vito.” He stepped off the patio. Unfortunately, Carmela followed. He punched the detective's number and waited as he was banished to voicemail. “Dammit. He doesn’t answer.” She touched his arm. “He'll let us know when he finds something out.” “Madre!” Toni's voice sent him spinning around to see where it had come from. She stood in the doorway to the living room. Her hair was brown and matted against her scalp. Ethan flew across the patio and scooped her into his arms. “Toni, God. You had us so worried.” Carmela joined their embrace and much to Ethan's surprise, the group hug felt pretty good. Just relief, he assured himself. “Where have you been?” He gave her a tight squeeze to convince himself he wasn't dreaming. He held his daughter at arm's length and looked her over. She was unwashed and wore dirty clothes, smelled of body odor, but for once, he didn’t care. She was safe. “Can we talk after I have a shower? I've been up for days and I'm really grungy.” Her eyes pleaded. “I'll answer your questions then, I promise.” He exchanged a worried glance with Carmela. She threw him a quick nod. “Okay. Go ahead,” he said. “We'll talk later. After Toni left, Carmela crossed the threshold into the living room and sat on the couch. “Thank goodness she's back home.” The home you threw her out of. “You know, now that we know she's all right, we have a few things to discuss.” She patted the cushion beside her. He crossed the floor and sat opposite her, his curiosity piqued. “You've done really well for yourself, Ethan. I'm very impressed.” He prayed she wanted to sign over permanent custody of Toni to him, officially. “Thank you. I can provide a good home for our daughter. I hope you know how important that is to me.” She nodded. “I can see that.” He relaxed a little, confident this wouldn’t be as contentious as most of their recent conversations. “Toni needs the stability of a family, people who love her.” She crossed her legs, hiked up the hem of her gauzy dress.

What was she getting at? “I do love her. And I have a stable home, unlike you.” He immediately regretted the accusation. “I'm sorry. That was uncalled for.” She lifted a dark eyebrow. “Don’t apologize. You're right.” How unlike Carmela to admit any faults. “I've been chasing after men who could provide for me, for us.” She drew a deep sigh. “Maybe I've made some mistakes along the way, but I've always had Toni's best interests at heart.” Why was she handing him this line of bull? His instincts told him to keep quiet, let her speak. As much as he loathed her, Toni would be happiest if she had a relationship with her mother, even a long distance one. “Stephano is a wonderful, generous man,” she continued. “But I can’t honestly say I find him terribly attractive.” She leaned forward, rested her forearms on her lap, giving him a full view of her new and improved cleavage. “What you and I had years ago was incredible. Hard to believe we never set our bed on fire with our lovemaking, hmm?” Touching the tip of her tongue to her top lip, she slid her gaze over him. “We could have that again, Ethan. The amazing sex. We could be a family. You, me and Toni.” After all she'd put him through, did she seriously think he'd have anything to do with her. He thought back to last night, seeing her face in the window, watching him with Scarlet. Had the experience awakened her jealousy? That would explain the animosity between her and Scarlet this morning. Although he had no intention of even considering her proposal, it could be unwise to rebuff her so quickly. He still knew her so well. “What about Stephano? Won't he be hurt and angry?” She waved his comment away. “He's a big boy with lots of money to keep him company. He'll find himself someone new by the end of the summer.” He had to proceed cautiously. If he turned her down flat, would she retaliate by trying to keep Toni here? No telling how he'd fare with the Italian legal system in an international custody battle. “I'm flattered.” The room was stifling. He had to get out of there. Standing, he took Carmela's hand. “I need time to think about it.” “Fair enough.” She lifted his hand to her chest and held it against her breasts. “All this could be yours, again.” “Like I said, I need some time.” He took out his phone and headed into the hallway to phone Vito, making a conscious effort not to laugh in her face. ***** Scarlet pressed her body against the wall beside the open French doors. How could she have been so naïve to believe Ethan's assertion that he was over Carmela? The notion that he would even consider that witch's offer made the pain so much worse. She thought she shared something special and powerful with him. Didn’t matter anyway. She'd made a deal with Toni and she planned to honor it. They'd all be better off without her. If only she'd have listened to her gut and resisted him. Tiptoeing along the perimeter of the main house, she reached the guest cottage and went inside. She had her bag packed in record time. Not like she wasn't used to making quick exits. As long as she arrived back in Miami before Ethan and company, she could clear out her bedroom at his house and be long gone by time they got home.

Before she left, she took Ethan's English-Italian dictionary, just in case. He'd have Carmela and Toni with him to translate. The thought sent a wave of nausea straight to her belly. Beside the book, she found a stack of Euros. She pulled a few American dollars from her wallet and exchanged them for Ethan's money. Dropping her bags on the floor, she sat on his bed, breathed in his scent and wondered if she was doing the right thing. The ache in her heart intensified. What choice did she have? Ethan wouldn't have even considered Carmela's proposal if he had any feelings for Scarlet. Anyway, she'd made a deal with Toni. The girl didn’t want her around and the longer she put this off, the harder it would be. Steeling herself, she gathered her things and left. The late morning sun scorched her shoulders as she headed toward the woods where she'd found Toni less than an hour ago. Approaching the welcome shade, she stopped in her tracks when she spotted an owl on a high branch. As if her luck wasn't bad enough, now she’d seen an owl in the daylight. Hoping to put as much distance between her and the normally nocturnal creature, she picked up her pace and marched over the ridge Toni had pointed out a little while earlier. A road cut through the hilly landscape. She walked another ten minutes before a bus approached. She flailed her arms and managed to get the driver to stop. “Milano aeroporto?” she asked him. He nodded and ushered her inside. Two and a half hours later, she sat at the gate waiting to board a flight home. She reached for her acorn charm and gasped. It was gone. How could she not have noticed before? Heart pounding furiously, she dug in her purse for it, but came up empty-handed. Stay calm. Maybe she'd put it in her carryon or suitcase. But when she searched her bags, she came up empty-handed. How could she have lost one of the most important things she owned? Suddenly, she sobbed uncontrollably. She didn’t even care that the passengers seated around her all stared at her. An elderly woman two seats over gently patted her back. “Are you all right, dear?” She managed a nod. Grabbing her things, she ran to ladies' room and shut herself into a stall, still crying. How could she leave without her necklace? She'd never be able to replace it, not with one as perfect as that. I can get through this. I've managed to get past bigger tragedies than a lost necklace. Soon enough she'd be back in Miami and could put all the events of the past month into a steel box and lock them away forever. Ethan and Toni would belong to her past, and none of this would hurt anymore. ***** Ethan shut his phone and said a silent thank you that he didn’t have to speak to Vito ever again. Opening the front door, he scanned the area beyond the circular drive for Scarlet. She ought to be back by now. Worry pulsed at his temples. “Something wrong?” Carmela's voice sharpened the pounding in his head. He closed the door and faced her. “I was looking for Scarlet. Have you seen her?” She gave him a bored shrug. “Who cares?” “I'm going to check the guest house. Let me know when Toni comes downstairs. I want to be here when she's ready to talk.” First order of business was to find Scarlet and let her know Toni was back. She'd been nearly as worried as he.

“I'm sorry I frightened you,” Toni said from the top of the stairs. He looked up at her and swallowed back the lump in his throat. She'd scrubbed her face clean and wore a simple white sundress. She no longer looked eighteen or nineteen. Rather, she appeared young and innocent, vulnerable even. A far cry from the girl he'd first laid eyes upon a month earlier. The resemblance to both him and Carmela was striking now. Carmela's eyes, his nose and hair. Her face reminded him of his own at that age. A memory from his childhood forced its way to his mind. His mother, leaving him on a boardwalk bench in Atlantic City while she went into a casino to “try her luck,” as she'd called it. “We'll go out for a steak dinner tonight, Ethan. You wait and see.” He'd felt so alone, so vulnerable and abandoned. She returned after dark and roughly grabbed his hand, took him home to a meal of government-issued peanut butter on stale bread. Carmela touched his arm, shaking him out of the vision. “Are you okay?” “Fine.” He searched the staircase for Toni, but found her halfway to the living room. He followed Carmela into the room and shut the door. Carmela folded her arms across her chest and stood over Toni. “Would you like to tell me what the hell you were thinking to run off like that, young lady?” Toni's expression transformed from innocence to anger. He sat beside her on the couch and patted her hand. “First of all, I want you to know how relieved we are that you're okay.” She dropped her head. “I'm sorry I worried you.” She fidgeted with a pearl button on her dress, refusing to meet his gaze. “Do you have any idea what could have happened to you?” Carmela wrung her hands. “Anyone could have snatched you or raped you or worse.” Toni pursed her lips as she stole a quick glance at her mother, then immediately averted her gaze. Her face turned suddenly stony. With a soft, monotone voice, she spoke. “Why didn’t you worry about those things when you sent me to Miami all alone?” Carmela bristled. “It's hardly the same thing.” He leveled a glare at the woman he’d once loved, now hated. If Toni weren't privy to this conversation, he'd have told Carmela exactly what he thought of the way she’d shipped Toni to him. “She had a chaperone on the airplane.” Carmela's nostrils flared, still on the defensive. “That's far from all alone.” “How could you have told me my father was dead?” Toni made no attempt to hide her tears. “You lied to me my whole life.” “I wanted you to have a better life, a life of privilege and luxury he couldn't afford.” Carmela threw Ethan a plaintive glance. “At least he couldn’t back then. I've devoted my entire life to finding a good father for you.” Finally, Toni looked at her mother. “Bullshit!” The anger and hurt in the girl's tone made Ethan wince. “You only wanted to land a rich husband for yourself. When I got in the way, you threw me out.” Carmela stalked across the room and poured herself a drink with shaking hands. “Want one?” she asked Ethan. He shook his head. “I prefer to wait until after lunch.” “Whatever.” She downed the contents of her glass in one gulp then set it hard on the bar. “Don't ever take off like that again or you'll find yourself locked in your room until you're eighteen.”

Carmela's stellar parenting skills explained a lot about Toni's anger issues. Having heard enough, Ethan shook his head. No way would Carmela fight him for custody. Toni was right— her mother was only out for number one. She'd never go to the trouble to keep their daughter with her. “Go pack your things. We'll see if there's a flight to the states later today.” “What about me?” Carmela asked, a stunned expression on her face. “Don’t you think you've already done enough damage?” He stood, looked down at Toni. “Pack everything. You won’t be coming back here for a long time. I'll find Scarlet and tell her to get ready to go.” Toni's gaze darted around the room. “She's not…” “What?” Ethan waited, wondered what she'd started to say. “Never mind.” The girl raced from the room and up the stairs. A few seconds later, a door slammed shut. “You're turning down the opportunity to provide her with a real family.” Carmela came toward him, reached her arms out to him. “Give me a chance, Ethan. That woman, Scarlet, she's so wrong for you. Too young and impetuous. You need a real woman.” “You wouldn't know a real woman if one bit you on the ass.” Disgusted, he left the room. He hoped Scarlet was at the guest house. Now that he'd pissed off their hostess, they needed to leave right away. Minutes later, he arrived at the cottage and called Scarlet's name. The place was quiet—too quiet. Where the hell could she be? He hurried into his room, packed his suitcase then set it by the front door. No time to wait for Scarlet to pack when she finally got back. He'd do it for her. Entering her room, he sensed something wrong. Where were the cosmetics that had cluttered the vanity a couple hours ago, the nightgown over the bedpost? His skin prickled with dread as he marched to the closet and threw open the doors. A few empty hangers swung on the rod. Why would she leave? Shuffling to the bed, his gut ached as if he'd taken a hard punch. He picked up her pillow, held it to his face and smelled her citrusy perfume. Something glittered on the sheet. He reached for it and realized it was her necklace, the one she never took off. Examining it, he saw the broken clasp. Her lucky charm. Then he knew. She was really gone. She'd left him. He thought she was over being angry with him since they'd made love last night. Maybe he should've stood up for her this morning at breakfast when she and Carmela were throwing barbs back and forth. He sank onto the bed, scrubbed a hand over his face. He thought she was different, that she wouldn't run out on him. What an idiot he'd been to allow himself to fall for her. Like a fool, he'd gambled his heart. He should have known; that was always a sucker bet. ***** Scarlet slid down in the driver's seat of Layla's Honda across the street from Ethan's house waiting for Myra to leave. She couldn't be sure she'd be able to tell Myra she was moving out without crying so she was taking the coward's way out. She could hardly carry on a conversation with a stranger about the weather without bursting into tears.

Myra turned out of the driveway at four sharp and Scarlet was confident she hadn't been spotted. Waiting a few minutes just in case Myra returned for some reason, Scarlet stared at the beautiful house she'd called home for the past month. Had it really been so short a time? Amazing how comfortable she'd grown there. Confident Myra wouldn’t be back, Scarlet pulled into the drive and let herself inside the house for the last time. Silence, heavier than grief, surrounded her. She stood in the foyer and thought back to her very first day there. Toni's inhospitable welcome, Ethan's less-than-confident attempts at parenting, her plunge into the koi pond. They'd all come so far since then. Stepping into the family room, she smelled the lemon furniture polish Myra used and the faint residue of stale coffee. She picked up the framed picture of Ethan and Toni she'd taken that day at the beach. Memories forced their way into her brain and her heart, bringing with them the pain of what would never be. She set the photo down and glanced out to the pool, flashed on the night they'd nearly made love on the deck. Clenching her fists, she turned away and marched to her room to collect her things. At least she had more time to pack than the last time she'd done this. After filling her suitcase and a couple boxes she found in the garage, she set her things in the foyer. Much as she knew she ought to leave, something pulled her toward Ethan's bedroom. His cologne hung in the air and wrapped around her heart like a thorny vine. Tears of regret and longing rolled down her cheeks. Driven by an unseen force, she went into his bathroom, caught her tear-streaked reflection in the mirror. Although it had obviously been scrubbed clean since he'd left, his presence still clung to everything. Maybe it was his shampoo or his soap. Opening the shower door, she stepped inside, breathed in. No, it was more than an isolated smell that drew her here. Something of the man lingered in the spaces he dwelled. A powerful emptiness brought her to her knees. She caught another glimpse of herself in the mirror and gasped. How pathetic she appeared, how sad. She was stronger than this profound funk she'd lived in for days. Pulling herself up, she wiped her face off, then splashed water on it so she wouldn't taste any more tears. She was so, so tired of crying. On the way out, she stopped in Toni's room, noticed that Myra had perfected it beyond Toni's hasty attempt at straightening. She sat on the bed, took in all the girl's toys—a brand new state-of-the-art stereo, a plasma TV, top-of-the-line computer and one of the prettiest bedrooms Scarlet could imagine. The teenager had everything Scarlet didn't as a child, but still, Toni remained one of the unhappiest kids Scarlet had ever met. She shut her eyes, remembered moments from her childhood. The toys, the electronics weren't what she recalled, but the love, the cocoon of acceptance and confidence that characterized their family. She prayed it wasn't too late for Toni to know such wonderful feelings. If she didn’t leave, she'd probably break down again, so she started toward the door. Then she remembered her car, or rather, the car Ethan had tried to give her. Best to leave it here. Digging in her purse, she found the registration, insurance card and the keys and set them on a table in the hall. Then she carried her boxes to the Honda and returned for the suitcase. Giving the house one final glance, she picked up her bag and shut the door on this rollercoaster chapter of her life.

Chapter Fourteen “Why won't you tell me what happened in Italy?” Layla sipped iced tea as they sat at her kitchen table. “It's unlike you to be so secretive.” Scarlet stared down at her nephew, sleeping peacefully in her arms. “I'm not being secretive. I'm still processing it all. Maybe I'll be ready to talk about it in a while.” Not likely. The pain never seemed to let up. Opening up about it would only rub salt in the wound. “You've been here two weeks. That should be plenty of time to mull over whatever happened.” She reached across the table and rubbed Scarlet's arm. “You got involved with him, didn't you?” Scarlet pushed away from the table so quickly, she woke the baby. He started bawling. “I'm sorry, David.” She kissed his forehead and he calmed. Seconds later, his eyes slid shut. “I'll put him down for a nap.” “You can't escape my questions that easily.” Layla followed her into the nursery. “Why wouldn't you take Ethan's calls last week?” Scarlet set the baby in his crib then held a finger to her lips. “You'll wake him,” she whispered. Huffing, Layla returned to the kitchen and Scarlet reluctantly joined her. “Don't you at least want to stay in touch with the kid?” Layla poured another glass of tea, handed it across the table. Scarlet sank into a chair. Regardless of the shenanigans Toni had pulled, she did miss her, but a promise was a promise. “She's better off if we cut ties.” “I can't believe you refused to take the car he bought you,” Layla went on. “I mean he even called to tell you to go get it, for heaven's sake. A free car, Scarlet.” She shook her head. “I don't know what's wrong with you.” “I told him when he bought it that I'd only use it while I worked for him. I don't work for him anymore.” As tough as it had been to walk away from the car, it was a million times harder to walk away from the man. Layla rolled her eyes. “It's like pulling teeth trying to get any information out of you.” She hit her hand on the table. “Fine. Tell me about the new job.” Finally, a safe subject. “I don't know how to thank Joe for pulling strings to get me hired so quickly. Sounds like mostly routing calls and some basic data entry.” “Pretty boring and totally out of your field, if you ask me.” Scarlet didn't care. Busywork would hopefully keep her mind occupied, rather than full of thoughts about Ethan. “It'll be three days a week. That'll leave me the other two days to take classes.” She squeezed her sister's hand. “You've been such a doll, letting me stay here. The apartment will be ready for me to move in by next Friday. And I can walk to work.” Her enthusiasm felt false. She ought to be excited about a nice, safe desk job at the police station. No kids to get attached to, no Ethan to fall in love with. “A furnished studio is a far cry from that mansion you left. Must have been nice.” Scarlet brought her glass to the sink. Ethan and his mansion were the last things she wanted to think about. His house was nice, sure, but it was the loss of the man that kept her heart aching and her head pounding every night as she lay awake on the lumpy couch. And God help her, she

even missed Toni. Consciously pushing father and daughter from her thoughts, she cleared her throat. “I'm going to take a walk.” “For God's sake, Scarlet. It's like a gazillion degrees out there. No one goes for a stroll in the middle of an August afternoon in Florida.” “I'll be fine. Maybe I'll pick up some ice cream at the convenience store.” She met her sister's stare. “Want some?” Layla shrugged. “Yeah, sure.” The oppressive heat and humidity hit Scarlet like a freight train the second she stepped outside, but she didn’t care. Maybe she could sweat out all the pain that weighed down her heart. Yeah, right. No matter. Soon enough she'd be too busy to dwell on Ethan anymore. Between moving into her own place, starting a new job and attending college, her mind would be way too occupied to be depressed. Passing a jewelry store, she scanned the window display. A horseshoe necklace caught her eye. Not as good as the acorn one she'd lost in Italy, but she knew she'd never find another of those. On a whim, she went inside and bought the costume jewelry. Her luck needed a serious boost. She fastened the clasp behind her neck and pasted on a smile as studied her reflection in the counter top mirror. “Very pretty,” the clerk said. The elderly man had a Spanish accent and sad eyes. He took her money and she continued on her way. But the cheap tin felt like a poor substitute against her skin. She missed her gold acorn, wished she'd have taken the time to look for it before she left the villa. Ice cream would make her feel a little better. At the convenience store she bought push up cones for her, Layla and Joe and ate hers on the walk back. Only it didn’t make her feel any better. Nothing seemed to help. Would she be miserable the rest of her life? She'd gotten past heartache before, she could do it again. She'd learned her lesson for good this time. Lucky for her she'd removed herself from the situation before she fell too deep. Who did she think she was kidding? She'd fallen hook, line and sinker for the man. She prayed time would heal her wounds. ***** Ethan parked his car in front of the high school and winked at Toni, seated beside him. She looked a lot less nervous than he felt. “You have your schedule, right?” Rolling her eyes, she huffed. “I already told you I do.” She lowered the visor and put on lip gloss in front of the small mirror. Fluffing her short hair, she glanced out the window. Ethan thought he saw a tiny quiver move her jaw. “You nervous?” She laughed. “Not nearly as much as you. I'm way smarter than these American kids.” “So you've told me.” Her bravado didn’t fool him. She'd gotten up way early this morning and spent at least an hour and a half primping. It was well worth the time. She wore a denim miniskirt with a new T-shirt. No rips, no stains. And she must have used the perfume he'd gotten her because his car now smelled like cotton candy. “You remember which bus to take and where to get off, right?” Another eye roll. “Bus number four. And I get off at Medina Avenue, at the end of our street. I use my key even though Myra will still be there.” She let out a loud breath. “You've only

told me all this stuff about a hundred times.” After surprising him with a quick kiss on his cheek, she opened the door and got out. “Go to work. I'll be fine.” He watched her walk to the school entrance and melt into the crowd of dozens of kids just like her. Well, not exactly like her. She was his, after all. That made her the most important child in the world. He wished Scarlet could see her, all the progress she'd made. Christ, why did he do that? He had to stop allowing thoughts of her to invade his head. She was gone and he'd have to find a way to deal with that. Why had he allowed himself to indulge in a dalliance with an employee? Dalliance, my ass. As many times as he told himself that was all it was, he knew better and all the self-talk in the world wouldn’t change that. He had to keep his mind on Toni, not on Scarlet. The subject of his daughter was way less taxing these days, but honestly, he knew if Scarlet were still there, Toni would be even further along than he'd been able to get her himself. Much as he tried not to, he worried all day. At four-thirty, he called to house to make sure Toni had gotten home okay. “I'm fine, Dad,” she assured him. “So how was it? Tell me about your classes, about the kids you met.” He thought he heard a woman speaking to her, but it didn't sound like Myra's voice. “You have a friend over?” “Um, yeah. Can we talk later?” She'd already started socializing. Relief settled in and replaced the anxiety. “Sure, honey. See you around six.” He hung up the phone and stared at the new photo on the corner of his desk. In it, he stood beside Toni with her natural hair color and a big smile on her pretty face. He could overlook the piercings. Wasn't like half the kids her age didn't have them. As he studied the picture, he mentally added Scarlet to the image. Her shiny hair, dazzling smile and amazing body. God, he missed her. Missed the soft skin, the sparkle of her ebony eyes and the musical way she laughed. The emptiness in his gut was exactly why he'd vowed never to get too close to another woman after Carmela. All the sleepless nights he'd stared at the ceiling, trying to figure out a way to fix things. He'd broken his own damn rule. Scarlet wouldn't even speak to him, for Christ's sake. He landed a fist on the desk, rattling everything on it. Scarlet, with her silly preoccupation with luck had him tied up in knots weeks after she'd run out on him. He'd tried drowning his sorrows in a voluptuous blonde a few nights ago. One he'd slept with last year and had a damned good time of it. But this time it wasn't any good. He couldn’t bring himself to go home with her. All Scarlet's fault. And his, for allowing her to get under his skin. He reached into his pants pocket and rolled the cold chain between his fingers, felt the textured metal of her acorn charm. Shouldn’t have bothered having the stupid thing repaired. It wasn't like he'd ever see her again. He supposed he could mail it to her but he refused. To hell with her and her dumb necklace. On the drive home he tried to push all thoughts of Scarlet from his mind. Only he couldn't, he never seemed to be able to completely purge her from his soul. His soul? Crazy. He'd blown this thing way out of proportion. A car horn blasted and he realized he'd drifted into the next lane. Focus, he admonished himself. Relived when he'd made it home in one piece, he turned into his driveway and hit the button to raise the garage door. The same stabbing pain in his forehead gripped him as it did

every evening when he arrived home and knew Scarlet wouldn't be there, would never be there again. He smelled garlic when he went inside. Myra's famous breadsticks. They were probably having pasta. Heading through the dining room, he glanced at the foyer and stopped dead in his tracks. A large suitcase sat next the front door. Paisley. Too feminine to belong to a man. His heart kicked up a notch as curiosity—and hope—prodded him. Speeding his steps, he approached the family room and saw Toni facing away from him on the sofa, blocking his view of the person she spoke with. He rounded the couch in a few short strides and his blood ran cold as melting snow. “What the hell are you doing here?” ***** Scarlet arrived back at Layla's bungalow after her first day as a receptionist for the Dade County Sheriff's Office Inmate Records Department and collapsed on the sofa. Knowing her sister's feelings would be hurt if Scarlet didn't act appreciative for the job Joe had helped her get, she put on her most optimistic face. But Layla knew her better than anyone and narrowed her eyes at Scarlet. “You hated it,” Layla proclaimed as she sank into Joe's chair. “I figured you would. You've never worked any job where you weren't surrounded with kids.” The most challenging part of her job as a receptionist was learning how her boss liked his coffee. “No, no. It's only the first day, Layla. It'll be great, really. And the most important thing is it'll pay the rent on my apartment.” She thought she'd sounded convincing, but Layla's scrutiny continued. Poking a finger at her, Layla shook her head. “You can’t lie to me, Scarlet. Haven’t you learned that by now?” The baby's cries interrupted their conversation, thankfully. Layla jumped up and started toward the nursery. “This discussion isn’t over yet. I'll be right back.” The second Layla disappeared from view, Scarlet pulled off the professional-looking pumps she'd worn all day and toed on her ancient flip-flops. Rather than deal with her sister's third degree, she opted to take a walk to the nearby convenience store for an iced decaf. Putting off Layla's interrogation was surely worth few more minutes on her aching feet. On the way she passed the jewelry store where she'd gotten her horseshoe necklace. Scanning the display in the window she glimpsed an acorn charm and her heart leapt. When she tried the door, her hopes were dashed. Of course it was closed, the sign right in the window said so. As she started away, she heard the click of a lock and the door swung open. A short, white haired man with sad brown eyes leaned his head out. “Can I help you?” he asked. Recognizing him from her last visit, she grinned at her luck. The acorn necklace was already working for her. Without another thought, she nodded and went inside. “Thanks for letting me in. I saw something in the window I have to get.” “I could use the business.” Immediately finding the necklace, she pointed to it in the window display. “The gold acorn necklace. How much is it?” The man let out a pained sigh. “It was my wife's.” He wiped tears from his weathered cheeks.

Scarlet swallowed hard, afraid to ask why he wanted to sell the item. He took the chain from the velvet fabric and fondled it as if it were the most precious thing he'd ever touched. “Lourdes wore it for luck.” He sighed as he set it on the counter. “I lost one just like it recently.” Scarlet sensed he wanted to talk about his wife or the necklace, so she waited. “You never saw a woman with such an obsession with superstition. Her whole life she never walked under a ladder, always avoided black cats and cracks in the sidewalk.” He drew a heavy sigh. She couldn't contain her curiosity any longer. She'd met so few people as superstitious as she and she had to know what had happened to the woman. “The necklace didn’t help?” He met her gaze and his eyes held such pain she nearly winced. “Help? You mean with her luck? You believe in that stuff?” She nodded, although all her charms and superstitions hadn't done her much good lately. “I always have.” “It's garbage,” he shouted. Scarlet backed away, startled by his angry tone. “I'm sorry.” He gave her a kind smile. “Lourdes wasted so much effort on superstition. Rather than correcting the things she could, she relied on luck.” He touched the acorn. “Things like this. She blamed her poor health on the stars yet she didn’t see the doctor when she was supposed to or take the medicine he prescribed. Then it was too late.” He turned and touched a photograph on the wall of a dark haired woman. “My Lourdes felt responsible for her nephew's drowning sixty years ago. That experience shaped her whole life.” Scarlet's heart ached for the man. She leaned on the counter, trying to ignore the pain in her feet. “What happened?” “She wasn't much more than a child herself when her sister left her with the baby and three other kids. All day she cleaned and chased children. She wasn't used to it. So she shut her eyes for a few minutes and fell asleep. The baby wandered away.” His face contorted with pain. “He fell in a river and drowned.” A chill rolled over her skin. What untold pain and guilt the woman must have lived with. “She was convinced she'd jinxed herself by not saving the baby. We never had our own children. She said they'd be cursed because of her.” On impulse, Scarlet covered his hand with hers. He smiled warmly, then slid his hand out from under hers. “Why am I burdening you with my problems? You came in to buy jewelry.” “I'm glad I was here to listen.” She looked down at the necklace. “Why are you selling it? Don't you want to keep it? To remember her?” The man's chuckle held no mirth. “I don’t need a silly good luck charm to remember her. I hate such trinkets that give false hope. She made her own fate by her actions, not by her superstitions. There are no children to pass it on to. She shut herself off to that joy.” “I'm so sorry.” “I'll tell you a story.” He jabbed a finger at her. “And I hope you'll learn something from it.” Scarlet nodded, anxious to hear the man out. “A few years ago, a great river in South America overflowed its banks. A very superstitious couple put all their faith in their good luck charm, an old rosary, to save them. Well, their house was overtaken by the floodwaters and they had to climb onto the roof to escape. A few hours later, a man came by in a rowboat and offered them a ride. 'No,' the man said. 'We'll be saved by our good fortune.' So the man in the boat left to help another family. That night, a rescue

helicopter dropped a basket to rescue them. 'No,' the man said again, 'Our luck will pull us through.' Well, the waters rose enough that the couple drowned. When they arrived at the gates of heaven and met Saint Peter, he asked why they were there. “'We prayed our lucky rosary would save us, but it didn't,' the man told him. Well, St. Peter grew very angry. 'I sent you a damned rowboat and a helicopter, you idiots. How much luckier did you think you'd get?’ he said.” Although she couldn't help smiling, his story hit her like a slap in the face. Was that what she'd done? “We set our own luck through the choices we make. My Lourdes, God rest her soul, she made bad choices for so much of her life.” Scarlet picked up the necklace and studied the charm. Had she really let her life and her emotions be ruled by such things? Walking away from Ethan and all she had with him wasn't her fate, but a decision she'd made to appease a spoiled teenager. All the bad things that had happened to her hadn’t been preordained events linked to luck, but happenstance. Or worse, the product of her actions or decisions. Before Ethan, she'd chosen men who were weak. She hadn't made a ton of mistakes, but she'd made the same mistake over and over. And her parents' deaths. It hit her like an epiphany that her mother's good luck charm bracelet hadn't made it rain that fateful night. It wouldn't have made her father drive any slower. Tears welling in her eyes, Scarlet touched the old man's arm. “I've changed my mind about the necklace.” She started toward the door. “I'm so sorry about your wife.” And she was. Sorry the woman had sealed her fate with her reliance on superstition. She was through with luck. From now on, Scarlet Eldridge would take responsibility for everything in her life. First order of business was to make the best of her job at the Sheriff's Office. Like it or not, she needed the money. Once she finished college, she'd spend the rest of her life doing what she always wanted to—being a teacher. It was high time she grew up and acted like an adult. ***** Toni jumped up and faced Ethan. Setting her fists on her hips, she shook her head like a scornful mother hen. “That's not a nice way to greet family.” He stared past her at the woman he'd hoped never to lay eyes upon again. “What are you doing here?” She looked way too comfortable sitting in his living room. She shrugged. “I heard through the grapevine that you'd found my granddaughter.” She smiled sweetly at Toni, then met his stare, stone-faced. “And that you might be open to a reunion with me. That deep down you wanted to see me, although you'd never admit it.” Jaw quivering, he looked at his daughter. Could she have contacted his mother? How would she have known how to find her? The pounding in his head intensified. “Okay. I've seen you. The door's that way.” He pointed over his shoulder and waited. But she didn't move. “How can you be so mean to her?” Toni's furrowed brow deepened. “She's come a long way to see us.” Every cell in his body pulsed with loathing for his mother. Could he blame Toni, though? It was only natural she'd have a curiosity about her relatives since she'd so recently discovered that she had more relations than just her mother's family. “Now that my father's here, we can have dinner,” he heard Toni say.

Ethan felt like he'd pass out if he tried to move. Nausea gripped his belly and his chest grew tight. Had she really invited the woman he'd spent years avoiding to stay for dinner? Toni took her grandmother's arm and led her toward the dining room. “You'll love the guest room,” she continued. “Everything's yellow and sunny.” Holy hell. She'd offered her Scarlet's room. With leaden feet, he followed the women like a man heading to the gallows. Dorothy had done everything a parent shouldn't, just as Carmela had. But how could Toni know that? He stared at the woman who'd raised him. Blonder now than he remembered, she'd aged remarkably well, particularly with all the hours she'd spent in smoky casinos. Toni ushered him into a chair opposite his mother. Then she bounced into the kitchen like a waitress on steroids and returned loaded down with a serving bowl of green beans and a basket of steaming bread sticks. While they waited, Ethan and Dorothy stared at each other but remained silent. Toni carried in a casserole dish with some pasta covered in red sauce. Didn't matter what it was. He'd eat some, but he knew he wouldn’t taste it. And it would probably churn in his gut the rest of the evening. “Smells good.” Dorothy laid her napkin across her lap. “They don't even feed you nothin' on flights anymore. At least not on them relatively short ones. All you get is a bag of peanuts. And goodness gracious the seats are so small. A very large man had the seat next to mine and I barely had enough room to breathe, for heaven's sake…” She babbled through most of dinner, occasionally asking Toni a question about school or what sort of music she liked, but mostly, Dorothy talked about nothing. Ethan was grateful the awkward silence was filled with noise, although her voice grated on his already frazzled nerves. As predicted, the small amount of food he'd been able to choke down rumbled inside him like a volcano ready to explode. He stood up to clear away the dishes, with the hope of hiding in the kitchen for a while, Toni spoiled his plan by insisting it was her turn to load the dishwasher, something she'd never voluntarily done before. “I guess you two have lots to catch up on,” she said, winking at Ethan. The volcano rumbled. Reluctantly, he sank back down into his seat and found every spot on the wall to look at. “I was hoping we'd have a chance to talk, you and me.” She glanced toward the kitchen, then pinned him with that stare he remembered, the one that had made his teeth chatter when he was a kid. “I been writing to you for years and you ain't never even had the decency to acknowledge my letters.” He clenched his jaw, rage simmering right below the surface. “I'd think you'd have taken the hint.” Satisfied Toni couldn’t hear them over the water running in the sink, he went on. “I never answered you because I had no interest in maintaining a relationship with you. Bad enough I spent the first eighteen years of my life with you.” Her stern mask slipped a little. “Everything I did, I did for you, for us.” “Ha!” If she were a man, he'd have flattened her for such a boldfaced lie. “Did you gamble away my lunch money for me? And leave me alone in rat infested fleabag motels while you played the slots or the tables for me? You might be able to hand my daughter this boatload of bullshit but I was there, Mother. I lived that hell.” She'd slid down in her chair during his tirade and suddenly she looked older, more frail. A momentary pang of guilt stabbed at him.

“I'll admit I made some mistakes, starting with marrying your father.” Squaring her shoulders, she held her head high. “But I was under the influence of the disease.” Her voice softened. “I'm sorry about…so much I done back then.” A tiny measure of compassion clawed its way into his heart. “And now?” “I go to meetings these days, with folks like me who understand. Folks who have the sickness, too.” He didn’t want to forgive her, damn it. The anger was too deep, too entrenched in his soul. Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he shut his eyes. “Toni overstepped by writing to you.” “It wasn't her. I ain't never spoke to her before today.” Not Toni? What masochist had unleashed this plague on him? “Who then?” She squirmed in her seat, avoided his eyes. He gripped the edge of the table and leaned toward her. “Who?” “Scarlet.” Her voice was barely a whisper. Could he have heard correctly? Scarlet? His blood ran cold. Had her jealousy turned to hate for him? Why else would she do something so cruel? He stood, paced the room, hoping to come up with a logical answer. “She only wanted to right a wrong, Ethan. She meant no harm, I'm sure of it.” He barely heard her through the red flame of rage surrounding him. All the conversations Scarlet had steered to the subject of his mother, she knew how he felt about the woman, knew exactly how to hurt him. Had she manipulated him into revealing his Achilles heel only to use it against him? What a fool he'd been to believe he could have loved her. Christ, he didn’t even know her, never suspected the depths of her vindictiveness. He never thought she had it in her to be cruel, but he'd been wrong about so many things about her. “How could she?” “Her heart was in the right place. She said that although you'd never admitted it, in your heart of hearts she knew you wanted us to reconcile.” He spun around to face her, sickened by the sight of her. “And did she explain that she left me? That she ran out on me and on Toni over her silly schoolgirl jealousy? That she won’t even take my calls or give me a chance to explain?” “I wasn't aware she was more than a friend and employee. Her letter said she'd recently met you and Toni and she already cared a great deal about you both. But she never mentioned that you two were an item.” He heard Toni's bedroom door click shut, wondered how much she'd overheard. He didn’t even care right now. “When did you get the letter?” She brought a fist to her mouth in a gesture he remembered from his childhood. “She emailed me, probably about a month ago, give or take.” “A month ago?” Before she'd left him, before they'd slept together. He wondered why she'd have taken that step. She had to know she was risking her job with a move like that. His anger subsided, but didn’t completely disappear. Contacting his mother had been a heavy-handed move and he found it mind-boggling that she'd have taken it upon herself to do it. It was so…so Scarlet. But it wasn't the uncharacteristically mean-spirited move he'd first thought. Despite himself, he chuckled. Scarlet was unlike any other woman he'd ever known and he missed her every single minute. “What's so funny?” He'd nearly forgotten about his mother. “You can stay here tonight. But tomorrow…well, it would be best if you left.”

“I've come all the way from Nevada, Ethan. I want to spend some time with my granddaughter, and with you.” She closed the distance between them and before he knew what was happening, she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. He stood there, stiff and unyielding, feeling guilty for it. He thought about cutting her some slack. After all, parenting wasn't the easiest endeavor. It was damn tough, actually. And maybe she'd changed after all these years. Maybe. Taking hold of her arms, he eased her away. “Let's see how it goes tomorrow.” He hoped he wouldn’t regret this. After Toni helped get Dorothy settled into Scarlet's room, she came into the living room and stood in the doorway, her gaze full of questions. The silence unnerved him. “What is it, Toni?” She shifted from foot to foot. He sat on the couch and patted the cushion next to him. Begrudgingly, she joined him. “What's on your mind?” She wrapped her arms tightly around her body. “About Scarlet…” He tensed, felt the familiar void. “What about her?” “I…we…in Italy, I…” She shut her eyes. “I miss her, that's all.” “Me, too.” Way more than he cared to admit. Every inch of this house now reminded him of her, things she'd said at the dining room table, the way her laughter twined around him. He pictured her everywhere, but Toni didn’t need to know that. Perhaps it was a good thing his mother was here. At least she'd be a distraction for Toni, if not for him. Nothing could purge the images of Scarlet from his mind, from his heart. Even through his irritation at her meddling, he wanted her, craved her. But in his heart, he knew she was gone forever. He wondered if he'd ever get over her, somehow he feared he never would.

Chapter Fifteen Ethan stared out the French doors leading to the pool and gasped. Scarlet, stark naked, bent over the pool, then dove in. She looked like an angel as she glided through the water, graceful as a swan. Reaching for the latch, he opened the doors then went to the edge of the pool and waited for her to surface. She came up right where he stood and gave him her beautiful smile. “Temperature's great.” Treading the water, she moved her limbs like a ballet dancer. “Come on in.” She didn’t have to tell him twice. Shedding his pajama pants, his whole body hummed with excitement. She was back and everything was good again. He dove in and swam in her direction. When he reached her, he tried to pull her to him, but she backed away. “Come here, Scarlet. I need you,” he pleaded. She only laughed. “I was right here for you, but you wouldn't get in the water with me.” “But I'm here now.” He took another step closer, but she moved out of his reach and slipped under the surface. Pushing frantically through the water, he couldn't quite find her. Then she appeared, sitting on the deck, where they'd nearly made love that night. “I wanted to swim with you, Ethan,” she said. “But you wouldn't go under the water.” Then she was gone. He woke with a giant gasp. His sheets were clammy and covered in sweat. Shaking off the dream, he threw the covers aside and got out of bed. He strode to the French doors, scanned the pool area and of course, found it deserted, lonely in the first morning light. Combing his fingers through his hair, he crossed the room and grabbed a T-shirt from his dresser. Then he headed to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee, but from the delicious aromas in the air, someone had beaten him to it. Not just coffee, but the smells of bacon and maple tickled his nose. When he entered the kitchen, he discovered the culprit. How could he have forgotten his mother was still there, four days after her arrival. “G'morning,” she sang, way too chipper for the early hour. “I'm still on Nevada time, so I ain't sleeping much anyway. Figured I'd make my baby a good home cooked breakfast like I used to.” Like she used to? She'd never even poured a bowl of cereal for him when he was a child. Who did she think she was kidding? Funny how two people can have such different memories of the same thing. He was about to tell her as much when he heard Toni approach. “What's everybody doing up so early?” She sat at the table, all dressed for school. Ethan poured himself a cup of coffee. “Revising childhood memories.” Dorothy flashed him a cold stare and Toni shrugged as she opened the newspaper to the comics. As she had every meal since she'd arrived, his mother babbled about nothing through breakfast. Ethan reminisced about the quiet, happy mornings he'd spent with Scarlet. Why hadn’t he appreciated her when she'd been here? Shoveling a bite of tasteless pancake into his mouth, he thought about his dream. When would she vacate his thoughts? “You look like you just lost your best friend,” he heard his mother say. She sounded exactly like Patti. Every morning when he walked into the office lately, Patti asked him what was wrong. He shrugged. “I'm fine.”

Toni gave him a worried stare. “Dad, I have to tell you something. About Scarlet.” Had she finally called? “Yes?” “I…she…um, have you seen her?” Deflated, he pushed burned bacon crumbles across his plate with his fork. “No, Toni. I haven't.” “Oh.” “You said you had to tell me something about her.” She shot out of her chair. “No, just that, you know, I miss her.” He now knew his daughter well enough to pick up on it when she was hiding something. He made a mental note to corner her later when his mother wasn't hovering nearby. Toni was keeping something from him and he would find out what that something was. ***** Ethan found his opportunity on the drive to Toni's high school. Since he'd purposely ushered her out of the house a few minutes early, he had a little extra time with her. He pulled to the side of the road halfway to their destination and shut off the engine. “What are you doing?” She stopped picking at a ripped fingernail and looked at him. “You've tried to tell me something about Scarlet, twice now. And each time, you backed off.” Her eyes grew big as golf balls. “No, no I haven't. I told you, I miss her.” Now she was tearing at the skin on her finger and her knees were knocking. Yes, she was definitely hiding something. He stared out the windshield. “We're not going anywhere until you come clean, Toni.” Reclining his seat, he shut his eyes, pretended to nap. “I'll be late for school.” He shrugged and sank deeper into the seat. “Only if you keep holding out.” He heard her draw a deep breath, but he kept his eyes shut, praying she'd start talking. There had to be a piece missing to the puzzle of why Scarlet hadn't even spoken to them. Even if she was angry with him, he knew she'd have never abandoned Toni without a word. The more he mulled the whole thing over, the less sense it made. When Toni spoke, her voice was small and tentative. “Is she the reason you've been so sad lately?” He stared at her, considered her question. Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he nodded. “Yes, Toni. I suppose she is.” “I didn’t realize how her leaving would affect you.” She sniffled, swiped her hand across her cheek. Was she crying? Now his curiosity was really piqued. The girl's tears started in earnest. “I was so furious when I found out about you two.” Clenching his jaw, he sighed. No one taught you how to handle this sort of thing in Parenting 101. “I know. And I'm sorry you saw what you did, but honestly, I don’t regret falling for Scarlet.” There. He'd said it out loud. He had fallen for her. God help him, he was in love with her. “I wanted you to be mine—only mine. Madre always had one man or another and I never felt as important as her boyfriends.” Sobs wracked her body. “I'm sorry, Dad.”

His chest tightened at her misery. “I'm sorry, too.” He hugged her, let her cry on his shoulder. “I promise you I'll always be here for you, Toni. I'll do my best to never let you down and I'll never push you aside for any woman in my life.” He let her go, reached into the glove box for a tissue and handed it to her. Wiping off her cheeks, she nodded. “I believe you and I know you're different from Madre.” After giving her a minute to regain her composure, he continued. “What happened with Scarlet? Why did she leave?” She sucked in a deep breath and laid her head back against the seat. “She found me on the grounds of the villa that morning I came back, before I went to the house. I told her I hated her for what you and she did.” He hung his head and winced. That would have killed Scarlet. “I didn't mean it, not really. I was just…jealous.” “That's understandable.” More tears ran down her face. “We made a deal.” Ethan stared at her, riveted. “What kind of deal?” She turned toward the window and he knew she couldn't bear to look at him. He clenched his jaw, preparing for her confession. “I agreed to go back to Miami with you, rather than stay with Madre if Scarlet left and never tried to see either of us again.” All the air sucked out of his lungs. Scarlet's disappearance hadn't a thing to do with jealousy over Carmela. How could he have thought so little of her? He should have known better. “I'm sorry, Dad. It was selfish and mean. I realize that now.” She set a hand on his arm. “I feel so horrible now, knowing how much I've hurt you and her, too.” He could only imagine how difficult it must have been for Scarlet to leave. But typical of her, she’d put everyone's needs in front of her own. He mentally kicked himself for not figuring it out. “What I didn't know was how much I'd miss her.” Despite his pain, he smiled. “You liked her, didn’t you? I suspected as much, but I didn’t dare ask.” “How could anyone not like her?” She smirked. “She was a royal pain in my ass.” Catching what she'd said, she pursed her lips. “Sorry. But you know what I mean. She made me mad a lot, but deep down, I liked her. I miss her so much now. I hadn't realized it until Grandma pointed out.” His mother? “Oh?” Nodding, she went on. “Yesterday we were talking about Scarlet, me and Grandma. I was telling her all the stuff we did, the places we went and Grandma said, 'Sounds like she's a special person. You must miss her.' Then it hit me. I do miss her. I liked having her around.” Swallowing back the lump in his throat, he took Toni's hand. “Can’t tell you how much that means to me. I have no idea if she'll even speak to me, but I'm going to try like hell to get her to come back home, where she belongs.” Toni smiled. “I'll do whatever I can to help.” He may need her help, but he wanted to try to talk some sense into Scarlet on his own first. Toni hugged him for a long moment when he dropped her at school a few minutes later. “I love you, Dad.”

“I love you, too.” He pulled away from the curb and called Patti at the office. “Reschedule my appointments today. I have much more pressing business to attend to. And I'll need you to get me an address.” ***** Thanks to Patti, Ethan now held a slip of paper with Scarlet's sister's address. As he parked his car in front of a humble bungalow in the center of Miami, he observed that his Porsche stood out like a sore thumb in the working class neighborhood. A navy baby stroller sat on the cement porch next to a window box bursting with marigolds. The chain link fenced yard was small but well-tended with a few shrubs and short clipped grass. He recognized the older model Honda in the driveway as the one he'd seen the day he'd hired Scarlet. Mouth dry as cotton, he took a deep breath, hoping to calm his thumping heart. He crossed his fingers for luck and climbed out of the car. When he reached the door, he combed his fingers through his hair, straightened his shirt and puffed out his chest. Then he quickly rang the doorbell before he could back out. From inside he heard a baby crying, saw a figure rush past the closed curtains. The crying stopped a full minute before a woman he knew had to be Scarlet's sister pulled open the wooden door with a tiny baby in her arms. Through the screen door he could see she had the same dark eyes and tall frame as Scarlet, only her hair was short and curlier. She wore no makeup yet her skin was perfect. “Yes?” Looking him over head to toe, she lifted an eyebrow. “Can I help you?” “I'm looking for Scarlet,” he said. The baby cooed in his mother's arms. She glanced down at him and smiled contentedly, obviously the born mother Scarlet had described. “Are you—” “Ethan Chandler,” he finished. Her mouth dropped open and her eyes grew larger. “Oh. Oh, my. Come in, please.” She pushed open the screen door and ushered him inside. “I'm Layla Matthews, by the way.” “I know.” He entered the house, took in the threadbare rug, the ancient sofa and the wellworn recliner. Like the yard, the place was humble, but clean and well cared for. He waited as she shut the door and gestured at the couch. “Scarlet's not here right now,” Layla said, taking a seat on the recliner. Had she moved into a new place so quickly? Started her new life without him? Disappointment shrouded him like a wet blanket. “She's at work.” She adjusted the child in her arms. Dropping his gaze to the child, he smiled. “I've heard all about him. He's beautiful.” She appeared to relax a little, lost some of the starch in her shoulders. “Thank you. We're so blessed that he's an easy baby.” He nodded as if he understood, but Toni had been anything but easy. Rather, she fussed at bath time, bedtime and during meals. The only time she seemed happy was when she played. “You're very fortunate.” Silence, thick as molasses settled between them. Finally he cleared his throat, adjusted himself on the seat. “So, Scarlet is working. I'm glad she found something so quickly.” Liar. He despised the idea of her working for someone else.

“It wasn't her first choice, has nothing to do with kids, you kno w, but it's a steady paycheck.” The phone rang and she shot out of her chair to answer it. “Excuse me a moment.” Baby in one arm and phone in the other, she nodded and spoke about her husband's availability for something. “Can you hang on a sec while I grab a paper and pen? Thanks.” She set the phone down, crossed the floor to a computer desk and picked up a tablet and pencil one-handed. Ethan hurried over. “Let me hold him for you,” he offered. She looked as if the weight of the world had been taken off her shoulders, she passed the baby into Ethan's arms. “Thanks.” While Layla spoke into the phone and wrote on the tablet, Ethan paced the room, rocking the child, talking to him and enjoying the smell of baby powder and innocence. Layla finished her conversation then approached him. “Had enough?” He shook his head. “Never.” Lifting an eyebrow, she stared at him as if he were a science project. “You're one of those men with the gift.” “The gift?” “Mm hmm. Kids love you and you them. Am I right? You're a born nurturer.” She sat on the recliner and smothered a yawn. “Forgive me. I've been at this since five this morning. Between taking care of a newborn, a hard-working husband and my broken-hearted sister, I'm whipped.” She gasped. “I didn’t mean that like it came out. Scarlet's told me next to nothing about you and…well, what happened between you two.” So Scarlet was just as much a mess as he. Layla sure knew how to throw a guy into the emotional Iron Maiden. He prickled with guilt, even though he now knew none of this was his doing, nor Scarlet's. “She's broken-hearted, huh?” Dropping her gaze, she nodded solemnly. “Afraid so. Maybe I could help if you told me what happened.” From everything Scarlet had told him, this woman was her closest confidante and as true blue as they came. What did he have to lose? Maybe Layla was his best shot at getting Scarlet back. He sank into the cushion and told her the entire story. ***** Scarlet ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich at her desk as she worked on her new budget. Between the financial aid for college a coworker had told her about and her salary, she'd be able to take two classes per semester, provided she found a roommate soon to split expenses. Much as the job bored her, she knew she could get by on her own and that meant a lot. A young deputy stopped at her desk and smiled. “You must be Joe Matthews' sister-in-law.” Setting her pen aside, she nodded and offered her hand. “Scarlet Eldridge.” As he shook with her and gave her a less-than-subtle once over. “You're even prettier than he described.” Her cheeks heated like a schoolgirl's. “Thank you.” God, the last thing she was interested in now was dating. She wondered if Joe were trying to fix her up again, made a mental note to clobber him when she saw him later. He sat on the edge of her desk with a shit-eating grin on his face. “Walt McKenna. Nice to meet you.”

A gaggle of secretaries entered the department and hurried past. Deputy McKenna made sure he checked out each woman's breasts. “If you'll excuse me, Walt, I should get back to work. Don’t want to screw up my job my very first week.” He made no move to get up. “Think maybe I could take you out sometime? Maybe this weekend?” “That’d be awesome,” she gushed. “You can come meet my family. My sister just had a baby. You like babies, Walt? I want a houseful. What about you? How old are you anyway? You go to church? You're not one of those men who doesn’t believe in marriage, are you?” She gave him a big, fake smile. He leapt off her desk as it were on fire, and backed away. “You know, I just remembered I'm going out of town this weekend. Sorry.” Poor guy ran away so fast his feet could hardly keep up. Thank goodness. She'd have to make it clear to Joe that she had no interest in dating a cop, or any other man for that matter. Every good looking man she saw she compared to Ethan. And not a single one could hold a candle to him. She conjured an image of him and her heart ached. She wanted him more than ever, but a deal was a deal. Besides, if Toni didn’t want her around, she didn’t want to be there. The girl had a right to the family she'd always hoped for and that obviously didn’t include Scarlet. Maybe someday it would hurt a little less. ***** Toni practically attacked Ethan the second he walked in the door that afternoon. “How'd it go?” She hopped up and down frantically. “I've bitten my nails to the quick waiting to hear from you since I got home from school. You have to tell me. What'd she say?” “I haven't spoken to her yet.” He sat at the kitchen table and steepled his hands. Her face fell. “What!” Dorothy hurried into the kitchen. “What's wrong, Toni?” She saw Ethan and the tension on her face eased. “Oh, I didn’t hear you come in. I certainly hope you've gotten things settled with Scarlet. Toni's been on pins and needles all day and I gotta admit, I've caught a bit of it, too.” “I was explaining to Toni that I haven’t spoken to Scarlet yet, but I plan to tomorrow.” “Tomorrow?” Toni complained. “Why do we have to wait?” He alternated his gaze from one woman to the other. “I'm going to need your help. Both of you.” Toni's eyebrows shot up and she smiled big. “Really?” Even his mother seemed excited. She took a seat at the table and scrubbed her hands together. “What are we gonna do?” “Go get a tablet and a pen for me,” he ordered Toni. She came back seconds later and set the items on the table. “Now what?” He wrote number one on the first line. “In the morning we need to go get a gift card for a really nice, romantic restaurant.” They nodded, but the confusion on both their faces made him laugh. “Number two,” he said as he wrote. “We'll need to buy a movie camera and a nanny cam.” “Tell us the plan,” Toni whined. He held the pen in the air. “Be patient.” He wrote number three. “Call your friend Paul tomorrow. See if he's a halfway decent photographer, would you? We'll need him here by noon.”

“Ethan,” his mother said. “You have to fill us in. The suspense is killing me. I'm an old woman and who knows if my heart can take much more.” He smiled and leaned in close. “Okay, ladies. Here's the plan.”

Chapter Sixteen Scarlet awoke to the smell of sausage cooking Saturday morning. Peeling an eye open, she caught a glimpse of Layla scurrying about the kitchen. She rolled over, trying to block out the sound of plates banging and pots crashing. The moment the din from the kitchen stopped, her stomach groaned with hunger. Ignore it. Didn’t work. Throwing the covers aside, she got up, stripped the sheets from the bed and tucked them into the basket under an end table where they were kept. Only two more days until she moved into her own place. Of course, she had no furniture, so Layla's lumpy sofa might end up being pretty appealing after a few weeks on the floor. But she didn't want to think about that now. Instead, she followed her nose to the kitchen and helped her sister set platters loaded with sausage, eggs and toast on the small table. Joe entered the room wearing shorts and a tank top, the morning newspaper tucked under his arm. “Did you ask her yet, honey?” They both stared at Layla who snared a guilty look at Scarlet. “Um, we need a favor this afternoon, Scarlet.” Scarlet shrugged. “You guys have done so much for me, I'd do anything for you. What do you need?” Layla brought a carton of orange juice to the table and poured herself a glass, then passed it to Joe. “Well, we were invited to this big fancy party tonight.” “One of the big wigs at the Sheriff's Office,” Joe explained. Scarlet nodded, praying they weren't going to ask her to be some lonely guy's date for the event. She'd had about enough of Joe's buddies asking her out on pity dates. “Joe's folks have been dying to have the baby over, so we thought tonight would work out great. They can babysit while we're at the party. We can pick him up on our way home.” Joe shoveled six sausage links and half the eggs onto his plate. God, she wished she had his metabolism. “You know they live up in Lauderdale. About forty minutes in Saturday traffic.” “I have to go buy a dress for the party, then I have a manicure appointment at four. Couldn't get in any earlier.” Layla bit into her toast. “Thought I'd splurge a little.” Stabbing a bite of eggs, Joe continued the explanation. “And I promised my buddy Mario I'd help him move today.” It felt like a tennis match with them hitting pieces of the puzzle back and forth. Scarlet automatically looked to Layla to continue. “So there's no way either of us can get David up to Joe's parents' house.” Layla folded her hands like she was praying. “We'd owe you so big if you'd drive the baby up there. You can use my car. I'll walk to the salon.” Why were they making such a huge deal about this? “It's no biggie, guys. I'd be happy to take David there.” She helped herself to eggs and sausage and part of the newspaper. As she read the local section, she realized her Saturday morning would be spent all alone from now on, at least until she found a roommate. She thought back to her weekends at Ethan's house, always filled with conversation, good food and companionship. The hole in her heart

ached. Before Scarlet's pity party had barely gotten off the ground, Layla jumped up from the table and started washing the pans. “I have loads of errands to run today, so as soon as the baby's up, I'm taking off with him.” Scarlet cleared her dish, took Joe's as well. “I'll come along.” “No!” Layla practically shouted. Scarlet took a step back. “I mean, it's stuff I need to do alone, that's all.” Layla let out a nervous laugh and Scarlet wondered if everything were okay between her and Joe. Layla never acted this agitated. When Joe kissed Layla on his way out the door a little while later, they seemed just as in love as ever. Scarlet wondered if she'd imagined her sister's nervousness earlier. Shrugging off the whole matter, she cleaned the living room and the bathroom, then settled on the couch with one of Layla's cast off romance novels and lost herself in the love story. Books were as close as she'd ever come to romance again. ***** “She's gone,” Layla told Ethan over the phone. He nodded to Toni and Dorothy. The three of them were only a few blocks away, hiding out behind an abandoned car wash. “We'll be right there.” Flipping his phone shut, he started the Porsche and had them at Layla's house in under a minute. After the introductions were made, the group began Operation Treasure Hunt, planting clues in the window box, the baby's crib, the refrigerator and several other spots around the house. Toni loaded the movie they'd made that morning onto the computer while Ethan hung the acorn necklace behind the wall clock in the kitchen. Dorothy found the perfect hiding spot for the tiny red velvet box while Layla showered and got ready for an evening on the town. When everything else was set, Joe helped Ethan set up the nanny cam. At five-twenty, Ethan handed a handsomely dressed Joe the keys to his Porsche and gave Layla—looking lovely in her new dress—a two hundred dollar gift card to one of the best restaurants in Miami. “Have a great time,” he told them, patting Joe's arm. “If you put a scratch on her, you realize I'll have to kill you, right?” Joe laughed and took his wife's hand. “Same to you, buddy. Take good care of our Scarlet.” “Always.” Ethan knew the guy meant it, but he intended to treat her right, tonight and forever. He gave Layla a kiss on the cheek. “Couldn’t have done it without you.” He shut his eyes for a moment, prayed the whole thing would proceed exactly as planned and that Scarlet would be his by the end of the night. Checking the clock, he blew out a nervous breath. “Okay, ladies. It's show time. Toni, would you turn on the nanny cam? Places everyone.” ***** Scarlet turned into Layla's driveway and stared at the empty house. An entire evening all alone. Great. Thrilled as she was that Joe and her sister were at some swanky party, the last thing she needed now was to be by herself. She'd be getting quite enough of that as soon as she moved into her own apartment. Alone and no doubt lonely as hell. She dragged up the steps to the porch and started to put her key in the lock when she noticed an envelope taped to the door with her name on. Curiosity piqued, she tore it open and read: Before you come in, it would be a sin,

Not to stop and smell all the flowers, Your dear sister tended for so many hours. What in the world was Layla up to? Scarlet's insides warmed at the memory of the treasure hunts their mother used to make for them. And the treasure was always wonderful—tickets to a movie, a coupon for an ice cream sundae or a picnic in the park. Was this her sister's way of trying to push away the black clouds that had settled over Scarlet's mood? Why not? She could use a little fun for a change. Wasn't as if she had some important plans for the evening. She hurried to the window box, pushed the marigolds aside and found another envelope. Pulling out the clue, she giggled. Welcome, welcome to one and all, If I slip, someone may fall, Do be careful, be sure to wipe, Or Layla will make you vacuum the hall. These were way too easy. Grinning, she peeled back the welcome mat and grabbed her next clue. Where sugarplum fairies take to flight, And o'er my head there hangs a light, A precious head upon me rests, Every nap time and every night. She rolled her eyes as she slid her key into the lock. “Come on, Layla,” she said aloud. “I could get these with my eyes closed.” But the excitement of the game was getting to her. Racing toward the nursery, she let out a giggle. She found the clue exactly where she knew she would, in David's crib. That led her to another clue and another and another. By the tenth one, she was shaking her head. Were these hunts this long when they were kids or had she lost some patience over the years? She climbed onto a kitchen chair and pulled the clock off the wall. There was the clue taped to the back. When she went to re-hang the clock, she thought her eyes were playing tricks on her. Dangling from the nail was her acorn necklace. How in the world had Layla gotten it? Of course—she'd bought it at the jewelry store a few blocks away. When she plucked it off the nail, she nearly cried. Tearing open the envelope, she was surprised to find yet another clue. Wasn't the necklace her treasure? Did her sweet sister actually have more loot hidden for her? The next rhyme led her to the computer. Waking the sleeping machine, she found the icon labeled, “Clue #12.” This was certainly something they'd never thought of when they were kids. Settling into the desk chair, she watched as a movie began playing. An older woman with short, blonde hair started speaking. Wait a second. She looked familiar. “Hello, Scarlet. Dorothy Adams here.” Whoa. Ethan's mother? She gasped and leaned closer to the monitor. “None of this is what you think,” Dorothy went on. “Your sister was a willing participant, but only 'cause she loves you very much and wants to see you happy.” What the hell? “I have you to thank for bringing me here to my granddaughter.” Toni entered the shot and Scarlet covered her mouth, holding back tears. “Thank you for writing to her, Scarlet,” Toni said, wrapping her arm around the older woman's shoulder. “We've become great friends.” Toni lowered her head and the camera zoomed

to her face. “I was wrong, Scarlet. I never should have made that bargain with you, because deep in my heart, I never wanted you to leave. I was just afraid of losing my dad. I hope you can forgive me.” Tears rolled down her cheeks as she watched. To her amazement, Ethan stepped into the frame. “Hey, Scarlet. I owe you an apology, too. I never should have given up on trying to get you to take my calls. I hope the treasure you find will move you and bring you back into our lives.” She was sobbing now, like a baby, wishing she was in his arms instead of miles away in an empty house. The camera panned back to Dorothy. “Here's your last clue, Scarlet. Buried treasure hides in your bed, The place that gives you a crick, so you said, Go on a hunt, just don’t walk away, Find what I've left you in velvet of red.” Dorothy smiled sweetly. “Go on now, we'll wait for you here.” Racing to the couch, Scarlet tore at the cushions like a maniac. One after the other, she tossed them onto the floor until she found it. She stood frozen, rooted to the spot, afraid to reach for it for fear it would evaporate, afraid this was all a cruel dream. “Aren’t you going to get it?” She spun around and found the three of them standing in the hall just outside the doorway. Had they been here all along? “Oh. My God.” She gasped for air, more shocked and excited than she'd ever been before. Ethan wore a tuxedo and looked more handsome than she'd ever seen him. “We were in Layla and Joe's room, watching.” Ethan pointed to a camera on top of the entertainment center stuck between two plants. How could she have missed it? “We couldn't stand not to see your reaction to our movie.” Toni rushed over to her and hugged her tightly. The greatest feeling of warmth surrounded them. When Toni finally let go, she pulled Dorothy over. “I'd like you to meet my grandmother.” Scarlet shook the woman's hand, but Dorothy embraced her instead. “I don't know how to thank you, Scarlet. You've given me the most precious gift, my family.” She released Scarlet and stepped away. Then it was Ethan's turn. But instead of hugging her, he took her hand, led her to the couch and pointed to the box. “After all that aren't you going to investigate what your treasure box holds?” Heart racing, she reached for it and pried it open. Instead of the ring she assumed would be there, she found a folded scrap of paper. Narrowing her gaze, she looked at Ethan, hoping for an answer. He shrugged. “Read it.” She carefully unfolded it and read: This coupon entitles the bearer to the most romantic evening she's ever had. Your chariot awaits. Please look out the window. Confusion swirled in her head. “What's going on?” “Do what the paper says, would you?” His grin peeked through, although he'd obviously been trying to hold it back.

Tentatively, she peeled back the curtain and saw a long black limousine parked in front of the house. Holding her hand over her heart for fear it might jump out of her body, she questioned him with her eyes. “We're going for a little ride.” His wink melted her on the spot. Turning to his mother, he tossed her a set of keys. “The Toyota's parked around the block. You know how to get home from here?” She nodded. “Toni will help if I get lost.” She gave Scarlet a final hug, then Toni did the same. “Have fun,” Toni said, pushing her toward the door. Ethan took her hand and helped her into the car. She'd never seen anything so lavish. To her astonishment, he took another red velvet box and handed it to her. Wondering if this was the real thing, she timidly opened it. She could hardly breathe and she lifted the top and found a platinum ring with diamonds in the shape of a horseshoe. “Oh, my God, oh, my God.” Ethan took the ring from her and slipped it onto her finger. “I know we haven’t known each other very long, but sometimes the truth is right there in front of your face and you don’t see it. I had no idea why I had to hire you without interviewing anyone else, maybe providence or fate, or whatever you want to call it. Somehow I knew you were the one, not just for the job, but for me.” Unable to hold back her tears another second, she let loose and didn’t care that she must look like a complete idiot “Scarlet Eldridge, I've never known anyone quite like you. We’ve only known each other a short time, but sometimes…sometimes you just know. I've fallen completely under your spell and my heart will never be satisfied with anyone but you. I love you as I've never loved anyone else.” His eyes glistened with tears. “Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife and making me the happiest—and the luckiest—man in the world.” She tried to calm down enough to answer. Wiping away her tears, she looked him straight in the eyes and said, “Yes!” Ethan kissed her eyes, her cheeks, her nose and finally, her lips. “Now we celebrate.” He opened a cooler and took out a bottle of champagne and two glasses. “Have you thought of everything?” She accepted one of the glasses and as he poured, she wondered if she could stop trembling long enough to take a sip. He filled his flute and raised it to hers. “To the love of my life, who incidentally, still hasn't said she loves me.” She tapped her glass to his. For so long she'd denied her feelings. She couldn’t believe she actually got to say it finally. “I love you, Ethan Chandler, and I plan to spend the rest of my life showing you how much I do.” They drank, then Ethan took the flutes and set them back in the cooler. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her long and sweet. Threading his fingers through her hair, he held her face inches from his and she saw something in his eyes she'd wanted to find her whole life. He loved her completely and totally, exactly as she loved him. The car sped up and Scarlet glanced out the window. They'd gotten onto the highway. “Where are we going?” A wicked grin lifted a corner of his sexy mouth. “I've rented the penthouse of the Tristar Hotel.”

She covered her heart with her hand. “That has to be the most luxurious, expensive room in the entire city.” And when they arrived, she realized why. The suite took up a large corner of the top floor. Panoramic windows gave them a view of Biscayne Bay and all of South Beach. Ethan led her to the bedroom and opened the closet door. “Layla helped me with this.” He motioned toward a black evening gown and peep-toe patent leather heels. It was more than she could absorb, all of it. “I love it.” Ethan took off his jacket and laid it over a chair. “I thought you might want a bath first, though.” She let him lead her into the bathroom, the most luxurious one she’d ever seen with a sunken tub the size of a small swimming pool. Ethan had his clothes off in seconds then started the faucet. When she began to undress, he took her hand. “Let me.” Slipping his hands under her shirt, he gradually lifted it higher, skimming over her sides and her back. She held her breath as a rush of pleasure shimmied over her skin. “I’ve died and gone to heaven.” He grinned. “Not yet.” He tossed her shirt away then kneeled in front of her and removed her shoes and shucked off her shorts. He kissed her inner thighs Need quickened her blood and her desire flared hot and thick. He hooked his fingers under her panties and slowly rolled them down her legs. Then he helped her into the tub and poured bubble bath under the running water. Woodsy scented steam floated into the air. Ethan climbed in after her and settled facing her on the opposite side of the tub. He picked up a bottle of liquid soap and showed her the familiar label. “Your favorite, right?” She laughed. “Have you thought of everything?” “I sure hope so.” He poured the liquid onto a bath sponge then started washing her feet. She leaned her head back, letting Ethan pamper her. He gently scrubbed her entire body, finishing with an extra-thorough pass at her breasts. “Clean enough yet?” she joked. “Well, let’s see.” He climbed closer and lowered his mouth to a peaked point. Laving her tight bud, he glided a skilled hand to her mound. She moaned as molten lust flooded her senses. Her sex throbbed, desperate for attention. Ethan sucked on her nipple as he rubbed her cleft and circled her engorged clit. She arched toward him, sank her fingers into his thickly muscled shoulders. Burying her fingers in his thick hair, she shut her eyes a moment then opened them to make sure it was real this time, and not the dream she’d been having nearly every night since she’d been apart from him. She eased her legs wider and Ethan took advantage of the opportunity to slide his fingers inside her. She was so close to her climax. He trailed his tongue along her collarbone to her neck then pulled her earlobe into his mouth and scraped his teeth over it. Hot, wonderful sensations swamped her orgasm pulled her under. The deluge of joy rolled on and on. Ethan took her mouth, explored and plundered it. She closed her fist around his hard length and smiled at the familiar growl that rumbled through him. He lifted her to the wide ledge of the tub and set her on the edge. Spreading her thighs wide, he licked the water from her slit, dipped his tongue inside and pulled it along her folds. She grasped the tiled edge as another climax neared. “You’ve ruined me for anyone else, you know.” He stopped what he was doing and tilted his head back to stare into her eyes. “Good thing. Because I’m never letting you go, Scarlet.”

He stood in the bathtub and eased his cock against her entrance. She lifted her hips toward him and he pushed inside, inch by delicious inch. Then started thrusting, slowly at first, gradually picking up his pace. Her pleasure detonated in a sweet burning rush of unspeakable bliss. Her innermost walls clenched around him as ecstasy gripped her, heightening with every stroke. When Ethan’s climax came, she tightened her intimate muscles, milking him for every last drop of euphoria. They made love in the bedroom again after a lavish gourmet dinner, then again before the sun came up. She couldn’t get enough of him. They lay in the bed later, soaking up the afterglow, and Scarlet knew this was forever. “I love you so much, Ethan. I can’t imagine how wonderful our life will be.” He drew her against him and kissed the top of her head. “I want to give you everything, Scarlet. You'd better get used to being spoiled from now on. The best is yet to come.”

Epilogue Two years later Scarlet stepped into the family room and twirled in a circle so Ethan and Toni could approve her outfit. “What do you guys think?” Toni pursed her lips and made a beeline for her. “The cap's crooked. Let me fix it.” Smiling, Scarlet eased herself onto the couch and Toni came at her with bobby pins in hand. “You're not going to throw it in the air at the end of the ceremony, are you?” the sixteen year old asked. “You'll ruin your hair if you do.” Scarlet huffed. “Of course I am. I've worked too long and hard for this to worry about messing up my hair.” “No one will be looking at your hair, love.” Ethan fixed her with a cocky grin. “They'll be pointing to you asking when the president is coming out.” Both women stared blankly at him. “You look like the White House in that robe.” Scarlet threw him an exaggerated frown, but his joke didn’t bother her in the least. “It's all your fault.” Staring down at her huge white robe, she folded her hands over her swollen midsection. She resembled a tent of some sort. Thank goodness she'd be graduating before the babies came. No way would she have been able to take final exams with newborn twins to contend with. Ethan closed the distance between them and planted a kiss on her lips. “I take all the responsibility but none of the blame. Anyway, you look more beautiful now than ever.” Toni pretended to stick her finger into her throat. “You two are disgusting. Quit it. Bad enough my friends now know you two have sex, but do we have to engage in such public displays of affection?” Ethan ignored her and gave Scarlet another kiss. “We're not in public.” Toni's cell phone rang and she turned away to answer, spoke in a hushed voice, then hung up. “I'll meet you guys at the auditorium.” She grabbed her purse and started toward the garage. “Wait a second,” Scarlet said. “Where are you going?” Toni and Ethan exchanged knowing glances. “I guess we can tell her now,” he said. “We have a surprise for you.” The girl pulled her keys out of her purse. “Grandma's plane's arrived. I'm picking her up at the airport and bringing her to your graduation.” “Dorothy? No way!” Scarlet beamed at the prospect of having her whole family together. Ethan wrapped an arm protectively around her shoulder. “She wanted to surprise you, but I think too many surprises in your condition might not be such a great idea.” “Thank you both. I can’t wait to see her. Will she stay for the birth?” Toni checked the clock, then took off running toward the kitchen. “I've got to go. See you there.” Scarlet looked at her husband, the man who'd made all her dreams come true. “Will she?” “She's staying for the summer, long as it's okay with you. Said she wouldn't miss the birth of the twins for anything.” He rubbed a gentle hand over her belly. “My sons will have to start learning early how to contend with the women in this family.” She kissed his cheek. “What was that for?” He stood, glanced at his watch.

Accepting his hand to help her up, she grinned. “That was for making me the luckiest lady in the world.”

About the author Wynter Daniels lives in Central Florida with her husband of more than twenty years and their two nearly grown children. They are all the slaves of two very demanding cats. After careers in marketing and the salon industry, Wynter’s wicked prose begged to be set free. She loves to hear from readers, but only if it’s good! Find Wynter at her website or on Facebook.