Page 38 of The Comeback Heir
Ten
Total silence reigned for at least half a minute after her blurted truth bomb.
Wynn paled. Or at least she thought he did. It was hard to be sure in the restaurant’s dim, romantic lighting.
The long, tanned fingers of his right hand drummed on the table. “Is that a possibility?” His jaw was tight.
“Well, what do you think?” she asked, exasperated. “We were together once. And do you ever look in the mirror?” She studied him now. The dark hand-tailored suit. Crisp white shirt. Patterned navy tie. He was sex on a stick. Looking at him made her weak. Add in their romantic past, and the situation became a potent minefield.
“I thought we were friends,” he said, the tone oddly formal.
“We are friends. But I’m living in your house and kissing you and...” She trailed off, unable to mention what happened that morning.
“I thought you wanted us to sleep together,” he said, narrowing his gaze so she felt like a witness in her own trial.
“I do. I did. But I think I made a mistake. You should find someone else to be your nanny.”
“You agreed. We have a contract.”
“I never signed anything, and you know it. My only sin is not saying no in the first place. It was an outlandish idea from the very beginning. You need a professional. A neutral party.”
The meal arrived, and their conversation was shelved momentarily. But green eyes watched her, waiting as she ate.
Over the dessert course, he picked up the battle. “You’re only saying the falling-in-love thing because you want to get back to your jet-set life and your wide circle of friends.”
“Are you trying to be insulting?”
He snorted. “Be fair, Fliss. If you had seen a recent picture of me with two hot women hanging on my arm, wouldn’t you have made assumptions?”
Her eyes widened. “Do you seriously believe I’m in the middle of some erotic ménage à trois?”
“Who knows?” He leaned back in his chair and licked whipped cream off his fork. “You could be sleeping with anybody at all, and I wouldn’t know.”
“Because we’re strangers,” she said forcefully, careful to keep her voice low. The waiters popped up with aggravating regularity. “We saw each other once on a plane, and then I came to your sister’s funeral. We aren’t even the same people we were fifteen years ago.”
“I’m not sure that’s true. You felt familiar in my bed, in my arms. Your kisses are the same.”
Felicity didn’t know how to respond because he was right. Being intimate with Wynn had been exciting and shocking and somewhat intimidating, but on another level, she felt comfortable with him. What an odd paradox.
“Maybe you’re not wrong,” she said grudgingly. “About the sex, I mean. But sex complicates things.”
He snorted. “Says a woman. You won’t ever hear a guy trot out that line. And when we’re talking about sex with a lover you’ve known for years, it seems pretty damn easy to me. You and I always had something special in that department. Why can’t we enjoy it? You’re not going to fall in love with me...you don’t even like me very much.”
Her mouth fell open, and she blushed. “What does that mean?”
His smile gentled. He took the last bite of his French silk pie. “Finish your dessert, Fliss. It means you think I’ve sold out. You’re not at all sure that having so much money is a good thing. I can see it in your eyes. You’d much rather I was a city employee or a school principal.”
“That’s ridiculous,” she muttered.
“Is it?”
Unfortunately, he did know her all too well. They had both come from poor families. Seeing Wynn’s world up close made her uneasy, though she wasn’t sure why.
“We’re getting off track,” she said. “The point is, I need you to look for another nanny. As soon as possible.”
He shrugged. “I don’t want to,” he said. “You’re honest and trustworthy, and you love Ayla already.”
“I’m not a Girl Scout,” she snapped. “And I’m not so honest.”