Page 39 of Baby Nanny

A small frown formed between her brows. “I mean… What happens to us? The entire reason we married was to provideyour niece with a stable home. But what happens to our marriage if Isabella isn’t in the picture?”

“Do you think I’ll stop wanting you?”

“Yes,” she replied bluntly.

He shook his head. “That won’t happen.”

Her breath caught and she searched his face. “Are you serious? If they took Isabella away, you’d want our marriage to continue?”

“Isn’t that what you want, too?”

He could see the naked longing in her gaze, but it was tempered with caution and something else. Something that had haunted her from the first time they’d met. Before she could reply, the door banged open and Isabella charged into the room with Madam . Atumble of puppies followed close behind. Jack glanced over his shoulder and stopped the entire menagerie in their tracks.

“That is not the proper way to enter a bedroom,” he informed her in no uncertain terms. “Please take Madam and the puppies and go outside. Knock on the door and wait until you’re invited in before opening the door. Got it?”

His niece stood there, debating whether to turn stubborn or to obey. To his relief, she spun around and shoved at Madam until the dog trotted out of the room. Then she herded the puppies. The instant the door shut behind them, Jack escaped the bed and tossed a nightgown in Annalise’s direction while he donned a pair of drawstring pants.

“I believe you still owe me an answer to my question,” he reminded hiswife.

“There’s no time to discuss it right now,” she informedhim.

“Tonight, then?”

She worried at that for a minute before releasing a gusty sigh and nodding. “Okay, fine. We’ll talk about it again tonight.”

For some reason, she didn’t look happy about it, and a wintry coldness swept through him. He didn’t know what secrets she kept, but he refused to lose the world she’d built for all of them. He wouldn’t be forced from paradise now that he’d finally foundit.

A soft knock sounded at the door of the bedroom, putting an end to the conversation. He opened the door to Isabella who, much to his delight, threw herself into his arms. Madam followed with matronly dignity, which the barking, squabbling puppies spoiled by nipping at her heels and jumping at hertail.

In the six weeks since their birth, they’d put on size and weight at an impressive rate. The vet had been very pleased with their progress during their last checkup and pronounced dame and puppies in excellent health.

Jack had already promised three of the pups to eager families of business associates, and he doubted he’d have much difficulty placing the others. He hadn’t told Isabella or Annalise, yet, but he’d already decided they were going to keep the smallest of the six , amale who made up for his status as runt with a personality bigger than the other five combined. This one, in particular, had won all their hearts. He would also make a good companion dog for Madam.

The next hour passed in a rush as everyone pitched in to gather up the puppies and return them to the room in which they remained penned whenever they couldn’t be watched. After dressing, he, Annalise, and Isabella shared their ritual family breakfast before he headed off to the office. If a hint of stiltedness existed between husband and wife, it couldn’t behelped. Whatever the cause, tonight would correct the situation. The instant they finished eating, his niece gave him a farewell kiss then made a beeline for the stairs leading to the bedrooms and thedogs.

Jack turned to Annalise and held her gaze, forcing himself to use a hint of the ferocity that had helped him turn a small, startup import/export business into a multi-billion-dollar international success story. He aimed it straight in the direction of a lanky, golden-eyed ex-nanny with intoxicating kisses and a heart even larger than his bank account.

“Tonight,” he reminded his wife. “Cards on the table.” He didn’t phrase it as a question.

She gave a steadfast nod. “I told you we would. But, Jack—” Her voice held an unmistakable warning. “You might not like the hand I deal you.”

The doorbell sounded in the distance and his mouth twisted. “I may surprise you.”

He dropped a swift kiss on his wife’s mouth before going to answer the imperious summons. He opened the door, less than pleased to discover the Wicked Witch of all four compass points, plus several in between standing on his welcome mat. Or in her case, his unwelcomemat.

“Mrs. Locke.”

“Mr. Mason.”

He planted himself between her and his home and eyed the birdlike woman. He’d learned during their first meeting just how deceptive appearances could be. She barely reached the middle of his chest and appeared fragile enough for an errant breeze to snap in two. But that was as much a lie as the cheerful, robin’s-egg-blue eyes that blinked sweetly from behind the lenses of herrimless spectacles. She offered a wide, guileless smile that didn’t fool him for one little minute. He beheld a witch cloaked in the plumage of an innocent sparrow.

The two squared off against each other and Jack launched the first volley. “Did we have an appointment you forgot to arrange?” he asked mildly.

She looked entirely too pleased with herself which put him on instant alert. “It’s called an unannounced home inspection.”

“That’s funny. According to my lawyer, you were supposed to call and arrange a convenient time for a visit.”

“That would have defeated the entire point of the ‘unannounced’ portion of the inspection.” She folded her twig arms across her nonexistent bosom. “Are you going to let me in, or are you going to continue looming there in that threatening manner?”

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