Page 48 of The Nanny and the Beefcake
She’d never rely on a man ever again.
“What about your brothers? Would you say they’re unreliable?”
“That’s different. They’re good men.”
“Couldn’t there be other good men out there?” he challenged.
“Perhaps, but they’re not meant for me.”
“Just sex, no love?” Raz continued.
“That’s right, just sex,” she repeated, working to keep her tone even.
Why was that so difficult?
She and Raz stared at each other as another gulf of silence encapsulated the car. Her eyes had adjusted to the dim light, and she watched him study her. What was going on in his mind? Had she shocked him? Did he assume every woman dreamed of falling in love?
Had he been in love? Was he still in love with someone?
She’d never even entertained the thought that this stupidly sexy, arrogant beefcake of a man was even capable of the emotion.
“Libby,” he said, his voice taking on a gravelly quality that had her libido taking notice.
“Yes?” she breathed as a flash of light lit his features.
“I agree with,” he began, then reared back. “Bloody hell!”
“What?” she asked, searching his face as the light faded to black.
“There’s someone in my house. The lights just flickered,” he replied, looking past her.
“Should we call the police?” she asked, turning to survey the massive home.
“No, they already think we’re crazy. Stay in the car. I’ll handle this,” he said, opening his door.
If Erasmus Cress thought she was a stay-in-the-car damsel in distress, he had a lot to learn.
“You’re not going in there alone,” she called, grabbing her yoga tote and meeting him on the walkway that led to the front door.
He looked her over. “What will you do? Throw vibrators at the burglars?”
She checked the bag. “I don’t know. There’s a mini gong in there, too.”
“Brilliant, we can gong the thief. Great plan!”
“At least it’s a plan,” she threw back.
“Let me take care of it, Libby. They don’t call me the Lion for nothing.”
“If that’s because you’re big and dumb, then I can see where you got the name,” she hissed. She was not the type of person who hissed, but this man, when he wasn’t making her head swim with dirty thoughts, made her blood boil.
He lifted a lid near the door handle, revealing a keypad, then entered a code. The bolt clicked.
“If you insist on coming with me, we’re going in on three,” he whispered.
She nodded.
“One, two—” Raz counted when the mansion’s grand front door swung open in a whoosh of air.
