“The agency needs to know what kind of person they’re sending out on interviews.” He shook his head with disgust. “She tried to slip me her number before I tossed her out. As if I’d have any interest in someone who showed no respect for you.”
I stood up, crossing my arms over my chest. “What are you doing, Elliot? When I asked if I could hold interviews here, I didn’t mean for you to show up to them.”
He waved off my concern. “It wasn’t a problem for Daniel to reschedule my appointments.”
“You never reschedule your appointments.”
His gaze landed on mine. “I haven’t had a reason to.” Crossing the room, he stopped in front of me, wrapping his fingers around my forearms. He unfolded them and lowered them to my sides, but he didn’t let go, holding on to my elbows in a firm grip. “Are you mad at me?”
“A little, yeah.”
“There is no way you wanted that woman to watch Jo. I did you a favor by ending the interview early. Myself a favor too. I couldn’t sit through any more of her condescending answers, could you?”
“No, but that isn’t the point. I need to be the one who has the final say. You can’t take that away from me.”
He tapped my arm twice, and it reminded me of the way he tapped his mouse when he was annoyed with me. Tap, tap, motherclucker, I’m a little annoyed with you too.
“You do have the final say.” That tapping finger stroked along the crook of my arm, back and forth. “But you agreed I could sit in on the interview when I arrived.”
“When you showed up without warning.”
“I wasn’t aware I needed warning to show up in my own home.”
I huffed. “I could have been naked.”
His brow winged, but this time, it wasn’t dubious. More like devious. “More reason for me not to warn you.”
My jaw dropped, and Elliot chuckled. “Shut up,” I muttered.
“You’re not mad, Catherine.”
“Says you.”
He laughed again. “I’ve never seen this pouty side of you.”
“And I’ve never heard you say you want to see me naked. We’re both learning things about each other.”
He cocked his head. “Did I say that?”
“It was implied.”
“Hmph. If that’s what you wish to think.” I rolled my eyes. It couldn’t be helped. “That little move got Mary thrown out.”
“Don’t be so obtuse and I won’t roll my eyes at you.”
One side of his mouth hooked. “I remember when you didn’t talk back.”
“And now you’re missing the days when I was a little mouse around you?”
“Did I say that?” he repeated.
His head was tilted down, and mine was tipped back. We watched each other, both with a hint of a smile. I still should have been annoyed with him, but that wasn’t what I was feeling. Awareness of our proximity made my breath quicken. His warm, broad hands cupping my elbows and the intensity of his gaze tracing over my features set alight long-cooled embers in my belly.
The chimes of the doorbell shattered the moment, making me jump. Elliot’s hands fell away.
“That must be the next nanny,” I said, turning toward the door.
Sharp cries from the baby monitor stopped me in my tracks. Elliot swept the monitor off the table, checking the screen.
“Josephine’s awake and pissed off.” He started for the stairs in a rush, like he couldn’t get to her quickly enough. “I’ll get her while you let the nanny in.”
“Okay. Thank you.” My heart did a funny thing at the sight of Elliot Levy bounding up the stairs to collect my daughter.
With no time to decipher what the twister inside my chest meant, I hurried to the door.
A broad man with soft brown eyes and a flop of chestnut hair stood on the other side. His smile held all the warmth Mary’s hadn’t.
“Hello. You must be Sam.”
He offered his hand. “I am Sam. You’re Catherine Warner, correct?”
His big hand engulfed mine as we shook. “Please, come in. And call me Kit.” I waved around the grand entry. “Joey and I are staying here temporarily. It’s okay to oooh and ahhh—I did the first time I saw it.”
With a grin, he swiveled his head left and right. “Oooh. Ahhh.”
I laughed, optimism blossoming. “Come on in. My friend Elliot is grabbing Joey. She just woke up from a nap, so she’ll be joining us for the interview.”