Killer Daddy, page 19
“Or you could stop being stubborn,” Carla interjected. “Lighten up. The man is pretty. Take advantage of him.”
“Pretty?” He made a face.
Audrey grimaced. “How exactly are we supposed to pull this off?”
“The same way I got in. You’re the nanny, and I’m his hot and sexy Brazilian girlfriend.”
Was it him, or did Audrey growl?
He certainly noticed a glower when she sat in the back of his borrowed car while Carla got in the passenger seat. As Carla reminded, the hired help always sat in the back.
Audrey’s lack of conversation during the ride might have bothered him more if he didn’t know the cause.
Jealousy.
And where there was a burning green fire, there was hope.
Chapter Twenty-Three
They entered the condo via the parking garage, Declan using the fob on his keychain to open the door to the underground lobby. Audrey felt naked as they exited the car, unpacking the baby and her stuff.
Audrey, in the role of nanny, cared for Harper, whereas Carla, Declan’s fake girlfriend—who hung on a touch too tightly and smiled a bit too widely—clung to Declan, impeding his intention to help.
Grumbling about it meant showing it bothered.
Which it did.
Very much bothered.
What did that say about Audrey?
That I am once again falling for the wrong man.
Not that he’d done anything wrong. Yet. On the contrary, Declan did everything right. He said the right things, showed a bit of hesitation, but didn’t let fear control his actions.
He didn’t let trepidation interfere with his wants and needs.
Carla had mocked Audrey’s hesitation earlier in the hotel room with a snorted, “If I had waited for the right guy to come along, I’d be eight years dry at this point. Do you want to turn into a spinster with cobwebs between your thighs, or are you going to live life knowing for every up there will be a down?”
Deep words from her friend, who went through men quickly, wasting no time dumping as soon as she realized he wasn’t the right guy.
Audrey wondered how Carla protected her heart. She already knew that Declan would break hers.
You think Declan is the problem? her inner voice derided. You’re the one who wants to run away.
Damned subconscious. It poked holes in her reasoning.
Can’t know what will happen if I don’t even try.
It kept her mind occupied as they rode the elevator, Audrey with her head tucked, hands on the handles of the stroller. Declan stood with Carla draped on his arm. Neither paid Audrey much mind.
It bothered her a heck of a lot more than it should have.
They made it to the apartment, and yet they didn’t drop the act. Declan had warned them before arriving that they should run a sweep.
“What about the security?” Audrey asked. “Isn’t it set to ping if there are issues?”
“I think we can all agree that security is only as good as the next hack. The times I’ve not been overcautious, new lessons were carved into my skin.”
It brought to mind his scars, a few on his upper body, the puckered hole by his heart being the most worrisome. He was a man of action.
Could a man get any sexier?
Upon entry, Audrey pretended to fuss over the baby all the while triggering a bug detector in the stroller. Declan kicked off his shoes and announced, “I’m going to grab something from the wine rack.” Which happened to be in the utility room—with the Wi-Fi router.
According to the plan, he would reset it, which would cause everything on it to disconnect. He’d then watch his app to see what signed on and lock out any signals outside this condo. No remote viewing would be allowed.
Lifting the baby, Audrey snared the blanket with the bug sweeper tucked inside. They wandered towards the living room area at first, Audrey humming to Harper, pausing in the middle of it, pivoting and doing a large turn before announcing, “Someone’s diaper needs a change.” Which was code that her watch didn’t vibrate, the detector saw nothing. She was sweeping a new location.
Conscious that cameras maybe watched—and Declan hadn’t given the all clear yet—she moved through the dining room. Shifting the baby on one hip aimed at the kitchen, then the other hip to clear part of the dining room and hall.
She didn’t react at the slight tremble in her wrist. She waited to reach the bedroom before exclaiming, “Who’s a smelly girl?” Code for “We have a friend listening.” Harper tried to crawl away the moment she hit the mattress on the bed. Audrey grabbed her by an ankle and laughed. “Silly baby. Get back over here.” Extending her arm to capture her escaping child, she could see the face of her watch. The second hand staying still and quivering. A mini compass for a signal.
While she took care of Harper, who did have a smelly diaper, she listened. A distant murmur of voices. It roused a jealousy that she couldn’t shake.
When Declan entered the bedroom finally, he startled her with his, “Took care of—”
Don’t say it. Her wrist had also vibrated in the bedroom. She whirled and opened her eyes wide. Her lips rounded into the word no, but she said, “Mr. Hood, can I help you?”
“You most certainly can.” He prowled towards her. Eyes alight with mischief. Sensual and sexy in his prowl.
Audrey might have taken a step back, except Harper chose to let go of her neck and reach arms for him.
“I think she wants you,” Audrey managed to say despite a dry mouth.
“Oh, I think she does.” He might have grabbed the baby, but his eyes, his words, those were for Audrey.
“If you’ll excuse me, sir.” She went to move around him, but he blocked her, still wearing that naughty smile.
“Don’t leave. I’ve been wanting to get you alone. If only Carla hadn’t decided to show up. I swear, we broke up.”
Her mouth rounded. What game was he playing? “Didn’t look broken up to me.”
“I’ve told her I’ve fallen for you. She thinks it’s just a passing craze. A male fantasy about a nanny.”
This time, she fought not to smile. The idiot was playing. Playing as if this were a soap opera for anyone listening.
“Is it just a craze? I’ve seen Carla. She’s…” Audrey dropped her head lest she snicker aloud. “So beautiful.”
“You are a thousand times more gorgeous.” He moved towards her, and she stepped out of reach, getting fully into the area on the other side of the bed. The watch didn’t buzz.
She inclined her head. “You should leave. We can’t do this. Not now.” Her tone dropped, and she eyed him wickedly. “Not ever.” She pushed past him, traversing to the other side of the bed, feeling the twitch in her wrist. Something with a signal was nearby.
Someone had entered the apartment.
“Don’t say that. What you and I have, it’s special.”
“I bet you say that to all the girls.” Did he? Because that would totally kill the warmth in her heart.
“Nope. You’re the one I want.”
He stepped towards her, and she backed into the wall. The baby squirmed to get down. He let Harper down at his feet. She crawled towards the hall and the main area with Carla.
She’d be fine for a minute while Audrey dealt with the bug. Where would it be? The nightstand didn’t have much on it, not even a lamp. But her glass of water…
“I could use a drink,” she exclaimed, reaching for it. Declan beat her to it, knocking it over just as her fingers fumbled for it. She stroked them over the underside of the cup. Found the tiny bug. They were so small these days. It made her wonder how many of them got eaten by accident and… You know.
She pinched it between her fingers, marched to the bathroom and ran it under a hard stream of water. She let it go and watched the water swirl. Conscious of the fact that he’d followed, his heat at her back.
He ran the edge of his knuckles down her arm, and she glanced into the mirror. Shouldn’t have as her eyes locked with his. She saw his head dip as he nuzzled aside her hair and placed a soft kiss on her neck. “I do want you.”
“Who planted the bugs?” She tried to ignore him.
“Don’t know. But I’ve already texted Mason to pull all surveillance footage.”
“It’s not safe.”
“Not safe would have been leaving someone behind.”
“Someone tried to listen.”
“The key word being ‘tried’ and you’re avoiding me.”
She ducked her head. How to explain? “I’m scared.”
“I’ll protect you.” He misunderstood, and yet, for a moment, she wanted to believe in him. In them.
She turned in his arms and laced them around his neck. She didn’t say anything, just hugged him tightly, her mouth finding his in a torrid kiss.
Why fight this? Why not take the pleasure as long as she could?
The passion abruptly halted at the yank on her pants by a chubby fist. She looked down and saw Harper using them both to climb to her feet, grinning wetly at them.
Nookie time would have to wait.
What torture it was to sit across from him, one eye on Harper, the other straying to him while conscious of Carla watching. Audrey didn’t know how to act with him. The spying devices were gone, which meant he and Carla no longer played the happy couple. However, Audrey wouldn’t exactly call herself and Declan a couple either.
She didn’t know what they were, so she avoided him. Which only worked for a short while. When she’d left to fetch a drink, on her return, he snagged her and got her to sit beside him.
He had her at his side at dinner, choosing to feed Harper so Audrey could eat. Carla smirked between bites.
After dinner, Harper got to watch some children’s shows while they went over the plan for the open house. Carla offered to go as his girlfriend, her impromptu act to get in the building the first time, screwing Audrey out of the chance to use that as a cover to get in.
Given someone obviously watched them, they’d have to maintain their guise each time they left the apartment.
The question was, who watched? And how brazen would they get?
Declan didn’t think they’d come after them full force at the condo.
“Too public,” he claimed. “This isn’t a movie where the bad guys, with no regard for people videotaping, storm private residences, gun blazing. They’ve got to be subtler.”
Audrey arched a brow. “How was trying to grab us off the street subtle?”
“That was a quick crime of opportunity that would have worked with anyone else.” He squeezed her hand.
So sweet.
She took the plunge and did something bolder. Placed her hand on his thigh.
A moment later, his hand covered hers. Her stomach just about exploded with butterflies.
“Could it be Suarez who planted them?” Carla asked. “He knows you’re staying here.”
“Why would he be watching me? I’m just his realtor.”
“Why wouldn’t you assume he was?” Audrey said with surprise. “You keep telling me the guy’s a control freak. Is it so far-fetched to think he might have had someone plant a few bugs to see what his employee is up to?”
“He’s not my boss.”
“But he is your obnoxious client. Who is criminal enough to receive stolen art.”
“You don’t know that for sure. You haven’t found it yet,” Declan countered.
“You’re splitting hairs. We need to find out if Suarez is playing games. I need to get inside his place.”
“Not as the nanny you’re not. I don’t want you bringing Harper anywhere near the party.”
“You’re forbidding me?” The very idea of it made Audrey laugh. “You can’t tell me what to do; however, on the Harper front, I agree. I won’t be taking her into possible danger. Which means, I need to go as someone else.”
“I don’t know if that will work. The file I brought might be better suited for Carla.”
Her hand left his leg. “This is my mission.”
“No one is trying to take it from you,” Carla interjected. “We’ll make whatever he brought work.”
Declan eyed her and grinned. “Good thing you’re handy with a makeup brush and wig.” A form of apology that she accepted.
They spent time after that studying the identity he’d provided in the envelope. A rich recluse, not often seen, who always wore sunglasses. Easy enough to mimic. More astonishing, Declan even provided fingerprints to slip over her own.
Fancy.
But the prep work to slip into the persona of someone else was for tomorrow. When Carla yawned and went off to bed, leaving Audrey with a drooling Harper on her chest, and Declan, with just a plain sexy chest, she was all too conscious of how she looked and probably smelled.
When she went to rise, Declan was there, grabbing Harper and laying her down in the playpen. It might have been awkward then—what to say, what to do—but he grabbed her by the hand, didn’t say a word. Pulled her into the master bedroom and straight into the master bath.
He shut the door, and she protested. “Harper—”
“Is sleeping, and you need a bath or something to relax.”
The water ran a moment after he’d declared it, and he sat on the edge of the tub, testing it with his fingers under the jet.
A bath did sound heavenly. Carla would hear if Harper did wake and interrupt if necessary.
Audrey stripped. Shirt, pants, underthings. All of it hit the floor.
His jaw joined them.
It was nice to see she could still have that kind of effect on a man. The other night, in the dark and with blankets, it was easy to pretend she’d not had a child. That her belly was indeed still perfectly flat. The stretch marks not lining her skin.
He didn’t seem to see her flaws. He smiled. A big, toothy grin of appreciation.
“Strip,” she ordered.
“Yes, ma’am.” He tugged off his shirt, leaving his upper body bare. His pants followed, and she saw the proof of his arousal.
She stepped past him into the tub, the warm water swirling around her ankles. The bath only large enough for one.
Pity.
She leaned back and closed her eyes, skin flushed as she felt his gaze devouring her. The heated water soothed her tired muscles. Muscles that tensed the moment he brushed his fingers over her.
She couldn’t help a fine tremble as he stroked softly, lightly over her skin. He replaced the callused tips with cloth, the fabric abrading and bringing forth even more shivers of delight.
He spent time rubbing around her nipples, startling her when he bobbed over the edge of the tub to suck at one. The washcloth traveled between her thighs, rubbing against her mound, making her hips roll in the water. He let the cloth drift and touched her. His fingers stroking lightly, teasing her underwater, making her pant with need.
He reached for her and held her atop the water, one arm under her shoulders, pulling her up so that he might suckle her nipple. Drawing sharp cries of pleasure.
His other hand cupped her mound, a finger inserted between her nether lips, something for her pulsing sex to grip. She pumped against his hand, wanting more from him.
There was a rocking of water and a shift in position as he managed to wedge himself into the tub. She gripped the sides, wondering what he did, only to gasp as he lifted her bottom and placed his face between her thighs.
He licked her. Licked her slit and found her clit. He flicked it with his tongue. Teased it. He played her body like a fine instrument, drawing forth the tautest strains of pleasure. Making her gasp to his masterful melody.
He licked her and tasted her, making her pleasure ramp higher and higher. Brought her to the brink, dragged her to him. “Sit on me,” he whispered in her ear before nipping it.
She sheathed him, the water making it tight, her body shuddering as she shoved him in and stretched. Oh, how she stretched so delightfully around him.
She clung to his shoulders, bouncing and riding. Exclaiming her pleasure and finally coming all over him. Collapsing against his chest.
Holding him tight.
Never wanting to let go.
What would it be like to live like this every day? To have someone steady in her life? A man she wouldn’t have to keep secrets from. A father figure for Harper. A partner in life.
A lover at night…
Could a killer mom have a happily ever after?
Chapter Twenty-Four
Declan had problems letting go the next morning. They’d spent the night entwined, only making love once, her droopy eyes and satisfied expression leading him to put her to bed. He joined her.
He wondered how long he could keep this feeling going. Because he had a fear that once the open house was done, and her mission accomplished, Audrey would leave.
He didn’t want that. The emptiness he’d felt when he entered the condo to find her gone wasn’t something he wanted to repeat.
But how to make her stay?
He needed to give her a reason. Because he was realistic enough to know that good sex and good times wouldn’t be enough to sway her.
What did Audrey need?
For some reason, he flashed back to his academy lessons. Mostly the ones on undercover work.
He could hear the always tweed-wearing professor Monroe saying in his monotone voice, “The keys to a long-lasting, good cover are a home”—easy enough to find if she didn’t want to stay with him—“transportation,”—he’d gladly loan her a car, he owned a few—“reason for moving”—a little bit tougher. What excuse would a woman have for coming to the city? And the final tip from the professor on being undercover… “A job. Even if you don’t need the cash, you can’t just bum around all day.”
Which meant, in order for her to stay, Audrey needed a job. She’d said she worked as an interior designer. Which was a nice complement to the realty business when you thought about it. Add in the fact that their office lacked a feminine touch of late…
An idea percolated.
While Declan would have enjoyed sticking around, he did have to prep for the open house and check into a few other things. He had absolutely no problem dropping a kiss on Harper’s head before he headed out the door—Audrey got one on the lips.
