Forget Me Not 1: DECEIVED (5 page)

My heart is going to explode with the menacing yet sexy way he has me cornered.

I guess I’ll either play the manipulator role Loraine hired me for or ruin her plans along with any positive prospects regarding my future.

“It’s just…”
I need to stop this stuttering right now!
“I was chatting with a colleague from the café about the fact that our paychecks are going to be delayed.” Ever so slightly, I turn my body toward him, fighting hard to resist the effect of having him so close. His blue eyes, only inches away from my face, are nearly impossible to not melt into. Goddamn it! This man is a walking hypnotizer.

“My boss at the café hasn’t paid us in two months,” I continue at a somewhat slower pace to give myself sufficient time to think through my lie. “And I was falling behind on my rent. I was just complaining to my friend about the very real possibility of me ending up homeless, and Mrs. Carter overheard our conversation. She, then, offered me a job. I’m so grateful for her generosity and friendliness; I don’t know if I can ever repay the favor she’s done for me by saving me from being homeless.”

His fuming gaze softens in a heartbeat and he glances at me with a puzzled expression. Taking advantage of his confusion, I add, “See, I don’t have any family. I don’t know my parents. They’re dead or probably very poor themselves. I was raised as a foster kid. I don’t have a college education. I live from paycheck to paycheck. This is an enormous chance for me, and I’ll not screw it up. I’ll do anything to keep your children happy and healthy. I’m grateful to Mrs. Carter and you for giving me this opportunity.”

“Okay. Fine.” Quickly, he straightens up, towering over me, looking visibly shaken by my heartbreaking story, and clears his throat in obvious discomfort. “I’ll still run a background check on you. Only if it comes back clean, will I offer you a work contract.”

“Of course.” I nod.

The door of the adjoining room opens and Loraine walks out with her phone in her palm, her eyes looking back and forth between Kenneth and me. “What are you two chatting about?”

Still standing behind me, Kenneth slides his hands into the pocket of his dress pants, his body turned to his wife. “I was just wondering how Lisa convinced you to hire her as a nanny without even having any experience with children.”

Lisa.
My name rolling out of his beautiful lips has me shivering with lust. Shameful of my body’s unusual reaction to him, I drop my gaze to my hands that’re now sweaty with anxiety.

“And?” Loraine teases and approaches him.

“I should have guessed it had something to do with your soft heart.”

Loraine’s soft laughter echoes in the room, followed by the faint sound of their lips brushing against each other in an ardent kiss. I exhale slowly to rid myself of the feeling of discomfort of being in the same room with a couple who’re constantly making out. I guess the sooner I get used to it, the better it’ll be for all parties involved.

“Is Wanda in today?” Loraine asks. “I thought it’d be important for Lisa to get to know all the women who’re drooling over my hunk of a husband.”

Her sheer honesty has Kenneth laughing hard. I glance up at her with surprise. Wanda must be the other shark she was talking about.

“She’s not drooling over me,” Kenneth claims. “And, no. She’s out meeting with a client.”

Loraine gives him a feigned pout, her hand playing with his tie. “Another time then.” Looking down at me, she gestures with her chin toward the exit. “Shall we, honey? We need to hurry to pick up the kids.”

“I’d rather keep Lisa here until I have her background check results,” Kenneth says.

“Oh.” Her eyebrows pull together in confusion.

“As soon as I know everything is in order regarding her background, she’ll sign a work contract and I’ll have her on the company’s health plan.”

“She doesn’t have a car,” Loraine adds—my savior.

“I’ll drive her back.”

Loraine nods with an affectionate smile and leaves a quick kiss on her husband’s lips before leaving us alone.

~

I stand hastily, unsure of where to wait until the background check results are in, while Kenneth walks Loraine out. When he comes back and closes the office door, he stares at me with a confused look, reflecting my own.

“Shall I wait outside?” I ask, clutching my purse with uneasiness.

He simply shakes his head as he walks back to his desk and motions with his hand toward the chair where I sat. My wariness growing, I move and slide back on the chair, watching him settle behind his desk. I just keep staring at him, waiting for him to drill me with more questions regarding my life or secret agenda, but he silently starts his computer and works.

Soon my muscles give way and I start relaxing in the chair, staring at the wide view through the window behind him. Trish comes in two times to bring files and inform him about a German banker, Mr. Schmidt, who won’t stop calling to schedule a meeting with Kenneth. Both times, she squints her eyes at me in suspicion, her disapproval at the sight of my bare knees clear in her gaze. I wonder if she’s rethinking her hasty decision to classify me as harmless.

As bothered as she looks over my extended and curious presence in Kenneth’s office, Kenneth couldn’t care less about me or my legs that are bare from mid-thigh down or the low-cut dress exposing most of my chest. His eyes remain dutifully on the screen of his computer.

After nearly two hours of anguish, the phone on his desk rings, and for the first time since Loraine left me alone with him, he lifts his eyes from his computer and lands them on me. As he places the receiver against his ear, an apprehensive look that has me sweating under my armpits and in my palms, tightens the muscles of his face.

The call must be about me. Although I get no clue from his clipped answers, his man must be telling him the truth about me. Someone, perhaps Loraine’s driver, must have overheard my talk with Loraine and revealed the real reason behind my recruitment. Kenneth won’t tolerate it. He’ll dismiss me right this instant, and I’ll have nowhere else but my miserable life to go back to.

My heartbeat accelerated, my hands tight in fists, I’m to the point of trembling in fear, once he puts the receiver down.

“You’re in the clear,” he says and I let out a loud breath of relief. Seeing me getting comfortable, he adds, “Which doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. I’ll keep my eyes on you. My family is my life. I won’t hesitate to ruin you if you hurt any of them.”

“I promise, I’ll work very hard and give my very best to take care of your kids.” My hands raise in the air and press against my chest in a sincere gesture to show him my gratitude, although he looks neither impressed nor suspicious and quickly returns his eyes back to his computer.

I wait another hour in his office, sitting quietly, since he hasn’t dismissed me. Except for occasional glances at him, I mostly keep my eyes on the window, welcoming the opportunity to desensitize the effect of his presence on me. I’m used to standing on my feet for long hours. Just sitting around and doing nothing is actually a good change of pace. My stomach growls a few times, but Kenneth is so immersed in his work, he remains unmoved by the sound.

Trish enters the office one last time to inform Kenneth that she’s leaving for home, her eyes immediately meeting with mine when I shift my body to look at her. “This is from HR.” She walks until she stands beside him and places a file on his desk. Casually, her hand lands on his shoulder with a quick brush as she wishes him a good evening.

A smile replacing the stern expression on his face, Kenneth thanks her and starts examining the document. He doesn’t seem to mind the quick touch of Trish’s hand However, Trish’s raised eyebrow while standing within brushing distance of him, her threatening glance at me, and her possessive attitude tell a whole different story. It is clear she seems to believe she enjoys a special place in his life.

I wonder what the deal is between the two. Kenneth doesn’t give off the vibes of a man who’d sleep around with his employees, but Trish’s attitude as if she’s his main mistress makes me curious about her ability to separate her daydreams from reality. In any case, I’ll make sure to report Trish’s intimate gesture to Loraine.

Once Trish steps out of the office and closes the door behind her, leaving me alone with Kenneth for the fourth time, Kenneth stands and walks around his desk, extending the document in his hand to me.

“Here’s your contract. Read it carefully before signing. I’ll be here if you have any questions.” Handing it to me, he settles on the chair next to mine.

It’s a brief document explaining the duties and responsibilities expected of me and the monetary compensation and benefits I’ll receive in exchange. There’s no mention of the time frame, though, although Loraine made it very clear that I’ll have the job for five months only. I sign it with a pen he provides me and watch him attentively as he places his signature on it.

“Congratulations.” Still in the chair, he offers his hand to me.

“Thank you.” My cheeks turning hot, I lift my shaky hand to slide it in his.

His skin is hot and soft, and his long fingers round around my hand in a tight hold. The touch of his skin is electric, and the current going from him to me has me swallowing hard. His eyes wander down my throat, a smile forming on his lips hinting at his recognition of my obvious reaction to his touch. Hastily, he pulls his hand away and pushes to his feet. “I have one more thing to tackle, then we can go home.”

I simply nod. My utter embarrassment keeps me from stealing glances at him while he busies himself with work for another half-hour. My mind, though, is on high alert and pushes me into wild fantasies where Kenneth lifts me up onto his desk, spreads my legs, and palms my bare crotch with his hot hand.

The room feels warmer, and my dress tighter as the fantasy progresses into a full-fledged wet dream. I squeeze my thighs together to yank away the vivid visuals and to calm down my racing heart. I realize my breathing is getting shallower and if I don’t soon get my act together, he’ll know what’s going through my restless mind.

He clears his throat and shuts down his laptop. “Are you okay?”

Shit!
Blood rushes to my cheeks as I raise my eyes to his. He knows! I can tell by the slight discomfort in his eyes as they take a quick sweep of my squeezed legs.

I have no doubt my cheeks and my chest are crimson in embarrassment. I’d rather fart in his presence than give him a clue regarding my sexual fantasies about him. My lips move, but nothing sensible comes out.

“I’m done here. Shall we go?”

I’m not sure why he asks, but I nod quickly and get to my feet, straightening my dress. Slipping his laptop into a briefcase, he walks to the door and opens it for me, his eyes carefully avoiding me as I walk through the door. He doesn’t speak or make eye-contact with me as we walk to the elevator and then to the reception area.

To my surprise, I see Trish chatting with the girl at reception and both become silent as they notice Kenneth. “Wait here,” Kenneth orders in a soft but commending voice when we arrive at the seating area across from the reception desk.

Pressing my work contract and my handbag against my chest, I take a seat on the wide couch, my face turned toward Kenneth. I hear him say, “Can you please leave me alone with Alice,” and Trish nods and strolls toward me.

“So.” Trish glances down at her red-polished nails as she lowers her body against the armrest of the chair next to the couch, not wasting a glance at me while clearly talking to me. “You’re the new nanny?”

“I am.” Lifting my chin, I let my eyes examine her without caring about formalities and grin knowingly.

Perhaps sensing my tease, she stops examining her hands and focuses her attention on me. “I’ll let you in on a little secret. Loraine changes nannies like underwear. She’s very possessive of Kenneth, as you can imagine.” Her eyes move over from me and find their way to Kenneth, longingly staring at him.

I chuckle, but don’t respond to her comment verbally. It’s better to let her spill her beans than give her any clue about my thoughts or feelings.

“I’d be very careful, if I were you. She can put you out the door with the snap of her finger if she suspects you’re interested in Kenneth.” As the words roll off her lips, she faces me, lifting her chin higher to look down on me with a spiteful glare. “She might look warm and friendly at first sight, but she’s a heartless bitch when it comes to protecting what’s hers.”

“Loraine isn’t a heartless bitch,” I say loudly, because I see Kenneth walking toward us and I want him to witness that his dear little assistant isn’t actually the employee of the year.

Shooting up to my feet, I make sure my face conveys every little bit of anger I feel when I add, “Both Mr. and Mrs. Carter have been nothing but very kind toward me. I don’t know why you’re speaking so badly of your boss’s wife behind her back.”

Looking panicked and fearful, Trish stands and abruptly turns her head to her side to check on Kenneth, who’s now standing next to her.

“What’s going on here?” Kenneth asks with a curious tone in his voice.

“No…nothing.” Trish shoots me a warning glare. I keep quiet, of course not because her threat actually scares me off, but because Kenneth is neither deaf nor stupid enough to misread my words and must have come to his own conclusion without me having to inflame the situation more.

Her head bowed, Trish excuses herself and dashes out of the building. I apologize to Kenneth for the loud discussion and, fortunately, he doesn’t insist on an explanation. Quietly, I follow him out to the gated garage and stop as he opens the door of the front passenger seat of his BMW for me.

I try my best to imitate the way Loraine climbs into a car but can’t keep my knees together as she does and end up having one leg in and the other out while scooting inside the car. My cheeks turn hot again at the sight of the graceless position of my lower body, more so because I hear Kenneth chuckle before he closes the door.

To my surprise, there’s no private chauffeur driving us. Instead, Kenneth slides behind the wheel and starts the engine. He doesn’t turn on the radio and drives in silence. Rather than getting desensitized to his presence, I become more aware of his every move. Be it a subtle drawing of a breath of air or a loud clearing of his throat, my body responds to his every little gesture. Hormones rush thick in my blood as excitement and desire fill me. The longer I gaze at his thick brown hair, the smooth skin of his face, the rippling contours of his body and the more I inhale his scent, the less control I feel of my growing urges.

While on the other hand, my curiosity about Loraine’s plan rises to new heights. He clearly loves his wife and is very protective of her and their children. Unless he’s a master of deception, I don’t see a logical reason why Loraine should doubt his sincerity in his feelings toward her.

My phone buzzes inside my handbag as he pulls up in the driveway of his home. I take a quick glance at the text that’s from Loraine and hurry after him into the house.

“Go right into your room and don’t come out until I tell you.”