Page 15 of His Housekeeper's Twin Baby Confession
Massimo tried to be rational about this irritating growing desire for a woman who was plainly out of bounds—and for good reason. Apart from anything else, it went against all his tenets to pursue a woman like Carrie Taylor.
He only pursued women who knew how to play the game and who were like him—from a world that had calcified them into something hard and cynical.
He only pursued women who were happy with one night. Because he never wanted anything more. And he certainly had no desire for any kind of longevity.
He scowled at himself as the car pulled up outside his apartment building. How had he somehow meandered tothesethoughts?
Carrie Taylor, his aggravating housekeeper. That was how. As he stepped out of the car and went inside he sent up silent thanks for her refusal to accede to his wishes. She had done them both a favour. Tomorrow he would instruct his assistant to set up that model as his date.
That intention lasted as he arrived in the apartment and loosened his tie. It lasted as he went into the kitchen, looking for something more substantial to eat than the risible air and leaves they’d been served at dinner. It lasted right up until a familiar voice came from behind him.
‘There’s some leftover steak. I could make you a sandwich if you like?’
Massimo stopped and turned around. And all his good intentions dissolved in a flash of heat. And lust.
Carrie was out of her uniform and wearing something soft and slouchy...a sweatshirt and leggings. But far more incendiary than that, her hair was down. He’d never seen her hair down. In four years.
It was far wilder than he would have expected. And longer. Flowing loose and wavy over her shoulders and down her back. He suspected some would say it was unfashionably long, and it certainly wasn’t styled, but seeing it down like this made him feel like a voyeur from another era. It felt ridiculously intimate, and for the first time in a long time he was speechless.
She gestured to herself, looking embarrassed. ‘Sorry, I’m off duty. I hope you don’t mind. I know you don’t normally see me like this.’
Massimo shook his head. ‘No, not at all.’
Had she mentioned food? His head felt foggy. He struggled to remember. All he knew was that he didn’t want her to leave.
He said, ‘Did you say a sandwich? That would be amazing. Thank you.’
He slipped off his jacket and saw how her eyes followed his action. Her cheeks went pink. Massimo’s blood was on fire.
She came into the kitchen, the lights glinting off her bright hair. She was wearing socks. Her legs were long and shapely. The soft clothes clung to her body, showcasing womanly curves. She’d put on weight since she’d started working for him and it suited her. She’d been so delicate in those earlier days...she’d looked as if a puff of wind would blow her over.
The sweatshirt slipped off one shoulder and Massimo had an almost overwhelming urge to go over, pull her hair aside and press his mouth there. She pulled it back up and he gritted his jaw.
He moved around to the other side of the island, suddenly aware of his body’s response.
She was efficient in her movements, brisk, and she said over her shoulder, without making eye contact, ‘If you’d like, I can bring it to you. it shouldn’t take me long.’
A perverse devil inside Massimo made him say, ‘No, it’s okay. I’ll wait here.’
He draped his jacket over a chair and went over to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of sparkling water. He took a glass off the shelf. Sat down on the other side of the island.
There was silence as Carrie busied herself taking out the steak to warm it up, along with some bread. After a while she said, ‘They didn’t feed you at dinner?’
‘Oh, they fed us. It just didn’t remotely resemble any nutritious food group. Or consist of calories, for that matter.’
Massimo thought he heard a sound like a stifled laugh, but he couldn’t be sure.
‘Did you have dinner here?’ he asked.
She could have gone out, for all he knew—perhaps even on a date. He’d never used a dating app in his life, but he’d heard of them. Maybe Carrie had one on her phone...
‘Yes, I had steak and salad.’
Massimo really didn’t like his sense of satisfaction at hearing she hadn’t gone out.
She turned around and deftly put the sandwich together, then arranged it on a plate along with some side salad.
She reached across the island and placed it in front of him. Massimo had to admit it looked and smelled delicious.
