His Seductive Proposal. Maureen Child
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He thought you wouldn’t mind keeping Cammie. Did he volunteer you too freely?”
“Of course not.” Annalise straightened one of the flimsy triangles of her bathing suit top. Though she was the complete antithesis of Olivia’s mother in looks, she possessed the same star quality. A woman no one, particularly no man, could resist. She smiled. “Cammie is a delight, and I’d be happy to look after her.”
Standing next to her, waist deep in silky water, Olivia felt frumpy and large, though Kieran certainly seemed to have no complaints about her less than reed-thin figure. His appreciation for her… assets was flattering.
She signed inwardly. “Just one night, and we won’t be late the following day, because Cammie and I will have to catch the red-eye back to the West Coast. That reminds me, I need to shift our tickets one day later.”
“Why don’t you take the family jet? Did Kieran not offer?”
“He has. Several times. But I prefer to make my own travel arrangements.”
“Because you don’t want to feel beholden to him?”
“It’s not that. I’ve tried to raise Cammie away from the over-the-top lifestyle my parents enjoy.”
“How’s that workin’ out for you?”
Olivia shook her head ruefully. “Sometimes I think it’s a losing battle.”
“So you didn’t like growing up with all the bells and whistles?”
“I liked the toys and activities as much as the next kid. But I had friends whose parents were what I thought of as normal. Nine-to-five jobs, cookouts on the weekend. T-ball games. That wasn’t part of my life, and I wanted it for Cammie.”
“Sometimes we don’t appreciate what’s in our own backyard. There’s something to be said for not having to worry constantly about money. And there’s also the satisfaction that comes from helping people less fortunate. Our family has never wanted for anything, but I like to think we aren’t spoiled. Our fathers instilled in us a sense of responsibility, noblesse oblige, if you will.”
“If I can do as much for Cammie, I’ll be happy.”
Annalise twisted the ends of her long hair and squeezed out water. “She’s a great kid, already. For a single mom, you’ve done a great job. It can’t have been easy.”
Here it comes. Olivia braced herself, waiting for Annalise to demand an explanation of Cammie’s parentage. But the other woman merely smiled.
“Thank you,” Olivia said awkwardly. She followed Annalise out of the pool and began drying off.
“If you ever need a friendly ear, I’m here.” For once, the bubbly personality shifted to reveal a deep vein of seriousness. Her eyes, like Jacob’s, seemed to see all.
“I appreciate that.” For a moment, Olivia was tempted. She wanted to share with another female the fears and heartaches that came with being Kieran’s lover, with bearing his child. But Annalise was Kieran’s cousin, part of his family. Olivia had not even allowed Kieran to claim his daughter yet, so it would be unethical at the very least to share their secret.
She wrapped a towel around her waist and stretched out on a lounge chair to watch Cammie play. Annalise did the same. From speakers tucked away somewhere in the foliage, pleasant music played. Olivia yawned, ruefully aware that her unsettled sleep had everything to do with Kieran. When she wasn’t actually with him, she was dreaming about him. What did that say about her subconscious desires?
Annalise’s long legs were tanned and toned, making Olivia realize it had been some time since she herself had hit the gym. It was tough with a child. An older woman in Olivia’s neighborhood came most mornings for several hours to watch Cammie so Olivia could work. Cammie still napped in the afternoons, and after that it was time to fix dinner, play games and enjoy bath time.
The routine worked well for them, and Olivia wasn’t willing to leave her child with an evening babysitter to go work out. Perhaps after Cammie started kindergarten it would be easier.
Cammie did a handstand in the shallow end, making sure both women were watching. They clapped and cheered her success.
Olivia grinned, pleased that her daughter was enjoying this visit. “Cammie found one of your old ballet costumes in the attic. I hope it was okay for her to play with it.”
“Of course.” Annalise yawned, leaning back her head and closing her eyes. “Tomorrow I’ll show her my secret trove of Barbie dolls. I had to keep them hidden or the boys would pop off their heads.”
“That’s terrible.” But Olivia chuckled in spite of herself.
Annalise lifted one eyelid, her expression morose. “Don’t get me started.”
Olivia and Kieran left for New York at first light. Though Olivia had worried about abandoning Cammie, it was clear the child was having the time of her life. Victor Wolff doted on her. Jacob promised her a tour of his clinic and a lollipop, and Gareth and Gracie had sent up a note inviting Cammie to swim again.
And then there was Annalise. She and Cammie had bonded like long lost sisters. If anything, Cammie was the more sensible of the two. Annalise had planned out a twenty-four-hour agenda of fun that would be impossible to fulfill, but she delighted in making Cammie laugh at her antics.
Kieran and Olivia said their goodbyes and departed via helicopter to a small airstrip near Charlottesville. There, the Wolff family jet sat waiting, its brilliant white fuselage gleaming in the sunlight. Though Olivia was well accustomed to luxury and pampering, the level of wealth enjoyed by Kieran and his clan far surpassed anything she had experienced.
Fortunately she had packed liberally in preparation for her trip to Wolff Mountain. Knowing nothing of Kieran’s family or what to expect socially, she had gladly paid for extra bags so her wardrobe and Cammie’s would cover all eventualities. Which meant that she had plenty of choices for this impromptu New York trip.
Inside the plane, a handsome male attendant offered Olivia her pick of beverages along with a midmorning snack, in case her breakfast had been inadequate. She declined the fruit parfait with murmured thanks. Her earlier meal had been more than generous. Victor Wolff’s current chef had once served in the White House, and with three full-time cooks to assist him, the menu offerings were varied and delicious.
Kieran grabbed a bag of cashews and went forward to chat with the pilot. As Olivia fastened her seat belt in preparation for takeoff, she had time to appreciate her plush seat. It was more of an armchair, really. She stretched her legs and felt a little frisson of excitement wend its way through her veins.
Rarely did she take time all to herself for something as frivolous as a vacation. Tending to a rambunctious child, even when she and Cammie traveled with Lolita and Javier, generally meant little downtime.
Closing her eyes with a smile of contentment, she let her mind drift. It was a shock when she felt a warm hand settle on her shoulder. When she looked up, Kieran grinned at her, his expression more lighthearted than she had seen him at any time since their university days.
He sat down in the seat adjacent to hers and clicked his belt. “Are you a good flier, or one of the white-knuckled types?”
“I love it,” she said simply. “How about you?”
“It gets me from A to B quickly, and for someone in my line of work, that’s the main thing. But I also love the freedom and the sense of adventure. I’ve never lost that. Don’t guess I ever will.”
Olivia’s heart sank. This Kieran, chomping at the bit to take off, was the man who circumnavigated the globe. She could see in his body language the expectation, the energy.
The day dimmed suddenly