Nanny and the Professor (18 page)

Catching his hand in hers, she guided it up to cup her breast. The instant the fleshy part of his palm made contact with her hard nipple, she groaned from the sheer pleasure it gave her. His sharp intake of breath did nothing to deter her, it only spurred her on. Instinctively, she grinded her hips against the tree trunk she sat on. It was a tiny motion, and even as she experienced an instant of bliss, the need for something more became almost overwhelming.

"Cassie." Her name came from him in a ragged rush.

She reached up and framed his face between her palms. After gazing at him for one hot, frantic moment, she pulled his mouth to hers.

The intimate contact scorched her lips and she welcomed the fire. Simultaneously, his thumb trailed across her breast and she parted her lips in an invitation for him to deepen the kiss.

His tongue plundered the soft recesses of her mouth and she greeted him happily, wantonly. She slid one hand down his chest, over the flat of his stomach, his belt buckle, until she felt the hardness of him against her palm. She delighted in thinking that the only thing between them was a couple of thin layers of fabric. A thought filtered through her hazy mind; she should feel ashamed of her behavior, but she didn't.
This only felt... right.

She lifted both her hands, sliding her fingers through his thick, wavy hair and entwining them at the back of his head. She didn't want this to
end,
she didn't want him to escape.

When she took his bottom lip between her teeth, he groaned, and Cassie felt excitement and pleasure burst through her knowing she'd caused this reaction in him.

His hand slipped down to her waist and he pulled her against him tightly. The hard length of his desire pressed against her hip, and he slid his hand under the hem of her blouse. The moment his fingers touched her bare torso, rational thought began to return.

She pulled back, her eyelids heavy, her breath coming in pants.

Joshua's fingers went still on her stomach, and then they were replaced by the cool evening air.

He rubbed the pad of his thumb over her swollen lips. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "I shouldn't have let things get so far. But I couldn't help myself. I needed you to understand how you affect me."

Mortification flooded her and she tried to avert her gaze, but he refused to let her. He tilted her chin up and looked directly into her eyes.

"Don't be embarrassed, Cassie," he pleaded. "I enjoyed this just as much as you." A soft chuckle emanated from deep in his throat.
"Probably more than you."

She shook her head dolefully. "I'm not so sure."

He laughed again and she was able to smile.

On a whim, she whispered, "Can't we just skip the party?"

The expression on his face told her he'd like nothing better. "The Dean's expecting me," he told her.

Cassie sighed. "I guess we'd better get to that party."

She felt as if she floated all the way back to the car.

Chapter Eight

Cassie arrived at the party on Joshua's arm, enveloped in a hazy ecstasy that made her feel like a princess in some enchanted fairytale.

Nathan
Melrath
, the host of the party, welcomed her warmly. And as he and Joshua exchanged greetings, Cassie took a moment to scan the room.

The house had an open, airy feel. She could see the formal living and dining rooms from where she stood. The patio door on the far wall had been left open and several people were out on a redwood deck. A slow, sensuous jazz tune softly filled in the background of several simultaneous and boisterous conversations of a dozen or so smartly dressed men and women. Ice tinkling against crystal glasses, spurts of laughter, and the intriguing smell of hors d'oeuvres were clear evidence that a successful social gathering was well under way.

The first hairline fissure in Cassie's euphoric facade came with the introductions. Don, Carol, Susan, Henry, Janice, Vincent, another Susan, William. Heaven above, she'd never remember all these names, and the thought brought a moment of sheer panic that tensed every muscle in her body.

As though sensing her apprehension, Joshua smiled down at her and squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"Don't worry," he said. "You'll get to know everyone eventually."

He's right, she told herself. She plastered on a smile and tried to retreat into the foggy
Eden
she'd come in the door with but had lost track of somewhere along the way.

"Let me get you something to drink," he said.

"A little white wine would be nice," she told him.

She ventured farther into the living room as she watched Joshua disappear into what she suspected was the kitchen. She felt desperately alone in the group of strangers.

A woman she'd already been introduced to approached her and Cassie tried to remember her name. Susan?
Or Carol?
Cassie wasn't sure, a small burst of nervous anxiety made the little hairs on the back of her neck stand up, but she ignored the feeling and smiled at the woman.

"So, Cassie," she said. "You're the first date Joshua's ever brought to one of these things." She swooped out her hand to indicate the party going on behind her. "Since Liz passed, I mean. How did the two of you meet?"

"I'm Joshua's nanny."

She realized her mistake at the same instant the woman smirked.

"
Not... not
Joshua's nanny, of course," she stuttered, feeling not just her face but her whole body flush. "I work for Joshua.
As Andy's nanny."

The woman's brows
raised
.
"A nanny.
How... sweet."

"Susan, can I slip into this conversation?" a middle-aged blond woman asked as she joined them.

"Jill," Susan almost purred the blonde's name, "you couldn't have arrived at a better moment. Have you met Cassie?"

As Cassie shook Jill's hand, Susan continued. "She's Joshua's babysitter."

"I'm Andy's nanny." Cassie murmured the correction.

"You two should have a few things in common," Susan said, not even trying to mask the condescending smile that slid across her face. "You know– crayons and carpools, sticky fingers, and spilled milk. Raising kids must be hell. The inane monotony alone would drive me absolutely insane."

With the parting remark, Susan sauntered away toward the dining room.

"Don't let her bother you," Jill advised. "Susan always acts like a great white that hasn't fed in days."

Cassie gave a shaky smile and tried to laugh, but the sound that came from her was flat and unnatural. "I did feel as though she were circling for the kill."

"That's why I hurried over," Jill said. "She's pretty uppity about who she spends her time with. Since I quit my job several years ago, she hasn't given me the time of day. Because I'm not pursuing a career at the moment, she thinks I can't put two intelligent words together." She grinned. "I thought, seeing as though you were meeting her for the first time, you might need a little backup."

"I appreciate the support." This time Cassie's smile was genuine.

"So, you're Joshua's nanny?" Jill asked.

There wasn't a hint of insult in the tone of Jill's questions, so Cassie told her about Andy and Eric. She listened attentively until Cassie had finished.

"Well, as the shark implied, the two of us do have something in common," Jill said. "I have a son. He's five. And he's the absolute joy of my life." Her gaze was level and direct as she added, "He was born with Down syndrome."

Cassie's smile slipped. "Oh… I'm… I…"

"Don't feel sorry for me," she said, her upbeat tone conveying her complete comfort in dealing with people's initial reaction to her situation. "Lee is my pride and joy. I'm happy I gave up my job to be with him every day." Jill glanced over her shoulder toward Susan, and when she turned back, one brow was raised in irritation. "But for her to infer that any mindless boob could raise children really burns my butt."

Annoyance tightened the corners of Jill's mouth.

"Crayons and carpools," Jill mumbled. "I guess it's time for me to remind that bitch that my Masters doesn't become null and void simply because I choose not to use it at this point in my life."

At that moment Joshua joined them and handed Cassie a delicate crystal glass half filled with white wine.

"Here you are," he said to Cassie, his eyes lingering on hers long enough to make her heart skip a beat. Then he smiled at Jill and asked, "How are you this evening?"

"Humph," the blonde grumbled. "Joshua, you should know better than to leave a newcomer alone in these shark-infested waters." She turned on her heel and headed toward the dining room.

Cassie directed her gaze at Joshua and nearly laughed at the confusion written on his handsome face.

"What was
that
all about?" he asked.

"It's nothing," Cassie said. She didn't want him worrying about her. "Jill just let herself get worked up about something Susan said."

"Oh?" It was evident from his interested look that he wanted to know more.

A man across the room hailed Joshua by calling his name and Cassie felt relieved for the interruption.

"I should go over there and talk to Garrett," Joshua told her. "We have an ongoing argument concerning the pros and cons of university research." He grinned. "I'm pro, he's con. You want to join us?"

Cassie shook her head. "You go. I'll be okay."

"You'll mingle?"

"Of course," she promised in a voice filled with false brightness.

She stood there a moment and watched Joshua's broad back as he crossed the room. God, but he was gorgeous, and he had a body firm with sinewy muscle. Strong arms and rock-hard shoulders… and the hot, ardent kisses they'd shared. The memory made her lightheaded and hot all over.

Cassie took a deep breath to calm the pounding of her heart. The wine tasted light and fruity as it traveled over her tongue and down her throat. She tipped the glass for another swallow, never taking her eyes off Joshua's exquisite profile.

Why am I so attracted to him?
she
wondered, not for the first time. She knew his handsome face and dark, wavy hair were enough to turn any woman's head, but there was more to Joshua that she found compelling. He was a kind and loving father. A little overprotective, maybe, but he was compassionate and understanding when dealing with Andrew. And he was a deep thinker. He was smart.

It was the scholarly quality about him that intrigued her most of all, she was certain. Joshua was all the things she wished she could be. No matter what she and Eric and Andy talked about, Joshua always seemed to know something about the topic. Cassie found Joshua's intellect extremely... sexy.

He glanced her way and offered her a quick smile,
then
he went back to his conversation with Garrett. A moment later he did a double take, and that's when she remembered she'd promised him she'd mingle. She nodded in response to his querying look in an effort to ease his worried frown.

Looking around the room, she swallowed with difficulty. Her throat felt dry as cotton as she nervously considered which group of people to approach. She took a tiny sip of wine, its soothing warmth giving her some much needed strength. There were small clusters of two, three, and sometimes four people in the living and dining rooms. There were several others out on the wooden patio beyond the wide, open glass doors, and when the door to the kitchen swung open, she could see at least two people socializing there.