Page 8 of Baby Contract

I follow Errol down a wide hallway. There are beautiful paintings hanging all along it. I fight the urge not to touch them, wanting to check to make sure it’s secure for a toddler with wandering hands. This place will need a few changes.

“Oh.” My ears perk up when I hear a cry.

“She’s this way.” Errol and I move swiftly toward another pair of double doors, but this time, they are open. A man in a suit stands with his broad back to us in front of a larger desk. Even from behind, I can tell his suit is expensive. The crying has stopped, but I can hear the baby still fussing.

“Sir?” I assume the man is Carr. He turns to face us, tenderly cradling a baby in his arms. That's a positive sign.

My breath catches at the sight of him. Holy crap. The dad is good-looking. That’s actually an understatement; he’s freaking hot. It doesn’t help that he’s got a baby tucked snuggly to his chest. Or that his suit fits him like a damn glove. In his arms, that baby appears tiny.

“You’re the nanny?” he asks. I’m not sure if I should be offended by the question. Is it because I appear out of place here?

“The one you needed at the last second.” As the baby girl begins to fuss more intensely in his arms, I move closer to him.

“I fed her and changed her. I don’t know what’s wrong.”

“Did you burp her?” He lets me take her from his arms.

“Yes, I’ve tried but nothing.” I place her over my shoulder, gently massage the center of her back, and then begin a firm, up-and-down pat. She lets out a giant burp. I smile while Carr’s eyes go wide.

“Excuse you,” Erroll replies dryly, but I can tell he's teasing.

“You’re hired,” Carr says. “You’ll move in today. Call Ben. We'll send someone to get her things.”

Well, isn’t he bossy? Why is that kind of hot when it should be really annoying?

“I never agreed to take the job.”

“That so?” Carr stands up a bit straighter.

“Do you always get what you want, Mr. McRae?”

“Yes,” he says without hesitation. It doesn’t come out cocky.

“Then parenthood is going to be rather challenging for you.”

“I’m adept at making deals. It’s what I do.”

I have a feeling he can do a lot more than that.

Chapter Five

CARR

She’s too pretty. That’s my first thought. My second thought, immediately chasing after the first one, is I can’t screw this up. I shut down the first thought and all my screaming Neanderthal instincts to club her over the head and drag her to my man cave and head for my checkbook.

“How much did the agency promise you?” At her blank stare, I clarify, “Money. How much did they promise to pay you?”

She names an appallingly low figure. How can someone pay such an insignificant amount for taking care of a child?

I write out a check triple the amount she named. “Here.”

She does a double take at the number.

“This is for the whole year. I’m paying you up-front so you know that I’m not going to cheat you.”

“What if I take the money and run?”

“You come from a reliable agency, and you don’t know me. For all you know, I could be a serial killer. You’re taking the greater risk here, and I’m trying to eliminate that.”

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