Page 4 of The Billionaire and the Nanny

After a long few minutes, I fold my arms and speak. “Are you done now? If so, please go. I’ll have a car take you back to the agency. Thank you for your time and impertinence.”

Finishing up the job and snapping Lilly Belle’s onesie back on, she picks her up and holds her close to her breast. Lilly Belle coos and smiles her smushed cheek against Miss Wallach’s curvy, smooth, innocent-lookingbody.

Something inside of me warms, melting a little at the sight of them together. Except I don’t melt. Ever.

A memory of my own nanny, Yolanda, filters into my consciousness. I was only four when I last saw her, and I remember hugging her this exact same way. My mother fired her in a fit of jealousy, because she worried I was getting too close to her. Yolanda was ripped away from me, replaced by Wilson, who’s been with me ever since. To this day, I don’t know why my mother replaced Yolanda. It’s not like she gave me love herself. My mother can’t cough up a single iota of any warmth or affection, not even to save herlife.

Witnessing the embrace between woman and child before me, my initial feelings of warmth are replaced by annoyance. I just don’t have time for anything that makes me feel emotion. I won’t be able to see a beautiful woman, such as Miss Wallach, holding Lilly Belle like that and still concentrate on business, and we need to meet our quota this quarter. Business was slower these last months, and that won’t continue. Money doesn’t make itself, especially in the steel industry, and work is the only damn thing I can count on in this world anyway.

“Are you done?” I ask again.

“Yes, Mr. Townsend, I’m done,” she says, tilting her chin up defiantly. “If you’ll just let me have a moment…not sure if you can tell, but your daughter needs cuddletime.”

“One, she’s not my daughter. And two…cuddletime?”

“Yes, babies need close contact. They need love and warm skin. Theyneed—”

“I know the fundamentals of affection, Miss Wallach—”

“Do you now?” She arches one sassy eyebrow.

Control yourself, Ethan.There’s no point in reprimanding her when she’s not even your employee. Taking a deep breath, I finish my sentence. “Anyway…I was referring to your choice of words.”

“What’s wrong with ‘cuddle time?’ Does the word cuddle make you uncomfortable?” I swear I see the hint of a mocking smile at her lips. Smart, beautiful, effective at caretaking, and a smartass. If I wasn’t so busy hating her, I’d throw her over my lap and spankher.

“You may go now. Put the childdown.”

“Only if you takeher.”

“Excuse me?” I give her a warning glance.

Her tone softens. “I’ll go, but only if you take her. It’s clear that you need a nanny, Mr. Townsend, and that Lilly Belle needs a loving presence. I don’t know what it is about me that you find so repellant, but if you won’t hire me, then at least take Lilly Belle into your arms yourself. That way, my conscience can go in peace.” She walks up to me and hands me the baby. “Here.”

Miss Wallach holds the baby up to me, and there’s so much I don’t know how to process. The powdery soft smell of Lilly Belle’s skin, her big blue-gray eyes like my sister’s, like pools of melted wildflowers that will harden into unforgiving iron one day. Miss Wallach’s silky arms as she holds twenty pounds in mid-air. Her infuriating resolve to teach me a lesson, the feminine scent wafting off herskin.

I fucking hate all ofthis.

Wilson will be here in a few minutes. He can take care of the baby until the agency sends another interviewee. I need Miss Wallach to stay until he gets here, that’sall.

I am certainly not spending any more time with the child than is absolutely necessary.

Why foster a relationship that will be over in a month’stime?

And then, suddenly, as if a dam bursts inside me, my resolve crumbles all at once. I’m too tired to fight it anymore. If she wants this job so badly, she can fucking haveit.

I stare at her levelly.

“There are no days and no nights off, so if you have plans, cancel them,” I tell her, moving to the doorway, as she slowly reels the child back into her arms. “You will live in this house until your services are no longer needed. There will be no exceptions.”

Her wide eyes process the meaning of my words. “But—”

“The maid comes every day to clean,” I continue, ignoring her feeble interruption. “She has been ordered not to speak to you. Wilson comes three times a week, though he’s out of town. He’ll be here on Thursday and can get you anything you need. You will follow every task I ask you to do in the manner in which I prefer. There will be no house visitors, no guests, and no timeoff.”

“But Mr. Townsend, surely I’ll have some time for myself. I mean, I—”

“This child needs a mother, and while I know you are merely a poor replacement, mothers don’t get time off. You will take care of her as you would if you had given birth to her yourself.”

She gawks at me, lips parted. I could give her mouth something to do besides gape atme.

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