Page 14 of Temptation at His Door

Hell, he wasn’t comfortable asking Chen to run the auction, either. The younger man was Wu’s apprentice, but he had a long way to go. He didn’t have the experience to run an auction of such prestige and importance.

“She wants you to run the sale,” Eli explained when they reached the conference room. Ronan looked through the glass doors and saw the meeting had already started. His brother Carrick was standing at the head of the table, his hands holding the back of the chair. Ronan grimaced, remembering that it was his turn to chair the meeting. While Carrick was, technically, the CEO, Ronan and his two brothers ran the company together.

Ronan mouthed a quick sorry to Carrick and turned back to Eli. “Tell Mei Lien that I will call her as soon as I get out of this meeting.”

Eli nodded and opened the door for him. Ronan walked into the room and nodded at Carrick, who moved away from the chair. Pulling the chair away from the table, he dropped into the seat and silently thanked Eli for the agenda, complete with handwritten notes, lying on the table in front of him.

“Sorry I’m late.”

Finn, his younger brother, leaned forward and rested his forearms on the table. “Problems, Ro? Eli looked a bit frazzled.”

Ronan glanced down at the agenda and decided that his Beijing problem needed to be prioritized. And since this wasn’t a formal meeting—and the three other people at the table were long-standing and completely trusted employees—he gripped the bridge of his nose and muttered a quiet, heartfelt curse.

Ronan explained that he needed to head to China that night.

“I’ll order the company jet to be prepared and have the pilots file a flight plan,” Carrick said, as decisive as ever. Carrick knew, as well as Ronan did, that he didn’t have a choice; he was needed in Beijing and he needed to leave that night to make tomorrow evening’s sale.

He hated to bring his personal life into the office, but this time, he didn’t have a choice about that, either. “I’m stuck for childcare,” he admitted, frustration coating every word. “Thandi’s parents are still on their three-month Caribbean cruise and I haven’t found a new nanny yet.”

Carrick winced. “I’d have them in a heartbeat, Ro, but I’m leaving for London in the morning.”

Ronan looked at Finn, who shook his head. “I’m going with Carrick, Ro. There’s a collection we are looking at.”

Ronan groaned. He trusted his brothers with his kids and, more important, Sam and Aron loved spending time with their uncles. There was minimal discipline, forgotten bedtimes and plenty of unhealthy snacks and video games.

“We’re looking at his collection and taking him to dinner at Claridges. Beah is joining us.”

Finn, as he always did, flinched at the sound of his ex-wife’s name. Why those two ever got divorced Ronan had no idea.

Carrick exchanged a look with Marsha, his PA, who was sitting to his left, taking notes. “Can you get hold of Cummings, ask him if we can postpone viewing his collection?”

Paris Cummings was one of the world’s most reclusive and elusive collectors. He never allowed anyone to view his collection and only sold pieces from his massive art collection under the direst circumstances. Or when he needed to liquidate some cash to purchase a bigger, or rarer, artwork.

“Cummings? You’ve got an appointment to see him?” Ronan asked, surprised. “Why didn’t I hear about this sooner?”

Carrick lifted one shoulder. “I know Paris from way back. I remember Dad introducing him to me when I was still in high school. He contacted me directly and I roped in Finn. I emailed you.”

Ronan hadn’t even had time to look at his laptop. Hell, he was dropping balls left, right and center.

Finn picked up where Carrick left off. “He heard about the Vermeer that is part of the Mounton-Matthews collection and he’s prepared to sell some of his lesser pieces so he can bid on it. He wants me to evaluate his collection.”

Being trusted to sell off some of Cummings’s works of art was a coup and Ronan knew how capricious the man could be. If he didn’t think Murphy’s was paying him enough attention, he’d refuse to meet with them, call up Christie’s or Bonhams and move his art through them.

Finn and Carrick missing the appointment with Cummings was not an option. “I’ll make a plan for the kids. Maybe I’ll just take them to China with me,” Ronan said, only half joking.

“You’d still need someone to look after them while you work,” Marsha pointed out.

Ronan saw Carrick’s lips twitch at her literal response to the joke, but he just nodded at Marsha’s earnest expression. “True, Marsha.” He saw his brothers’ anxiety and sent them all a reassuring smile. “Maybe Keely will take them for me.”

“Or Joa. She’s an au pair and has experience in looking after kids,” Finn suggested. He leaned back and pushed the tips of his fingers together. “Didn’t I hear something about Keely suggesting that Joa be your temporary nanny?”

Ronan nodded. “It didn’t suit either of us. She’s not looking for work right now...”

And he didn’t want anyone under his feet, or in his house, who made him feel prickly and uncomfortable and...aware. Sexually aware.

He didn’t need to spend his time lusting over his kids’ nanny. It was tacky. “I hate getting a stranger to look after them but if I have to, I’ll call an agency and get a temporary sitter.”

Carrick gestured to the pile of papers in front of him. “Why don’t the rest of us carry on with the meeting, Ronan, and you head back to your office and make arrangements for the kids? I can take them tonight but not tomorrow night.”

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