“I think Laurel was just leaving.”
“Whatever, Oliver. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” She grabbed her purse, and as she walked past Liam, she stopped and looked at him as he stood there eating a cookie. “I hope you choke on that.”
She stormed off and Liam began to laugh. “She never did like me.”
“Maybe because she knows you don’t like her.”
“What’s to like?” He chuckled.
I poured my brother a glass of scotch and handed it to him. “What the fuck are you doing with Delilah? I warned you to stay away from her.”
“Believe it or not, big brother, we’re friends.”
“Your intentions are more than that,” I spewed.
“If you want to believe that, then go ahead. But I can assure you that as long as Delilah works for you, I know she’s off limits and I know my boundaries.”
“And what was that bullshit about you taking her to the fundraiser?”
“You wouldn’t want her going alone, would you? Plus now she’s performing there, so all is good. I know damn well Laurel would string you up by the balls if you brought her yourself and I secretly know you want her to attend.”
“She’s Sophie’s nanny. I didn’t have any intention of asking her to go. She takes care of my kid and that’s it. Now who’s going to stay with Sophie?”
He rolled his eyes at me and sighed. “You have another babysitter. Who’s that girl? Francesca? She lives two doors down.”
“She’s Sundays only.”
“Please. She’d love the extra cash and the few times she’s been here, she and Sophie play nicely together. Now I have to go. I’ll see you in the morning. Oh, and by the way, to ease your mind, I’ve met someone. Her name is Isabelle and I think I might like her.” He smiled.
“Then why aren’t you bringing her to the fundraiser?”
“Because she’s going out of town to visit her sister in Pennsylvania. I’ll bring her by one night so you can meet her.”
“If that’s the case, maybe we could double date,” I spoke.
“Oh, you mean with me and Isabelle and you and Delilah?” He smirked. “Because if you mean you and Laurel, no thanks. I’d rather not subject Isabelle to her.”
I sighed. “Get out of here. I’ll see you in the morning.”
As soon as he left, I went to Sophie’s room to check on her. She was sound asleep. Delilah had disappeared shortly after we asked her to perform at the fundraiser and I wished she wouldn’t have, but I got the impression that she wasn’t putting up with Laurel. I silently laughed to myself because she was one tough cookie. I went to my bedroom, changed into a pair of pajama pants, and settled in for the night. As I opened my laptop and began to look over some emails, I heard Sophie screaming. I jumped up and by time I got to her bedroom, Delilah was already there, comforting her.
“What’s wrong?”
Delilah turned and looked at me as she held Sophie against her chest.
“She says her ear is hurting really bad. I’ll give her some more Tylenol. Go into the bathroom and run a washcloth under hot water. Ring it out and fold it.”
I went to the bathroom and did exactly as she asked. Walking over to Sophie’s bed, I handed Delilah the washcloth.
“Here, Sophie. Place this on your ear. Oliver, can you please get me a towel?”
“Sure.” I grabbed a clean towel from the bathroom and handed it to her. She folded it and laid it on Sophie’s pillow with the washcloth, telling her to lay her ear against it. I walked over to the other side of the bed and sat down next to Sophie, gently rubbing her back. “Just relax, sweetheart.”
I couldn’t help but take note of Delilah’s pajamas. A pair of silk shorts and a matching tank top that was cut low in the front, accentuating her beautiful breasts.
“Looks like I’ll have to take her to the clinic in the morning. After that, I’ll find Sophie a good pediatrician,” she spoke.
“Okay. I wish I knew of one, but I don’t. Why don’t you go back to bed? I’ll stay with her for a while longer and make sure she’s okay.”
“Are you sure? I don’t mind.”
“I’m positive. Now go on.” I gave her a small smile.
She got up from the bed, and my hard-on became even harder as I watched her walk across the room, her perfect ass barely covered by those shorts. There was no denying that I wanted her and I wanted to taste her badly. Shit. As soon as I made sure Sophie was settled and fast asleep, I went back to my bedroom and couldn’t help but take care of myself, thinking about Delilah and that sexy body of hers.
Chapter 13
Delilah
It had been a long day. The doctor at the clinic confirmed that Sophie had an ear infection and put her on an antibiotic right away. After she ate an early dinner, I gave her a bath and then she said she wanted to lie down in her bed. It was seven o’clock when I heard the front door open and Oliver walked into the kitchen. He set his briefcase down and immediately undid his tie.
“Hello, Delilah. Is Sophie still up?”
“No. I gave her a bath and she said she wanted to lie down.”
“Poor kid. I got the name of a pediatrician from one of the women at the office. She takes her son there and said he’s wonderful.”
“Great. I’ll call and make an appointment for her to see him.”
“Did Sophie eat dinner?”
“Yeah. Clara made her some chicken nuggets.”
“Have you eaten yet?”
“No. I really haven’t had the chance. Clara made pork chops. She didn’t know when you’d be home, so she kept them in the warming drawer.”
He frowned. “I don’t feel like pork chops tonight. How about if we order some pasta from this great little Italian place around the corner?”
“Sure. That sounds good.”
“Great. I’ll call it in and go change.” He smiled.
I took the plates from the cupboard, grabbed some silverware, and set the table. Clara had to leave early to do something with her family so it was only me and Oliver in the house, except for Sophie, who was sleeping upstairs. A few moments later, Oliver walked back into the kitchen wearing a pair of jeans and a navy blue t-shirt. He nearly took my breath away because I hadn’t seen him dress so casually and he was sexy as hell. My body started to tingle and my heart picked up its pace.
“Grab a couple of wine glasses and I’ll get us a bottle of wine.”
As I set the glasses on the table, there was a knock at the door and Oliver brought the plastic bags into the dining room. As I served the food, he filled our glasses with wine.
“There’s something I need to tell you. Sophie’s Aunt Kelsey wants her to come stay with her and her husband at their farm in Vermont. It’s about a five hour drive and she said that if I drive her there, she’ll bring Sophie home because she wants to do some shopping in the city.”
“How do you feel about that?” I asked as I sipped my wine.
“I think it’ll be good for Sophie. They have a lot of animals on their farm and I think she’ll enjoy it. Sophie and Kelsey are pretty close. She was Elaine’s sister.”
“Why don’t you talk to Sophie in the morning and see how she feels about it?”
“I was planning on it.”
I gave him a small smile as I ate my dinner. “This is really good.”
“Isn’t it? It’s one of my favorite Italian places. You’d be shocked if you saw the place. It’s a little hole in the wall with about ten tables total inside.”
“Usually those kinds of places have the best food. In Chicago, there was this tiny little Mexican place a few blocks away from my house. They had the best Mexican food.”
He poured himself another glass of wine. “Why don’t you tell me a little bit about your childhood?”
“You already had me checked out, so there isn’t much left to tell.” I smirked. “The neighborhood I grew up in was run down and tough. There were a lot of drug dealings and gangs. But the one thing I can say is that no mat
ter how bad things were, the neighborhood always took care of their own.”
“And your mother?” he asked.
“She was a drunk and drank herself to death. She died of liver failure. As you already know, I was eighteen at the time. I spent my childhood raising and looking after Braden, Colette, and Tanner. Making sure they stayed out of trouble so they could get out and make something of themselves. I had to grow up pretty fast.”
“It sounds like it. You said all three of them are in different colleges now?”
“Yeah. Braden is twenty-one and attending the University of Chicago. He’s studying business and finance. Colette is nineteen and at the University of Florida studying to be a nurse, and Tanner, who’s eighteen, is in his first year at Boston University studying journalism.”
“You’ve done a good job. Sounds like they’re living their dreams. Are they all on scholarships?”
“Yep. Scholarships and financial aid.”
“And what about Delilah?” He smiled.
“What about me?”
“You have dreams too.”
“Yeah, but my mom kind of took them away from me when she decided not to be a parent to any of us. My main focus was my brothers and sister. I’ve always wanted to live in New York and here I am. So, I’m living my dream.”
He sat there and stared at me from across the table. “You are a very selfless person, Delilah. I admire that about you. I want you to know that.”
I began to blush. “Thank you. So, it’s your turn. Tell me about Oliver Wyatt and how you became the success you are at thirty years old.”
“I’m sure my brother has already told you.”
“Bits and pieces.”
“So he told you about how our parents up and left us to move to Germany?”
I looked down because I sensed some bitterness in his voice. “Yeah.”
“So then you already know about me. There isn’t anything left to tell. I started out flipping houses and built up Wyatt Enterprises. Now I sell buildings and properties all around the world.” He got up from his seat. “Why don’t we go out on the patio and finish talking. It’s a beautiful night out.”
I got up from my seat as he grabbed our glasses and the bottle of wine and followed him out onto the patio, where we sat at the table in the large, cushy seats. He poured some more wine into my glass and changed the subject back to me.
“I bet growing up you had a lot of boyfriends.”
“No. Not really. The longest relationship I’d ever had was about three days. I didn’t have time for guys. I worked, took care of the kids, and had school. Guys couldn’t be my main priority.”
“And what about now?”
I looked at him strangely because I didn’t know quite what he meant. “What do you mean?”
“Surely a woman like you has dated somewhat while you’ve been in New York.”
“I went on a blind date once. Stephen, Jenny’s boyfriend, set me up with one of his friends. It didn’t go over too well.”
“Why not?”
“He was a little on the strange side and he was high on our date.” I laughed.
“Ah, nice first impression.”
“What about you? Have you ever been in love, Mr. Wyatt?” I asked with a smirk.
He took another drink from his glass and sighed. “Does the age of seventeen count?”
“If you were in love, then yes.”
“I thought I was. She was a great girl, or at least I thought so. We dated for over a year and did everything together. I gave her everything I had and possibly could. We had talked about marriage and building a future together. I even went as far as buying her an engagement ring for her birthday. One day, I went to her house after school to check on her because she told me she was sick and I found her fucking some other guy.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. Let’s just say she turned me into who I am today. A man with a heart of stone and no desire to ever be put in that position again.”
I knew this next question was probably teetering on the line of him telling me it was none of my business, but I had to ask anyway.
“What about Sophie’s mother?”
“Elaine was a woman I had dated on and off. She was clingy, too attached, and wanted marriage. I made it very clear to her that it was never going to happen. She set out to get pregnant with the hopes that I’d have a change of heart and marry her. She was wrong. She tricked me, got pregnant on purpose, and then Sophie was born. I took the financial responsibility and paid her child support monthly and a good sum at that. She didn’t have to worry about finances, believe me. A kid wasn’t in my life plan and I resented Elaine for doing what she did.”
My stomach tied itself in knots as I listened to him. “You never saw Sophie?”
“Nope. Not until she was three years old and Elaine showed up on my doorstep and introduced us. Elaine looked like she was strung out on drugs and she asked if she could come in. I told her fine and when she said she had to use the bathroom, she left for the day, leaving Sophie with me. I could tell right away she was a smart little girl. Elaine came back that night and said she did what she did with the hopes that I’d start being a father to Sophie. The truth was, I think she just wanted more money. I wrote her a check and saw Sophie a few times a year. Mainly on her birthday and holidays.”
“But you took her in after her mother passed away.”
“I’m her father. I really had no choice. I would be lying if I said that I wanted to. It was the right thing to do.”
“Heart of stone, eh?” I smiled.
“Where Sophie is concerned, no. Everyone else, yes.” He looked away.
I sat there and wondered about Laurel and the type of relationship they had. Did I dare ask him about her? No. It was none of my business. I was surprised he had even told me what he had.
Chapter 14
Oliver
I don’t know why I told her everything I did. Maybe it was the fact that she was easy to talk to. I told her things Laurel didn’t know. In fact, I didn’t plan on opening up to her at all, but sitting across from her and staring into her beautiful blue eyes softened me and it felt right talking to her. I was waiting for her to ask me about Elaine’s death and, sure enough, she did.
“How did Sophie’s mother pass away?”
I took in a deep breath as I poured another glass of wine, looking at her intently, debating whether or not I should tell her. There were only two people who knew how she died and that was me and Liam. Nobody needed to know, especially Elaine’s family.
“What I’m about to tell you stays between us. The only other person who knows is Liam. Do you understand?”
She narrowed her eyes at me and then said yes.
“Elaine died of an overdose of pills. Her family didn’t need the burden of knowing that she killed herself. She was a Type 1 diabetic, so the coroner listed that as the cause of death, thanks to a generous donation I made to him.”
“How do you know she killed herself and it wasn’t an accident?”
“She left me a letter. Nice, eh? She apologized and told me to take care of Sophie and make sure she grew up well-adjusted and to give her everything she needs.”
She reached across the table and placed her hand on mine. Her hand was soft and her touch sent electrical shocks throughout my body. What the fuck?
“I’m sorry, Oliver.”
I pulled my hand away and got up from my seat, making the excuse that I had to use the bathroom. It was taking all the control I had inside of me not to grab her and kiss her. My body wanted her, and it was becoming unbearable.
“Thanks, Delilah. If you’ll excuse me, I have to use the bathroom.”
After getting my impulses under control, I walked back outside to the patio.
“It’s getting late and we should call it a night.”
“Good idea.” She smiled. As she got up from her seat, she almost fell. I grabbed her arms to steady her.
“Be careful. I don??
?t want you bruising that pretty face of yours.”
“Wow. I think maybe I had one too many glasses of wine. Sorry about that.”
“Don’t apologize. It happens. Let me help you to your room.” I put my arm around her and she laid her head down on my shoulder. I took in the scent of her hair, which smelled like flowers. I helped her up the stairs and to her room.
“Thank you, Oliver. Sweet dreams.”
“You’re welcome,” I said as I stared directly into her eyes. “Sleep tight. I’ll go check on Sophie, so don’t worry. I’ll see you in the morning.”
I walked out and shut the door. Sweet dreams were the only dreams I’d have tonight, thanks to Delilah Graham.
****
Delilah
Confession. I didn’t have too much wine. I knew if I stumbled, he’d help me, and I wanted to feel his touch, especially after I placed my hand on his. He said he had a heart of stone, but I didn’t believe him. I saw someone different tonight. I saw a man who was capable of love and trust. I changed into my pajamas and climbed in bed, thinking about him and aching for more than just his arm around me. This was dangerous territory that I was embarking on. The type of territory that could hurt me something fierce, like he once had been. I had to put Oliver Wyatt out of my mind. He was involved with another woman and I wouldn’t be the one to destroy that. Men with girlfriends and/or wives are off limits, no matter how bad my lust was for him. I needed sex. Maybe if I had sex with someone, my need would be satisfied and I wouldn’t be feeling this way. What was this feeling? I didn’t even know. I was confused and appalled at myself for even thinking about Oliver in a sexual way.
The next morning, Sophie came into my room and woke me up.
“I’m feeling better, Delilah.” She smiled as I opened my eyes.
“That’s wonderful, Sophie. But you’re not a hundred percent yet. So you still have to take it easy.”
“I’m hungry.”
“Go downstairs and see Clara. I’ll throw on some clothes and meet you down there.”
She left the room and I got out of bed. I threw on a pair of yoga pants, a t-shirt, and put my hair up in a messy bun. It’d have to do for now. As I walked downstairs, Oliver was coming from his office. He stopped and looked at me.