Tempted by Her Boss

Matteo breathed deep and shook his head. Lord help him, his mother was right. She was prone to the dramatics and so was he.

Finally he couldn’t stand it any longer. After flicking off the TV, he tossed the remote onto the coffee table with a clatter and stood, striding straight into the kitchen toward the table.

She glanced up from her notepad, her eyes going wide when she saw him, her expression full of apprehension. “Is everything all right?” Her voice shook, betraying her nerves.

“No,” he bit out. He thought he could be subtle but the truth was dying to burst out of him. “Tell me why you sent your resume to an employment agency.”

Her lips parted and the pen slipped out of her hand, falling to the tiled floor and rolling under the table. “Wh-what are you talking about?”

“Don’t lie to me, Paige.” Breathing deep, he rested his hands on his hips, glaring at her. “You used my computer. You left the browser open and I saw your inbox. I know you sent Pavilion your resume.”

“I—”

“Why don’t you want to stay with us?” he interrupted. God, he was an ass, but he couldn’t stop the words from coming. He felt downright betrayed by her wanting to go. “We’re leaving for Italy in a week. Matty needs you.” I need you.

“It’s best that I go.” Her voice was quiet, cool, void of any emotion. “Being here is hard on…all of us.”

“What will be hard is how Matty reacts when you leave him. How can you desert him, Paige? He adores you.” Matteo shook his head.

“Please don’t say that. I’m not deserting him.” Her eyes filled with tears and she blinked them back. Damn it all to hell, his heart softened, and he refused to feel sorry for her. She wanted to leave him. “You know I can’t stay here. It’ll be too hard.”

“Why?” he practically growled. “What will be too hard?”

“Being near you. Knowing I—I shouldn’t be with you.” She swiped at the corners of her eyes with both hands, trying to stop the tears that slowly slid down her cheeks. “It’s too difficult, Matteo, and such torture. I’m so afraid. What if we became a couple and then eventually we break up? What if you find someone else and I have to watch you…watch you fall in love with her?”

Swallowing hard, Matteo shook his head. He didn’t want to hear this. He didn’t want to face the harsh, cold realities. “You worry too much.”

“Someone needs to. What would our potential relationship do to Matty? He’d see us together and then when we’d split and I would disappear…that might devastate him, especially after the loss of his mother.”

He was floored. She was bravely laying it all on the line. Declaring her feelings for him while he’d rather hide behind his gruff exterior and claim he didn’t want to touch her for fear of a sexual harassment suit down the line. Or worse, that it was just flat out wrong, with she being his son’s nanny and he being her boss.

But really, he was afraid. Afraid that what they shared could turn into so much more, and that scared him more than he cared to admit.

“We could try,” he started, his voice soft, but she cut him off with a glare.

“We shouldn’t. It’s not what you really want. And I shouldn’t want it either.” She pushed away from the table and stood, grabbing her notebook, bending over so she could snatch the pen from the floor. When she stood, her gaze met his, the beautiful blue-green depths turbulent. Full of defiance. He’d done this to her. Pushed her to the edge until she felt as if she had no choice but to leave. “I’m going to bed. Since you already know my secret, I have a nine o’clock interview tomorrow morning. I arranged it so Matty will go on a play date with his friend Nathan. His family lives in the building, you’ve met the parents. I won’t be gone long.”

“Should I consider this you giving me notice, then?” he bit out, the words taking everything from him just to say.

She stared at him for a long, quiet moment, her lips tight, her gaze narrowed before she nodded once and offered a quiet, “Yes.”

And with that, she walked away, exiting the kitchen without looking back.

Disappointment settled low in his gut. He was losing Paige. And he wasn’t trying to stop her from going.

Chapter Six

Paige sat on the floor of her room, methodically going through her clothes. Her suitcase lay open on her bed, two drawers she’d pulled completely out of the dresser rested on either side of her. Even though she didn’t have the new job yet and Matteo hadn’t told her otherwise, she knew deep in her heart she was unwelcome in the Renaldi household.