Free Tempted by Her Boss by Karen Erickson Page B

shouldn’t think like that. She was angry and she had every right to be. Hell, he was angry at himself for doing this to her. Toying with her. He was a sick, twisted bastard. “I know plenty of people. Someone should have use for a nanny. Or I could always hire you at Renaldi.”
    “No,” she said vehemently as he pulled her up. She shook her head, her expression determined, and she stepped away from him, gaining distance. He missed her immediately. “Absolutely not. I won’t go from your house to your business, Matteo. I can’t.”
    That hurt. Why, he wasn’t sure, but he couldn’t examine it now. “Regardless, I can help you, Paige. Let me do that for you. All I ask is you give me a little bit more of your time.”
    She backed away farther, nibbling on her lower lip. Lips that were swollen from his kisses, and the urge to kiss her again was so strong, he had to fight it off with everything inside of him. “What you ask for isn’t as easy as you make it out to be.”
    He breathed deep, unsure how to approach her. He’d made a mess of it. Wanting her, pushing her away. Needing her for Matty, because there was no doubt, Matty was madly in love with his nanny, and his boy needed her sweet yet firm guidance. “I’ve not handled this—you—correctly. And I’m sorry for that. But Matty needs you, Paige. I need you.”
    She stood there, full of indecision. He could sense it, feel her emotions coming at him in strong, pulsating waves. “I’m scared,” she admitted, her voice small.
    Well. That wasn’t the answer he expected. “Scared of what?”
    “Scared of you, scared of this, us. Scared of leaving you and Matty. Scared of staying. I’m so confused.” Tears shone in her eyes and within seconds her face crumpled as she started to cry.
    Making him feel like the biggest asshole in the world. All those tears, her shoulders shaking, her chest heaving, all because of him. And how he toyed with her, led her to believe he wanted more from her than he was willing to give.
    How he wished he could give it all to her. Everything she could ever want. She was young and vulnerable and a believer in fairytales and he absolutely was not.
    At this very moment, he wished he were a believer. So he could give this beautiful, sweet woman everything she ever dreamed of.
    “Come here,” he said gruffly, reaching for her so he could pull her into his arms. She sobbed against his chest, her tears dampening his shirt, and he let her cry. Running his hand over her silky-soft hair, breathing in her intoxicating scent, he remained silent, offering her comfort, wishing again he could give her more.
    “You drive me crazy,” she mumbled against his chest. “I should hate you.”
    “You should,” he agreed.
    “I shouldn’t go with you.”
    “No, that’s where you’re wrong, bella .” He slipped his finger beneath her chin and tilted her face up, staring into her beautiful, shining with tears eyes. “You absolutely should go with me.”
    “Why?” she breathed, closing her eyes, as if she couldn’t look at him any longer.
    “Open your eyes,” he commanded. She did so quickly, pleasing him at how easily she obeyed. “Because I want you, Paige. I want you there, at my side, with my son, with my family. Please.”
    His chest ached. He shouldn’t have said that. His words would give her a false hope he had no business offering her. But it was all true. Having her with him in Italy, in the country of his birth, at his childhood home, perhaps something could happen. Perhaps he could relax and let her in.
    Completely.

Chapter Seven
    Exhaustion weighed heavily on Paige as she studied her closed suitcase. From where it sat on the stand at the foot of the bed, it mocked her. Taunted her to unpack her belongings and settle in, but she was too tired to worry about it.
    Unpacking could wait for later.
    The flight to Italy had been long and especially hard on Matty. He hadn’t slept well the night before—quite frankly, neither had