Free The Billionaire's Baby Arrangement by Charlene Sands Page A

silence.
    â€œBrooke, turn around.” Nick was sure bossy this morning. She turned. “Listen, I have a proposition for you. I’ve got a 2006 Lexus just sitting in the garage waiting to be driven. The insurance is paid up on it for the rest of the year. It’s yours if you want it.”
    She laughed at the thought, shaking her head. “Yeah, you’ll just give me a car.”
    â€œNot give. You’ll work it off.”
    â€œWork it off?” Her smile faded instantly. She closed her eyes to small slits. “I feel the need to slap you coming on.”
    â€œCooking,” he explained.
    â€œCooking?”
    â€œYou need a car. I need a cook. Correct that, I desperately need a cook. Carlotta’s been a pain about who she’ll let into the house. The last cook I tried to hire had Carlotta threatening to quit, but she’ll jump for joy at having you here.”
    She immediately began shaking her head. “No, it wouldn’t work. I’ve got a job. I’m going to be spending all my time at my aunt’s place. My place now.”
    â€œYou said yourself, it’s in bad shape. You can stay here while you work on your place.” The idea seemed to take hold, snowballing as Nick became more adamant. “I’d only need you for breakfast and dinner. You’d have all day to work at the house.”
    â€œI’m not staying here.”
    â€œYou shouldn’t have made me that omelet, Brooke. My stomach’s involved now. You need the car. I’m tired of eating restaurant food. It’ll work out for both of us. Think about it.”
    She didn’t’ want to think about it. She didn’t, but his offer was too good not to at least give it some thought. “How long before I earned the car?”
    â€œFor as long as you need to get your place up and running. A couple of months?”
    â€œThat’s very generous of you, but I can’t—”
    â€œYour car doesn’t have air bags,” he pointed out none too gently. “You’d be foolish to fix that car.”
    She squeezed her eyes shut, reminded of what might have happened. The accident could have been far worse.
    â€œThink of Leah,” he added without missing a beat.
    She was thinking of Leah, constantly. And harrowing thoughts of that accident struck her with fear. She’d actually lost consciousness when they’d collided. What if she hadn’t run into someone she’d known? What would have happened to Leah then? She didn’t want to take Nick’s offer. But Leah’s safety came first. She remembered what the flight attendants always said in their little welcome aboard speech about putting an oxygen mask on yourself first, before putting one on for your child. The bottom line, in order to care for your child, you must take care of yourself.
    Brooke craved independence and wanted to be indebted to no one. Living under Nick Carlino’s roof wouldn’t be an option if she were thinking only about herself. But of course, Nick had the upper hand and was on the right side of the argument. Small wonder—he negotiated for Carlino Wines, and knew when to finesse and when to land the crushing blow. This time, he’d used Leah as his weapon and Brooke was defeated.
    â€œThat’s low, Nick. You know I always have Leah’s welfare at heart. What’s in it for you?”
    â€œI’m selfish enough to want to eat good meals. And keep the housekeeper from walking out. Do we have a deal?”
    Brooke’s mouth turned down as she accepted. “Hand over the keys and tell me what you want for dinner.”
    The dimples of doom came out when he smiled and Brooke didn’t find them attractive at all.
    Not even a little bit.
    Â 
    â€œYou’re joking, right? You’ve got Brooke Hamilton living with you now? I thought it was only temporary.” Joe glanced at Tony as they sat at their monthly meeting at the Carlino