Free Marrying The Boss by Judi Nolan

presence.
    " Thanks," he replied, before heading
quickly out of the room.
    Kate looked after him for a moment, before
dropping her eyes to his son's worried face. "All this excitement
has made me hungry. How about if we find some of those cookies you
said you liked?" She remained where she was, allowing the boy to
make his own decisions.
    " Thea Alexia doesn't let me have any
cookies." His dark eyes regarded her solemnly.
    " I see. Well, we don't want to break any of
your aunt's rules. How about when you went over to Elle's? You said
she let you have cookies sometimes."
    " Yes," Jamie replied doubtfully, his small
face frowning. "But, this isn't Auntie Elle's house. This is my
house."
    His words of small boy logic encouraged a
fresh smile onto her lips. Her feeling of tension melted away. It
was going to be all right. She could manage one night.
    " Then, I think we might pretend. But just
for tonight." She tilted her head. "I don't think it would hurt if
we played a little game."
    " Okay." Jamie nodded slowly. "Auntie Ellie
used to let me camp out in her lounge sometimes too. Can we camp
out tonight?"
    " Camping out sounds like fun." Kate
swallowed against the sudden lump settling in her
throat.
    Jamie looked sweet and adorable as he
caught his bottom lip between his small teeth. It was all she could
do not to sweep him up into her arms and hug him. But that level of
caring made her feel too vulnerable. "How about we go on a kitchen
raid first? We'll need some milk. If we're having
cookies."
    " I like strawberry milk." Jamie's dark eyes
rounded. He moved forward to take Kate's outstretched hand. "Then
we have to read my book. Papa said so. It's my
homework."
    " I think we can fit some reading in after
our raid." Kate curled her fingers around his small hand. "We can
camp out in the middle of the lounge and then you can read to
me."
    " You have to say all the big words." He led
her into a large, well appointed kitchen. "Then I get to say them
after you."
    " I think I can manage a few big words."
    She looked around the huge kitchen. The
large rust colored slate tiles patterning the floor were cool
beneath her bare feet. Pots and pans gleamed brightly from their
various hooks around the walls. The wide windowsill overlooking the
extensive gardens at the back of the house was filled with pots and
tubs containing many different kinds of fragrant herbs.
    There was a warm Mediterranean charm about
the whole room, but her sense of welcome was fleeting. For a brief
moment she felt almost as if she belonged here. But within a
heartbeat her ancient jeans and old sweat top began to make her
feel like an intruder against the determined order and neatness of
the room.
    She grimaced at the confusing idea. She
was here to help. To keep one small boy's thoughts off his own
troubles. Too bad if she didn't quite match the elegant
décor.
    " Okay. You'll have to help me, Jamie. Where
do you think those cookies could be hidden?"
    " We don't have any cookies," he told her
with a frown. "Thea Alexia says they're bad for my
teeth."
    " What, truly you don't have any cookies?"
She stared down at him. "Surely a growing boy like you loves
cookies?"
    " Yes, but, only at Auntie Elle's."
    His logic was impeccable, she thought wryly.
    An idea crept into her mind. A thought that
she should have banished immediately, leave well enough alone. But
an underlying sense of justice asserted itself.
    " Did I ever tell you that I'm the best
cookie maker in the whole world?"
    " No..." Jamie replied slowly, his wide dark
eyes fixed doubtfully on her face. "Are you?"
    " Would I lie to you?" She raised her
eyebrows. "I think it's about time you found out just how good I
am. Come on, before your Papa comes home and catches us out in our
plans and makes a scene. We've got a lot of work to do
tonight."
    Before she lost her nerve all together.

CHAPTER FIVE
     
    Spencer stepped out of his four wheel drive
and stretched his body towards the full moon before opening the
back