The Boss's Baby Arrangement

“I wouldn’t be needed. Being needed, making a difference—” he shrugged, eyes flicking to Rose “—that’s what life’s all about.”

Xander swallowed hard. Terri had said that to him more than once. God, he missed her. “Fair enough.” And before he even realized the thought had crossed his mind, he stopped his brother at the door. “Might you really be sticking around because of a certain red-haired zoologist?”

“Maureen?” Easton said with such incredulity there was no doubting the truthfulness of his statement. “No. Absolutely not. There’s nothing going on between the two of us. We’re too much alike.”

Laughing lightly, he shook his head, scratched the back of his neck and chuckled again on his way out the door, leaving Xander more confused than ever. Not because of his brother’s denial.

But because of his own relief.

Two (#ulink_60137454-1885-584c-ae4f-ee6e1be7d5bb)

Maureen listened for the familiar click-click of her key in her beach cabana door. The double click meant that the teal-colored cabana was, indeed, actually locked. One click meant a well-targeted gust of wind would knock the door in. She would miss these sorts of quirks when she moved out of the brightly painted cabana and tropical Key Largo.

But that wasn’t happening yet. Shoving the thought aside, Maureen adjusted her satchel filled with notebooks and began her commute to work. A leisurely five-minute walk.

And today, with the sunshine warming her fair skin, she was content to take in her surroundings as she made her way to the Lourdeses’ home residence, built on property they’d bought at the edge of the refuge. Sauntering to the main house—a white beach mansion that always reminded her of the crest of a wave in a storm—she let her mind wander.

Absently, she watched volunteers from town and from farther away gather and disperse on the dock on-site. Even from here, she could hear the bustle of their excitement as the crowd moved toward the fenced and screened areas beneath the white beach mansion on signature Florida Keys stilts.

Eyeing more volunteers who were gathering by the screened areas where recovering animals were kept, she scanned the zone for Easton. Not a trace of him.

Or Xander. After last night, her thoughts tilted back to the dance. To his warm touch, the way he looked after his daughter. The kind of person he was. And those damn blue eyes that cut her to the quick, pierced right through her.

She’d spent most of the night attempting to navigate her sudden attraction to Xander. Not that it really mattered. Instead of admitting that the dance echoed in her dreams last night, she attempted to turn her attention to more practical matters like the school group that was due at the refuge shortly.

Though located on Key Largo, the refuge’s secluded location meant tourists didn’t wander in haphazardly. The public could access the refuge only through a prearranged guided tour. This policy was one Maureen loved. It made the wildlife refuge into her own kind of sanctuary, one that often felt independent of the tourist traps and straw-hat community of the main part of town. The limited public interaction allowed her to enjoy the mingled scent of salt and animals. There was truly a wildness here that called to some latent part of Maureen’s soul.

Surveying her watch, she noted the time. The school children would be here soon. That meant she had to find Easton quickly.

And if she happened to see Xander...well, that’d be just fine by her.

Though, if she were being honest, the thought of accidently on purpose running into him made her giddy. Flashes of last night’s dance pulsed in her mind’s eye again.

What would she do if she actually ran into him anyway? Running a hand through her ringlet hair, Maureen stifled a sigh as Xander came into view.

Well, she certainly was committed now. At least, committed to some harmless small talk with a man who had pushed her sense of wild abandon into the realm worthy of Irish bards.

Biting the inside of her lip, she dropped her hands to her sides. Xander’s smooth walk was uninterrupted as he pulled on his suit coat.

He’d built an office extension onto the refuge when Terri, his wife, had started to volunteer. Terri had fallen in love with Key Largo and her volunteer work. Three years ago, when Maureen had just started with the refuge, Xander had commuted back and forth to Miami for work, using the office at the refuge as a satellite. After Terri passed away, he’d moved here full-time.

Maureen’s thoughts lingered for a moment on her memories of Terri. She had been a quiet, gentle woman. It hadn’t taken Maureen very long to figure out Terri’s heart was bigger than most, and that her kindness and empathy were genuine. Wounded creatures were comforted by Terri’s presence. When Terri had become pregnant, she’d begrudgingly performed office work, though Maureen could tell she’d rather have been among the animals.

After she’d passed away, Xander had poured himself into the refuge. In the beginning, Maureen felt like Xander was trying to find some other piece of Terri here.

Now she felt like the refuge had woven its charm for him, too.

Shrugging his suit coat into place, Xander jogged down the long wooden stairway leading from the home on stilts. “Maureen?”

He said it as if he didn’t recognize her. But, um, well, maybe she had taken more time with her appearance today. Jeans with a loose-fitting T-shirt was her go-to outfit. Minimal makeup—maybe a wave of a mascara wand over her lashes, a pale lip gloss, her wavy hair confined in a high ponytail. But today she looked considerably...nicer. Her fitted shirt revealed curves, and she’d deepened her lip color, daring a deeper nude that made her seem a bit more put-together, a bit more...well, sultry.

“Of course. Do I look that different?” Maureen’s tongue skimmed the back of her teeth, causing her to smile awkwardly, hands flying to a stray strand of her hair that fell in a gentle wave against her chest. So much for nonchalance.

His eyes flicked over her. Slowly—as if he was trying to work something out.

“From last night at the party? Yes.”

“We have a group of schoolchildren coming in for a tour this morning,” she explained quickly. “They’re due any minute and we’re shorthanded. Shouldn’t you be at work?”

Tilting her head to the side, she squinted at him. His top lip curled up, a smile playing at the corner of his mouth. Raising his eyebrows, he took a step closer, winking at her, more lighthearted than she could remember him being in the past. “Shouldn’t you, Maureen?”

The smell of pine drifted into the space between them. Xander’s lip was still playfully curled up and she felt a thrill run down her spine as she stared back at him, noticing the way his hair was still damp from a recent shower. Her thoughts stopped there. It felt like ages before she responded.

“I’m looking for your brother.” How did Xander manage to keep from perspiring out here in a suit when she already felt like she was melting in a sauna?

Or melting from a different kind of heat.

“Easton’s running late. We were both up late last night with Rose.”

“You two took care of her?”

“Why is that a surprise?”

“I just assumed someone of your means would lean more on the nanny or call her grandparents.”

“My father has passed away and my mother, uh, travels a lot. As for my former in-laws, they can be rather...overpowering. And Elenora needs her rest to be on the top of her game watching Rose while I’m at work. I’m her father. And my brother worried, as well. He also pitched in early this morning when I needed to snag a shower for work. He should be down soon.” Xander gestured toward the pathway leading to the offices. “Shall we go?”

She stepped forward, aware of him in step beside her, his shoulder almost brushing hers on the narrow, sandy path. “That’s admirable of both of you to take care of Rose. How is she doing?”

“Ear infection, according to the emergency room doctor. I’ll be taking her to her pediatrician to follow up today.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Maureen’s thoughts drifted to Rose—the kind of child that adults fawned over. She was sweet, affectionate and filled with life. Maureen had seen testament to that sprinkled all over his office in the form of finger paintings and photographs. A shrine to childhood and a dedicated father.

Maureen’s own interaction with Rose always left a smile on her face. With tiny fingers, Rose would reach up to play with Maureen’s leather bracelet, touching it carefully as if it was a magical totem. Out of habit, Maureen’s own hand flew to her leather bracelet. Feeling the worn leather, she felt assured. This bracelet had been everywhere with her. A certifying stamp of endurance. “Thanks. But I think we’ve got it covered. Although I have to admit, it’s ironic that it took me and my brother to do one woman’s job.”

“And somewhere women are sighing.”

He laughed.

In the pit of her stomach her nerves became bramble-twisted, much like the palm fronds blowing and tangled by the wind. Those damn blue eyes—they disarmed her senses, unsettling her more than any sounds from wild creatures chattering. Especially today as his gaze darted from her eyes to her lips.

A faint tautness pulled at his cheeks.

Warmth crept up her neck, threatening to flood her cheeks with a schoolgirl blush. Get it together, her inner voice scolded. Taking the cue from her sensibility, she drew in a deep breath and straightened her blouse.

“You’re needed here to take care of animals.” Dropping his gaze, he nodded his head. The momentary flicker of attraction melted off his expression. Xander’s tone and eyes returned to their normal bulldog, businessman-slate stare.

“Of course. She’s your child and doesn’t really know me well.” She held up her hands. “I’ve overstepped and I apologize.”