He looked at her questioningly then said, “Ethan Thorpe speaking.”

  Brittany saw the look of surprise on his face when he spoke again. “Hannah. Where are you?”

  He was silent for a minute. “You’re here? In Lexington? But I thought—”

  Brittany shivered. What could Ethan’s ex-wife, Danny’s mother, want? It had been less than two months since she’d literally brushed the dirt of Lexington off her feet and left town, abandoning her little boy and all excited about her “fabulous” promotion.

  Now she was back. Why?

  “Danny’s fine,” Ethan said, apparently in answer to a question. Then he frowned. “You want to see him? Well, yes, I suppose it can be arranged. You’re entitled, but I would have appreciated more notice. How long are you going to be in town?”

  Hannah must not have answered directly because he looked puzzled. “What do you mean you don’t know?” he asked. “I understood you to say you’d be traveling all over the world—”

  She must have interrupted, because after a few moments of silence Ethan grumbled, “All right, I’ll see you in an hour or so,” and turned the phone off.

  He handed it back to Brittany, then glanced around the table. “That was Hannah,” he said unnecessarily. “She’s in town and wants to see Danny.”

  Brittany wanted nothing more to do with that woman and she pushed back her chair and stood. “In that case you’ll get along just fine without me. I’m going apartment-hunting.”

  Nate struggled to his feet, too. “Do you mind if I go along? I promise not to be a bother.”

  “Of course you can come,” she agreed. “I’ll be happy for the company.”

  “Hey, you guys,” Ethan complained. “You’re not going to leave me alone with her, are you?”

  “Damn straight we are,” Nate said as he cupped his hand on Brittany’s bent elbow. “It’ll give me a chance to take my best girl to lunch.”

  “Look, I’m serious,” Ethan insisted as he, too, stood. “Dad, you know Hannah and I can’t get along together for any length of time before the sparks start flying, and I don’t mean romantic ones. At least if you and Brittany are here it might keep things a little more civilized.”

  Nate snickered. “If Hannah comes here and finds Brittany living with you and taking care of her son, there’s going to be all hell to pay and you know it!”

  Ethan’s face went pale and he sat back down. “Oh, damn, I forgot about that!” he moaned.

  “Well, you’d better start thinking about it,” Nate advised, “because she’s one jealous woman. She may not want you, but neither will she let any other gal have you. I suggest you let Brittany and me get out of here before she arrives.”

  Ethan nodded. “You’re right. I don’t want either of you exposed to her rotten moods.”

  He got up again and washed Danny’s face and hands clean of oatmeal and mashed fruit while Brittany and Nate scattered to their rooms to make themselves presentable.

  She applied makeup, brushed her hair and was ready within a few minutes, but Nate was slower. He shaved, changed his clothes and needed extra time to tie his dress shoes and button his shirt buttons. Ethan and Brittany fidgeted downstairs, but neither was willing to rush him.

  Finally he was ready and they were all standing in the foyer while Brittany rummaged in her purse for the car keys when the doorbell rang. Brittany’s heart nearly stopped beating, but Ethan glanced at his watch.

  “Don’t worry,” he told Brittany when he saw her wince. “It’s only been half an hour since I talked to Hannah. She said it would be at least an hour before she got here.

  He walked over and opened the door. There, standing on the porch, was Hannah! Even though Brittany had seen Ethan’s ex-wife only once, the image of her was branded in her memory. At that time Hannah had been in the middle of packing to leave town and was dressed in jeans and a shirt.

  Today she was wearing a gray silk designer pantsuit trimmed with pearl buttons, and matching spike-heeled sandals. Her makeup was expertly applied and she wore perfume from one of the finest cosmetic houses in Europe.

  No, there was no overlooking Hannah Thorpe! Dressed up or down, she was unforgettable.

  “Sorry if I’ve inconvenienced you by arriving early,” she said breezily as she walked past Ethan and into the foyer, “but I have a lot to do today. Ah, there’s my baby,” she said, and held her arms out to take Danny from Ethan, who was holding him.

  Danny shrank back and hid his face in Ethan’s neck.

  Hannah gave Ethan a dirty look and tried again. “Danny, it’s Mommy. Come here and give me a hug.”

  She put her hands on the child, apparently intent on pulling him away from Ethan, but Danny shook them off. “No! Daddy! Daddy!”

  Ethan patted Danny’s back and tried to calm him, but he wouldn’t raise his head or look at Hannah.

  She scowled. “What’s the matter with him? I always told you you spoil him.”

  “You’re scaring him,” Ethan said tersely. “If you’d lower your voice and stop being so aggressive he’d eventually make up with you.”

  “What do you mean ‘scaring him’?” she demanded. “I’m his mother, for heaven’s sake.”

  “A mother he hasn’t seen for a few months,” Ethan pointed out. “Give the poor kid a chance.”

  Hannah grimaced. “I don’t have time to cater to his temper tantrums. We’ve got to pack his things. I’m on my way to Rome.”

  “Rome, New York?” he asked.

  She rolled her eyes. “Rome, Italy. I’m getting married next month and we’re going to live in Italy.”

  Ethan, Nate and Brittany—all three—sucked in their breath and chorused, “Married?”

  Hannah looked annoyed. “Yes, married. Why does that surprise you so? Italian men are a lot better husband material than American ones. Antonio gives me everything I want.”

  “He must be a millionaire,” Ethan muttered under his breath, but Brittany was close enough to hear and stifled a giggle.

  Nate was the one who recovered first. “We’re very happy for you, Hannah. Why don’t we go down to the family room and you can tell us all about it.”

  Brittany didn’t want to get caught up in that grouping and spoke up. “If you’ll excuse me I’ll be running along—”

  Hannah glared at her as if she hadn’t noticed her before. “And who are you?” Her tone indicated that she expected an answer, and it better be a good one.

  Before Brittany could do so, Ethan jumped in. “This is Brittany Baldwin, Dad’s nurse. You met her last time you were here.”

  Hannah’s glance ran over Brittany’s slender bare legs, small waist and firm breasts as if she were inspecting a side of beef. “Yes, I did, but I didn’t expect her to still be here. What’s wrong with you now, Nate?”

  “Same thing that’s always been wrong with me,” Nate answered. “Diabetes, but now it’s complicated with a touch of senility.”

  Hannah shook her head. “That doesn’t sound like something you’d need a full-time nurse for. What’s going on here? I never saw a nurse dressed like that before.” She indicated Brittany’s red shorts and red-and-white-striped shirt. “Aren’t they supposed to wear white uniforms?”

  She was talking about Brittany as if Brittany weren’t even there, which riled her considerably, but before she could protest Ethan intervened. “Brittany’s apparel is none of your business. Now, do you want some time with our son or don’t you? I’m not going to leave him alone with you as long as he’s afraid of you.”

  “Don’t be absurd,” Hannah said indignantly as she again reached for Danny, who was still clinging to his father. “I’m his mother! He’s not afraid of me!”

  Danny’s little arms tightened around Ethan’s neck and he wailed, “Daddy! Daddy!”

  Ethan glared at his ex-wife and patted his son’s back as he murmured, “Don’t cry, baby. It’s all right. Daddy’s here.”

  Brittany was furious, but she didn’t dare interfere. If she did that would make Hannah even more unreasonable. How could any mother be so self-centered that she couldn’t see she was terrifying her own child?

  It was Nate who finally broke the impasse. He took Danny from Ethan and, looking from Ethan to Hannah, said, “You two can stand here and argue all day if you want to, but Brittany and I are going to take Danny to the family room. We’re missin’ some of our best TV programs.”

  “Oh, but—” Brittany said, but stopped when Nate took her arm and pressed gently on it, the classic sign to be quiet and follow his lead.

  Brittany did, and she and Nate walked down the hall with Ethan and Hannah following behind them.

  In the family room Brittany and Nate settled on the sofa side by side with Danny on Nate’s lap, and Ethan and Hannah sat in separate upholstered chairs.

  “I don’t see why that child is being so obstinate,” Hannah grumbled. “He can’t have forgotten me. I haven’t been gone that long.”

  “It’s not that he doesn’t know you,” Ethan tried to explain. “It’s your tone of voice and your general demeanor toward him.”

  “Well, he’d better get used to it,” Hannah warned, “because he’s going to be seeing a lot of me from now on.”

  A chill swept over Brittany and she huddled into the soft sofa as if seeking comfort. A glance at Ethan assured her that he was equally upset.

  “What do you mean?” he demanded in a raspy tone. “You said you were going to get married and live in Italy.”

  Hannah tipped up her head and looked straight at him. “That’s right, I am. And I’m going to take Danny with me.”

  Brittany watched as Ethan’s face turned red and he rose to his feet. “Like hell you are,” he thundered.

  Chapter Ten

  Brittany was too shocked to do anything but stare at the two antagonists locked in verbal combat.

  “Just try and stop me!” Hannah seethed. “I’ll take you to court, and don’t forget, I’m his mother and the mother is always favored in a custody battle.”

  “Don’t kid yourself,” Ethan warned. “That may have been true years ago but not anymore. When we were first divorced we worked out a custody agreement for Danny that we could both live with. However, if the parents slug it out in court, the father and mother of the child are given equal consideration these days.”

  He paused and took a deep breath. “Also, when you decided to move to Chicago, you gave me full custody of Danny. So you can’t take my son out of the country without my consent. I’ll fight you through every court in the land!”

  That stopped Hannah for a moment, but only a moment. “I don’t believe you, but even if it’s true, court battles are expensive and I’m the one with the money. Antonio has lots of it and he’s very generous.”

  By now Danny was screaming in Nate’s arms, and Nate was still sitting on the sofa, but he had a vacant, closed-off expression that worried Brittany. Ethan and Hannah were too engrossed in the conflict they were raging to notice anybody else.

  A surge of fury replaced Brittany’s shock. She’d had enough of this! She wasn’t going to stay here and expose these two vulnerable people to this battle of wills.

  She stood and took Danny from Nate. The child came to her willingly but continued to cry and hide his face in her neck.

  She kissed the little boy’s moist cheek and head and murmured reassuringly to him as she settled him on her hip and held out her hand to Nate. “Come on, Nate. Let’s get out of here.”

  He put his hand in hers and stood, then walked hand in hand with her as they headed for the doorway and the hall beyond. Her intention was to get in the car and take her two charges someplace where it was quiet and peaceful, but she’d barely started up the hall when Ethan called to her.

  “Brittany, where are you going?”

  “Somewhere away from here,” she answered over her shoulder. “You two have managed to traumatize both Nate and Danny. I suggest you have your differences resolved by the time we come back.”

  “You’re not taking my child anywhere. I’m calling my lawyer,” Hannah blustered.

  Brittany ignored her and headed on toward the front door with Ethan right behind her. “Honey, I’m sorry,” he said grimly. “I had no idea Hannah was going to pull something like this, but I can’t let her take my son away from me.”

  “Of course you can’t,” Brittany agreed, “but my concern is for Nate and Danny right now. They’re both getting much too upset by all the commotion—”

  “I’m concerned about them, too,” Ethan interrupted, “and I don’t like the way Dad looks. I know you’re the medical expert here, but may I suggest that you take him and Danny upstairs, get Dad to lie down in his room and turn on the television. That will keep both of them distracted while Hannah’s still here, and I’ll get rid of her as soon as I can. Okay?”

  Brittany stopped and turned to Ethan. In the last half hour he’d aged several years. His face was gray and lined with worry, and the shock that looked out of his usually placid brown eyes was mixed with anxiety and pain.

  Her heart ached for him and she had a much better understanding now of why he shied away from another marriage, but apparently he’d been handling this woman’s temper outbursts for years. He could take care of himself. Brittany’s first duty was to her charges.

  “Only if you promise to keep her away from both Nate and Danny,” Brittany said. “I don’t care if Hannah is Danny’s mother, I won’t have the poor child upset like this.”

  She didn’t have to explain what “this” was. Danny was crying so loudly that she could hardly hear herself speak. His chubby little body shook, and he clung to her so tightly that she could barely breathe.

  “Don’t worry,” Ethan assured her. “She’s not going to get above the first floor.”

  He leaned forward and kissed Danny on the cheek, then put his arms around Brittany’s waist, baby and all. “My sweet angel,” he murmured. “I knew I could count on you.”

  With one hand he tipped her head up and kissed her square on the mouth, sending prickles of fire throughout her already-sensitized nervous system.

  By the time Brittany got Danny calmed down and Nate tested and medicated, Ethan and Hannah seemed to be finishing up their quarrel. At least the second floor of the house was quiet, which meant they weren’t yelling at each other anymore.

  As noontime drew near, Brittany wondered how she could go downstairs and fix lunch for Danny and Nate without drawing attention to herself. She didn’t know for sure if Ethan had told Hannah yet about just what her duties at the Thorpe home encompassed, but she doubted it. They’d been too wrapped up in the threatened custody fight to think of anything else. Still, if Hannah was as jealous as Nate had implied, it wouldn’t take much to set her off.

  Danny would be happy with some of the snack food Brittany usually kept stored in her dresser drawer, but Nate was on a special diet and needed to eat at regular times. She had about decided to try sneaking downstairs without being seen when she heard angry voices floating up from the open foyer.

  “You’ll be hearing from my lawyer,” Hannah said in a threatening tone.

  “Don’t bother sending him to me,” Ethan answered furiously. “I won’t talk to him. Have him get in touch with my lawyer.”

  “Oh—” Hannah hurled an unladylike epithet and immediately Brittany heard the big heavy front door slam shut.

  Brittany’s relief was palpable as she left Nate watching television in his room and took Danny with her downstairs to the kitchen. The library door was open and she could hear Ethan’s voice talking to someone on the phone from inside.

  Not wanting to eavesdrop, she put Danny in the family room with some of his toys and started preparing lunch. It was only a few minutes before Ethan joined her. The strain of the past few hours was plainly visible on his whole countenance and not just his face. His shoulders were slumped, his hair was rumpled, and he walked with a slightly shuffling gate.

  Instinctively she held out her arms. He walked into them and wrapped her in a warm and tender embrace. They stood there for quite some time just holding each other until Brittany spoke. Her tone was filled with understanding and regret. “I…I can see now why you’re so adamant about not getting married again, but not all women are such…uh, witches.”

  He rubbed his cheek against her hair. “Watch your language, my darling,” he said lightly. “After all, she is my son’s mother.”

  “Some mother,” Brittany muttered. “Were you able to agree on anything?”

  He shook his head. “Not a single thing. That was my lawyer I was talking to on the phone just now. I have an appointment to see him tomorrow morning. He handled our divorce and also renegotiated the custody settlement just recently when Hannah gave Danny up. He doesn’t think she has much of a case, but—”

  Ethan’s voice broke and he clasped Brittany even closer, uniting their bodies in an erotic embrace. He was fully aroused, and she trembled as hot blood raced through her veins. “Oh, Brittany,” he moaned. “Do you have any idea how much I want you? Need you?”

  There was no way she could not know of his physical needs. Not with their bodies pressed so intimately together, and she was as hungry for him as he was for her. But there was one desire he’d left out. He’d said “I want you and I need you,” but conveniently left out “I love you.”

  He was in a vulnerable state right now. Was she foolish not to press her advantage? She’d had this struggle with temptation where he was concerned before. She could submit to his ardor when Nate and Danny were down for their naps. It would be easy for her to take advantage of Ethan’s need for her, and afterward he’d marry her. She’d never doubted that, but were “need” and “want” strong enough to build a marriage on? Or would he feel trapped and eventually compare her actions to Hannah’s deceitful ways?

  She stirred in his embrace and murmured softly, “Can we have this conversation later? It’s past time for Nate to eat.”

  Just then Danny came scampering into the kitchen and attached himself to his daddy’s leg. “Cookies,” he said. “Want cookies.”

 

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