After dinner, Kian carried Ember upstairs with Everly. He stood so close to her at the door of the nursery that she could feel the heat of his body radiating off him. They went into the baby’s room and changed, bathed, and put Ember down to sleep together.

Everly watched the look in Kian’s eyes as he gazed down at his daughter in her crib. Longing surged through her. He was such a good father. He loved his daughter so very much.

“What happened to Ember's mother?” she asked softly as they stepped out of the room and turned off the light.

“It's a long story,” he said, his eyes casting down.

“I'm sorry,” she said, reaching out instinctively to touch his shoulder.

He looked down at her hand. A low growl rumbled at the back of his throat. His eyes flashed. She snatched her hand back, feeling that she had overstepped her bounds. Maybe she shouldn't have touched him like that when discussing Ember's mother.

“She died,” he said.

“Oh, I'm so sorry,” she said. “That must be so hard for you, to have lost the love of your life.”

He sighed deeply and looked away.

“I didn’t mean to pry,” she said, biting her lip.

She was just so curious. Her growing attraction for the man couldn't be denied. And it made her want to know what had happened Ember’s mother.

“She and I were never mated,” he said.

She felt even more confused than before. What did he mean by “mated”? It was a very strange way of putting things.

“She was somewhat of a surrogate,” he said.

“A surrogate?” she asked, touching her fingers to her lips.

“Yes. It was important to me that our family line continue. I had not found my mate yet, so I employed a surrogate to give me a child. She died shortly after the birth.”

She could tell the subject was painful for him, but she desperately wanted to understand. She kept having fantasies about them together, as ridiculous as it was. She really couldn't help herself.

“I had deep respect for Ember's mother. But we were never together like mates.”

“I see.”

“She sacrificed herself for the greater good.”

“It must be painful to think about.”

“It feels like a million years ago and a million miles away,” he said.

“I know how that can be,” she said. “I lost my child last year, but it feels like a lifetime ago. She’d be about Ember’s age now. Tragedy has a way of changing everything. But I hope that I can move on. I hope the same for you.” She wanted to reach out to him so much her heart hurt.

“You're a very thoughtful woman,” he said, leveling his hot gaze on her. His nostrils flared as he breathed in the air.

“Well, thank you for walking me to my room,” she said, growing nervous. If he kept looking at her like that, she might be tempted to throw her arms around his neck and kiss him.

“Goodnight then,” he said.

She slipped inside, feeling her body heat from the look in his eyes. She stood on the other side of the door with her back against the wood. She gritted her teeth and growled at herself, slapping her palm to her forehead.

“How could you possibly think that man is attracted to you, Everly?” she demanded of herself, storming through the room. “He is gorgeous, and you are just... blah.”

She turned to the mirror, observing her voluptuous curves. They had grown during the pregnancy, and she still hadn't lost them. Her plain dark blonde hair fell around her shoulders in a shapeless mass. Her pale skin was dotted with freckles. She was short and plump and plain, she decided. How could a man as gorgeous as Kian possibly be interested in her? Her ex-husband’s cruel words played inside her mind. She growled at herself again.

“You need to believe in yourself,” she said. “You're worth everything and more. Why wouldn't he be attracted to you? You’re a good woman and you deserve the best.”

She nodded at herself in the mirror, setting her jaw. But she knew that it was all just talk. Deep down, she didn't feel like she deserved it. She felt like she deserved to be back where she was a day ago, scraping by, and living in a borrowed room.

She let out a deep sigh and collapsed on the bed, staring at the ceiling. She couldn't believe how comfortable the bed was and how beautiful her room was. Her life had changed in the blink of an eye, and she couldn't quite accept it.

Everly got ready for bed and set Ember's baby monitor on her night stand. She climbed under the covers, turned off the bedside lamp, and pulled the cozy comforter up over her shoulder. Things were definitely turning up for her. Aside from the great job, the comfortable bed, and the beautiful home, she had Kian in her life.

As much as she told herself to stop thinking there was any chance they could be together, she couldn't stop. There was just something about him that felt so right. If she could get an affirmation that he really was attracted to her, then maybe, just maybe, there was hope for them.

She drifted off to sleep, her head filled with dreams of her and Kian. Her and Kian having dinner together. Her and Kian shopping. Her and Kian on a ski trip. Her and Kian making love. Her and Kian having their own children. Her and Kian raising baby Ember and half a dozen other babies in the mansion.

In her dreams, he kissed her deep and full on the mouth, his tongue slipping between her lips as he tweaked her nipples and slid between her legs. His throbbing manhood pumped inside her wet core and her body clenched with release.

“Oh, Kian, yes,” she shouted out in the darkness.

Her eyes shot open, her body still throbbing. Sunlight streamed through the window. Her nipples pricked tight against her nightie, her core slick with desire. She let out a deep, exasperated sigh.

Now she was having sex dreams about her boss. This was beyond inappropriate. She bit her lip, thinking she should turn in her resignation. This job was so good, and she was already becoming attached to baby Ember. As much as she knew she should, she couldn’t tear herself away from the idea of her and Kian.

“You're becoming obsessed,” Everly told herself. “This is not healthy.”

She'd only known the man for one day. How could she possibly be having these feelings for him? It just wasn't natural.

She heard Ember cooing through the baby monitor and pulled the blankets off herself, still sweaty and flushed from the dream. She sloughed it off as she slid into her slippers, padding across the room to the nursery door.

She found Ember sitting in her crib, clapping her chubby hands. The baby's bright eyes and smile greeted her as the sun rose higher in the sky. She smiled at the child and lifted her out of the crib. Bringing her adorable weight and sweet smell into her arms, Everly greeted the baby.

“Good morning, sweet girl,” Everly said, filled with affection for the child.

Her life couldn't be better. She took Ember to the changing table and quickly changed her diaper and put her into a fresh new outfit. She took her to the window seat and shook an adorable little dragon rattle for her. She gazed out on the backyard as Ember grabbed the rattle and began to gum it with her cute little mouth.

“I think I'm falling for your daddy,” she whispered into the baby's head.

The sweet smell of the baby filled her nostrils, and she let out a satisfied sigh. Having Ember in her life filled the deep yearning inside her that she’d had since she lost her baby. She had felt so empty and alone up until the moment that Kian had introduced her to Ember and hired her as the nanny. She didn't want to jeopardize her position here. She couldn't let her silly sex dreams get in the way of paying back Stacy. She’d just have to take a cold shower before bed at night and try to ignore how sexy Kian was every moment of the day.

She took Ember downstairs and put her in her high chair before fixing her a bottle. Everly sat at the table in her pajamas, feeding Ember while she ate cereal.

After breakfast, Everly put Ember in the playpen to clean the kitchen. After she finished tidying up, she put Ember in a stroller and rolled her outside into the backyard. The fresh fragrance of spring filled her nose. They rolled down the paved path, along the manicured lawns and gardens. It was such a beautiful day with the bright blue sky overhead. It made her so grateful to Kian for giving her this opportunity.

She didn't want anything to jeopardize it. She had to get her hormones under control. They were just raging because she had a baby to take care of and she was surrounded by hunky male hotness. Her mind was playing tricks on her. It was nothing more than that.