Just One More Temptation (The Sterling Family Book 4)

Noah had searched and made umpteen calls, and he couldn’t find a new nanny. The agency he’d been using had politely suggested he try a different company. Apparently, he was being booted. His girls had run through too many caregivers for him to count. It was Noah’s bad luck that it was summertime and they were off from school. He managed easier during the year with a neighbor he’d paid to pick the girls up from school and watch them until he came home around dinnertime.

But now that they were on break, he needed someone full time. Sleepaway camp like some of their friends was off the table. He wanted to make the most of his time with his daughters while he still could. Before they became teenagers and no longer wanted to be seen with him. Noah shuddered at the thought. Besides, he wanted them around in case Charlie came home to visit.

His mother, Nina, and sister, Shannon, took turns watching the girls this past week but they were busy today and he had a meeting with a new client this afternoon. His brothers, Liam and Simon, were working.

He just needed an hour, so he’d brought Dakota and Dylan to work with him and they’d settled into the chairs in his outer office near his admin’s desk.

“Janine,” he said to his administrative assistant. “I need you to please watch the girls while I meet with Mr. Canon.” A potential new client. “They brought their iPads and can read while I’m busy.”

“Umm… sure thing, Mr. Powers,” she said, treating the twins to a half smile filled with uncertainty.

In her mid-thirties, Janine was an excellent worker and though she might not love the idea of playing babysitter, he’d make it up to her in her yearly bonus.

“Girls, stay in your seats and I’ll be out as soon as I can.” He eyed them with his sternest face. “And I mean, do not leave these chairs.”

“What if we need the bathroom?” Dylan asked, her lashes fluttering over her green eyes too innocently.

He didn’t trust her. They’d asked about Fallon every day since he’d found them at the gallery and he’d insisted she was too busy for them to stop by and say hello. He’d also been forced to insist her painting wasn’t right for their apartment. But he was beginning to think the wall the girls wanted to hang the artwork on was perfect.

“Then tell Janine you need the restroom and she’ll take you.” He wanted them within her sight.

He glanced at his admin. “Eyes on them at all times,” he said, his voice gruff. She needed to understand the importance of his request.

“Of course,” she said, and her gaze went back to the screen on which she was typing.

“Is Mr. Canon in the conference room?”

She glanced up. “Yes. With his partner.”

He nodded, looked to the girls who were both reading, said a silent prayer, and strode out of the room and down the hall.

An hour later, and new client papers signed, Noah returned to his office to find the outer room empty. He assumed Janine had taken the girls to the bathroom or maybe the cafeteria.

Once in his office, he settled into his chair and began to give thought to the strategy for John Canon and his partner, who thought their in-house accountant was embezzling from the business.

“Mr. Powers, I’m so sorry!” Janine ran into the room, teetering on her heels. “One minute they were here, then Mr. Baker called,” she said of one of Noah’s partners. “And I took some notes and when I hung up, I looked up and they were gone! I searched everywhere in the office but—”

“They’re gone,” he said, cutting her off with his sharp tone. “Didn’t I say not to take your eyes off of them?”

She straightened her shoulders. “In all fairness, Mr. Powers, I’m your admin, not a babysitter. And they’re stealthy little things.”

He bit down on the inside of his cheek, knowing she was right and he had no intention of firing her. “They’re children, not things.” He ran a hand through his hair and groaned.

He’d be out of here, looking high and low for the girls once more, if he wasn’t certain of where he’d find them.

“But you’re right, Janine. They’re stealthy. I’m sorry I put you in that position. Can you hold down the fort for the rest of the day?” he asked.

“Yes, Mr. Powers.” He shook his head and strode to the elevator, knowing his next stop was the gallery.

To see the woman and the place he’d had no intention of visiting ever again.

* * *

Fallon studied the watercolor by a new client, hanging on the free wall space in the gallery. One of the heavy statue pieces blocked the view of the landscape and needed to be moved.

“Clara?” she called out.

“Yes, dear?” Clara Morganville, the gallery owner, asked from her seat behind her antique desk in the back corner of the room.

Clara had owned the gallery for the last twenty years. Because she also owned the property, when the ceramics store went out of business six months ago, she’d approved Fallon’s idea of opening the paint and sip studio next door. They’d broken through the gallery so a door led to the other side, and expanded the business.

“I think this pedestal needs to be moved, don’t you?” Fallon gestured to the blocked painting.

Clara rose from the desk and walked around, eyeing the art from all angles. “I can get Oliver to do it for us so we don’t have to pay for someone to come in and do heavy lifting.”

Since Fallon wasn’t facing Clara, she wrinkled her nose. “I didn’t know Oliver was in town.”

Clara’s son was in imports and exports. He traveled often and had been gone well over two months. Despite him being a businessman and Clara adoring him, he’d always made Fallon uncomfortable.

“He’s back for a while this time and I’m so happy he’s showing an interest in my business. You may find him around the gallery more.”

“That’s wonderful,” Fallon murmured. It wasn’t.

Oliver was arrogant, condescending, and lazy. She’d be surprised if they got the pedestal moved sometime this year. She didn’t want to upset Clara, so she kept her thoughts about her son to herself.

Chimes sounded from next door where Sylvie was hosting a party, so Fallon wasn’t needed on the paint and sip side.

“Fallon?” Sylvie called out seconds later. “You have two little someones here looking for you!” She walked into the gallery with the twins following behind her.

Both girls had big grins on their faces and no parent or guardian with them. When their father realized they were missing, he was going to lose his mind.

“Hi, girls! What are you two doing here… alone?”

They glanced at each other as if each held the answer. “Dad’s at work,” Dylan said at last.

“And where are you supposed to be?” Fallon asked as she pulled her phone from her skirt pocket, immediately opened it, and tapped the number she’d called him on last time.

Noah answered on the first ring. “Tell me they’re with you.”

The panic in his voice reached inside her and she looked at his twins. “Yes. I’ll keep them with me until you get here.”

“Thank you.” He breathed out the words in a gruff voice that had her lady parts tingling. She imagined him using that voice while those large hands aroused her and a strangled sound escaped her lips. “See you soon.” She quickly disconnected the call.

“Can you tell us about your painting?” Dakota asked.

Fallon sighed. As much as she wanted to lecture them about running off again, it wasn’t her place. Noah would burst in soon and handle his children.

Clara walked over, taking her time as she approached from the back end. In her pantsuit and dark hair streaked with gray and pulled into a bun, she appeared the motherly type and acted it as well. She smiled wide when she took in the twins.

“Who do we have here?” she asked.

“Dakota and Dylan, this is Clara Morganville. Clara owns the gallery.”

Clara stepped closer. “Hi, girls. I love your names.”

“Thanks!” they said at once.

Tipping her head, Clara asked, “Who’s who?”

“I’m Dakota.” She waved with a grin.

“That must make you Dylan!” Clara applauded herself as if she’d accomplished a miracle.

Both girls giggled, the sound warming Fallon’s heart. They were adorable kids.

Though Dylan’s hair was down today, as was her sister’s, Fallon had figured out the identity question already. She knew Dakota was more likely to give away information and ask questions, while Dylan held back. By personality alone, Fallon could already recognize each twin. By looks? Not so much without a difference in hairstyle and being alerted to identity.

“Look what I happened to find in my bag!” Clara held out two lollipops and the girls grinned.

“What color?” she asked them.

“Red!” Dylan said.

“Yellow.” Dakota spoke next.

Clara handed them the candy.

“Thank you,” they said, proving Noah and their mother had instilled good manners in them.

Since she didn’t know how far Noah’s office was from here, she walked the girls over to her painting they’d admired and began to give them a lesson on modern art. Dakota leaned in, soaking in the details while Dylan was more mesmerized by the colors that had drawn her to the painting to begin with.

The chimes above the door jingled and Noah came rushing in, this time in a suit and tie that exuded power. His gaze met hers and heat flared in his eyes. This time she was sure she didn’t imagine the mutual awareness between them.

She swallowed hard and waited as he approached. His gaze narrowed as he pinned his girls in place. “Dylan, Dakota, explain. Now.”

“We just really wanted to see the pretty paintings again,” Dylan said.

“And Janine wasn’t paying attention to us at all,” Dakota added, a whine in her tone.

Who was Janine? Fallon wondered with an unhealthy amount of what had to be jealousy. She didn’t like that… at all.

Noah turned an unhealthy shade of red. “Do you have any idea how dangerous New York City is for two girls alone your age?” His voice raised as he spoke. “You could have been kidnapped, for God’s sake.”

Their eyes opened wide, then shimmered with tears. “We didn’t think about that,” Dakota said.

“That’s right. You didn’t think. And apparently neither did I by letting you off lightly last time. Hand over the iPads,” he said, hand out.

“But—”

“Now.”

They deposited the tablet they’d each clutched against their chest in his open hand.

“And no television for one week.”

“Daddy!” they moaned simultaneously.

He shook his head. “No. You’ll have plenty of time to think about why these stunts aren’t cute. And while you’re at it, think about how devastated your mom and I would be if anything happened to either of you.”

Though Fallon felt bad for the now crying girls, she understood his anger and the need to follow through with punishment to make his point.

“Stay here while I talk to Fallon,” he instructed them.

They huddled together and Fallon followed Noah a few steps away.

Nervous from the situation and wanting to lighten the mood, she said, “You do realize I’ll have to start charging for babysitting services if this keeps up?”

Only a slight curve of his lips indicated he found her comment amusing. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with them,” he said, showing a true hint of vulnerability as he ran his hands through his hair, further messing the strands. “They’ve run off every nanny to the point where the agency basically fired me. My admin was focused on her computer screen and they disappeared on her to come here.”

Janine was his administrative assistant, she realized, hating the relief that washed over her at the knowledge.

Feeling bad for him, she reached out, placing a hand on his shoulder. Even over the suit fabric, she felt the strength in his shoulder muscles.

Ignoring the dangerous sexual awareness she experienced around him, she turned her attention to the issue at hand. “I can understand them missing their mom,” she said. “I lost my mother when I was their age.”

She skipped the hows of her mother’s death. Not only did she not like to revisit that time, but the idea of someone killing her parent while she was sleeping in another room was still hard to accept or cope with. She’d had enough therapy to function without blaming herself, but it wasn’t easy.

His harsh expression softened and she caught a glimpse of the same man he was around his girls. “I’m so sorry,” he said.

“Thank you.” She swallowed hard. “And I know there needs to be consequences for their actions. I’m just saying… I can understand why they’re gravitating to me.”

He nodded. “I can, too. Not that I see any real resemblance between you and Charlie. That’s their mother. But if they thought so from behind, there will be no changing their minds.”

She understood and a sudden thought occurred to her that might help. “Listen, I have an idea. One that would make the twins happy and would give you a break from worrying about them,” she said.

He raised an eyebrow. “I’m all ears.”

“Right now, our classes at the paint and sip studio next door are for adults. I’m thinking of expanding to giving art lessons to kids but I don’t want to turn this into a preschool painting place. Your girls are just the right age and I could have them come in to paint and learn. I could see how they react and if the experiment is something I want to do for real.”

He eyed her with an admiring stare. Obviously, she’d said something right.

“I know they’d love the idea, but let’s schedule it for after their punishment ends.”

“Of course. That’s fine.” She smiled, excited to teach the twins to paint.

He tipped his head toward the girls and they walked back over to where they stood.

“We’re sorry, Daddy,” they said in unison, this time, the apology sounding heartfelt instead of rote and Fallon was fascinated how often they spoke the same sentence at the same time.

Noah knelt down so he was at eye level with them. “I love you both so much and I couldn’t handle it if something happened to you. Got it?”

“Got it,” they chimed together and came in for a group hug.

Watching Noah’s affection toward his girls warmed her heart and that was the moment Fallon knew she was in trouble.

“Are we still going out for dinner?” Dakota asked, her tone hesitant.

Noah frowned and Fallon could see he wasn’t sure which decision was best.

Finally, he groaned and said, “Considering I didn’t plan on cooking, yes. We are.”

“Can you come, Fallon?” Dylan asked.

“We’re going for burgers and they have world-famous milkshakes. Please?” Dakota put her hands together and pleaded with her to come.

Noah ran his fingers through his hair, a gesture she bet he did a lot where the girls were concerned. Once again, they’d caught him off guard, Fallon thought, trying not to laugh.

He shifted on his feet, obviously uncomfortable and unsure how to get out of the invitation.

“Girls, I’m certain your father wants time alone with you,” she said, giving him the opportunity to discuss their wandering tendencies and letting him off the hook.

No need to put him in the position of telling her he didn’t want her to join them. The notion already hurt her feelings but she knew having dinner with this little family was a bad idea.

“Please?” Dakota asked. “Don’t you like hamburgers and milkshakes?”

She glanced at Noah, beseeching him with her eyes to get her out of this mess.

“Do you like burgers and shakes?” he asked instead, all but inviting her instead of taking the out.

She blinked in surprise. “I do but—”

“Then if you’re free for dinner, why don’t you join us?”

She didn’t know what had changed but she found herself nodding. “I guess I’m coming.”

“Yay!” the girls yelled.

Noah stepped closer. “I’m hoping spending time with you will quench their need and not give them a reason to sneak back here. Especially once we tell them about the painting class,” he said softly.

In her ear.

In a grumbly, sexy voice that caused her nipples to harden behind her lightweight camisole. His gaze slid from hers to her shirt and she crossed her arms over her chest… too late. His eyes flared before he banked the arousal she’d seen there. That she was still feeling.

Oh, was she in trouble.