Marine for Hire Read Online Free PDF Page B

shuddered at the thought.
    “Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry,” he said. “I only wondered how involved he is and whether he’ll be okay with the boys having a nanny. Some guys might be uncomfortable with the idea of another man watching his children. Looking after his wife.”
    “Ex-wife,” she snapped a little too gruffly. “That lying, cheating asshole lost the privilege of calling me his wife the second he stuck his dick in another woman.”
    “Right. Sorry.”
    She shook her head. “No, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell. I just hate lying. Lying is the absolute worst thing. Worse than riptides and parking tickets and pubic lice combined.”
    “Of course.” There was a flicker of something in his eyes—amusement? Embarrassment? It was gone in an instant, whatever it was.
    “Anyway,” she said, hoping to steer the conversation back on track, “the divorce has only been final a month, but the marriage ended the second he walked out the door.”
    Sam nodded, his eyes locked on hers. She looked away, glancing down at the French manicure Kelli had insisted would make her look sophisticated and stylish. When she looked up, he was still watching her.
    “He’s an idiot,” Sam said, his blue eyes fiery in the dim light of the kitchen. “Your ex-husband.”
    “Yes,” she agreed, shivering a little under the heat of his gaze.
    “He didn’t deserve you.”
    “I know. He also gave up the right to have any say in who watches the children or who lives in my house when he left us for a tramp with neon hot pants and gravity-defying fake boobs,” she said.
    He snorted. “Trust me, sweetheart. Fake tits have nothing on your incredible, natural—” He froze, then cleared his throat. “More wine?”
    “You already asked me that.” She fought the urge to smile as he tore his eyes from her chest and began scrubbing the counter with a vengeance. She should probably be offended, but she was too damn flattered to muster any real indignation.
    “Sorry,” he said. “That was inappropriate.”
    “Not a problem.” Sheri tried to ignore the warm, tingly feeling pulsing through her body as he looked at her again. His eyes swept over her breasts, down the curve of her hip. She straightened a little, startled to realize she wanted him to look.
    “I haven’t spoken with my ex recently,” she said to diffuse the tension warming the room. “We handled most of the divorce settlements and custody arrangements through lawyers. It got pretty ugly.”
    “Was he abusive?”
    She shook her head. “Verbally, I guess. Look, I have full custody, so any decisions concerning Jeffrey and Jackson’s well-being are mine to make.”
    Sam nodded. “Fair enough. I’m—uh—I’m sorry for your loss.”
    She released her grip on the table and laughed. “I like the way you make him sound dead instead of like a deadbeat. I actually might’ve preferred that.” She stood up, ready to be finished with this line of questioning. “Okay, why don’t we give this a trial run with the manny thing?”
    “You’re sure?”
    She nodded. “We can give it a couple weeks and see how that goes. You seem like a good guy, and it’s obvious my brother did his due diligence in hiring you. Sounds like he already handled the salary and benefits and everything. Are you okay with those arrangements?”
    “Mac was very generous.”
    “I imagine so. He’s mysterious as hell, and I have no idea what he does for a living, but he’s richer than God and takes good care of his family. Are you—I mean, are you comfortable working here? Do you think the position is a good fit?”
    He gave her a smile that made her belly twist pleasantly. “I think we’ll both find the arrangement mutually satisfying.”
    “Good. That’s good.” She stood up and started down the hall, conscious of Sam following closely behind her. “Well, I’ll show you the room I’d prepared for the nanny. I hope you’re okay with apricot walls and pastel yellow sheets. I