Myrna Mackenzie - Her Millionaire, His Miracle

He held up a hand to stop her. “I didn’t think you were being flippant. But, this situation…” He blew out a breath. “The situation is this. You’re here because there may be a child or children who need your help. If I could go back and change the past, I would never have risked fathering a child, but it is the children I’m asking for your help with, and…I’m not a child.”

“I know that.”

“You don’t. Not in the sense that I mean. You see a man disintegrating from what he was, one no longer as capable as he once was. You see a need and you want to help. That’s…nice, but understand that that kind of help isn’t what I need.”

She stood there, silent, tension hanging in the air. “What do you need?”

To be whole, to be a complete man, to rewrite the past and change the future . “Why does it matter?”

“Your needs will be their needs if the worst comes to pass,” she said simply. “Isn’t that important?”

“Yes.” But conceding that was getting too close to admitting things he wasn’t prepared to admit yet. Not to anyone other than himself.

“Besides,” she said, taking a step closer and standing taller. “I won’t lie to you. I need this job. I have plans and goals, but before I can make those plans a reality…”

She looked uncomfortable.

“Eden?”

An audible sigh escaped her. “My husband emptied our bank accounts when he left me. He owed money, and I was the one who had to pay the bills. I’m still working on that.”

“I see. I could help you.”

“No.” She shook her head vehemently. “I’ve already done the dependence routine too many times, and it’s a really ugly feeling. I need to take care of this on my own. I can’t take unmerited help. I just…I earn my way, and I don’t take money I haven’t worked for.”

“And you feel that’s what I’m asking you to do?”

“Yes. In a way.”

“What way?”

“In the way people used to act when I lived here. Almost everyone in the area is rich and they all knew that we weren’t. They would give us the clothes and furniture they didn’t want anymore. I know their intentions were good, but we went to school with their sons and daughters, and taking their charity made us feel as if we were lacking in some way. Equality wasn’t possible.”

“And you want to be my equal?”

Oh, that definitely was a blush spreading up from the neckline of her white blouse. This time he saw the contrast for certain, and what that did to his imagination was…intriguing and disturbingly erotic.

But Eden had crossed her arms. “I am your equal.” She said it boldly, even though there was a noticeable tremble in her voice as if she didn’t believe her own words.

What could he do? He tilted his head. “Agreed. Absolutely.”

She waited. “Work?” she asked.

He searched his mind, then turned his head to the side. “All right, I do have an extra job you can do to earn your keep, since you insist I’m overpaying you.”

“You are overpaying me. Even a rich boy like you knows that.”

“A rich boy?” He couldn’t help the mock-indignant look that turned into a smile.

“It’s what you are and always have been,” she told him. “You wanted me to be truthful.”

“But not brutal,” he said, intending to tease.

Instantly those crossed arms dropped. “I’m sorry.”

“I was kidding. I know what I am, Eden. I’m what you said, and I don’t apologize for it.”

She nodded. “Don’t apologize. You got me through a lot of tough days when I was young.”

“I did?”

Her chest rose deliciously. “Yes, you were the fantasy boy girls daydreamed about at school, but don’t let it go to your head. I was young and stupid then.”

“And now you’re not.”

“And now I’m definitely not. No more fantasy men in my life. Not even you.”

He couldn’t help grinning. Was that an answering grin on her face? “Well, it’s good that we’ve established the fact that you’re impervious to my wealth and my charming ways.”

“We have.” But as he stood there gazing her way, charmed by this new impertinent Eden, she took a slight step back. “Now about the extra work…”

Oh yes. Reality. “I’m a computer consultant. I spend all my time with the newest toys in the business,” he told her, “but I haven’t gotten around to researching the toys that will make those children’s lives easier if they should need that kind of help. Oh, I know the possibilities, but there’s been no hands-on stuff. I haven’t actually tried any of the available tools.”

“Because you see well enough.”

“Well enough,” he agreed. And because he wasn’t ready yet to give up even a centimeter he didn’t have to, but…

“The children might need some of this stuff. If you could read up, order some samples, try things out…”

“I can do that. And if I need you?”

He couldn’t help blinking.

“As a guinea pig, I mean,” she explained.

No , he wanted to say, but then he was the one who had suggested the task and he really did want to understand the results for the sake of his offspring if he had any.

“If it proves necessary,” he finally said, and he took a step closer and took her hand. “Thank you, Eden, for offering to do what I hadn’t even asked. You’re…very different from what I remember.”

He was too close for details but he could tell she was smiling. “You don’t really remember much of me,” she accused. “Truthfully.”

What could he say? Jeremy shrugged. “Truthfully, I don’t remember much.”

“You were pretty busy in those days.”

“I was self-absorbed.”

“That, too.”

He chuckled. “Maybe I shouldn’t have asked for truthfulness.”

“I would have given it to you, anyway. I need truth in my life now.”

Jeremy nodded. He released her hand, because the truth was that standing this close to her made him remember one thing. She had kissed him once. Obviously, it wasn’t going to happen again. She clearly regretted that first time, and given their situation, he knew it would be the worst kind of idea for them to touch.

Still, he’d never been the type to deny himself pleasure just because it was a bad idea. He definitely was attracted to Eden Byars with her clean violet scent, her soft skin and her pretty laugh. He had an aching hunger to feel her lips against his. Just a quick taste. But that was one bit of truth he wasn’t offering up. There were some things a man couldn’t fight, but sexual temptation could be easily overcome. He wasn’t going to touch this woman.

As promised, an employee, Donald, had brought Eden’s bags in. “Anything else you need, ma’am?”

She needed him to stop calling her ma’am and looking at her as if she were nobility when she was probably no wealthier than he was. Eden shook her head. “Thank you, no. I appreciate you carrying my things in and taking care of my car.”

“Mr. Fulton says that you’re to change or pack away anything in the house that doesn’t suit you. He had it restored to the way it was years ago, but it’s yours while you’re here.”

“I’m sure it’s fine.”

Donald nodded. “Sometimes Lula comes in and leaves a few things.” His tone was casual but vaguely uncomfortable.

Eden blinked. “Lula?” Was this house where Jeremy brought his women friends?

“Lula’s the cook. She was here when Mr. Fulton was young, and when his aunt would get mad at Mr. Fulton—which apparently was a lot—the woman would throw away his stuff. Lula salvaged some of the things and hid them here. She put them away when they were fixing the house, but lately she’s been bringing things back piece by piece.” Donald smiled.