LITMIR.BIZ

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on what? I haven’t agreed to any deal.” Shannon stuck her hands behind her back. Thank goodness the words came out casual and offhand.

      “Smart woman. It’s always best to discuss terms on the front end.” He leaned forward in a companionable gesture, resting his forearms on the table.

      The gesture somehow made him seem more approachable and appealing. Although if he got much more appealing, Shannon might jump him and rip off that pristine white shirt and perfectly knotted tie.

      When Shannon didn’t speak, he simply smiled. “You obviously know your negotiating techniques. Okay, I’ll toss out an amount.”

      “We’re not negotiating,” Shannon protested. “Look, Mr. Fortune Hay—”

      “Oliver,” he said, once more not playing fair by flashing that enticing smile. “We decided on first names.”

      “Okay, Oliver.” Shannon raked back her hair with her fingers, her heart pounding. Why did she feel as if she was in a race she was destined to lose? A race that, in some ways, she wanted to lose? “I—”

      Before she could say more, he tossed out a number that had her forgetting what she’d been about to say.

      “I believe that’s a fair offer.”

      “Per...?” She really didn’t want to say per month if he meant every two weeks, but it was an amazing sum of money either way.

      “Week.”

      Shannon tried to control her expression by counting to ten in her head. The amount was five times what she’d been making in Lubbock. She swallowed past her suddenly dry throat and shifted in her seat. “If you’re offering to pay that much, I’m surprised you don’t have women—and men—beating down the door to work for you.”

      “That’s not the salary the agency suggested. They told me the going rate in the area and I agreed to it.” His gaze searched her eyes. “I’m a businessman, Shannon. I’m willing to pay for quality. It’s as simple as that.”

      Shannon never considered she could be bought, but then again she’d never been offered so much money for a position she knew she’d enjoy. Working for her father was fine, but he really didn’t need her. Little Ollie did.

      Oliver turned his head slightly to the side. “What do you say?”

      Shannon wiped suddenly sweaty palms on her jeans. “Before we discuss salary any further, I’d like to know your expectations.”

      He nodded approvingly and studied her for another long moment.

      “Timewise, London is six hours ahead of Horseback Hollow.” He gestured with an open palm to the clock on the wall in the shape of a rooster. “This means that much of my business will be conducted very early in the morning. That’s why living in is nonnegotiable.”

      “I could come first thing in the morning, say at six a.m.” She’d almost said five, but that was her father’s favorite time to roll out of bed, not hers.

      “That won’t work.” Oliver tapped a finger on the table. “If I’m speaking with a client at two a.m. and Ollie starts crying and needs attention, I need someone here who can tend to him.”

      “He could spend the night with me at my parents’ home.” The words came out in a rush, before she even considered what her folks might think about having a toddler underfoot. All she knew was the idea of being under the same roof with Oliver Fortune Hayes night after night was...disturbing. “That way, you could conduct business without any interruptions at all.”

      When she finished speaking, Oliver shook his head. The set of his jaw said there would be no changing his mind. “I want Ollie’s schedule to be disrupted as little as possible. If I hadn’t already canceled other trips to see my family, I’d have canceled this one and remained in London. Ollie has experienced more changes in the past few months than any little boy should have to face.”

      “You care about him.”

      Oliver looked perplexed. “Did you think I didn’t?”

      Well, she wanted to say, sometimes you treat him like just one more thing in your life you need to handle. But she knew that wasn’t being fair. Her interaction with Oliver and his son had been minimal.

      “No, of course not.” Shannon blew out a breath. “You’re probably right about not injecting more change into his life.”

      He relaxed in his chair. “Any other concerns you’d like to discuss?”

      Shannon cleared her throat. “What about meal preparation, laundry and housecleaning duties? Would those be something you’d expect from me?”

      “Negotiable.”

      “I would need time off.”

      “I’m not a slave driver, Shannon.” His lips lifted in a boyish smile before he became all business again. “At a minimum I would require you to be here between the hours of midnight to noon, Monday through Friday. However, I’d prefer that during the working week you remain on duty until six p.m. That would allow me to have some sleep knowing Ollie is safe under your care.”

      Though he was proposing some pretty long hours, she would have every evening free. Other than Rachel, most of her friends worked eight-to-five jobs, and this really would be no different. “What about weekends?”

      “Those days are yours.”

      She tapped her index finger against her bottom lip. “It’s tempting.”

      “I’d like you to start immediately.”

      “You’re getting ahead of yourself, Bucko.” The word, commonly used by Shannon and her sibs, slipped out before her lips could trap it and swallow it whole.

      “Bucko?” Oliver raised one dark brow. “I don’t believe I’m familiar with the term.”

      His lips twitched ever so slightly.

      Sheesh, the guy was appealing. And that was part of her concern.

      Shannon jerked her gaze from those lips and squared her shoulders. There was no getting around it. The elephant in the room had to be addressed. “There’s one thing we haven’t yet discussed. How you respond may be the difference between my accepting your offer or respectfully declining it.”

      Oliver’s eyes turned flat. He folded his hands before him on the table, his gaze never wavering from her face. “You have my undivided attention.”

      The fact that Oliver was being so businesslike should have made it easier to spit out the words stuck in her throat. But somehow, having those blue eyes focused so intently on her made her feel like a schoolgirl about to admit to a crush. Dear God, what if she’d only imagined the chemistry between them?

      Shannon shifted in her seat and hesitated, despite knowing there was nothing to do at this point but take a deep breath and plunge ahead.

      She focused her gaze on a spot over his left shoulder. “Ever since we’ve met, I’ve noticed this crazy kind of electricity between us. That’s why I think it’s important we agree up front to keep things strictly platonic between us. Giving in to the attraction would only complicate the situation.”

      She was out of breath by the time she finished. Had he been able to understand what she was trying to say? She’d spoken so fast—too fast—the words tripping over each other in her haste to get them out.

      “Electricity?”

      Of course if he was going to pick one word to focus on, it would naturally be that one. But it was the twinkle in those blue eyes that had her jerking to her feet, a hot flush shooting up her neck.

      “Forget it. Forget I said anything. This isn’t going to work.” To her horror, her voice shook slightly.

      It wasn’t the hint of amusement in his eyes that had gotten to her. It was the frustration

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