Taste of Desire

“You’re going to do it, right?” Emma asked.

Did Salina really have any other choice? She would be helping out her sister’s colleague and herself in the process. “I—I guess.”

“You don’t sound excited,” Emma commented.

“It’s not exactly what I had in mind in terms of employment, but like you say, I’ve had some experience in day care, so I’m sure I can do an adequate job. And as long as it’s only temporary, and I don’t have to worry about my true career goal being derailed.” And if this job helped to put extra money in her pocket so that she could fund culinary school, all the better.

“Great,” Emma said. “I told Jake you would call him this evening, arrange to meet him immediately.”

“What?”

“I told you, he’s urgently in need of someone. There’s no time to waste.”

“Where does he live?”

“He’s in Manhattan,” Emma explained. “Actually, United Nations Plaza. The Trump World Tower residences there.”

“That’s a nice address,” Salina said. And even though she knew she shouldn’t, she couldn’t help thinking about Donald Martin, a man with money who had felt that he was entitled to something extra from her. Salina didn’t like the idea of possibly meeting another wealthy man who had expectations of something on the side for his pleasure.

“Don’t worry,” Emma said, and Salina knew that her sister had read her thoughts. They were close that way, and could often gauge what each other was thinking. “Jake is a true gentleman, and in fact, he hasn’t even dated since his wife’s death. He has totally thrown himself into work. Jake’s not going to do anything crazy.”

Salina nodded. “Course not. You know him, and you wouldn’t recommend me for the job if you thought there was anything untoward about him. I just couldn’t help thinking about Donald for a moment. I guess that I may be a little jaded.”

“I know,” Emma said. “And I told you that you totally need to slap Donald’s behind with a lawsuit. What he did to you was out of line and unconscionable.”

Salina raised her hand. “I know, but a lawsuit would be emotionally taxing, and mean that I have to see him in court, not to mention spend money that I don’t have.”

“I wouldn’t charge you,” Emma said. “You know I would do it for the satisfaction of seeing a jerk like him go down.”

“Well, there would have to be some cost. Court costs, I don’t know. The bottom line is, the most important cost to me would be the emotional one. And I’m not willing to pay it.” Salina spoke firmly, hoping to put an end to this discussion once and for all. She knew her sister loved her and had her best interests at heart, but the idea of justice for her was not the same as Emma’s thoughts on justice.

To turn the conversation away from the ugly experience she only wanted to forget, Salina said, “So, you want me to call Jake now?”

“Yes, that would be great. I told him to expect your call.” Emma smiled sheepishly, the look saying that she knew her sister would have said yes to the deal all along.

“All right, give me his number.”

Emma rattled off the phone number, and then explained that Jake should be at home because he had left work early with his daughter.

“I’ll call him right away.”

Salina went to the bedroom to make the call in private, and a minute later she had Jake on the line. “Hello, Mr. McKnight?”

“You must be Emma’s sister,” he said without preamble. “Salina?”

“Yes,” Salina answered. She couldn’t help noting that the man’s voice was deep and sexy.

“Please, call me Jake.”

“Okay. Hi, Jake. I understand you need a temporary nanny.”

“Yes. Can you start immediately?”

Salina had not expected that Mr. McKnight would want her to start immediately. She figured he might even be interviewing other prospects to feel one hundred percent comfortable with his decision. But she said, “Absolutely. If you want me to start right away, I can.”

“By right away, I mean right now. If you could come to my home, meet with me and meet with my daughter, that would make things much easier for when you officially start tomorrow morning.”

“You want me to come right now?” Salina asked, glancing at the clock. It was shortly after 6:00 p.m.

“Is that a problem?”

“No. No problem at all. Just tell me your address, and I’ll be on my way.”

As Salina scribbled the information on a pad, the image of Jake’s handsome face popped into her mind. Releasing a sigh, she vowed to resist the temptation of his allure and promised herself to keep the assignment professional.

Chapter 3

An hour later Salina had exited the subway and was heading to Trump World Tower. The building was enormous, its black-and-bronze-tinted glass stunning. Across the street was a park with landscaped grounds and fountains, which Salina could only imagine was incredibly beautiful in the spring and summer. The Trump building towered over the neighboring United Nations Plaza Tower, a structure with a unique design that angled inward as it neared the top, to form a pointed peak. Both addresses were high-priced real estate, and Salina couldn’t help remembering that unfortunate day weeks ago as she headed toward the exclusive residence on the Upper East Side, but she swallowed her nervousness and reminded herself that Jake McKnight, devoted father and widow, was not Donald Martin.

She went through the typical doorman greeting, followed by the concierge calling her up to Mr. McKnight’s suite. Within minutes, she was on her way up the elevator to the fifty-sixth floor.

A few minutes later she was knocking on door 56-B. Within seconds Jake opened the door.

And even though Salina had known he was very attractive, she was taken aback by the sight of him.

The man was gorgeous. She had forgotten just how much so. He was tall, definitely over six feet. He had wide shoulders, the kind that said he worked out or had played sports. He was clean-shaven, making his strong jawline clearly evident. His golden brown skin was similar in complexion to hers. Everything about him was utterly sexy, but his eyes were his most compelling feature—brown with flecks of gold.

“Hello,” Jake said.

“Hi,” Salina responded. And she noticed in Jake’s eyes the same expression she had seen the night of the charity event. Then, she had thought he was simply brooding. Now she recognized the look for what it was—sadness.

“Thanks for coming right away,” Jake said.

“No problem. I’m happy to help out.”

“Come in.”

Jake stepped backward so that she could enter the apartment, and Salina did so, looking around as she did. The first thing she noticed was the high ceiling, probably around ten feet. The living room area was large, with polished oak floors. Salina guessed that this space alone was probably twelve hundred square feet or so. The unit boasted floor-to-ceiling windows with an incredible view of the New York skyline. Though it was dark outside, Salina could see the Chrysler building in the distance.

Jake’s furnishings were tasteful and elegant. A sandy-beige-colored sectional was near one window in the living room, which looked soft and comfortable. A matching recliner was opposite that sofa close to one of the walls. On the main wall facing the large sectional was a giant plasma television, likely sixty inches.

Unlike Donald’s residence, this condo didn’t feel sterile. It felt homey. In fact, there were toys scattered over the floor in front of the sectional—little horse figurines and stuffed animals. And as Salina walked farther into the living room, she could see that there was a little girl sleeping peacefully on the sofa, a knit blanket wrapped over her small frame.

“Oh, my goodness, she’s adorable,” Salina couldn’t help exclaiming. And she was. The little girl’s hair was done in two pigtails, and she had one of the cutest little faces Salina had ever seen. Round, like a cherub. She looked like a little angel.

“Thank you,” Jake said, a smile touching his lips. Then he faced Salina once more. “I realize that we never talked about a price. I just offered you the job and you accepted. But rest assured, the salary I’m offering is going to be well worth your time.”

And then Jake told her a figure, and Salina was flabbergasted. It was more than she had expected. At least double what she thought he might offer—and very generous.