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The Nanny's Plan
Donna Clayton
When glamorous Amy Edwards agreed to be temporary nanny for unruly twins, she didn't expect to enjoy the adorable boys–or fall for their handsome, brilliant uncle. But she knew that if Dr. Pierce Kincaid ever discovered her dark secret, he would never be attracted to her. Or would he…?Workaholic Pierce couldn't resist Amy's sunny nature. Her sweetness–and his matchmaking nephews–drew him like a moth to a flame, but when Pierce got serious, Amy backed away. He knew she was hiding something, and he was determined to use all of his scientific methods–including romantic kisses–to unravel her mysteries!
“Well—” said Pierce, clearing his
throat “—would you like to have your
first swimming lesson right now?”
The edginess that had infected him must have been contagious. Amy’s head bobbed, and her intriguing brown gaze turned aside momentarily. Finally, her eyes lifted to his as she answered with a tiny nod.
The timidity she exhibited did something strange to the air surrounding him. Even though he was standing waist-deep in the bay, he felt flushed, overheated.
She looked the very essence of freshness. Of vitality. And until this very instant, he’d never realized how her energy enthralled him. His heart tripped against his ribs as he realized that in order to teach Amy to swim, he was going to have to get close to her—very close.
Dear Reader,
Discover a guilt-free way to enjoy this holiday season. Treat yourself to four calorie-free, but oh-so-satisfying brand-new Silhouette Romance titles this month.
Start with Santa Brought a Son (#1698) by Melissa McClone. This heartwarming reunion romance is the fourth book in Silhouette Romance’s new six-book continuity, MARRYING THE BOSS’S DAUGHTER.
Would a duty-bound prince forsake tradition to marry an enchanting commoner? Find out in The Prince & the Marriage Pact (#1699), the latest episode in THE CARRAMER TRUST miniseries by reader favorite Valerie Parv.
Then, it’s anyone’s guess if a wacky survival challenge can end happily ever after. Join the fun as the romantic winners of a crazy contest are revealed in The Bachelor’s Dare (#1700) by Shirley Jump.
And in Donna Clayton’s The Nanny’s Plan (#1701), a would-be sophisticate is put through the ringer by a drop-dead gorgeous, absentminded professor and his rascally twin nephews.
So pick a cozy spot, relax and enjoy all four of these tender holiday confections that Silhouette Romance has cooked up just for you.
Happy holidays!
Mavis C. Allen
Associate Senior Editor
The Nanny’s Plan
Donna Clayton
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
This book is lovingly dedicated to
Mrs. Margaret Edwards, the third-grade teacher
who sparked my lifelong love of books
by introducing me to Beverly Cleary.
Books by Donna Clayton
Silhouette Romance
Mountain Laurel #720
Taking Love in Stride #781
Return of the Runaway Bride #999
Wife for a While #1039
Nanny and the Professor #1066
Fortune’s Bride #1118
Daddy Down the Aisle #1162
* (#litres_trial_promo)Miss Maxwell Becomesa Mom #1211
* (#litres_trial_promo)Nanny in the Nick of Time #1217
* (#litres_trial_promo)Beauty and the Bachelor Dad #1223
† (#litres_trial_promo)The Stand-By Significant Other #1284
† (#litres_trial_promo)Who’s the Father of Jenny’s Baby? #1302
The Boss and the Beauty #1342
His Ten-Year-Old Secret #1373
Her Dream Come True #1399
Adopted Dad #1417
His Wild Young Bride #1441
** (#litres_trial_promo)The Nanny Proposal #1477
** (#litres_trial_promo)The Doctor’s Medicine Woman #1483
** (#litres_trial_promo)Rachel and the M.D. #1489
Who Will Father My Baby? #1507
In Pursuit of a Princess #1582
†† (#litres_trial_promo)The Sheriff’s 6-Year-Old Secret #1623
†† (#litres_trial_promo)The Doctor’s Pregnant Proposal #1635
†† (#litres_trial_promo)Thunder in the Night #1647
The Nanny’s Plan #1701
Silhouette Books
The Coltons
Close Proximity
DONNA CLAYTON
is the recipient of the Diamond Author Award For Literary Achievement 2000 as well as two HOLT Medallions. In her opinion, love is what makes the world go ‘round. She takes great pride in knowing that, through her work, she provides her readers the chance to indulge in some purely selfish romantic entertainment.
One of her favorite pastimes is traveling. Her other interests include walking, reading, visiting with friends, teaching Sunday school, cooking and baking, and she still collects cookbooks, too. In fact, her house is overrun with them.
Please write to Donna c/o Silhouette Books. She’d love to hear from you!
Dear Mom & Dad,
We are having fun this summer wit Uncle Pierce. We were worryed at furst becuz Uncle Pierce doesn’t have any kidz & he doesn’t really no how to have fun & he works to mush much! But the new nanny is fixing that. Amy keeps us buzy every day. She helped us bake the cookies four this care pakage. Yummy chocklit chips! Our favrite! We ate a few, but maled you most of them.
We are afraid that Uncle Pierce & Amy are cu coming down with some kind of straynge dize di getting sick. They keep looking at each other with funny goo-goo eyes like how youz look at each other befour you send us to watch movies on kidz nite and cloze your bedroom door. We dont no what is going on, but if they start runing a fever, we will call the dokter doctor.
Hope you are having a good time in Africa! don’t wory about us! We are fine!! But we are not so sure about Uncle Pierce & the nanny.
With love from your suns sons,
Benjamin & Jeremiah
Contents
Chapter One (#u5b796994-4528-537d-be41-99614cf23676)
Chapter Two (#u275565a4-ee99-53b5-8bae-8274f4069a77)
Chapter Three (#ud61090ff-9cae-55be-a446-5e76b751c6ca)
Chapter Four (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter One
Amy Edwards had spent her whole life avoiding the traps: relationships, love, marriage and, most of all, kids. So why had she agreed to spend the summer caring for a set of six-year-old twins?
The only answer she could come up with was that she’d totally lost her mind.
She chuckled as she cut the engine. “Imagine that,” she murmured, pulling the key from the ignition and opening the car door. “Temporary insanity made me a temporary nanny.”
Because an inner ear infection had caused the airline’s company physician to ground her for two months from her new job as a flight attendant, all she’d have been doing was watching the corn grow in Kansas while she waited to heal. And the pay offered to her had been generous.
Still …taking care of children.
If anyone other than her father had asked this of her, she’d have turned them down flat. But she’d have crawled to the top of Mount Everest on her hands and knees for her dad. The good Lord knew he’d sure sacrificed for her.
She pulled her suitcase from the trunk and lifted her gaze. The stone-and-stucco house looked like something right out of the pages of a glossy architectural magazine. The vast grounds were neatly manicured, and flowers bloomed in a riot of color. The blue-green water of the Delaware Bay served as a tranquil backdrop to the setting. Even the idea of minding children couldn’t dampen the bright prospect of spending eight weeks in this paradise.
Giddiness churned in her belly, urging her to go and take a quick peek at the cove. She should fight this feeling. This overzealousness that swallowed her up since escaping the Midwest made her feel so…small town. So unrefined. But before a few short weeks ago, she’d never seen a body of water larger than the man-made fishing pond just outside Lebo. The Delaware Bay was out there just waiting for her to feast her eyes on the view. Veering off the path that wound its way to the front door, she made a beeline for the water.
She heard the young voices before actually spotting the boys. Her charges, she quickly surmised. Two peas in a pod. Or rather, in a rowboat. They bobbed on the surface of the bay just offshore. She frowned and searched the area for whoever was supposed to be with them. Young children and deep water didn’t mix well, in her mind.
“Jeremiah!” she called, lifting her hand in friendly greeting. “Benjamin!”
When the boys’ mother had flown to Kansas to reacquaint herself with Amy, the woman had been clear that Benjamin was called Benjamin. Not Ben. Not Benny. But Benjamin.
The twins seemed startled by Amy’s appearance; however, they tentatively returned her wave. She realized then that one of the boys had been crying.
She dropped her case to the grass. “What are you guys doing out there?”
It was impossible to tell one boy from the other, so she had no idea who it was who tipped his chin up defiantly and said, “We’re going east. We’re rowing out into the Atlantic Ocean.”
Amy’s mind raced. She quelled the urge to shout at them to return to shore this instant. Instead, she thought it better to make friends and coax the boys to safety.
“I’m not an expert in geography,” she told them amiably. “But I’m pretty sure that, if you head due east, you’re going to run smack into New Jersey.”
The boys looked surprised by this news.
Before they could regroup, Amy called, “How about if you come ashore and we’ll go inside to check the atlas and you can see for yourself where you are.”
The child with the red-rimmed eyes stood up, clearly impatient with her suggestion, at the same time stating, “We know where we are.”
Panic made Amy’s tone grow more stern. “Sit down. Right now.”
The boat was hit with a gentle wave that sent it rocking, and both boys’ eyes widened in alarm. An oar slipped from its ring, momentum sending it bobbing several feet from the boat.
