“Uh.” I blinked, my mouth drying. “To nanny for Dauphine.”
“Why?”
I didn’t feel like telling him I’d quit my job. It could make me seem flighty or temperamental. And frankly I didn’t want to relive the awkward experience. “I needed a change of scene. And you needed a nanny. It seems combined circumstance brought me here.”
His eyes flickered, and I imagined he’d expected the standard because I love children so much response.
Emboldened, I went on. “I haven’t worked for Tabitha’s agency before, and I am sure you’ve had more experienced nannies for Dauphine than I. But I am honest, I work hard, and I really need this job. If you want a better reason than that, then I don’t have one.” Holding his gaze, I tried hard not to let the forcefield of it cower me. The intensity level he emitted felt as though I was staring into the sun.
“You are attracted to me,” he stated.
A rush of heat hurtled up my neck to my cheeks as my mind stumbled to deal with the shock of his forthrightness. God, had I been that obvious? After only a handful of interactions? My family and friends always laughed that I wore my emotions on my face too easily. I tried to formulate a denial, but I wasn’t fast enough.
“I’m not interested,” he said dismissively before I could even form a response.
The heat that had come from embarrassment quickly seared to irritation. The arrogance! “Excuse me?”
“I said, I’m not interested. You are here for Dauphine and only her.”
My blood pressure rose as the tips of my ears burned. “I’m well aware of that fact,” I managed through stiff lips.
“Good. Then we understand each other.” He looked back at his papers as if the conversation was boring him. ‘“Unless you think it will be a problem?”
My blood pounded in my ears. “And just because you’re attractive, doesn’t mean I want to—that I would …” I stammered.
He looked up, an eyebrow raised.
Great. Now, I’d just confirmed I found him attractive. I wanted the boat to swallow me up.
Under the table my fists clenched tightly. I willed my embarrassment into something useful. I was reminded of just two days ago when I’d also sat with a boss who only saw women as sexualized Barbie dolls. Did this guy think all women wanted to jump him? Gross.
“Will it be a problem?” he asked again, calmly.
I’d fucking had enough. “No. It won’t,” I snapped icily, attraction utterly cooled. What a jerk. “I’m offended that you think so little of me, and you’ve only just met me. I’m doing a good friend a massive favor by taking this position. I wasn’t even aware you existed until two days ago. So if you could give me a tiny bit of credit, I’d appreciate it.”
“I find that hard to believe.” He snorted. “That you didn’t know I existed. You wouldn’t be the first trying to get to me through my daughter. I’m just making sure you understand.”
My mouth dropped open at his sheer level of arrogance. “Oh my God.” My chair screeched as I pushed back from the table, and I leaned forward on my hands, pushing my face close to his. His pupils flared, almost eclipsing the blue of his eyes.
“You might be a king in your part of the world,” I growled, realizing that tiredness and hunger were getting the better of me, but unable to stop myself. “But I’ve had bigger problems on the other side of the ocean in my own world than to waste my time reading gossip magazines and daydreaming about marrying a rich prince. I don’t give a continental how important you think you are. For me, you are a means to an end. A job. Nothing more.” My mind screamed at me to shut up. “I’m sorry. I’ve had a really shitty few days. I’m hungry. I’m tired. And I fucking hate boats.” So, if he was done with his misguided misogyny, I guessed I should go pack up my things and email Tabitha that this did not work out because my boss was an entitled, sexist, arrogant asshole. I wanted to help her out with this job, but not so much that I’d stand for being made to feel like a gold-digging piece of trash. “I don’t think this is going to work out. Good luck. You and Dauphine probably need to spend more time together anyway. You don’t need me for that. For the second time in three days, I quit.” I pushed back from the table and turned on my heel quickly, making my way back down the way I’d come. My heart thundered in my throat.
Paco looked up, surprised, as I hurried past without a word. Tears of impotent rage streaked my cheeks before I was even halfway back to my cabin. God, why did being angry and embarrassed always make me cry? I flew down the next set of steps and hit a brick wall of a chest.
“Whoa,” the wall rumbled. Evan. I tried to push past but hands gripped my upper arms gently but firmly. “Hey. You all right, love?”
I shook my head. “Let me go, please?”
“What happened?”
“Please, can you drive me back to the train station in the morning? I just quit.”
His eyes bugged out. “You what? What happened?” Then his forehead drew down sharply. “Did something happen? He didn’t …” Evan shook his head like he couldn’t believe the question he was asking. Then the look of utter disbelief warred with a sudden heroic chivalry on his face. “He didn’t like … do anything to you, did he?”
“God, no,” I assured. “No. He implied some things. Accused me of being here to get to him. Using Dauphine to get to him.”
“Oh.”
“Oh?”
Evan shrugged with a small grimace. “It wouldn’t be the first time. You can understand, he’s a bit of a target.”
“Ugh. Why would anyone want to be with that entitled, arrogant ass?” God, his personality had literally just made him the most unattractive man I’d ever come across. “There’s not enough money in the world.” I’d pretty much probably told him that too by quitting.
Evan threw back his head and barked out a laugh.
“It’s not funny.”
“It kind of is. Did you tell him that?”
I folded my arms. “Along those lines. Now, can you get me off this boat or what?”
“Nope.”
“No?” I cried. “I just lost my temper at my boss and quit. I have to leave the building. Like now. You’re security, help me box up my shit and escort me the hell out of here. Now.” Especially as I began to suspect I may have slightly overreacted. “He’d fire me for how I reacted if I hadn’t already quit.”
Evan laughed harder, his face crinkling and his eyes tearing up. “This … this is perfect.”
I stomped my foot. “Okay, move. I need to pack. I’ll find my own way back.”
He moved but didn’t stop laughing.
I glared at him as I passed. “What pray tell is ‘perfect’ about this situation?”
He shook his head. “Nothing you’d understand. Just, uh, I’ll tell Andrea you aren’t eating with Mister P.”
“You do that.” I was really hungry, though. “Any chance of making myself a sandwich or something without getting in the chef’s way?”
“Impossible. I’ll have something brought to you or you can wait until about midnight when Chef is out of the kitchen. But I don’t recommend it. He’s totally OCD and counts the grains of rice left over.”