Urgent: One Nanny Required (Crimson Romance) by Olivia Logan Read Free Book Online Page B

elbows resting on the table, biceps bunching up under the blue shirt.
    “You sure? No hidden skeletons?” He was laughing at her as she saw his mouth do the pucker-up-to-restrain-a-smile thing he had done on the drive back from the airport.
    “Nope. All my cupboards are completely empty.” Other than for her mother, but as she had told herself over the years, she really could do nothing about her mother’s life choices. “What about you? Any skeletons in your cupboards? Children of Hollywood are notorious hell raisers.” He raised an eyebrow, the light from the outside making his eyes appear an even lighter shade of blue.
    “Where did you hear that?”
    “Hollywood News Channel. It’s very informative. They have hour-long programs about Hollywood kids going wild.”
    He chuckled, the small dimple in his cheek making an appearance as he turned to check on Theo before looking back at her.
    “You shouldn’t believe everything you hear, you know.”
    “Cryptic much? And you still didn’t answer my question.”
    • • •
    She’d had the nerve to accuse him of being nosy and yet now who was asking the questions? Taking another sip of his drink, he’d noticed she had drank hers dry ages ago but was still waiting for the ice cubes to melt. It had been his intention to flag down a passing waiter or waitress and get her another one, but after how she reacted in the car it didn’t seem the best idea. She didn’t seem to be a fan of the Sir Galahad approach; that or she refused to admit when she needed help, like when she was struggling with the walk from the studios.
    Her golden caramel eyes were luminous in the afternoon sun and held his steadily. Those eyes were unique, despite what she’d told Theo. The man in the picture behind her had those eyes and the way he smiled reminded Nick of the way Rania smiled. Well, the few times he’d seen her smile, and that was usually at Theo.
    “I hate to tell you, but there aren’t any skeletons.”
    “Really? You grew up in Hollywood. In the film industry. And you have no stories whatsoever? Pull the other one. It’s got bells on it,” she muttered, lifting her thumb and first finger up in the air, pretending to ring a bell, “Ting-a-ling!”
    “Who said I only grew up in Hollywood? I think you’re doing that ‘assume’ thing again, Rania,” he replied as his finger wagged in his best schoolteacher impression.
    Her “Maybe,” coupled with the nonchalant shrug, didn’t fool him one bit. Everybody assumed he grew up in Hollywood. After all, his parents’ jobs were here, so why wouldn’t he? The more intelligent people would point out that he had a clear-cut English accent, so either he had hired a voice coach or he didn’t grow up solely in LA.
    He sat patiently, watching how she twirled her glass around, almost willing the ice to melt so she could have a drink.
Oh, for Pete’s sake …
    “Waitress,” he called across the din, flagging an arm out for good measure and pointing at the empty glasses in front making the number two with his fingers.
    Rania looked like he’d just smacked her with a wet kipper. Her eyes widened, and her lips parted in surprise. She opened her mouth, promptly shutting it again as he put his hand up to stop any tirade that may flow and pointed at her empty glass, “I have been watching you drink that ice for the last fifteen minutes. It’s hot outside and that ice is not going to be enough.”
    Looking around to find Theo, he noticed the two men on the other arcade staring at Rania, flushing and looking away guiltily when they saw him glare. She had begun plaiting her hair, small nimble fingers moving quickly through the dark brown tresses. He couldn’t blame them for staring. The thin-strapped yellow sundress, though modest by Hollywood standards, did nothing to hide the olive skinned curves beneath.
    “Okay, so let’s say hypothetically I did ‘assume’ you were raised only in Hollywood,” she said as her fingers made