One in a Million by Susan Mallery

"I'm not ready to go up to bed. Am I bothering you?" Not in the way he meant. "Of course not. I have to make cookies for the twins to take to school to morrow. There are few things less interesting than watching someone bake. You want to come into the kitchen and be bored for a while? It will probably help you sleep."
    “Sure." As soon as he agreed, she wanted to stop and bang her head against a nearby wall. Watching her might be boring for him, but having him near was wildly exciting for her. She really didn't need to spend more time with him. Hanging around with Nash only seemed to encourage her overactive imagination. Before their dinner tonight she'd thought he was sexy and roguishly charming. After their dinner, she was starting to like him.
    She'd enjoyed watching him interact with his family. He'd been caring and understanding with the dozens of kids running around, attentive and inter ested in his brothers. She'd been stunned to find out what he did for a living. So much for her theory that he was a professor or sold shoes. Instead he inhab ited a dark and dangerous world, which only made him more physically appealing.
    Stephanie told herself that she had to stop imag ining Nash as the bare-chested caveman whisking her off into the wilderness. The poor guy had signed on to be her guest, not the star of her erotic fantasies. If he knew what she was thinking, he would be forced to run screaming into the night.
    She collected ingredients for chocolate chip cook ies and set them on the counter. Nash took a seat at the kitchen table, then half rose.
    “Can I help?" She shook her head. "I've done this so many times, I don't have to look at a recipe. But if you behave, I'll let you have a sample fresh from the oven."
    “Deal." She grabbed a couple of eggs and put them next to the canister of flour. "So what did you think of tonight?" she asked.
    “It went well. I'm not sure I can keep everyone straight."
    “ I wouldn't want to try," she admitted. "The name tags were a great idea." She measured brown sugar. "Where in Chicago do you live?"
    “ I have a condo by the lake. I can walk to a lot of great restaurants. There's a good jogging trail nearby."
    “ I've never been, but I can't imagine you do much jogging in the winter."
    “ True. Then I hit the gym." And he had the body to prove it. Although she doubted Nash worked out to be buff. No doubt it was required for his job. She tried not to sigh at the image of him in a ratty T-shirt and shorts, lifting heavy weights. Instead she channeled her energy into vigorously whipping her eggs.
    “ I grew up with one brother and my mom," he said quietly. "I've never had any experience with a large family."
    “ The Hayneses will take some getting used to," she said. "But they'll be worth the effort." He nodded. "What about you? Are you one of seven?"
    “ Not exactly." She opened the bottle of vanilla and picked up her measuring spoons. "I was an only child. My parents were artists. Very focused on their work and each other." She gave him a slight smile. "They didn't believe in paying attention to the out side world. Things like electric bills and empty kitchen cupboards didn't faze them. I grew up pretty quickly. Someone had to be the responsible one and it turned out to be me." His dark gaze settled on her face. "Was that tough?"
    “ Sometimes." When she wanted to be a kid, like her friends. "But I learned a lot, too. I was really prepared for the real world when I left for college."
    “Did you want a big family?"
    “ Sure. While I was growing up, I thought it would be terrific. I had it all planned, from my hus band to our five kids to our assortment of dogs, cats and small rodents." She'd thought the same when she'd married Marty. But by the time she'd figured out she'd made a horrible mistake and discovered she was pregnant in the same week, her plans had changed. She'd re signed herself to having one child. The twins had been an accident. A blessing, but an unplanned