Winning Wyatt (The Billionaire Brotherhood Book 1) by Jacie Floyd Page A

this
morning.”
    “Right.”
Maria agreed, but her eyes twinkled with suspicion.
    Sean
interrupted any additional comments by running over and throwing his arms
around her legs. “’Ria, ‘Ria,” he shouted until Maria tickled his ribs and gave
him a hug.
    Kara
spoke calmly as if it was a common occurrence to have a man in her house first
thing in the morning, when it was about as uncommon as a solar eclipse. But
Wyatt didn’t know that. “I wasn’t expecting you this early, Maria.”
    “Last
night you said to be here before ten, because you wanted to go into the city.”
She looked at Kara’s stay-at-home sweats. “I can take Sean outside to play if
you need time to get ready”—the girl glanced meaningfully at Wyatt—“or
whatever.”
    “Oh,
shoot, I forgot I’d decided to go back to the Rothschild Gallery.” She checked
the time on the mantle clock, then studied Wyatt’s hopeful expression. Unh-unh,
no sir, no way, no how would she let him stay with Sean after she left. “Sorry
to have to cut your visit short.”
    “I’ll
give you a lift into the city so we can talk.”
    “Fine.”
Squashing a whoosh of relief that he hadn’t argued the point, she felt outmaneuvered
anyway. Somehow he always seemed to get the upper hand. “Maria, this is Wyatt
Maitland.” Since she couldn’t think of a good way to describe him, she left the
introduction at that.
    “Hi,
again.” Maria fluttered her fingers in a friendly wave.
    “Wyatt,
this is one of Sean’s intrepid team of babysitters, Maria Tagliatti.”
    “Nice
to meet you, Maria. I’m Sean’s father.”

Chapter Four

 
    Maria
gasped, but Kara glared. Had he made the statement to get a reaction from her? No,
she didn’t think so. He smiled and rubbed his hands together. “I’ve been
looking for a chance to say that. It feels good.”
    Kara’s
stomach took a little dip as she realized how negatively her actions had taken
from him.
    “I
kind of guessed. After last night.” Maria stared at him curiously. “And there’s
a picture of you in Kara’s office. Sean looks just like you.”
    Okay,
that’s enough of that. “I won’t be long.” Kara flounced upstairs to change her
clothes.
    Her
hands shook as she dabbed on mascara and twisted her hair into a knot on top of
her head. Her thoughts were so distracted that even the simple task of
coordinating colors defied her. She pulled on a long skirt, boots, and a
lightweight turtleneck, all in the blackest of blacks to match her mood.
    Returning
to the family room, she found Maria and Wyatt rolling a ball on the floor with
Sean and exchanging secrets that her newfound paranoia could only begin to
surmise. Maria and Wyatt rose while Sean hopped in a circle. Kara issued
detailed instructions to the sitter, gave Sean a hug and a kiss, and then went
to get her coat.
    Wyatt
handed Maria his phone, asking her to snap a picture of him with Sean. A twinge
pinched at Kara’s conscience as the image was captured. Then Wyatt carried Sean
to the foyer, with Maria following them. Either the girl had already developed
a mega-crush on the charming billionaire, or she didn’t want to miss out on any
tidbit of gossip to tell the rest of the Tagliatti’s. Maybe both.
    “I’ll
be back.” Wyatt gave the child a farewell hug and kiss on the forehead, before
reluctantly handing him off to the babysitter.
    “Tell
Mommy and Daddy goodbye” Maria circled his wrist in her fingers and simulated a
wave.
    “Bye,
Mom-mee. Bye, Da-da.” Sean’s words followed them across the porch.
    Wyatt
beamed, waved, and threw kisses in return.
    Kara’s
heart flipped over. “He doesn’t understand the meaning of the word.” She hoped
to deflate his burgeoning sense of importance in Sean’s life. “If Maria had
told him to say ‘Bye, Bozo’, he would have said that.”
    “I’m
glad she didn’t suggest it, then.” He chuckled as the driver opened the back
door of the town car.
    A
town car instead of a stretch-limo was