“Kyle, don’t talk like that to Susan,” Emma said gently. She removed what was left of the cake from the table and tugged Susan over to the sink. “Children are not fed cake for breakfast.”

“They both threw it at me and then at each other.” Emma fixed a stern eye on the children. “They both will have a time-out and then apologize,” she said.

Andraya’s lower lip came out in a pout, but Emma ignored her while she removed as much cake as possible from Susan’s hair and clothes. “I think you’d better go take a shower while I clean up the little munchkins.”

“I want to hear all about Jake,” Susan protested. “What did he say about me staying here for a couple of weeks? Do you think he likes my hair?” She patted the sophisticated weave she’d gotten just before coming to stay at the Bannaconni estate.

“Jake doesn’t comment on appearances as a rule,” Emma said, trying to let Susan down easy. The teen had a major crush on the man, and it wasn’t as if Emma could blame her. She turned to Kyle and began cleaning him up. He was going to need a bath to get his hair clean, but judging from the bright eyes, huge dimples and baby grin stretching from ear to ear, he looked as if he’d thoroughly enjoyed the morning.

Susan raced upstairs to shower while Emma cleaned the kitchen and children and then took them upstairs for a bath. By the time she was back down with them, Jake was pacing in the kitchen again like a caged cat, and Susan looked pale and wide-eyed, as if she might faint—or cry—any moment.

The children ran to Jake, who bent immediately to pick them up. “Susan made the coffee,” he announced grimly.

Emma turned her back, hiding a smile. Susan’s hero had feet of clay. He was a coffee drinker and he tended to be grumpy in the morning without it. Most of the men who worked close to the house were in the habit of dropping in to fill their travel mugs with coffee as well.

“I’m on it,” she said, biting down hard on her amusement. Susan sniffed and Emma put her arm around the girl. “Would you take the kids to the play yard? I think Evan’s here this morning to watch over them. He can help you.”

Susan perked up immediately. Evan was fairly young, looked like a “hot” cowboy in his jeans and boots and hat, and didn’t mind flirting with her even though she was a teenager. Although he rarely spoke, he gave off the impression of being the strong, silent type, which made him mysterious to Susan. “Of course, Emma,” she agreed, to show Jake she wasn’t as useless as he thought she was.

“Speak French to them. Only French,” Emma added deliberately, shooting Jake a clear reprimand over her shoulder. “Today is French day.”

Susan stuck her chin in the air as she reached for the two children, giving Jake her haughtiest look.

When Andraya protested, holding on to Jake’s neck tightly, he gently pried her loose, speaking in fluent French, telling her to go with Susan and play. Andraya sulked, but she always minded Jake and she went outside where Evan waited to escort them to the play yard.

“That girl can’t even make coffee,” Jake said.

“That girl has a name. It’s Susan. She has a housekeeper, three maids, a cook and no mother, Jake. Her governess, that horrible Dana Anderson woman, couldn’t care less about her and belittles her at every opportunity. Susan speaks three languages and happens to be studying at college level already. And you can’t make coffee either.”

Jake came up behind her, bending over her shoulder as she ground the fresh coffee beans. “What makes you think I can’t make coffee?”

“Because without coffee you’re a total grump and if you’re up before me, you still don’t make it.”

“Only because your coffee is so much better.”

“Susan made coffee this morning for you, you just didn’t like it.”

“I wouldn’t call what she made coffee.”

She drove her elbow back, hard, into his side. “Go away. You’re annoying me more than usual this morning.”

“I don’t like strangers in my house.”

“Jake. Really. Seriously. Susan is a teenage girl without a mother and her father is never home. Have a little compassion. She’s got a crush on you and you’re just mean.” She spun around, her back to the counter, and glared at him. “It’s just mean.”

Jake straightened his tall body, catching her at the waist with both hands to lift her, placing her on the countertop beside the coffeepot so she faced him. “I’ll be better with her. I’ll make an effort.”

“Do you promise?” Once Jake gave his word, he always followed through.

He hesitated. She’d known him long enough to know what he was thinking. “Don’t you dare use this as a bargaining chip. You should make an effort with Susan because she’s young and without much of a family. She’s a nice girl and she needs a little help right now, and not just so you can get your way.”

“You sound so sexy when you get bossy, Emma,” he teased. “I said I’ll make an effort with her and I will. I forgot to tell you I hired a new man. He’s a friend of Drake’s and Joshua’s and he’s been ill. He doesn’t talk much, but he’s a good man. Work your magic on him, will you? But don’t flirt.”

“I don’t flirt.” She glared at him. “Go to your office and get out of my kitchen. I’m liable to bake something for you and put arsenic in it if you keep this up.”