Breaking Jacob (2nd in Breaking Series)

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Ellie woke up with the dawn the next morning. Not that she had slept much at all. She had only slept long enough to have a single dream and that dream had convinced her that this job was something she must do. She had to do this to make sure Liza had a better life than she had. To make sure that Liza stayed out of Otis's dirty hands. She couldn't just back out because all of a sudden she was trying to grow a conscience or because Jacob made her feel like a school girl.

She would do the job until Otis told her she'd gotten enough and then she would go back home to San Antonio. Otis had promised her a month off but maybe if she did good enough he would give her a little longer and even allow her to go up to New York City and see Liza.

Ellie rose from the bed and poured some water from the pitcher into the wash basin. She washed her face and then walked over to her wardrobe. If her new employers would let her, she needed to run into town and see if Otis had sent a response to her. Maybe he would want her to leave now that he knew he had sent her to steal from a sheriff.

She frowned when she opened the wardrobe. To corset or not to corset, that was the question. But of course, Miss Alice Bradshaw would never be seen in public without her corset, so with a grumble Ellie pulled it out of the wardrobe. Once she was dressed she took a final look in the mirror as she finished pulling her hair in the same bun she'd worn yesterday. This dress was styled the same as the one she'd worn the day before only the wool was light blue and the lace was white. She nearly walked out of the room before remembering to grab her glasses. The lenses of course were nothing but plain glass since there was nothing wrong with her vision, but she felt they added a nice touch to the proper nanny image.

Ellie walked out into the sitting room and found Jacob sitting on the large sofa, reading a newspaper. His hair was styled neatly, his clothes clean and wrinkle free and his boots were shining. He looked up from the paper and she saw his face light up when he noticed her. She had to remind her legs, which had suddenly become weak, that she was a grown woman determined to pull off the job she'd been sent to do. She didn't have the time or the choice to pursue whatever it was that she could have with Jacob Atkinson... Hell, she was crazy to think she could have anything! The man thought her name was Alice Bradshaw for heaven's sake.

"Good morning, Miss Bradshaw. Did you sleep well?" he asked as he sat his paper aside and stood up.

"Yes," she lied, as she forced herself to look up to see his face. She didn't want to look at his chest because she could still remember, all too well, what that chest looked liked dripping wet and covered in muscle. "Did you sleep well, Mr. Atkinson?"

"Well enough," Jacob lied. In truth he hadn't slept worth a darn. He had laid in bed and thought about the woman sleeping below him. Her blue eyes had haunted his dreams and he'd come to the only logical conclusion. He had to have her. He just hoped Liz would forgive him if Alice ran away screaming. After all, what kind of woman would settle on a man like him, responsible for two teenage girls?

"Your job is easy today, Miss Bradshaw. Liz and Brody have both decided to stay home with Bryant and Lexi."

Ellie nodded and then realized with horror that she didn't know what to do with her arms. They were itching to wrap around his neck and her lips were yearning to see what his full firm lips would feel like pressed against them. What would his kiss taste like.....?

She cleared her throat and clasped her hands as she held her arms against her body. She forced herself to smile with bright innocence, because she felt like that's what Miss Alice Bradshaw would have done and she tilted her head back toward the couch, "Please, Mr. Atkinson, go back to your paper. I am going to go to the kitchen and see about breakfast."