“When I look at you, the first thing I see are gorgeous eyes that remind me of the way melted caramel looks over vanilla ice cream. They’re a rather interesting combination of brown and gold. Your mouth, when it’s not twisted with cynicism and bitterness, is so lush and pretty that my personal fantasies—if I had them about you, that is—would definitely be focused there, not on what’s under your T-shirt. As spectacular as they may be, I’m more of an ass-and-leg man myself.”

Maddie had never been more shocked in her life—or more seduced by words alone.

“Now that we’ve got that subject covered, let’s talk money.”

That brought her right back to reality. “What about it?”

“I want to pay for your lost wages.”

“Absolutely not.” She might be short on cash, but she still had her pride, and no one—especially someone named McCarthy—was going to take that from her.

“You have to let me help you, Maddie. I know you can’t afford to miss work.”

“That’s the least of it! If I miss more than one shift, they’ll replace me. They need the job done. They don’t care who does it.”

“I believe we’ve established that I have some sway with the owners of the hotel and can prevent that from happening.”

“Good for you. That still doesn’t get my job done, and it won’t help me when they decide who they’re keeping for the winter and who gets laid off.”

“Then I’ll do the job for you until you’re back on your feet.”

Maddie cracked up. “Sure you will.”

“You don’t think I can do it?”

She realized he was serious. “You have no idea what it even entails. How can you be so sure you can do it?”

“I’m capable of building a thirty-story structure. I think I can handle cleaning a few hotel rooms.”

Maddie studied his supremely handsome face. “All right.” What else could she do? She couldn’t afford to lose her job, so she had no choice but to let him help her. “Since you seem determined to make it up to me, I accept.”

He flashed a victorious smile. “Excellent. Now what about the kids? Could I be your arms and legs there, too?”

“Have you ever changed a diaper? Seriously?”

“No,” he confessed, quickly adding, “but I’m a fast learner. If you tell me what to do, I’ll do it.”

He’d be saving her life if he stepped in for her, but wait until he saw what the summer people were capable of doing to a hotel room. Just the idea of a mighty McCarthy stooping to the level of manual laborer at the hotel his family owned brought a smile to her face. She offered her uninjured hand. “Deal.”