“Well,” she said, biting her lower lip. “I wouldn’t say that was my goal, to get hired as my hook-up’s–” I grimaced at the accurate, but indelicate title, “–nanny, but yes. I can be the nanny. I need the money, since I don’t have a teaching job anymore. That’s why I went home with you in the first place.”
My heart stopped.Was Flora– Had I accidentally–
She’d obviously noticed my surprise, because her own face mirrored what I knew mine must have looked like. “Oh my god, not likethat,” Flora said, her blue eyes wide, nearly perfectly round. “Not that there’s anythingwrongwith that, I mean, I– Oh mygod,” she said again, “Flora, shut up.” She said the last part with a little shake of her loose hair around her face, flushed with embarrassment. Something in my chest clenched even tighter, wanting to smooth the twist of her lips, the faint crease between her pale brows. “I just meant that… I wanted to forget, for a little bit. That was obviously a mistake. I should never have–”
“Flora, calm down,” I said, watching as she twisted her hands on the leather handle of her purse. “Don’t apologize. I enjoyed last night.” That was an understatement. It had been the best sex I’d had in years–ever–and even now, I longed to kiss the frustrated pout from her lips, to lay her down right here on the carpet andmake her forget, as she’d said. I wrenched my mind away from the dull throb at the base of my cock, trying to focus on the issue at hand. “I’m just trying tothink.”
She took a deep breath. “Sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry about. I’m the one who’s sorry,” I said distractedly.Could I?It was a terrible idea. But Maddie was in her room right now, expecting to be introduced to her new nanny. Flora was qualified–over-qualified, honestly.And you want to see her again,my subconscious reminded me.You want her here, in your home, where you can see her all the time, smell her,touchher–
“No, Ryan, don’t apologize,” she started.If only she knew.
I closed my eyes tight and forced the words out.
“You’d better stick to Mr. Walker,” I said, my heart sinking.
“What?” she said. Her voice was quiet, like it had been muffled by the deep carpet.
“If you’re going to be the nanny,” I sighed, forcing myself to open my eyes and look at the girl standing before me. “You’d better call me Mr. Walker.”
* * *
She followed me back into the kitchen, looping her purse around the same chairback she’d tossed it over last night. This time, her movement was restrained. Tentative.Professional, maybe.
What had I done?
“Well,” I said, then faltered. What was I supposed to say? I brought my hand to my hair, running my fingers through it. I hadn’t yet showered, and it was grimy with last night’s sweat. “I don’t know about you, but I could use another cup of coffee.”
She made a face somewhere between a smile and a grimace, but nodded. “Thanks.”
I grabbed our mugs off the table, wondering guiltily if Maddie suspected anything, seeing two mugs instead of one. But no–even if she noticed them, she’d have assumed that Flora had gotten here early to meet her, that she and I had drunk coffee together as employer and employee. Over a nannying contract, maybe. I’d need to draw one up, if we were really going to go through with this.Maybe Flora will be awful with Maddie and I can call the whole thing off,I thought as I turned toward the coffee pot. Somehow, I knew that wouldn’t be true.
“Milk and sugar, right?” I asked, pouring two cups of coffee. She hummed in response. I grabbed the sugar back down from the shelf, stirring in a spoonful, and had just opened the fridge door when she spoke again.
“You know, a friend of mine recently had a one-night stand, and then the next day, she realized he was her boss.” I froze, staring into the open refrigerator, only half-listening as she rambled. “She wassomortified, you can’t even imagine. And now, I’ve gone and done theexact same thing. Except I’ve done itto myself–”
But no. I grabbed the milk. There was no way she could be talking about–
“They’re married now, though, so it all turned out okay. Happily ever after.”
“What did you say?” I turned to face her, the fridge still hanging open, a half-gallon of 2% in my hand.
“Happily ever after,” she repeated and blushed again, her face going gorgeously pink. “Not that I meant that would happen tous,” she said, looking down at the table as I stared at her. Flora.Who was the girl James had been griping about at Bankworth, the one who’d had him reading the bodice-ripper that Barrett had discovered poking out of the side pocket of his leather briefcase?
“Edie’s friend Flora,” I remembered out loud, and her head snapped up. “You’re Edie’s friend.”
“Howdoyou know Edie?” she said, suddenly smiling.
“I’m James’s friend.” His best friend, probably, although the phrase sounded more like something Maddie would say, not me.
“Oh!” she exclaimed. “You’re part of his little club!”
I slowly shook my head, passing her her coffee and the carton of milk. “No, we’re not a club–”
“Right, you’remembersof one,” she said, raising her eyebrows at me, a smirk on her face. She looked like last night’s Flora like that, and I took a sip of my coffee, trying to collect myself behind my mug. “Edie’s mentioned it before; she seems to think it’s very sexy, letting James go off to the club and come back smelling like whiskey and leath–”
I choked on a swallow of coffee and she cut herself off abruptly, clearing her throat.
