“That’s why you fired me.”
“No. That’s not why. I let you go because I couldn’t stop thinking about your offer.” I released a breath.
“Omigod. This whole time.” She pressed a hand to her forehead. “You knew what I…you saw me.”
“If it helps. Now we’re even. You’ve seen me naked, too.”
“I’m still your nanny.”
Why did that word sound so kinky when she said it? I leaned forward and lowered my voice so Joey wouldn’t hear us. “You know that word doesn’t have the sobering effect you think it does. Every time you call yourself my nanny, all I want to do is throw you over my knee and spank you.”
“I’m in way over my head here.” She took her glass of wine and drank. “I shouldn’t be here.”
When she turned to leave, my heart shot into overdrive. I didn’t want her to leave. I jerked out of my seat and chased after her. “Wait.”
Shit. What could I say to make her stay? I pressed my body to hers, caging against the door. “One night. Can you stay one night?”
“My time here is done. You have a real nanny coming in on Monday. And soon the project will be done, and you’ll have to go home.”
“I know.” I ghosted my lips over her. “But we’re still here.”
I captured her mouth with mine. In the back of my mind, I made a promise to myself to let her go in the morning. To do the right thing. And let her be. She tunneled her fingers through my hair. Her tiny moan of pleasure should be all the answer I needed, but I wanted to hear her say it.
“Say you’ll stay.”
“I’ll stay.” She deepened the kiss, sliding her tongue laced with wine past my teeth.
She tasted so good. I pressed my thigh to her mound and sucked on the cord of her neck. I wanted to be inside her so bad. But in that moment, Joey decided to remind us he was still in the room.
“He’s doing that on purpose.” I shot a glance over my shoulder.
“We shouldn’t be doing this in front of him.”
“He’s ten months old. He doesn’t know.”
“But we know.” She pushed me off her and padded over to Joey, talking to him in a soothing voice.
I glanced at my watch. We still had another three hours before bedtime.
We sat down to eat our late lunch, and somehow, I managed to keep my hands to myself. A few years ago, I would’ve taken her to the Hamptons and spent the entire weekend in bed, until we both had our fill. But I wasn’t that bloke anymore. I couldn’t be. I had a son now—a family. Isla deserved someone who could give her everything she wanted, someone who could do the whole boyfriend, girlfriend thing. That wasn’t me. Was it?
“You’re lucky.” She took a bite of the chicken as she glanced at Joey with loving eyes. “You didn’t even ask to be a dad, and yet here you are with a healthy and beautifulboy.”
“Can I be honest?” I cut into my roasted carrots. “He frightens me. This whole situation scares the shit out of me.”
“What do you mean?” She laughed and lifted her gaze to meet mine.
“Dad died when I was little. It was just my sister, Mum, and me. We didn’t want for anything, but I know Mum had a hard go of it being a single parent and all that.” I rubbed the side of my face. I was really going out on the limb here. Hell if I knew why. Isla had a way to make me talk. I always said too much when I was around her. “Anyway, I never imagined that would be me. When you leave, when I return to the UK, it’ll be just the two of us. I just hope I don’t mess him up. Silly, I know.”
“It’s not silly.” She reached for my hand and squeezed. “Babies are a gift. You have to trust yourself and do the best you can.”
“Sound advice from someone so young. You sound like you want babies. Do you?” I could honestly say I had never asked a woman that question before. I never cared before.
“I’m not sure. I’m a planner. I had a plan to leave my hometown, get a fancy job in the city.” She pointed at me.
My chest puffed up at the idea that I was able to provide that much for her. I was the fancy job.
“I don’t know. I always figured kids would be in the picture. At some point.” She shrugged. “I guess it wasn’t meant to be.”
