Page 84 of Marrying the Nanny

“Stop thinking you’re bad at sex. Your ex-husband was bad at it. You’re hot as hell.”

“I’m really not but thank you.” She slid her arm under the edge of his shirt to hug his waist, kissing the underside of his chin. “Let’s never go back to the real world. Just keep doing this.”

“Sail into the sunset and forget about that baby we’re marrying for?”

“I didn’t mean that.”

“I know.” He kissed her nose. “I’m the wet blanket who never forgets his responsibilities. It’s one of my most charming qualities.”

“Was that what this was?” she asked with abrupt horror, halting him as he started to sit up.

“What?”

“Like, did you feel…” She studied his face in the fading light, wishing she hadn’t said anything. “Never mind. It’s stupid, leftover baggage.”

He leaned on his elbow. “Giving you orgasms is never going to be something on my chore list. Believe me when I say it is my pleasure. I wasn’t planning on losing it, but feeling you get off was more than I could take. You’re going to have to beg me for sex because I’m a little scared of what’s going to happen when I’m inside you.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah. Oh,” he mocked, kissing her once more. “Just thinking about it is enough to make a man forget his obligations—like getting a yacht worth two million dollars home without running it aground.”

“Reid?”

He halted in sitting up, waited again.

“It was my pleasure, too. Thank you.”

*

“I can’t tell you whether marrying Emma will help or hinder your application,” Harpreet said when Reid finally spoke to her. “The courts may have concerns about the nature and stability of the marriage—”

“It’s a real marriage. We’re not trying to pull a fast one.”

“I believe you,” Harpreet assured him. “But it remains to be seen whether Emma will be given permanent resident status. That’s for her to work out with immigration, and if she’s part of your plan of care, you’ll have to include a contingency in the event she isn’t allowed to stay. I will say that, based on the reports I’ve been receiving regarding your involvement with Storm, if you’re willing to take guardianship, and your brothers support you and intend to stay involved in her life, I think your chances are promising.”

She outlined the procedure, which involved background checks and swearing an affidavit.

“I would recommend staying in BC until guardianship is finalized, rather than muddying waters by moving provinces.”

Reid had expected that. If he had to set up a satellite office in Vancouver for a few months or even a year, so be it.

“Now, having said all of that, I have hit a wall with information on Tiffany’s sister,” Harpreet said. “You’re absolutely right that she may be intending to apply for guardianship, but I have no way to confirm or refute that.”

“What are her chances?” Reid braced himself.

“Provided she isn’t in jail or has other issues that cause concern, the same as yours.”

“Even though she’s not Canadian?”

“Tiffany wasn’t Canadian.”

Reid bit back a curse. “But if my wife is the only mother this baby knows at this time…?”

“I can hear that you’re operating from Storm’s best interest. That carries weight, Reid, but it’s not as simple as my stamping a form.”

“Is it ever?” he muttered. “Thank you, though. I’ll get started on all of this.” Along with getting a marriage license and whatever forms and checks Emma needed.

He wanted to clear his head, so he walked up to the house to tell Emma. He found her bopping to the top twenty while rolling olive green paint on the walls of their future bedroom.

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