Page 15 of Daddy's Unexpected Gift

That was for me. That wasn’t document-document-document so I could build a case against him for a hostile work environment, or anything like that. No, that note was so that I knew someone like him could be attracted to someone like me.

I leaned over and grabbed a stack of sticker books. I was flipping through a collection of Girl Boss and positive affirmation statements when there was a sharp knock on my door.

“The fuck?” I wasn’t expecting anyone. “Give me a second!” I called out as I extricated myself from the mess of my crafting session.

The knock sounded again.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I said hold on.” Breath left my body as I yanked the door open and saw Sterling Alexander standing there looking like a super spy.

He was fine, and it took every ounce of my professional demeanor to not be distracted by how attractive that man was every time I stood in his downtown luxury penthouse apartment. I suspected he owned the apartment, and more than likely, the building. But I wasn’t at work right now, and he was in a tuxedo.

I swallowed hard and tried to talk.

“Good, you’re home.” He swept inside with a car seat carrier in his hands. Georgie was wide-eyed and looking around. She had a stuffed ducky she chewed on. Good, he had gotten her at least one toy.

“Mr. Alexander,” I managed to croak out. “What are you doing here?”

“You need to watch Georgie.” He continued into my small space and looked around him. “This place is a mess. How are you supposed to watch her? You left scissors on the floor, and you have the nerve to be critical of my house?”

He placed the car seat on the floor in the middle of the living room. “Do you have something you can feed her?” He pulled a billfold from his inner jacket packet.

I kept blinking in stunned shock. The man looked like some model for bridal fashions or something in his formal tux, and he kept talking as if I knew what was happening.

He began peeling bills from the stack in his wallet. Holding out a handful of bills toward me, he shook his fist. With his other hand, he reached forward and grasped my hand. It felt like a thousand bolts of electricity pricked my skin. He placed the money into my hand.

“You should be able to have something delivered. You don’t have diapers here, do you?” He scanned the area around Georgie’s car seat. It was covered in stickers, paper punches, glue sticks, and washi tape, but no diapers, no bottles.

“Ah, I left the diaper bag in the limo. I’ll be right back.”

He left.

Georgie made a happy giggling sound, and I looked at her. She smiled at me. It was good to see her happy. I guess things were improving at their home.

Sterling walked right back in, as if he had every right to come and go from my apartment as he pleased.

“Diaper bag,” he announced as he placed the bag next to the car seat.

“What are you doing here?” I finally came to my senses.

“You need to?—”

“You said that, but that doesn’t answer my question.” I stared at him, my professional demeanor back with a vengeance. I completely separated his overt attractiveness from his being my client. I had stopped staring at him as an attractive man and started staring at him as a client who should not be here.

“I have an event this evening. You need to watch Georgie. That’s your job, isn’t it?”

I blew out a long puff of air and shook my head with large sweeps of motion that almost made me dizzy. “How many times have I told you I’m not a nanny?”

“Yes, I know. But when I called your agency about sending over a nanny to watch Georgie, they told me I needed to be in contact with you.”

“Mr. Alexander, Sterling, my place of work is closed. It has been for hours. If you called them, why am I just now hearing about this?”

“I don’t have time, Cecelia. Watch the baby. I will be back late. I’m already late as it is.”

He turned to leave.

“Where are you going?” I demanded.

He turned and it looked like he was considering what I said, clueing in that he couldn’t simply drop Georgie off at my apartment.

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