Page 2 of Tempted

The boy looked unimpressed. “Miss Appleton doesn’t care. She’s sleeping on the bench over there.” He pointedto a woman lying on a bench who appeared to be half dead.

Jasmine rushed over to see if Miss Appleton was okay.She tapped the woman on the shoulder. “Are you alright?”

The dozing lady groaned, not bothering to open her eyes. “Lemme alone you little brats,” she muttered. The strong scent of alcohol was on her breath.

Jasmine recoiled from the pungent smell. “Is this your babysitter?” What kind of irresponsible parents would hire a drunk to watch their children?

Chelsea gave her a forlorn look. “She’s our Nanny. I think she was drinking from her special medicine bottle again. She told us not to bother her for a couple of hours.

Tyler crossed his arms over his chest shooting Jasmine an I-told-you-so look. “See? She doesn’t care.”

Jasmine frowned. “Does your mom and dad know Miss Appleton takes special uh, medicine?”

Tyler shrugged. “We don’t have a mom, and Dad wouldn’t care.”

Jasmine seriously doubted that. She attempted to wake the dozing woman again. “Miss Appleton?”

“Lemme ‘lone,” the nanny slurred, falling horizontally on the bench.

That was it. The mother in Jasmine wouldn’t allow these two children to be alone with this obviously drunken woman. She toyed with the idea of offering to take them home, but that probably wouldn’t be a good idea. The children didn’t know her and the last thing she needed was to be thrown in jail for kidnapping two kids who obviously came from wealth. They’d lock her up and throw away the key this time for sure. Besides, her neighborhood wasn’t the safest area of the city.

Jasminepulled out her phone. “Do you have your Daddy’s work number?”

Tyler looked her up and down. “What do you want that for?”

She sighed. This little boy was really starting to test her patience. “Because he’ll need to come pick you up or send someone over to do it. Miss Appleton is in no position to supervise you.”

Tyler looked at the now snoring nanny and then back at Jasmine. “I don’t know it.”

Jasmine had the sneaking suspicion he did, but she couldn’t call him a liar on such short acquaintance. “Look, Tyler, I have no ulterior motive other than to make sure the two of you get home safely.”

“I know Nana’s number,” Chelsea piped up.

“Shut up.” Tyler punched his sister in the arm.

“Oww!” Chelsea’s eyes filled with tears.

Jasmine had had enough of the little boy’s nastiness. “Tyler, do not hit your sister again.”

Tyler crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t have to listen to you.”

“Oh, yes you do. Because I’m bigger and meaner, and if you don’t apologize to Chelsea now, I’ll show you just how mean I can be.” She stared him down.

To his credit Tyler held her gaze for a good while before his face turned beet red and he looked away. “Sorry,” he muttered not bothering to look at his sister.

As apologies went, it was a pretty lousy, one but Jasmine saw no point in forcing the issue.

Chelsea stuck out her tongue. “Haha, you got in trouble.”

Jasmine lifted a brow. “Chelsea, no one likes to be teased.”

“I’m sorry.” At least the girl sounded more contrite than her brother.

Jasmine nodded her approval. “Now that we’re all sufficiently sorry, how about giving me a number of a responsible adult who can come get you?”

Tyler remained mutinously silent, but Chelsea supplied Jasmine with her grandmother’s number.

“What’s your Nana’s name by the way?” Jasmine asked.

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