Page 2 of Swooning for the Summer Manny

I give her a serious look.

“I was flying off it,” she says. “I’m getting very good, you know. Pretty soon I’ll be able to fly all the way across the house.”

“That sounds very impressive. I don’t want you getting hurt, though. Please be careful.”

“I know, Mom.”

I watch her play with her action figures for a minute, and then make my way back downstairs, where I quickly slide back into my work. I’m so immersed in what I’m doing that the rest of the hour flies by, and when our doorbell rings, it startles me.

“He’s here, Mom!” Amelia yells from the top of the stairs.

I thrust my chair back and hurry over to our front door, straightening up my clothes and smoothing my hair along the way. Don’t forget to ask him if he has first aid training, I remind myself. And CPR certification, too. I reach for the door, putting on a welcoming smile as I pull it open.

“Hi,” I say. “You must be Ryan.”

The man standing on my doorstep smiles back at me, and my whole body goes hot. Whoa. I was not expecting the manny to look like…him. My eyes go wide with surprise as I take in the sight of him. He’s well over six feet tall and discernibly muscular, even though he’s wearing a long-sleeved button-up shirt. His hair is combed back and his eyes are a jewel-like blue.

“And you must be Karin,” he says, holding out a hand.

When I shake his hand—a large, strong hand that eclipses mine—a bright, warm, glittery feeling rushes through me.

2

RYAN

Damn, she’s beautiful. I try to stop myself from noticing, but it’s useless. The woman standing in front of me is a sight to behold. She has the prettiest brown eyes, her face is framed by curly auburn hair, and her curves threaten to pull my mind into the filthiest places.

It’s a miracle that I have enough self-control to prevent that from happening.

“Uh—yes. I’m Karin,” she says, then falls silent as she stares at me. After a few seconds, she says, “Why don’t you come in?”

I step inside. “You have a beautiful home.”

“Thank you.” She looks lost for a second, as if she’s the guest. “We can talk in the living room. Would you like something to drink?”

“No, I’m good. Thank you, though.”

I soak in my surroundings as she leads me through the house. Her home is full of well-loved furniture, the walls are covered in framed photos and homemade art, and there are toys and books scattered about. The houseplants look in need of some love, but they’re all still hanging in there.

My eyes trail back to Karin—specifically, to the way her hips fill out the wide-leg pants she’s wearing. Jesus, what am I doing? Her husband could be in the other room. This isn’t like me.

“So, Ryan, can you tell me a little about your experience as a nanny?” she asks as we sit down across from each other in her living room.

I nod and dive right in, telling her about how I looked after my younger siblings when I was growing up, and how that eventually turned into babysitting for other families. As I tell her about how rewarding this work is to me, and how it feels like my calling, a smile spreads across her lips.

“That’s sweet,” she says. “I can tell how much you care about what you do.”

I’m about to tell her about the certifications I have when I notice a curious pair of eyes peering around a nearby wall. I smile at the eavesdropper, and she quickly pulls away, hiding behind the wall.

Karin looks over her shoulder. “Amelia?”

There’s no response at first. But then the curious eyes peer out again.

“Are you going to be my nanny?” the young girl asks, squinting at me.

“That’s up to your mom,” I say.

She steps out from behind the wall and comes over to us, still sizing me up with discerning eyes.

---