Page 69 of Offside Devil

I can’t help myself—I inch a little closer.

“Daniel flew in a plane and my teeth glowed in these weird blue lights,” Aiden says, breathless he’s so excited.

He’s talking about the Children’s Museum, and knowing he had a good time on an outing I planned for him warms my heart. I never would have thought to be a nanny, but maybe this is my calling.

Probably not. Because no other kid will be as cool as Aiden.

“Oh, and Mira rode a dinosaur!”

Zane chuckles and my warm heart beats a little faster. “I saw that. Daniel sent me pictures.”

Oh, God. I was so focused on Aiden having a good time that I didn’t even notice the camera. I’m sure I look ridiculous in all of them.

Zane answers Aiden’s questions about hockey and they read a few books together. I know I should leave and go to my room. This is Zane’s time with his son, and he thinks they’re alone.

But I can’t make myself walk away.

Zane brought me here to help him take care of Aiden, and somewhere along the way, I got emotionally involved. Taylor thinks it’s because I like him, but… I want this to succeed. Not just so I get paid, but so Zane and Aiden can have each other.

I know what it’s like not to have family, to feel alone.

I don’t want that for either of them.

Zane starts singing softly. I can’t make out the words, but the deep rumble of his voice is soothing enough that I lean my head back against the wall and close my eyes.

I’m still standing there, lost in the peacefulness of it all, when I hear Aiden’s door snick closed.

My eyes snap open, but not soon enough. Zane is standing in the hallway, watching me. Shadows sharpen his features until he looks almost feral.

“Sorry, I was?—”

“Spying on me?” He saunters closer.

“No, I wasn’t. Well, I mean…” I drop my face in my hands. “Definitionally, I was spying. But don’t worry, I have no nefarious motives.”

Stalker. He’s going to fire me because I’m a weird, creepy stalker.

He hums, a low sound deep in his chest. “Somehow, I doubt that.”

The air feels charged and my instinct is to flee before lightning strikes. I back towards my room. “Well, I should go to bed.”

“Are you going to wear that jersey again?” Zane’s eyes go dark as they drag over me, like he’s picturing me in it right now.

“Is there a new condition I should know about?” I ask, pressing my thighs together. “Do you get to tell me what to wear?”

“If so, I’d ban sundresses,” he murmurs so softly I barely hear him.

I glance down at the gray floral sundress I’m wearing. “What?”

“Nothing.” He shakes his head. “If you’re going to wear a jersey in this house, it better be mine.”

“Why do you even care?” I ask with a laugh.

But my smile fades when he scrapes his eyes over me again, his lower lip pinched between his perfect teeth. “I have no fucking idea.”

My heart stutters, but I swallow down my nerves. “Well, if you care so much, you should give me one.”

I don’t even want to imagine the dirty dreams I’d have if I went to bed with Zane’s jersey on. I’d be better off burning it in some kind of voodoo ritual. Whatever it takes to purge all these lusty thoughts.

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