Page 60 of Taming the Boss

“Well, of course. We’d only go if she wanted to go too.” Jude looked over his shoulder at me. “Works for you?”

“Yeah.” I smiled. “I’m good with it.”

“Good.” Jude stepped toward me and lowered his head before he caught himself and moved back.

I sucked in a quick breath. He’d obviously been about to kiss me before he realized maybe that wasn’t a good idea. He probably didn’t want to confuse his son any more than he already had to be.

But I felt the loss. I wanted his lips on mine again. Wanted more of everything, except maybe we could stop to pick up some condoms while we were out.

Surely he wouldn’t have a problem with that.

The doorbell sounded and I turned to go answer it until Jude nudged me aside and said he’d get it. I supposed maybe that wasn’t part of my job description, although I had no clue what actually was.

So, I turned to sort through the now full cabinets until I found a frying pan which I set on the stove while I got out the bacon and eggs.

A moment later, soft feminine laughter drifted down the hall before Jude and a stunning blond in a cream business suit emerged from the hall.

“Maddie, this is Laken Losty, my real estate agent you sent the flowers to.”

“Oh, did you like them?” I tried to make my voice as cheery as possible to compensate for the annoying spurt of jealousy at how Jude had his hand on her lower back.

His big hand, that just a short time ago had been all over me.

“I did, thank you. They were lovely. I just came by to see how Jude was doing in the new home and to thank him.” She angled her head to look me over more closely, her eyes narrowed.

“Maddie is my new nanny for Owen.”

“Baddie,” Owen immediately announced, just in case I’d forgotten his nickname for me.

“Yeah, sweetie?”

“Froot Loops,” he reminded me as I cracked a few eggs in the pan.

“I’ll get it.” Jude grabbed the cereal box off the fridge and poured some along with milk into a beautiful bowl he took from a cabinet above the stove. Also new, since he’d had nothing of the sort before Caro had gone shopping. He also opened a drawer to take out an actual spoon instead of a plastic one like before and set it in the bowl before he presented it to Owen, who immediately dug in.

Then he lightly shook the box of cereal. “We should probably get more while we’re out. I’ve been into it quite a bit,” he admitted with a sheepish grin.

“So, you’re the nanny, hmm?” Laken asked as I looked in another cabinet for a second pan for the bacon.

“I am.”

“Have you worked as a nanny before?”

“No, but I have a large family. And I’ve babysat a lot.”

“Babysat,” Laken said with a self-important nod as if I’d just said I knew what a child was and that consisted of my experience. “Jude indicated he needed someone with lots of experience and references to care for his young son.”

“We’re getting by just fine.” I offered her a smile and tried not to grit my teeth.

Not that Jude had exactly been monitoring me with his son over the last several days. But surely that indicated a level of trust in me? Or maybe he’d just been too buried in paperwork to concern himself overmuch.

Or our personal issues had ranked higher so he’d wanted to keep his distance. Hell if I knew.

“Oh, I’m sure. Just he doesn’t know anyone just yet due to being new here, so I’d hate for him to be wrongly steered.”

While she spoke, I scrambled the eggs with renewed energy. I just bet.

“Maddie has been extremely helpful. I’m fortunate we met so early on, and she applied for my position. Not to mention, she and Owen have such a good rapport. We’re going sneaker shopping again after breakfast, right, Owen?”

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