Page 33 of Curvy Nanny for the Grumpy Single Dad

I sat up a little taller in the booth and lifted my chin high in the air. “What do you mean?” I clenched my jaw tight to avoid laughing at the incredulous look on her face.

Toni pointed at me and laughed. “You know damn well what I mean. Dante Rush couldn’t keep his eyes off you throughout the play.”

I shook my head. “You’re reading into things. He was probably just glancing over to keep an eye on Lena.”

She rolled her eyes. “Oh come on, Lucy! You can’t be that naïve. The man watched you from beginning to end. He’d totally fail an exam on the play.”

I continued to shake my head, not because I didn’t believe Toni, but because I refused to allow myself to respond to what she was saying in any way. “Toni.”

“Seriously, just hear me out.” Toni picked up her phone and swiped across the screen before she turned it to me. “Look! Just look at that and tell me I’m wrong.”

Dammit. I wanted to tell Toni just how mistaken she was, but I couldn’t look away from the photo and the look of wanting, of pure desire on Dante’s face as he looked my way. He looked like a man besotted with a woman, and before I could pretend I didn’t see any of that, the heat of a blush crept up my face.

“Yeah, see.” Toni pointed at me again and then at the phone. “That look is hot!” Her gaze narrowed and she leaned in closer. “You’re hiding something.”

“No I’m not.” Damn my fair skin that revealed every moment of my embarrassment.

“Yeah,” she said a little too loudly. “You are. Spill.”

I pulled my lips into my mouth and looked away because I didn’t want to admit to what I’d done. It wasn’t exactly against the rules of being a nanny, but it was highly frowned upon, not to mention a recipe for unemployment.

“Lucy.”

I felt the burn of shame as I turned back to Toni. “Okay. Fine. We slept together.” My head fell forward and I closed my eyes, waiting for her judgment.

“You did?” There was no judgment in her tone which surprised me.

I risked a peek in her direction, and Toni’s expression was one of shock and excitement. “You’re not going to judge me?”

Toni shook her head.

“Or tell anyone?”

“First of all, who would I tell other than you? My reclusive boss who only shows his face once a day? Hardly.” She shrugged. “And the only thing I’m judging is that you waited this long to tell me. What’s up with that?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “It’s not exactly something I’m proud of.”

“Why?” She asked with furrowed brows. “Was it terrible?”

“No,” I sighed. “It was incredible. So hot under the stars, our skin bathed in moonlight. It was at turns, sensual and raw.” I got chills just thinking about it.

“Sounds pretty damn hot to me. So why are you wearing regret like a designer handbag?”

“Because it doesn’t matter how amazing the sex was, Toni, I shouldn’t have done it. It was stupid and I just know it’s going to backfire. How could it not?”

“What, like do you think he’s going to fire you for sleeping with him?”

I shook my head. “No, but Dante is, let’s just call him mercurial. He’s very grumpy most of the time, and I know the first mistake I make, he’ll toss it in my face.” I had the script of that particular argument half-written in my head already.

Toni’s brows knitted into a deep frown. “But you slept with him?”

I nodded and buried my face in my hands. “It’s not like I planned it or anything. I was lying out in the backyard gazing at the stars and minding my own business when he joined me. Next thing I know we’re naked and that’s that.”

“Sounds like he was as taken aback by the situation as you were, which means it’s not like he can claim you planned it or anything.”

“Under normal circumstances I would agree with you, but Serenity made sure to tell me not to dress sexy because all the previous nannies had tried to jump his bones.” I knew at some point he was going to accuse me of the same and there was nothing I could do to stop it other than quit now, but I couldn’t do that to Lena.

Toni nodded as if she understood. “So he’ll say you used your feminine wiles to entice him out to the backyard where you seduced him?”

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