Page 13 of Curvy Nanny for the Grumpy Single Dad

I couldn’t resist the challenge she presented, both in physical terms as well as her challenging my parenting. I turned back to the sky and stared at the clouds while they cantered over me.

“I got it! Right there I see a giraffe.” I hoped like hell it was a giraffe anyway. I pointed at it as Lena and Lucy leaned closer to follow the path of my fingers.

Lena patted my arm excitedly. “I see it Daddy! One, two,” she started to count the clouds that made up the giraffe.

I turned to Lucy with a fortifying sigh. “I’m sorry that I hurt your feelings, Lucy. Truly. That wasn’t my attention, it’s just that Alex is an old friend and he knows how to get under my skin.”

She said nothing for a few seconds and finally gave me her blue gaze. “I don’t care that you don’t find me attractive, Mr. Rush, but that doesn’t mean that your words didn’t hurt. I accept your apology, but I don’t appreciate you talking badly about me behind my back.”

I nodded, but the relief I expected didn’t come. Her words were right and sincere, but it didn’t feel as if she truly forgave me. She never said she did, I realized. She accepted my apology, which I learned throughout the three years in my torturous marriage, was not the same thing. “Thank you, Lucy.”

She shrugged.

“Join us for dinner?”

“I can’t,” she said quickly and looked away.

“Hot date?” I don’t know why I asked that question. It wasn’t my business, it was inappropriate, and worse, it made it seem like I cared about the answer. And I didn’t. Not really.

Lucy snorted and a bitter laugh rushed out of her. “You don’t believe that,” she answered and rolled her eyes. “It’s an incredibly hot date, going to Toni’s apartment to pack up some things so I don’t have to go back and forth as often.”

“The woman with you the day you ripped me a new one?”

She smiled and didn’t bother denying my phrasing. “Yeah, that’s her.”

Toni was a girl, not a boyfriend. “How is it that you don’t have a place of your own?”

She shrugged. “My last assignment ended abruptly when the mom received a promotion that required them to move. It was also live-in, so Toni let me crash at her place until I found a place of my own, or a new live-in assignment came along.”

“So basically I saved you?”

She laughed, and it was throaty and sexy. “If that’s what you need to believe, have at it.”

I found myself smiling at her constant need to put me in my place. Never met a woman who did that, not even Bethany had done that, unless she really meant it and wanted to hurt me.

“You’re free to use the Escalade. It has a lot more room than your sedan.”

“Thank you, but the Escalade is my work car, and I am officially,” she glanced down at the sleek black band on her left wrist and smiled as she got to her feet, “off the clock.”

“I’m your boss, and I’m telling you it’s okay to use it.” Why was she so stubborn? I got up too, feeling more confident now that I was back on my feet, on equal footing with Lucy.

Her gaze inched up my body, and I took a step back realizing how close I was, and how big our height difference was. I didn’t want her to think I was intimidating her on purpose. “I’ve been doing this for a long time Mr. Rush and I have a system for keeping things professional, but thanks again for the offer.” She flashed that smile that made it feel as if she had a secret that only she knew.

“Dante.” Why I felt the need to keep reminding her to use my first name I had no idea, though I was sure Alex would have plenty.

“Right. Dante.” She took a few steps back, but not before I caught a flare of desire in her eyes.

Interesting. No, it wasn’t interesting. It was unfortunate, because neither of us could act on it. “Was that so hard?”

She rolled her eyes. “You have no idea.” Her gaze swung to Lena who still counted clouds. “Do you want a progress report now?”

I shook my head and waved her off. “Monday is soon enough. Enjoy your night Lucy.”

“Oh yeah, big night of packing and loading up my car.” She laughed nervously. “You too…Dante. Bye Lena, see you later.”

“Buh bye Lucy!”

She turned and walked across the backyard.

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