She leaned forward, unconsciously giving me a great glimpse at her voluptuous breasts. “Hi Mr. and Mrs. Rush. It’s nice to meet you both.”

“Dante she is beautiful,” Mom sighed and held a hand over her chest. “Why didn’t you tell us you were seeing someone? Your father and I were getting worried about you!”

Lucy snickered behind me and I chose to ignore her.

“Of course he didn’t tell us,” my dad grumbled. “This is probably the first time he’s been up for air in weeks.” Dad cracked up at his own joke, ignoring another smack from Mom.

Lucy joined in and shook her head. “No wonder Dante is such a grouch. Sam you have all the charm in the family.”

Dad roared with laughter. “Oh I like her! I like her a lot, Dante.”

“You’re good for him,” Mom said and wagged a finger in my direction.

Lucy sighed. “I highly doubt that Cheryl. Not only is he super duper grumpy,” she flashed a smile in my direction, “but Dante is also my boss. I’m Lena’s nanny, not his girlfriend,” she finally told them.

Mom and Dad both let out disappointed groans and I knew I would pay for that admission later. “You know Lucy, Cheryl and I met on the job. In fact I read that most relationships are formed in the professional arena these days, since all you kids know how to do is work.”

Lucy rolled her eyes. “I read that same study,” she said with a laugh. “Unfortunately I’m not your son’s type, and I don’t really go for the grumpy type.”

I rolled my eyes while Mom laughed as if she just heard the funniest joke in the world. “He is gloomier than usual these days. Dante when was the last time you had an orgasm? Masturbation may not be ideal, but it will do in a pinch.”

Lucy choked on a laugh behind me and I clenched my jaw to avoid glaring at her too. “It definitely does,” she added in a soft whisper. “It was nice to meet you Cheryl, and you too Sam. If not for this call I might have thought Dante here was born of cyborgs.”

Dad howled with laughter once again. “She’s great Dante. Beautiful, got a smart mouth, and funny. If you don’t want her I know plenty of eligible bachelors who’d jump at the chance to woo a woman like her.”

“You’re too sweet, Sam. I think you just made my Christmas card list.”

I rolled my eyes and covered them with one hand. This conversation was completely off the rails. “Say goodbye Lucy.”

“Goodbye Lucy,” she said and laughed when Mom and Dad chimed in too.

“Goodbye Lucy.”

She laughed again and waved. “It was very nice to meet you both. Y’all enjoy your weekend.”

“You too, sweetheart.”

Lucy walked away, but that wasn’t the end for me, because my parents spent the next ten minutes telling me that I needed to make a move on my nanny. By the time the call ended, I was half tempted to take their unsolicited advice.

Thankfully, good sense kicked in before she returned, still wearing that too tempting sundress that I was sure would haunt my dreams for the next few nights.

Chapter 13

Lucy

“Where’s Daddy?”

I couldn’t ignore Lena’s worried tone over her father’s absence even if I wanted to, because those big blue eyes damn near broke my heart.

I glanced at the clock again. It was after nine and Dante still wasn’t home, which was unlike him, and worse, he hadn’t called. In fact he hadn’t called all day which I’d arrogantly believed was because he finally trusted me to do my job. But now I couldn’t deny the fact that something was very likely seriously wrong.

“I’m not sure Lena.”

“He always says good night,” she whined and her lip quivered.

He didn’t just say good night. Dante usually tucked her, read her a story before he kissed her good night and wished her sweet dreams. Think fast, Lucy. I had to come up with something before tears or a tantrum came, neither of which were good around bed time.

“I have an idea!” night