Page 51 of A Whole New Play

Maybe it’s because he cares about you…

The thought takes some of the fuel out of my frustration.

“You do have control over it,” he counters with a bite “We can arrange my schedules so that you can leave the house before sundown.”

“That won’t always be possible.”

“I’ll make it possible.”

I sigh. “Carter, please be reasonable. I’m going to need to drive at night at some point.”

“But it won’t be from my house,” he declares. “I’ll make sure of it.”

“You can’t guarantee that.”

“Yes, I can.”

“Ugh.” I toss my hands in the air. “Why are you being so difficult? There has to be a way we can come up with a compromise, but I’m not going to accept that I’m never allowed to drive away from your house in the dark.” The thought is ridiculous.

Even if Carter finds a way to make it so one of his parents can take over watching the twins in the evenings, things come up. It’s irrational to believe there won’t ever be one evening in the future when I will have to drive Rose Hill’s country roads at night. Thinking otherwise is just setting himself up to be disappointed. And frustrated.

I watch Carter for his response.

His features twist in a scowl. He looks ready to unleash a snippy reply but hesitates. A pensive expression covers his face. His forehead furrows for a moment, and then it relaxes. “I have an idea.”

I lift a brow. “I’m listening.”

“You’re not going to like it,” he warns.

Intrigued, I prompt, “What is it?”

“You should move into the guest suite on the bottom floor.”

What?!

“No.” I shake my head. “No. No. No.” I thought moving in with him was a bad idea when we first discussed my being his nanny. And that was when we’d hooked up without knowing each other.

After what happened in the kitchen—what would’ve certainly happened if Andy hadn’t woken up from a nightmare, there is no way living in the same house won’t make things between us even more complicated than they already are.

“Then I’ll arrange for someone to take over watching the kids for you in the evening,” Carter declares with determination.

“But that’s not necessary!” Ugh. It feels like I’m talking to a brick wall—a stupidly handsome, incredibly caring brick wall.

“Is it about money? Even if you take off early, I’ll still pay the hours you’d be scheduled to work if that’s what you’re worried about.

I rear back. My head bounces off the inclined mattress. I ignore the way the impact makes my head throb. “Of course it’s not about money!” I’m offended he’d even think that.

“Then what is it?”

Is he serious?

“It’s about us not crossing any more lines.” I frown and wince when I tug on my stitches for the tenth time this conversation. I need to be careful or else I might have to stay here longer so the doctor can fix a torn stitch. “Things can get… messy if I live with you.”

Hell, I’d hope they would get messy.

It’s one thing to lust after your boss and another to make a move on said boss. But to actually live with him? To sleep under the same roof night after night? That’s a whole other ball game.

Carter’s eyes search mine as he digests what I said. “Okay. How about this? I promise to not cross that line ever again.”

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