Page 113 of Nanny for the Firefighter

“Mason!” I sigh, trying to catch my breath. “You’re home early.”

“Hi, yeah. Are you…” He looks between me and Mia, his brows down over his eyes. “Did something happen?”

I shake my head, but then I’m wobbling the damn thing in every direction because I have no idea how to feel right now. I’m all flustered and upset, and poor Mia has no idea what’s going on.

Mason can tell I’m shaken and takes Mia, who’s reaching out for him.

“Dada!”

“Hi, baby girl.” He glances over at me again. “Bridget, what’s up?”

“I just…I don’t know. I heard a branch or twig or something outside, and I got freaked. I feel like someone is watching me all the time. I can’tstandthis, Mason.”

“Here,” he hands me Mia again, “I’ll go take a quick look. I’ll be right back.”

Before I can say anything, which I really want to because I don’t want Mason going out there if Jai is actually here, he’s out the door and glancing over the backyard.

I watch with Mia in my arms as he circles around the yard and pool, checking the bushes and shadows.

My brain is whirling through all the things that could go wrong; images of someone rushing up behind Mason and tackling him superimposing over reality.

Mason starts walking back, shrugging at me as he approaches the sliding door, and I let him in.

“I don’t see anything now. But I get it, okay?”

He wraps me up in his arms, Mia hugged between us, and he takes my head, guiding my forehead to his lips as he lays a gentle kiss on my skin.

My heartbeat is still way too high, and the panic surging in my veins doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere any time soon.

“Mason, I just…I didn’t know if it was him, and I have Mia here with me.”

The sweet girl in question is thoroughly confused, and Mason takes her again, kissing his daughter’s forehead like he did mine.

He walks her to the living room, plopping her down to watch a bit of TV so that we can talk. When Mason’s chosen a show for her and he comes back to stand near the patio with me, he slides the glass door closed over the screen.

Locking things up, Mason is sure to use the bar that prevents the door from being pushed open and inserts the little pin in the top to help keep it in place.

It’s a regular habit at night, but it’s the middle of the day, and I can tell that Mason is just about as tense as I am.

Which begs the question.

“Mason?” I look up at him as he stands before me and wraps me in his arms again. “Did something happen at the office?”

After a moment, he sighs, his breath fluttering the hair on the top of my head. He kisses the spot before leaning back to meet my eyes.

“Yeah.” He nods, his expression grim. “Another rose.”

My stomach drops as my eyes flare wide. “What?!”

Just as the word leaves me, we both look over at Mia and offer reassuring smiles. She goes back to watching TV, and Mason pulls me into the kitchen, closing the drapes over his patio doors as we try to keep our conversation from affecting Mia.

“I know, I know. The asshole found me at work. Jai left another of his gifts, okay? I have it in a bag to give to the police.”

My eyes sting, but I don’t want to let the tears fall. This is all getting way out of hand.

“Mason, this is getting ridiculous. What are we supposed to do? Two roses aren’t going to be enough to get the police to do anything.”

He walks over and hugs me again, keeping me pressed against his chest.

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