Page 8 of Rush

Intrigue stalled her mad flight out the door.

Linc turned to Sophie. “Hey, Peanut, why don’t you go turn on the TV and I’ll be there in a minute so we can watch cartoons while eating cookies and milk.”

Sophie, clearly excited at the prospect of cookies and cartoons with her Uncle Linc, scurried from the kitchen after wrapping her small arms around Nora’s knees for a goodbye hug.

“Peanut?” Nora asked as they made their way to the front door. “I didn’t know she had a nickname. It’s cute.” Made even cuter by a macho football player saying it.

“When my sister, Natalie, was pregnant, she texted me photos of her first ultrasound. Sophie had been no bigger than a peanut, so that’s what I started calling her. The nickname stuck.” Emotion made his voice thick and he cleared his throat.

He glanced toward the sound of the TV coming from the living room even though Sophie couldn’t be seen from where they were standing. “Losing Nat has been hard but even harder for Sophie.” He seemed lost in thought for a few seconds before shaking it off. “Anyway, what I wanted to ask, I’m not sure how long you’re staying in Portland—”

“Until I figure out what I’m going to do with my life or Oz gets sick of me. Whichever comes first,” she laughed at her own joke. “Although if Oz had his way I’m pretty sure I’d be here forever. He’s making it really hard for me to want to leave.”

“I’m happy to hear that because, as you know, I’m between nannies, and since you and Sophie get along so well, I was hoping you could help me out until I find something more permanent. It’s not full time, just weekday mornings until training camp starts, maybe longer if I have something lined up. I’d pay you, of course.”

She didn’t even have to think about it. “Sure. I could use something to fill my time. I’m running out of sights to see, and I know Oz feels obligated to entertain me, so it would free up time for him as well. When would I start?”

“Monday, if you can. I’ll text you my schedule.”

“Sounds good. See you soon… boss,” she grinned as she opened the front door.

Nora could feel Linc’s eyes on her as she jogged down the patio steps, making her careful not to miss one. The last thing she wanted was to take a header onto the sidewalk. Between getting caught dancing and then burning herself, she’d already embarrassed herself enough for one day.

In this case, a third time definitely wouldn’t be a charm.

Chapter Four

Up and out of the house earlier than she’d been in weeks, Nora speedwalked in the brisk morning air to the car Oz had loaned her when she’d first arrived. Slipping behind the wheel of the midsize sedan that had belonged to Emerson before Oz had bought her an upgrade, she started the car, feeling both jazzed and nervous while waiting for it to warm up.

Jazzed because having a job meant she got to stay in Portland longer. While she hadn’t come penniless, after several weeks and way too many visits to Starbucks, her fundswerestarting to run low. But Nora would go home to Kansas before asking Oz for more than he’d already given her. A freeloader, she was not.

Her nervousness could all be laid at Linc’s feet. It was one thing to have a secret crush on a man she rarely saw, but working in his home on a regular basis was a whole other animal. The last thing she wanted was for Linc to find out he made her stomach flutter whenever he looked at her. She’d rather stick her entire body back in that oven than have Linc know how he affected her. God, that would be embarrassing. Especially as she knew, thanks to a Google search, that the women he was attracted to were tall, sexy, and all glamor—three things she was definitely not. The only time she could ever be considered tall was in a room full of young children. Far from sexy, she was cute in a girl-next-door kind of way. And she’d only be glamorous if jeans and t-shirts became haute couture.

In other words, Linc was out of her league. More sophisticated than her as well as more experienced.

In allways.

Because at the ripe old age of twenty-one, she was still a virgin. It wasn’t like she was holding out for a ring or anything, but something her mother had said back when they’d hadthe talkhad made a lasting impression.

“I'm not naive enough to think you'll wait until you're married to have sex, but you’ll only have one first time. Take it from someone who regretted hers and wished she could do it all over again. Wait for that person who makes your body sing and your toes curl when they kiss you. Trust me, honey, waiting for the right person is worth the wait. You have your whole adult life to have sex, but only once for it to be extra special.”

So, when others were making the leap by experimenting and having sex back in high school, Nora had held back, waiting for that special someone who could set her body on fire.

She had taken her mother’s words to heart, but she’d never felt that fire and had begun to think she never would. Until meeting Linc. She finally felt the burn, and while she didn’t know what kissing him would feel like, if holding his hand was any indication, she might not survive the experience.

Sighing, she turned off her unprofessional thoughts. It was fine to daydream on her time but her job was to watch Sophie. Besides, Lincoln Scott was never going to look at her twice.

Coming to the entrance of Linc’s community, she entered the code he’d given her, then nosed her car through the gate as the wrought iron slowly parted. She passed lavish house after lavish house until she reached his, pulling up to the curb. Taking a deep breath, she got out of the car and marched up the walkway. She only had to wait a few seconds after her knock for Linc to open the door.

Almost as if he’d been watching for her.

Snorting, she rolled her eyes. Which he probably had been since he needed to leave, and she was the freaking nanny. But she wasn’t going to kick herself over the fanciful thought—a girl could dream. It was his fault anyway when the subject of those thoughts answered the door looking like sex on a stick. Wearing basketball shorts, a loose tank that revealed just how muscular his arms were, and with sneakers on his feet, it was easy to deduce he was dressed for activity.

Her stomach did that little flutter again, so she plastered on a cheerful smile, stepped through the door, and promptly asked, “Is Sophie awake?”

“Yeah. She’s eating breakfast.”

She breezed by him and into the kitchen, spotting the little girl sitting at the corner-nook dining table. “Good morning, Sophie.”

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