Page 43 of Curvy Nanny for the Nerd

She heard the shift in my tone and her eyes widened but undeterred, Toni nodded and folded her arms as she took a few steps back. “Yeah, Brady. A favor.”

My brows dipped into a frown. “It was just a matter of time, wasn’t it?” I needed some distance so I walked around my desk to have a barrier between us as my anger festered and grew. “What is that you want, Toni? A piece of must-have jewelry? A trip on my private jet? Those designer shoes you love so much? Lay it on me.” I was an asshole and I knew it but Toni was just like all the rest. Oh sure, she’d hid it better and played the role to perfection but in the end it was all about what I could do for her.

“Are you serious right now?” She shook her head, her tone incredulous as if I was still that desperate nerd I used to be.

“Don’t play coy now, tell me what you want. I’m feeling generous and you’ve more than earned it.”

She sucked in a sharp breath and her nostrils flared.

Oh she was angry which was good, because I was angry too. “You have an investment opportunity you don’t want me to miss out on? That was what the blow job was about, wasn’t it?”

“No,” she growled. “That was because I wanted to do it. I wanted to see you when I made you feel like that. But I guess treating me like shit makes you feel better.”

I rolled my eyes, refusing to feel guilty when she was the one in the wrong. “Give it up, Toni. Just tell me what you want and I’ll decide if you’ve earned it or not.”

She took a step back as if I’d hit her but Toni was tough and her expression went completely blank, devoid of all emotion. She reached for the office door and turned the knob, tugging the door open slightly before her gaze met mine once again. “What I want from you, Mr. Winsome, is to keep an open mind when Layla finally works up the courage to ask you to buy her a guitar. She’s getting good at it and she’s excited to keep learning but she’s worried you’re going to say no. If you do, just think about it first.” Her eyes grew suspiciously moist but she shook away the emotions that threatened to surface and walked out of my office, closing the door quietly behind her.

My heart pounded in my chest and I knew that for as long as I lived, I would never, ever forget that look on her face. I made her feel worse than shitty, worse than worthless like her parents. I made her feel like… “Fuck!”

I screwed up. Badly. Again.

This time I’m positive she will never forgive me.

I felt the loss instantly and my chest collapsed on itself. My focus went to shit for the rest of the day.

Chapter 24

Toni

Enough is enough, Toni. Get your shit together.

I had the same pep talk with myself every morning for the past few days as I stared at puffy red eyes in the mirror, a sad expression and lifeless eyes. I cried a little, okay, I cried a lot for the first couple of days after Brady accused me of whoring myself out for gifts. I cried because once again I thought he was a nice guy who was scarred or wary after a few bad experiences.

Once again, I was wrong. He wasn’t scarred, he was just an asshole.

Now that I knew who Brady really was—another rich prick—I could move on with my life. Today was Friday and I had the whole weekend ahead of me to wipe away all traces of the hot nerdy asshole.

As soon as Brady walked in the door, I hugged Layla goodbye and made her promise to be a good girl for her uncle and then I went to my apartment where I enjoyed a body scrub and then a long, hot bath. I scrubbed my skin raw to remove the scent of him from my flesh. I rubbed until I could no longer feel his hands on my body.

Two hours later I felt clean and refreshed and ready to be out amongst the people, but not exactly on a solo mission tonight so I picked up my phone and called a friend. “Molly, hey. It’s Toni. You up for drinks tonight? On me?”

She let out a heavy sigh followed by a harsh laugh. “Well I guess that does sound better than peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and Netflix on my cousin’s sofa. When and where?”

An hour later Molly walked into The Happy Heifer looking as if her week was just as shitty as mine. I waved her down with one hand and poured a tall glass of beer for her. “Rough week?”

She nodded and accepted the beer with a tired smile. “You could say that. my employer’s new girlfriend thinks my curves are too tempting and they let me go.”

“Insecure bitch,” I growled and flagged down the waiter for shots. “I’m sorry that happened, Mols.”

She sighed and scrubbed a hand over her face. “It’s fine, really. I mean, it pisses me off but it’s not like this is the first time and it probably won’t be the last.”

“It’s bullshit, you know that right?” I shook my head, so fucking sick of this stupid mentality. “Your body is gorgeous. Women go under the knife to get what you have naturally and having curves doesn’t make you slutty or easy or any of that shit,” I growled.

“I know but thank you for saying it out loud, Toni.” Molly was a sweetheart, which normally would piss me off but just like Lucy it was so genuine it was hard to dislike her. “Why areyoudrinking tonight?”

I sighed and raised my shot high in the air, knocking it back without a toast. “I don’t wanna talk about it but let’s just say that men suck.” Even saying that much about it just brought back all the things I was trying like hellnotto think about. But the dark look on Brady’s face when he spit those hateful words at me? Top five things I’ll never forget. But tonight wasn’t a night to thinkabout it so I let out a heavy sigh and shook off my feelings. “Do you think I’m a difficult woman?”

Molly blinked in surprise as if she didn’t want to answer but then she did something people rarely do, she thought about it before she answered. “No. I think you’re great and I wish I had even half of your confidence and courage. People don’t mess with you because you justseemlike you’ll kick their ass and that’s enough. Most of the time I don’t even know who I am.”

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