Page 13 of Curvy Nanny for the Nerd

I tried for a smile that I hoped was friendly and professional. “You guys seemed busy, and Layla mentioned that you tend to forget to eat. We made math problems out of it if that makes you feel better.”

His broad shoulders relaxed. “It does. A little. Thank you, Antonia.”

Why was it that when Brady called me Antonia it didn’t feel too formal, too stuffy and rigid? It must be the deep timbre of his voice, the smooth whiskey sound compared to my mother’s disapproving tone. Yeah, that had to be it.

“Toni,” I reminded him out of habit more than any desire for him to call me by my nickname.

“Right. Sorry.” His long legs brought him forward so we were side by side when he dropped down into the lounger beside me. “Are you settling in all right?”

I turned away from his handsome face and tilted my head up, taking advantage of the view of the stars that twinkled above us in a beautiful light display that felt like it was just for me.

“Yep. Layla is a great little girl. She’s more mature than any seven year old I’ve met, and much smarter. But there’s still a little girl in there.” She was still hurting from losing her parents, but that wouldn’t go away anytime soon.

“No kidding,” he sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face. “Some days she sounds like a teenager. A sullen, angsty teenager.”

I laughed at his totally accurate description of his niece. “Like I said, mature for her age. But,” I turned to face him and immediately wished I hadn’t, because his gaze was focused on my face, full of heat and hunger and…wait, that can’t be right.

“But?” His lips pulled up into a crooked grin that was utterly irresistible.

“But you might be happy to learn that I don’t think it’s because she lost her parents. She spent a lot of time with adults when she traveled with them.” The little girl had lived a full life already and it was awe-inspiring.

“She talks to you a lot,” he said, the words were not an accusation but merely a statement of fact.

“I’m easy to talk to,” I shot back easily. “And she misses having people to chat with since she’s not in school.”

“Right,” he winced as if I’d slapped him.

“It’s not a judgment, I swear. Just an observation.”

“She seems to like you more than she likes me.”

I flashed a wide, playful grin. “I’m a likeable kind of gal.”

Brady laughed, shaking his head as if he found me amusing, possibly endearing. “That you are, Toni. How do you do it?”

I laughed. “I don’t know. Part of it is just my upbringing I guess, always be polite and well-mannered. That combined with growing up as an only child gave me the required confidence to just be me.”

His brows rose. “Just like that?”

“Not quite. It took me some time to find myself and even longer to own it.”

His gaze intensified as if I was a puzzle he needed to figure out. “You seem pretty comfortable in your skin to me.”

“I am, but I wasn’t always.” I sighed, laying back so my focus was back on the stars. “I was expected to be something I’m not, including thin and quiet.”

“I think you look great,” he said almost automatically. “And quiet is overrated. This place was too quiet before you came around, and I’m not sorry about the change.”

Holy shit, was that a compliment? I laughed nervously at his unintentionally kind words. “Thank you?”

He smiled again and I was grateful I was already sitting, because my knees went a little weak at the sight of his smile.

“You’re welcome.” He looked up at the sky and sighed. “You really think Layla is all right?”

I nodded. “Yes. She’s sad and working her way through her grief, but yes, I think she’s doing fine. Other than the getting kicked out of school thing.”

“Yeah,” he sighed, the weight of the world on his broad shoulders. “I’m failing her, aren’t I?”

“No, but I think you should make time for her. She needs to know she’s loved and not just an obligation.”

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