Page 23 of Curvy Nanny for the Nerd

I laughed and basked in his praise, and his post-coital kisses. “Sounds good to me.” It was too bad he didn’t trust me with the basic details of his life.Forget it, Toni. Enjoy this, whatever it is, while it lasts.

That’s what I’d vowed to do, and just like every morning this week, I spent the time in the shower strengthening my resolve, ignoring my soft heart that wanted to make excuses for the secrets. The shield he kept between us. By the time I made my way downstairs, I was dressed to kill in black leather leggings, and a plain white lace t-shirt, I felt like a new woman.

Mostly.

“Good morning,” I said to Layla in a sing-song voice.

She looked up from her tablet with a bright smile. “Good morning, Toni! What are we doing today?”

I froze because it was the first time in years I’d fallen down on the job. I hadn’t planned any activities for her today because I was too busy getting in her guardian’s—by boss’s—pants.

“Um, I’m not sure,” I said honestly. “I figured we could spend an hour or so drawing and then you can decide what you want to learn today. That will determine what our next activity will be.”

Her eyes, so much like her uncle’s, widened in surprise. “Me?”

I nodded as I poured a mug of coffee. “Yep. The best way to keep learning is having a desire to learn so today it’s dealer’s choice. You pick what you want to know about and together we’ll find a way to make it work.”

“Cool!”

Heavy footsteps sounded and then Brady appeared, looking as if he’d just walked off the runway in a three-piece suit that made his dark hair and light eyes pop. The phrasedevastatingly handsomecame to mind instantly. Lust surged through me and when it faded, I frowned.

“Going somewhere fancy?” It looked like a date night outfit, except it was early in the morning, and he worked at home so it was…unusual.

Brady seemed shocked at my question and he looked down at his designer, bespoke suit and shrugged. “No. I have meetings that require my presence at the office.”

The office.

It was such a bland statement, purposefully so, and everything in me wanted to push him, to ask who the meetings were with and if they were important to his business. But I didn’t. He would frown and then freeze up, and ultimately ignore the questions altogether.

“Cool,” I said in a chilly voice. “Have fun.”

His brows furrowed in confusion, but as expected, he shrugged off the uneasiness and smoothed his hands down the beautiful fabric. “I don’t know about fun,” he offered. “But let’s hope it will be productive and fruitful.”

“Good luck?” What the hell else was I meant to offer other than that? This wasn’t a normal relationship because it wasn’t a relationship, it was a situation-ship, one where we didn’t share personal details. Well, he didn’t. I was an open book.

“Thanks,” he murmured mostly to himself before he filled up a to go mug and left with hardly a goodbye to me or his niece.

“Uncle Brady is being weird,” Layla declared without looking up from her tablet.

“Adults are sometimes weird,” I offered diplomatically.

“You’re being weird too.” She frowned as she studied me a little too carefully.

“You’re weird,” I shot back with a teasing smile. “Drawing time starts in two minutes so we better get our supplies.” Distraction was a nanny’s best tool when it came to little girls who were far more perceptive than they should be.

We spent most of the day at a music shop where we practiced math skills and music with the guitar, piano, tambourine and the drums. It was a fund adventure, and by the end Layla had been absolutely enamored with the idea of playing an instrument.

“I’m going to learn to play three instruments,” she declared as we left the shop. “Is that a thing?”

I nodded. “Sure is. I play piano and violin very well, the drums and guitar not grea,t but well enough to impress.” My mother had insisted on the first two when I was about five years old and the other two came about as an act of teenage rebellion and self-discovery.

“I’ll ask Uncle Brady.” She beamed an excited smile and placed her hand in mine. “Look, Toni, ice cream!”

It was a gourmet ice cream shop where they made the flavors in house. “Let’s get some for dessert.”

She looked up with wide eyes. “And just a little for now? Please?” She pushed her bottom lip out and batted her eyelashes.

I laughed. “That might work on your uncle but I’m a professional.”

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