Page 45 of Nanny for the Bikers

“Ayla,” I begin, my voice rough with emotion. “About last night...”

She tenses, still not meeting my gaze. “Kip, I don’t think now is the best time to-“

“Then when?” I interrupt, frustration seeping into my tone. “When is it going to be a good time to talk about the fact that we almost slept together?”

Ayla’s cheeks flush a deep crimson, her eyes widening at my bluntness. She takes a shaky breath, finally turning to faceme. “Maybe never, Kip. You’re my boss. This...whatever this is between us...it could complicate things.”

I clench my fists, my jaw clenching. “So you’re just going to pretend like nothing happened?”

She closes her eyes, her voice barely above a whisper. “I can’t afford to lose this job, Kip. Piper needs me. And I...I need the stability.”

My heart sinks at her words, the realization that she’s putting up walls to protect herself from getting hurt again. I want to tell her that I would never let anything happen to her, that I would move heaven and earth to keep her safe. But I know that now isn’t the time.

I reach over and gently take her hand in mine, my thumb brushing over her knuckles.

“I’m not going to push you, Ayla. But I need you to know that what I feel for you...it’s real.”

The door swings open, revealing Teller’s imposing figure. His dark eyes dart between Ayla and me, narrowing slightly as he takes in our close proximity. The air crackles with tension, and I can practically feel the waves of displeasure rolling off him.

“Hope I’m not interrupting anything,” Teller says, his tone sharp and laced with an underlying accusation.

Ayla steps back, putting some distance between us. “No, of course not. We were just heading out.”

She brushes past him, disappearing into the hallway. I move to follow her, but Teller’s hand on my chest stops me. His grip is firm, his fingers digging into my shirt.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Kip?” he growls, his voice low and menacing.

I meet his gaze head-on, refusing to back down. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

A humorless laugh escapes his lips. “Don’t play dumb with me. I saw the way you were looking at her, the way you touched her.”

Realization dawns on me then, and a smirk tugs at the corner of my mouth. “Wait a minute...are you jealous, Teller? Do you have a thing for Ayla too?”

His jaw clenches, and for a moment, I think he might actually take a swing at me. But then his eyes flicker with something else - guilt, maybe? - and I know that I’ve hit a nerve.

“It’s none of your damn business,” he snaps, releasing his hold on me. “Just stay the fuck away from her, alright? She’s not one of your little conquests.”

With that, he turns on his heel and stalks into the living room, leaving me standing there with a million questions swirling in my mind. What happened between him and Ayla? And why does the thought of them together make my blood boil with jealousy?

As I step into the hallway, I nearly collide with Clay, who’s emerging from Piper’s room with the little girl perched on his hip. He takes one look at my face and frowns, his brow furrowing with concern.

“What’s going on, man?” he asks, shifting Piper to his other side. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

I force a laugh, trying to play it off. “Nah, just had a little chat with Teller. You know how he gets sometimes.”

Clay’s eyes narrow, and I can tell he’s not buying it. He’s always been perceptive like that, able to read people like an open book. I’m not keen on that part of him.

“Kip,” he says, his voice low and serious. “If there’s something going on between you and Teller, I need to know about it. We can’t afford any drama right now, not with everything else that’s happening.”

I sigh, running a hand through my hair. I know he’s right, but I also don’t want to betray Teller’s confidence, even if the guy is being a total ass.

“It’s nothing, really,” I say, trying to sound casual. “Just a little misunderstanding about Ayla.”

Clay’s eyebrows shoot up, and a slow grin spreads across his face. “Well, well, well,” he drawls, shifting Piper to his other hip again. “Looks like our little Teller has a crush. Who would’ve thought?”

I snort, shaking my head. “Yeah, well, he’s not too happy about it. Seems to think I’m some kind of player or something.”

Clay chuckles, bouncing Piper gently. “Aren’t you, though? I seem to recall a certain blonde at the bar a few weeks ago...”

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