Page 18 of Nanny for the Bikers

9

KIP

Iblink, my jaw slack as I stare at the woman in my living room. Ayla. Here, in our house. It feels like a mirage, my mind playing tricks on me. But no, she’s real, standing there with her dark hair tumbling over her shoulders and those piercing green eyes I remember from the gas station.

“Ayla?” My voice comes out strangled, disbelief coloring my tone.

Clay whips his head toward me, his brows knitting together. “Wait, you two know each other?”

I drag a hand through my hair, still trying to process her sudden appearance. Shadow, Ayla’s loyal canine companion, trots over to me, his tail wagging in a friendly greeting. The dog’s ease helps ground me in the moment.

“Yeah, we met when I was out riding,” I explain, my gaze never leaving Ayla’s face. A million questions swirl in my mind. What is she doing here?

Clay’s eyes narrow slightly as he glances between us, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his features. He shifts his weight, foldinghis arms over his broad chest. “Well, this is a surprise. I just hired Ayla as our new live-in nanny.”

His words hit me like a sucker punch. Live-in nanny? Here? With us? We should have talked about this, made the decision together. Clay can’t just spring this on us without a discussion.

Even if I am happy about it…after all, I get to see her again.

“Don’t you think we should have had a conversation about this first?” I ask, trying to keep my voice level. My fingers curl into my palms as I struggle to make sense of this unexpected development.

“Nope.” Clay shrugs. “I didn’t think you would have a problem with it.”

“It’s not me I’m worried about…” I drift off. It’s Teller…

Ayla’s eyes meet mine, a flicker of uncertainty dancing within their green depths. She takes a step back, her hands fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. “If this is going to be a problem, I can leave. I don’t want to cause any issues between you two.”

“No, no,” Clay interjects quickly, his voice firm and reassuring. He reaches out, placing a comforting hand on Ayla’s shoulder. “You’re not going anywhere. We need you here, Ayla. Piper needs you.”

I draw in a deep breath. “Clay’s right.”

As if on cue, Shadow nudges my hand with his wet nose, demanding attention. I chuckle, the tension in the room dissipating slightly as I scratch behind his ears. “You’re a lot sweeter when you’re not locked in the truck, huh?”

“He did the sniff test on you too?” Clay asks.

“He has to make sure we’re safe.” I laugh. “I thought you were supposed to be leaving town, Ayla?” My eyes dance between the two of them, slightly narrowing, as I ponder if there’s something going on between the two of them. But as soon as the thought enters my mind, it’s gone.

There’s no way that Clay would be interested in the same girl as me? Oh, who the hell am I kidding, of course, he would be.

“I found Piper in her stroller by herself at the park,” Ayla admits, and my eyes widen before falling on Clay. “Clay came shortly after, and I figured he could really use a nanny.”

“Clay!” I exclaim.

“I dozed off,” he blows out a breath. “I didn’t mean to.”

“Hiring her was a good idea.”

“I hope so.” Clay scratches the back of his neck. “Because we’re paying her fifteen hundred a week.”

“We?” I repeat and shake my head. “You.”

But we both know that all three of us will pitch in.

“So you live here too?” Ayla asks, and I notice the smallest tint of pink in her cheeks. Had Clay not told her about us?

“Yep. There’s three of us.”

“Including Piper?”

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