Page 43 of Single Dad's Hot Nanny

“I didn’t mean any harm when I said those things…” In fact, I’d come to appreciate the chaos that was Mia Clarke.

“I’m a mess, and I’m trying to not be anymore.” She sighed heavily. “I can’t afford to lose this job because of my usual recklessness. Tonight shouldn’t have happened.”

“I’m the one who started it, Mia,” I reasoned. “Do you think I’m that much of an asshole to fire you whenIinitiated things?”

She shrugged.

“I’mnot.” I felt bad that she spent all night worrying about losing her job. “Why do you keep emphasizing that you can’t afford to lose this job?” Now that I thought about it, she said it too many times. It wasn’t the words—because, hey, we all needed an income—it was how she said it. There was always this shadow of terror in her eyes.

Mia took retreating steps. “N-nothing… I mean, I have bills, that's all. I’m not willing to mess this up, okay? That kiss on the plane and what happened tonight were…”

“Are youreallygoing to call tonight a mistake?” I asked. She’d matched my wild passion tit for tat.

“It wasn’t.”

I was grateful that she didn’t lie to my face.

“But it shouldn’t happen again, and that’s for the best.” Her sigh was slow and long, and it resonated in the silence. “I’m sorry, Michael.” With that, she turned to walk away.

“Mia.”

The tension was visible in her shoulders as she turned around, and apprehension strained her features. I hated it because she seemed to think I was a huge dick who was about to fire her because she didn’t want to sleep with me.

“Don’t be sorry,” I said. “I respect your feelings and what you think is best.”

She blinked and surprise flickered in her eyes. It made me wonder about the dickbags she’d had to deal with before…

“Good night, Mia.”

“Good night.” She gave me one more lingering look before she hurried out.

I stared at the space she vacated long after she left.

“Sonofabitch,” I murmured as I shoved my fingers through my hair. There I was, about to throw caution to the wind to carry on an affair with Mia, and she had to be the responsible one to shut that shit down. What had gotten into me? I took a deep breath to rein in my frustration and irritation with myself.

I’d respect Mia’s wishes and stay the hell away from her, of course, but that didn’t mean I would stop wanting her. It was the damndest thing… I just couldn’tshakeher since our first night together. Nevertheless, it was back to cold showers and pretending I didn’t want my daughter’s nanny in my bed.

19

MIA

I dashed out the private elevator that opened into Michael’s penthouse foyer in a mad rush. As I sprinted across the porcelain tiles, my handbag bounced, and my hair flew around my face, obscuring my vision.

“I’m sorry I’m late! It’s just a few minutes. I’m sor?—”

The wind was knocked out of me when I hit something hard. I bounced back, but didn’t land on the floor because I was grabbed and steadied on my feet. Shoving my hair out of my face, I looked up into dreamy green eyes. The butterflies in my stomach went wild.

An entire month had passed since the treehouse incident, and I still quivered with need every time Michael so much as looked at me. When he touched me like this, as innocent as it was, my hormones went haywire. It was hard to ignore my feelings from him, but I was managing okay.

“Sorry,” I said.

Michael lifted one eyebrow and flicked his hand, which was covered in droplets of coffee. “We’ve got to stop meeting like this,” he murmured.

My nervous giggle floated around the living room. “Because this is the third collision, coffee spill… right…” Thankfully, none splashed onto his fancy three-piece suit this time.

“Mmm-hmm.” His tight expression made me feel like he wasn’t all that happy to see me. For the past few weeks, it was like he barely tolerated my presence, and that made me edgy about my future working for him.

“I’m sorry I’m late,” I said. “Crazy morning and traffic. It won’t happen again.” Of course, that’s what I said the first two times it happened.

---