Page 65 of Sven

“Okay... I’ll level with you. I’m a mess right now. In the past three months I have found out I had a baby, became the sole caregiver of her because her mother robbed me and left her with me, and now I have feelings for my nanny. I’m a mess.”

Her hands fell off her hips, and her look softened.

“What?”

“I know it’s bad. I know I shouldn’t have these feelings for you, but I just don’t know what to do about it.”

He finally found the courage to look er in the eye. She was evaluating him in a way that left him feeling laid bare.

She moved over and sat on the couch next to him. “Well... I’m still mad at you.”

He nodded. “You have every right to be. I was out of line.”

“What are we going to do?”

He shrugged.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Okay... I’ll stay here, but you can’t do that again, Sven. I mean it.”

He turned his body to her fully on the couch. “I won’t.”

She nodded, taking him in, chewing on her lip.

“Do you... like him?” Sven said in a voice even he barely recognized.

“I don’t know... No. But it’s not about that. Just because I don’t want to date Murphy doesn’t mean you get to swoop in like that,” she said, stopping him with a finger.

He was happy she didn’t have any feelings for Murphy... but that left him with one more question. Knowing this was a bad idea, he knew he should’ve let it go, but he couldn’t help himself. Self-control had never been something he was very good at.

“Do you...” He knew he shouldn’t say it, but he couldn’t help it. “Do you have feelings for me?”

She closed her eyes, and her pained expression tore at his heart.

“Sven, I don’t think this is a good idea.”

He nodded. It wasn’t a no, but it wasn’t a yes, either. This whole thing was such a mess.

“I’ll stay, but I think we should keep it strictly professional.”

Those words landed like boulders in his chest. That was not what he wanted, but if it was all she was comfortable with, it would have to be enough. She was so good for Winnie. And honestly, she was too good for him, and he knew it.

“Okay, I can do that.”

“Good,” she said as she wrapped her arms around her stomach.

“Okay, I’m gonna go back in...” He stood.

“Okay,” she said, not meeting his eye.

“Are we good?” he asked, eyeing her nervously.

She nodded.

“Okay,” he said and turned to leave. He made it over to the door, but he felt like his feet were magnetized to the floor.

He didn’t want to leave things like this, but she needed her space.

“I really am sorry about tonight,” he said, looking back at her.

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