Page 19 of The Wolf's Plus-Size Nanny

He chuckles, but it’s strained, and I can tell he’s as thrown off by this as I am. “Yeah, I’ll keep that in mind.”

I retreat to my room, but my mind is still racing with the what-ifs and the almosts. I close the door behind me and lean against it, letting out a slow breath I didn’t realize I was holding. My heart is still hammering in my chest, and I press a hand to my lips, half-expecting to feel the burn of his kiss there.

It was nothing. A fluke. An accident. But the way my skin tingles and my thoughts keep circling back to the way he looked at me say otherwise. I sink onto the bed, staring at the ceiling as I try to quiet the thoughts spinning in my head. Jack isn’t the kind of guy I should be thinking about like this, especially not when I’m living in his house, working for him, taking care of his daughter. He has a reputation even those closest to him acknowledge, and the last thing I need is to get mixed up with a guy who couldn’t be more off-limits.

But dammit, that moment… it felt real, like a spark that could set everything ablaze if we weren’t careful. I can’t afford to go there, not with Jack, not with anyone. I’ve got my own messto figure out, my own reasons for staying in Green Lake, and getting tangled up with Jack Thomas is not part of the plan.

Still, the way his eyes lingered on mine, the way his grip softened just before he let go—it’s enough to make my pulse quicken all over again. I roll over, burying my face in the pillow as if I can smother the thoughts that won’t stop running through my head. It’s ridiculous, really, how much one almost-kiss can mess with my mind.

I close my eyes, willing myself to sleep, but every time I drift off, I’m back in that moment, pinned between Jack and the wall, his breath warm against my cheek. I tell myself it’s just the shock of it, the adrenaline, that’s making it hard to shake off. But deep down, I know it’s more than that.

I want him. And that’s a problem I’m not ready to deal with.

Eventually, I manage to fall into a restless sleep, and when I do, that’s when I see him there, in the shower again, with water streaming over his muscled chest and the planes of his stomach. This time, I don’t run away. This time, I step forward, closer and closer, until it’s just the glass of the shower door between us. He’s watching me, his eyes dark with desire, and the water has plastered his hair against his forehead.

He’s saying something, but I can’t make out the words. All I know is that I want him, and when I look down, I’m naked, too, and aching for him. I reach for the shower door, ready to step inside, and just as my hand closes around the handle, his lips are on mine, his hands sliding down my back to cup my ass, pulling me against him. I gasp at the feel of him, hot and hard, pressing against me, and his fingers dig into my skin. He’s everywhere, all around me, and all I want is more.

I wake with a start, my heart racing and my body aching with unfulfilled need. It takes me a moment to orient myself, to remember where I am and why. Then, all at once, it hits me. Jack. The moment. The tension that’s been building between us.

I groan and bury my face in the pillow again. How am I supposed to face him now, knowing that just the thought of him is enough to drive me wild? He’s everything I shouldn’t want, and yet my body doesn’t seem to care. I’m drawn to him in a way that’s impossible to ignore, and I’m not sure how much longer I can keep pretending otherwise.

Chapter 10 - Jack

The clang of metal against metal echoes through the shop, but I’m barely paying attention. My hands are on autopilot, moving through the motions of the job, but my mind is somewhere else entirely. Specifically, it’s stuck on last night, on the way Sonya looked at me when I pinned her to the wall, all breathless and wide-eyed. It’s a stupid thing to fixate on, especially when I’ve got a stack of orders that need filling and Reiner breathing down my neck about staying on schedule. But hell, I can’t help it.

I heft a piece of metal onto the workbench, and the weight is familiar and grounding. Normally, this kind of work clears my head. There’s something about the steady rhythm of it that calms me down, gets me out of my own thoughts. Not today, though. Today, I can’t seem to get Sonya out of my head, and it’s driving me up the wall.

I grab the welder, the bright flare of the torch sparking to life, and try to focus on the task in front of me. It’s no use. Every time I blink, I see Sonya’s face, feel the press of her body against mine, the heat that flared between us like a live wire. I shake my head, trying to snap myself out of it, but it’s like I’m stuck in a loop.

I wanted to kiss her. Hell, I wanted to do more than kiss her. The thought of it makes my pulse quicken, and I press harder on the torch. The flame hisses angrily as I struggle to keep my mind on the work. I’ve never had this problem before. Normally, I’m pretty good at compartmentalizing—keeping the personal out of the professional. But with Sonya, it’s like all my usual boundaries have gone up in smoke.

“Jack! You deaf or something?” Reiner’s voice cuts through the noise, and I glance up to see him standing by the door with his arms crossed and an amused look on his face. “Been calling your name for like five minutes.”

I flick off the torch, which hisses again as the flame dies out, and I rub the back of my neck. “Sorry, man. Got a lot on my mind.”

Reiner steps closer, giving me a knowing look that makes me want to punch something. “Yeah, I bet you do. This about Sonya?”

I scowl, but there’s no real heat behind it. Reiner’s known me long enough to see through my bullshit, and it’s not like I’ve been subtle about how distracted I am. “It’s nothing,” I mutter, setting the torch down and wiping my hands on my jeans. “Just got caught up thinking, that’s all.”

Reiner smirks, but he doesn’t press, which I’m grateful for. He’s the last person I want prying into whatever mess is brewing between Sonya and me. Instead, he glances around the shop, his gaze landing on the shelves stocked with parts and tools. “You got that order ready for Jane? She’s in the car, doesn’t want to come in ’cause she says she never sees Sonya anymore thanks to you hogging her all the time.”

I roll my eyes but head toward the back of the shop to grab the stack of mirror frames that she’s planning to use for some project. “She’s not wrong,” I admit as I stack a few on the counter. “Sonya’s been busy with Fiona, and I guess I haven’t exactly made it easy for her to get out much.”

Reiner nods, leaning against the counter as he watches me. “You know Jane’s just giving you a hard time. She misses having Sonya around, but she’s glad Sonya’s got something to keep her steady.”

“Yeah, I get it. Sonya’s been a huge help, and it’s not like I’m trying to keep her locked up or anything. She’s free to do whatever she wants.”

Reiner raises an eyebrow, and I can feel his skepticism from across the room. “Sure, but it’s not just about Sonya having a job, is it? You guys are living together, raising a kid together, and now it’s not just work keeping her busy.”

I pause, one hand still on the box I’m loading the frames into, and glance over at him. “What are you getting at?”

Reiner shrugs, but his expression is serious. “Just saying, maybe you ought to think about what’s best for Sonya, too. She’s got her own life outside of helping you with Fiona. Don’t forget that.”

It stings, but Reiner’s right. Sonya’s been all-in with Fiona, with helping me keep everything together, but she’s got her own dreams, her own plans. I’ve been so caught up in my own shit that I haven’t really stopped to consider what all this means for her.

“Yeah,” I finally relent, my voice rougher than I intended. “You’re right. I’ll figure it out.”

Reiner nods, seemingly satisfied, and straightens up. “Good. Anyway, let’s get this stuff out to Jane before she decides to come in here and tear you a new one herself.”

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