Page 17 of The Billionaire and the Nanny

We laugh and make small talk, chatting about what we’ve been up to. I tell him about the PR website and the small, freelance jobs I’ve been taking just to get things going while I save enough money for winter semester, but how being a full-time nanny is taking up most, if not all, mytime.

“But you get breaks, right? Days off?” Roberts sort of jogs in place abit.

“No, not with this family. I’m pretty much on all thetime.”

“Wow, that sucks. I’m sorry. Must be hard for you.” He says this like someone who knows what my family has always gone through, my mom’s struggles to keep up, to raise five kids. “But good for you. You’ve always been diligent.”

“Diligent,” I repeat, thinking hard on that word. Yeah, I guess diligent would be correct, but I also do it out of need. I would love to relax like other women my age, but it’s just not in the cards.

“Anyway, what about you? What have you been up to?” I ask Robert. Lilly Belle stares at him, as she would like to know as well. This kid is attuned and smart, I tellyou.

A deep registered voice booms out from nearby. “Yes, do tell us. We’re dying toknow.”

I turn and see Ethan coming up the walk, hands in coat pocket, looking super fucking handsome as always. He’s in a suit and coat, wearing a hat. A hat, like one of those old-style bowler hats men used to wear when there was a world war going on, like he owns both Boardwalk and Park Place.

“Mr. Townsend,” I say, catching my breath before looking away. I can’t look into his eyes, or he’ll know that I think he looks amazing. Robert will know it, too, and the whole thing will be over-the-top weird.

“Excuse me?” Robert turns to him, holding out his hand, wondering if he knows thisman.

Ethan doesn’t shake it. “Never mind. Miss Wallach, time to go inside now.” He swooshes me up the steps like I’m a child. I don’t appreciate it. But I’m not in the business of looking uncomfortable at work, so that Robert can blab about it, and then next thing I know my mother is calling me asking me if everything is alright.

So I smile and tell Robert, “It was great running into you. Hope to see you again soon…around here, or wherever.”

“NYU,” Robert gives me a secret look. It’s almost as if his deep brown eyes are saying, don’t listen to that guy. You can stay and talk to me all you want. “I’m at NYU, studying film, and everything is great. See you around, Penelope.”

“Not if I can help it,” Ethan mutters behind me, as I step into the brownstone and he closes the door. “Who wasthat?”

“A friend. Who did you think hewas?”

“I ask the questions here, Miss Wallach.” He plucks off his hat and hangs it on a hook by the wall, then he takes off his coat and hangs it on the coat rack. He smells delicious, like spice and fall highlighted with masculine undertones that bring me back to the other night. I can’t believe I slept with thisman.

And I want him again—damnit.

“I took Lilly Belle for a walk and just ran into him. You know, running into friends on the street. You do have friends, right?” Shit, it comes out sarcastically. I have to remember to keep quiet and just do what he says. It’s a job, and it’s for money, and if only I can get past his holier-than-thou attitude, I’ll befine.

“Miss Wallach, you can’t bring strange men around thebaby.”

“Strange men?” I gawk at him. Now, this is getting ridiculous. “How is a friend on the street a strange man? I’ve known that kid since he was in Kindergarten, and he was just being friendly, saying hello.”

“Well, I don’t know him. And I can’t have you and the baby around men I don’tknow.”

“Are you serious?” I gasp. Stay calm, Penelope. Jesus. But then, I realize why he’s doing this. Maybe I’m crazy or delusional or both, but could it be that Ethan is jealous just now? Jealous of me talking to anotherman?

Noway.

“I’m completely serious,” Ethan replies. “How do I know you’re not giving him too much information? What if he’s a common criminal looking to break into my home, putting the baby at risk. You wouldn’t want to put the baby at risk, would you, Miss Wallach?”

I almost choke on my laughter. “I’m sorry…I just…you’re talking about little Robert Ellis here. He used to dance outside my house in his Spider-Man underwear and pillowcase cape to get my attention.”

“A class act,” Ethan blurts and then heads for the kitchen.

I extract Lilly Belle from the stroller then fold it up, putting it away inside the foyer closet. I can’t imagine any other reason for this parole officer mentality, which reminds me… I follow him into the kitchen. “By the way, are you stalking me online?”

He stiffens a moment before reaching for a decanter and pouring himself a drink of amber liquid. Reaching for ice from the fridge, he simply says, “It’s an employer’s right to see what activities his employees are engaged in. I also do not wish you to be focused on your social media accounts while living here, and I wanted to make sure everything was to my liking on that front.”

“Mr. Townsend, I do nothing but take care of Lilly Belle. When she’s sleeping, I work on other things, such as my schoolwork and things related to it, but that’s my future, and I have the right towork.”

“I see no problem with that. It’s the male company you keep that concerns me. As you know, Lilly Belle is my niece and my sister entrusted me with her life. I would be remiss to break that trust by endangeringher.”

“Endangering her? He was just a friend, and you’re being silly.” Yes, I said it. And now I’m walking away from him. Because he’s being stupidly overprotective, though I’m almost sure it’s because he got jealous seeing me talking to anotherguy.

I’m glad he’s rarely home, because I can’t imagine having him watch over me like a hawk, meddling in my life, twenty-four hours a day. I also can’t imagine wondering where he is, if he’s going to come back to my room for more sex like he did the other night. I’m not even sure that my yearning body could resist him. I hate that I want him and hate him at the sametime.

No, it’s better that he’s never here. Thank God for Townsend Enterprises and the long silences in this big mansion.

“Well then, since I’m so silly, and because I have some time open in my schedule,” he says, taking his drink to the kitchen doorway leading to his living room where he’s going to sit in one of his sterile, gray armchairs. “I’ll be working from home starting tomorrow. Take more of an interest in home matters. Go ahead, be thrilled.” He lets loose a smirk, and my insides turn to jelly. “Goodnight, Miss Wallach.”

You’ve gotta be shitting me. He’s going to start staying home every day? Shit.

Shit, shit, shit. Now I’m really in trouble.

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