Page 27 of Protecting My Nanny

"Everything okay?" Nicole asks, her voice laced with genuine concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I reply, realizing that I really am—and it's all because of her.

"Jaime's been asking about you," she says, drying her hands with a towel. "He wanted to wait until you got home so we could all read a story together."

I can't think of anything else I'd rather do.

We get Jaime into bed just as the rain begins to pour harder, the thunder cracking loudly with each stroke, echoing through the house. The sound of the storm outside only makes the warmth inside feel more comforting.

I read the first half of the story, right up until the boy in the tale finally discovers the secret map to the magic island. Then Nicole takes over, her voice carrying the story forward. She gets about halfway through her part when Jaime begins to doze off, his eyelids fluttering as sleep overtakes him. She's two pages from the end when his eyes finally shut tight, and his breathing becomes deep and steady. Nicole looks at him adoringly as she stops reading and closes the book. She gently pulls the blanket up over him, but she jumps slightly as a strike of lightning sounds in the distance. Jaime stirs, his eyes fluttering open for a brief moment, and he murmurs a soft word before drifting back into a deep sleep.

"What did he say?" I whisper, curious.

Nicole turns to me, her expression tender. "Paulie," she says. "It's his bulldog plushie. We couldn't find it earlier. But I'd better find it now; he might get a little shaken if he wakes up in this storm without it."

"Want some help?" I offer.

She smiles that warm, heart-melting smile of hers and nods. "How about we search over a cup of coffee?" Nicole suggests.

"Sounds good."

We head to the living room, where we begin our search for Paulie. I check under the tables, behind the couch cushions, and even inside the toy chest. We comb through the room with growing determination, until Nicole lets out a triumphant "Ah-ha!" I see her fishing something from beneath the foot recliner on the sofa.

"It's stuck in the gears," she says, frowning slightly.

I move closer to help, and together, we work to free Paulie from the clutches of the recliner, being careful not to damage him. As we work, I realize how close we are—closer than we've ever been. I catch the scent of her vanilla bean shampoo and the faint hint of lavender oil on her skin. A sudden pang of self-consciousness hits me, wondering how I must smell—wet and in desperate need of a shower. But I push the thought aside as we focus on the task at hand.

With a final tug, Paulie comes free, and I hold him up between us, victorious. Nicole strokes the plushie's head, her fingers brushing against mine.

"We make an awesome team," she says playfully, her eyes sparkling.

"Agreed," I reply, my voice a little softer than I intended.

The tension between us is undeniable now, thick in the air. My heart pounds in my chest as we both realize how close we are, our eyes locked in an unbroken gaze. It feels like there's a magnetic pull between us, drawing us closer, inch by inch. Ourfaces are just a breath apart, and without thinking, I close my eyes and press my lips to hers.

I expect it to be brief, but the kiss lingers, warm and soft, as if neither of us wants it to end. When we finally pull back, Nicole's green eyes meet mine, filled with something I can't quite name but makes my heart swell. She exhales deeply, our hands still entwined, her touch sending a shiver down my spine.

"We should get this to Jaime," Nicole says, her voice barely above a whisper as she places her hands on my shoulders and gently pushes herself up. She holds onto her smile, giving me a hand and helping me to my feet. We stand there for a moment, lost in each other's eyes, before turning to head back to Jaime's room.

After placing Paulie in Jaime's arms and watching him snuggle up to the plushie, we both whisper goodnight. There's no second kiss, no words exchanged about what just happened. Instead, we silently savor the feeling as we part ways, each retreating to our rooms, both knowing that something between us has changed.

Chapter 12

Nicole

It's been two days since the kiss. Shane has been busy at work, and we've only seen each other briefly in passing. I'm up early, sipping coffee while Jaime watches his cartoons on the couch. The moments I'm not tending to him, my mind drifts. I daydream about the three of us together, even picturing Giovanni joining us—our potential future and the possibilities it holds. But the sweet thoughts only last a moment. Each time, my past creeps back into mind; memories of Raffaele, the Serpenti, and my parents. If I'm really going to move forward, I need to free myself from the sins of my past and those of my parents.

Shane walks into the living room, his black suit sharp and pressed, his blue and white tie perfectly knotted. I imagine wrapping the tie around my hand and reeling him in for a kiss.We haven't spoken much since that night—he's tried, but I've been slightly avoidant. I feel stuck in my head, afraid to ruin the vibe by saying the wrong thing.

"Good morning, guys," Shane says, gracing the room with a warm smile, one he flashes at Jaime and then at me. Our eyes meet and hold for a moment before I quickly look back down at my phone, my heart jumping just a tiny bit.

"Good morning, Uncle Shane," Jaime replies, not taking his eyes off the TV as he shovels another spoonful of cereal into his mouth.

"Nicole, could I talk to you for a minute?" Shane asks.

A wave of nerves hits me. "Sure," I say, standing up to follow him through the swing door into the kitchen.

He stops near the counter and turns to face me. I come up close, just within arm's length—close enough to smell his cologne, to see the spark in his eyes.

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