Page 52 of The Nanny is Off Limits

“Kissing on the couch. That’s it.” I swallow. “Well, she was in my lap.”

He whistles and slaps my back. “Well, fuck, man, I’m proud of you. It has been a long time. Like a year?”

“Yeah.” I clear my throat, suddenly very aware that it’s been a long time since I’ve slept with a woman. I’ve never had any complaints in that department, but the thought that I won’t last longer than thirty seconds with Ellie sends a wave of unease through me. “I like her.”

“You like her? Or the thought of being inside of your nanny?” He nudges me as a smirk pulls at his lips.

“Her.” I scratch my jaw. “Trust me, I wish she was anyone elsebutmy nanny. She’s so easy to talk to. I’ve told her things. Things I’ve only said out loud to my therapist. Things only you know. Stuff about our childhood and Bianca and the kids…last night wasn’t exactly the first time anything happened between us.” I sigh, and give him the rundown from last weekend and how we both admitted we liked each other before Elianna stopped us from going further.

“IknewI noticed something the other night before we went out. That was one of the reasons I came in when we got home and brought up the girl at the bar. If there’s one thing I know, it’s jealousy can make two people figure out their feelings for each other really fuckin’ quick.”

“You’re joking.”

“Well, it clearly worked.” He crosses his arms over his chest and gives me a look.I guess he’s not wrong.I recall her asking me if I was attracted to her and I’m fairly certain I noticed a jealous glint in her eye.

“She’s worried about how this will affect everything and…I get that. Part of me is worried I’m making a mistake but a bigger part is more worried that it’s not going to stop me.” I swallow hard. “No one has turned my head in almost a year and now the one woman that should be off limits has all my fucking attention.”

“Well, I don’t think it’s necessarily a mistake. You’re both adults and you both understand the risks. If you’re attracted to each other, what’s the problem?”

“The problem is my six-year-old is very attached to her. So is my ten year old for that matter though he pretends he’s not. If things end badly between us—”

“Okay,” he interrupts, “let’s come back from the edge, how about you cross that bridge when and if you get there? Have you even talked about what all of this means? What if she just wants sex? You guys could be like…boss and employee with benefits.”

“Yeah, because that always works out so well.” I roll my eyes. “And I don’t think that’s what she wants. I don’t think that’s what I want either…”

“All I’m saying is if you guys communicate what you want honestly like adults, then there really shouldn’t be a scenario in which this endsbadly.”

I stare at my brother incredulously. “Well, this is rich coming from a guy whose way of communicating with women is by changing his number.”

“I only did thattwiceand both times were because ghosting wasn’t working. And I communicate. It is not my fault that I say one thing and women hear something completely different.” He clears his throat. “For instance, I tell a woman that I don’t want a relationship andthis is just sexand the next morning, she asks if I want to come to brunch to meet her parents. Mind you, I was three hours from here for an away game.” He throws his hands up in exasperation before letting them fall. “What do you want from me?”

“Well, maybe stop sleeping with women with the emotional maturity of a napkin.”

Read: women in their early twenties.

“Their tits sit higher and their inhibitions are lower, sue me. But let’s get back to you, I assume you are planning to keep all of this from the kids.”

“Yes, definitely,” I say remembering the night Margot came home and seemed to be suspicious of why we were out on the patio alone. “Margot might suspect something but it might be all in my head.”

“Well, given that she’s older, you do have to be more careful when she’s home, but unless she’s caught you doing something, just assume she doesn’t know anything,” he says. “Are you going to have any alone time tonight? You want me to take SJ and Isla for the night?” As much of a pain as my brother can be, I’m reminded that he’d do anything for me and my family so I’m not surprised he asks. He’s gone above and beyond to help me the past year however he could.

“No, Isla is having Sabrina over.”

He nods. “Cute kid. Too bad she’s the spawn of Satan.”

“Daphne isn’t Satan.” I roll my eyes even though I know my brother isn’t loyal to anyone above me so I’m not surprised that this is his take.

“I’m not talking about Daphne; I’m talking about her husband.”

“Oh.” Well, that’s surprising. My brother is the extroverted one who gets along with everyone. “I’m not a huge fan of him either, but what’s your problem with him?”

“He’s just a toolandI was at a bar across town a few weeks ago and he was lookingreallychummy with some woman that wasnotDaphne.”

My eyes widen in shock. “What? Are you sure? You know what? I don’t want to know anything because I don’t want to get involved.” I shake my head, thoroughly annoyed by this knowledge already. “God, you’re such a gossip.”

“I’m a high school teacher and football coach, of course I am. What else you want to know?” He chuckles. “Oh, Jake cheated on Mikayla with Adrianna last weekend at Steve’s party.”

My eyes dart to all the parents on the sidelines trying to see if any of those names ring a bell. “Who the hell are they?”

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