Page 68 of Suddenly Entwined

“You’re driving me crazy, Caro.”

All I can do is nod because my throat aches with emotion. I pushed him too far when he came over to learn to braid the girls hair. I climbed into his lap and dry humped him, for god’s sake.

“Did I do something wrong?”

I was sure that my enjoyment for our evenings together was reciprocal.

He sighs, running a hand down his face. “Wrong? No, you’re pretty much perfect, Caro.”

I scoff, voice thick with sarcasm. “Right. That’s me.”

“Don’t be self deprecating again.”

I notice the flicker of a front curtain, Ashlyn or Isaac probably wondering why the children have arrived by themselves.

“I don’t know how to act around you anymore. The more time that passes, I’m forgetting why I’m supposed to be ignoring these feelings. God knows I’ve tried to forget, rationalise, and see if it passes…but I can’t.”

My sinuses sting with the effort to hold back tears. Because he and I can’t resist each other, I’m going to have to walk away. I’m almost angry with myself for connecting so deeply with Natalie and Louisa. What did I think would happen? That I’d be their nanny forever?

So stupid, Caro.

“What are we going to tell the girls? I think it will be really hard on them if I stop coming around.”

He scowls. “You want to quit?”

“Absolutely not. But if this,” I gestured between us “is getting out of hand, then I understand you need to put your daughters first.”

“See. Even now when you’re talking about losing your job, your first consideration is the wellbeing of my children. My children have been my top priority since the day they were born, and they always will be, but I need to make sure that it’s not at the expense of balance and happiness in my personal life.”

“We just need to try harder,” I tell him. “We can forget it.”

I’m saying the words, but I don’t really believe them. You can’t turn physical chemistry off like water in a tap.

He slams his palms on the steering wheel. “I can’t! And I don’t want to!”

The strength behind his exclamation startles me and all I can do is stare at him for a long moment, listening as rain patters on the sun roof and my pulse hammers in my ears.

“I tried, Caro. I try to remind myself every morning and every night and every hour in between of all the reasons that I shouldn’t want to kiss you or have you climb in my lap again. Hell, I want to brush your fucking hair! But, I’m your boss. You’re my friend's little sister. You’re twenty fucking five years old.”

It sounds so salacious, but it’s not like he’s a married dad and I’m some home wrecker. Life is not so cut and dry. I’m in the same boat. I’ve tried to logic my way out of this attraction, but I can’t. Not when he listens with rapt attention as I tell him everydetail of our days. Not when I nearly melt into a puddle of goo when he cuddles his daughters with a genuine smile stretching across his handsome face. Certainly not when I have to fight from running to meet him at the front door when he walks in.

“You could have told me this at home, Berg.”

He rubs the muscles of his jaw, considering his words.

“I wanted to bring you along to something where you’re not on the clock. Where we can spend some time together around other people we care about.”

I mull that over.

“Berg. It feels like we skipped some steps. You’re supposed to date me before I meet your friends.”

This could be a disaster. I have to go in and have a meal with my brother right after his bestie confesses his feelings for me?

“I also thought it would be good if we…weren’t alone.”

I raise my eyebrows. “Elaborate.”

Berg reaches over, settling his heavy hand on my knee. My body reacts instantly, heat gathering between my legs like it did when I grinded all over his lap.

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