Page 56 of The Nanny Goal

I open my mouth to correct her, because I don’t think Alexei is either of those things. If anything, he’s the opposite. Too intense, too hot, too relentlessly personal.

But I haven’t actually seen him interact with anyone on this new team.

“Our families were pretty intertwined in Calgary,” I say, which is true. I wasn’t a part of that, save for an hour and a half where Alexei and I were literally intertwined, and I was naked. “My parents think of Inessa as an honorary grandchild, and she needs someone to make her pancakes right now. I’d probably do that for free, but I’m no dummy. I’ll get her dad to pay me well.”

Inessa catches sight of me and waves excitedly, teetering on the edge. Becca’s hand immediately floats right in front of her, but I still panic a little.

I leave Kiley to watch the dogs and cross to her at a jog.

“Hey baby girl,” I barely manage to get out before she flings herself off the platform and into my arms, laughing.

“Oof,” I say. “You’re a fearless monkey, aren’t you?”

“Again!”

“Charlie taught her that word,” Becca says apologetically.

Inessa wiggles out of my arms and climbs up the little ramp. I dump the skate bag so both of my arms are free, and she flies through the air.

She’s chaos wrapped in pink and glitter, but I’m learning her rhythm. When she’s about to jump, when she’s testing a boundary, when she just needs to feel someone catch her and hold her tight.

It doesn’t take long to start to pick up on those little imperceptible tells in a person.

Maybe that’s why I feel Alexei before I hear him.

That pressure shift in the air. The feeling in my chest, like a gravity-free plunge.

“What are you teaching my daughter?”

I jolt, but I still catch her before I whirl around.

Inessa clings to my neck.

Alexei plants his hands on his hips. Unlike me, he’s managed to shower, and he looks sleek and sexy in a military green Highlanders hoodie, black jeans, and expensive looking black boots.

I’m pretty sure my hair is curling in chaotic and weird directions, fuzzy from having been in a helmet, and my face is red from both exertion on the ice and the misplaced shame at being caught encouraging his toddler to do something dangerous.

Except it wasn’t dangerous.

“I’ve got her,” I manage to get out.

His mouth tightens. “Can I talk to you privately?”

Becca looks like she’s going to try to intervene, but I give her anit’s okaylook. Because it is.

“No more jumping,” I tell Inessa as I put her down.

She starts twirling in wobbly circles on the floor, making Charlie laugh.

I follow Alexei out the door.

“It wasn’t dangerous,” I point out as soon as we’re alone. I leave off the part where I did think it was scary the first time.

His brows pull together. “Of course it was. She’s a terror. Everything she does is dangerous.”

“I was watching her closely, though!”

He just stares at me like that’s not the point.

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