Page 4 of Cocky M.D.
“What? Why?” Bradley’s voice was high pitched, and his words came out fast.
I shrugged and pretended I was fine when I said, “Not enough students next year. So I’ve been put on the surplus list.”
Dr. Dawes stared at me, and I could have sworn he could see right through my clothes as he asked, “Olivia, have you ever thought about being a personal nanny and tutor?”
The ice cream dripped onto the table, but I didn’t move as I said, “Wait. What?”
He bit into the chocolate covering his ice cream. It never tasted like real chocolate to me. Once he finished his bite, he said, “Bradley needs someone to stay with him when I’m working, and I’ve never liked daycare facilities.”
Yet many people chose that option, and it was always on the table. I took a napkin to clean up my mess. A moment later, I grabbed another to hold my ice cream with and bite. The day was warm, and the ice cream helped cool my fevered fantasies. As I finished my bite, I asked, “What about his mother?”
Bradley interrupted. “My mom died when I was born.”
“I’m sorry,” I said quickly, and my gut twisted. I read all of my students’ profiles, and a quick memory of reading that fact flashed in my mind. I ignored how my heart twisted and said, “I think I knew that, but it’s been a trying day, and I’m not thinking straight.”
“It’s okay.” Dr. Dawes finished his ice cream then cleaned up the wrappers. Then he said, “Look, you need a job and I need a nanny and tutor. One that can make learning fun, and Bradley likes you.”
Work for him? Seriously? Does this include the bed? And why does that question make me cross my legs and wish?Yet there was no way I would put myself in a situation again in which I had to be near him and restrain myself or ignore my feelings. I finished my own ice cream and said, “I don’t even know what to call you, Dr. Dawes.”
He reached out and squeezed my hand like we were friends and said, “Johnny, please. The job pays one hundred thousand, and all expenses are paid for group travel.”
Whoa.That was more than double what I made as a teacher. I tugged my ear and asked, “What travel?”
Johnny said, “I get two weeks off soon, and I wanted to take Bradley somewhere. If you take the job, you get a say in where we go. Also, your living expenses go down, as it’s a live-in position.”
Live in his house too.No. I wasn’t about to go crazy and make a decision based on lust. I jumped out of my seat and went to throw away the trash. When I returned to the table a moment later, I knew I would absolutely not accept the job. However, I only said, “I don’t know. It’s time I go home. Bye, Bradley.”
Johnny took out his wallet and handed me a card and said, “Here is my business card, Miss Steel, and that’s my cell phone. Please let me know soon.”
Just never call him.I hugged Bradley and said, “Goodbye. Thank you for helping me today.”
Then I flipped around and headed out quickly.
There was no way I would ever take the job, but Johnny would have a starring role in my dreams. I would probably write about him many times in my morning diary, but that was all he would ever be.
Chapter Two
Johnny
Olivia Steel hadgood-girl vibes that triggered me. I’d not looked into a woman’s gaze like hers in years. At every parent–teacher conference, I’d lingered near her, and I wasn’t a wait-around-to-see man.
She’d even kissed like a woman who was love starved and wanting me. Olivia had probably dated nice, boring guys who didn’t want to rip her clothes off and throw her against the wall—or into a utility closet like I’d done.
Even her name, Olivia, made me hard. I didn’t know what came over me. I needed to maintain the appearance of being a stand-up and well-mannered doctor while on duty. I’d let the façade slip. Those frayed cotton panties had driven me to cross the line—my own line.Fuck.She was hot. Of course, I kept all of that to myself. With my son and every patient, except her, it was easy to pretend I was an upstanding, well-mannered doctor.
I slipped into my office to check on Bradley.
He made it easy to be a dad, as he was a good kid who seemed to be interested in whatever I liked. With no mother around, I was the only one to model behavior, and I needed to remind myself. A memory flashed in my mind. When Ruby had died on what was supposed to be her happiest day giving birth, I’d worried about raising a son on my own.
Olivia wasn’t the one for me. She was too vibrant and hard to keep my hands off of. Memories of Ruby usually quashed my libido, but my lips still tasted like Olivia.Fuck.
Bradley packed his backpack so I couldn’t see what he’d written, but then he asked, “What can we do to get Miss Steel to be my nanny?”
With her, I’d gone against my norm and asked a beautiful woman into our home. Bradley actually liked her, so that helped, but I shrugged as I said, “I offered.”
“She gave you hernoface.” He put his head down, and his hands went into his pockets as he asked, “If I make her a card, can we take it to her house?”
Damn.My boy was a smooth-talking manipulator who clearly wanted Olivia around him. I went down to my knees and asked, “You really want Miss Steel?”
