Page 24 of Nanny Crush
“That went on for about a year. Then after one drunken night out, we came home and had our own little bit of fun that resulted in Maddy. One child was more than she wanted, so when she found out she was pregnant again, things really changed for us. We fought a lot, she blamed me for knocking her up again. She just kept saying how she didn’t want this, she didn’t want the baby, and that caused a lot of fights, but then Maddy was born, and we all came home. I took some time off work to help with the kids. She had to have a C-section and needed to rest and take it easy to heal. I noticed that she didn’t even want to hold Maddy. I fed her, I changed her, I was the one who got up if she cried. When I said something to her about it, she blew up and we had another fight. Eventually, we drifted apart and the next thing I knew, she was gone. The same day she packed up and moved out, I got served divorce papers.”
“I’m sorry. That had to be tough.”
He nods. “It was, but truth be told, I’m glad that she left before Maddy was old enough to remember her rejection. She wanted nothing to do with Maddy and once she was born, she wanted nothing to do with Xander either. She never should have become a mother.” He takes another drink. “I mean, you’re younger than she was when she had Xander, and you’re better with them than she ever was. You genuinely care for others. She wasn’t anything like that.”
I smile at him. “Thank you.”
He nods and offers a small smile, but I see his eyes move from mine, down to my lips. They suddenly feel dry like the heat from his gaze is sucking all the moisture from them. My tongue comes out and runs across the bottom, wetting it.
The air between us seems to grow thick and hot, like it’s charged with electricity. The hair on the back of my neck stands up, and I see his Adam’s apple bob in his throat as he clenches his jaw. Something is pulling us closer and neither one is stopping it. I know we shouldn’t, but right now, I can’t remember why.
“You’re so beautiful, Sasha,” he whispers when our lips are only inches from one another’s. Just as I’m about to push myself forward and close the distance between us, his phone rings. It cuts through the tension like a knife. We both jump and pull apart.
“Shit,” he breathes out, picking up his cell. “Sorry, I have to take this,” he says, climbing out and answering it as he walks into the house.
My heart is racing and pounding against my chest. The goosebumps I had are beginning to go away and my lungs are too busy working overtime. I didn’t realize I was holding my breath. It feels like someone just poured a bucket of ice-cold water over my head, instantly cooling my hot body. I pick up the bottle of wine and take a long drink, finishing it since there was only about a glass left after pouring one for Liam. I definitely need more.
I climb out of the hot tub and dry off the best I can, and take the bottle back into the house.
Chapter Twelve
LIAM
“Yes, I sent all that over this morning,” I tell Bill over the phone. “I sent it to your personal email. Check and if you don’t have it, I’ll send it again.”
“There it is. I was checking the work email. Thanks again, Liam.”
“No problem,” I reply, hanging up the phone and leaning back in the desk chair. My mind immediately goes back to that hot tub. Were we about to kiss? It sure felt that way. I don’t remember making the decision to kiss her, but I know when my phone started ringing, I was leaning in and so was she. Is it possible she doesn’t see me as some old man she doesn’t want anything to do with?
With a sigh, I stand up and head to my bedroom to get in the shower. I need to cool down after being in the hot tub and almost kissing her. My body feels like it’s on fire as I stand under the flow of water. The water is warm, not hot, and it’s just right to slowly lower my body temperature. As I wash off, I can’t stop thinking about her and that almost-kiss. I’m not sure if I’m glad it got cut off or not. I like her, and now after seeing her lean in to kiss me, I think she may like me, too. But she’s my kids’ nanny. I don’t want to ruin what they have going for them. They’re finally getting everything they need and are thriving. I don’t want to do anything that could cause them to lose that. Sasha has only been here a month and already she’s gotten further with them than I ever did. Xander has completely turned around in school. He’s no longer acting up and behaving badly. Maddy isn’t acting spoiled. She’s sharing, and no longer hitting kids in class. They’re learning and doing chores around the house.
I turn off the shower and pull on a pair of sweatpants before going down to the kitchen to find something to eat. I round the corner in the kitchen and Sasha is standing at the island in her black string bikini. She’s making a cheese and fruit tray as a fresh glass of wine sits nearby. When I see her, I freeze. She looks up and sees me, and she doesn’t make another move either.
“I was just going to fix something to eat.”
She nods me on. “Go ahead. I’ll be out of your way in just a sec.”
I walk over to the fridge and open it, looking for something to eat. She squeezes in to put the cheese away, and I take a step back to give her room. I grab the lunch meat and turn around to put it on the island, but she’s standing in my way. I reach beside her and set the package on the countertop. I turn away to grab the bread and when I turn back to make the sandwich, she’s holding her plate and trying to walk past me. I move right and so does she. I move left and so does she. We can’t get away from one another.
“Alright. This is insane. We should talk about this.”
“Talk about what?” she asks, setting her plate and wine on the counter.
“That almost kiss we had. We can’t seem to get away from one another, so I guess it needs to be addressed.”
“Okay. Let’s talk,” she agrees.
I take a deep breath. “Sasha, you’re beautiful, and I admit that from the moment you stepped into this house, I wanted you. I’ve tried keeping space between us, but lately it feels like something is pulling us together more and more. I’ve always been selfish. My whole life. I’ve always just done what I wanted when I wanted or went out and got what I wanted when I wanted it, but I can’t be selfish when it comes to you. My kids love you. They look at you like you’re their mom and since you’ve arrived, they’ve been so much better. They’re getting everything they need. They’re getting attention, and love, and structure. They’re both thriving because of you and I can’t ruin that for them.”
She cuts me off by stepping up to me and pressing her mouth to mine.
I’m frozen. I can’t move. I can’t think.
Why is this wrong again?
Something inside of me breaks free and the next thing I know, I’m pulling her against me as I deepen the kiss. My hand grabs her hair as I hold her mouth against mine. She wraps her arms around my neck, and I push her backward, pinning her up against the fridge.
My hand trails up her hip, side, and around to her back before moving back down and finding her ass. Grabbing ahold, I pick her up against me and feel her long legs wrap around my hips. I’m rock hard and can only think about one thing. Sliding inside her. Every place she touches me burns like hot coals on my skin. Her hands move over my collar to my chest, down my stomach and around my back where she scratches up and down with her long fingernails. The sensation is too much, and I growl into her mouth. She nips my bottom lip, and it only makes my blood boil hotter. I kiss her chin, across her jaw, and down her neck while my hands are busy untying her top. The material falls away and her hard nipples are poking against my chest. I kiss over the swell of her breast, capturing a nipple in my mouth. I suck on it and flick my tongue against it. Her fingers thread into my hair and tug at the roots as she lets out a soft moan. That sound is like a lightning bolt straight to my dick. It twitches with need.
