Page 14 of Bully Wolf's Nanny
Cecily waggled her eyebrows. “We get started early.”
Nicolas rolled his eyes as Cecily pranced back towards the door. She was an excellent assistant and knew the ins and outs of the pack business nearly as well as he did. But even he knew he was pushing his luck asking her to babysit all the time. Despite her frostiness, she was no doubt very glad that Nicolas had finally got a capable pair of hands to help him with his daughter.
“So this is Gracie?” Daisy asked, her tone cautious, her eyes nevertheless filled with curiosity.
“Yes,” said Nicolas, his chest suddenly tight, “would you like to meet her?”
Daisy sucked in a breath before nodding, reaching out her arms for Nicolas to carefully hand Gracie over.
“Hi there, little one,” Daisy said, her voice reverent as she cradled Gracie to her chest, “aren’t you the most gorgeous little girl?”
Gracie babbled happily, her little hands exploring Daisy’s face, the collar of her dress. And then, predictably, Gracie shoved her fists into Daisy’s floating blonde tresses with coos of wonder.
Apparently, she liked Daisy’s hair as much as her father did.
Watching Daisy murmur quietly to his daughter, her green eyes bright, her face so soft and loving, Nicolas had an overwhelming urge to step in closer. To put his arm around Daisy. To pull them both close to his chest.
Instead, he refilled his glass.
Two o’clock in the afternoon be damned.
He only half listened as Daisy peppered him with questions about Gracie’s sleep schedule, her favorite foods, what activities she seemed to like doing. All the while, she interspersed it with stories and comments about her own daughter, and Nicolas found himself increasingly curious to meet the little girl.
So when there was another alert from his security and a dark-haired human, Amelia, strolled in with a backpack slung over her shoulder and a small shifter girl clasping her hand, Nicolas found himself studying the small child closely.
She was small. That was the first thing he noticed. It was no surprise, really; Daisy was incredibly short. But Thea did not yet have any of the softness of her mother’s curvier frame—instead, she was all awkward angles and skinny limbs. Her hair, although darker, fell in the same fluffy curls around her face, framing her bright blue eyes and button nose.
At her mother’s gentle coaxing, Thea wiped nervous hands on her school shirt before sticking one out to him, determination fixed on her little face.
“HellomynameisThea—it’sverynicetomeetyou,” she said in a garbled rush, shaking his hand up and down smartly.
Beside them, Daisy sucked in a breath.
Nicolas crouched down, unable to stop the smile tugging the corners of his lips. “Hello Thea, it’s very nice to meet you too. My name is Nicolas.”
Thea’s wide eyes were fixed on his face, curiosity creeping through the cracks of her nervousness.
“Is this really your house?” she asked, looking around the airy marble kitchen.
“It is,” said Nicolas, “and now it’s your house, too. Would you like that?”
Thea’s nose wrinkled. “It’s not very colorful.”
“Thea!”
“I’m sorry,” Thea said, her face flushing red at her mother’s admonishment, “I mean, it’s very nice.”
“It’s okay,” said Nicolas, standing back up to his full height, “you can make your bedroom as colorful as you would like. Do you want to see it?”
Thea’s chorus of excitement echoed through the entire house.
Chapter 5 - Daisy
Daisy had barely had a chance to start unpacking Thea’s things before Nicolas had leaned against the doorway, frowning slightly at the meager contents of their suitcases, and raised one dark brow.
“That’s it?”
Daisy clutched some clothes to her chest, pride bristling. “Yes. We’re not exactly billionaires like you.”
