Page 25 of Bully Wolf's Nanny
He wasn’t sure how much longer he could bear it. His wolf howled within him at every flutter of her long lashes, every flash of her dimples as she smiled at the antics of one of the girls, every small breath she sucked in when their eyes met.
But she had run from him. That night, in the kitchen, as he held her trembling form, he knew they were on the edge of something. All she had to do was reach forward and take it. But she hadn’t. She had turned away from him.
And he would not cross the boundary she had laid out in doing so. No matter how much he wanted to.
“She’s…she’s fine. Excellent. The agency is…very well reviewed.”
Leonard nodded. “Will you be going back to Silvermist tonight or will you stay for Friday night drinks? I believe it’s Martin’s turn to pick a restaurant.”
“Give them my apologies,” Nicolas said, rising to his feet, “but I think I’ll go back tonight. Would you ask Lara to call my car round?”
Leonard nodded again, and after bidding him goodnight, left to join whatever frivolity the rest of the C-suite had planned. Nicolas knew he should join them. Daisy wasn’t expecting him back until Saturday morning. But he suddenly felt he couldn’t bear to be in New York City for one moment longer.
***
If Daisy was surprised to see him back early, she didn’t mention it. Instead, she just smiled politely and laid out another place at the table for him. Gracie had already gone to bed and Nicolas had poked his head into her room to hear her snuffling softly in her cot, but Thea was allowed to stay up slightly later, given it was a Friday.
“So how was school?” Nicolas asked her as he dug into the roast chicken and vegetables Daisy had pulled out of the oven.
“It was fine,” Thea said, wrinkling her nose slightly, “though I wish the teacher would go a bit faster. I just have to sit around and wait after I’ve finished doing the exercises.”
“I’m sure Mr. Roberts is just giving the other children time to finish as well,” said Daisy, taking a sip of wine. “You could always read your book?’
“I finished my book.”
“Well then we can pick out another one tomorrow, how about that?”
“Or the other kids could just be faster,” Thea muttered into her peas.
Nicolas couldn’t help the laughter that bubbled out of him at her petulance, even as Daisy shot him a withering look.
“What? I understand her frustration. It isn’t easy being the smartest in class.”
“Yes, I’m sure it was utter misery for you,” Daisy muttered, glaring at her plate.
“From what I remember, you were also a bit of a bookworm.”
She glanced up, her eyebrows knitting together slightly. She looked completely lovely, but of course she did. She was wearing a lilac dress that hugged her curves and flared out at the waist, and a matching ribbon in her hair. At the office, Nicolas was surrounded by women who wore sharp suits and dangerous stilettos, hair meticulously slicked back into buns, all harsh lines and angles. And Nicolas appreciated it, because it was the same uniform he himself wore, albeit the female version. Sleek and dangerous and deadly.
Daisy was none of those things. She was warmth and softness and curves and sweetness.
“Mommy’s really clever,” Thea boasted, “she helps me with all my sums. Even multiplication.”
Daisy rolled her eyes, but smiled at her daughter. “Soon you won’t need my help at all.”
“Have you thought about a private tutor?” Nicolas asked suddenly, observing the intelligent little girl currently poking her carrots around the plate.
Daisy looked at him in surprise. “Of course! I mean, some of her teachers recommended it to me, but…well…they’re so expensive.”
“I’ll ask around and get her a tutor for after school.”
“Nicolas, that’s—"
“If you say ‘too much,’ I shall be very annoyed with you.”
She at least had the good grace to blush, dipping her head slightly. “It really is too much.”
Nicolas put down his fork, his fingers steepling as he leveled Thea with his most serious look. She puffed her chest out and matched his gaze, little arms crossing in defiance.
