Page 26 of A Convenient Secret
“I guess I don’t need to cancel my date,” Xander’s voice reaches me.
“What’s going on?” Corm catches up with me as I enter my office.
“You need to be more specific.”
“You hated these things even before you had kids.” Corm sums up the truth. “Where are they tonight?”
“With the nanny.”
“I didn’t know she works evenings.” Corm leans in my doorway.
“I thought you had a plane to catch to get to the board meeting.” I sit behind my desk.
Corm steps in and closes the door behind him. “Why do you want to miss an evening with your kids? Like you’ve been doing all this week.”
Fuck. “How do you know that?”
“Roxy.” He shrugs.
Of course, nothing escapes her. “I’m not avoiding my kids,” I growl.
“Interesting choice of words.Whoare you avoiding?” He puts his hands in his pockets, a gleeful smirk on his face.
“Lily.” I sigh.
Corm laughs. “Do you have a crush on your nanny?”
“Fuck off. What am I, fifteen?” Yes, if we consider my latest behavior. “She’s just everywhere, invading my space.”
“She is there for your kids.”
“I know,” I snap.
“Youareattracted to her.”
He sits down like he is expecting popcorn and a show. I hate how perceptive my brother is. When I don’t answer, he laughs.
“Get out of my office.” I open a folder and pretend to review whatever is in it.
“Look, if it was anyone else, I would tell you to fuck the nanny, have fun. God knows you’ve been living like a monk. A good shag is what you need.”
“When you have kids, you’ll definitely see sex with your nanny in a new light.” I glower. “I have work to do.”
If I hoped that would make him leave, I was wrong.
“Okay, sleeping with your nanny is complicated, but it’s not like they stay around long enough,” he dares to tease me. “What I wanted to say… This is not just your nanny. Lily is my wife’s friend. Don’t go there.”
“I wasn’t planning to.”
It’s true, but it tastes like a lie. I don’t lie to my brother. But apparently, nothing is right today.
He stands up. “You know, Declan, you can have a woman in your life. You’re single. Kendra has been gone for a long time. Maybe it’s time to get back out there.”
“You’ve been married for a minute, most of it faking, so I’ll make sure to consider your advice.”
“Dickhead.” He shakes his head.
“Asshole,” I counter, because apparently, we’re both fifteen.
