Page 9 of The Housekeeper's Billionaire Boss
“I know what you mean, but what made you read the love language book? Are…are you dating someone?” Did she want to know the answer to that? She steadied herself for the response in case it was something she didn’t want to hear.
“Um, no. I’m not dating anyone.” He paused a beat before continuing. “I read it because I wanted to understand my clients and myself better. Actually, I read a lot. I have a couple of friends, Luke and Case, but that’s about it. We get together when we can, but they’re both busy too. It makes for being alone a lot.”
Reads a lot? He’d spoken her language. “Me too. Well, before I had Ellie.”
“What do you like to read?” He shot her a crooked smile, and her brain felt liquefied.Nowthere was competition for which smile was his best.
She held in a groan and chastised herself. He was her boss. Her good-looking, adorable, likes-to-read boss. Her pep talks were about as good as her window-cleaning. Terrible.
“Uh, just about anything. I lovedThe Princess Bride,The Outsiders,Lord of the Rings,Ender’s Game—”
Josiah sucked in a sharp breath. “That’s my favorite book. Man, I love it. I think I’ve read it, oh man, I don’t know how many times. I had a paperback copy that I literally wore out. To the point that it started falling apart.”
Molly twisted in the seat, leaning her back against the door. “Have you read the sequels? I liked them, but there was just something aboutEnder’s Gamethat grabbed me.”
“Yeah, and I kinda felt the same way. I think that’s how things are, though. Nothing is ever as good as the first.”
“Except for the secondSharknadomovie. That one rocked.”
He shot her a quick glance, his entire face lit up. “What? No way! You like those movies too? I’m always ribbed because I love them. They’re hysterical.”
Molly was stunned. So, this hot guy with the killer smile loved to readandlovedSharknado? She secretly pinched herself because there was no way this dreamy dude could ever have that much in common with her.
Her no-dating rule stank, but she just couldn’t do that to Ellie. Josiah could be awesome a year, maybe two, possibly even three, but what if things got rough? She’d thought her last relationship was solid too. He’d wanted kids, loved the same things she did, and what did he do? Ellie wasn’t his, and he wasn’t sticking around. She couldn’t risk putting her daughter through that over and over. Not when Molly had firsthand experience of how hard it was.
She did have one question for him. “Did you hire me because you felt sorry for me that I got fired at that coffee shop?”
He inhaled and cleared his throat. “Uh…I plead the fifth.”
“I knew it.”
His jaw dropped open. “You did not. I completely trashed my apartment.”
Molly lifted an eyebrow. “Really? I have a slob for an older brother, and his room was putrid. I’m surprised the space station wasn’t using nose pins, the smell was so terrible.” That was the funniest part of Josiah hiring her. She’d started that first day, and all his clothes smelled surprisingly fresh…like someone had just washed and dried them.
Josiah opened and closed his mouth a few times and then shifted in his seat a little.
“You have how many siblings?” she asked.
“Uh, four.” He glanced at her. “Why?”
She laughed. “You were the weakest link when came to secrets, weren’t you?” She could see him working not to smile, and she laughed harder. “Oh, yeah, I’m so right.”
He huffed. “I will break out the big guns if you don’t watch it. I have all kinds of moves up my sleeve. Like, I wear extra-large shirts just to hold them all.”
Molly palmed her forehead and let out an exaggerated sigh. He was cute, charming, and witty. Whatever else he had up his sleeves…well, if it worked as well as all the other stuff he’d done so far, she was going to be undone by the time the new year arrived.
Chapter 5
After topping off the gas tank, Josiah parked in front of the convenience store. One of the reasons he’d stopped in Wichita Falls was because he was positive there’d be a clean bathroom in case Molly needed it.
Molly unbuckled herself and turned in the seat, checking on Ellie. “She’s awake and I’d bet wet.” A few minutes later, Molly faced forward, cradling what had to be the most precious baby ever.
Of course, that was just Josiah’s opinion, but he was confident he was right. He reached out for Ellie. “I’ll stay here with her while you use the restroom. I don’t think she should go in there. Not this time of year.”
“You just want to hold her, don’t you?” Molly asked, pressing a kiss to Ellie’s forehead.
Shrugging, he smiled. “Guilty. Plus, seriously, this isn’t a good time of the year for an infant to be going places. She needs a chance to build up her immunity.”
