Page 6 of The Stud Next Door (Frisky Business 3)
I check my appearance in the mirror, running my fingers through my curly long brown hair. I’ve kept my makeup light—just a little concealer and a few dabs of bronzer on the apples of my cheeks.
After slipping on a pair of shorts and a top I don’t mind getting a little spit-up on, I take one last glance at myself in the mirror before heading out the door. The thought of Connor laying eyes on so much of my bare legs sends a little buzz of electricity down my spine.
Down, girl.
I never knew the single-dad thing could be so hot, but Connor is very attractive, dad or not.
I stuff my phone in my pocket, lock the door behind me, and take the less-than-a-minute walk from my door to Connor’s. I can still feel the buzz of anticipation running along my spine as I wait for him to answer, and when the door opens, it transforms into a full-on zap.
Was his chest this broad and lickable yesterday? I wouldn’t know—he wasn’t wearing a gray T-shirt this fitted that hugs all his muscles.
His green eyes meet mine, and my insides liquify. I didn’t know a person could actually have a dazzling smile. But there he is, Connor Blake, dazzling away at me with sweet baby Marley in his arms.
“Hey, Jessa, come on in.”
It’s hard not to swoon at the sound of his voice, warm and smooth like a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting on top of a freshly baked brownie.
All right, now I’m horny and hungry. Focus, Jessa.
“Thanks,” I mumble, squeezing past him as he steps out of the doorway.
Baby Marley gurgles as I pass, and I smile and give her a little wave. She looks up at me, her big blue eyes shining with delight before she rests her face on her daddy’s shoulder. It’s so adorable, I’m about ready to die.
“Oh, you’re being shy now? Because you were awfully chatty just a few minutes ago,” Connor says, his voice light and playful as he talks to his daughter.
Okay, scratch that. Now it’s so adorable I’m ready to die.
“Hi, Marley,” I coo, waving again. “It’s me, Jessa. Your neighbor.”
Marley peers up at me from her daddy’s chest, her lips parted in a sweet, gummy smile.
Connor grins. “I think she likes you.”
I think she likes you too.
Talking about myself in the third person? Probably a sign that I’m not fit to watch his child. Thank God he can’t hear what I’m thinking.
“Why don’t we show you around,” he says.
He shifts Marley onto his other side and leads me through the entryway and into the living room, complete with a charcoal-gray accent wall, sleek built-in shelving, and a plush suede couch. It’s homier than I imagined a bachelor pad would be—although I’m not sure it still counts as a bachelor pad if a two-month-old lives there as well.
“Obviously, this is the living room,” he says, gesturing awkwardly.
I nod, realizing that I haven’t said a word to the man since I set foot into his house, and manage to squeak out, “It’s nice.” Smooth, Jessa.
Connor nods and waves for me to follow him through the open-concept floor plan and into the kitchen.
“Formula’s in the pantry. She breastfeeds when she’s with her mom, but we’ve had a few miscommunications on pumping and passing on the milk lately. So it’s back to keeping some formula in the house.” He plants a kiss on the top of Marley’s head, the look in his eyes somewhere between optimistic and frustrated.
“Has she been taking to the bottle okay?” It’s not that I’m trying to pry, but if I’m going to help out around here, I need the full scoop. We’ll get to Marley’s mom in a minute.
He sighs. “Yes and no. She’s been hit or miss lately. I know she’s hungry, but it’s like she’s picky or something.”
“Well, you’re warming the formula, right?”
Connor looks at me like I just spoke to him in Czech. “That’s . . . something I’m supposed to be doing?”
“I mean, you don’t have to, but if she’s being finicky about the bottle, and she’s used to the breast . . .”
He flashes me another one of his dazzling smiles. “See? This is why I need you. Desperately. We need you. I’m the idiot who serves his daughter cold formula. Please tell me you’ll help us out. I’m willing to beg.”
That string of short sentences makes me weak in the knees. So do his broad chest and white smile. Seriously, the guy is gorgeous.
“Of course. I would love to be Marley’s nanny,” I say, smiling and tucking my hair behind my ear.
“Thank God,” he says on a relieved breath. Then he smiles widely at Marley. “Baby girl, Jessa is your new nanny. Actually, no, she’s our lifesaver,” he says brightly.
Marley gurgles in a way I’m deciding means she’s happy, and Connor leads me upstairs for the rest of the tour.
