Page 5 of A Merry Penthouse Christmas
It is unfairly enticing the way his lips pout when he blows like that.
“My mom’s from Guatemala,” he finishes.
“Ah.He estado en Guatemala muchas veces.”
Beau blinks at me again. “Yeah…” he drawls out slowly, “my sisters grew up bilingual, and my brother is close to fluent, but our parents kind of got lax by the time I was born, so I suck at Spanish.”
“Aren’t you an aspiring teacher?”
“History not Language!”
I suppress a laugh. He is quite adorable when he’s flustered. He is quite adorable period. It’s possible that alone makes this a bad idea. If he ends up as good at this job as I suspect he will be, I wouldn’t want to spoil things with ill-timed sexual advances. I need to behave myself. I managed to when I first hired Skylar and was tempted to bend him over my office desk. Instead, I introduced him to his now husband.
There is always the chance that I have nothing to worry about. Beau is almost certainly straight and immune to my flirtations.Although the way his gaze occasionally rakes over my face and the bit of clavicle showing with my shirt undone hints otherwise.
If he isn’t immune but ends up unsatisfactory at the job, I will definitely be plucking his underwear off my ceiling fan before kicking him to the curb. He is that type of demurely good looking, hunched in on himself like he thinks he needs to hide. Probably the gangly geeky kid in high school who got tall before he gained muscle and doesn't realize he had a glow up. The lack of vanity makes him even more appealing.
“Let’s cut to the chase,” I said. “For obvious reasons, mainly my busy schedule, this will be a live-in position, and you will start bright and early tomorrow. Unless you have any reservations about that, let’s talk salary.”
I had no doubt my offer would make the self-proclaimed destitute teacher salivate and accept the position on the spot. He did, and I gave him all the necessary information to meet me at my penthouse tomorrow and forwarded all other pertinent information to Skylar.
Done and done—before I made my way back up to the maternity ward to see Clara and hold my infant son for the first time.
I don’t remember the last time I held a newborn. The blue-wrapped bundle feels impossibly light in my arms, further accentuating how fragile he is. He has a tuft of black hair like mine instead of Clara’s blond. Given hers is likely not natural, that isn’t a surprise.
I hold no ill-will toward my ex. I considered her a friend after we split and still do. She is gorgeous, tough, and like me, knows what she wants and makes sure she gets it. She is a confirmed party girl the way I am a confirmed bachelor. We clicked when we met, both wanting to just have fun and not be tied down and ended up being one partner we each dated longer thanany other—while not being exclusive—only for one of my strong swimmers to go for gold the last time we slept together.
“Now, there’s a sight I haven’t seen in a while,” Clara says, watching me intuitively sway while holding this new life we made together. I know she means the smile that has wormed its way onto my face.
“Your tits are out,” I joke, and she laughs before straightening her gown.
“I figured the kid deserved the breast a few times if this is all going to dry up soon. I know they are rarelyyourfirst choice.”
“60/40.” I shrug. “Though when it comes to nice thighs, 100% to any gender.”
“I remember. You know, that almost looks natural. The great Arik Anders with a babe on his hip.”
I look down at the baby again, little raisin that he is, blinking sightlessly and squirming in my arms. “We’ll see. Full custody or not, you are always welcome to visit.”
“I know. And I might. From time to time. I’m more the cool auntie type than a mother. He’ll be better off with you.”
An initial series of whines from the baby turns into full-on fussing. “I guess he’s not so keen at having his lunch interrupted.” When Clara opens her arms, I pass him back to her. “I have a lot to prepare for back at the penthouse, but… tomorrow?”
“We’ll be here. And Arik?” she calls before I leave. “You’re going to do fine.”
I nod. Internally, all I can think is,I hope so, but at least I won’t be doing it alone.
Chapter 2
BEAU
Istepoutofthe elevator and all that greets me is a single door. A very ornate and intimidating door with the type of carvings on it you’d expect to find in a palace—is that a lion’s head?!—but there isn’t more than one door because Arik—um, Mr. Anders?—owns the entire floor. A floor is not an apartment! It’s…
It’s a floor!
I had to check in with the front desk like visiting a celebrity at a fancy hotel and get permission and a keycard swipe to even reach this floor. Because, naturally, it’s at the very top of the skyrise castle I’m moving into, and letting someone up to this floor is the same as opening the front door. Only I amstill standing in front of the actual door after stepping off the elevator, because there is no way I am just going inside. I can hear the faint wails of a newborn, so at least I know I’m in the right place.
I ring the doorbell. Even the little song it plays sounds fancy.
