Page 15 of Accidental Baby for the Billionaire

Brent hugged his daughter one more time before sitting down across from Jessica and diving into a slice of pizza. “I think it’s a great idea. After a long week, who couldn’t use some lions, tigers, and bears.”

“Oh my,” Jessica drawled. “All right. I’ve never full-out nannied before. If I’m too casual or something or ask for too much, let me know.”

Cara snorted and continued eating. “You’re doing great. A zoo visit is a cool idea.”

“Great,” Brent said, his baritone voice enticing even when it wasn’t just a dream. “Then it’s a date.”

I wish.

***

“You don’t have to walk me out,” Jessica said.

After last night’s intense dream and all the confusing feelings swirling through her, the last thing she needed was to get too close to Brent unsupervised. It wasn’t like she was tempted to jump him. Not exactly. It was simply that she was too emotional and too many things were bouncing around in the corners of her mind. There had to be boundaries, and there were so many rules she had no experience with, and it was only her first official day. She had to figure this all out.

Keep the walls in place.

Brent shook his head. “First of all, this place is an ostentatious nightmare. My father built it in the early ‘80s when he struck it big with his telecom conglomerate. Until I was a teenager, even I got lost in certain wings of the house, trust me. I didn’t want you to walk out alone just to end up somehow in the wine cellar or laundry room by accident. That would be rude.”

“Yeah, but Cara’s had a rough day. She’s resting now, but you could be with her while Danny or Cecile help me out.”

“Maybe I wanted some extra time. You’ve been a Godsend this week. I’m still furious at the school for how much pressure they’re putting on Cara to socialize in their approved ways but, of course, none have been applied to those little monsters who keep harassing her. I shouldn’t have to donate enough money for a new wing at La Jolla to get them to take what these girls are doing seriously. I could, but the point is that all students should be treated with concern there, not just the politician’s daughter.”

“Definitely,” Jessica agreed. “It’s hard. When I was in fifth grade, this one girl decided that it would be funny to dump a trashcan’s worth of garbage on my head. I was called ‘Dumpster Girl’ the whole year. It’s just about trying to survive, get through the bullshit, and find your niche. At least, I think so.”

He stopped at the front door and rested his hand on the knob. “And what about you? What’s your niche? I cannot imagine that your father’s gofer is who you want to be.”

“I like my dad.”

“And Allen’s a great guy,” Brent said, reminding them both of how interconnected her family and his were. “Still, what is it you really want, Jessica? Do you and he share an interest in accounting? Moviemaking, too, perhaps?”

She shook her head. “That would be my roommate, Ashley. I’ve never had any interest in fame like that. She goes to L.A. about three times a month to audition. I know it must make her feel bad, all that rejection. I’m amazed how hard she always tries and still brushes herself off to try again right after.”

“How do you want to be famous?”

She blinked. “Huh?”

“You said you did not want to have ‘fame like that’. How do you want to be famous then?” His voice was a low, sultry baritone she could lose herself in, and the emotions he elicited in her – whether here or the dream version – went straight to her clit.

Dammit.

Taking a step back, trying to get some air and distance, Jessica answered, “Science. I want to be a great primatologist, someone who really changes the game.”

“Primatologist?”

“I like lemurs,” she confessed, blushing. Jessica was a total science nerd, and she knew it. It wasn’t exactly the kind of bait that had attracted men in the past. Not that she was looking. No, she was definitely not trying to date Brent, even with his gorgeous blue eyes regarding her or his wavy, blond hair catching the light just so. “If I ever got famous, I’d like it to be for the quality of the work I do. I tried so hard to get an internship at the San Diego Zoo, and it didn’t pan out. I basically worship that place, but I guess that wasn’t enough, you know? That’s how I ended up working for Dad, instead.”

Brent stepped closer to her. Jessica knew she shouldn’t let that happen, let that gap close between them. They needed to stay professional, but it was so nice to have someone who wanted to hear about her. Her dad was great, but always thought that finance was where everything was at; it was so much more practical than biology.

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