Page 9 of Nanny for the SEALs

Again, she nodded, but then I started to pick up pace as I headed to my room. I felt like some kind of pervert as I realized I was getting turned-on by watching her butt go up and down as she fed the kids.

No. This was only about doing something to benefit each other, nothing more and certainly nothing less.

* * *

As we satdown in Starbucks, I spun around and noticed I was the only guy with a girl with a stroller. It was buzzing with moms seeming to catch-up on their daily gossip. How the twins could sleep through the noise of their chatter and laughter was beyond my comprehension.

“I’ll get the sofa in the corner,” Katie said as we entered.

“What do you want to eat and drink?”

“Oh no, a drink will do.”

She was thinking about me spending on her, and I was thinking about not eating alone. I’d gone to the trouble of changing my shirt and even styled my hair for the occasion. I wouldn’t let it go to the waste when I had a Starbucks donut and muffin on my mind.

“You haven’t eaten all day, you must be hungry.”

She giggled. “It’s only nine. Fine… a croissant with a cappuccino.”

Before I could ask the size of the cappuccino, she rushed to the sofa were two moms were packing to leave. I wondered how many times she’d been here; she seemed to know her way around.

I ordered a large of everything and as she wanted a croissant, I decided I would get one, too. I was hungry, but seeing all the cakes, muffins, and my favorite treats in front of my eyes made it hard to resist. I never ate in front of any stranger, let alone in public like this, but today even if it was only nine in the morning, I needed to eat more.

“Wow, what a line!” I said as I headed to the table, and put down the tray. I waited for her to say something once she finished with the twins. Nothing, but her eyes lit up as she looked at the tray.

“Hm, I haven’t had one of those in forever.”

“What, the croissant?” I asked as I placed it down in front of her.

She shook her head, laughing nervously.

“No, the chocolate chip muffin. They were my favorite when I first moved here. I remember Ben and I used to come here all the time. At first, he would let me order one…”

Her eyes were no longer laughing, but it was as if sadness filled them.

“No, have mine. I have enough.”

“I couldn’t do that. Besides, I need to lose some weight.”

My mouth was filled with the croissant and I nearly choked on it. “Lose weight? There’s nothing on you.”

She shrugged. “Why do you think I’m wearing black. Apparently, it hides the edges.”

I thought for a second that she was trying to make fun of me, but as her eyes looked longingly at my muffin, I realized she was deadly serious.

“Have a muffin. Have a day off from the diet you don’t need to be on. Okay?”

She nodded like a kid excited about getting told they can have ice cream for being a good girl.

“Just one. I can bake one even better than this. I haven’t done that in so long and your kitchen is fantastic. Actually, when we get back to the penthouse, I’ll do just that.”

I watched as she devoured the muffin as if her life depended on it. Pretty much the same thing I’d done with the pizza last night. It calmed my nerves, which was the only reason I ate so much. She was eating as if she hadn’t eaten all week.

“That was so good. Thanks for sharing.”

I looked down and realized only my hot chocolate was left, and as much as I was tempted to get another muffin, I would leave that until I was alone. In the time she spent eating my muffin, I’d managed to finish the croissant, donut and some danish the server said I should try. It was chocolate, how could I resist?

“So, let’s get this straight. You’re not a qualified nanny?”

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