Page 7 of Nanny for the Mercenaries

“And you’re making it worse. I need this job.”

His brown eyes settled on mine. “Hey, I wanted to talk to you about that. At the gym, you told your friend you wished you could be an au pair.”

I blinked. “You were eavesdropping?”

“We were lifting weights next to each other for twenty minutes. I couldn’t help but overhear. If you were serious about it, I may have a job to offer you.”

That piqued my interest. “Really? A job? Does this have to do with the little girl you brought to the gym? About how she doesn’t like camp or something?”

Brownie’s eyebrow rose. “Now who’s the eavesdropper?”

I pursed my lips. “Like you said. I couldn’t help but overhear.”

He gave me a sly smile, then said, “Yes. The job would involve taking care of her.”

“Is it something short?” I asked, feeling hope swell within me. “Or more long-term?”

“Definitely long-term,” he replied.

Before I could think about it, I blurted out, “I’ll do it.”

Brownie gave a start. “Wait, really?”

I would have done anything to get out of this job, especially if it meant a job doing what I really wanted: taking care of children. Having Brownie suddenly show up at my job and offer something to me? It felt like a life preserver had been tossed to me. And I sure as hell wasn’t going to watch it float by.

“If it’s a long-term nannying job, then I’ll do it.”

He hesitated. “I’m glad to hear that and all, but we haven’t, you know, told you the details. Are you sure you want the job?”

Struck by a sudden eager impulse, I turned and walked back up to the counter where my boss had been glaring the entire time. He smiled cruelly as I approached; he was probably thinking of how he was going to punish me.

I smiled back at him. “I quit.”

The way his smile disappeared was more satisfying than a dozen orgasms. “What? You can’t quit, Patricia. You just started your shift!”

I removed my apron and hat, then tossed them over the counter. “Watch me.”

I turned and walked back to Brownie, who was staring in disbelief. He managed to ooze sexiness even while looking completely surprised.

“To answer your question, yes,” I said. “I’m sure I want the job.”

His smile was full of relief and excitement, and it warmed something deep within my chest. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a card, and handed it to me.

“I’m assuming you’re free now. Be at this address in an hour so we can talk about it.”

Brownie gave me a final smile, then walked out of the store. I glanced down at the card, which was printed in eggshell white and with embossed letters:

Jordan Mackey

Mathos Company

I frowned. “What the hell is Mathos Company?”

4

Archer

“You didwhat?”

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