Page 32 of Grump's Nanny

“Therein lies the joke,” he said, reaching for my hand. His cheeks were rosy, and it was clear that he was feeling pretty much the same way I was when it came to the influence of the unlimited libations which had been served. “Come on.”

I didn’t even think about it when I slipped my hand into his. It felt nice, and I’d been feeling really alone tonight until he’d come to talk to me. It felt like we were becoming, well, maybe not friends, but certainly friendly, which was nice in this kind of employer-employee relationship, where you lived together and worked with their family.

We walked down the stairs, me with my shoes in my hand, until we got to our suite. He opened the door with an exaggerated bow, and I returned the gesture with a goofy curtsy.We both laughed and went inside, and he locked the door behind us.

He walked directly to the couch and flopped down, kicking his shoes off and moaning. “God, that feels good,” he said, putting his hands behind his head in a gesture of relaxation.

“I bet,” I said, detouring on my way to my bedroom to sit on the couch beside him. I tossed my shoes down beside me and crossed my legs, very aware, despite the booze, that to not do so would expose more than I wanted to my employer. “I just got to go to the party and I feel wiped out. You had to host—you must be fucking exhausted.”

“I think that may be the first time I’ve heard you swear,” he said.

I hadn’t even realized I did, and I clapped a hand over my mouth, horrified that I’d embarrassed myself in front of him. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he replied. “It’s nice to see you being fucking relaxed. Real.”

“Thanks,” I said, sinking back into the soft couch with a small laugh.

There was a silence where we both looked at each other, then away, taking turns doing it. I could feel something electric passing between us and had to convince myself it was just the liquor buzzing in my veins.

After a while, the fatigue of the night and the drowsiness brought on by drinking had me closing my eyes and leaning my head back. I must have dozed off, because I snapped my eyes open and realized I was leaning on James’s shoulder, and his arm, which had been behind his head, was now around my back, and his own eyes were closed. We’d obviously fallen asleep like that, but the minute I moved and sat up, his eyes popped open and, after a moment of disorientation, focused on me. He yawned, bringing his arms back to his own sides as I leanedslightly away from him, not wanting to make a big deal about it but wanting to put a more appropriate distance between us.

“So…” I said, looking for anything to say that might help me excuse myself, but James got there first.

“You know, I meant to ask you earlier,” he said. “What did Katie mean when she said you were going to the ‘Lympics?’” He used the childlike version of the words she’d said, ones I was hoping to not have to explain, but was obviously going to have to.

“I guess…” I said, hunting for any excuse but the truth, feeling embarrassed that I was a competition skier of Olympic quality who was scared of the slopes. “I guess she meant that I’m going to the Olympics. At least, I hope I am.”

“You hope you are?” he asked, leaning forward and turning to the side to look at me with a studious expression. It was unnerving how those bright green eyes seemed to see right through me, as though all my secrets were on display for him, including the slight wetness I felt building between my legs at his proximity and the forbidden nature of it. “What do you mean? Like you plan to qualify when the next round of events comes around?”

“No,” I said slowly, my cheeks burning. “I mean I already qualified. I’m going to the Olympics. Maybe.”

His eyebrows shot up, an impressed look taking the place of the piercing one. “Why maybe? If you qualified, you should be on the team. No?” he asked, trying to figure it out.

“Um…” God, I didn’t want to relive this right now, not when I already felt so vulnerable and on display. But I didn’t have much of a choice unless I just rudely got up and went to bed. “I, uh… I’m a little out of practice.” It was true and managed to avoid the fact that I was absolutely terrified of getting back on the slopes.

“No shame in that,” he said with a shrug and a shake of his head. “It happens to the best of us. Hell, in my glory days,sometimes I’d go months without hitting the slopes and hate myself when I finally strapped back up. That leg burn is second to none.”

“Yeah, ha ha…” I laughed as convincingly as I could. He had no idea the kind of pain I was in most of the time from the bolts in my leg, let alone the psychological pain that crippled me every time I got out on a pair of skis. “I can definitely feel that right now. I’m just… a little gun-shy about getting back out there.”

“Well,” he said, grinning at me, “with the shape you’re in, I’m sure you’ll get back to it in no time.”

The way he was looking at me had my heart pounding in my chest. His face was only about a foot and a half from mine, and there was an invisible current passing back and forth between us, seeming like it was drawing me closer… closer…

“I, um…” I cleared my throat and back away. Even if I wanted to do this, I was with Max, who I really cared about. Who was good to me. I couldn’t just ignore what we had in favor of whatever this weird but thrilling electric current was between me and James. “I have to get to bed. I have to be up in just a few hours to get the kids up and ready for school.”

“Right,” he said, shaking his head like he was trying to clear it. “The kids.” He pulled his arm back from around me and sat up a little straighter. “Well, I guess, goodnight. And, uh, thanks for the dance. You really saved me from what was threatening to be a very dull night.”

I had to agree that the dance had been incredible. I thought back to the way he moved me across the dance floor, the way he held me just close enough to feel his body heat, but not close enough to touch. The way he spun me and dipped me so that I was looking up into his incredible green eyes under the gingery hair that flopped over his forehead. The way his strong jaw flexed as he smiled at me.

I was surprised I was even able to pull off some of those moves with my lingering injuries, but it had been easier than I expected and, to be honest, it was fun. It made me realize just how many of my issues with skiing were completely psychological.

You know. All of them.

“Yeah. It was fun,” I said, trying to fight the urge I had to lean in and kiss him, especially when I saw his eyes dart to my lips as he licked his own. The very sight of it sent a thrill through me, and it took me far longer than I cared to admit to actually pull myself away. “Goodnight.” I stood quickly and rushed to my room, determined not to look back and failing right in my doorway. I glanced around the edge of the door, and I wasn’t sure if I was surprised or not to see James watching me go. Even more so, I wasn’t sure if I was happy about it or not.

Once inside my room with the door shut, I peeled off my dress and put it on a hanger, then sank onto my bed. The room was spinning slightly, and it occurred to me how very drunk I actually was.

That must have been the reason for the tension, for that chemistry I was trying so hard to pretend wasn’t there. It was just two intoxicated people who let the booze tell them what they were feeling, even if it was completely unrealistic for them to be feeling that way.

---