Page 34 of Like Sugar

“It’s okay,” I shrugged.“Can’t complain.”

He chuckled.“I’ll bet.”What the hell does that mean?“Who’s the hot chick shacking up with you?”

I panicked inside for a second but remembered I had a reasonable explanation.“Are you talking about my kid’s nanny?”

“She the one who left the hickey on your shoulder?”He smirked.

I glanced in the mirror.How did I not notice that?It was a bite mark.Thinking about when she bit me there had my dick twitching.“Uh, no.That was just a hookup,” I lied and walked toward the exit.“Have a good one.”I waved as I jogged to the stairs.

Too close.Way too fucking close.

Staring at the mark in the mirror, I waited for the water to warm in the shower.I thought back to the day Eleanor came home with a similar mark and I gave her shit for being irresponsible enough to have a hickey in a place that wasn’t covered by clothes.

I wondered if she wanted to show that shit off like I did right then.I wondered if just looking at it in the mirror got her as worked up as this mark got me.

Get yourself together, Davis.It’s just a fucking hickey.

Chapter20

Mason

After two months of fucking my nanny, a fresh problem presented itself in the form of Catherine.

She was out of inpatient care and staying nearby with her mom.I promised her that as long as she agreed to Wyatt staying with me until we were both comfortable with her resuming care of him full-time, I wouldn’t pursue permanent custody.I offered to let her stay with us, but she didn’t think she was ready for the constant chaos of my house.

Plus, I’m pretty sure Candace was right—Catherine hated her.

Inevitably, they would cross paths.I was at work most days, so if Catherine wanted to see Wyatt, she had to contact Candace to do so.I just hoped that there wouldn’t be a war between the two women.

And I prayed Catherine didn’t find out about my affinity for our son’s nanny.

Catherine was less volatile than she was before her ‘grippy sock vacation,’ but there was no telling how she would use the information against me if she should decide I pissed her off enough and wanted Wyatt back.

A fine mess you’ve gotten yourself into, asshole.

“So, just a reminder…” I started.

“Catherine is out of,” she glanced down at Wyatt, “the hospital and stopping by.”Wyatt cheered.He saw her four times in the last two weeks, which made both him and Catherine happy.She looked a hell of a lot better.She had weight to put back on to be where she was before everything happened, but there was life in her eyes again.Even if you could see it was sheer rage keeping her alive.

Everyone failed her.She should be pissed.

“Are you okay with this?”I asked, eying Candace skeptically.

“She is his mother.Of course, I am.But I feel like a piece of shit.”

“Nonsense.”I waved off her concern.Catherine and I had discussed Candace remaining as Wyatt’s nanny, and she agreed Candace was good for Wyatt.Both because Wyatt loved her, and for continuity’s sake after months of upheaval.However, if she hated Candace, she would’ve made me hire someone new.

And I’d have to.Because fuck.It wasn’t Candace’s fault Catherine attempted to end her life, but I wasn’t sure Catherine knew that.Candace sure as fuck didn’t.Balancing the two women may just be the death of me if things went sideways.

I gave Wyatt a hug and kiss, resisting the urge to do the same with Candace, before just giving her a wave and walking out the door.

Why the fuck do I want to kiss her goodbye?We agreed this was nothing but a benefit of our living situation.I had also told her, in no uncertain terms, that we could not continue with those benefits now that Catherine would be around.

But shit, I think I’d ruin my life for her.Which was exactly why this had to stop right now.But when I told her, I swear she looked like she was going to cry despite giving her verbal agreement.

Chapter21

Candace

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