“Why not?” Caroline asks.
“Because I’m a full-grown man who has money and brains and no excuse not to be able to do something literally millions of people around the world do every single day,” he says. It’s clear he’s quoting someone.
Caroline smiles. “Is that what your mom said?”
“My older sister. But my mom concurred.”
Caroline’s smile grows. “I?—”
“Don’t say it,” Grayson tells her.
“What?” Caroline asks, blinking with fake innocence.
“That you also concur.”
She laughs. “Why not?”
“Because I know you do.” He looks over at me. “I know you both do.”
I do. I mean, he is all of those things and there isn’t really an excuse.
But I’m annoyed by his easy camaraderie with Caroline and how comfortable she seems with him.
Which is stupid as hell.
“Do you want me to ask around? See if anyone’s available to help?” I ask.
Grayson shakes his head. “I’ve already filled out applications for a nanny agency. I’m actually looking for two. A daytime and a nighttime. I should be getting resumes soon.”
Of course, he’s going with some high-end service. The nannies probably all went to Harvard and are pediatric neurosurgeons in their free time.
His eyes are on Caroline again. “I could use help until I hire someone, though. Are you available?”
No, she’s not available. She’s…
Not anything to me but a friend, I remind myself. Sure, we were a couple in high school, but that was a decade ago.
I don’t need to feel protective of Caroline. She’s been traveling the world on her own. Teaching all over. She is quite capable of taking care of herself.
Still, there’s something almost predatory about the way Grayson studies her. Something that makes me think that, in a different circumstance, he would want much more from her.
Or hell, maybe in this exact circumstance.
“Caroline is going to be teaching some classes at my gym,” I say.
“But that’s very flexible. And Grayson said this is temporary.” She looks at Evelyn and smiles. The baby frowns back. “Sure, I can help you out. I won’t say I’m any kind of baby whisperer, but if all you need is a couple extra pair of hands—” She lifts her hands and wiggles her fingers. “I can do that.”
“That would be amazing.” Grayson’s sigh of relief is long and heavy. “I would really love to have the use of your hands, Caroline.”
And the idea of Grayson enjoying Caroline’s hands for anything at all—Should. Not. Bother. Me.
But despite the cleanup Caroline and I just did, things suddenly feel very messy in Grayson Ross’s apartment.
CHAPTER5
Cas
James moans.“This is absolutely fucking amazing. God, I need five more.Please.”
