I need to feed Evelyn, give her a bath, and put her down for the night, but first I go over to the couch.
I don’t even know where Caroline lives, and taking her anywhere with Evelyn in tow would be a pain in the butt, anyway. Caroline doesn’t have a car. To be honest, I’m not even sure how she gets here every day, which again confirms my general dickishness.
She’s going to sleep here, in my bed, and I’ll sleep on the couch.
Evelyn seems content in her stroller still, which is a relief.
I squat down so I don’t scare Caroline and murmur, “Hi, I’m back.”
Caroline stirs, lowering her arm just slightly so that I can see her eyes. “Hey.” Her voice is raspy.
“Come on. Let’s go.”
“Go where?”
“My bed.”
Her eyes widen, and she scrambles to sit up. “Grayson! Where is Evelyn?”
“In her stroller.”
“You can’t just…take me to bed.”
That makes me crack a grin. “I have to ask first? Is that it?”
“Yes!”
“Can I carry you to my bed?” I ask, even as I slip my arms under her back and her soft ass.
She feels incredible in my arms. It’s a wonderful, terrible temptation. I need to stay strong, but damn, it’s so fucking hard.
“No,” she says.
“Too bad. I’m taking you to bed so you can sleep. I’ll sleep on the couch tonight.”
“I can just go home,” she protests, even as she wraps her arms around my neck and leans against my chest.
“No, just stay. You’re exhausted, and you have to be back in the morning, anyway. I’m a terrible boss, Caroline.” I carry her across the living room to my bedroom.
“Is that an apology?”
“Yes.”
“Well, it kind of sucks.”
That makes me grin. “Yes. It does. I suck. Generally speaking.”
“You don’t look like you believe that.”
I set her softly down on the bed and pull back my comforter for her to slip beneath.
She does so readily, with a heartfelt sigh. “How was the nanny?”
“Good. As soon as I get clearance on Kyle’s background check, she can start working nights.”
Unable to resist, I reach out and brush Caroline’s hair back off of her face. I want to kiss this woman. I want to taste and touch every inch of her.
But I can’t.
