She winked and nodded as if she knew what she was doing. Like her entire mission for being here was more than taking up a nanny role, but finding a way for me to get closer to my boy.
Fuck. One day and she was already digging into our hearts.
I shouldn’t make such a quick decision about Sam’s scheme for marriage. This wasn’t a game, but real lives I was toying with, and I needed more time to think. But with her around us tonight, I wouldn’t be able to.
After getting Theo and his gear inside the car, I hesitated, standing there with her on the curb. Her eyes gleamed up at me invitingly.
“Jessa… Thanks for today. The photos were unexpected. I liked them,” I started, voice moderated, keeping things in control.
“I hated for you to miss the game, so I sent them. Sometimes a picture says more, don’t you think? ”
“Yes, well, words in text are good too. Especially the check-ins I require. Did you even bother to read the rules?”
“I skimmed them.” She shrugged. “I’ll do my best.”
I scoffed. “You must think I’m the worst father in the world for almost missing his game.”
“No, but a busy one. I see why you need a nanny.”
I needed more than that. A fake wife. Her in my bed. I cleared my throat. “About that. We should talk.”
“Yes, I need to speak with you?—”
“But not tonight. I need to spend time with him. I’ll take him to get ice cream with the team. You can go for now. How about tomorrow night? Stay for dinner. After Theo goes to bed, can talk more then?”
“Oh, sure.”
“I called a car service to give you a ride wherever you’re staying.”
I’d arranged it while we waited for Theo after the game, when she’d been preoccupied with Clare discussing Mitch’s upcoming birthday party at a trampoline park. The car pulled up right on cue. I held the door open for her.
“Right. In the morning then.” She got in and buckled up.
“By the way, thanks for jumping in so fast to take on the nanny position. I know this has all happened rather suddenly. I promise tomorrow won’t be so hectic.”
I shut the car door. It took every ounce of willpower not to gather her into my arms, not to bring her with us to celebrate or to spend time with her tonight.
I needed to think. To remember who was in control here. And I couldn’t do that with her smile and her body anywhere near me tonight.
Chapter Seven
HUMBLING
Griffin
After a nightof tossing and turning, I still hadn’t reached a decision about Jessa. Early morning meetings pulled me across town. Brock made sure she got Theo off to school. Not seeing her again put me on edge—like a junkie denied his next hit.
“They got it wrong again.” Sam vehemently threw the society section of the Times on my desk in front of me when I returned to the office for lunch. Its pages steeped in the smoke of his Cuban cigars. “You told me Atlas wouldn’t be a problem. What do you call this?”
I glanced over the photo of my brother leaving Club Neon, a place of a rather risqué nature, hand in hand with a rising starlet. The caption beneath it got it wrong, as usual, saying it was me.
I scrubbed a hand through my hair. “He said he was staying in last night with an old girlfriend.”
“His definition of staying needs adjusting. My team has already called the paper and forced them to print the correct details. I threatened to sue if they didn’t call me first before printing any future photos to see if it was you or Atlas. But you need to deal with your brother. Now.”
“I’ll pencil it in somewhere between world peace and the IPO,” I snickered.
“At least tell me you decided my marriage of convenience plan is at the top of that list?”
