“I’ll be awake a bit longer if you need anything.” I leave them, stopping by my bedroom to kick off my shoes before continuing down to the kitchen for a drink.
5
Ruby
Remington Key has perfect feet.
After watching Lillie brush her teeth, reading her a princess picture book, singing as much as we could remember of “Almost There” fromThe Princess and The Frog, and saying the “Now I lay me down to sleep” prayer, I left my new little charge snuggled soundly in her bed.
Then I returned to my giant room and unpacked my folded clothes into drawers and hung my few blouses and skirts in the large closet. My toiletries are arranged in the large bathroom, and all I need is a glass of water for bed.
Lillie’s right. Descending the enormous staircase, past the second-floor landing, to the first, I can’t help feeling like I’ve been whisked away to some castle like one of those princesses.
I’m in the kitchen searching for a glass, when I notice my boss standing in the lamp-lit living room, looking out the French doors toward the man-made lake in the center of this posh gated community.
He’s still wearing those sexy, loose jeans and that pale blue button-down, untucked. A crystal tumbler is in his hand, and his feet are bare on the hardwoods.It’s on, Jamie Dornan.
Nope. I put the brakes on that and tell my hormones to take a rest. As Tiana says,I’m almost there. No distractions. But when he turns and sees me watching him, I swear, my entire body flushes as hot as his hazel eyes.
Blinking fast, I force a smile. “She’s adorable.”
A smile ghosts across his lips. “She’s always had a lot of personality.” His brow quirks. “You’re no slouch in that department. How did you know all of that stuff she was saying?”
“What can I say?” I do a shrug. “I’m a sucker for Disney princesses.”
“You’ll be her favorite person in the house.”
My stomach is tight and tingly. “It’ll come in handy when I have to make her eat broccoli.”
“She actually loves broccoli. Dipped in ranch dressing.”
“Little weirdo.” I’m thinking how much I like this kid already until he laughs, and my jaw drops. My face flushes. “I mean… I didn’t mean it like that. Your daughter is not a weirdo. I actually love broccoli myself—”
“It’s okay.” He holds out a hand. “Itisweird for a kid to like broccoli.” He takes a step away from the window, toward me. “So? What do you think? Got any questions?”
“Um…” I look around the large living room, the soft white sofa and huge flat screen television over the wide, dark fireplace. “You have such a beautiful home.”
“Think of it as yours while you’re here.”
“Right…” I wonder how long that will take. “I guess… do you need me to make breakfast in the morning?”
“Just for Lillie… and you, if you eat breakfast. Eleanor does her own thing, and I usually grab a yogurt or a power bar.”
“Should I make coffee?”
“We have a Keurig.”
“Right.”Easy enough… “I saw preschool is at eight to noon. Do I make lunch?”
“Again, just for the two of you.” He smiles. “Dinner’s really the only meal we eat together. Eleanor has a private chef who comes three times a week. She’s very particular about her diet… Our diet.”
“Ah.” I nod. “Explains why she’s so thin.”
We’ve been moving closer as we speak, and now we’re in front of each other. I can feel the heat radiating off his skin. I can smell the earthy fragrance of his cologne—sandalwood, leather, and soap. I remember it from the bar when he caught me.
“She’s very particular about a lot of things, but I’m hoping to ease her into her own place.”
I think about my own mother. “Let me know how that goes.”
