"Hi there!I'm Carmena, a new friend.Your mommy told me you like to color.Do you want to show me your pictures?"
Mia loved any chance to show off her drawings, so she was smitten with Carmena from the start.Within minutes, they were sprawled on the floor together, coloring in Mia's princess book while I hovered nearby, testing out the camera system Nash had installed.
“I hope this doesn’t freak you out,” I said nervously as I pulled up the live feed on my phone.“I have one for out here and in her bedroom.”
“Plenty of the parents I babysit for have cameras,” she said nonchalantly.“It’s no big deal.Just more peace of mind for you, right?”
Carmena was young, but she understood the demographic she served.Nash could not have recommended a better emergency replacement to a mom with nerves as frayed as mine.I tested the waters by leaving the two of them in the living room to play while I returned to my bedroom to get ready.I propped my phone on top of my dresser, watching the live feed as I got ready, still not used to the idea of a camera inside my own home.
Once I’d squeezed myself into my shapewear and then back into the midnight blue dress, I was stunned by the woman looking at me in the mirror.With my hair and makeup done, the dress looked next level.
Holy shit.Maybe you really will pull this off.
Nash texted just as I was putting the finishing touches on my lipstick.
NASH: Outside.
CLARA: OK!Grabbing my things, be out ASAP.
Excitement gripped me, almost paralyzing me.The time was now.I grabbed my handbag, double checked it for all the necessities of the night, then hurried into the living room.Just as I was explaining to Mia that mommy had to leave, a knock sounded on my door.
I froze.It had to be Nash.Fuck.
Mia looked toward the door.“Who’s there, Mommy?”
“Uhh…probably just the…driver.”I stood, ushering Mia toward her bedroom.“Honey, did you show Carmena your dragons and princesses yet?I think she’s going to want to see that.”
Mia gasped, grinning up at Carmena.“Come see!”
The two of them disappeared into her bedroom.I opened the front door, and my breath caught in my throat.
Nash stood in the hallway wearing a perfectly tailored black tuxedo that made his blue eyes even more striking.He looked like he'd stepped off the cover ofGQ—broad shouldered, confident, entirely fucking edible.When his gaze swept over me, something heated flickered in his expression.
"You didn't have to come up," I said, suddenly self-conscious."I was trying to hurry—"
"Why wouldn't I want to come pick up my girlfriend?"he asked.
His words burned through me.Right.The facade.Even here, even now, we were performing.
“I wanted to avoid you running into Mia,” I explained softly, checking over my shoulder.“I didn’t prepare her to meet you.It’s just…easier this way.”
He nodded, something unreadable in his gaze.“I didn’t even think about that.I’ll go wait in the car.”
I pressed my hand to his chest, sending him a meaningful look.“Thank you.”
His gaze flicked down to where I touched him.Energy surged between us.Nash winked and stepped away just as Mia and Carmena returned from her bedroom.
“All right honey.It’s time for Mommy to leave.”I wrapped my baby girl into a big hug, answered Carmena’s last questions, and then hurried outside to find my Prince Convenient.
Nash’s intense gaze was on me as soon as I stepped out of the building.He leaned against the side of the SUV, a smile curling at his lips as I approached.
“There you are.”
“Sorry.Everything’s all squared away now.”A nervous laugh fluttered out of me.His posture was so effortlessly sexy that I could barely look at him.He leaned with the kind of casual dominance that went viral on social media.He opened the door and as I passed him, he said in a low voice, “You look incredible.”
“You don’t look so bad yourself,” I replied, my cheeks flaming from the compliment.I scooted into the backseat, treading carefully with my new heels and all the expensive accessories I wasn’t used to wearing.“Hi, Marco.”
Nash joined me in the backseat, his gaze never wavering from me, which sent the butterflies in my belly into a tizzy.We were just in the backseat—he didn’t have to act so obsessed already.His attention pushed me off-balance, threatened to pull me into that space where maybe I’d forget this was just for show.I hurried to fill the quiet with conversation.
