His scowl intensified as if listening to an audiobook was an offensive act. "And what if Violet was crying? What if she needed you?"
"The monitor has a screen on it, which I've been watching since I put her down for a nap. If you have a problem with how I do my job, then just say so, but don't you dare question my care for Violet." I folded my arms, suddenly no longer hot and bothered by his bare chest. And abs. Okay, still a little hot and bothered.
"Just do your damn job!"
"I do mydamnjob," I shot back, my anger rising. "I do things that aren't even my job, so maybe you should show a littledamngratitude, Mr. Holloway." I poked at his chest and took a step back to mark away angrily, but he grabbed my wrist, a move that effectively stopped any effort to escape.
"Don't call me Mr. Holloway." His voice was dark and low, more seductive than menacing.
"That's your name, isn't it?" Dammit, my own voice was husky too. Thick with desire.
"Rosalee," he growled.
"Let me go." There, my voice sounded strong and even, letting him know I meant business.
There was a brief flash of disappointment that I would think about later, but before I could tell myself that it was for the best, he pulled me flush against his blessedly hard chest and speared both hands through my thick hair, angling my head perfectly toaccept his kiss when it crashed down on me. His lips were soft yet firm, his grip on me commanding while his thumbs gently brushed along the line of my jaw.
I had never been kissed like this before. I wasn't sure anyone in the world had ever been kissed the way Xavier kissed me. He teased my lips for at least one full eternity, sliding his tongue along the length of my top lip, my bottom lip, and then back and forth across the seam until I released a breathless gasp.
Then he slipped past my lips, and when our tongues collided, it was like an explosion of sensation ricocheted throughout my body, bouncing against my chest, coursing through my veins, and even shaking my bones before it settled low in my belly. Between my thighs.
My hands went to his chest, the hard, short hairs slightly abrasive on my palms, but his racing heart was what I focused on, stunned to realize he was as into the kiss as I was. Xavier pulled me closer until I was slightly bent backward. His chest covered mine as he deepened the kiss, forcing me to cling to his shoulders, which I didn't mind one bit. My skin was hot all over, and I felt moisture gather between my legs, dampening my panties.
His hips pressed into mine, and he was hard. Really hard and very long beneath the towel, and that slight pressure made me breathless. And hungry. Oh, so very hungry for this man with his big muscles, his strong hands, and his grumpy demeanor.
Grumpy. My boss was a grumpy son of a gun, but he was also hot. And passionate.
And my boss.
I pulled back, mortified at what I'd just done. My eyes went so wide I felt them drying out almost immediately. My mouth dropped open, and I couldn't look away from Xavier's erection and the way it bobbed behind the towel. I didn't want to, but I forced my gaze up to his face and found his nostrils flaring andhis eyes dark with—was that desire? "I'm sorry, Xavier—I mean Mr. Holloway. Shit. I didn't mean to…I mean, I shouldn't have…shit." I turned on my heels and rushed to my room, locking the door behind me.
What had I done?
Would he fire me?
And if he did fire me, where would I go? Could I continue to work as a nanny?
I didn't know, but I knew who would. "Hey, Toni, sorry to bother you. Do you have a minute to talk?"
"Yeah, sure, just eating my way through a box of barbecue ribs and caramel popcorn. What's up?"
It sounded gross, but pregnant women had odd cravings. "How's the pregnancy?"
"Good, and when it's not good, it's awful. What's wrong?"
I frowned. "Who said anything was wrong?"
"The tone of your voice. Talk to me about anything other than my tiny bladder and increasingly strange cravings. Please!"
I laughed. "Okay. Don't laugh, but is there some kind of curse on Executive Nanny Services?" I laughed again because I realized how ridiculous that sounded.
There was a long silence before laughter bubbled out of Toni. "What did you do?"
"I kissed my boss," I blurted out and replayed the last five minutes in as much detail as I could.
"It sounds more like the dad kissed you."
I thought about it and nodded even though she couldn't see me. "Still, I shouldn't have kissed him back. I shouldn't have ogled him. What am I going to do?"
