Joshua flips his brother the finger, and I knock back more of my beer.
“When do we get to meet Sloane?” Elisa asks.
“We can put her through her paces,” Gia offers. “Make sure she’s as good as she seems to be.”
“I don’t want the girl scared off, and it’d be nice if you all got along.” When we move in here, we’ll all be spending lots of time together, so it’d make it easier if everyone gelled.
“When does she start?” Joshua asks.
“A week from Monday. Isa is going to train her for her last couple weeks.”
“I already feel bad for Sloane,” Gia says. “I can’t manage one hour in Isa’s company without wanting to claw her eyes out. I still stand by what I said. She wants you, Cristian. She wants you bad.”
“She isn’t interested in me like that,” I protest, like I have every time Gia has mentioned this. “And she knows I have no interest in her like that either.”
“She’s getting married soon, Gigi,” Elisa says. “If she wanted Cristian, she’d have made a play for him already.”
Four pairs of eyes land on my face. “Fuck off,” I say, but there’s no heat behind the words. “I told you she hasn’t made a move on me, and it wasn’t a lie. No offense, Gia, but you’re wrong on this occasion.”
“I’m happy to be in this instance, but seriously, Cristian, if anything should develop between you and Sloane, it wouldn’t be a bad thing as long as it doesn’t interfere with her care of Elio. Don’t close yourself off to it. Sometimes love finds us when we’re least expecting it.”
“She’s Elio’s nanny. I wouldn’t risk messing that up, which is why she will remain firmly an employee and nothing else.”
* * *
“This is your room,” I say, depositing Sloane’s suitcase on the hardwood floor in the large guest bedroom. My new nanny didn’t bring much stuff, which I hope isn’t a sign she doesn’t see this as a long-term move. I made it very clear I wanted someone who would be with Elio for the long haul. While I can’t stop Sloane, or anyone, from resigning and leaving, I hope I conveyed how much of a disappointment that’d be. I don’t want Elio having a succession of nannies. He needs security and permanency, not a revolving door of different women taking care of him. “You have a walk-in closet and an en suite bathroom,” I explain, gesturing around the room.
“It’s a beautiful room, thank you.”
Her soft, dulcet tone stirs longing inside me, but I stamp it down, reminding myself of the pep talk I gave myself this morning.
Sloane is Elio’s nanny. Period.
“I’ll let you get settled. Dinner will be at six.”
“Sounds great. Thanks, sir.”
My dick jerks, loving that more than it should. “It’s Cristian, Sloane. Please just call me Cristian.”
“Okay, Cristian.” Her lips twitch.
My dick jerks again—fuck my life. How can every word out of her mouth sound so seductive?
“I’ll see you at six.” I back out of the room and close the door, leaning against the wall for a second to catch my breath.
“Cristian?” Isa stares suspiciously at me from the end of the hallway.
“Yes.” I pull myself together and walk toward her.
“Is everything all right?”
“Yes. Why wouldn’t it be?”
She crosses her arms. “It’s okay to admit you made a mistake. I can talk to Carmine and?—”
“Stop.” I rub my aching temples. “I’m sick of having this argument with you. The decision has been made. Sloane is here, and you will make her welcome for Elio’s sake.”
Her lips pull into a thin line. “I see the way you look at her, you know.”
