“You look different today.”
“Oh?”
She blushed and tore her eyes from my bare chest.
“No fake glasses.”
“You’re smart, Sutton. You’ll be good for the kids.” I held out my hand to help her over a log and she took it without a second thought, beaming up at me as she did. “What made you show up here so early? Besides being a godawful morning person.”
She gently nudged me with her elbow.
“Iamsorry for showing up like this. I should’ve waited. It was a rough night for my dad, though. I left the club thinking I’d never meet any of you ever again and seeing Dad suffer mademe realize how selfish I was being. I just needed to get here and make it right as soon as I could. I’d do anything for my dad. Iwilldo anything for him.”
“Why’d you think you’d never see any of us again?” I hated that thought. My skin crawled and I wanted to tug at my hair at the very idea she could’ve walked away from us forever. That couldn’t happen. It wouldn’t happen. I wouldn’t let it.
“The club is…intense. I’m pretty sure the only reason my coworker told me about the job was as a joke. They all think I’m a prude. Maybe they’re right because last night was a lot for me to handle.” She wouldn’t look up at me and it made me feel a little insane. When I stopped her just to tip up her chin so she had to look at me. She blinked like an owl and blushed bright pink. “W-what?”
I forced myself to stop touching her and start walking again.
“So, you work with a lot of assholes?”
She fell into step with me and tried to hide a smile.
“I shouldn’t say that.”
“You didn’t. I did. You work with a lot of assholes. What’s the coworker’s name?”
“Why?”
Because I’d happily destroy them for her. “Why not?”
“You’re intense, aren’t you?” She went quiet for a few seconds and then cleared her throat. “Do you think he’ll hire me, Theo?”
“Yeah. On both accounts.”
“This is a lot for me. I’m nervous.” She lifted her skirt to step over a tall patch of grass and when she looked up at me the morning sun hit her just so that she really did look like an angel. Even down to a fucking halo of light behind her head. “You’re easy to talk to.”
I shook my head to clear the stunned stupor from just looking at her.
“You’re the first person to ever say that about me, Sutton. Now tell me why you’re nervous.”
CHAPTER 9
Sutton
Was he kidding? I was walking with a shirtless man who looked like he could play Superman at any moment. His muscles were covered in a sheen of sweat and they were practically sparkling in the morning sun. It was a miracle I hadn’t fallen flat on my face already because I could hardly keep my eyes off of him. There was also the fact I was meeting with Dominic to agree to be his nanny and whatever else he wanted. How could I not be nervous?
I took a deep breath and glanced up at Theo’s drool-worthy face. He wasn’t hiding that morning. There were no extras to disguise just how beautiful he was. Even though he was so handsome that I could’ve cried, I really did find him easy to talk to. He was intense, but when he looked at me with those piercing blue eyes, I got the sense he’d do anything and everything to keep me safe. He probably made everyone feel that way, but it still made me feel special.
“Tell me about the kids instead.”
His mouth tightened and I found myself staring at his chest as he pulled me to a stop and reached up to grip my ponytail. For a second I thought he was going to kiss me but he kept his gaze on my bow as he adjusted it again and kept his lips sealed tight. I wouldn’t tell him I found his need to fix my bow so charming that I could swoon.
“Tell me why you’re nervous.” His voice was harder and when he did look me in the eye, I could see a sternness in his gaze that left no room for argument. It seemed like he was just as bossy as Dominic.
My mouth was suddenly so dry. I licked my lips and stared at a dark freckle on his shoulder.
“I’m smart enough to know when I’m out of my depth and I am very much out of my depth here. It’s a…sex…club. I’m a kindergarten teacher, Theo.”
