“Do you have anyreference?”
She grinned. “Actually, I have a glowing letter of recommendation right here.” She slipped the folder with the Titans star on the side out of the diaper bag. She hadn’t even thought about bringing it along today, a nanny interview being the last place she thought she’d end up. Thankfully, she’d stuffed it in the side pocket to carry out to her car. Now that she needed the thing and it just so happened to be there, she began to wonder if meeting Teo wasn’t more than a coincidence. She wasn’t quite ready to call it a miracle,but…
“Nice folder.” Teo tapped the star before opening the folder and perusing the letter. With each paragraph, his dimples slipped a little further away. By the time he was done, his face was pale. “You’re right, you’reoverqualified.”
Cedar grew warm from the recognition of her accomplishments andskills.
He slapped the folder shut. “But I still want to hire you. Akoni deserves the best. My schedule is flexible for now, so we can work around wrapping up your degree and jobinterviews.”
Cedar opened her mouth to protest, but hesitated. There was this feeling—a sense that this decision was bigger than an easy paycheck and a quick solution to her immediate needs. Try as she might, the outcomes of either taking the job or turning it down weren’t within sight. A quick measure on a scale of pros and cons told her that taking the job was the smart thing to do. “You’ve got yourself a nanny, Mr. Parata.” She stuck out herhand.
The dimples came back—full force—and she had to remind herself how tobreathe.
“Call meTeo.”
Cedar laughed. She couldn’t help herself—he made her feel like the whole world was floating on bubbles. “Only if you call me Cedar.” Their palms came together, and a feeling of destiny swept through the room like a warm breeze. Destiny. Miracles. She was losing her mind over this guy. If she wasn’t careful, she’d do something stupid like lose her heart. That wasn’t going to happen. Teo was too good looking, too… charming. That was it. He was charming her. Much like Darrin had charmed so many people—herself included. She pulled her hand back and sat on it. Theirs would be a professional relationship with firm boundaries and no chance of a broken heart at the end. “When should Istart?”
“Tomorrow. I’ll text you my address. I used to work out in the mornings. Is seven tooearly?”
Cedar had visions of Teo on a bench press, his arms straining and bulging as he pumped a gazillion pounds up and down. “That’s fine.” She cleared the squeak out of her voice. “I’d better get going.” Because I’m going to start giggling like that grandma in the corner if I stay here anylonger.
Teo stood, getting taller and taller, like a redwood tree. “I’ll see—I mean,we’llsee youtomorrow.”
“Yep.” She took her purse and folder and kissed Akoni on the top of the head. Teo blocked her path. She tipped her chin up to meet his eyes and was sucked right into his gaze. A small sigh escaped her lips. Teo’s hand went to her shoulder and her breathing sped up. She slammed her lips shut, afraid she sounded like a pantinghyena.
“I’ll take that.” He slipped something off hershoulder.
Cedar blinked as she stared at the diaper bag. She must have grabbed it byaccident.
“And you can have this one.” He looped her purse strap inplace.
“Thanks.” She leaned closer to him, the warmth of his skin tugging at her resolve to remain professional. So what if she threw herself into his arms? He’d be okay with that, right? He brushed the pad of his thumb over her bottomlip.
The grandma giggled again—much louder than before. Cedar glanced over just in time to get a two-handed thumbs up and awink.
Heck.No.
She pulled away. “Animal cracker crumbs,” she mumbled and used the back of her hand to wipe at her mouth. Her lip still warm from where Teo had touched her. If the brush of his skin did that, what would a kiss belike?
“They’re messy little monkeys,” Teo busied himself stuffing napkins into the nearby trashcan.
“Thanks,” she managed before making her way out the door. She could feel Teo watching her, and the sensation wasn’t at allunpleasant.
Once out in the open, she took a deep breath of city air full of exhaust, moisture, heat-baked concrete, and a hint of coffee from the shop. Teo was overwhelming in so many ways. It wasn’t just his size; it was the way he commanded herattention.
The job would be a good thing, a way to make ends meet and start payments on her student loans while looking for something within her field. Akoni was a sweet baby. He would be easy to tend. Teo was a little unruly, distracting, and much to masculine for his own good. Hopefully she wouldn’t have to see himmuch.
He’d been right: she had thought he was annoying at first. The more time she spent with him, the less she felt that way. That’s why being the nanny was a good job. Nannies were only needed when the parent wasn’t around. Keeping her distance from the football star—and therefore allowing the attraction she felt for him to die out—was going to be as easy as making pinecone and peanut butter birdfeeders.
Chapter 10
Teo tookone look at the coffee shop’s menu and knew he’d have to go in search of something more substantial. He hadn’t eaten since the subs Elijah ordered in at one. His trainer would have a fit if he knew how far off his eating plan Teo had gone, but he needed some substance. Preferably in the form of meat, and lots ofit.
“Come on, Akoni. We’ve got to go too.” Teo did his best to leave the table semi-clean, tucked Akoni into his elbow, and headed to his car parked just down the block. Akoni didn’t argue about getting into his seat—a testament to how much fun he’d had that day. The more tired he was, the less fight hehad.
They were on their way to a health food store not far away when Teo’s phone rang. “Elijah, it’s been an hour, man. Gohome.”
Elijah laughed. “You sound like mywife.”
