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“Vroom. Vroom.” Looking down, I watched in horror as my baby girl rammed one of her toy Hess semi-trucks into one of CJ’s brown loafers.
“I’m so?—”
I cut off as he dropped down onto his haunches. “Hello, little lady. Are you playing with trucks?”
She batted her long black eyelashes at him. “Yes.” She backed up the toy, then rammed into him again. “Vroom.”
“Lexi,” I said sternly, needing her attention. I had no idea why he was here, but it wasn’t appropriate for him to be playing with my child, so I needed to get her inside quickly.
She tilted her head up and smiled at me. “Hi, Daddy. We’s paying trucks.”
“I see that, but we don’t talk to strangers, remember,” I said, trying to keep the hysteria I was beginning to feel out of my voice while I bent to pick her up.
CJ’s hand shot out to Lexi. “Your daddy’s right.” He shot me a quick, heated look I had to be misinterpreting. “Let me introduce myself. I’m Chris. Christoper James Armstrong, but everyone calls me CJ. What’s your name?”
This was the guy who was interviewing to be my daughter’s manny? But he owned that huge Victorian farmhouse. Why would part of his salary package be room and board? I didn’t understand what was happening here at all.
Lexi eyed CJ’s offered hand curiously, then turned to me. “I tell him my name’s Lexi, Daddy, or he still a stranger? He told me his name, dough.”
CJ looked up at me from his crouched position. “Yeah, I’m not a stranger, right?” he asked with a sparkle in his eyes. My body heated, reminding me of how intimately acquainted I’d gotten with his body only a little over a week ago.
Feeling flustered, I flapped my hands toward them. “Yes, that’s fine.”
She beamed at me, then stated proudly, “I Lexi Christine Wadswort.” The poor thing still hadn’t quite mastered pronouncing our last name properly. Probably thinking it was as adorable as I did, a small grin appeared on CJ’s face.
Since she wasn’t acquainted with the whole shaking thing, she ignored his outstretched hand, but he picked one of hers up and shook it anyway. “Nice to meet you, Miss Wadswort.”
She giggled. “You silly. It’s Wadswort,” she said again, repeating exactly what he’d said. She really didn’t hear that she said it wrong. “And peoples call me Lexi.”
He tilted his head like he was considering her words. “Oh. People call you Lexi, and they call me CJ. That’s cool.”
She shrugged. “Sure. Do you want ta pay trucks with me, CJ? I has a bunch.”
“I’d love to.” He pointed at me. “If your father says it’s alright.”
She stood and spun so fast that she almost fell backward, but CJ had a hand behind her back, supporting her before she lost her balance. “Can he stay and pay, Daddy?” She clasped her hands together in front of her like she was praying. That gesture was courtesy of Melanie, George and Margie’s youngest. She adored playing with my Lexi, and my daughter idolized the thirteen-year-old girl. Each time we spent time over there, Lexi came home with a new trait that mimicked Mel and made the rest of us laugh.
“He, uh…” I blew out a breath. “Mr. Armstrong and I need to talk first, Lex-Lex.”
Her bottom lip pouted out. Then she started jumping next to my legs. This was her I have an idea move. “You talk in my payroom. Then C…wha’s you name again?”
“CJ,” he said, standing up to his full height, towering over Lexi and making me want to move closer and tilt my head back for a kiss. Good grief. This was a disaster.
“CJ,” she parroted promptly. “We pay trucks, and you talk.”
Jesus. How did my life get so complicated? I’d wanted to see CJ again. I’d regretted leaving without his number before I’d even driven out of the driveway. But not like this, in my house in front of my child.
Desperately, I searched my mind for a reasonable explanation why that wouldn’t work. Mom and George had both warned me that someday I’d regret rarely telling her no. Unless it concerned her safety, I’d never really seen a reason to not go with the flow based on her needs. That left me in a unique situation now, though.
CJ wasn’t a threat, as far as I knew. If he was truly the man that the agency had recommended, then he was probably great with children. Lexi was intrigued with him enough that she wanted him to come in and play with her. Which led me full circle back to why we needed to talk and he needed to leave as soon as possible. The last thing I needed was the man whose cock I’d choked on before he masterfully put said appendage in my ass here in my house hanging out with my daughter. This was a nightmare.
“K. Tanks.” Lexi grabbed CJ’s hand. “Come to my payroom. It’s so fun in tere.”
“Wait, I didn’t say yes.”
Lexi rolled her eyes—another delightful benefit of spending time with Melanie. “You no say no. Come on.” She tugged CJ’s hands.
He didn’t move but studied my face for a moment before dropping onto his butt on my porch right in front of the door. Good God. We hadn’t even made it all the way into the house. This was mortifying.
