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TEN
THEO
I don’t know what the hell I’m doing, and I don’t care.
Maybe it’s because Hadley seems safe. Her story checked out, background check cleared, and in September, she’s going back to Georgia to work for her brother. I can risk these next few months with her because her time has an expiration date.
The tremble of Hadley’s lip tells me she might be nervous, and though I won’t admit this to her, I am terrified of taking the next step. Do I want to bury my face between her thighs and gorge myself on her sweetness? There’s no question. But there hasn’t been another woman in my bed since Serena. Trust is hard to come by these days.
I also have to consider my children. It’s clear they’re attached to her and moving our relationship from professional to personal could hurt them.
Still . . .
The scent of her arousal makes my mouth water.
“What do you think, Hadley?” I place a soft kiss on her inner thigh.
“I think . . .” The breathy sound of her voice makes my cock harden because it’s another sign she’s turned on. Maybe she’s imagining the same filthy things I am.
“Daddy.”
Nothing makes me move faster than the sound of Piper’s voice. I pop to my feet and look toward the bedroom door, grateful she isn’t standing there, watching me seduce her nanny.
“Coming, peanut,” I call out before glancing down at Hadley, who’s tugging her dress back down to cover those tempting, creamy thighs. “This isn’t over,” I murmur before leaving to check on Piper.
“Is Hadley back,” she asks when she sees me. I’m relieved to see she’s still in bed.
“Shh.” I place a finger over my lips. “Don’t wake your brother.”
She turns toward Colton and then back to me. “Is Hadley back?”
“Yes. She got back a few minutes ago.”
She lifts her arms and wiggles her fingers. “I want to see her.”
“You’ll see her in the morning.” My tone is gentle but firm because when given an inch, Piper will take a mile.
“Now,” she demands.
“It’s all right.” Hadley’s voice is soft and soothing. I glance over my shoulder and watch her walk into the bedroom, still wearing the black sundress I want to strip from her body. She surprises me by trailing her hand across my back. The room is dark, with only the light from the living room spilling into it, and I’m certain Piper doesn’t see. “I’m here. What’s wrong?”
“I was worried you wouldn’t come back, like Mommy.”
Hadley and I look at each other. Serena is not a topic I discuss often with anyone, and when Hadley asked about her, I shut down. Sadly, the kids seem to have taken their cues from me and don’t talk or ask about their mom. It’s not intentional; it’s a difficult situation and I don’t know how to explain the real reason Serena left to my kids.
“I’ll never leave without saying goodbye,” Hadley reassures Piper. “I can’t stay forever, but when it’s time for me to leave, I promise to say goodbye.”
Tears stream down Piper’s cheeks. “Why can’t you stay?”
“My home is in Georgia. All my family lives there, and I have to help my big brother run his company.”
“But I don’t want you to go.”
I slip a hand around Hadley’s waist, squeezing it to offer her some sign of support. “Let’s not think about that right now,” I chime in. “Let’s focus on how much time we have with Hadley. Summer just started.”
It takes a few more minutes to placate Piper, but eventually, she snuggles under the blanket, closes her eyes, and drifts back to sleep. Out in the living room, Hadley returns to her corner of the couch and exhales.
“This is going to get harder,” she says. “If we get involved, then leaving will only make things harder.”
