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Heart in my throat, I punch the doorbell as my pulse races. Oh my God, this is so crazy. I should turn tail and run before the handsome billionaire answers the door. But right when I’m rising on my toes to make a dash for it, the heavy wooden slab opens and suddenly, the man I’ve been fantasizing about materializes in front of me.
“Hey Paisley,” he growls in a low voice that makes me vibrate all the way down to my secret spot. “Come on in.”
I can’t help but stare at him for a second before jolting into action. After all, Brad Landry’s a handsome man and it seems that every time I see him, he only gets more and more appealing. Today, he’s casually dressed in a white button down that highlights those broad shoulders. His bronzed throat is visible above the collar, and he’s paired the shirt with a pair of blue jeans that emphasize the long length of his legs. But when my eyes skim over his groin, that’s when my cheeks go hot all over again because his bulge is large andveryapparent. Oh my God, what am I doing? How can I be having these thoughts? Yet, it’s partly his fault that this is so awkward, so I paste a big smile on my face as I step into the foyer.
“Hey Mr. Landry,” I say in a cheery voice. “It’s nice to see you again. I’m happy to see Tatum so soon too.”
At that, the little girl races out in her pink pajamas to throw her arms around me.
“Hi Paisley,” she lisps. “Daddy says I have to go to bed early,” she says, shooting him a cute little glare. “He says because I went swimming this afternoon, I’m extra-tired so I have to go to sleep. But I’m not tired!” she wails. “I want to play with you.”
The news of Tatum’s early turn-in time gets my heart racing, but I nod seriously.
“If your dad says you should be getting to bed, then I think I agree. You know your dad wants what’s best for his sleepy little girl.”
Tatum throws her arms around my legs.
“But I’m not tired. I want toplay!” she wails again.
“Tatum,” Brad growls, glowering at his daughter. “We talked about this already. Paisley and I need to have grown-up time tonight, and besides, you got two scoops of ice cream for dessert. We made a deal, remember? That means it’s time for beddy-bye.”
I take the small girl’s hand before giving it a small squeeze.
“How about I take you upstairs, and we brush your teeth together? Then, we’ll read a story and see if you’re tired. If you’re not, you can come down again,” I say before shooting Brad a wink. He nods discreetly as his daughter bounces up and down on her toes, clapping her hands.
“Okay, because I won’t be tired!” she announces gleefully. “I’m full of energy and I want to read that princess book!”
“Which princess book?” I add in a droll tone while leading her up the stairs. “The one with Moana, Ariel, Elsa, Anna, or Belle?”
“All of them!” Tatum squeals. “No, Moana! No, Mulan!”
With that, we make our way to Tatum’s bathroom, where I brush her teeth, help her scrub her face, and then we’re off to her pink-and-lilac bedroom for a bedtime story. Of course, as soon as I hit page five ofMoana Meets the Jaguar, Tatum’s already out like a light. The little angel’s snuggled up against me, snoring softly, and I smile.
“Goodnight, sweetheart,” I whisper before pressing a kiss to her curls. Gingerly, I close the book and shift her head so that it rests comfortably on her satin pillowcase. Then I get up from the mattress, trying not to disturb my small charge, and tiptoe to the door before shutting the light and pulling the door closed behind me.
For a moment, I just stand there, breathing deep. Goodness, it’s always so sweet to tuck-in Tatum because I’m fond of the little girl. She’s a darling, and I hope that one day, I’ll have a daughter like her with a voice made of honey and the biggest blue eyes. Of course, her father’s impossible, but that’s part of the charm, right?
But I can’t put things off forever. Right now, at this very moment, I need to deal with the big bad wolf that’s Tatum’s dad and taking another deep breath, I straighten my shoulders before making my way downstairs. The light in the kitchen greets me and even though my heart’s racing like a fire engine, I paste a smile on my face and enter with a bounce to my step.
“Hey Mr. Landry,” is my bubbly greeting. “Tatum’s tucked in snug as a bug and already asleep. She’s just the sweetest thing.”
The handsome man looks up from his phone and nods before tucking it in his pocket.
“Good, good,” he says in a low tone. “I know my daughter can be a handful around bedtime sometimes. But thanks for coming over on such short notice, Paisley. Oh, and where are my manners?” he asks. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“No, I’m okay,” I say before scooting onto one of the barstools at the kitchen island. “But you go ahead.”
He nods and helps himself to some wine, the burgundy liquid pouring into a crystal goblet.
“So … are you going out tonight?” I ask as he sips at his glass. “No pressure of course,” I say in a rushed tone, my cheeks flaring pink. “I didn’t mean to pry. I just thought since you asked for a babysitter …”
Mr. Landry is still for a moment, his dark head bent as he savors his wine. But then he looks up, and those blue eyes flash.
“So yeah, I don’t exactly need babysitting tonight, as you’ve probably intuited,” Brad begins in a low tone. “But we do need to talk because I’m sorry for what happened last time you were here. It never should have happened.”
All oxygen leaves the room as I begin babbling aimlessly.
“Oh that!” I say in an airy voice while flapping my hand at him. “No, it’s fine, Mr. Landry. I shouldn’t have been in your bedroom—”
