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Willing her to say more, I search her cornflower blue eyes. I yearn to know all about her, but don’t want to interrogate her. She might think me rude and invasive.
She returns my gaze but falls silent.
She’s hot as hell without trying to be. I’m aroused by her proximity and reposition myself in my chair. The image of her stiff nips protruding through the wet fabric consumes my mind. It wasn’t a particularly revealing costume, but I couldn’t fail to notice her long shapely legs and tiny waist. And if that’s not enough to drive me wild, she has an air of vulnerability and innocence that makes me long to touch her.
Daisy has wandered further into the garden and is rocking gently on her swing.
My eyes seek Nathalie’s again, and I hope she doesn’t see how she’s affecting me. She’s like a magnet and I can’t stop looking at her. I get the sense she has no clue how attractive she is, and that she has thrown me completely off-guard.
We talk, and she tells me about her last nanny job in Paris and soon I forget all about the loose ends I was supposed to tie up from work. The golden sun hangs low in the pink sky, and when the conversation reaches a natural pause, I rise and call Daisy. ‘It’s time to get ready for bed, sweetie.’
‘Please, Daddy, may I stay up late for dinner with you and Nathalie?’
I roll my eyes in mock despair, and Nathalie smiles indulgently.
‘I gave Daisy an early dinner in accordance with the instructions your assistant left.’
‘Thank you. This little girl always likes to try and stay up late for a second dinner,’ I say, tickling Daisy, who giggles hysterically and gasps as she begs me to stop. ‘I’m afraid it’s time for bed,’ I say, falling far short of being stern, but doing my best to set a good example for Nathalie. I don’t want her to think I’m a complete pushover, although I’m not far off it where Daisy’s concerned. ‘You’ve got school tomorrow. Let’s take you up.’
Daisy moans and groans. Nathalie rises as if to accompany her, but I signal for her to stay seated. I like to put Daisy to bed when I’m home. ‘It’s your first day. Help yourself to a drink and enjoy this lovely evening.’
Once Daisy is tucked up in bed after story time, I come back down and see dinner is about to be served. It’s usually just me if Daisy hasn’t managed to wrangle me into allowing her to stay up for a late supper, but I invite Nathalie to join me.
It’s the least I can do to make her feel at home on her first day…
That’s what I tell myself, anyway.
I’m pouring a glass of wine and looking forward to resuming our conversation when I glimpse her in the hallway, slipping a blue denim jacket over her dress.
‘I thought you might want to join me for dinner,’ I call out.
She pokes her head into the room and says, ‘How kind of you, Mr Rochester. I would love to another time, but I’ve already arranged to meet a friend this evening. I hope it’s okay. I checked with your assistant, and she said it shouldn’t be a problem.’
A wave of disappointment slithers through me as I say that, of course, it’s fine, and she slips out the door. A car engine roars to life and the wheels crunch on the driveway.
I settle down for a solo dinner. I rarely mind eating alone, and even relish the solitude after a busy day at the hotel, but today I’m curiously bereft, and my chest feels hollow after the door closes behind her.
What the hell is going on with me? I don’t think I’ve ever been so instantly affected by any woman in this way. And certainly not a member of staff.
After the heartache of my marriage fiasco, followed by the divorce, I’ve played it ultra-safe and thought I was immune to this kind of all-consuming attraction.
Throughout the meal, I wonder who she’s having dinner with. Is she on a date? She said she only just arrived in London. Against my better judgement, I find myself longing with every fibre of my being that she’s single.
This is the last thing I expected when I hired a new nanny, and I chastise myself for allowing my romantic nature to tempt me into such dangerous waters. My heart beats erratically as I think about Nathalie with an h sleeping in my house for an entire year.
One thing is certain. This is going to be tricky…
CHAPTER3
Nathalie
I didn’t expect my new boss to be so impossibly handsome. In truth, I didn’t pay that much attention to the details about him when I took the job. I knew he was divorced and is a member of the wealthy Rochester family. There’s a Rochester hotel in Paris, so I’m familiar with the name.
When considering the position, I paid more attention to what I saw as the most important criteria. Daisy sounded like a sweetheart and at five years old, she is an age I adore. Their house is in Richmond upon Thames, which is a town I discovered in my research. It was described as an affluent area in South West London and one of the top places to live, offering the best of town and country. And the nanny gets a self-contained suite at the top of the house, which sounded perfect.
Nice homes come with the job, so I’ve grown accustomed to a higher standard of living than I had growing up in a poky two-bedroom apartment in the suburbs of Paris. Having some privacy is important to me. So far, the new job ticked all the boxes.
Then, I was approved for a volunteering role at an underprivileged children’s centre just a few miles away, and it all fell into place, so when Mr Rochester’s assistant offered me the position, I snapped it up without another thought.
