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She exhaled heavily, dragged her fingers through her hair. “I’m leaving.”
“All the more reason to enjoy each other.”
“I’m your daughter’s nanny.”
“So? You’re good at what you do, and I want to reward you.”
“I’m your employee, technically.”
“We are two people who work well together,” I said. “Both professionally and personally. You had a good time when we were together before. Didn’t you feel good?”
I could watch her blush all night. “It has been…really nice.”
I leaned closer so that my lips brushed her ear. “You can do better than ‘nice.’ Pretty sure you could call it fucking great.”
“What do you want me to say?” she hissed at me, taking a step back. “That those two encounters were the hottest sex of my life? Because they were. That I haven’t stopped thinking about them since they happened? Because I haven’t. I want you, and I won’t deny it, but I can’t go back to New York knowing what I’ve left here. I wouldn’t survive it.”
I laughed, and it was a mistake, especially with the way she recoiled. “Heather, no. I’m not laughing at you. I’m laughing because you would turn your back on something this amazing, even if it’s just for a few days more. Why would you deny yourself that?”
“Because I know what it is to lose something I love,” she said. “And I can’t do it again, Graham. Even with you. Especially with you.”
She left, and I didn’t even try to stop her.
14
Graham
“Where’s my birthday date?” Lauren called through the house as I tied the bow on Collins’ dress. “Where’s Aunt Lauren’s little girl?”
“I’m coming!” Collins hollered, pulling away from me so sharply that it undid the bow.
“Baby, give me a second,” I wheedled, drawing her back to me and retying the bow. “There. Now you can go.”
Collins giggled as she dashed off to meet my sister, who had made good on her offer to take my daughter for a night. I hadn’t told Collins about it until Lauren had confirmed. I knew my sister was busy with everything in her life, and there was no use getting Collins excited about something that would ultimately disappoint her—like her aunt not showing up on the day she said she would.
“Oh, you look so beautiful,” Lauren was gushing when I finally made it downstairs. “Look at this! I should’ve worn a nicer dress, huh?”
“You look like a princess,” Collins said solemnly, taking in my sister’s shimmering floor-length maxi dress and sandals. “Or a warrior.”
“Well, if that’s not a glowing review for this outfit, I don’t know what is,” Lauren said, laughing as she saw me come in. “Tell your dad what we’re going to do tonight, Collie.”
“Mani-pedi!” my daughter roared at me. “Cake! Snacks! Popcorn! Movies! Gossip!”
“Sounds like a regular sleepover to me,” I said, unable to hide my grin at how excited my daughter was. Everyone who was around her doted on her. Would she be this thrilled to be around kids her own age? Or would she be disappointed?
Maybe Heather was making sense on that point. We couldn’t treat her to these kinds of experiences for the rest of her life. She needed friends and normal interactions with other kids.
“It’s a princess sleepover,” Collins informed me flatly. “Not a regular one.”
“Oh, sorry,” I said. “Did Princess Lauren know glitter is a requirement at princess sleepovers?”
Lauren’s smile vanished. “No.”
“Wait here!” my daughter bellowed as she dashed away.
“What did you do?” my sister demanded.
I grinned. “Made tonight a little more interesting.”
