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“Sounds great.” I watched as Nathan headed towards the stairs, hating that he was so desirable. I grabbed my water and headed into my rooms, turning on the monitor as I got some stuff put away. I looked out of the open windows at the ocean several times and laughed when my sister responded to my text.
E: I am so jealous! That’s your backyard?
R: It is. I just took my first walk.
E: Alone or with the hot dad?
R: Em, drop that! He’s my boss
E: Your single, gorgeous boss.
R: You’re awful but I love you. I’ll see you soon.
I heard Ella over the monitor and I hurried through my house with my water, unlocking the gate at the top of the stairs. That was always up for her safety. I walked into her room with a bright smile and looked into her sleepy face. “Hi, sweetie. Did you have a good nap?”
Ella grumbled at me, which was normal after a nap. I knew that she’d likely want a snack and something to drink with time to adjust to being awake. I smiled as I imagined Nathan listening to me and knelt by her bed.
“Do you want to go downstairs and watch something with me? I’ll get a banana and some juice, and we can play in a while,” I suggested as her eyes lit up. I shoved the water bottle in my pocket as best as I could and reached my arms out. “Do you need to go potty?” I knew that she wore pull ups when she slept but was working on getting fully trained. She shook her head. “Let’s go then.” I picked her up and held her securely as she wrapped her tiny arms around my neck.
I made my way through the gate carefully and headed downstairs. I asked her if she wanted to wait for me on the couch and she nodded as I set her down gently. I walked into the kitchen and poured some juice into a sippy, adding some water into the cup to dilute it. I sliced up a banana and got it into a bowl before going back to join her. Ella was holding her doll as she watched Frozen and I smiled as I handed her the juice.
We ate the banana together before she wanted to play with her toys and I agreed. I looked to the top of the stairs to see Nathan watching us with a wistful smile on his face. I gazed at him for a second before turning to follow her, settling down to do a puzzle. Some people thought that toddlers were irritating, and they could be, but I looked at it as a new look at life. I tried to see things through their eyes and teach them as much as I could.
Nathan showed up just as we finished, and Ella gave him a beautiful smile. She ran over to him and hugged him as I cleaned up, trying not to stare. There was something sexy about a man with a kid, showing his soft side. I imagined that he got hit on all the time when he was with Ella. I pushed that thought away, not wanting to think about him dating anyone. He wasn’t mine, but I couldn’t think about it.
Ella chattered about the puzzle and other things as I picked up in the kitchen, aware that I could get used to this. It was a nice feeling to think about a husband and a kid or two down the line. I always thought that, but I didn’t search it out, working on myself as Mom always taught me to be. I needed a future for myself instead of just latching on to a man. This was perfect because I got to stay in an incredible house and watch a sweet little girl, but I had my own time after work. I opened the fridge and searched the contents for a few minutes before leaning back.
“Do you like soup?”
“Yeah. It’s great,” he replied as I smiled, starting the process of getting the vegetables out chopping them up. I warmed some organic beef broth in a pot as I rinsed and chopped almost everything that I found in the fridge. I added it to the pot as I moved along, lowering it to a simmer after seasoning it. My plan was to cook it all afternoon and use a potato masher on some vegetables to make it easier for Ella to eat. I’d heat up some bread to go with it and freeze the rest for small servings since it was perfect for lunch later.
I learned so much from Mama. I dropped the paper towel that I wiped the counter with into the trash and looked around with a smile. It was a pleasure to take care of a house this nice. I glanced over to see Nathan and Ella in the living room having a tea party as I chuckled. He looked ridiculous sitting on the floor with such tiny little cups and plates, but he was smiling and laughing with her. Nathan was just the kind of father that I would want for my own kids and I leaned against the wall, looking on. I ran down the things that I should do with my free time as I checked off what he had other people for. I didn’t need to do anything other than pick up a bit and cook some food. “Take the down time,” I told myself in the room as I turned to give them some space. I went back to my room and set up a writing corner on a recliner that faced the window, placing a small table beside it as well as my Kindle. I typically read that in bed, but this was a perfect setting for it.
I added a diffuser to each room and opened the windows wider. The breeze was wonderful, and I looked around with a content smile for a moment. I heard a small voice from my door and turned to see Ella walking in, looking around for me.
“Hey, cutie. What can I do for you?” I walked over as she held her arms up, picking her up and hugging her. Someone filled the doorway, and I glanced up to see her sexy dad as he smiled at us.
“She wanted you to come and have cookies with us. I think that she’ll want to spend a lot of time in here, just to give you a warning. I know how easily she ends up sleeping in my bed some nights. She’ll surely try the same to you.” Nathan smiled, and I blushed pink.
“That’s okay with me. I won’t make it a habit or anything but maybe on a weekend. You probably don’t want a co-sleeping daughter in your future.” I headed to the door, getting closer as something crossed his face.
“She already will be. I slept with her when her mom was sick just to feel like I wasn’t alone, and even after Brenda was gone. I needed to know that I had a reason to keep fighting and waking up with Ella did that for me.” Nathan shrugged and looked at me. “I guess I did what I had to. I paused right in front of him as he took in my face, pausing on my lips. I felt something wash over me as I drew my tongue over the lower lip nervously, watching as he sucked in his breath. Nathan stumbled aside and allowed us to pass, telling me that we could only fight this for so long. I took Ella into the kitchen and settled her at the table before get
ting some milk and a plate of cookies for all of us to share. I loved the chocolate chip kind and ate more than I should most of the time. I was surprised to see the same brand in his pantry when I was planning dinner.
“Want some milk?” I asked Nathan as I poured myself a glass. He grinned and told me yes as I poured another and capped the container before returning it to the fridge. I brought the cups to the table and took in the amused smile on his face. “What is it?” I set his glass in front of him as he shook his head.
“I feel like I can admit things like enjoying milk and cookies to you. That’s not always the case. You’re a breath of fresh air, Riley.” I blushed and smiled. “I thought that it would be like that when we had Ella. I thought it came with the package but that wasn’t the case at all. It is in the people before the baby.” He looked at me thoughtfully for a moment.
“I have nieces. I can’t help but to be this way,” I reminded him as Nathan smiled.
“You were like this before that. I can tell.” He reached for one of the cookies and placed it in front of Ella before taking one for himself.
“Maybe.” I took my own and dipped it into my glass before taking a bite. It was so good, and I moaned as the chocolate filled my mouth.
Nathan made a sound across the table, pausing as he started to dip his. He gave me a heated look, and I played back the last minute or so before blushing. I might have sounded a little erotic with that moan and I chewed quietly. Looking down at Ella, I was relieved that she was young. She might notice some of this otherwise. It would be gone by the time she was older, assuming I kept the job at all. We finished our cookies in silence, listening to her sing and chatter in between bites. I wasn’t sure what was happening here, but it was powerful. It might consume me.
I cleaned up the table as Nathan took her to the bathroom in the hallway by the kitchen. Rinsing the glasses and plates, I decided to add them to the dishwasher and run it when it was finally full. It would be hard to keep up on hand washing when I was trying to keep an eye on Ella. I heard them down the hall in her play room as I finished and closed my eyes as I leaned against the counter for a private moment. I needed to calm this down and soon.
