by Maia Star
Naomi had all the qualities I was looking for in a nanny. Good with kids, lots of experience, and the ability to charm her clients. If she could charm me, she’d definitely get to Fallon. Of course, there was a difference between just hearing that she was good and seeing her in action. I hoped dearly bringing Naomi home wouldn’t backfire on me.
Audrey stood suddenly. “Oh, darn! I forgot the paperwork in my office. Give me a second while I run to get it.”
Audrey was jogging out of the room, the door closing behind her.
It was quiet until we turned to each other. We both turned at the same time, meeting each other’s gazes. There was curiosity in her hazel gaze, the same curiosity that hovered in mine. I wanted to know.
“So, you...broke up with your wife?” Naomi asked.
Flashes of Sandra came and went in my mind, making me bristle and chew my lip. “A little straight-forward, huh?”
She blushed, embarrassed, and scrambled to correct herself. “No, sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you. I just...I want to know the situation I’m walking into, especially if I’m going to help Fallon.”
She made sense, and I respected her for her motivation, yet that didn’t shake the bitter tone that erupted out of me. “Yeah, well, Sandra, my now ex-wife, cheated on me. Found her in my bed with a...friend of mine. She purposely showed me she’d been screwing around. And she tried to take Fallon away from me. So, yeah, we broke up. Happy to know that?”
Naomi’s shoulders slouched, and her chin dropped as if she were sucker-punched. Growling low to myself, I shook my head. “Sorry, but Sandra really gets under my skin. She...ah, no, you don’t need to know anymore.”
Naomi stared me down, a perplexed expression written all over her pretty features. It was as if she were picturing the moment I’d told her about. The moment I caught my mate cheating on me.
I couldn’t look at Naomi anymore. All I could think about was Sandra, so my eyes drifted to the window, desperately wishing I could just shatter the glass and jump out and use the adrenaline to make me focus on anything else.
Audrey returned before Naomi could speak again and tossed a clipboard full of paper and a pen to each of us, motioning at us to get going. “Alright, go ahead and look through the papers and sign wherever it asks you to sign. Do take your time to make sure everything is in order. I wouldn’t want to redo this whole process because one of you wasn’t careful enough.”
Silently, Naomi and I went about flipping through the crumpled sheets and signing every document that we could. My anger ended up getting the better of me, and I squeezed the pen so hard, I broke it. When I held it up to Audrey, she glared at me and ran to fetch another one while Naomi stifled a laugh.
“What’s so funny? Never seen a man strong enough to snap a pen in half?”
“No, it’s just you snapped that pen at the perfect time. It was so quiet!”
Her laugh was amazingly sexy, and I found my anger dissipating just hearing it.
When Audrey came back, she had two pens, one as insurance.
Ten minutes later, we completed the paperwork and we both sat back and sighed as we handed the clipboards to Audrey. She was like a teacher, collecting her student’s in-class quizzes. “Well done, you two. Now is the moment of truth. Well, not really, but you get the point. Alec, do you want to officially hire Naomi as your new nanny?”
I met Naomi’s innocent gaze and smiled. “Of course. Welcome to the family, Naomi.” I reached forward with my hand, and it took her a few moments to realize I was asking to shake on it. Her grip was strong, confident. I liked that.
“When do you want me to start?” Naomi asked.
“Today,” I said. “As soon as I drive you back home. Unless you drove here yourself. In that case, I’ll just give you directions.”
“No, no! I was dropped off. Drive me, please, but I do need to pick up my things from the motel I’m staying at.”
Nodding, I rose from my chair and spoke to Audrey. “I’m guessing that’s it, right? There’s nothing else here to discuss?”
Our agent shook her head. “No. Unless, of course, you two have questions for me. You may stay in this room and discuss the details of the job yourselves if you’d like. We don’t have another meeting scheduled for at least another thirty minutes in here.”
“No, we’re good to leave, right, Naomi?” Just saying her name was like a drug, calming me down.
She nodded. “I don’t have anything else to ask. So, yeah, we’re good to go!”
Without saying another word, I stuffed my hands in my pockets, ready to get out of that stuffy room, and walked out into the hallway, Naomi following close behind.
Chapter Eleven
Naomi
Alec was a fast walker, which was fine because I could keep up, though barely. He was out of the Fiery Hearts building before I knew what was happening. He even noticed how much slower my pace was, but he didn’t seem to let up any for me. It agitated me a bit. Why did he have to walk so damn fast?
I managed to catch up to his long strides and briskly walk next to him as we sauntered down the sidewalk. The sun was high up above us, beating down on the world below, not giving a care in the world that I was practically exercising just trying to keep pace. Sweat bubbled at my hairline, though I was given a respite when Alec stopped and opened the doors to a plum-colored Dodge Charger. He beckoned me to get in on the passenger’s side, so I did, catching my breath.
When I shut the door and eased into the seat, I sighed, relieved to finally just be resting. “Do you always walk that fast?”
Alec paused. “That’s how fast I normally walk.”
“That’s normal for you?” I shook my head. Did regular human beings walk at that pace all around me, every day, and I just didn’t notice? “Geez, Alec, it’s almost like you’re a shifter or something.”
He stiffened at the comment but otherwise ignored me as the engine roared to life. He pulled out onto the street and took off. “You’re already acting pretty friendly with your new boss.”
“Is there something wrong with that?” I said, eyeing him. “Can you roll down the windows too? It’s hot in here.”
Reluctantly, he did roll down the windows, allowing fresh air to pummel the side of my face as I leaned out to look at the city rushing by. It was still taking a bit of time to truly get used to the fact I was here in San Francisco. Every time I looked out, I felt like I did the day I arrived: free and ready to tackle all the challenges of my new life.
I glanced back at Alec. He was watching me, but the expression on his face wasn’t too friendly. Scowling, his brows creased together, and his lips seemed perpetually curled down, he glanced back to the road as we pulled up to a red light.
“So, what’s San Francisco like?” I asked, suddenly getting the urge to want to know him more. I mean, he was going to be my boss, and I was going to live with him. The more I knew about him, the better in my book.
“Shouldn’t you already know about the city you live in?” he retorted.
“You know, you hired me to be your son’s nanny, but it sure as hell doesn’t feel like you actually want me to be in the house with you. If you have something to say to me, stop being rude and just tell me.”
Alec shook his head. “That’s not...what I meant to get across. I can’t quite help it. Sandra is still fresh in my mind…”
Guilt shot through me, leaving behind hot embarrassment. “Sorry...though that doesn’t excuse the rudeness.”
Alec chuckled softly, tapping his fingers along the wheel. “We’re almost home. When we get there, I’ll answer as many questions as you want.” The light turned green, and we were off again. Alec drove us up and down streets I didn’t quite recognize.
“Oh! I just realized we still need to go pick up my stuff from the motel…”
Alec waved it off as we pulled onto a street lined with tall houses. He pulled over to the sidewalk and parked, him promptly climbing out and me ready to keep up. “We’ll grab your stuff later
. I want to show you around the house first.”
My boss's house was a cream-colored structure that had a curved roof that came down on the right. Windows of all shapes and sizes faced the street, though I didn’t really see a front door. Then I watched as Alec walked down a narrow walkway on the left side, turning to look back at me. “Are you coming?” I realized it was the walkway to the front door. There was no garage.
I hurried after him. “How long have you lived here.”
“Fallon and I just moved in not too long ago.” He unlocked the front door and shoved it open, stepping inside. I followed suit, instantly being blasted with enough cold air to make me shiver. “Our last house was, uh, destroyed by a fire, so we moved. Perfect timing, too, since Sandra cheated on me…” Alec seemed to slow in his tracks as he stomped into the kitchen, but then he snapped himself out of it and waved his hand around. “This is the kitchen. Obviously, we just came from the foyer. It’s big enough for two of us to work in here at the same time. Though you’ll do most of the cooking now, mainly for Fallon.”
I ran my eyes over the modern amenities, like the new fridge and microwave that’d barely been used. Before I could inspect the dishwasher and open any drawers, Alec was already on the move. I swore silently at him to slow down.
“Here’s the living room. It’s where I’ll usually be when I want to relax after...work.”
As my eyes glazed over the cream couches, tables, and the TV stand, my mouth moved on its own. “What do you do for work?”
Alec stared at me but otherwise didn’t say anything. So much for not being rude.
Alec hurried up the stairs, not even going into and out of each room we passed. “On the second floor, we have a game room for Fallon. He’ll probably be in there playing around after he’s finished with his homework, or if it’s on the weekends. Over here’s the laundry room. It’s a bit small, but you can deal with it. There’s a bedroom here. It’ll be yours.” He climbed the next flight of stairs to the third floor. “And up here is my room and Fallon’s, across from mine.”
He turned to eye me as I climbed the final step. “I know you already know the roles you’ll be performing, but I’ll go over them briefly again. You’re going to cook for Fallon, help him with his homework, do the laundry when it builds up, get groceries, drive him to and pick him up from school, and most of all, just give him some company.” He pushed past me. “Now, take your time getting to know the place. I gotta go.”
Barely giving me a chance to breathe, I swiveled around and peered at him over the banister. “Wait! Where are you going in such a hurry?”
Alec stopped and stared up at me. “To pick up Fallon early from school.”
And with that, he was down the stairs and out the front door, leaving me alone in his new house. I took a deep breath and decided to look around in the meantime.
Chapter Twelve
Alec
When I climbed into my car, knowing full well that Naomi was still inside my house, I didn’t know what to think. I somehow managed to survive not instantly pouncing on her. The desire to take her and sleep with her was something that my inner dragon was urging me to do. Just managing to keep cool around her was tough enough, so I was forced to hurry up the little house tour I meant to show her.
But, either way, I did need to pick up Fallon. I told him he’d be able to get out of classes early today, and I wasn’t about to back down on that promise. Hopping into my car, I pulled out onto the street and quickly drove away, wanting to force my inner dragon to calm down. There were more important things to deal with right now than my lust.
It didn’t take too long to reach Fallon’s school, and luckily, I didn’t see anyone standing around, just waiting for me to show up like that other woman did. I knew Levi would stop at nothing to mess with me, so I wouldn’t doubt that he might have someone waiting in the shadows, ready to come at me again.
Stepping out of my car, I locked it and strode up to the entrance, allowing myself inside. I walked over to the security desk. “Hi, I’m here to pick up my son, Fallon Harper. He’s supposed to get out early today.”
The security guard, a bulky middle-aged man with a beard down to his chest, eyed me. “You’re that kid’s father? Damn, okay.”
Blinking, I leaned forward. “What does that mean?”
“It means your son is currently in the dean’s office right now.” Groaning, the man stood up. “Come on, follow me.” A key ring jingled on his hip as he stepped outside of his office and waltzed around the corner. I frowned and followed him, concern spreading through my body like a wildfire.
When we reached the dean’s office, the security guard knocked twice, and then instantly opened the door. Inside sat the dean, a tall woman with her dark hair in a bob, behind her desk, silently scratching something with her pen onto the notepad in front of her. Swinging his legs back and forth, with his head hung low on the opposite side, was Fallon. Even from this angle, I could see the ice pack he was holding up to his temple.
“Fallon’s dad is here,” the security guard announced, and then immediately left. The dean looked up at me, a flicker of sorrow spreading across her face, though Fallon only leaned forward, intent on burrowing his head between his legs.
“Ah, Mr. Harper. I’m sorry about this, but Fallon here got into a fight with some of the other kids.”
“What?” I said, coming over to kneel in front of my son. He still wouldn’t look at me, so I growled and ripped the ice bag from his hands. Then he glared at me. A bruise that was purpling covered nearly his entire forehead. “Fallon, why would you get into a fight? You know other kids can’t handle your strength…”
The dean spoke for Fallon. “Well, it appears some of the boys in Fallon’s class found out about...you and your wife’s breakup. It’s been a rumor that’s been spreading around the classes, and the other kids have been picking on Fallon for a few days now because of it. Honestly, he actually did well not to lash out until now.”
I bared my teeth at her. “And what about the other kids? Were they sent to you too?”
The dean nodded. “Don’t worry, Mr. Harper. We’re all about teaching kids to respect their peers here, so the other kids received suspensions for two weeks. And we’ve given them packets to do in the meantime, so they aren’t just scot-free.”
I nodded, my anger subsiding a bit. “Fine. I’m guessing I’m free to take him now.”
“Yes. Fallon already knows what he needs to do to make up for punching his friends,” she said. “Try to have a nice day, gentleman.”
Dragging Fallon out into the hallway was difficult. He kept trying to pull away from me as if I was some monster that would eat him the second we stepped outside. I waved a thanks at the security guard, and then the second we were outside, I knelt and gripped his shoulders, forcing him to look at me. “Hey! Fallon, what have I told you about letting other kids get to you?”
He frowned and looked away. “Not to get punch-happy.”
“That’s right, and what happened this time?”
“I got punch-happy.”
“And why is getting punch-happy not allowed?”
“Because it hurts innocent people.” Then his face contorted. “But they said mean things to me! About Mom!”
At the mention of his mom, I unintentionally dug my fingers into his arms, making him flinch. I let him go as an apology. “Look, Fallon. Dad’s in a unique situation right now. Do you...remember the man mom was with the night she ran away?” Fallon nodded slowly. “That man is your dad’s rival, and that rival is trying to stir up trouble with me. Levi will do anything to mess with me, including manipulating the kids around you to bully you. Listen, you need to be strong until I can work things out, okay? I don’t know how much longer that will be, but it won’t be forever, got it?”
“Got it,” he said quietly.
“Can you show me a smile, kid?”
Fallon curled up his lips shyly, and then I ruffled his head of golden hair. “Great job! Look, I hav
e a surprise waiting at home. I hope you don’t mind, but I hired a nanny to look after you whenever I get called to help our clan.”
The smile Fallon wore disappeared.
Steering him towards the car, I helped him get inside and untangle the seatbelt he’d somehow instantly messed up. Once I got it, I tried to smile at him again, but he didn’t seem to want to smile back.
“Oh come on, you spoilsport. This new nanny...she’s nice. You’ll probably like her. You might even become friends! Just imagine, having a friend live with you at your house.”
“She’s going to live with us?” From his harsh tone, I didn’t think that was the right thing to tell him.
Swearing silently to myself, I shook my head. “Look, let’s just go home. Okay?”
Without waiting to hear his response, I took off.
Chapter Thirteen
Naomi
While Alec was gone, I did my best to settle into my new room. It was small but comfortable. My new bed was incredibly soft, and the tan blanket that was laid over it was even softer. When I jumped on top and sighed, relieved to finally just be there, I felt like I was floating on air.
To be honest, I didn’t know what I was supposed to do. Sure, I knew that once Alec arrived back home with his son in tow, I’d be starting with my nanny duties. But until then, I guessed there wasn’t anything really to do.
Sitting up, I stared into the hallway, my eyes roaming over the modern stairs. I had the urge to explore the house, or at least one room specifically.
Hopping back onto my feet, I casually stepped out of my room and climbed the stairs. Since my room was on the second floor, I had easy access to all floors of the house, and of course, that made climbing the steps to reach Alec’s room all the easier. This was almost certainly a breach of privacy, but I wanted to get a better sense of who Alec was as a person, and how one decorated a room was one way of finding out.