by Rye Hart
“How’s your morning going so far?” I asked, keeping my voice light and casual.
Sean shrugged. “Fine. The kids only just woke up.”
Sure enough, when we walked into the living room, I saw the kids sitting at the kitchen table. They were both still in pajamas. When they turned to look at me, there was trepidation in their eyes that I wasn’t used to. Most kids either looked overjoyed to meet the new caretaker, or they had a troublemaking glint in their eyes. These kids possessed neither. Instead, they simply eyed me closely, waiting for me to speak.
“Tommy,” Sean said. “Sarah. This is Emily.”
I smiled and walked over to sit down with them at the table. I’d found that it was easiest to just make myself comfortable. If I dawdled around awkwardly, the kids became more nervous.
“It’s so nice to meet you guys,” I said brightly.
“You too,” Tommy said politely. His cheeks were red, and his eyes darted between the table and my face.
“So,” I said. “Anyone hungry? How about some breakfast?”
“You can cook?” Tommy asked, surprised.
“I can,” I said proudly. “In fact, don’t tell anyone this, okay?”
“Okay.” Tommy nodded eagerly.
“I make the best french toast in Telluride,” I said, keeping my voice low and conspiratorial.
“You do?” Tommy asked, his eyes wide.
“Why’s that a secret?” Sarah asked sharply.
I looked at her with a smile, happy that she was finally speaking.
“Because,” I said. “If anyone else found out, they would break down my door every morning just to get some. I can’t have that, can I?”
“I bet they aren’t that good,” Sarah said.
“Sarah,” Sean said, a warning in his voice.
I glanced at him with a soft smile, silently telling him I could handle it.
“Well, I guess I’ll just have to prove it to you, won’t I?” I asked her.
Sarah eyed me for a few seconds. I looked back at her impassively. She was clearly in the challenging phase of childhood that I knew so well. As I watched her, her eyes narrowed, and she folded her arms across her chest.
“Are you going to be our new mommy?” she asked boldly.
Of all the things I expected her to say, this never even crossed my mind. I cleared my throat and shook my head.
“No,” I said kindly. “Of course not. I’m just here to help your daddy out. I’ll be your nanny.”
“What’s a nanny?” Tommy asked.
“It’s kind of like a babysitter,” I said. “Only I’m around more often.”
“Oh.” Tommy nodded, but I turned my attention back to Sarah.
“Is that okay with you, Sarah?” I asked.
Normally, I didn’t give kids this option. Most of them attacked the second they smelled fear, but with Sarah, I knew something was different. She wasn’t challenging me just because she could. She was challenging me because she needed to; because she needed to see me as an ally. It was obvious she missed her mother.
“That’s fine,” she said, her voice lighter now.
“Good.” I smiled and stood up. “I’ll get that french toast going. Sean, would you like some?”
“Gotta eat,” Sean said on a grunt.
When our eyes met, I smiled again and bounced into the kitchen. I couldn’t look at Sean for too long, or I lost myself in his blue eyes and naturally muscular body. They almost made up for his asshole demeanor. As I got breakfast ready, I observed Sean and his kids.
Tommy was obviously shy, and Sarah was bold and rude for her age, but I was sure that was just a defense mechanism. From what I could tell of Sean, he was much more like Sarah than Tommy. He wasn’t shy, but he also wasn’t talkative. He had a distant air about him that made me nervous and curious at the same time.
After I finished cooking, I laid the food down on the table and helped the kids get their plates ready. I cut Sarah’s toast and poured Tommy’s syrup. When they each took their first bites, their faces lit up with joy, and they quickly devoured the rest.
“More?” I asked. They both nodded, and I put another slice on each of their plates. “I’m glad you like it.”
“This is awesome!” Tommy said. “Dad can’t cook at all.”
“I’m sure that’s not true,” I said kindly.
“It is,” Sarah said around a mouthful of french toast.
I laughed and looked at Sean. He was eating his breakfast in silence, watching the kids interact with me. I got the impression he was sizing me up, observing me to see whether he wanted to keep me on. It made sense, but still, I felt my skin burn whenever his eyes found mine. He was by far the most attractive man I’d ever met.
“All righty,” I said after we were all done eating. “Can you guys go get dressed please?”
Tommy and Sarah jumped out of their chairs and ran upstairs. I smiled as I listened to their footsteps.
“You’re good with them,” Sean said simply. His voice was flat, emotionless.
“Thank you,” I said. “They seem like great kids.”
“They fight a lot,” Sean said.
“That’s okay.” I shrugged. “I grew up with three older brothers. I can handle fighting.”
I piled all the plates together and carried them to the kitchen. While I washed them, Sean continued to sit at the table. He was sipping his coffee, but his eyes flickered over to me every so often. I wanted to say something, anything, to draw him into a conversation, but I wasn’t sure where to start.
When the kids reappeared, I quickly finished the dishes and ushered them back upstairs. Tommy gave me a quick tour of both their rooms, and I saw that there was still some unpacking to do.
“Can we go to the park?” Sarah asked eagerly. “It’s just down the street, but we’ve only been once since we moved here.”
“I think we can do that,” I said with a nod. “But first, let’s get these boxes unpacked. Then we’ll go.”
I expected an argument, but Sarah just nodded and moved immediately toward the first box. I smiled and opened it up. Sarah, Tommy, and I spent the morning unpacking boxes and organizing their rooms. When that was done, we had a quick lunch, and then, after getting Sean’s approval, we walked down the street to the park. They played hard for an hour before they were both winded and exhausted. Laughing, we made our way back to the house and spent the afternoon unpacking some things downstairs.
I didn’t see Sean much. He ate lunch with us and asked the kids what they thought of the park, but he didn’t speak to me often. He spent most of the day holed up in his study. I wondered what he was doing in there, but I didn’t ask the kids. Instead, we unpacked every box we could find, organized a few rooms, and then sat down to play a game together.
“Do you think your dad wants to play?” I asked as we set up the board.
“I’ll go ask!” Tommy said, running toward Sean’s office.
Two minutes later, Sean and Tommy walked into the living room. Sean looked down at Sarah with a smile. It was the first smile I’d seen cross his face all day and damn if it didn’t make him even more attractive.
“I’m going to grab some chinese food for dinner,” he said. “I suppose you can stay.”
When he looked at me, the smile vanished, and though it hadn’t really been a proper invitation, I decided to take it.
“That sounds great,” I said. “Thanks.”
“I’ll be back.”
With that, Sean left me with the kids and drove into town to get the food. Tommy, Sarah, and I spent twenty minutes playing our game before Sean made it back home. We all sat down around the kitchen table, and again, I helped the kids get their plates settled. Sarah needed help cutting her chicken and Tommy was excited to learn how to use chopsticks.
I placed the sticks in Tommy’s hand and showed him how to pinch them together. After a few failed attempts and a lot of giggles, he finally managed to take a successful bite.
“I did it
!”
His joy was infectious, and soon, we were all laughing. Even Sarah cheered for her brother’s success. Throughout the day, I’d noticed what Sean mentioned about their fighting, but it never grew out of control. With a few words of warning and a bit of a distraction, their bickering always subsided quickly.
We ate dinner and everyone seemed happy. Even Sean was smiling and laughing at times along with us. For the first time all day, I felt like he was okay with my presence.
“So,” I said as the kids finished eating. “What do you do for a living?”
The look of suspicion returned to his eyes before he answered. “I was a lawyer back in San Diego,” Sean said slowly. “But I left the firm when we moved here.”
“What do you do now?” I asked.
“Nothing yet.” He shrugged, unwilling to offer more.
I nodded.
“It’s good to take your time and go after what you’re really passionate about.”
Sean nodded but didn’t say anything. I knew then that I’d exhausted his conversational abilities for the night and didn’t want to press my luck. It was obvious that he wasn’t looking for a friend. As Tommy and Sarah finished dinner, I washed the dishes and took them upstairs for bath time. Tommy took a quick shower, and then he went to get his pajamas on. I helped Sarah take her bath and brush her teeth before she got on her own pajamas and climbed in bed.
“Good night,” I said. “I’ll send your daddy up.”
“Good night,” she said back with a wave.
I poked my head in to check on Tommy on my way downstairs, but he was already asleep. Smiling, I walked into the living room to say goodbye to Sean.
“They’re both in bed,” I said. “Sarah’s waiting for you, but Tommy’s already asleep.”
“I can handle bedtime by myself. There’s no need for you to do that part,” he said grudgingly.
I stifled a sigh. “Ok, I’ll be sure to leave that to you in the future.”
Sean nodded. “I’ll see you same time tomorrow.”
Yes sir. Is there anything else you need me to do? Like maybe take that stick out of your ass?
The guy needed a good lesson in manners, but considering what he’d been through, I could give him a pass—for now.
“Good night,” I said, moving slowly toward the door.
As I stepped out onto the front porch, I couldn’t help but glance behind me. Sean was already making his way upstairs. With a sigh, I pulled the front door closed and walked to my car. Once inside, I let out a relieved breath and drove home.
My first day went better than I could have hoped. Tommy and Sarah both seemed to take to me easily, and even Sean had shown small glimpses of humanity at dinnertime. The kids were easy, but Sean had been my main concern. Some parents were nervous and had specific instructions for how to take care of their children. Sean wasn’t one of them.
As gruff and standoffish as he was, he let me take over effortlessly, and that only made my curiosity even stronger.
It didn’t help that he was exceptionally hot. Every time I looked over at Sean, my stomach filled with butterflies. He was gorgeous and incredibly sexy. I couldn’t keep my eyes from roaming over his biceps and obvious six-pack hidden just beneath the thin fabric of his T-shirt.
Sean’s body was on my mind the entire drive home.
End of Sneak Peak. Would you like to know how this continues?
Click Here: Damaged Goods: A Single Dad & Nanny Romance
Mr. sexy and enigmatic is seeking a nanny.
I'm the lucky lady.
But he's rude, impatient, and totally barbaric.
And it's getting hard to ignore the rumors.
Suspicions for why he moved into my small town.
NOW A TOP 19 AMAZON BESTSELLER!
People tell me he's damaged goods.
Flawed or not, I wouldn't mind accepting his package.
I just hope whatever he's running from is locked away for good.
Damaged Goods: A Single Dad & Nanny Romance
Naughty but Nice: Sneak Peak
PROLOGUE
Adrenaline rushed through me as I glanced over at the door leading back down into the building. At any moment, someone could come walking through it. But for some reason, the danger of it thrilled me, and my body ached for more.
Those thoughts were shooed away, though, when I heard the distinct sound of his belt and zipper being pulled down. His cock, thick and hot, nudged me intimately, drawing a gasp from my lips. He slid into me with one easy thrust. I gripped the wall even harder as pleasure shot through the center of my belly.
“Fuck,” he groaned, gripping my waist with one hand. His other hand smacked into the wall above my head as his hips rolled again. “You feel so good. You feel so fucking good, it’s almost painful.”
Desperation filled me, and the pressure in me began to mount when he thrust hard into me again.
“Harder,” I panted. “Please. Please. It feels so good, baby. Fuck me harder.”
I didn’t even cringe at the words coming from the tip of my tongue. All I cared about was the slick sensation of his dick sliding in and out of me at a desperate pace now. He leaned over me as he fucked me. His hand reached in front of me and slipped into the top of my dress. His warm palm cupped my breast, scraping deliciously over my hard nipple.
I moaned at the feeling of it. The sounds of my pleasure seemed to spur him on, and his cock pounded into me faster and harder. Every stroke of him inside me found my most sensitive places, and soon, I was bucking my hips back into him, meeting every thrust of his hips, as he buried his cock into me as deep as it could go.
My body jolted every time he plunged into me, making me pant and moan every time. I could feel the sensations building up inside me again, overwhelming my senses and erasing all rational thought. The only thing in the world that mattered was the feeling of our bodies coming together on that snowy rooftop.
He carried us both higher and higher, filling me with tension, and together, we exploded in a release that left both of us shuddering in response. The sound of our panting breaths mingled together on the quiet roof, and he held me tightly as we basked in the pleasure pulsing through our bodies. We stayed that way for a moment longer, until the cold was too much to take.
My fingers were trembling as I turned to look back at him. He tucked himself back inside of his pants. Sweat glistened at his hairline, and clouds puffed out in front of us while we gazed at one another.
CHAPTER ONE - GABRIEL
Goooood morning Mr. Bradley! We have a busy day ahead. Everything has to be just perfect!” Maria shouted, in her usual bouncy and energetic tone.
“Good morning, Maria. Right on! I’ve been looking forward to this day for months and I know you won’t disappoint.”
Years back, when I first hired Maria, my new housekeeper’s style took some getting used to. No amount of reasonably digestible caffeine could bring me to her level of gusto, which was the equivalent of five shots of Starbucks espresso, with a few Red Bulls thrown in. Talk about a fucking rush. Eventually, I adapted and even looked forward to her company. These days, I couldn’t imagine starting my mornings without her chirpier than Mrs. Clause personality.
Sure, there were days when I wanted to hit the damn mute button. Fortunately, my mother raised me a gentleman, so I knew when to bite my tongue. And for a man running several multi-million-dollar IT businesses, survival meant setting rules in life. One of my biggest rules was to make my home life nothing short of Zen. Maria’s presence helped me to maintain my Zen, so for that reason I kept her around and well-paid.
I took a deep breath as I allowed myself to savor my view.
This never gets old. What a fucking beauty she is.
My high-rise penthouse, situated near the Hancock Tower, gave me a 360 vision of Chicago - the city I prized. Like every morning, I woke up prior to sunrise to give myself a daily dose of meditation. It gave me a chance to quiet my one hundred mile a minute mind prior to a busy an
d unpredictable day. A cold wind rattled against the sliding glass door of the condo when Maria pushed it closed. An icy blast crawled through the living room where I was seated at my desk.
“She’s growing up much too fast for my liking. I remember when she was a tiny little thing, sitting at your feet at that exact desk and spot, years ago.”
I chuckled fondly at the memory of that. Nineteen years had passed by in the blink of an eye. I still had a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact my baby girl was no longer a baby. She was a college student; a smart young woman who worked at a start-up firm outside of class, because she wanted the experience. She told me I earned my way to success so why shouldn’t she. That was my girl. She definitely wasn’t working because she needed the money. I made certain Alyssa would be well cared for – but it made me a damn proud father to know she wanted to earn her own way through life. I guess I must have done something right over the years.
“It all changes too fast,” I said wistfully. “At least Christmas is still her favorite time of year.”
Maria looked up as she placed the freshly-beaten rug back in front of the sliding glass door. “There’s a box of Christmas decorations upstairs. I wasn’t sure if you wanted me to grab them, or if you wanted to let Alyssa take care of the decorations herself.”
“I’m sure she’d enjoy decorating the condo,” I replied and glanced down at the contract I had been looking over studiously for the past thirty minutes. “She actually called me yesterday to ask if she could bring Penny along with her for break.”
“Penny Marshall?” Maria asked. “As in, Nikki Lewis’s daughter?”
I nodded as Maria smiled widely at that.
“Oh, that will be nice,” she said. “We’ll have some life around this place for the holidays. I haven’t seen Penny since Nikki moved away after Gary’s death.”
“She isn’t a little girl anymore, either,” I said. “Penny is about to wrap up her Bachelor’s in Business this spring. She’s been helping Alyssa with a few classes they both took.”
“Not surprising at all. Alyssa and Penny always looked out for one another. You can trust Penny to keep an eye on Alyssa. Their two-year age gap worked to our favor.””