by S. E. Law
“He can save you from an imaginary monster in the playroom,” I say. “Why don’t you guys go play there?”
“But what about breakfast?” Ronnie asks.
“Ursula will…” I stop and take a deep breath. Shit. Ursula’s off. “Give me a minute. Where are the others? Are they awake?” My three oldest shrug and go on with what they’re doing. Fuck. It’s barely nine in the morning, and it’s already pure chaos in my house.
Suddenly, the doorbell rings. Just what I need: something else to deal with. I turn to answer the door, but I’m interrupted by a streak of pink.
“He’s back!” giggles Rebecca as she rushes by.
“Have at you!”
“Dad!” Rico shouts.
“Hang on!” I grumble, grabbing the door handle and pulling. I don’t know who I was expecting, but it’s certainly not the vision that greets me because the woman before me is absolutely stunning. My throat goes dry, and no words come out. Who is she? She’s got curly brown hair, warm brown eyes, and the face of an angel with sweet lips and a demure gaze. But that’s not it. It’s her body that has me salivating. Even though she’s wearing jeans and a t-shirt, the t-shirt hugs those huge, rounded breasts. The jeans strain at her wide hips, and my fingers itch to pull her close to me.
“Mr. Blythe?” she asks in an innocent tone. “Hi, I’m Regina Frank. Your new nanny?”
It hits me like a ton of bricks. Oh shit! The new nanny is coming today. Actually, that’s great news, seeing that I’m barely holding the fort down.
“Um yes,” I stammer, trying to hide my immediate arousal. “Come in. Sorry, I’m Ryan Blythe.”
She steps into the foyer, and I’m astonished at how small she is. Her head doesn’t even come to my shoulder and the scent of flowers drifts from her curly hair. I inhale subtly, hoping she doesn’t notice.
“DIE, FOUL BEAST!” I turn around just in time to see Ronnie smack Rico on top of the head with a toy sword I regret buying for his birthday. Rico yelps and turns to me, one hand shielding his face while the other holds Ronnie at bay. “Dad!” Rico yells.
“Welcome to the war zone,” I say wryly. “Boys! Enough!”
Wonderful. Regina just got here, and she’s probably going to want to quit within five minutes. The Blythe Bunch is already at its finest, displaying its most exasperating qualities.
“Get your brothers and sisters, Rico. Ronnie, put your toy away and come over here. Your new nanny has arrived and I want you to say hello,” I say in a vaguely threatening tone.
My kids aren’t scared of me at all.
“My lady,” Ronnie says. He turns and bows to his new nanny theatrically, swinging his sword in a wide arc. Of course, as he does, I’m forced to grab hold of Regina’s arm and yank to save her from the arc of silver-painted plastic. She stumbles a bit and lands against my hard frame. Her curves are plush against me, and I can feel that soft bottom against my hardness. Hopefully, she doesn’t realize that I’m already semi-erect.
She pushes away from me, blushing and smiling slightly. Oh shit, she did notice, but I try to play it off.
“I’m so sorry,” I say. “As you can see, it’s hazardous to live here.”
She merely giggles and smiles the warmest smile I’ve ever seen on a woman. My ex, Sandy, never once looked at our kids with such affection, and she’s their mother. I feel my smile changing to match hers.
“It’s okay,” she says in a melodious tone. “No harm, no foul.”
None, except for the fact that I’m now harder than an iron pike. I grab a random book lying nearby and hold it in front of myself strategically. Meanwhile, Rico slips effortlessly into an older brother role, standing taller, his face growing serious.
“Come with me, Becky,” he says. “We’ll wash up for breakfast.” His voice has dropped an octave. “Rufus! Rachel!” he calls to my two youngest. “It’s time to get ready for breakfast!”
I stare up at him and then smile at Regina. “Rico is the only one Rebecca lets call her Becky,” I explain as the little troupe moves off. We’re left alone in the foyer, and the sudden quiet is startling.
I smile wryly at her.
“I hope you don’t quit based on what you’ve just seen.”
She laughs gently.
“Don’t worry Mr. Blythe. I’m made of tougher stuff than that.”
“Ryan, please,” I say. “No one calls me Mr. Blythe.”
She nods and says, “Ryan,” as if trying the name out on her lips. I can’t wait to hear her say my name more, but then we’re interrupted by my damned kids again.
“Stop it!” Rachel suddenly shouts.
“You stop it!” It’s the unmistakable voice of Rufus. “I’m going down first!”
I rush to the stairs, and notice the house is an utter mess. Of course, instead of going to the kitchen, somehow some of my kids have gotten upstairs. Rachel’s dangling on the outside of the second floor railing, pretending to be a monkey. Her scrawny legs kick and swing, and Regina catches her breath next to me.
“Oh my,” she says.
But then, Rachel swings herself over the railing and back onto the landing. Both Rach and Rufus come clambering down, still pushing one another.
“Me first!”
“No, me!”
Finally, they make it to where we stand. I see that Regina’s color is heightened, and she’s breathing hard from that near brush with death.
“What’s your name?” she asks my daughter.
“Guess!” Rachel says merrily.
“Hmmmmm,” Regina says. “Is your name Bertha Belinda Barbara Bea?”
Rachel laughs, her chubby face alight.
“No?”
Rufus stands beside his sister and giggles too, shifting his weight from leg to leg.
“Hmmmm,” Regina tries again. “Could it be Carolyn Catherine Coraline Cate?”
Rachel laughs again. “No!”
“Hmmmmm,” Regina says and brings a finger to her temple as though in deep thought. “Well,” she says. “Your name couldn’t be Rachel because only amazing little girls are called Rachel.”
My daughter smiles brightly and says, “But I am Rachel!”
“Wow!” says Regina, her eyes wide with wonder. “I knew there was something special about you, but I didn’t know you were amazing! I’m so happy to meet you!”
The other kids gather around us now, clustering around Regina like magnets to a pole. The girl has none of the cookie cutter artificiality of the women who seek my attention every single day. She’s lovely, beautiful in an honest way, and most importantly, she’s good with my kids.
My heart settles a bit. Things are going to be okay. Sandy gave me our five kids, but she never wanted these special moments. The blonde bitch only wanted children because that’s what rich women do. They reproduce, and once she did her job, she was done, and I was left as a single father.
Once the short conversation is done, I step in.
“Kids, let’s do formal introductions now that all five of you are here. As you know, I’ve hired a new nanny for you.”
“I don’t need a nanny!” protests Rico.
I shoot him a swift look, and he pipes down, his face still rebellious. He reminds me of myself at that age, and I take a deep breath, reminding myself to be patient.
“Regina, this is Rico, my eldest.”
Rico nods and shuffles his feet, still looking at the floor. Regina nods graciously. “I’m pleased to meet you.”
“Likewise,” he mutters, refusing to meet her eyes. Then, I move along, resting my hand on each child’s shoulder in turn.
“This is Ronnie, my brave warrior. My little princess, Rebecca, in the pink. And you’ve already met Rachel and her twin brother is—”
Regina holds up a hand and says, “Wait! I… think… he… He looks like a Rufus!”
Rufus claps his hands with glee and Rachel looks at her in wonder.
“Wow, how did you know?” they gasp with wonder. Clearly, my youngest children are
already in the pretty nanny’s thrall.
“Kids, this is Regina, your new nanny. I want all of you on your best behavior. Please make her like you so she’ll stay.”
Regina flashes another radiant smile, and my heart flops over a bit.
“I’m so excited to meet you,” she says. “We’re going to have a good time.”
The five of them shuffle from side to side a bit, the three oldest still a bit wary.
“Really?” asks Rebecca carefully. “Why, what’s your favorite color?”
“Pink,” Regina immediately replies.
Rebecca smiles.
“That’s my favorite too!” she says while twirling around on her toes, her pink dress flying out in a circle. Then, Ronnie goes into full-chivalry mode. He delivers an exaggerated bow and proclaims, “I am your humble servant, your majesty!” Regina laughs good-naturedly, and curtsies in return. It seems she’s already won over four of my children, and only the eldest, Rico, is still suspicious. But there will be time for everything. Rico’s almost a teenager, so he’s not going to buy into his new nanny just because I say so.
After the introductions, I rumble, “Alright kids, let’s show Regina her new home.”
“You said we would have breakfast,” Ronnie whines a bit.
“A brave knight like you can wait for a moment, right?” Regina asks with a smile.
He nods proudly and I grin. “Then it’s time for the grand tour.”
My words have the same effect as a starting gun and the kids leap into action, talking over each other and pulling and yanking as they try to get her attention.
“I want to show Regina the sun room!”
“I want to show her the new projector TV we got!”
“I want to show her Mr. Bear!”
I hold up a hand.
“Let’s calm down, now,” I say while shooting the beautiful nanny a wry smile. “As you can see, they all just took off in five different directions, and I’ll probably end up giving you this tour alone.”
“That’s okay,” she laughs. “I look forward to it.”
Companionably, we wander upstairs, and I’m hyperaware of her curvy form right in back of me.
“Do you cook?” I ask. She nods.
“Just the simple stuff. Fried chicken, waffles with syrup, that kind of thing.”
I smile.
“Fried chicken and waffles are enough. You’re going to be my kids’ favorite person with just those two items.”
She blushes at the comment, and her breasts rise in her t-shirt. I can’t help but look, and then tear my eyes away because it’s utterly inappropriate. I continue with the tour of the house, with my kids darting in and out periodically.
We stop by the entertainment room. It’s filled with multiple flat screen TVs, a foosball table, a pool table, and a bar. We step inside and Ronnie lets out a steady stream of important information like the size of the flatscreen and how he’s hoping to play some multiplayer video game on it next week. Regina’s eyes widen.
“It would be an amazing experience,” she agrees. “So long as your dad lets you play video games.”
I pin Ronnie with a look.
“Some, but not too much.”
My son’s face falls.
“But Call to Action is coming out! My friends are all going to be on-line, and we want to do it together.”
I pin him with a look.
“Is this the one where you’re mercenaries blowing each other up?”
He nods and brightens.
“Yeah, and it’s so cool! There are tons of weapons, and when you hit someone, their entire body explodes into smithereens!” he crows. “It’s amazing.”
I merely shake my head.
“One hour per day. At the most.”
He looks down, clearly disappointed.
“Awwww, Dad!”
I share a smile with Regina.
“It’s tough staying on top of these kids, but this game sounds uber-violent. I don’t know how they come up with this material.”
She nods and whispers.
“The video game companies are just looking to make money. It’s horrendous sometimes what they include.”
I nod.
“I completely agree.”
Suddenly, a new voice interrupts.
“Isn’t this the biggest TV you ever saw?” The voice is Rebecca’s. Ronnie turns and glares at her and she quickly says, “Sorry! I forgot. You can tell Regina something about my room when we get there.”
Rebecca stays close to Regina as we move from room to room, and the new nanny continues to delight the kids, who all attempt to show off in one way or another. They try to get her attention with this toy, that trophy or their school assignments. The exception is Rico, who’s still standoffish, but it’s okay. My boy is growing up to be a man, and he doesn’t think he needs a nanny anymore.
We finish upstairs and head downstairs to continue the tour. It’s a complete free for all because the kids haven’t created a system for showing her about. Ronnie rushes up and tackles an ottoman, screaming, “I’ll save you from the dragon!”
Regina curtsies and says, “Thank you good knight. Perhaps you could go to the backyard and clear it of monsters for my arrival?”
He rushes off with a smile, dragging Rufus and Rachel with him.
“Are you sure you still want to stay?” I turn to Regina with a wry smile. “This is a lot.”
But the look on her face makes my heart stop. Instead of appearing horrified or cantankerous, instead a look of delight creeps over her lips. Her brown eyes are gentle and warm, and she says, “Your kids are adorable, Ryan. Of course I want to stay.”
I’m not sure I’ve ever wanted anyone as much as I want this woman. Her natural motherly instincts are just so attractive to me, and I have a caveman-like urge to pull her under me and give her a baby.
What the fuck? I already have five kids. Six would put me over the top. But still, I’m an alpha male through and through, the thought of seeing Regina’s belly fill up with my baby is tempting. This is utterly inappropriate given that we just met, and I force myself to think of other things.
Finally, we get to Regina’s suite. By now, we’ve lost the kids somewhere, and the quiet is a welcome respite. I nod to a white door.
“This is your apartment,” I say.
She blushes.
“I don’t just have a room?”
I shake my head.
“No, this house is huge, so it has a built in in-law unit, which is now yours.”
We step into the airy space, and it’s gorgeous. Simple, but very feminine and pretty. There’s a white coverlet on the full-size bed, and a white vanity and desk. A door leads to an en suite, which is also sparkling white with a tub and shower.
“Wow,” Regina breathes. “Thank you, Mr. Blythe. This is beautiful.”
“Here, there’s even a kitchenette this way,” I say, pointing to another door leading off to the left. “That way, you have the ability to cook on your days off. You won’t have to deal with the little monsters when you need to eat.”
She laughs.
“The monsters being your kids?”
I laugh too.
“Yeah, definitely.”
She turns sparkling eyes to me.
“I’m sure they’re not monsters, Ryan,” she says with a secret smile. “I’m sure everything’s going to be just fine.”
My heart leaps at her words because I’ve never been attracted to a woman so much. My body stiffens again, and thank fuck, but I’m still carrying the blasted book. I edge it around to my front, and smile back at Regina. The connection is electric and suddenly, I have that overwhelming urge to give her a baby again. What the fuck? I know that it can’t happen, but something tells me that it will.
3
Ryan
Finally, Regina’s first day is done. After the tour, we had breakfast, and then she took the kids to the pool. I retreated to my study to get some work done, but I could hear them holle
ring and splashing. Regina’s gentle tones sounded out above the din sometimes, and I admit: I strained to hear her voice.
I got no work done, of course, because I was thinking about our nanny non-stop. She’s gorgeous and already gets along with my kids like a house on fire. It’s only the first day, and yet they’ve welcomed her into their little world. I’d love to get to know her better.
But then again, she’s the nanny, and it’s bad form to get involved with someone that my kids are already so attached to. Where would I find someone as competent as Regina again? Not to mention, I’d probably be accused of sexual harassment or making this a hostile workplace. Right in my own home too.
Ruefully, I shake my head. There’s just no way to win. I’d be screwing myself over if I got involved with the nanny, and that’s the long and the short of it.
I sigh, standing up. Dinner was long and convoluted, especially since all five of my kids like to talk over one another, and because they all like different foods too. Rufus wolfed down his burger, but Rachel wouldn’t touch hers. We had to get the chef to prepare special peas for Rebecca, and Rico, as always, ate us all under the table. I love my son, but he’s growing quick. He’s devouring food by the truckload, even if he’s gangly still.
But now, all the kids are in bed, and Regina’s retreated to her suite. I imagine her there: taking a bubble bath and getting that lovely skin soaped up. Slipping into a pink negligee, and then getting into that virginal bed. I’d love to be there with her, and to pull that curvy form close to mine.
Maybe I’ll go say goodnight. It is her first night with us, after all, and it’s the polite thing to do. Then my eyes catch sight of the clock. Shit, it’s almost midnight already. There’s no way she’s still up. She’s probably dead tired from managing my kids all day. I know, because I’m usually dead tired when I have to do it myself.
Still, maybe I’ll knock on her door to be courteous. If she doesn’t answer, then no harm, no foul. I’ll just go upstairs to my suite and get a good night’s rest.
Setting on a course of action, I leave my office and wander through the house until I come to Regina’s suite. From the other side of the long hallway, I can see a rectangle of light under her door. Perfect. She’s still up. I’ll say good night, and then take my leave.