Page 19 of The Christmas Nanny

I shrugged. “That would be fine, except I’ve opened myself to you, but you’re not doing likewise. Doesn’t seem entirely fair.” I moved behind the chair and placed my hands on her shoulders. “I don’t mind being a little submissive, but I’m dominant by nature.”

Christine swallowed hard, not seeing my smile. This is the part I cherished. When they look at me and think they see one thing when I’m something different. “How long have you been painting scenes?”

“Three years.” I moved in front of Christine. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“I didn’t hear a question.”

“What’re you hiding, Christine?” She moved from the chair and started up the stairs. I followed, turning out lights as I left. She opened the front door and was met by several inches of snow on the porch. “You’re not leaving with that out there.”

“I can call an Uber,” she said.

“And they’ll be here sometime tomorrow.” I closed the door and entered the living room. I sat on the couch and grabbed the beer I’d left behind. Slim Shady had curled up next to the fireplace.

“My beer is gone,” she said. She sat on the opposite end of the couch. “Do you mind if I have another?”

I went to the kitchen for two more beers. “How do you know so much? That chair wasn’t a surprise, and you said nothing about the other things in the room.”

“You jumped when I asked for a beer, Jacob. Sure you’re dominant?” She was toying with me.

“I’m getting you drunk so I can take advantage of you. It’s what I do when I’m not the All-American boy.”

She drank from the bottle, watching me, setting the bottle down half empty. “Several years ago, I was hard-up for money. I was desperate and didn’t want to go to my parents, so I answered a classified ad online. It seems like that’s my modus operandi.” She finished the beer. I watched her lips around the bottle’s opening and grew hard. “One thing led to another, and I was an overnight sensation. Rich men started paying me to go places with them.”

“Why’d you stop?” I finished my beer, placed the empty bottle beside hers, and moved down the couch.

“It got old. Stupidly, I decided I wanted a real job and to know I could make a living the Puritan way.” She shrugged. “It has been a bitch, but I refuse to go back to that way of life.”

“I can see that getting old.” I turned and rested my arm on the back of the couch, her eyes doing a number on me. “The women I paint are all paid and know upfront what I expect. I’ve done nearly thirty models and have only had one walkout.”

“You have sex with them,” she said.

“Most, yes.” I put my hand on her knee, the smell of her sex filling the space between us. The chair and the chatter were making her excited. “But that is not expected. Most ask anyway. There’s something about exhibitionism. It makes people explore their dark side. Once they do, they never go back to their old ways.”

“And you never turn them down.”

I raised my hands in surrender. “I see no reason to do that. I make sure they get off, and, in turn, they make sure I do. Everyone leaves happy.” It’s on the tip of her tongue. She wants to ask about the chair.

“I should get to bed,” she said and stood. “Where’s your spare bedroom?”

“I’ll take the spare. You take the master bedroom. The bed’s more comfortable.”

“See, there you go. Acting like the All-American boy.”

“But you know I’m not.” I stand and follow her to the living room window. “It’s going to be a white Christmas.”

“You sure you can get me home?”

“Positive.” I slid my hand around hers and led her to the master bedroom, kissing her in the doorway before returning to the living room to join Slim Shady.

Chapter seven

Christine

I slid the curtains back in the bedroom and knew I’d never make it home, change, and make it in time for the interview. Though the sun was shining, it would take days for the snow-covered streets to clear.

“Hey,” Jacob said from the open doorway. He wore an expensive suit and shoes. I wanted to ask what law firm he was interviewing with, but again, I decided that was his business. “Since you’ve showered and changed, we can go ahead and leave if you want. Should be able to get you there in fifteen minutes.”

“In that mess out there?”

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