Page 32 of To Hate Adam Connor

She stopped, and I nearly walked into her. I also almost grabbed her hips, but we can skip that part.

“And I can see exactly why your wife divorced you, Mr. Connor,” she exclaimed, oblivious to what was going on in my mind. “I didn’t have a hard time figuring that out at all. When you have the time, please give me her number so I can call and congratulate her on making such a wise decision.”

Why did my dick jump when she called me Mr. Connor? Why did I even notice her ass in the first place? Regardless, we shared hostile glances and then kept walking as if we hadn’t just insulted each other while I was checking out her ass.

“Of course, I’ll be paying you for your time,” I continued.

“A glorified babysitter. Awesome. How much will you pay me? I’d like to remind you that I was emotionally scarred by those five hours spent in prison.”

I ignored the jab. “Dan, the head of my security—or bodyguard, whatever you’d like to call him—he picks Aiden up from kindergarten then drops him off at home, so you won’t be with him all day.”

“I can pick him up too if you need your bodyguard to protect you from your excited fans. God forbid they lay their eyes on you or anything. What will you do without him?”

I spotted Aiden’s sleeping form and, not too far away, Olive sitting on Jason’s lap. Since they were keeping an eye on him, I reached out to grab Lucy’s arm to stop her. I told myself it was only because I didn’t want Aiden to hear my voice and wake up. It was mostly because of that.

When I touched her skin, it was cold. She was cold. I dropped it before she could shrug me off.

“You’ll need to sign an NDA.”

She opened her mouth to argue about it as I expected, but then closed it without saying anything. Studying me, she remained silent as she rubbed her hands up and down her arms. I could already see small goose bumps appearing on the length of her arms. “Let’s go inside, you’re cold.”

Why would I even think she would listen to me? She stood her ground and sighed. “I’ll sign it. I don’t plan on talking to anyone about you.”

“It’s not just about me. You can’t talk about anything you hear while you’re with Aiden to anyone. Not even your friends.”

She glanced toward her friends and something changed in her expression. I didn’t like it, especially those calculating eyes of hers. Nothing good would come of it.

“I’ll look after Aiden, and I’ll sign your stupid NDA, too, but I have a request of my own,” she said finally, her eyes meeting mine.

“I’m not hiring you to be his full-time nanny. You don’t get to have requests.”

“I do. And I’m requesting to sleep over at your place for the week. I’ll spend my time with Olive after you come home so you won’t see me, but I’m coming back to sleep.”

Genuinely confused, I frowned down at her and asked, “Why?” Didn’t Jason want her in the house? I mean, I wouldn’t blame him for it, but from all he’d said about her when he’d come to talk me out of pressing charges and getting a restraining order, I’d assumed she was somehow important to him.

“Look at them,” she said, motioning toward Jason and Olive with her head.

I looked and saw what I’d already seen just a minute before: Olive sitting between Jason’s legs as they smiled and whispered to each other. “And?”

She sighed and rolled her eyes. “They love each other.”

As if that explained everything. “I wish I understood your language, ’cause I’m thinking a lot of things would make sense then, but I don’t, so you’ll have to spell it out. Why the hell would you sleep in my home because they love each other?”

Those goose bumps made an appearance again, and she forcefully stuffed her hands in her back pockets, unknowingly thrusting her breasts out.

I snapped my gaze up.

“I was dating this guy and we were living together, but after we graduated he left the city.”

“He left you, you mean. Smart man.”

Her eyes shot sparks, and she pressed her lips together.

I smiled. “I’m sorry, that was uncalled for. Go on.”

“My name wasn’t on the lease, so they wanted me out. Since you’re such a smart guy, I’m sure you already know that I’m not close with my grandmother. If I’d gone to stay with her…I don’t even want to think about that. Let’s just say, she drains me, of life, positivity, everything. So, of course, Olive took me in, and I’ve been here for more than two weeks now.”

“I still have no idea where you’re going with this, sweetheart.”

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