Page 39 of The Au Pair Affair

He cut her a sidelong glance. “Really?”

“Yes.”

The man seemed to be having a hard time stifling a smile.

“Oh my gosh, you love this, don’t you?” Tallulah laughed. “You get to come along with me and scare people off. That’s your sweet spot. That’s where you thrive.”

“Correct.”

“Weird.”

He shifted in the driver’s seat. “I’m also... relieved. I don’t have to lie awake and wonder where you are and if you’re safe—”

“Okay, that’s moreFatherthan Daddy. Don’t get the two twisted.”

“Jesus. I can be protective without it being... paternal.”

“Would you be like this with any au pair that you’d hired?”

“No.”

Wow. Really, it was Tallulah’s fault for asking. She’d walked right into that sticky web of knowledge and now the SUV was filled with a charged silence, although if she listened closely, she could hear the muscle ticking in Burgess’s cheek.Move on. Pretend he was kidding.

“Um, wait. You haven’t heard the rest of my idea,” Tallulah said, her voice sounding more than a touch reedy. “You admitted that you haven’t been social in a while. It’s hockey and home. Hockey and home. But what if this is your chance to get back out there?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, you might have the disposition of a cranky old man, but in reality, you’re only thirty-seven. There are students in my masters program who are older than you, my guy. Instead of coming along on my outings with the express intention ofputting the fear of God into other men, we could use this as an opportunity to resocialize you.”

“Christ, Tallulah. You make it sound like I’ve been living among the wolves. Ichoosenot to be social. People are fucking annoying.”

“Maybe you just haven’t met the right one yet.”

His expression sharpened. “Is that what this is about? You’re going to take me on a quest for a mate—”

“More wolf talk. Are you sure you’re not missing your pack?”

“Funny.” He dropped a fist on the steering wheel. “Listen, I’m a rich professional athlete. If I wanted a relationship, I could find one. I wouldn’t need any help.”

That bad milk taste made a strong comeback. “Going out and learning to have fun is less about finding a relationship and more about... having some excitement to offer when youdomeet the right one.”

He actually seemed to consider that, studying her closely as the statement sank in. “So what you’re saying is my life is boring. What woman would want to get involved?”

“That’s harsher than I would have put it, but the sentiment is accurate.”

“Huh.”

He took his hand off the steering wheel in order to stroke his beard. Disturbingly, Tallulah’s fingers twitched in her lap, remembering what that bristle had felt like against her jaw. Wondering what it would be like to tug it gently with her fingers. “What do you think of my plan, boss?” Tallulah said, forcing herself to stop speculating about the sensitivity of his facial hair. “You come with me on my excursions. I teach you how to meet new people. Have fun again. Andbefun again. Assuming you ever were in the first place.”

“I was,” he said gruffly, looking slightly self-conscious. “If you consider raising hell fun. Growing up, I was known as the kid whonever turned down a dare. I got older, though. Started collecting responsibilities—and I like those responsibilities. But maybe I went too far in this direction. If nothing else, maybe... I don’t know. Maybe I’ll learn how to be fun for Lissa.”

Tallulah’s heart wentwhommm, electricity snapping in her brain.

A man who recognized his own faults. A man who wanted to be better.

Apparently she found that incredibly appealing.

In that moment, she warned herself to be careful. To think of Burgess as a boss. A friend. But nothing more. Or her ties to him could get a lot stickier.

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