Page 7 of Nolan

I move behind her, giving her a gentle push to start her swinging. Annabelle takes the swing next to her, using her feet to push herself lightly back and forth.

"So, how was the client call?" she asks, looking over at me with genuine interest.

The fact that she remembers I had a call today catches me off guard. "It was good. New construction, custom front porch. The kind of project I enjoy."

She nods, her swing moving in rhythm with Ashlynn's now. "I like that you create things that last," she says thoughtfully. "Concrete is so solid, so permanent."

Permanent is everything I'd like to have with her, without the complication of Ashlynn and her being my employee.

"Higher, Daddy." Ashlynn calls, and I give her another push, careful not to send her too high.

"Not too much, princess. You know the rules."

Annabelle smiles at our interaction, and I catch her gaze lingering on me for a moment longer than necessary. When she realizes I've noticed, a slight blush colors her cheeks.

"What about you?" I ask, trying to keep my voice casual. "How was your day with the little monster?"

"We had a fashion show," Annabelle replies, her eyes lighting up. "Ashlynn designed some very avant-garde outfits for her stuffed animals."

"I was the judge." Ashlynn announces proudly. "Mr. Bear won first place."

"That's because you're biased," Annabelle teases. "Mr. Elephant clearly had the superior ensemble."

I laugh, enjoying their banter, the easy way they've connected. The change in my daughter has been remarkablesince Belle came to work for me. She's more confident, more creative, happier.

As for the change in me,well, that's more complicated.

Ashlynn grows tired of the swing and runs off to the slide, leaving Annabelle and me momentarily alone. There's a heavy silence between us, filled with all the things we're not saying.

"About the other night," I start at the same time she says, "I've been meaning to,"

We both stop, laugh awkwardly, and I gesture for her to go ahead.

Annabelle stands up from the swing, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "I just wanted to say that I'm not usually so... impulsive."

I step closer to her, close enough that I can smell her perfume, something light and floral. "I'm not usually so unprofessional," I counter. "You work for me. That kiss shouldn't have happened."

Her eyes meet mine, unwavering. "But it did happen."

"It did," I agree, my voice dropping lower. "And I've thought about it every day since."

The confession hangs in the air between us. Annabelle's lips part slightly. The same way they did when I went in for that kiss. It feels like she's about to say something important, but then Ashlynn's voice cuts through the moment.

"Daddy. Belle. Watch me go down the big slide."

We both turn to watch my daughter climb the ladder to the tallest slide in the playground. Annabelle steps away from me, putting a respectable distance between us, but I can still feel the electricity crackling in that space. It's got me hard in my jeans, and I'm trying to figure out how I can slightly readjust with anyone noticing.

"We should probably talk about this," I say quietly. "When we don't have an audience."

She nods, keeping her eyes on Ashlynn. "Tonight? After she's asleep?"

The suggestion sends a jolt through me, anticipation, nervousness, desire all mixed together. "Tonight," I agree.

As we watch Ashlynn zoom down the slide, arms raised in triumph, I can't help but wonder what I'm doing. Getting involved with Ashlynn's nanny is complicated at best, potentially disastrous at worst. If things went badly, it wouldn't just affect me, it would affect my daughter.

But when Annabelle's hand brushes against mine as we both applaud Ashlynn's slide performance, and those green eyes flash up to meet mine with undisguised interest, I know I'm already past the point of sensible decisions.

Tonight, we'll talk. And maybe, just maybe, we'll figure out what exists in this space between responsibility and desire.

---