Page 13 of Boss with Benefits

Jessica hesitated for a moment. She wasn’t sure how she would survive a whole day at the zoo with them. It was impossible to look at Brady without remembering all those incredible nights spent in his arms, passionate and earthshaking, never to be forgotten. With her son there, she would have to be on her best behavior. Especially when Randy probably had a private eye watching her every move.

She took a deep breath before grabbing her purse and heading out to the elevator. Her two partners-in-fun were already gone. When she reached the parking lot, it didn’t surprise her to see Brady behind the steering wheel in his sports car rather than in her minivan. Since she didn’t feel like arguing,she slid into the passenger seat without a word of protest after checking to make sure he had retrieved Axl’s booster seat from her van. Letting him drive would make it easier for her to call Bridget. The girl was getting an extra day off.

∞∞∞

It was the perfect day for a trip to the zoo, sunny and warm without a hint of white fluff in the sky. Bluer than blue, the great expanse above their heads didn’t look real to her. Today, the sky reminded her of the opening ofThe Simpsonscartoon. It was that blue.

For hours she and Brady chased Axl from exhibit to exhibit until they were nearly too exhausted to continue. Then Brady got smart. He swept her son up in his arms before Axl took off running again. She expected her little boy to throw a tantrum, but he seemed to enjoy seeing the world from Brady’s strong shoulders.

Who could blame him? She was tall, but Brady was a skyscraper.

Brady grinned and gave her a wink. “I thought I was in good shape, but this kid is proving me wrong. How do you keep up with him?”

“I have a twenty-three-year-old nanny,” she said in a dry tone.

“She’s not with you every day,” Brady said. “What do you do when you have to take care of the kid alone?”

“It’s not that hard. He loves to play with his cars and building blocks. Sometimes he watches a kid friendly DVD. He also has a nap every afternoon, and he’s really good about leaving me alone when I have work to do at home.”

Brady flashed her a smile. “I’m glad you don’t have to chase him around non-stop all day. That would suck.”

It bothered her to hear Brady talk about her son as though he wasn’t a bundle of pure joy. “When it’s your kid, it’s fun. He keeps life interesting. This little boy can make me laugh like no one else. I don’t know what I’d do without him.”

She looked up at Axl to see if Brady’s remark had hurt his feelings, but he seemed oblivious to the conversation. His eyes were on their next animal attraction.

Brady gave her an odd look. “You don’t have to get defensive. I worry about you sometimes with you being a single mom.”

“Elephants!” Axl pointed. “I want to see the elephants.”

Jessica smiled up at her son. “We’re headed there now, honey. Relax.”

“You need to have pity on old people,” Brady said.

Axl frowned. “What is pity?”

Brady went on to explain, while Jessica’s thoughts drifted in another direction. She was hot, tired, and her throat was dry as a desert. Cool water, that was what she wanted most at the moment. Or something sweet with ice. Lots of ice. She wondered if she could convince her little boy to take a break soMommycould get a refreshing drink. Maybe if they tempted him with a burger or chicken nuggets.

When Axl was enjoying himself, he could be extra stubborn. She hoped he wouldn’t throw a fit in front of Brady. In the past, her partner had enjoyed playing with Axl on his occasional visit to their office, but he didn’t have to deal with a child every day. Maybe she should fix it so he spent more time with Axl, enough time for him to understand how wonderful it was to have a little boy around on a daily basis.

Axl got a great view of the elephants from the top of Brady’s shoulders. He squealed with delight when one of themshot water out of its trunk. She and Brady exchanged grins. A child’s laughter was contagious, especially when he was as adorable as Axl. They stood there for a few minutes and let her little boy enjoy watching the elephants do their thing.

People smiled at them, and she heard one woman say, “Such a nice little family.”

Jessica didn’t bother to correct her.

“Your mom looks tired,” Brady said. “Let’s go get an ice cream cone and give her a chance to rest.”

She bit her lower lip and waited for Axl’s reaction.

“Can we go see the giraffes after ice cream?” Axl asked.

“We sure can,” Brady said without hesitation. “Can you spot the ice cream place from up there? I have no idea where it is, and I don’t want us to get lost. Do you see it?”

Jessica had no doubt Brady knew exactly where the ice cream stand was located. He’d obviously spotted it, and that was where his idea for a cold treat originated. For someone who didn’t know anything about kids, he was good with her son.

Axl glanced around. He bounced with excitement and pointed. “There it is! I see it. That way. We have to go that way.”

Brady grinned at Jessica, and she smiled with gratitude.

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