Page 10 of Rejected Nanny Mate
I did know that he had a lot of connections and could be ruthless if needed. I knew that he'd been my friend, and briefly more, before we became nothing to each other. And then he showed up, asked me for help, and it'd been impossible to say no to his face.
So that was how I ended up driving the forty-five minutes to Joe's house in the heart of Brokenclaw territory. The plan to stop by Kiera's and pick up the baby had been squashed when Samson agreed to drop her off. Apparently, Kiera and Nayeli had thrown together a quick 'new house' survival basket for me, and Samson was tasked with dropping it off and Rose.
That made me smile a little. The mighty Saltfang Alpha, delivery boy, and baby taxi.
Saltfang territory, my home, was the closest to downtown. Scott's Shadowbay pack lived near the ocean, and Joe's Brokenclaw pack was situated in the more heavily forested hills outside of Crystal Creek. It was full night by the time I got on the road, and the dark, twisty roads were putting up a good fight against my old car's yellow headlights.
I'd taken the long way, wanting some extra time to think my situation over, and the closer I got to Joe's house, the faster my pulse seemed to beat. He'd offered to bring me himself, but I'd told him I'd be fine driving. It was probably a lie, but the last thing I wanted was to be stuck with him on his motorcycle, clinging to his well-muscled body, totally at his mercy.
Actually, that sounded amazing, but in a fantasy sort of way. Not in reality. Still, the idea made something deep in my belly jump.
I knew the house the instant we came upon it. It was an old farmhouse that had been updated with new windows and roof, painted white, with a large wrap-around porch and patio that overlooked the backyard and adjoining forest. There was a huge glass greenhouse to the side, and a long gravel driveway that looped around the back of the property. The moon was almost full and lit the way, and a few stars twinkled behind wisps of clouds.
Joe had left the porchlight on for me, but as soon as I pulled in the driveway, he came out, like he'd been waiting for me. That thought made my stomach flutter, but I shoved the feeling aside.
“Need help bringing anything in?” he asked.
“No,” I shouldered my duffle bag. “We can get everything else in the morning. Is the baby here yet?”
He shook his head. “Samson is a few minutes behind you. Come in. I'll, uh, give you the tour. And show you your room.”
Joe stepped back so I could go in, and the screen door swung shut behind me. The house had a nice, warm, and welcoming feeling, with a pleasant mix of woodsy scents, fresh flowers, and clean linens.
“I had a cleaning service come by today and give the place a top-to-bottom,” Joe said, watching me.
“Oh?” That surprised me for some reason.
“I wanted things to be clean for Rose. I'm a pretty neat guy, but you know. First time dad, and all.”
That made me both sad and happy at the same time. Sad that this had all been laid at his feet so suddenly, and happy that he was taking it as seriously as he was.
I took some time to look around Joe's house, noting the large, open kitchen and living area. He showed me around, pointing out a study with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and an ornate wooden desk in front of a window that overlooked the greenhouse.
“You've got quite the setup here,” I said.
“Yeah, the house was a good find. I bought the greenhouse, too. Sometimes people sell their old greenhousesand shit because they want to build a brand-new one, and that's the best time to buy them. They're not cheap, but since I own the plant shop, it makes sense.” Joe paused before laughing, voice low. “I'm rambling, aren't I?”
“A little,” I strode into the study and looked around anyway. If I'd had any doubt Joe was serious about his garden shop, his house would have put those doubts to bed. Anywhere there was room for a decorative plant, he had one. Some vined, long and leafy, while others looked like miniature trees. I could feel Joe hovering behind me as I plucked a book off the shelf and leafed through it. “That's okay, though. If I were a double agent from the Saltfang pack, here to steal all your pack secrets, you'd be playing right into my hand.”
He huffed in amusement. “If you're looking for secrets, you're going to be sorely disappointed.”
I turned to face him, and he was closer than I expected. I inhaled sharply, a spark passing between us, just as undeniable as it had been before. I wanted him, and Joe was at least attracted to me a little, if nothing else. He'd told me no, but the chemistry between us couldn't be ignored.
The air felt thick, and my chest was heavy, making it difficult to breathe. I realized he was struggling to keep his eyes on my face. They flicked down to the book I was holding and back up.
“How do you know the house is secure enough? For the baby, I mean,” I blurted out, trying to break the tension.
“I have a good security system. Plus, as you know, I'm a werewolf.”
His tone was deadpan, but his eyes couldn't hide his interest. Joe took a single step towards me, and I didn't retreat,but then the fragile thing between us shattered when we heard the front door open.
“Hello?” Samson yelled. “I have your baby.”
Joe closed his eyes and chuckled, shaking his head like he was trying to clear cobwebs from it, “I guess it's time for you to meet my Rosie. Come on.”
He didn't give me time to argue or change my mind, just grabbed the book from my hand and tossed it back onto the shelf, motioning for me to follow him. I did, body still thrumming from the energy between us. What had that been about?
My thoughts of Joe and how close he'd been to touching me retreated as soon as I saw the baby carrier Samson held. I couldn't even see Rose yet, just a fuzzy pink blanket that was draped over the front of the carrier, but I could hear the soft noises she was making, and I suddenly wanted nothing else in the world but to hold her.
