Page 55 of The Nanny and the Beefcake
Penny surveyed the floor. “It’s not every day you see a home in the fancy-pants Crystal Hills neighborhood decorated with vibrators.”
“Quite a daring choice of décor,” Char chimed.
“The sheer number is utterly breathtaking,” H added.
Libby smiled. Her friends were trying to lighten the mood.
Harper held up the multi-colored vibrator, then dropped it into the bag. “Ah, the Rainbow Screamer! The perfect complement to our Libby, the yoga screamer,” she remarked, but her signature smirk melted into a look of genuine concern. “Libbs, are you all right with being the beefcake’s nanny and spiritual advisor? He hurt you, honey. We’ve seen what you’ve been going through these last couple of months. You’ve been a wreck.”
Libby dropped an armful of vibrators into the bag as Char added the gong and mallet, and Penny zipped the tote.
“Yeah, Libbs, that video was intense, but then there was this moment. Did you guys catch it?” Penny said, eyeing Char and Harper.
“The hoodie grab?” Charlotte asked.
“Yeah, I saw it,” H added.
Libby’s gaze bounced between her friends. “What are you talking about?”
Penny pulled her phone from her pocket. “I’ll show you.”
“I don’t want to see it, Penn,” Libby said, waving away the phone. “I’m not sure how much more mortification I can take today.”
“I won’t make you watch the video, but look at this screenshot,” Penny nudged as she tapped her phone, then held it out for them to see.
Libby stared at an image of her and Raz. The man had his arm wrapped around her protectively as she clutched the fabric of his hoodie in her fist. A shiver passed through her. No, it wasn’t a shiver. That tingling response was her body aching for the beefcake’s touch. She ignored the sensation. “I was pretty freaked out at that point. It was like I’d left my body while I was screaming, then returned to it to find flashing lights and policemen calling out commands.”
“What made you think yelling outside his gym was a good idea, Libbs?” Char asked gently.
Libby sighed. “Ida.”
Char raised an eyebrow. “The lady in your apartment?”
“It’s her apartment. Hash Pants sublet it without her knowledge while she was away at a meditation retreat.” Libby pictured the woman with her flowing hair and jangly jewelry—a woman she’d sworn she’d seen or possibly met somewhere. But that couldn’t be. Hash Pants said his aunt had been gone nearly a decade. “I briefly interacted with her when I was getting kicked out of my apartment. Ida stopped me before I got into my car. She gave me a stone, then told me I needed to release my rage. I’ve tried everything else to balance my chi and get my O back. I figured, why not go big and see what would happen if I opened a can of anger yoga on Raz. And now the world and everyone on the International Space Station know what happened next.”
“Can you handle it, Libbs? Can you be around this guy twenty-four seven?” Charlotte asked.
Libby shrugged. “I don’t have much choice. I’ve been fired from every studio, and Raz’s sports agent arranged to pay for Anders and Alec’s schooling in exchange for my services as a spiritual advisor. The guy made it up on the fly, and now between that and the threat of being charged as a sexual deviant, I’m stuck seeing it through.”
“You can rest assured that you’ll be a terrific nanny. You practically raised your brothers. I’m sure Sebastian will adore you,” Penny offered.
Sebastian.
Just like the first time she’d heard Raz’s son’s name, a warmth filled her chest.
“And what about the whole boxing thing?” Char questioned. “That can’t be easy for you.”
Libby’s pulse kicked up. With the excitement, she’d almost forgotten she’d be spending night and day with a world heavyweight champion boxer. An icy chill ushered out the warmth, and she released a shaky breath. If there were ever a time a gal could use a dose of balanced energy, it was now. Too bad her chi was more out of whack than ever.
“It must make you think of your dad,” H added.
Libby swallowed past the lump in her throat. “He texted a few months ago.”
“You didn’t mention that to us,” Harper remarked.
Libby stared at one of the ornate empty vases placed in the corner of the great space. “There wasn’t much to mention. It’s always the same thing. There’s some business venture or some sure-thing he has the inside track on, and if he could borrow two or three grand, he could get in on the deal or make the bet that would pay out ten times what he put in,” she finished, the words tasting of searing disappointment.
“Connolly Lamb is one piece of work,” Harper lamented.
