Page 45 of The Accidental Nanny
“Thank you.” She looks at me. Really looks at me, not the way Julia would look through me like I was a ghost.
“I’d better go to bed,” I say, but I stand there not moving.
“Good night,” she replies.
“I’m going on a date. With Penny,” I blurt out.
I decide to share this because Gemma and I need to distance ourselves. Whatever this is becoming needs to stop.
“I hope you have a nice time.” She sounds impassive.
She didn't quit. That's a positive, right?
I’ll message Penny in the morning, confirming that I have booked a table for next Saturday night. She’s my age, and our children go to the same school, so we have common ground. I keep thinking about Gemma, though. She’s the one who gets me hard. She's the one I argue with, the one that I think about all the time, even at work.
Dipping my hand between my boxers, I sigh with relief as I stroke myself. I go onto my phone to play my favourite video of Gemma in a little white bikini. It hits different now I know how perfect her breasts are under her clothes; the image has been in my mind all week.
Every night since that moment in the kitchen, I only have to think of her and I get hard. My balls tighten and I feel the release. This is becoming a nightly occurrence.
The week passes by fast, most likely because I'm busy at work and at home. I’m trying to teach Gemma how to run the house whenever I'm around. It’s exhausting, but she's making some progress.
I get dressed for dinner, wearing a suit so that I look my best. I splash on some cologne and comb through my hair.
I meet Penny at the restaurant she had suggested. It’s an upmarket joint where nothing comes cheap. Seems subtlety isn’t in her vocabulary, but I already knew that. She’s waiting at the table with a glass of red wine.
“Hi.” She smiles at me.
“Hi, are you okay?” I kiss her cheek. “Sorry I’m late. Thetraffic was crazy. You look nice.” I compliment her black dress. She did look nice, but only nice, nothing special. She did nothing for me.
“Thanks. How are you?”
I smile politely, even though I can’t shake the feeling this date isn't going to go well at all. Throughout dinner, I listen to her talk about how amazing her son George is and what a ‘deadbeat dad’ he has. I sit through my meal in near silence, waiting for her to take a breath or stop talking. It seals it for me when she doesn’t ask about Ace or Eden once.
“Desserts?” the waiter asks.
“I’m good, thank you. Alex?” she says.
“No, thanks.” The waiter brings the bill over, and, like the gentleman I am, I pay.
She wants to share a taxi back and insists we stop at my house first. I think I know where she's heading with this, and it's not going to happen.
“This is nice," she purrs in my ear.
My dick isn't quite feeling it, despite her attempts at being sexy. There’s only one person that can get it up and it’s not her.
“Yeah," I say.
Penny follows me out of the taxi, assuming she’s coming inside. I don’t remember inviting her in. The temptation to say something is there, but I resist. It’s still early I suppose.
Opening the front door, I see Gemma standing in the kitchen in her skimpy shorts and t-shirt. Of course, now my cock decides to come to life. It makes my trousers feel uncomfortable.
“Hi.” She looks at us both. “Eden needed a drink. I’m going back to bed.”
“Is she okay?” I hate to leave Eden if she is having another nightmare.
“Just asking where you were. She’s asleep now, in yourbed. She doesn't want to go back to hers. I’ll leave you to it.” Gemma starts to leave us, but I want her to stay.
“Did she go to the toilet?” I ask her as she is walking away.
