Page 13 of The Forbidden Sitter
I’d never been attracted to anyone as young as Brooke. The thought of being older by any amount of years than a female conquest hadn’t ever occurred to me. “It’s not her age that matters to me. It’s her brother’s friendship that matters. He and I have been friends since our college days. We roomed together since freshmen year. Our bond istight.”
August thoughtfully stroked his beard. “So you have known this girl since she was a kid,then.”
“No.” I eagerly eyed the platter the waiter placed in the middle of the table. “Looks great.” I grabbed a chunk of bread and dipped it into a thick white cheese concoction, brimming with tiny shrimp. “I’ve never met any of Brad’s family before. He and I never were those kinds of friends—the kind who go to each other’s familyhomes.”
Dipping his own bread into the gooey dip, August nodded. “That’s good. It would definitely be weird if you knew her as a little kid and still wanted to boneher.”
Nixon nodded in agreement. “Yeah. Since you just met her, I guess it’s okay. But you still can’t go for her. Not if it would mean losing someone who’s been your friend for such a long time. Find someone to take your mind off the girl.” He jerked his chin toward the table to our right. “There are four nice-looking ladies right there. Take one of them home with you, screw the hell out of her, and see if that doesn’t help you deal with your littleproblem.”
Looking over at the table of women, who were most likely available, I checked each one out. And nothing. Not even the slightest thump in my cockcame.
With a sigh, I admitted defeat, “It’s no use. I’ll just have to get over the fact that she’s going to be around my house all the time and I have to treat her like a kid sister.” Even I knew that wouldn’t be an easy thing todo.
My two friends crackedup.
“What? I can do it. I can!” I protested, admittedlyuncertainly.
“Sure you can,” Nixon tauntedme.
August wasn’t about to be left out, “It’ll be so easy to turn off that wolf who rules yourlibido.”
More raucous laughter had me clenching my jaw. I could do it. I’d show them. I’d show everyone. Especiallymyself.
Brooke Moore was nothing more than a beautiful girl, and I’d known lots ofthem.
I could change my ways a bit. I could look at her for what she was to me—my kid’s babysitter. That’s all she could be tome.
That and the youngest sister of my best friend. Yeah, there it was. I had it all wrapped up in a neat littlebox.
In the beginning, though, I thought it might be best to spend as little time with her as possible. Just until I could get my head wrapped around the idea that she wasn’t someone I wanted, sexuallyspeaking.
She was my employee. My son’s nurturing nanny. A person I needed to regard much like I did the women who worked in myoffice.
One does not shit where they eat, after all—a rule I had practiced my entire life. Brooke was right there at the table. She’d be there all the time. No, I wouldn’t have any trouble at all putting her into the same category I did with all the female interns and admin aids I worked with all thetime.
“I should take off soon. This day has kind of taken its toll on me.” Bidding my business partners goodnight, I left to head home and get some much-neededsleep.
And, hopefully, my dreams wouldn’t end up the way my little daytime fantasy hadgone.
I was almost thankful when I got home and Braiden woke up suddenly, maybe hearing something in his sleep. I had to spend thirty minutes soothing him back into dreams. Brooke volunteered to do it, but I wanted to spend some time with my son. It served a triple purpose—letting her get some rest, giving me some quality time with my boy, and keeping my fantasies firmly incheck.
By the time Braiden drifted off to sleep once more, curled up in my arms on his little bed, there was nothing else in my mind except making him feel safe again after his world had been ripped from him sosuddenly.
“I …love you, son,” I whispered as he snored softly, and I knew immediately that it was true, even though we’d barely met. He was my blood, but more importantly, he had become my heart from the moment he smiled shyly at me the first day that Cassandra walkedin.
I’d move mountains to keep him happy. And that included keeping my libido firmly incheck.
Part Two
Chapter8
Brooke
Nearly three weeksinto my new job and I was beginning to lose patience with my new boss. I knew he had never been a father before, nor thought about being one, but damn it, the man wasn’t spending enough time with his little boy. He’d initially been really good about it, making time in the mornings and coming home at reasonable times in the evenings, so he could spend at least a few hours with Braiden before he had to leaveagain.
But, recently, Gannon had become like a ghost in the house. He was hardly ever there, but when he was, he caused quite a stir. In his son and in me. I both hated and lovedit.
My heart would speed up with just the sound of his dress shoes clicking across the marble floor of the foyer. Braiden had a similar reaction to hearing his father come home. He’d rush on his little legs to get to his daddy, and I’d have to rush right behind him to make sure he didn’t get lost in the massive one-storyhome.
