Page 24 of The Billionaire and the Nanny

Before I could react, she jumped out of bed and bounded out of the room.

“You haven’t had your juice, Maddie,” I called, but she was already out of earshot.

“Let her go. I need to speak to you, Tia,” said Leo, walking over to the window.

This was it. He was going to tell me to leave. Which was kind of the plan anyway, so I didn’t know why I felt so upset. I had to remind myself that I wasn’t a guest in his home, even if he had treated me like one. His five-star hospitality aside, I was his hostage. And now he was done with me.

I took a sip of coffee as I waited for him to speak. But I wasn’t prepared for what he said.

“I’d like to hire you to be Maddie’s nanny.”

I choked on my coffee and it sprayed out of my mouth and onto the camel-colored shaggy carpet. Leo took my cup from me as I coughed half a lung up and patted me on the back.

“You’re joking,” I wheezed painfully.

“I don’t see anything funny in what I asked,” he said, sounding offended.

“You hate me, Leo,” I reminded him.

His face suffused with color at the reminder.

“I don’t hate you per se, Tia. I hate what you represent,” he clarified.

“That’s practically the same thing. And more to the point, you don’t trust me. So why would you want me around your daughter?” I asked skeptically.

“My equation with you has nothing to do with Maddie. I’ve seen how you get along with her, and I’ll be honest, Tia. I’m desperate for a nanny right now. But I need one who won’t try to seduce me.”

“Have you forgotten what happened the night you brought me here? We almost fucked each other’s brains out,” I exclaimed in disbelief.

Leo flushed brightly and stared down at me coldly.

“We both agreed that was just for one night. It’s a thing of the past, and I can assure you it’s never going to happen again.”

“Damn right, it won’t,” I snapped, irritated at the conviction in his tone.

Did I want to sleep with him again? Hell, no.

But he didn’t have to sound so sure about it. It was unflattering, to say the least.

“Then there’s no other objection to my plan,” he declared.

I opened my mouth to argue because I had many objections to his stupid plan. He was out of his mind if he expected me to live under his roof while I still had such strong feelings for him. All it took was one look or one soft, stray touch for me to crave him like I was starving. Even now, my nipples beaded tightly against my t-shirt, and my breasts strained for his touch. But I could hardly say that aloud to him. Not when he had made it clear that he was already finished with whatever was between us.

I raised my chin and looked away from him as I mulled his offer.

If I took him up on it, I’d have to see Leo every day. On the other hand, I wouldn’t have to move to Vegas. My brother could find me quite easily once I moved out of the protection of Leo’s home. Also, I was a shockingly bad dancer. Celine liked to believe that she could teach me to dance, but I didn’t think I had the confidence to go up on stage and take my clothes off.

Leo’s plan was so much better. If only I could convince my heart not to jump around so much when he was near me. Even now, his nearness affected me. I wanted to curl up in his arms and inhale the spicy, musky scent that was him. I wanted to find new and creative ways to make him lose that iron control and come apart in my arms.

“Why do you want me around, Leo? It just doesn’t make sense,” I argued, looking back at him.

“If it makes you feel better, this was Aunt Fee’s idea. She will be your employer, not I, since she is the one who hires and fires the staff in the house. So it’s not as if I will have any power over your employment as long as you do your job well.”

“But that’s the whole point. I’m not qualified to be a nanny! I know nothing about how to rear a five-year-old.”

“It’s not so difficult. We’ll help you learn Maddie’s schedule. She’s already bonding with you, which is more than she did with the last few nannies. And you’re not bound by the rules that high-society nannies seem to follow like the word of God. You won’t try to force Maddie into the mold of a trust fund baby, will you? You will help her bloom and grow into whatever she wants to be?”

“Of course,” I agreed. “But…”

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