Page 3 of The Billionaire and the Nanny

“You have five seconds to start talking before I kick you out of the car,” I warned.

My brothers turned serious all of a sudden, and I had a feeling I wasn’t going to like what they said. And boy, was I right!

“Okay, here it is, Leo. We’re wondering when you plan to start dating again,” said Luke.

I stared at him as if he was out of his mind. Which he was.

“Have you both lost the single brain cell that you share? We’ve had this conversation before.”

“Yes… and that was three years ago! You went clubbing for one night, and if anything it made things worse,” said Marcus sharply.

“How did it make things worse?”

“It turned you into a monk! And that’s not good for you. You’re a family man, Leo. You need a wife and a house full of kids to make you happy,” said Luke, with surprising perception.

“I did have a wife, who died. And I can assure you that even when she was alive, I wasn’thappy. I’m not making the same mistake again. I don’t need a wife. And one child is more than enough for me.”

“Not all women are like Natalie. She was… well, special,” said Marcus, with a sneer at the memory of my late wife. “And not in a good way. But there are plenty of good women out there.”

“Name one,” I challenged.

He opened his mouth to reply but shut it again when he couldn’t name any woman who wasn’t like Natalie. All the women in our circle were the same, more or less. Gorgeous, expensive, high maintenance, but mainly decorative. I wouldn’t dream of inflicting any of them on Maddie. I wasn’t going to turn my baby into Cinder-fucking-ella.

The limo slid to a smooth halt, and I set my glass down on the shelf.

“This discussion is over.”

“Not by a long shot,” replied Luke, with a snort. “We’ll keep going at you until you give in, Romeo.”

“Fuck off,” I replied, with an eye roll. “Or I’ll tell Aunt Fee what you did with your French tutor.”

Luke blanched and mimed zipping his lips. His great misadventure with his sexy French tutor was blackmail gold,and I wasn’t above using it to get my way. Marcus put his hands out in a gesture of surrender and straightened his coat before he stepped out of the car. Luke followed him with a last waggle of his eyebrows and I tried not to laugh, as I shoved him out of my way.

We strode into the gallery as if we owned it, ignoring the flashing cameras and the shouting paps.

“Twenty minutes, and then, I’m out,” muttered Luke. “Oh, lord! That’s Mrs. Van der What’s-her-name! I don’t know what’s worse. Her gropey hands or the drippy daughter she tries to set me up with.”

I grabbed a glass of champagne and took a sip to keep from laughing out loud.

“She’s one of Aunt Fee’s dearest friends. Be nice,” I warned and made my escape before Mrs. Van der What’s-her-name caught sight of me.

“See you at the exit in twenty minutes,” I said and set off to greet the organizers.

As I turned a corner, I ran into someone. A woman.

I put out a hand to steady her and drew in a sharp breath because that simple touch set my heart pounding. I wanted to curl my hand around her waist and pull her closer. I wanted to cup her curvy ass as I kissed her. Until she was breathless. Until she melted into my arms. Just like last time.

There was only one woman who affected me like this, and it didn’t matter that I hadn’t so much as set eyes on her in three years. I didn’t need to see her face to know who it was. But I couldn’t resist running my eyes up those gorgeous legs and over her body until I met a pair of dark, dark eyes, framed by thick, curly lashes.

Tiya-fucking-Monani. Once the woman of my dreams, and now, my worst enemy.

CHAPTER 2

TIA

Leo Donovan was the last man I wanted to see tonight.

No. Jeff Sabri was the last man I wanted to see tonight, but I knew I had no choice where he was concerned. As far as Leo was concerned, I had every choice in the world.

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