Page 36 of The Billionaire and the Nanny

“Why did they name her Louisa?” she asked for the tenth time that week.

“Because she reminded her previous owner of his ex-wife, Louisa, who used to glare at him just like that,” I explained wearily.

That led to a whole discussion on divorce, which was way above my pay grade, to be honest. I answered as honestly as I could and hoped I didn’t cross any line with Leo. These were dangerous waters for a first-time nanny.

The next day, Fee and I took Maddie ice skating in Central Park. It was very close to Christmas, and the ice rink was very crowded. There was barely any space to move around, which was a good thing since I didn’t know how to skate.

Fee settled down to watch on a bench near us while Maddie twirled around like a little Nutcracker on steroids.

“Slow down, honey. I’m still finding my feet,” I called out.

She giggled and skated back to me like a pro. How was it that a five-year-old could skate so much better than me? Maybeit was the fact that she was much lighter. All those ice cream sundaes were weighing me down like a sack of rocks, I thought mournfully. It was time to go on a diet.

Maddie twirled in circles around me, making me slightly dizzy. I held on to my penguin and tried to move forward, but I had a feeling it was more of a hindrance than help because I kept falling forward over it.

“Try it without the penguin,” urged Maddie, and I decided to take her advice.

I let go of the bars on its head and took one step to the side, only to go crashing down. But before I could hit the ice, a strong pair of arms caught me around the waist. I looked up into Leo’s amused eyes and caught my breath at the feel of his arms around me.

My knees wobbled as he helped me up, and my feet went out from under me again. Maddie giggled as Leo pulled me upright.

“That’s it! I’m getting off the ice,” I grumbled into his shoulder as I pushed my glasses up firmly.

He laughed aloud.

“I didn’t know Cleopatra scared so easily,” he teased, referring to the costume I was wearing the first time I met him.

“Cleo does not belong on ice,” I snapped.

“But you do,” he urged. “Maddie and I will hold you up so you don’t fall. Come on, Tia. You can do this.”

If I could stay upright on a pair of skates, I could do anything, I decided. It was a challenge, and I had never backed down from a challenge in my life.

With both of them holding on to my hands tightly, I took a hesitant step forward, and when I didn’t go headfirst into the ice, I took a few more. We did lazy circles around the rink, and after a while, Maddie let go because she wanted to skate on her own. It was just Leo and me, holding hands, staring into each other’s eyes as we skated slowly.

He spun me around slightly faster and my knees wobbled again.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got you,” he said softly.

He did. He’d had my back from the moment I first met him at a costume party, three years ago, when he’d rescued me from a pesky vampire. And he’d had my back ever since. He also had my heart.

I ground to a halt and stared at him in horror as I realized that it was too late to guard my heart. I was already head over heels in love with Leo Donovan.

CHAPTER 17

LEO

Tia gripped my hands tightly and brought us to an abrupt halt.

She looked very pale as if she’d suddenly seen a ghost.

“What’s wrong, Tia?”

“I… I need to sit down,” she whispered.

I led her to a bench nearby and called out to Maddie. She skated back to us, looking worried.

“Is Tia hurt?”

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