AllFreeNovel
Share Us
A deep, cleansing sigh leaves my chest. While I have to be the ice queen at work, I can let down my guard here. My home is my safe haven. I can rest my scepter at the door and just be me, not Miranda Evelyn Keller, co-president of Ever Heart Digital.
“Hi, Manny.” I chew on my lip.
Remi swallows, and I watch his throat undulate as I try to hide my fascination. I never thought throats were sexy before … before the nanny showed up and proved even the most mundane physical traits of a man could be sexy.
His mouth opens to say something, but he stops himself, rakes his fingers through his dark hair, and begins again. “How was your day?”
I know he’s just being polite, but damn it feels good to have someone ask. “It was” — I sigh again, looking for the right words to articulate the hell I’m in — “a day. But it’s better now.”
Remi looks behind him and grins. “I bet. Isa-bea has that effect on people.” Turning back to me, he licks his lips. “Takes after her mom.”
I die a little. He’s devastatingly handsome and heartbreakingly too young for me. What a flirt, though. I can’t help the quirk of my lips. I know this is just how he is, but it totally lights me up. He knows how to turn a taxing day into an easy night.
“I don’t know about that,” I say as I breeze past him and walk over to the reason I breathe, brushing back her baby-soft curls. “How about you?” I look back at him. “How was your day?”
“Well, it was very thrilling. Starting with monsters in the toilet and ending with Mr. Snuffles eating all of Isa’s broccoli, which I found squashed under the tray of the highchair.” He chuckles softly as he comes to my side and lays an arm around my shoulders.
Ever since that first hug, Remi has been an affectionate friend. We don’t shy away from little touches here and there. I should be desensitized to the vortex of physical and emotional attraction Remi evokes. But every time we make contact, my complex feelings for him grow.
Being somewhat tucked into the side of his broad chest does something to me. The air crackles with tension, and I almost imagine him as her father.
My heart clenches. How could Brad have turned his back on her? His own flesh and blood. And for what?
I shake my head because I’ll never understand. I’ll never forgive either.
Remi stretches, and my eyes rake down his form. His rumpled t-shirt lifts with his arms, and a sliver of his toned abs peeks at me over his low-hung jeans. My mouth goes dry because I’m lying to myself about what I truly want, alas a battery-operated version will have to do tonight.
With a bitter taste in my mouth, I turn away, cutting the tension. My stomach churns with these reprehensible thoughts. Wasn’t I just storming out of a restaurant because someone objectified me? And here I am, doing the same thing to Remi. Someone I respect and care for.
I shake my head. “Thank you for putting her to bed. I’m sure you’ve had just as long a day as I have. You can go.”
The manny tilts his head. His sharp jawline practically touches a raised shoulder, fidgeting, before he speaks. “I, uh, I can stay if you want.”
I rear back, stunned and pleasantly surprised. Did he just offer to—
“In case Isabel wakes up in the middle of the night or something.” The remark was meant to be flippant, but I swear his voice purred on the word “something”. “You need your rest.” Remi looks away and scratches his head.
Oh, he’s just being polite, taking pride in his job and making me feel like we are no burden at all. Even though I pay him well, it isn’t easy looking after a toddler all day.
My smile is warm as I walk back into the hallway. It’s easy to relax around Remi. “I appreciate it. I have no idea what we’d do without you. But you have a life too, so…” I shrug, not knowing what else to say. All I want is to slip out of my clothes and have a date with B.O.B. in the soaking tub, which includes a bottle of Cabernet.
“Okay, well, you have my number. You can call me for anything.”
Something hooks at the base of my stomach, pulling it taut. He doesn’t realize what my “anything” entails—me riding him hard like I’m going for the Kentucky Derby Trifecta. I bite my lip. My “Okay,” comes out all weird and breathy. Damn him.
Remi pulls on his jacket as he heads toward the door. Hand on the knob, he turns back to me with a cocky smirk. I swear he can read my thoughts sometimes. “Sweet Dreams, Queeny,” he purrs.
Once the door is closed, I lean back on it, swooning like a silly girl. I don’t know that I’ve ever been this affected by a man before. No one gets under my skin like Remi does. It’s like he has this magical power over everyone he meets.
Jay loves him. He and Elliot have some kind of bro handshake. Just the other day, I caught him chatting happily with Virginia, my persnickety neighbor with too much time on her hands, whom I always avoid. It’s like no one can resist his charm. He leaves a little sunshine wherever he goes.
Heading into the kitchen, I grab a bottle of wine and gear up for a thrilling night of getting myself off before going to bed, just to wake up and do some version of this day all over again. After the bullshit I had to deal with tonight, I almost want to take a day off, but I can’t. I have to devise another plan to secure our company, keeping all our employees. And I’ll need to tell Jay what happened.
Opening the cabinet, I reach for the stemware when a yellow post-it note on the glass catches my attention. In Remi’s neat script it says, Open the fridge first.
Why does he have to be so fucking cute?
Giddy, I open the fridge and find a wrapped plate of what looks like ground beef, salsa rice, and beans. That’s right—it’s taco Thursday.
