“Have you found a job yet?” she asks, but it's not like she really cares. If she did, she would've stepped up sooner to help out. It's not like I don't notice her designer purse and coat, her expensive haircut, the bracelets she's wearing.
My mouth twitches as Zayden's cat comes creeping down the stairs and pauses with his bald face around the corner. After a moment, he hisses and disappears back the way he came. At least the cat has the right idea.
“Still looking,” I lie as I pass a look Zayden's way. It's highly doubtful he'd be stupid enough to blow my cover, but you never know with people. He just smiles at me with that sexy mouth of his, lacing his fingers behind his neck. The move makes his shirt ride up a little in the front, flashes me a tight belly with just a trickle of hair and a ring through his belly button. I never thought that kind of thing would look good on a guy, but he manages to pull it off.
I take a deep breath and drag my eyes away, doing my best not to think about how I'd like my mouth down there, kissing across the flat bridge of skin above his waistband, curling my fingers around the denim and pushing it down.
“Well, Zay and I were just on our way out, so …”
“Isn't the baby sleeping?” Monica asks, gesturing back at the crib with a hand, her pale brown eyes taking in the room as she sneaks over to the bathroom and peeks in, takes a long lingering look at the kitchen, pauses at the sliding glass door to the back and stares out at the pack of chihuahuas/hairless rats that are cowering under the awning. There's a doghouse out there with a pile of freshly washed towels in it, but apparently they'd all rather sit here and stare at us.
Before I can come up with an answer for that, Zay's leaning into the crib and hefting Sadie up and onto his shoulder, rubbing her back with his colorful hand. I hate the way my heart jumps and shudders when I watch him holding her like that. Eww. No. I'm too young to be thinking about how sexy a guy looks with a baby on his shoulder.
“She'll fall right back asleep in the car,” Zay says as he smiles at Monica. “Sorry you stopped by just to see us on our way out. But if you want to spend time with the kids, maybe you can watch the whole brood for us on Saturday? Brooke and I were planning on a date before the sitter cancelled. What do you say? Six kids, think you can handle that?”
“Six?” Monica asks, blinking mascara laden lashes at him. “There are six?”
“My four. Her two. If I can handle it, I bet you'd have no problem.” He winks at her and bumps my aunt with his shoulder. Her shocked expression is so worth it. “Let's say you meet us here around seven?”
“Well, I don't know—”
“Perfect.” Zay leans in and kisses her on the cheek, and Monica takes a shocked step back. “Thanks Aunt Monica. Can I call you Aunt? Brooke and I are so damn close, we'll probably be getting hitched before you know it. Come on, we'll see you out.”
He moves towards the door and opens it, waiting for the two of us to follow him. I'm not sure what he's up to, but I give him a look. Zayden remains unfazed as I lock the door behind us and walk Monica out to her fancy black sedan. She climbs in, but doesn't seem to be going anywhere.
“We better get in the van,” Zay whispers, tickling my ear with his breath. I can smell him when he's this close, like fruit and spices, like a warm house on a cold day. My skin jumps and prickles, all the places I want him to touch flashing neon in my mind.
I don't intend to actually go anywhere with him, but I climb in the car anyway and wait as he straps the baby in. Monica's still not gone when Zay gets into the driver's seat and starts up the engine.
“Where are we going?” I ask as he backs us out of the driveway and waves at my aunt. I watch over my shoulder as we pull away and see that she's on her phone. Admittedly, that kind of freaks me the hell out. She could be calling my mom. What time is it in Scotland right now? I have no fucking clue. “You don't think she'll actually show up and watch all the kids, do you?”
Zay shrugs.
“Why not? It was worth a shot. Besides, if she does show up, think of all the fun we'll have together. It'll be a big sacrifice on my part, but I'm always willing to let you try a little exhibitionism with me, see if it's your thing.”
“Uh-huh.” I cross my arms over my chest and turn to look at him, glancing around the van at the scattered toys, at the stickers spread across the backs of the seats. “Whose van is this?”
“My sister-in-law's,” he says as he pulls up to the intersection and turns right.
“So,” I pause and think for a second. “That story you told my aunt, it was true? The kids are all related to you?”
“Yup. All four of them.” Zay doesn't look at me as he follows some predetermined route he's got in mind. I blink at him a few times. “Don't ask why anyone would want to breed so many monsters so close together. I haven't the slightest fucking clue.”
“How long have you been their nanny for?” I ask, because he did say he was going back to Vegas soon, didn't he?