“Why not?” He looked truly disappointed.
“Because of what happened between us,” I said. “I mean, it was amazing, but you hired me to be Lizzie’s nanny, not your lover. Or your muse. Hell, I’m still not even sure what that is.”
“I understand,” he said. He nodded with a frown on his face. “And again, I’m sorry if I crossed a line I shouldn’t have.”
“I think we crossed that line together,” I said with a devious grin that I immediately wiped from my face. I glanced up to find him staring at me. “You have to understand, it’s not that I don’t find you attractive. I do. I mean, wow, you’re the most attractive man I’ve ever seen.”
He grinned at me. “Do go on.”
He flexed his eyebrows and made me smile.
I said, “But, we have to remember why you hired me. I’m supposed to look after Lizzie so you have time to write. I don’t want to be a distraction.”
“Is that what you think you are?” he asked. “A distraction?”
“Well, you certainly distract me,” I said honestly. “I mean, when you do what we did, and it feels so…”
“Right?”
I blinked at him. “I was gonna say fucking amazing, but right works, as well. It’s hard not to be distracted.”
“And want to do it again?”
“Yes.” I shook my head. “You’re not making this any easier for me.”
“Do you want me to make it easier for you?” he asked, leaning in to gaze into my eyes. “Do you want me to say that I want you to come back to be Lizzie’s nanny? Then yes, I do, very much so. Lizzie loves you and I trust you to take care of her as if she were your own.
“Do you want me to say that I can just ignore the fact that we made love and act like it never happened? All I can say is, I can try.
“Do you want me to say that I hope we never have sex again?” He shook his head as the corners of his lips curled up. “I can’t say that because I would never lie to you. Making love to you is all I think about. It energizes me. It fills every cell in my body with fire. It makes me reel in anticipation.”
“Me, too,” I said, barely above a whisper.
There was an awkward silence for a minute, then he said, “What if we try it again from the top and just take it a step at a time. You come back to take care of Lizzie so I can concentrate on writing my book. We do our best to conduct ourselves as responsible adults and, if on occasion, we feel the need to fuck like rabbits, that’s okay. No strings, no commitments, no pressure. And if over time, feelings develop and we decide to take things to the next level, well, then we’ll let it progress naturally and we’ll ask Gail for her blessing.”
I smiled at him. “Do you really think we can act like responsible adults?”
He reached across the table to take my hand. “I’m willing to try if you are.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: Jackson
I put Lizzie to bed and turned out the light. It had taken a few hours for her to come down from the ice cream sugar high and the excitement of having Amy Lynne back home.
The three of us cuddled on the couch and watched a Barney video. We’d sung that damn song and laughed until we cried.
Amy Lynne was waiting in my bed when I came in and closed the door. I turned on the baby monitor and set it on the nightstand. Then I sat on the edge of the bed to take off my shoes.
“She asleep?” Amy Lynne asked, reaching out a hand to me.
“She is,” I said, taking her hand and bringing it to my lips. I brushed the hair from her forehead and gave her a smile. “As one responsible adult to another, may I say that I’m awfully glad you’re here.”
“I think I’m going to enjoy being a responsible adult,” Amy said with a happy sigh. “I love trying new things.”
“Well, that’s certainly good to know,” I said, wiggling my eyebrows at her. “You’re an adventurous, responsible adult.”
“That I am,” she said, licking her lips. “Now get your ass in this bed.”
I took off my clothes and she pulled back the sheet. I lay down next to her. Her naked body was warm against my skin. Her breath was like a gentle breeze in my ear. She spread her legs and my hand found her hot and wet and happy to be home.
I pressed my lips to hers and massaged her breast. I tweaked her hard nipple between my fingers and then slid my tongue down her neck to take the nipple into my mouth.
Her hand drifted down to my hard cock. She wrapped her fingers around it and began to tug it, rubbing the head against her.
“Make love to me, Jackson,” she sighed in my ear. She gazed into my eyes. “I want you inside me, now.”
She spread her legs and I rolled on top of her.
I braced my arms and she guided my cock to her opening with her hand.
She rubbed the head of my cock against her hot, wet opening.
She put her hands on my ass and pulled me into her.