He’s hot, yes, and he’s sweet and caring and he’s single and a good father but I mustn’t want him. Didn’t I swear off men? Didn’t I promise myself I’d never go down that road again, never let my emotions and my hormones make a fool of me again? Haven’t I learned my lesson?
As I soap my left arm, I wince, the muscle above my elbow still hurting. It’s healed now and yet, it still feels sore whenever I exert too much effort with it. I guess that means it hasn’t completely healed.
It hasn’t completely healed and here I am, making the same mistake again.
But he’s not Vince.
How will I know for sure until it’s too late? I used to think that Vince was perfect, too.
It isn’t worth the risk. In a mansion this size, I could stay lost forever.
Besides, Randall is my boss. The fact that he wants me doesn’t change that. If I screw up, I could lose my job – I’m pretty sure the contract I signed with Stargazers included something about not sleeping with the client-and even damage the agency’s reputation. I can’t do that to Carol, not when she’s done so much for me.
Then there’s the fact that I’m his son’s nanny. I don’t want to be like the other nannies who only wanted to go to bed with Randall and not take care of David.
No. I should focus on David. Randall may want me but David is the one who needs me, and he’s the one I’m being paid to take care of.
Right. David. Just think of David.
I wonder what his next challenge will be.
***
“A bath challenge?” I look at David with wide eyes, stopping in the middle of picking up a discarded shirt off his bedroom floor.
What is that supposed to be?
“All the good YouTubers have done it,” David says. “All I have to do is fill the tub with weird stuff and you just step into it and soak in it for a few minutes. It’s that simple.”
“Weird stuff?” I arch an eyebrow at him.
“Yeah. Weird stuff like lemonade or hot chocolate or cotton candy…”
I blink. What on earth are YouTubers thinking?
“Or blood,” David adds.
“Blood?”
“Well, it’s not like I have real blood around. I’ll just use whatever I find in the kitchen, I guess, and mix it all up. It will be really gross.”
Okay. “And I just have to soak in it for a few minutes?”
“Yup.”
Something tells me I’m going to have to soak in a real bath for hours after.
“So, are you up for it? Are you giving up?” David asks with a sly grin.
I’m definitely not giving up.
I stand straight. “Sure, let’s try it.”
“Are you sure?” David’s eyes narrow.
“Yup.” I nod.
“You’ll have to soak in gross stuff for like ten minutes.”
He’s really trying to scare me now but I’m not going to flinch. “I think I can handle that.”
I think I can handle that better than I can handle his father.
“We’ll see,” David says. “Now, why don’t you go changed into a swimsuit?”
“A swimsuit?” I give him a puzzled look.
“You have one, don’t you?”
“Yes.” The agency issues one for every nanny along with the uniforms, just in case the nanny has to go swimming with the child.
“Good. So, change into that while I get all the stuff for your bath. When you’re done, you come back here and just hide over there.” He points to the tower in his fortress. “And don’t come out until I tell you the bath’s ready.”
“Okay.”
I leave the room to do just as David told me, changing into my one-piece black swimsuit and then putting on a robe. When I come back, I hide in the tower, trying not to peek as I hear him coming in and out of the room and pouring stuff into the tub.
I wonder what he’s putting in there. Juice? Soda?
Finally, I hear him calling. “Bath’s ready, Sabrina!”
“Okay!”
I head to the bathroom, gasping as I see what I’m supposed to soak in.
I can’t tell exactly what’s in there but it seems like there’s tomato sauce, soy sauce, mustard, vinegar, flour and chocolate syrup. At least, those are the stuff I can identify and smell. I can see an empty bottle of cooking oil and an empty bottle of maple syrup in the corner so I guess they are in there, too.
Boy. This is going to be one sticky, smelly bath.
“You did tell Mrs. Wilson you were getting some stuff from the pantry, didn’t you?” I ask David.
“No,” he answers. “Why should I? My dad is the one who gives money for the stuff that’s in the pantry.”
He has a point. Still, I’m sure Mrs. Wilson won’t be pleased when she sees all those missing condiments.
“Do you still want to go in or are you backing out now?” David asks.
I’m sure he’s hoping for the latter.
“Sorry to disappoint you, kid, but I’m going in.”
I take off my robe, hanging it behind the door, then put one foot in the tub, gripping the edge so I don’t slip and grimacing as I feel the mixture against my skin.
It feels gross already.
I put my other foot in, then slowly lower myself into the tub up until the mixture is up to my chest. Even with my swimsuit on, I can feel the mixture sticking to me, rubbing against my skin. And it does not feel good.
I’m tempted to say ‘yuck’ but I don’t, knowing that David is expecting that.
Don’t worry, Sabrina. It’s just food.
“Lower,” David says. “Like the stuff should be up to your chin.”
Really? I don’t complain, though, just obeying and trying not to get any of the stuff in my mouth. Sure, they’re edible and I love them when they’re mixed with food but I’d rather not eat them like this.
Thank goodness this isn’t an eating challenge.
This really is such a crazy idea, not to mention it’s such a waste of good stuff.
I don’t say that out loud, though, smiling at David. “So, ten minutes, right?”
“I’ll start counting now.”
I nod then take a deep breath, doing my best to relax and shut out all the smells and textures as I wait for the time to pass.
Just ten minutes, Sabrina. You can do this.
Then, just when I feel like everything is going to be all right, I hear someone approaching, along with panting.
Zombie.
Shit.
“Now, Zombie, stay away,” I warn him.
“Why not?” David grins as Zombie sniffs the mixture. “I think there’s still room for him in the bath.”
As if Zombie has just read David’s mind, he jumps in, causing a splash. I scream. I regret it, though, some of the mixture going in my mouth as Zombie moves around.
“Zombie,” I scold him between coughs but he just keeps moving and splashing as David laughs.
Just when I think things aren’t going to get any worse, he turns around and starts licking me.
“No! Zombie!”
“What on Earth?”
At the familiar voice, I look at the doorway, surprised as I see Randall standing there.
Shit. I did not want him to see me like this. Why does he always see me at my worst?
“It looks like you’ve gotten yourself into a mess again,” Randall says, leaning on the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. “Significantly worse than yesterday, I must say.”
“I agree.”
At least, Randall’s presence has made Zombie stop licking me. In fact, he’s stopped moving, just sitting there near the other end of the tub.
“So, this is another challenge?” he asks.
“Yes.”
“And what did you get yourself into this time?”
“Ask your son.”
He looks at David.