Nanny Next Door (12 page)

“Don’t worry about me,” he said.

“But—”

He smothered her words with a kiss. And for a while that was all he did. Kiss her and stroke her skin. Well, that and redirect her roaming hands as they strayed closer to his crotch. He finally got fed up and clasped her wrists together, pinning them to the mattress above her head.

She opened her mouth to complain, so he kissed her again, slow and deep. Not so easy to talk with his tongue in her mouth, was it?

She made a sound of protest and pushed against his hands, and if he’d thought for a second she wasn’t enjoying it he wouldn’t have hesitated to let go. But her struggle lacked conviction. In fact, being restrained seemed to fuel her arousal. After only a few minutes of kissing and touching her, he had her writhing and whimpering again. But this time he was going to make it last.

He slid his hand inside her panties to tease her, but the instant he touched her warm, dewy flesh, she shattered again. She arched against his hand, riding it out, until she moaned and crushed her legs together, gasping, “Please, no more.”

She
may have wanted to take things slowly, but her body seemed not to grasp the concept. She was making this way too easy.

Sydney rolled on her side and curled against him, pressing her forehead to his chest, her breath coming in shallow bursts. “That felt…so good.”

He reached around her back and flicked open the clasp on her bra. “You say that like we’re finished.”

“I am,” she said, but she didn’t stop him as he slid off her bra.

“I don’t think so.” He tossed her bra over his shoulder, then reached down to tug off her panties.

“I really can’t,” she insisted, lifting her hips so he could ease them down. For someone so adamantly against this, she was being awfully helpful. And he didn’t doubt for a minute that he could talk her into making love. The weird thing was, he didn’t want to.

No, it wasn’t that he didn’t want to. God knows he did. And if she had been any other woman he wouldn’t have hesitated. But this was different.
Sydney
was different.

And maybe he was a little different now, too.

“You can,” he said, kissing her before she could argue, determined to prove her wrong.

As many times as possible.

Unaware of her silent suffering, Mike cheerfully informed her the original color of Coke was green.

Becky, the only other girl there, sat next to Lacey, showing off her various tattoos and piercings. A few in places Lacey would have preferred not to see. And despite looking like she could kick anyone’s butt—even Jordan’s—she was friendly.

Jordan’s attitude hadn’t changed all morning. He laughed and joked with everyone else and practically ignored Lacey. When he did speak to her, it was in that same cold, intolerant tone, and every now and then he would bark out an order or two.

When lunch was over she gathered up her garbage and limped to the trashcan. Turning back around, she ran face first into Jordan’s chest.

“Watch where you’re going,” she snapped, but before she could back away he grabbed her arm and inspected it.

His brow furrowed and he shook his head slightly. “I gave you sunblock.”

She ripped her arm out of his grip. “Who are you, the sunblock police?”

“I’ll get the Professor to drive you home.”

What?
“I’m not going home.”

“You’re a mess. You’re limping, sunburned and exhausted. Just admit you can’t hack it and leave.” He started to walk away.

Forgetting her various aches and pains, she stomped after him. “Is that what this is about? You’re so chauvinistic you don’t think a woman can do the job?”

Jordan just kept walking so she reached for his arm. The effect was like a static charge she felt all over. His skin was hot and slick with sweat, the muscles underneath hard as a rock.

Whoa.

He stopped and looked at the hand on his arm and then back down at her face, but the motion seemed to take an hour, as if the world were running in slow motion. She yanked her hand away and stuffed it into the back pocket of her jeans. “I’m fine. I can do the work.”

He studied her for another eternity, and Lacey became aware that everyone else had abandoned what they were doing and turned to look at them. All the while Jordan kept those intense eyes glued to her face.

“Professor,” he called suddenly and she jumped at the sound of his voice. “Take her to the truck, make her put sunblock on, then give her something easy to do.”

He was letting her win this time, but not without humiliating her in front of everyone first. But she wouldn’t let him or anyone else see how embarrassed she was. She lifted her chin, smiled up at Mike and said loudly. “If you’re lucky, I’ll let you do my back.”

She hoped Jordan would hear, but he was halfway across the yard by that time.

Lacey spent the remainder of the afternoon picking up garbage, pulling weeds and gathering tools, with Jordan spouting occasional orders at her.

He wasn’t rude or mean, just indifferent, and she had no defense against that. If she was rude, she’d seem childish. If she tried to evoke any reaction at all, good or bad, she’d seem desperate for his attention. No matter what she did she came out looking like an idiot, but for some reason she couldn’t just sit back and be ignored.

By that evening she was relieved to be getting away from him. She couldn’t imagine going through this day after day.

“Did you know an ostrich’s eye is bigger than its brain?” Mike asked as they strolled to the truck. “And the longest recorded flight of a chicken is fourteen seconds.”

“Professor!” Jordan called, jogging up next to them. “I need you to run to the office and drop off the equipment.” He hitched his thumb in Lacey’s direction. “I’ll drive her home.”

“Sure thing,” Mike said, giving Lacey a sympathetic smile and a wink.

When they were alone, Lacey turned to Jordan. “I have a name, you know.”

“Well,
Lacey,
unless you’re walking, get in the truck.”

She was so furious she probably
would
have walked if it hadn’t been over five miles to her house. But with no other choice she got into Jordan’s truck and sulked. He climbed in next to her and started the engine. “Buckle your seat belt.”

“Make me.”

He gave her one of those blank looks. “The truck doesn’t move until your seat belt is on.”

“I’ve got all the time in the world,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Jordan let out a quiet sigh and shook his head so subtly she almost didn’t see him do it. Then he shocked her by leaning across the her and fastening the seat belt for her. In the few seconds he was stretched across her she could smell a hint of aftershave and the strong scent of a guy who’d worked in the sun all day. And she liked it. As a matter of fact, she liked it a
lot.
She wondered what he would do if she reached up and touched the soft jet-black curls peeking out from under the ball cap he wore. But as fast as he had pinned her, he straightened in his seat.

“Undo that and I’ll put you over my knee,” he warned tonelessly, putting the truck in gear and pulling away from the curb.

“Do you hate all females, or is it just me?” she asked.

“Who says I hate you?”

“Is
resent
a better word?”

“So, you assume I’m a woman hater?”

“It was just a question. Why do you care what I think, anyway?”

She saw his knuckles whiten as he gripped the steering wheel, and he didn’t answer. Though she tried two more times to engage him in an argument, he fell back into that controlled indifference. He was infuriating—and fascinating. And as much as she wanted to hate him, he was getting under her skin and she couldn’t figure out why.

When Jordan pulled up in her driveway, Shane’s car was parked across the street. Shane was sitting on the hood waiting for her.

“Shoot.” She instinctively sank lower in her seat. He’d texted her about fifty times that morning. She hadn’t responded, so he started calling and leaving messages when she wouldn’t pick up. It had gotten so annoying she’d had to shut off her phone.

Jordan looked at Shane then over at Lacey hunched low in her seat. “Problem?” he asked.

“I broke up with him and now he’s stalking me.”

“Is that the moron who was sitting in the parking lot the other morning?” he asked and Lacey nodded. “Figures you’d date someone like that.”

“I told you, I broke up with him. He won’t leave me alone.”

“Well, then, you should be happy. You seem to like drawing attention to yourself.”

“Screw you, Jordan.” Shoving the door open with her shoulder, she stormed toward the house. Shane was behind her in a flash.

“Hey, Lace, stop. I want to talk to you.”

He put his hand on her arm and she shrugged it off. “Not now, Shane, I’m tired.”

“I just wanted to tell you, I’m sorry for whatever I did and if having a job is that important to you, I guess it’s okay with me.”

“Wow, that’s awfully generous of you.”

He grabbed her arm again, stopping her. “Lacey, come on. You can quit playing hard to get. I said I was sorry.”

“Hey, pal, you want leave my girlfriend alone?”

She heard Jordan’s deep voice behind her, and like that day in the office, the sound made her tingle. She and Shane both turned to see Jordan walking casually toward them, and for once that look of indifference was aimed at someone other than her.

“Who is this guy?” Shane asked, backing up a step. Jordan outweighed him by about fifty pounds—all of it muscle.

“You heard him, he’s my new boyfriend,” Lacey said, following Jordan’s lead, trying not to stiffen when he slipped a sweaty arm around her shoulder and tugged her against his side. But she liked the feel of his arm there. She liked it so much she started to get that squishy feeling again.

“I have to go drop off the equipment but I’ll stop by later,” Jordan said, then stunned her by lowering his head and pressing his lips against hers. It wasn’t a passionate kiss, but his lips were warm and soft, and she felt it
everywhere.
In places she never knew she was supposed to feel a kiss.

Kissing Shane was never like this.

When Jordan finally pulled away she was so dizzy she had to cling to him to keep from falling over. Shane hadn’t hung around to watch, he was already halfway to his car.

“Thanks,” she said, smiling up at Jordan, and was met by his usual cold, impersonal stare. As quickly as the grateful feelings enveloped her, they were gone.

“We’re even,” he said, then turned and strode toward the truck.

Humiliated, she held back a sudden well of tears. Foolishly, for that brief moment, she’d thought he liked her at least a little, but she had obviously been mistaken.

She was just about to turn toward the house when movement by the side of the house across the street caught her eye. She looked over just in time to see someone dart into the backyard.

Stupid nosy neighbors. They always looked at her like she was a freak. Not that she gave a damn what they thought of her. She didn’t care what
anyone
thought of her.

And if she never spoke to that creep Jordan again it would be too soon.

Angie was not someone she could easily forget. “If you’re trying to reach Daniel, he’s on duty.”

“No, I called to talk to you.”

“Oh.” April grabbed the phone, so Sydney laid her in the playpen. “Is there a problem with Lacey.”

“Oh, no, not at all! She’s a supersweet kid.”

Supersweet?
“We are talking about my daughter. Lacey Harris? About five-three, blondish-green hair.”

Angie laughed. “I really like her, and Jordan told me she’s a hard worker.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

“The reason I called was to tell you how happy I am that you’re coming to Jason’s. I know we’ll have a blast. Even though Daniel doesn’t like him.”

“He doesn’t?” Daniel was so easygoing, Sydney couldn’t imagine him disliking anyone. Except maybe Jeff, but he deserved it.

“He thinks Jason is too much like my ex-husband, Richard. But other than having money, they have nothing in common. Danny’s just really protective of me.”

The fact the he was so devoted to his family was a good sign. Not that Sydney was thinking in terms of a permanent relationship yet. At least, she was trying not to. But it was tough not to fall head over heels in love with the guy.

“I know you and Danny are just friends, and I respect that, so I’ll only say this once. I think you would make a pretty awesome couple.”

She wanted to tell Angie that they were kind of a couple now, but she wasn’t sure what Daniel wanted his family to know, if maybe he wanted to keep their relationship quiet. Or if he thought they even
had
a real relationship. Maybe to him it was just a fling. Just sex. Although if that were true, wouldn’t he have tried to actually
have
sex with her?

She certainly didn’t want to push him, but this was something they needed to talk about. Just so she knew what to tell people if they asked.

“You’re awfully quiet all of a sudden,” Angie said. “Am I making you uncomfortable? I mean, for all I know you might not have those kinds of feelings for him. I’m sorry if I overstepped my bounds. I tend to get really nosy when it comes to Danny’s relationships.”

“I’m not uncomfortable. And as for my relationship with Daniel, it’s…”

“Complicated?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, as I’m sure you’ve probably figured out, Danny is a little commitment shy. But I always thought that would change when the right woman came along. And I don’t mean to say that I think that’s you. Or that it isn’t you. I mean, unless you
want
it to be you. And if not, you know, just ignore me.” Angie paused for a second then laughed. “I should shut up now.”

“I understand what you’re saying.” Sydney had the feeling Angie was hoping she would either confirm or deny a relationship, but she didn’t feel it was her place. And how could she when even she didn’t know what was going on?

After she hung up with Angie, Sydney looked up local secondhand kids’ stores, then she strapped April into her car seat in the van and they went in search of a high chair. She found a really nice, cheap one at the third store they tried. It was so cheap, she had enough money left over to get April a few toys, too.

When they got back to Daniel’s house his patrol car was parked in the driveway and he was sitting on the porch drinking a soda. But this time instead of feeling defensive, Sydney knew he was probably on break, and there to see April for a few minutes.

She parked in her driveway and hopped out of the van.

“I’m not here to check up on you,” Daniel called from his porch. But she already knew that.

“You want to help me?” she called back, walking around to open the back of the van.

He crossed the lawn, looking so good that, if they hadn’t been in plain view of the entire neighborhood, she might have thrown her arms around his neck and kissed him. Then he stunned her when he hooked an arm around her, tugged her against him and proceeded to kiss her senseless. He tasted sweet, like the soda he’d been drinking.

“Hi,” he said, smiling down at her. She couldn’t see his eyes behind his mirrored glasses, but she was sure they were as lust-glazed as her own.

“Hi. What was that for?”

He shrugged. “Do I need a reason?”

Absolutely not, and he obviously didn’t care who saw.

“I see you found a high chair,” he said.

“You want to carry it inside while I get April?”

He grabbed the chair from the back of the van and carried it into his house, but when he tried to set it up, he became hopelessly confused.

“Here, let me show you.” Sydney unfastened April from her car seat and handed her to Daniel. The baby went straight for his glasses, so he took them off and set them on the coffee table. Sydney showed him how to unfold and fold the high chair, how to raise and lower the height of the seat, how to remove the tray and hook it back on, and how to recline the seat for smaller babies who weren’t quite sitting up yet.

“These things have changed a lot since my sisters were little,” he said. “I don’t recall them being so…complicated.”

“I got a great deal. I want to scrub it down really well before I put her in it. Since you can’t be too careful. And I had a few dollars left over, so I got her some toys, too.”

“Thanks. I’ve been meaning to pick some up.”

“It’s no problem.”

“I don’t suppose…” He paused.

“What?”

“Well, I never anticipated having her this long, and she’s been growing like a weed. All the clothes I got her are getting small.”

She had noticed that. “You want me to get her some new clothes?”

“Only if you don’t mind. Shopping was never part of the job description.”

“I don’t mind at all. I probably have a better idea of what she needs anyway. And I know where all the good sales are. Unless you’d prefer I buy resale.”

He shrugged. “Whatever is easiest for you.”

“Maybe we’ll run out tomorrow after her nap.” In fact, April seemed ready for bed now. Her lids were heavy and she kept laying her head on Daniel’s shoulder and snuggling against his neck. Sydney was a little surprised she hadn’t fallen asleep in the van.

“You want me to lay her down?” Daniel asked.

She was going to tell him no, that she could do it, but she had the feeling he really wanted to. “Sure.”

She followed him down the hall and stood in the doorway as Daniel hugged and kissed April, then laid her in her crib.

“Good night, munchkin,” he said, stroking her hair back from her face. Sydney watched, feeling the tiniest bit choked up. She was still convinced that, despite what he said, Daniel would never be able to give April up.

He closed the door on his way out and they walked back to the family room. “Before I forget, how would you feel about going out on a real date tomorrow? Since I covered for Dave, he and Sammi offered to watch April for the evening. I thought we could go to Moose Winooski’s.”

“That sounds like fun.”

“However,” he said, tugging her into his arms, “I feel compelled to warn you that the only man you’ll be dancing with this time is me.”

That was perfectly fine with her. He was the only man she wanted to dance with. “I suppose.”

“It’s possible the mayor might be there,” he warned.

“He’s in Hawaii with the bimbo.” Although she almost wished he would be there, so he could see how happy she was. She’d had an unpleasant conversation on Tuesday when her lawyer sent his lawyer a bill for the locksmith. Jeff had called her from Hawaii, in the middle of his vacation, ranting about how she’d had no right to have any work done on the house without first getting his permission. Which they both knew was ridiculous. She reminded him that if his creepy handyman hadn’t had a key, she wouldn’t have needed to change the locks.

He launched into a tirade about Sydney’s “boyfriend” and how she was losing sight of what was important, and that he was going to sue her for full custody, which again, they both knew was a load of crap. The fact that she sat quietly listening to his tirade, not reacting to his threats, seemed to infuriate him even more. After a bit more name-calling, he’d finally slammed the phone down. Her lawyer called a couple of hours later saying that they’d received a check for the bill. Which was what Jeff should have done in the first place.

Sydney didn’t know why he expended so darned much energy antagonizing her. He had his bimbo girlfriend. Wasn’t it time they both moved on? Although the truth was, he didn’t annoy her nearly as much as he used to. She just…didn’t care anymore.

“This is going to sound strange, but I feel kind of sorry for her,” Daniel said.

“For who?”

“The bimbo. The way she follows him around like a puppy.”

“You know what’s really sick? I used to be just like her. But that’s a story for another time. You have to get back to work.”

He looked at his watch. “Yeah, I do. Can you stick around for a while tonight?”

She couldn’t suppress a smile. “I’m sure we can arrange something.”

He pressed a soft, lingering kiss to her lips. “I was thinking we could pick up where we left off this morning. If you think you’re ready for that,” he said.

Oh, she was
so
ready. The taking-things-slow plan had been a really dumb idea. She grinned and rose up on her toes to kiss him. “I’ll see you at eleven-fifteen.”