Nanny with Benefits Page 5

  Dinner went great, with Alexis talking about a new friend she'd made at kindergarten. His name was Riley, and he was really smart. Apparently, they had played dress-up together, and he’s been a prince while she'd taken the role of "the best princess in the land." The prince had to get through alligators, lions, and tigers before he could rescue the princess. When he finally made it to her, they enjoyed a real feast with candy, ice cream, and "all the lollies in the whole wide world."

  After Alexis's story with Karly, I waited in the living room and offered Karly a nightcap. We shared a glass of red wine together and sat closely on the couch. "I really like you," I said, letting my honesty show through.

  "I know. Me too," she answered, feeling the pull of me as her eyes blinked and she licked her lips with a shyness that caught my attention.

  I couldn't help myself. The fire, the wine, the most beautiful woman sitting next to me… I pulled her head to mine and planted my lips on hers, biting her top lip to make her feel my need for her.

  She gasped and then pulled away. "Damon, what if we wake Alexis?" she asked, looking at me with her doe eyes.

  "She won't wake up until morning. We can go to my room." I gave her my sexiest bedroom eyes. I had to take her. It was so hard to wait.

  She bit her bottom lip, hesitating, and apart from Alexis, I couldn't understand why. "Damon, I have something to tell you."

  I fell deeply into her stare, which was like a spell that had been placed on me. "What is it?" I asked, hoping she didn't have a newfound boyfriend.

  "It's kind of embarrassing because I'm twenty-five. I'm actually still a virgin."

  My heart raced at her unexpected words. It was nearly unbelievable to me that this was even possible. "Really? Are you sure?"

  "Yes, I'm sure. In high school, I had a boyfriend, and I was going to do it with him, but he ended up with Samantha. And I was going out with a guy a few months back, but he got angry, so we never—well, you know."

  She was uncomfortable, so I let it go even though I wanted her desperately. "I'll see you to the door. I'm sorry for pushing."

  We got to the door, and she placed a kiss on my cheek. It was the nicest, sweetest thing she'd done so far. "I'll see you tomorrow. Thanks for the wine."

  I felt completely helpless as she left. A virgin? Fuck. That was totally unexpected. The worst thing was, now I wanted her even more. Goddamn. A virgin, really? It was mind-blowing.

  Chapter 8

  Karly

  The day with Alexis was good, as it always was. She’d had another wonderful time at kindergarten, singing songs and making a paper hat with big orange flowers on it. I was happy she'd met Riley, a newcomer from another class. But I felt strange because Damon hadn't tried to kiss me since after dinner. Maybe he was turned off by my predicament. Being a virgin at the age of twenty-five was unusual, and it might have been the reason for his friend-zone behavior. I guessed it was weird to be a virgin. I mean, it wasn't for me, but to a man like Damon Jacobs, it probably was. Definitely.

  The phone rang in my living room. "Hello. Karly speaking."

  "Hey there, Karly speaking! It's your best friend here, wanting to take you out for a night on the town."

  "Um, I'm not really in the mood, but I guess I could for a little while. And only because it’s you."

  "Oh my god! Dawson Blake is going to be at the club tonight. He's newly single and ready to mingle, according to my sources on the subject."

  "How is a guy with two first names going to be husband material?" I asked, obviously teasing her.

  "Well, I'm looking for banging material, and the abs on that guy are so hot, my eyes hurt. He took his shirt off in the gym on Tuesday, and everyone drooled over him, even the gay guys."

  I laughed at her. She'd probably still be hooking up when she was eighty-nine and living with three hundred and sixty-two cats for company.

  I tried to tell her my thoughts. "You do know that all that glitters isn't always gold."

  "Shut up! Don't rain on my Dawson parade. He's hotter than chili sauce, or that wasabi Asian sauce that burns your whole mouth. I need to get my hair and nails done. Be at the club by nine, and we'll look as sexy as hell together. His friend Antony will be there too. I hear he's hung like a horse." She hung up.

  I laughed at her excitement. She loved Wednesday nights at the club. They usually played retro music, and there were always more guys than girls. I wasn't really in the mood, but I hadn't seen her in a while since I’d started working for Damon. It would be good to see her. It was probably just what I needed to keep me sane. I hadn't been able to stop thinking about him since I’d left work. In fact, I hadn’t really been concentrating on much at all after that first kiss. God, it was like milk and honey, the perfect blend of “way too good to be true.”

  ***

  We sat in our booth and perused the men at the bar. "You told him you're a virgin?" asked Sarah as she sipped on her slippery nipple. Her mouth was opened up like a hyena’s.

  "Yes. I couldn't lie about it. He would have felt bad if we'd—"

  Her eyes move to Dawson, who kept giving her the look. He was the most egotistical guy I'd ever seen in my entire life. He strutted around like a gorilla, as if he were in charge of his own jungle. He thought he was God's gift to everyone. I didn’t know how on earth Sarah could stand it. He looked as solid as a brick, and I would have bet he was as dumb as a fricken post too.

  "You really are hilarious sometimes, Karly. But don't worry, he's probably just trying to figure out how he's going to deal with all the sexual tension." She laughed. "He's probably got a hard-on that he needs to deal with every time you have dinner, the poor guy."

  I rolled my eyes at her teasing, and then I spotted Keith, my ex. He was coming at us with that look in his eye, the look that meant he wouldn't take no for an answer. Shit. I didn't like that look. His temper was inexcusable when he didn't get his way.

  He sidled up next to me in the booth. "Well, hey there, stranger. I've been meaning to call you up, girl. It's been some time, and I want to ask you out to dinner. Sound cool? Just as friends, of course."

  He looked determined. Sarah didn't like him, and she ignored his presence as he tapped his fingers on the table impatiently. My stomach did flips, knowing he would be forceful if I declined his date.

  I found the strength. "Um, it's kind of hard right now. I have a new job that requires long hours, so I'm working all the time. At the moment, I'll have to say no. Sorry."

  "But you get time off, right?" His words went from casual to pushy. "I mean, you and Sarah are here right now, so you do get time off."

  My mouth dried up. When we were together, he always did this. He asserted his way and made me feel unsteady in our conversations. I didn't know what to say. I was anxious and scared. He was a mean man. Thankfully, I hadn’t stayed with him long enough to know what that actually meant.

  "Karly, you’re a fuckin’ tease. I can't believe you're still leading me on like this." His words were angry and mean. I couldn't cope with the way he was making me feel. I felt trapped in my seat, and my breath was becoming shallow.

  Sarah gave him a look of discouragement. "You can't force her to go. Please let us have our girls’ night."

  My heart raced as I listened to her words. I wasn't happy that he was breathing down my neck, but I felt more than uncomfortable with Sarah speaking up against him. He raised his arm, and I thought he was going to hit me for a second. I closed my eyes, expecting it. His face was filled with a type of rage I’d seen before. It grew on him, flushing his cheeks and forehead. Then, like the douchebag he was, he placed it on his head and gave a narcissistic smile.

  "I'm outta here," he said, flipping us the finger. As he did it, the bouncer came over and grabbed his arm, obviously ready to escort him out. He flailed his arms, and the bouncer let him go, following his body with his eyes as he went through the exit.

  I felt sick and needed to leave. I just wanted to get home and feel safe again. I didn't like his ton
e. When I’d been dating him, my parents had had their doubts about him, too, especially when he’d strutted into their diner like he owned the place.

  "I need to go, Sarah. I don't feel great right now."

  Sarah looked over at the hot guys standing at the bar. I knew she was slightly annoyed by me wanting to leave, but I also knew she understood. I wasn't one to get anxiety, but she could feel I needed a friend right now.

  "Okay, honey. Let's get outta here. The music sucks anyway. I know he'll be here on Friday, perusing what's on offer: me!"

  We grabbed our bags, and Sarah got Raymond, one of the bouncers, to escort us out. Keith would have probably left by now, but we wanted to be sure. Sarah didn't trust him, and neither did I. It wasn't fun being treated like a doormat by a guy whose ego was over the top. Being domineering was in his DNA, and that wasn't good when it sprouted out in the angry sense. He was the type of guy who would stalk someone, although, thankfully, he hadn't done that to me.

  "Karly, I'm going to come to your place tonight. I can't be bothered to catch a cab until the morning. We can have ice cream and listen to eighties music for a while."

  "I hate eighties music," I said, giving her an eye roll.

  She laughed out loud. "I know, but we can laugh at songs by Rick Astley."

  I laughed. She always knew how to cheer me up. When my cat passed away last year, she took me out shopping, and we both bought a ridiculous number of shoes. God, I was glad she was my best friend. I needed Sarah when I felt like this.

  The rest of the evening flowed well. Sarah danced her butt off in my bedroom until eleven, and we ate way too much ice cream as we laughed and joked like kids. It felt good to be silly, to be ridiculous and free. A girls’ night was the perfect way to spend the evening together, even if it was on a weeknight. I’d probably laugh about our times together when I was eighty-nine, although I hoped I wouldn’t become a spinster looking after an array of cats. A man to share my life with was something I really wanted one day. Yes, a beautiful man and a family to call my own.

  “Good night, gorgeous Karly. I bet you’re going to dream about Mr. Handsome CEO.”

  I giggled. “Uh-huh. He is drop-dead gorgeous. You can’t really blame me, can you?”

  “Nope. Oh my goodness, I bet he’s hung like a horse. And I bet he’s a total stallion in the bedroom!”

  I laughed at her vision of Damon. “I need to get some sleep.”

  “I know, but it’s super fun thinking about it, isn’t it?” she asked, giggling madly.

  “Uh-huh.”

  Chapter 9

  Damon

  A virgin? No wonder she seemed shy and timid.

  I walked into the office with the thought wedged firmly in the front of my mind, never mind in the back of it. I slumped into the black recliner behind my desk and toyed with my cell. I had refrained from making any more moves on Karly, and not because I was scared or didn’t want to. Fuck, I’d have been all over her like a rash given half a chance.

  I dialed the number. “Hello?” Mom’s voice crackled on the other end of the line.

  “Hi, Mom. Are you doing anything this evening?”

  Mom said she was at a loose end. She was always at a loose end, apart from Thursdays when she met her group of friends for chats over a glass of red and some book club reading or stitching for an upcoming charity event.

  “I’ve given the nanny the night off, but I’ve got an important dinner meeting.”

  “Of course. It’ll be nice to spend some time with Alexis again.” I thanked Mom and told her to be ready in an hour or thereabouts. That’d give us both enough time to get ready and get motivated.

  “Is it a work meeting?”

  She nearly caught me out. “Yeah! It’s something like that.”

  I wanted—needed—to know Karly’s limits. It was okay that she was a virgin, but should I stay away or tread carefully and approach her? Hell, I didn’t know.

  “Its business I need to get to the bottom of. Nothing more.”

  Mom ended the call abruptly, and I could see where I got that habit from. I headed out of the office feeling as perplexed as I had when I’d walked in that morning.

  **

  “What’s wrong?” Karly asked.

  “You can take the night off,” I replied. My mind was in another place.

  “Have I done something wrong?” she asked, a confused look washing over her perfect face.

  I lifted my gaze to Karly and smiled. “Far from it. I’m taking you to dinner—that’s if you want to go to dinner. I think we need to talk,” I replied.

  Her face lit up and made me feel warm. “I’d love to go to dinner.”

  Karly finished putting the dishes away in the kitchen. I walked alongside the counter and smelled her faint perfume. Damn, her aroma drove me wild.

  “Where’s Alexis?” I asked.

  “Brushing her teeth upstairs.”

  I put my hand on Karly’s hip and stepped forward. Her eyes widened as I leaned in and placed my lips on hers. She shuddered, and I sure as hell felt my body wanting her. There was a spark of chemistry that was so raw and inviting. Karly was like putty in my hands. Her plump lips drew me in. I felt intoxicated by her entire persona. Her body warmed to me as I pushed closer to her. Our tongues slid together as I caressed her cheek and her beautiful, bared neck. Our breathing grew quicker.

  I stepped back, sensing her need to move away. Karly pushed her hands against my chest and licked her lips. Her wide eyes gazed into mine. “What about Alexis?”

  “Taken care of. My mom’s coming over in a while to watch her. As soon as she arrives, you can head off home and get ready. You do have something to wear, right?”

  “For a date? Yeah, sure!”

  A date? Okay. My mind would allow it.

  I stepped away from Karly as Alexis moved down the hallway toward the front door. She turned to face me and waited like a puppy that wanted to go for a walk. “Nana’s here. I saw her from the window,” she said with excitement.

  The doorbell rang. I opened the door as Alexis jumped up and down. She grabbed hold of my mom’s hand before she’d had a chance to remove her coat.

  “Nana, this is my new nanny, Karly-good-girl. She’s cool.”

  I looked at my mom and then turned to Karly, who hovered in the kitchen doorway. Mom glanced at me with the look she was famous for. It included a raised eyebrow and judgment, but, thankfully, she usually kept it to herself.

  Mom slipped off her coat as Karly introduced herself as politely as possible. “Yes, hi, I’m Karly. It’s lovely to meet you.” She smiled. “Alexis is all ready for bed, and her books are on the side,” she said.

  Mom walked into the living room and sat on the couch as Alexis scrambled up beside her and threw her arms around her neck.

  “She’s quite taken with Karly, which is very rare,” I told Mom.

  Mom turned to Karly and smiled through tightened lips. “She’ll be doing me out of a job soon.”

  Karly giggled and said she’d better go home and get ready for her dinner date. Mom turned back to me and furrowed her brow. The front door closed.

  “Some business you have to take care of, huh?” she asked. She smiled, knowing the truth.

  “It’s nothing like that, Mom.” I headed upstairs to get ready.

  When I came back down, Alexis was sitting with Mom on the couch and looking at her storybook. She was busy explaining how Karly read all the pages to her while she showed off the pictures and told her the animal names.

  “It seems she’s doing something right,” Mom said, looking up over the rim of her reading spectacles.

  “I told you. She gets on great with the little madam, ever since she stepped inside the front door.”

  “Go and enjoy yourself,” Mom said without looking up.

  After I stopped the car outside Karly’s apartment block, I leaned on the driver’s door as I called her cell.

  “Hello.”

  “I’m downstairs,” I replied, l
ooking up at the front of the apartment. A face appeared at the window, and Karly waved at me.

  “Two minutes,” she replied and ended the call.

  I waited for her, feeling good that we were going to spend time together alone.

  “Is this okay?” she asked as she walked out and over to me.

  I turned and was instantly transported back to my childhood when I first thumbed through the lingerie pages in Mom’s women’s catalog. Wow…whoa.

  Karly stood in a figure-hugging red dress, her breasts heaving and her long, gorgeous legs extended by the high heels she wore. “You look stunning.”

  I shook my head and mentally pinched myself. There was no way I could look at her the same way when she was working. What a transformation. Thank you, God.

  “So, where are we going?” she asked.

  I smirked as I held the door open for her. She slid into the car and smelled like absolute heaven. “You’ll see. I don’t want to spoil the surprise.”

  The drive wasn’t long, and we approached the far end of the bridge. I pulled into a parking lot and explained we’d arrived.

  Karly looked puzzled. “Arrived where?”

  I offered her my hand as she stepped from the car and turned her head in all directions. I led her to the steps, and she glanced down onto the roof of the restaurant that was nestled under one end of the bridge.

  She smiled. “Now that’s what I call hidden.”

  The waiter showed us to our table. It was away from the crowd and by the window. We had the best view of the cityscape that sat on the far side of the river, the building silhouettes highlighted by lights flickering into action.

  “You can have anything,” I said.

  Karly looked up from the menu. “Anything? Even if it’s not on the menu?”

  I coughed and spluttered. Was she flirting?

  “Oysters. They’re good for getting the blood pumping,” she said.

  Yup. She was definitely flirting.