As always. I hate that he always seems to know the right thing. He’s been controlling me my whole life, and this situation is no different. I’m supposed to do my duty for the family, but I hate every single second of it.
At least Lacey is cute. Maybe I don’t have any real experience being a nanny, but I did a lot of research. And I’m not a monster. I want to take care of little Lacey the best I can while still doing my other job.
My secret, hidden job. The task I was given, even though it’s not something I really wanted.
The day passes. It’s probably one of the most stressful days of my life. I had no clue what it would be like taking care of a little girl like this, but she’s sweet and eventually I get the hang of things. It’s exhausting, and by the time Griffin calls to let me know that he’s on the way home, I have a brand new respect for him.
Anybody that can take care of a young child alone while still managing a huge and important company is an impressive person. There’s no doubt about that. Even though he has the money to hire a million nannies, a whole team of nannies, he still seems to be doing most of it on his own. As far as I know, I’m the first one he’s hired to work as long as I’m supposed to.
When he comes home around seven, he seems exhausted, but still so handsome. He comes in the door while Lacey and I play with her toy trains.
Griffin appears in the kitchen and smiles at us. “There’s my girl,” he says.
“Daddy!” She gets up and totters over to him and throws her arms around his legs. He bends over and picks her up.
“How was she?” he asks me.
“She was great. Really, she’s a dream.” I stand up and smile at him. He’s so handsome and charming in his suit, especially while he’s holding his little girl who just seems so happy and excited to see him.
“Did she have dinner?” he asks.
“A little something,” I say. “But she didn’t want to eat.”
“You didn’t eat, little pepper?”
“No,” she says. “Train.”
He grins at me. “Train is a new word for her.”
“She’s really smart.”
“Too smart.” He walks her into the kitchen. “Come on, nugget. You’re eating.”
“No. Trains.”
He straps her into her highchair then walks back over to me. “I can’t thank you enough.”
“It’s no problem,” I say, looking up at him.
“Really, I appreciate it. And you two seem like you get along.”
“Honestly, she’s so easy. I’m happy to watch her whenever you need me.”
“Maybe I need you more often,” he says with a sly little smile. “How old are you, anyway?”
“I’m twenty-four,” I say. “How old are you?”
He laughs a little. “I’m thirty. But you’re not supposed to ask your employer that.”
“You’re not supposed to ask your employee, either,” I point out.
“Fair enough.” He walks with me back toward the front door. “Think you can work the same hours tomorrow?”
“I think that’ll be fine,” I say. “Whatever you need.”
He smirks a little and looks at me. “Whatever I need, huh,” he says, although I hear something else underneath that. “Very generous.”
“Lacey is a good kid,” I say pointedly.
“Sure, she’s great. You seems great too.”
We pause at the door and suddenly I realize that he’s flirting with me. Griffin McGrath, one of the youngest billionaires in the world, handsome as all hell, and apparently a great dad, is flirting with me.
I have no clue why. I’m just his nanny.
I’m his nanny with a dirty little secret.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he says. “Thanks again, Erin.”
“Sure,” I say. “See you.” I head out the door, down the hall, and out onto the street.
I feel a little dazed. My first day went well, and I think I can handle watching Lacey no problem. It’s the other job that I’m worried about.
I realize that my heart is hammering in my chest. I’m excited, but I don’t really know why. Am I really this aroused just from him flirting with me a little bit?
Apparently I am, and I have no clue what to do about that. It complicates things. If he has this effect on me, I don’t know how I’m possibly going to get any information from him. I turn to jelly as soon as he so much as looks at me suggestively.
But I have more time. I don’t need everything this second. And maybe, just maybe, I can work this to my advantage.
Although I’m not so sure I really want to do that. I don’t know how far I’m willing to take any of this.