Billionaire Daddy and Nanny 1(19)

All the women started to cry, and Nick choked as I moved to my knees and wrapped my arms around her. You could hear a pin drop as she nestled against me and I closed my eyes. “Thank you,” I whispered to her as Carmen took a deep breath.

“Can you be Daddy’s angel too? I think that he needs one.” Carmen said as I gasped.

Nick dropped to his knees and hugged both of us as I held my breath. “She is my angel, Carmen. I was going to ask you if you wanted Celia to be my girlfriend for Christmas, but I think you beat us to the punch.”

“Yes, yes!! Will you, Celia?” She said with sheer delight in her voice as I laughed to hold back my tears.

“Of course, I will, sweetie. I love you and your daddy so much, and it’s fun living here with you every day.” I told her as I felt arms wrapping around me. I looked to see Mom, who was crying as she shook her head at me.

“I had a feeling about the two of you.” I smiled and kissed her cheek as Rebecca hugged Nick. We finished decorating after a long group hug, during which I explained to Mom how things happened. She was so happy and assured me that fate took over, that I shouldn’t feel bad that it was just a short time after Melanie’s death. She’d want him to be happy, just like Carmen said.

Once the living room was festive and Carmen was going to sleep with Rebecca, I slipped my arms around his neck and kissed him by the light of the tree. “I am so glad that everyone knows.”

“I am as well, though I’ll warn you that there will be rumors. They might hurt, but I want you to know that I love you,” Nick told me before kissing me again. We made our way to the bedroom, deciding to christen the living room one night when we were alone.

Behind closed door, we didn’t hold back. I kept it respectable with the noise, but we didn’t have to hide it anymore. I could make love with him freely and fall asleep in the very place I felt like I was at home. We went to the movies on Saturday, catching the latest kid’s movie as Nick held my hand. We didn’t want to be all over one another in front of Carmen, but he wanted her to know that it was possible to love after loss. Nick wanted her to remember her parents in love and wasn’t willing to reveal that they weren’t happy at this end, instead letting her move forward with this new relationship the way that we were.

We grabbed an early dinner while we were out and Carmen sat between us as Rebecca looked on.it was later that night over wine that Rebecca asked if we wanted her to stay through Christmas, seeing that Carmen was adjusting well. Nick told her yes, and she blushed if she asked if we minded someone else here, since she’d been dating a hockey player for a couple of months. It wasn’t certain yet when or how long he could stay, but she’d for love us to meet him.

I saw the discomfort on Nick’s face for a moment as I touched his shoulder. He looked at me, and I smiled as I shook my head. “She’s a big girl.”

“He’s more than welcome,” he grudgingly told her as Rebecca laughed. “He’d better not have one of those reputations that I’ve heard about in the sports world.” I chuckled as I shared a glance with his sister.

The weeks passed with time spent with Rebecca, taking day trips, and just having fun during the day. It was as if I was on vacation, though I considered myself part of a family more than a nanny now. Nick still insisted on paying me though I tried to convince him not to every night when we were falling asleep. He told me that he wanted to make it official before he started to use me to care for his child, making me laugh as I kissed him.

Carmen was spoiled rotten on Christmas, with the tree surrounded by brightly wrapped gifts both Christmas Eve as well as Christmas morning. She had a deal with Nick that they were going to donate some of her old belongings to make room for the new since he didn’t have the heart to tell my mom and his sister not to enjoy themselves shopping.

The biggest surprise was the little chocolate lab that Nick decided to adopt for Carmen since she’d been asking for a dog for a couple of years. It really wasn’t Melanie’s cup of tea, but I was more than willing to help with a puppy since I was home all day. Carmen was done opening her gifts when Nick called her to the office, where the puppy was waiting for her. He was just two months old and already set up for classes and training, and Carmen asked Nick what was going on. She was excitedly opening her dolls with Rebecca’s help, but we all headed to the office as I tried to hold in my excitement.

Carmen followed her dad into the room while we stayed behind to hear the squealing when she saw her new pet. I laughed as I hugged Mom, leaning forward to get a peek at what was going on inside of the room. Carmen carried the dog out and announced that his name was Cocoa before she put him down in the living room, where the puppy proceeded to tear through all the wrapping paper. Nick followed us with a giant basket of dog toys that he set up between the couches, hoping to save the furniture from the sharp teeth.