Nanny Makes Three(14)
“You’re the one doing me a favor. I really need your advice.” Hadley trailed off as the waitress brought two Diet Cokes.
They put in their lunch order and when the waitress departed, Kori leaned her forearms on the table and fixed Hadley with an eager stare.
“This is fantastic. You never need my help with anything.”
Her friend’s statement caught Hadley off guard. “That’s not true. I’m always asking for favors.”
“Little things, sure, like when you asked me to pick up baby stuff for Miss Maggie or help with your taxes, but when it comes to life stuff you’re so self-sufficient.” Kori paused. “And I’m always boring you with the stuff that I’m going through.”
Hadley considered. “I guess I’ve been focused on finishing my degree and haven’t thought much beyond that. Plus, it’s not like I have a social life to speak of.”
Kori waved her hands. “Forget all that. Tell me what’s going on.”
Embarrassment over her early-morning encounter with Liam hadn’t faded one bit. Her skin continued to tingle in the aftermath of his touch while other parts of her pulsed with insistent urgency. The only thing that kept her from quitting on the spot was that he’d been asleep when he’d slid his hand beneath her clothes.
“Oh my goodness,” Kori exclaimed in awe. “You’re blushing.”
Hadley clapped her hands over her cheeks. “Am I?”
“What happened?”
“Waldo got out of my room last night when I got up for Maggie’s feeding, and when I tracked him down, he was in Liam’s room, curled up right here.” Hadley indicated where her cat had been on Liam’s anatomy.
“You said he isn’t a cat person. Was he mad?”
“He was asleep.”
Kori began to laugh. “So what happened?”
“I tried to lure him off with a treat, but Waldo being Waldo wouldn’t budge. As I was picking him up...” Swept by mortification, Hadley closed her eyes for a span of two heartbeats.
“Yes?” Kori’s voice vibrated with anticipation. “You picked him up and what?”
“I was leaning over the bed and Liam was sleeping. And dreaming.” Hadley shuddered. “About having sex with some woman, I think.”
“And?” Kori’s delighted tone prompted Hadley to spill the next part of her tale.
“The next thing I knew, his hand was up my shirt and he—” she mimed a gesture “—my breast.” Her voice trailed off in dismay.
“No way. And you’re sure he was asleep?”
“Positive. Unfortunately, I was so shocked that I didn’t keep a good hold of Waldo and he jumped onto Liam’s chest, waking him. I don’t think he knew what hit him.”
“What did he say?”
“I honestly don’t remember. I think I mumbled an apology for waking him. He retrieved his hand from beneath my pajama top and I bolted with Waldo.”
“Did you talk to him later?”
“He was gone before Maggie woke up again, and then I took off before he came home for lunch.” Hadley glanced at her charge to make sure the baby was sleeping soundly. “What am I supposed to say or do the next time I see him?”
“You could thank him for giving you the best sex you’ve had in years.”
“We didn’t have sex.” Hadley lowered her voice and hissed the last word, scowling at her friend.
“It’s the closest thing you’ve had to a physical encounter in way too long.” Kori fluffed her red hair and gazed in disgust at her friend. “I don’t know how you’ve gone so long without going crazy. If Scott and I go three days without sex we become vile, miserable people.”
Hadley rolled her eyes at her friend. “I’m not in a committed, monogamous relationship. You and Scott have been together for seven years. You’ve forgotten how challenging being single is. And if you recall, the last time I fell in love it didn’t work out so well.”
“Noah was an ass. He led you on while he was still working through things with his ex-wife.”
“She wanted him back,” Hadley reminded her friend. “He’d never stopped loving her even after finding out she’d cheated on him. And he was thinking about his kids.”
“He still hedged his bets with you. At the very least, he should have told you where things stood between them.”
On that, Hadley agreed. Five years earlier, she’d been a blind fool to fall in love with Noah. Not only had he been her employer, but also things had moved too fast between them. Almost immediately he’d made her feel like a part of the family. Because it was her first time being a nanny, she hadn’t understood that his behavior had crossed a line. She’d merely felt accepted and loved.