"That's … well, it's very admirable."
David's voice sounded strange and he started to clear his throat in an almost compulsive way. He wasn't looking at me anymore, either.
"That's how I knew what I really want to do with my life."
"And what's that? It's not teaching?"
"It is, actually, just not in a typical classroom. I want to open up a preschool in the hospital. Some of those kids are so sick and their days are anything but normal. I think it would be good for them to have a little bit of the life other kids their age have. I have this feeling that it might even help them to get better. I don't know, it sounds silly."
"No, no, it doesn't."
Now David was kneeling on the floor in front of me and looking up at me earnestly. He looked nervous and I could tell that he was breathing just a little bit too quickly. I just didn't know why.
"You're just so brave, so kind. I've never met anyone like you. I've never met anyone who embodies those things the way you do."
"I don't know about that," I said as my face began to grow hot. "I doubt that's true."
"No, believe me, it is. And I've met a lot of people. None of them were like you. None of them even came close. I think that's why."
"Why what?"
"Why I like you so much."
"Oh."
Now my breath was coming too quickly as well and the room felt a little bit too bright. This didn't seem possible. He was such a powerful and important man and I was only the nanny. He couldn't mean it the way it sounded. Could he?
"Kayla, I like you more than any woman I've ever known. I'm excited to come home for the first time in I don't know how long. I know I'm not being eloquent but I don't know how else to say it. I just really, really like you."
Then he was moving up, closer, and I could feel his warm breath on my face. He smelled amazing and my whole body shuddered in response. His eyes were full of a question I wouldn't have time to answer because before I could, his lips were moving lightly over mine.
Chapter Ten
David
I don't know what made me do it. I mean, I do, but I don't know what made me do it in that moment. I'm not generally an impulsive man and I don't do wild things in my place of work. Not usually, that is.
I like to think that I'm a reasonably intelligent man. Most of the time I feel like that's true. I think I know myself as well as the next guy, so it didn't take me long to realize that my feelings about Kayla weren't fleeting and they weren't going anywhere.
Ever since watching the way she stood up to my mother my desire for her had grown until I knew it was only a matter of time before they led me to do something out of character. It was just such a damned tease, having her in the house all of the time, playing with Sophie and making us meals to eat as a "family." It was like getting a little glimpse into what it would be like if we were a family for real. Hell, I didn't even need us to be a family, not right away, but it got harder and harder not to act on the instincts I had about her. I guess seeing her in my office was more than I could take. It's funny, what sends a man over the edge.
"Wow."
I pulled back from Kayla, a little bit afraid of what that "wow" might mean. It was totally over the line to do what I had just done and I knew it. She was my nanny for Christ's sake. It was clearly taking advantage of the structure of power, although I was almost certain that she was better than me in pretty much every way. Shit, I better not have messed things up for Sophie. Kayla was the first thing that had really worked for her since Mikey and Anna died. If my behavior took that away from her, I would never forgive myself.
"Wow in a good way, or wow in a bad way?"
"I don't know," she said, the start of a sly smile starting to build in the corners of her mouth, "you'll have to do it again so I can decide for sure."
My heart lurched at those words. God, I wanted to kiss her again. I didn't want to do anything but kiss her for the foreseeable future. I stood her up and slipped my hands into her silky, wild hair, tilting her head back and looking into her shockingly green eyes. So striking, so unlike any woman I had ever been with. She was exotic and she made my heart race in the best possible way. Her lips parted slightly, suggestively, and I moved in to kiss her again.
This time was even better than the first. Slower, a little more sure. Her lips were soft and sweet, tasting faintly of honey and mint. Her hair smelled like lavender and the overwhelming virility of her permeating my senses made my mouth water. My lips moved faster over hers, sucking her bottom lip lightly, and her lips became stronger, more insistent in response.
Kayla's body pressed up against me and I felt myself growing stiff against her hip. This couldn't possibly go any further here in my office, but god knew I wanted it to. I wanted to see what that curvy body looked like without that dress, see more of that perfect, exotic skin that made my head spin.
The way she was kissing me told me that she was interested in seeing this move forward also, and that would have to be enough. For now. Hell, it was enough for now. Just knowing that there was the possibility of exploring things with Kayla made me happier than I had been in years. I wanted to tell her that, too, but I didn't have the words. Just telling her that I liked her had felt close to impossible.
"So, which direction are you leaning?"
She laughed and moved to step away from me. Reluctantly, I let her out of my arms. There would be more time for this. There had to be. That was the only way I could convince myself to let her go. She looked flustered and breathless, and as she smoothed her hair and clothing I noticed that her skin was flushed. I did that, I thought to myself with satisfaction. It was good to see that I could make her feel some part of what I felt. It was kind of a disorienting experience and it was nice to know I wasn't alone.
"What do you mean, ‘which direction'?"
"You said ‘wow.' I'm just hoping to know if it was good or bad. I know how it was for me."
"Oh, don't worry," she said with a grin, "it was good. It was really, really good. You have no idea how long I've been wanting to do that."
"Have you? I couldn't tell. Not at all. I would have taken the plunge a whole lot sooner if I had known, believe me."
"Seriously? How funny. I was positive it was obvious and you were going to fire me or something."
"No, ma'am. If I have it my way you won't be going anywhere for a long time."
"Well, that's good to know."
She smiled at me sweetly and I had to fight my instinct to kiss her again. Now that I had done it, it was like a dam breaking. I felt little better than a teenaged boy, all hormones and wants and sweaty hands. I looked around my office, doing my best to remind myself that this was, in fact, my office. I was not a lustful teenaged boy. I was a doctor in a prestigious hospital on the track to becoming the next head of the cardiology department. I was the now father of an orphaned girl. Yes, I wanted Kayla badly, but I had to get control of myself. I still had responsibilities, after all.
"I hate to say this, my dear, but we should probably go see what kind of trouble Sophie has gotten herself into before she completely terrorizes the nurses. And I have to get some more work done, although I would much rather going home with the two of you."
She smiled again and I stepped forward to kiss her on the forehead. She really was the most intoxicating blend of fragile and strong and it made me want to keep her by my side always.
"Sure, of course you do. It was good seeing you, though."
I raised one eyebrow at her and reached out to take her by the hand.
"Good?"
"Alright, it was more than good. It was fantastic. It was better than I could have hoped for. I can't wait to see you when you get home tonight. If you want to come back for dinner. Obviously you don't have to. Ugh, you know what I mean."
She looked so flustered that I couldn't help but chuckle. She might be beautiful and almost otherworldly good with children, but she was still a normal human when it came to this kind of thing. It was refreshing. I liked having the opportunity to reassure her. I liked the idea of taking care of her.
"Oh, believe me, Kayla, I'm going to be home for dinner. I'm definitely going to be there. You couldn't pay me to be anywhere else."