6 Mountain Brothers for Christmas

“Well.” I cleared my throat. “It doesn’t look like I’m going to be your nanny after all.”

“Why not?” Sarah asked, her eyebrows pulling together.

“Your daddy wants to hang out with you more,” I said, smiling. “This way, you guys get to spend more time together before school starts. That sounds like fun, right?”

“Sure,” Tommy said. He nodded, but his frown never faded.

“Get back over there,” I said, nudging them both.

They waved goodbye and then ran over to join Sean at their table. I glanced over, trying to catch his eye, but he avoided my gaze. I shook my head and looked back at Janie. She was watching me closely.

“Obviously, it wasn’t something the kids said,” Janie said. “They both seem really disappointed that you aren’t going back.”

“I know.” I frowned. “I still don’t get it. If the kids didn’t say anything—”

I looked over at Sean, and again, he avoided my gaze. The kids were already diving into their pizza, but Sean wasn’t eating. Instead, he stared at the plate in front of him and fiddled with his slice. When he finally lifted it to his lips, I swore he sighed. Something was going on in that sexy head of his that I did not understand.

“I’m sure it’s nothing.” Janie shrugged. “Just let it go. You’ll get another job soon enough.”

“Yeah,” I said. “You’re right.”

I finished my pizza and kept my eyes focused forward, never once glancing at Sean again until Janie and I left the restaurant. On our way out, Tommy and Sarah waved their goodbyes, and I smiled back. My eyes flickered to Sean for a fraction of a second, and finally, he was looking back at me. Our eyes met, and he looked away quickly. But before he did, I saw the same look I’d seen in his eyes the day before.

Janie and I said goodbye. I made my way home, still thinking about Sean and that meaningful look. Maybe Janie was right. Maybe Sean just decided he wanted to spend more alone time with his children. Or maybe there was something more going on, something I was too naïve to see until now.

As I walked home, I remembered the way Sean looked at me in the kitchen. If I didn’t know any better, I would have said his look was one of longing. There was tension in the air between us whenever we were alone. I dismissed it as nothing more than my attraction to him, but now, I couldn’t help but wonder if it went deeper than that. Maybe Sean was as experiencing that same attraction.

Whatever it was, I was intrigued in every sense of the word by this man. He was a mystery and despite my reservations, I needed to find out more about him.

CHAPTER SEVEN - SEAN

After lunch, I took Tommy and Sarah home. They begged to go to the park, but I couldn’t bring myself to take them. My mind was still racing with everything I’d seen at the restaurant.

By the next morning, I was still thinking about it endlessly. All I could see was that guy leaning over, pressing his lips to Emily’s ear in an intimate gesture. The memory made my stomach tighten with jealousy.

Shaking my head, I pushed myself out of bed and hurried toward the bathroom. As I showered, I told myself I was being stupid. There had been so much tension between Emily and me that I used it an excuse to fire her, but now, I knew that wasn’t the case. Obviously, the tension was one-sided, just my imagination. There was obviously a guy in her life, and here I was, deluding myself into thinking her interest in me was more than just professional. I realized now that I let my attraction to her get in the way of my common sense.

Still, I couldn’t change it now. I’d already set up three interviews with potential nannies for today. After breakfast, I would take the kids over to Mrs. Johnston and spend the day finding their new caretaker. Tommy and Sarah made it abundantly clear that they wanted Emily and no one else, but I couldn’t do that to myself. Despite the other guy, my feelings remained the same. Just seeing her at the pizza place was enough to make my dick twitch in my pants. I couldn’t look at her without my fantasies running wild.

“Breakfast?” I asked as I walked into the kitchen. Tommy and Sarah were already sitting at the kitchen table.

“Why can’t Emily come over?” Sarah asked.

I sighed and turned to face them. Sarah’s eyes were narrowed in the way they often did, challenging and demanding. Her expression wasn’t a surprise, but I was shocked to see it mirrored on Tommy’s face. His anger hit me harder than Sarah’s. It was unexpected, and it so rarely happened that I had to take a step back and recover before I spoke.

“Listen guys,” I said softly. “I’m interviewing a bunch of different nannies today, okay? I’ll find someone who’s just as great as Emily. Maybe even better.”

“That’s not possible,” Sarah said firmly. “Emily is the best.”

“I know you both liked Emily, but you’ll like the next person too,” I said. “I promise.”

Sarah rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. She turned around to face away from me and spent the rest of the morning pouting. Tommy just shrugged and accepted the bowl of cereal I placed in front of him. Sarah didn’t eat, but I wasn’t surprised. When she was angry, her favorite tactic was a hunger strike. I knew the second she got over to Mrs. Johnston’s, she would eat everything in sight, so I wasn’t worried.

“Come on,” I said, once Tommy was done eating. “Let’s head next door.”

“Why can’t we be here for the interviews?” Tommy asked. “Shouldn’t we meet the new nanny ourselves?”

“You will,” I said. “And if you don’t like whoever it is, then I’ll find someone new. Deal?”