Chapter Six
***Autumn***
Iwokeupthe next morning with Grace in my bed again, but I’d prepared for her. Dressed in a tank top and pajama shorts, I carried her into the hallway outside my room and was about to ask her where her father was when Griffin’s deep voice sounded from behind me.
“She sneak in again?”
I turned around and found him in just a pair of loose pajama bottoms. With his entire upper chest exposed, I felt a little lightheaded. There were a lot of muscles on display, along with an alluring dusting of chest hair and another patch that trailed under the hem of his pants. I dragged my eyes back up to his and swallowed. “Um, yep.”
Grace immediately reached for her uncle, and Griffin was quick to step into my space so he could take Grace from me. The back of his hand grazed my breast as he took her, and his eyes met mine as I sucked in a sharp breath.
“Sorry.” Only, his eyes didn’t seem apologetic. They were heated, and there was a softness there that I hadn’t seen before.
I stepped back and crossed my arms over my chest. “It’s all good.”
“I’ll take her back to Con.”
I nodded and hurried back into my room. I closed the door and leaned against it, feeling a little like I’d just had a stare down with a hungry lion. What the fuck was that?
I was still wondering when I went downstairs to help get breakfast ready for the kids. Greta was in the middle of cooking, something I’d quickly learned was her private time that no one was to bother her during. I grabbed a glass of water and drank it down fast, feeling hot and overwhelmed.
I’d been around enough men in life to know the signals they put out. Maybe I’d lost my mind, though, because there was no way Griffin was hitting on me. He’d been the epitome of cold since the interview. I got the distinct feeling he didn’t like me at all. That morning, though, he’d felt like fire and pleasure. The look in his eyes had been full of promise.
Shaking my head, I focused on getting the kids their juice and milk ready. Setting their places at the table, I was leaned over, adjusting their napkins, when Con walked in with Grace in his arms. He didn’t notice me right away, so I got to steal a secret glance at them.
Con was all dark hair and midnight lashes, thick as anything. Full mouth, cute little dip in his chin, and a jaw line strong enough to cut glass, he was stunning. It was all the worse that I knew the body under his clothes just as well as I knew my own. At least, I had. In a life before. Grace had the same dip in her chin and the vibrant blue eyes. They made a beautiful picture.
“Daddy, Autumn!” Grace wiggled free of her dad and ran to me. She jumped into me and barely gave me time to catch her to keep from letting her drop. “Autumn! I saw you this morning.”
I smiled. “Yeah, you did. You’re a sneaky little thing, aren’t you?”
Con walked closer and shook his head. “Sorry about that, Autumn. She’s slippery.”
“Uncle Gruffy was there. He didn’t have any clothes on, Daddy.”
My face burned red as I shook my head. “No, he had clothes on, honey.”
Con’s eyes moved over my face, searching for something. “This sounds like a very interesting story.”
I put Grace down and patted her on the back. “Go wash your hands, sweetie. And wake up Caroline and Jones for breakfast.”
“I’ll tell them to wash their hands, too!”
As soon as she was out of the dining room, I walked back towards the kitchen. “Griff was in the hallway when I came out of my room to bring Grace back to you.”
“I know. He told me.”
Spinning back around to glare at him, I planted my hands on my hips. “Why did you act like it was something else, then?”
He smiled, something slow and sweet, the same way he’d smiled at me so many years before. It was his charming smile. I didn’t know if he knew he did it, or if his stupid face really just was that charming. “I was just curious about something.”
“What?”
“Nothing.” He looked around the dining room and smiled again. “Why don’t you eat breakfast with us?”
Feeling extra salty and bitter, I shook my head. “The help eats in the back dining room.”
Grace ran back into the room then and hugged Con’s legs. “Daddy! Jones was mean!”
I was grateful for the distraction from Con. Kneeling, I held my arms out for Grace. “Come here, honey.”
She hurried into my hug and wrapped her arms around my neck. “He’s so mean sometimes. I don’t like it.”
“Of course not. It’s not fun when someone is mean. Jones loves you, though.” I pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Sometimes, people can be a little cranky when they’re not feeling so good. Jones just needs a little extra love and patience these days.”
“I think he needs a spanking.”
I grinned. “I really hope no one starts giving out spankings. What if someone got one for sneaking through little doors in the middle of the night?”
Her little lips puckered out. “Oh, no, that wouldn’t be good.”
“No, it wouldn’t be. So, no spankings.”
She nodded. “No spankings.”
Con chuckled and knelt beside us. “I don’t know. I was really starting to think that spankings would be a good thing. Especially for getting a little girl to listen to me.”
Grace frowned and leaned into me. “No, Daddy. Spankings are bad.”
He reached out and cupped her little face. “Okay, no spankings.”
I had a moment of sharp pain at the scene. In another life, it could’ve been different. The little girl in my arms could’ve been mine, and Con could’ve been looking on at us as his family. Instead, I was the nanny for his child with another woman.
“Autumn? You okay?” Con’s eyes turned worried, and he reached out to put a hand on my shoulder.
I shifted away from his touch and forced a smile as I pushed Grace into his arms. “Yeah. I’m going to go make sure the others are awake.”
Hurrying out of the dining room, I rushed upstairs, eager to have an early morning confrontation with Jones to get over whatever I’d just had with Con. Anything would’ve been better than feeling what I’d just felt for any longer.
Zeke stepped out of one of the rooms downstairs as I was hurrying by and frowned when he saw the look on my face. “Whoa, whoa. You okay?”
I nodded. “Perfect.”
Falling into step with me, he rested his hand on the back of my neck and gently squeezed until I stopped moving. “I don’t want to call you a liar, but liar.”
I smiled, despite myself. “Ugh. I’m fine.”
“Where are you off to?”
“Getting Jones and Caroline up.”
He winced. “Sounds like you’re going to need backup. Allow me.”
I rolled my eyes and gestured for him to go ahead. “Be my guest.”