I polished off my food, the pie was delicious, then I picked out my outfit for the next day. I wanted to dress more comfortably now, since I'd be running after a small child. I settled on a pair of nice jeans and a maroon davenport cardigan. Underneath I decided on a black, short-sleeved shirt so that I would be comfortable and warm if I needed it.
I felt as if I could break into song like Mary Poppins as I turned in for the night. I was out like a light as soon as my head touched the pillow and it was only my alarm blaring that woke me up. As if on springs, I jumped out of bed and started my routine. In less than half-an-hour, I was standing in front of the mirror holding a mug of coffee and my bag which held any supplies I might need for the day. Snatching my keys from the side table, I jogged out of the door. I was raring to get to work. I was so upbeat, it felt like the start of something great.
A new job and a new child to take care of. This was what I loved.
I reached Christian’s place much faster than I anticipated. It was a force of habit for me to always be on time, but I was nearly an hour early. Never mind, I would just let myself in and make myself a cup of coffee or something, if everyone was still asleep. I hopped out of Betsy and went into the building.
Quietly, I unlocked the door and stepped inside. It seemed quiet and still, but I could smell the aroma of expensive coffee beans brewing. From the notes Mrs. Bennet had left for me in the file, I knew that the maid called Maria who arrived at dawn and left before seven, must have started the percolator before she left. For a moment, I stood undecided in the hallway, then I noticed the bedroom upstairs with the pink sign that said: Annie West Lives Here.
I decided to go upstairs and see if she was awake. Picking up my bag where I had packed a few games and toys, I headed towards her door. Sometimes, just going in and sitting down with a child was the perfect ice breaker when dealing with difficult kids.
As I walked down the corridor toward Annie's room, I froze suddenly.
Christian was standing at the end of it. A towel wrapped around his waist. He adjusted the thermostat, then looked up and saw me. Water dripped down his hard body and landed on the polished wooden floor underneath him. The towel didn't cover a ton and his muscular calves flexed as he shifted. His wet hair stuck to his head before he shook it and water droplets flew in different directions.
I was gaping like a fish out of water, but I almost didn't care because he was staring at me just as hard. Even with all that distance between us, I felt the heat between us and holly hell—I wanted to close that space and push my body up against his. I almost craved his touch. It would be wet, warm, and strong. It would be everything. Fantasy images from last night flooded my head. I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly dry as he slowly walked closer to me.
My heart hammered in my chest. Every step he took made me want to turn tail and run, yet climb him at the same time. I clenched my fingers into fists as he stopped right in front of me.
Then the illusion shattered. He frowned down at me.
I opened my mouth to apologize, but nothing came out. I felt like such a prize idiot when he walked past me, and disappeared into what I assumed was his bedroom. The door closed a little too hard and I jumped. Was he seriously that pissed off? I didn't mean to catch the great billionaire in his towel. True, I showed up too early again, but did it really warrant such an irritated reaction?
I took a moment to collect myself. As amazing of a sight as it had been, I didn't think it was worth the awkwardness it’d caused on my first day. Hopefully, we could both forget it. Him much sooner than me. I shook my head and lifted it. I wasn’t here to ogle him. I'm here to take care of his daughter. And I really, really needed this job. My fridge needed it too.
Right, so I couldn't get distracted by a strong jaw, muscular arms and a hard satin looking body that dripped with water. I also needed to stop imagining those strong arms wrapped around me. My skin grew hot and I knew it had to be red. Thinking about him like that made me want to fan myself.