His body hardened at the mere thought. Would she have let him?
No! No more thinking of the nanny that way!
He should have never gone so long without female company. As the mayor, he avoided the women of Jasper Falls, preferring to see to his needs in the next town over. But it had been some time since he’d taken a night to himself.
After Addison was born, any thoughts of long term relationships fizzled. His daughter was too special and he didn’t want to complicate their situation by bringing random women around. Nor did he want to get involved with the wrong woman.
Skylar was his daughter’s nanny, therefore she was the wrong woman. But he couldn’t stop seeing her as perfect.
And when he kissed her…
His cock hardened and he groaned, locking his jaw and shoving the vision away. She was for his daughter, not for him!
He avoided his home for most of the week and worked late, even on nights he had no excuse to stay after six. Every night, he walked through the door to find a wrapped plate of food on the counter beside a picture Addison had drawn. She was getting better at writing her letters and printing her name.
Skylar was nowhere to be found in the evenings after Addison went to bed, but he sensed her presence everywhere. It was in the carefully positioned pillows on the couch that now smelled like her. The flowers on the kitchen island he assumed were her doing. Her wool hat and coat hanging in the foyer beside Addison’s made their entryway look homier than it had ever been. She was everywhere.
She was in the air, in his house, in his mind, and now she seemed to be burning in his blood. The light from the third floor seeped under the narrow door. What was she doing up there?
If the lights were on, she wouldn’t be sleeping. He didn’t think she had a television up there. Was she reading? On her phone? Morbidly curious about her search history, he wanted to know every secret she kept.
She hadn’t been guarded until he put up some guards of his own. He wanted to know more about her, but feared she might discover too much in return.
No one honestly knew him in Jasper Falls and he preferred it that way. His past was ugly, like a patch of broken sidewalk that people shouldn’t step on. It didn’t fit with the picturesque image of Jasper Falls. Being the mayor of such a town, meant grooming his reputation to fit with the brand he was trying to sell.
No, he wasn’t ready to let others in. His privacy was just that—private.
Yet, no matter how much he knew better, he still wanted to get to know her. Why was she so alluring? He had to find out, had to—
Once again his train of thought had gone off track in the wrong direction.
Not going to happen. He shouldn’t even be looking in her direction. She was an employee, a member of his staff. His curiosity and interest blatantly disrespected her personal space. He needed to back off.
Why was he so obsessed with her anyway? Sure, she was beautiful and sweet and there was a playfulness about her he hadn’t found in many grown women. But there was something else.
She impressed him. She did things differently, always adding extra care and a personal touch to any task. She was old-fashioned, despite being young.
And when he kissed her… The heat of her touch stunned him. Sweet little Skylar had a fire in her. The moment he laid his hands on her, pressed his body against hers, arched her back over the counter, and groped those tight curves he was lost like a moth to a flame, and he’d been burning for her ever since.
Avoidance seemed the only answer. For days, he kept himself occupied with work, but his thoughts always returned to her. Skylar was not an easy woman to forget.
Addison had been eager to decorate the tree they bought, but he’d been making excuses all week. Kissing Skylar had been a mistake—and one he’d love to repeat. But for the sake of his daughter, he had to cool things off with the nanny.
Addison needed her. He needed her—and not in the way he truly wanted her. He needed her for his daughter. He couldn’t afford to mess that up.
After a few days of avoiding the house, he hoped they could leave the kiss in the past and move on. She seemed to be avoiding him as well, so the decision to overlook his misstep seemed to be a mutual one. But once the weekend started, he’d have to face the music.
When he came home Thursday night, he found the house quiet, per their new normal. He heated up his plate and ate alone at the counter.