Worth the Risk (Carolina Rebels 5)

“Neither can Jackson,” I reply.

“Mr. EJ is teaching me,” Jackson adds. “I skated by myself some last time,” he says proudly.

I’m not exactly thrilled about the idea of Henry tagging along, but I didn’t invite him for me. Jackson may be talking to Henry now, which is a good step up compared to when Henry arrived, but when Henry goes to leave and Henry asks for a hug, Jackson hesitates. He wraps his arms around Raelynn’s leg instead. I’ve learned that’s one of his go-to moves when he’s uncomfortable. Henry offers a fist bump instead and Jackson doesn’t hesitate to give him that.

Jackson comes with me to read to Bree while I rock her to sleep and Raelynn says goodbye to Henry in private. I almost want to stay to make sure he’s not an ass to her, but I feel like she can handle him on her own.

I’m sitting in the recliner in Bree’s room with Bree in one arm, a book rests on my knee, and Jackson sits on my other side with his legs stretched out on the arm rest. I read about a chicken who thinks the sky is falling. By the time I finish, not only is Bree asleep, but so is Jackson. I’m stuck in place until Raelynn comes in; otherwise, I’ll wake one of them up.

While I wait and rock in the recliner, my mind wanders to Raelynn. Maybe she’ll at least sleep in my room again tonight. I’ve been with her for twenty-four hours and I already can’t get enough.

My heart swells and bursts at the sight of how cute Elias looks, sitting in the recliner with Bree asleep in one arm and Jackson asleep with his head on his shoulder. Elias grins like he knows I’m stunned stupid from how adorable they look.

“Can you help me? If you get her, I’ll take him,” he whispers.

A small pain twists my heart because my baby is too big for me to pick up and carry anymore without it being a serious struggle. I walk over to pick up Bree. She continues to sleep soundly as I lay her in the crib. I follow Elias over to Jackson’s bedroom. My son doesn’t stay asleep, which is fine by me. We get him ready for bed and changed into his pjs. Before Elias can leave the room, so I can tuck him in and say goodnight, Jackson says, “Mr. EJ, will you read to me tonight?”

Elias flicks his gaze to me, almost looking like he wants permission to say yes. I nod. We sit on either side of Jackson while Elias reads him a Dr. Seuss book. He falls asleep two pages before the end. I kiss his forehead and we sneak out of his room.

“Tonight wasn’t too bad, was it? You okay with Henry coming with us when we go skating?”

I smile and nod. “It’s sweet you offered. Henry wants to see him every day for a while.” I shake my head as Elias slips his hand in mind and leads me back downstairs. “I’m torn. I see why he does, but then if Jackson gets used to seeing him every day, is he going to be upset when that slows down? I feel like we should get on a schedule and make it more like it will be in the future.” Elias sits on the couch, but pulls me onto his lap. “He’s jealous of you.”

He raises an eyebrow. “Me?”

“Yep. He thinks Jackson might like you more than him. He also questioned whether my job is healthy for Jackson.” And that got to me because while I don’t want to lose this job, I don’t want Jackson to get hurt if something were to ever happen either. Jackson is bound to get attached to Elias, just like Bree is bound to get attached to us. Her first word was Ja-Ja, for goodness sake!

Elias’s hand rests on my cheek for a moment before sliding up into my hair and then resting on the back of my head. “Raelynn, listen to me very carefully because I’m only going to say this once and you should only repeat what I say to Henry once. If you decide to stop being Bree’s nanny one day or if things don’t work out between us, Jackson and me? We’re still going to be friends. Just like if you still wanted to be in Bree’s life, I wouldn’t stop you, especially if she was Jackson’s age and was used to having you around.

“You want to expand your and Jackson’s world, remember? Well,” he grins, “I’m now a part of your and his world. Henry can suck it up. Jackson will like him eventually. You need to stop letting him make you second-guess yourself.”

“I’m not second-guessing myself that much,” I defend. “Bree will get attached to us just as much as Jackson will get attached to you, so I worry about them both.” His eyes soften at this.

“You don’t need to worry about my princess because I’m not worried. I only let her around good people.”

I can’t help it. I smile.

“There you go,” he murmurs. “Smile. Relax.” He grins. “Kiss me.”

I do kiss him. It still surprises me that I’m this comfortable around him. I always thought that whenever I started dating again, I’d feel awkward and so nervous, but it hasn’t been nearly as bad with Elias. As he begins to run his hands up and down my thighs, his fingers digging into my skin as I now straddle him, I pull away.

“What was your life like before Bree?” I ask. “What did you do with your free time, I mean.” Elias spends almost all of his free time now with Bree. But since we’re about to go on a date, I wonder what he likes to do with his spare time.

Elias shifts his hips to relax further into the couch with his head leaning against the back of the couch, and I have to swallow hard at the feel of his cock through his jeans. “I’m boring,” he says with a chuckle. “My favorite thing to do was stay home and watch movies.”

“That doesn’t make you boring.”

“Yes, it does, Raelynn. I’m just on the road so much and busy with work that it sounds like heaven to stay at home and watch movies for a few hours, you know?” I nod and he smiles. “But that’s only during the season. I like to be a beach bum and fish during the offseason. I didn’t go this past summer since Bree is so young. I didn’t want to take her to the beach yet. Maybe next summer. Or I might get a pool.”

“That sounds nice.” Jackson would probably love a pool, too.

“What do you like to do?”

I shrug. “I’m a mom and Bree’s nanny. I’m also a student. I don’t have free time.” Okay, so I have a little and I use it to do something, but I’m not so sure I want to tell Elias this. I haven’t been able to do much of my little hobby since I moved in here anyway.

He frowns. “There must be something you like to do and are able to do.”

“I’ve gotten hooked on a soap opera since I’ve been taking care of Bree,” I say, hoping that will appease him.