The Nanny: A Single Dad Romance

by Aria Ford

“Gabrielle, I want you to listen to me. I will sit here until you do. I’m not leaving.”

  “Suit yourself,” she said stubbornly.

  “When I returned home, I found that there had been a crisis in the currency of my country, and more importantly, in my banks. Our country relies very heavily on the value of our money against the dollar and the yen; it was nearly catastrophic. I was completely overwhelmed with resolving our stand and thought you were being quite well taken care of. I also couldn’t risk discussing that business in any communications. It’s all about strategy.”

  “That’s hardly the big issue, Arran,” Gabrielle pointed out.

  “Allow me to continue. While the current crisis has been resolved, the end is not in sight. It will take close and constant monitoring for some time. That would require my being there, perhaps permanently.”

  “So, what are you doing back in the States? Come to clean out your closet?” Gabrielle couldn’t help but be a bit sarcastic to him. She was feeling miserable, in more ways than one.

  “Are you going to allow me to complete the story or do you just want to fight me, Gabrielle?”

  “I can’t imagine what you could possibly say that would make things better. You have no idea the disaster you’ve caused and how much you’ve hurt me.”

  “What do you mean by ‘disaster’?”

  Gabrielle pulled the washcloth off her forehead. “I’m pregnant, you ass!” she screamed and slammed a pillow in his face.

  Arran blocked the pillow but his face bore a look of shock. “Are you sure?”

  “Why do men always ask that? Of course I’m sure. You don’t think I would check with a doctor if I have all the symptoms. Did you just miss where I was a moment ago?”

  “Gabrielle this is something I didn’t count on,” Arran said in a calm, but troubled voice.

  “Oh, I’m quite sure you didn’t. What are you planning to tell your wife? You’re not getting your hands on this baby, Arran, so don’t even think about it. You go off and have your happily ever after, but this baby is staying with me. You hear me?”

  “You just don’t understand. Please, lie quietly and let me talk.” Arran scooted to sit next to her, attempting to lie down beside her and hold her. She pushed him away, but Arran took control and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her next to him. “Shhhh… don’t fight me. Just lie quietly and listen. I was forced to make a decision. My responsibility would demand that I not return to the U.S. and that would mean not coming back to you. So, I had to make a choice. That’s exactly what I did, Gabrielle. I gave up my position to my younger brother, Sinhad. He is now the Sheikh and the head of all the family businesses. I am only an advisor from here on out – although I will look after our American interests. He is the one who got married, Gabrielle. Not me. I couldn’t do that to you.”

  Gabrielle whipped the washcloth off her forehead and stared into Arran’s brown eyes. “Are you serious? You gave up your future for me?”

  He nodded. “Yes, I did, sweetheart. For you and it seems now, for our child. That’s the part I’m not happy about. If it is a boy, he deserved to inherit my place in the family.”

  Gabrielle was hugging him, kissing him all over his face and laughing. “You can build him a kingdom here in the States.”

  Arran accepted the kisses and lavished even more in return.

  Gabrielle sighed and looked at him. “I thought you were married – that’s what the note said. I never dreamed your position could be transferred. I was so hurt, Arran. I packed up and left without a word.”

  “I know. I had a devil of a time finding you.”

  “That was intentional,” she smiled and cuddled closer to him.

  Chapter Twelve

  Gabrielle became Mrs. Arran Muhalla in a garden ceremony beneath blooming dogwood trees. Margie was her matron of honor and Alahan stood up for Arran. The bride wore a silvery white gown that set off her unusual color and the groom wore a tuxedo with a silver tie.

  Arran liked the climate in Louisville as it had four seasons; something he wasn’t accustomed to. He also realized it was central to most of the country and had an international airport, so he brought his jet in.

  He and Gabrielle honeymooned on the Gulf coast of Florida and while they were there, Arran bought a condominium penthouse overlooking the water. He left orders for his yacht to be brought over and secured a dock moorage for it nearby. He gave in and let Gabrielle furnish both the condominium and the house they bought in Louisville exactly the way she wanted. She gathered pale, weathered colors for the condo, extending the light beyond the day and making it shine in the moonlight. She knew it set her own coloring off well and Arran was mesmerized by it. The condo had eight bedrooms and en-suite baths; enough that any family or business associate could come and stay with them. He had an office built and while Gabrielle busied herself furnishing a nursery at the condo, he and Alahan set about establishing this office as the primary location for his new business, Silver & Associates.

  It was here that the baby was born in late November, just as the leaves had dropped from their branches in Louisville. Young Arran Muhalla, Jr. was healthy and had a beautiful bronzed complexion. His father insisted that his tiny son’s bassinette be present in his office while he worked. “He will learn very early what it takes to be successful,” he explained.

  When Christmas came, they moved to Louisville to celebrate the holidays. Gabrielle hadn’t had much time to pull their mansion there together, but she wanted to see a white Christmas and there was a far greater chance of that happening in Louisville.

  Their staff travelled with them and the chef prepared a magnificent Christmas dinner with goose, ham, and all the trimmings. Margie and her children were lined up at the dining table while Baby Arran’s eyes were fastened on the colored string of blinking lights.

  Arran had given Gabrielle a magnificent canary diamond ring for their wedding, while he insisted on nothing more than a simple gold band for himself. For Christmas, he gave her a matching set of necklace and earrings, wrapped in a box covered with silver foil and a huge silver ribbon. There was also a new car waiting in the drive; a baby blue Mercedes convertible.

  Arran’s business was already exploding. He was providing financial advice and leveraging his American connections with businessmen from the Middle East. He made the ideal liaison and invitations to dinner at the Muhalla mansion, with the breathtaking Gabrielle Muhalla as hostess, were highly coveted.

  Just after Easter, Arran’s brothers and their wives made a surprise visit and the three couples attended the Kentucky Derby with box seats Arran had managed to secure. They made quite a spectacle in their finery; particularly the ladies in their hats. Gabrielle was thrilled that the women spoke perfect English so they were able to chat about fashion, differences in culture, and the fact that Arran’s brother, Sinhad and his wife were expecting their first child. Baby Arran was handed around regularly and bounced on knees to his parent’s delight. It was decided by Sinhad that since Baby Arran was the eldest male in the new generation, he would pass the title “Sheikh” down to him – it was only fitting since it rightfully belonged to his father. This thrilled Arran but Gabrielle was a bit worried about what that meant for his future. It was a long time off, however, and she wasn’t going to waste time worrying.

  Sinhad, Farrah, and their wives accompanied Arran and Gabrielle down to Florida to see their condo. It was a short journey in their jets. Arran’s brothers were enchanted with the proximity to water, just as he knew they would be. Under his guidance, they each bought condos in nearby buildings and it was decided this would be their American headquarters as well. Gabrielle felt a pang of sadness when they bid goodbye to her in-laws. It felt good to her to have a sense of belonging and she was extremely happy that Baby Arran would never know what it was like to be an orphan.

  That Christmas, as Baby Arran toddled around, the family flew to Las Vegas for New Year’s Eve. Arran had secured tickets for a Celine Dion show and Gabrielle was bes
ide herself with excitement. The well-known singer had been a favorite of hers for years. When she sang, “The Power Of Love” Gabrielle felt as though the song had been written especially for she and Arran. They still owned the compound there and spent a few weeks in the desert sun and heat as a break from the colder, snowier climate in the mid-south.

  As they crawled into bed one night, Arran pulled Gabrielle close and began to kiss her. “I cannot imagine what would have happened if I’d not found you,” he said, remembering the terror he’d felt when he’d arrived back in Vegas and found her gone. “I would have gone mad looking for you.”

  “I’m glad you found me, too,” Gabrielle whispered, kissing his chest with little flicks of her tongue. His nipples were sensitive and her lips pulled at them until he was erect and bobbing, needing her pussy for relief.

  Arran played with her nipples as well, and her pussy went wet and hungry, the muscles spasming in waves that made her moan. He chuckled, teasing her with his fingers for penetration, entering and withdrawing just as she was about to release. She cursed him for withholding himself and finally, he rolled over upon her and entered her deeply with a possessive need to claim what he knew had been intended for him all along. His hips slammed into hers as thousands of years of domination by the hunter man sought the tender, internal prey that was woman. Gabrielle pulled him closer, holding him deep within herself, her vaginal muscles refusing to release him until at last, by force, he withdrew. “I love you, Arran,” she whispered and he returned the sentiment, his body moist from the exertion of lovemaking. “Don’t ever leave me again, do you promise?” she begged. He nodded and held her close.

  “The same goes for you,” he said and she agreed.

  Nine months later, Victoria Ann was born to them in the same hospital where Baby Arran had been born. She was the image of her mother, right down to the green eyes and a soft fuzz of silvery hair covered her head.

  Gabrielle had wanted a girl so badly. She wanted to spoil her; to give her dolls and toys and beautifully feminine clothes. She wanted to give Victoria all the things she’d been denied as a child. Arran allowed her this; he knew she needed to wipe out the memory of her youth and Victoria certainly was easy to spoil.

  Gabrielle made the most of the Louisville nursery for Victoria. She decorated it in a pale, pale blue with gauze curtains and a four-poster bed where she slept when Victoria was fussing in the night. There were shelves of dolls and tiny dressers that held their clothes. There was a rocking horse that was painted to look as though it had come straight from a carousel and a white rocker where Gabrielle held her and read her stories while Baby Arran crawled around on the carpet and listened as he played. The children had a nanny but Gabrielle loved spending time with them both.

  Gabrielle had made many friends at all of their houses, but her favorite was still Margie. Gabrielle had convinced Arran to buy a small daycare business and it included a very cozy little house. They gave it to Margie to run and live there with her brood of children. The long-term effect was that her children, no longer left alone for long hours, began to calm down and turned out to be model children.

  Gabrielle spent some hours working with Arran. He often sought her input before making a major business decision. She had the unique American perspective that he valued so highly. She was very popular among his business contacts with her rare beauty and Arran swore that she closed more deals than he’d ever thought of doing. This flattered her. It felt good to be needed and valued. It felt good to have a family. Most of all, it felt very, very good to be in love with a husband as handsome and successful as Arran Muhalla. They were the ideal couple living a fairy-tale life and as the years passed, they would come to have two more boys. Victoria was spoiled, just as her mother intended, but no one said a word. There were two silver-haired princesses ruling, after all.

  The End

  MY HOT STEPBROTHER

  A Second Chance Romance

  CHAPTER ONE

  Ryan

  Darkness enveloped us. Bradley and I moved side by side, silently trekking a path through the wilderness. Our footsteps were quiet, but leaves crunched beneath our boots, making us hold our breath. My nerves were calm and my heartbeat steady. Nothing about this mission was simple, but I knew my team had my back.

  Bradley and I slowly entered the compound from the north, while Jacob and Drew came from the east. The southern and western sides were covered by a deep, murky swamp.

  As Bradley and I approached the building, I felt my breathing slow even more. My mind went blank as I let my training take over. Bradley and I moved slowly, checking our surroundings with every step. There wasn’t room for fear, only action.

  When we reached the designated room, Jacob and Drew came around a corner. We nodded to one another and silently planned the extraction using hand signals. We’d made it this far; we weren’t turning back now.

  Jacob ducked to inspect the lock on the door. He nodded to let us know it was an easy entry. Quickly, he slipped his tools out of his pocket and inserted them in the lock. Bradley and Drew stood with their backs to us, watching the hallway for any signs of life. When Jacob opened the door, my gun was raised, ready to fire on sight.

  Luckily, the room showed no signs of enemy resistance. I entered first, sweeping my gun from side to side as I moved. Jacob grabbed Bradley and Drew, who walked backward into the room. Drew kicked the door closed behind them. It swung shut with a soft click. Finally, we were in.

  The room was dark. It took our eyes a few seconds to adjust. Once they did, we saw her sitting against the back wall. Her arms and legs were tied together, a gag shoved in her mouth. When she saw us, her eyes went wide with fear, and she tried desperately to crawl away. Bradley moved forward, quickly bending down in front of her.

  “Shh,” he whispered. “We’re here to help. You’re okay.”

  The girl still looked scared, but Bradley’s words calmed her. He untied her and removed the gag from her mouth.

  “Stay quiet,” he said firmly. “We’ll get you out of here.”

  Bradley handed the girl off to Jacob, who swept her up in his arms. Now that we had her, we had to move fast. If we were caught, none of us would make it out alive.

  We moved back through the door and down the deserted hallway. As we emerged from the building, everything was clear. We moved as a team, taking steps in unison and constantly swinging around to check our surroundings. It wasn’t until we made it to the tree line that things took a turn.

  Bradley and I stood back, making sure Jacob made it to cover with the girl. Drew followed close behind, and just as I was about to step into the woods, I caught sight of an insurgent behind Bradley. Without thinking, I grabbed Bradley by the collar and threw him to the ground, swinging my gun around as I moved. My shot went off just in time, and the insurgent fell to the ground.

  “Tango eliminated,” I said into my headset.

  Bradley jumped to his feet. We ran into the woods, falling close behind Jacob and Drew. We didn’t stop running until we were a safe distance from the compound. Finally, we slowed to a walk, and Jacob put the girl down. She stretched her legs for a few seconds before she could walk on her own. After muttering a soft “thank-you,” to each of us, she fell silent. I could tell she was battling some serious hunger and pain, but she was strong. She didn’t slow down or stumble until we reached our camp.

  Jacob took her to a place where she could sleep, while Bradley and I disappeared into our bunks. We would be extracted within a few hours, so sleep was out of the question, but we could have used some rest. I fell back on my bed with a thud, not bothering to remove my boots.

  “How does it feel?” Bradley asked. I turned to face him with a frown. “Completing our last mission.”

  “I feel exhausted,” I said without emotion. “And sore.”

  “Seriously,” Bradley said. “We haven’t talked about this yet. It’s been years since either of us had normal lives. We’re about to reenter society. How do you feel about that
? What are you going to do with your life now?”

  “I have no idea,” I admitted. “Honestly, Brad, I’m just trying to get through this. When we’re back home, I’ll figure it out.”

  “I hear ya,” Bradley said with a nod. “But you must have some plans. Something. Anything.”

  “Nope,” I said, staring at the ceiling.

  I thought about what he said, but nothing came to mind. For nine years, my life revolved around the military. I worked my way up to become a SEAL, and then I went on missions. It was a simple life, but not an easy one. I got orders. I followed them. Simple as that.

  Now I didn’t know what to do next. In just a few hours, we would be on a plane bound for America. Once we landed, I would have to figure out my life, but right now I didn’t want to think about anything.

  “Well,” Bradley said. “Listen, whatever you decide to do, you should at least go by and see Mom and Dad.”

  “They aren’t my parents,” I said without hesitation. “They’re yours.”

  “Still,” Bradley said. I could feel him roll his eyes beside me. “They’ll want to see you.”

  “After they kicked me out?” I scoffed. “I doubt that.”

  “I talked to them yesterday,” Bradley said. “They’re planning a huge homecoming party for us—both of us.”

  “That’s great,” I said. “I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful time.”

  “Dammit, Ryan,” Bradley snapped. “Just quit being a dick and listen to me for a second, okay?”

  It wasn’t often that Bradley lost his temper. I sat up slowly and turned to face him. His eyes were fixed on my face with a determination I recognized all too well. His father had that same look in his eyes the day he threw me out.

  I sighed. “I’m listening.”

  “I know you have your issues with them,” Bradley said slowly. “God knows you have every right to be angry, okay? But they did take you in when no one else would. They adopted you, man. How many other people would have done that?”