by Claire Angel
“Did you hear me?” I asked.
She looked at me like I was full of shit.
“Please say something, Brooke. I’m starting to feel like a dejected lover, here.”
“But, you’ve got so much going on in your life right now, Noah. How on earth will you have time or energy for me with a custody battle hanging over your head? Then there’s poor Cody. How’s he going to feel if he has to share you with me?” she asked.
“There’s a lot less going on than you may think. For instance, there won’t be a custody fight. Cassandra and I have come to an arrangement. And, as far as Cody is concerned, he’s going to have to get used to someone else sharing his father. Besides, he seems to think you’re the bee’s knees.”
“Oh,” she said, as if she never anticipated anything I said.
“Brooke, forget for just a moment about me and all the obstacles you think we may have. What do you want? How do you feel about me? What do you want?”
My heart stood still while I waited for her to say something.
***
BROOKE
What the hell was Noah doing parked in my driveway? My heart was in my throat as we went inside. He was so handsome, even more so now that I knew what he was hiding under his clothes. I kept feeling him moving on top of me, smelling his skin, tasting his kisses.
I listened as he spoke about us. I heard him say that he was in love with me, but I didn’t know if he knew what he was saying. Would he wake up in a few months' time and regret his decision? One bonk does not a relationship maketh, even though it was a humdinger. It was better for me not to go down that rabbit hole. I didn’t want to try and get out of it once I’d given myself to him completely.
“Brooke,” he said, “talk to me. Please. What do you want?”
I couldn’t speak. I didn’t know what to say. What was the truth? Was I merely infatuated with Noah? Was my infatuation enough to build a relationship on? Would he snap at me every time he had a bad day? Could I trust this man with my heart?
Mom seemed to think he was a standup guy. Surely she would know. Oh, fuck. Mom! I’d forgotten all about that issue, too. Would it be awkward for her if it didn’t work out between Noah and me? I had to be damn sure before I made my decision.
“Noah, I need time to think,” I said. He flinched as if I’d slapped him across the face. He sat quietly for a moment, then he stood up and said, “Take all the time you need. Don’t come into the office for a few days. I’ll ask Jolene to stand in for you.”
He walked to the door, opened it, then closed it behind him. A few moments later I heard his Jag roar to life.
As he drove away, my stomach started to ache. It was a strange feeling. The longer I stood there, alone in my living room, the deeper the pain grew. What have I done? Noah Blakely just poured out his heart to me and I reacted like a wallflower.
I needed him to come back. The pain I felt when he drove away was wholly unexpected. If that wasn’t an indication of my feelings for him, then what was?
I reached into my bag and felt for my phone. I switched it on, then dialed Noah’s number. It went straight to voicemail. I didn’t leave a message. Fuck!
***
BROOKE
I didn’t sleep a wink. I got up out of bed and sat in the living room most of the night with a cup of coffee, staring at a television that was switched off. When light broke through the next morning, I had a shower, got dressed, and drove to work. I wanted to talk to Noah face to face. What I had to say couldn’t be done over the phone.
I parked my Mini in my usual parking space and entered the office building like I had done every other morning. Bradley was in the elevator when the doors opened.
“Hey, gorgeous girl. Oohh, you smell nice!” He chuckled. “Who’s the lucky guy?”
“Hey, Brad. Just you, my darling, just you.”
“Why so glum?” he asked.
“Is it that obvious?”
“Girl, whatever it is, you’ve got it bad. Wanna tell Aunty Brad where it hurts?”
“Maybe later.” I smiled.
“Okay, but if you need a shoulder, you know where to find me,” he said, then hugged me.
“Thanks, Brad.”
The elevator stopped on his floor and off he sailed into the sunset. There was no way in hell I was going to tell him anything about Noah and me. I loved the guy and all, but he was the town cryer. It would be all over the building before I reached my floor.
Jolene seemed happy to see me, if not a little surprised.
“Hi, Brooke. I thought you were taking a few days off,” she said. “How are you feeling?”
“Hi, Jolene. I’m feeling a little better, thanks. I was hoping to talk to Noah for a second. Is he in?”
“Uh, no. He’s taken leave, actually. Not sure how long he’ll be away. Can I give him a message if he calls in?”
There it was again. The pain.
“Oh. No, thanks. It can wait. Thanks for filling in for me, Jo,” I said. She smiled back at me and nodded.
“Sure thing. Feel better.”
I turned and walked away. Instead of using the elevator, I took the stairs. My legs were hurting from the marathon session of running the day before, but I sucked it up and kept going. When I got to my car, I called Noah’s number again. It went straight to voicemail.
I had a very bad feeling. Well done, Brooke. You really fucked this one up.
Epilogue
BROOKE
“You look beautiful, Jen. I can’t believe you’re tying the knot. I would have bet my fortune that you would be the last one of our friends to get hitched.” I grinned as a beautiful Jen twirled in her gown in front of the mirror at the bridal shop.
“Just goes to show, there’s someone for everyone.” She beamed.
“Brandon is quite the catch, Jen. Full marks for snagging that beefcake.”
“I know, right! How lucky can a girl get?”
“Oh, please. He’s the lucky one. I just hope he’s strong enough to handle you.” I laughed.
“The poor thing has no idea that his house training starts after the honeymoon. Wait until I unleash the beast!”
“Yeah, yeah, big mouth. He’s got you eating out of his hand, you big girl.”
“Please, don’t tell him.” She grinned. “I need to keep my edge.”
“Your secret's safe with me,” I promised.
“Speaking of the edge,” she said, “what’s happening with Noah? Have you heard from him?”
“No, not yet. I can’t believe I fucked that one up, Jen. What the hell was I thinking? I realised too late that I want him. Heaven alone knows when he’ll be back. With my luck, he’ll return with a beautiful island girl on his arm.”
“Oh, bullshit. Wherever he is, he’s pining for you. He’s crazy about you, you fool. You’ll see. I’m right. Give him a little time to repair the massive dent you punched in his ego. It’s a guy thing.”
“I wish I was as confident as you are,” I said, feeling a little sorry for myself.
“Stop bleating unnecessarily and pass me that veil over there. What do you think? This one or that wispy little number over there?”
“That one, for sure,” I said, turning my focus back to my best friend’s wedding plans. My romantic tragedy with Noah would have to take a back seat for the moment.
“Now I feel like a bride,” Jen said, and smiled brightly.
“You look gorgeous, Jen.”
“Don’t get too excited, doll face. Wait until you see the ugly ass maid of honor’s dress I designed for you. There’s no fucking way you’re going to show up this bride!” Jen laughed hysterically at her own joke. Another thing I loved about her.
“Thanks a bunch, you meanie.” I grinned.
“Don’t stress, Brooke. He’ll call. You’ll see.”
***
NOAH
Brooke needed space and I was going to give it to her. I felt like a rogue for attacking her in my office like a crazed sex addict. The poor woman was
probably too afraid to make a decision either way. I had to see it from her point of view. I realised that getting romantically involved with a divorcee with a kid, no less, was a big commitment. I wanted her to be sure either way.
I needed a break, so I decided to use my time productively. I took Cody away for a few weeks—a vacation was long overdue, and who better to have fun with than my precious little boy.
It’s no secret that there was no such thing as a holiday with a work cell phone, so I left it off, and used an alternate phone to keep in contact with Janice. If the office fell apart, it was too bad. My team was geared for whatever needed to be done, so I was okay with it. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d taken some downtime. Cody and I had a ball. Max was pissed when he realised he wasn’t joining us, but hey, he’d get over it as long as he got a meaty bone upon our return.
The other reason I left my phone off, the real reason, was that I didn’t want to drive myself crazy waiting for a call or a text from Brooke. I promised to give her time, and I intended to keep that promise. I figured the month I spent away would be enough time for her to make up her mind—however torturous it was for me not knowing.
When we returned, I heard via the grapevine that Brooke’s friend, Jen, was getting married to my neighbor, Brandon. He was a cool guy and a low maintenance neighbor, not like Mrs. Crocker on the other side of me. Incessant moaning over Cody and Max’s ‘noise’ when they were playing outside. Yet, her irritating ankle biters spent most of the day yelping and barking. The shrilling cut through my head like a blade through butter.
Cody and Max’s reunion was something to behold. I couldn’t tell who was more excited. After a good rest, if only physical—my mind rarely strayed too far from Brooke—I was ready to resume my life. I hoped the object of my deepest affection would choose to be with me, but I was terrified to poke the bear.
To call or not to call, that was the question.
***
BROOKE
After spending a long afternoon with Jen, oohing and ahhing over shoes and other bridal bits, being as supportive as a maid of honor ought to be, I went home and flopped down on the sofa in the living room. I hadn’t eaten, so I called for my favorite food delivery to bring me a pizza. I needed a drink, and I needed it badly, so I rummaged around in the fridge for a bottle of wine.
With a glass of ice-cold Chenin Blanc and the TV remote in hand, I waited patiently for my food to arrive, catching up on all things newsworthy. When the front doorbell sounded, I was super impressed at the speed of the delivery service. I grabbed my wallet.
“Hi,” I started as I opened the door, “that was quick…” My legs went numb. I held onto the wall to steady myself.
“Hi, Brooke. Sorry for dropping by without calling first.”
“Noah,” I said like a retard.
“Can I come in?”
“Uh, sure.”
Damn, he looked good. Tanned, buff, and totally bonkable.
He followed me to the living room. I felt his eyes on me and that familiar feeling ignited in my core. Thank God I didn’t plaster on that facemask I bought!
“Please, have a seat,” I said.
“Isn’t that my line?” He smiled. Ah, funny—boss...PA...got it.
“You look well,” I said, feeling awkward.
“Thanks, the holiday did wonders for me and Cody.”
“How is the little sweetheart?” That’s it, Brooke, sidestep the issue. How long can you keep this up?
“He’s great. I suspect he was happier to see Max than he was to see his favorites at Disneyland.”
“Why are you here, Noah?” I threw myself into the deep end.
“I didn’t want to do this over the phone,” he said.
My heart dropped to my feet. This was it. He met someone else. Damn it! Breaking someone’s heart over the phone was seriously uncool. He was a decent sort, so I guessed he’d rather let me down easy, face to face.
“You’ve had time to think about it and realized that romance wasn’t on the cards for you?” I said, bracing myself for the impact.
He looked at me but said nothing. I heard the crickets outside, and the dog barking down the street, but still Noah said nothing. Speak, damn it! Say something!
“I’m here because you said you needed time, Brooke. I think a month is more than enough time to decide whether to break someone’s heart or not. Don’t you?” He smiled.
“Oh, I thought you…” So this was it. Time to pay the piper.
“Well?”
“I was an idiot, Noah. I tried to forget you, but you’re less forgettable than I expected, damn you. My heart ached when you left. I thought for sure I’d seen the last of you. Please, tell me you’re not here to let me down easy. If you are, then rip the band aid off zippy quick. Put me out of my misery.”
That was it. It was out. No going back. Whatever happened, at least I said my peace. I waited for him to speak.
***
NOAH
Oh, my goodness, she was adorable! I contemplated torturing her a little, seeing as my stomach had been in a knot for weeks.
“Okay,” I said slowly, “here it is.” She looked nervous. “I did a lot of soul searching while I was away, Brooke.”
“Yes?”
“I just can’t do it.”
She went pale. I knew I was being mean, but she deserved it, the little shit.
“Oh, I see. Okay, I’ll show you out.”
“Hang on,” I said, not moving from the sofa. “You didn’t let me finish.”
She sat down again and stared at me.
“As I was saying, I can’t do it. I can’t stay away from you, Brooke. I tried to forget you, but I can’t. I’m a Brooke junkie, and as I said before, I must have you!”
“You shit!” she yelled. “You made me think you were dumping my ass. I should come over there and beat the shit out of you!”
She started crying and I felt like a serial killer.
“Oh, fuck, sorry, Brooke. I didn’t mean to upset you, please forgive me,” I pleaded.
I went over to her and put my arms around her. She buried her head in my chest, and I held her as I kissed the top of her head. I needed to kiss her gaping boo-boo better.
“I love you, Brooke,” I whispered into her ear. Then, I lifted her face to mine, wiped the tears from her eyes, and kissed them.
“I love you, too, you colossal pain in the ass,” she said.
I moved my mouth to cover hers, and my love responded hungrily.
“This time I’m going to take my time,” I said as I unbuttoned her jeans and felt for the warmth of her desire for me. She moaned as I touched her core.
“Make love to me, Noah,” she whispered in a husky voice.
She didn’t have to ask me twice. I picked her up, carried her in the direction of where I assumed the bedroom was, and put her down gently on her bed. Her eyes were dreamy—my cock was harder than a steel rod. I was so ready for her. Brooke, my love.
***
BROOKE
My heart sang. He loved me! All the tension I’d carried melted away when he kissed me. I wanted him even more now than the first time we made love. This time I’d give myself to him completely. I watched as he undressed and showed me, once again, what his desire for me did to his body. His magnificence shocked my body into action. I pulled hungrily at him to move closer.
When I took his beautiful shaft into my mouth, I felt him shudder. He moaned my name, and I caressed him harder with my tongue. I held his strong, tight ass cheeks with my hands, while he rocked in and out of my mouth. He pulled away when he was close to climax and pulled off my jeans and my panties. When he entered me, my body cried out for more. We moved together rhythmically, groping skin, kissing hungrily, until we fell over the wave into sweet bliss.
We lay in each other’s arms, breathless and content.
“What happened to taking it slow?” I giggled.
“Oh, don’t you worry. I’m so not done with you, my sexy girl.
Hold on, the shit’s about to get real.” He grinned.
And it did—more real than I could ever have hoped for.
THE END
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Sample: Nanny & Boss Daddy
Chapter 1
HOPE CARTER
It was a little intimidating making my way up the windy driveway to the large house that stood proud on the apex of the estate. I wasn’t in Kansas anymore, as the saying goes. The ad alluded to the fact that the family who needed a nanny for the kids, were well off. Not that it mattered to me. As long as I got paid, it was all good.
The family in Spain for whom I’d previously served as Au Pair for three years, travelled around constantly. Not that I complained, it was an awesome opportunity to see the world. The only downside was the multiple relocation rigmarole. It took its toll on the children, but all in all they took it in their stride. I was their constant, and that was all that mattered.
My agency called me the week before, and offered me the position. I was hoping for a month or two’s downtime before I dove in feet first into a new job, but the placement agent told me it was urgent so I relented. She’d always been good to me, and I didn’t want to let her down. Besides, who knew when the next gig would fall into my lap, so I agreed to an interview with Mr. Brad Stone.
I was briefed that he was recently divorced, amicably I was told, and had two children, an eight year old boy, Adam, and a six year old girl, Emma. I enjoyed young children. They were honest, and said it like it was. I prefered uncomplicated—teenagers were a different animal altogether.
As I parked outside the front door of the Georgian Style mansion, I took a deep breath, and put on my nanny face. The door was taller than any I’d seen before, but was somehow dwarfed by the sheer size of the double story home. I felt like Mary Poppins as I rang the doorbell, and waited to see who would usher me into the kingdom.
