She’s kissing me back as she moans softly against my lips, letting me know she wants this just as much as I do. Then, without warning, there’s a thump on the bathroom door. It opens just as Faith pulls away from me. Darcy’s on the other side, her head peeking in at us with a suspicious eye.
The look brings me back to reality, and I grin at her. “Good news, Darcy. Faith’s going to babysit you and Ferguson for a little while.”
I steal a glance over at Faith, and she’s still trying to get over the kiss as the kids barge into the little bathroom, wrapping themselves around her hips and legs. She presses her fingers to her lips, as though she can still feel my mouth on hers, then gazes over at me and smiles.
Chapter Eight
Faith
We move out into the hotel room as a collective whole, the kids still clinging to me excitedly, but I can’t take my eyes off Tristan. I can still feel my lips tingle as the kids chatter on about how excited they are for me to be their new nanny. I can’t seem to respond though, still in a trance from Tristan’s kiss.
He took me by surprise. I want to smile at the kids, pretend that it didn’t happen, and focus on the offer I just made him, but I find myself completely lost.
Why did he kiss me?
Why did he leave me weak in the knees like that?
Is this the reason that Isobel left?
Maybe he wasn’t telling the truth. Maybe he led her on. Hell, maybe he has a thing for nannies, and he isn’t as innocent in all this as he claims. But, as I look down at Darcy’s bright eyes looking up at me as if I’m Santa Claus on Christmas Day, I know it doesn’t matter what Tristan’s motives are. I can’t go back on my word.
“Is it true, Faith?” Ferguson asks, glancing up at me as he squeezes my hand tightly in his.
Tristan pulls the little boy away gently, allowing me a bit of space, and takes him in his arms. But, all eyes are on me.
I want to discuss it with Dad, maybe find out if it’s even something that I can do. Or, if it’s something I should do.
But, I nod my head. It’s too late for that. I can’t go back on my offer, and I don’t want to.
I nod my head again, just as I have a brilliant idea. Something that will make Dad see things from my point of view and maybe, just maybe, make this whole thing worthwhile for everyone involved.
“It’s true, Ferguson,” I promise him. “But, only if your dad helps me with something.” I smile ruefully, bending down closer to Darcy. Everyone’s eyes shift from me to Tristan.
He raises an eyebrow and asks, “What’d you have in mind?”
I stand up, thinking this is most likely the best and only chance I have of ever obtaining a scholarship or even getting into college with a late application.
“I want to go to college, and I want to play hockey when I’m there. Maybe even get a scholarship to help pay for the tuition.”
I realize that I’m not making any sense, just rambling on and not telling him the whole story. “I used to be a pretty good player,” I explain. “But that was a long time ago. Now. I’m not even sure I could score—”
“You’re asking me to help you score.” His mouth quirks upward, making heat rise in my cheeks.
I don’t even dignify his little innuendo with an answer.
He’s rubbing his chin, still thinking about it when Darcy offers loudly, “Dad can help you with hockey, and he’ll pay you for looking after us, too.”
Tristan laughs, but he nods in agreement. His expression is clouded, though, as he debates it silently. Finally, he extends a hand out toward me, a ghost of a smile on his lips. “I can help you with that.”
“Deal.” I shake his hand, then high-five the kids, unsuccessfully hiding my excitement. I stamp it down, though, because I can tell that Tristan has something else on his mind.
A knock at the door prevents me from finding out what it is. His coach stands on the other side. He makes a swift movement, advising him that breakfast is almost over, and that Tristan missed his window to eat with the other players.
The kids have their meal tickets, and I usher them toward the door with their dad. I have to tell my own father that I’m not going to be able to work with him for a little while. That’s the hard part, and I feel guilty for even doing it, but I think he’ll see my side of things once I tell him about the agreement we’ve just made.
Tristan’s helping me, and I’m helping him. It’s that simple. Right?
* * *
Tristan arranges a driver to take me to my house, and then his agent will wait at the airport with the tickets. When he suggested such a plan, I was a bit confused and nervous, wondering why he didn’t just get his agent to look after the kids, which would ultimately write me out of the equation completely. I worked up the guts to ask him, and he very quickly explained that he wouldn’t let his agent look after his dog, let alone his children.
He didn’t know me, and he’d left his children with me. That wasn’t saying much for his agent. But the idea that he trusted me enough on merely a first impression sent a wave of pride through me.
“So, he turned up in the end?”
I nod my head. I’d come to Dad’s house, hoping to catch him before he headed to the store for the day. He always went there on Sundays. I never understood why, because the store wasn’t open for business.
“Yes, he did,” I explain, speaking faster than I need to. “And he needs a babysitter, Dad. Well, not him, his kids. You know what I mean.” I sigh, frustrated at how flustered I am. “So, I’m going to fly to Colorado with them, to look after Darcy and Ferguson for a while. In exchange, Tristan has agreed to pay me, as well as help me with my hockey skills.”
I didn’t waste time with more details, and by the look on his face, he didn’t need them.
“Run that by me again?”
I begin again, this time slower, but Dad dismisses me, saying, “I heard what you said, but you’re not doing it.”
“Why?”
I know all the reasons why it isn’t a good idea. But, I have to stand my ground and let him know that this isn’t his decision.
“Because it’s crazy. You don’t even know the man, or the children, for that matter. And judging by the way you were clearly star-struck by him, I know what he’s got in mind by offering up that deal, Faith. You’re not going to perfect your skills with him. He’s in it to score.”
He’s getting angry, raising his voice. I’m affronted by his immediate stance, and the blunt way he assures me of it, but he’s not done.
“You haven’t had any real experience with men like him,” he continues. “Guys like that only want one thing. They’re stars, and they use it to get young girls like you to do whatever they want.”
“Naïve girls like me.” It’s not a question, but more a sarcastic statement.
His shoulders sag slightly. “It’s just not a good idea, Faith.”
Dad never raises his voice, but the vein is still popping out at the side of his neck, and I can tell he’s still simmering with anger.
There’s got to be more than just this that’s bothering him, something that has nothing to do with me going to Colorado on a whim. One quick scan of the room, and I know exactly what it is.
The kitchen table is scattered with unopened envelopes. More bills. Sitting there, because he hasn't had the guts to open them. The same thing he did last month, and the month before that. I knew he was in financial trouble, but if those envelopes are all bills waiting to be paid, he’s screwed.
I point to them and say, “You need help with that, and Tristan’s willing to pay me good money to keep an eye on his children, Dad.”
He scoffs, disliking my new plan of attack to make him agree with my decision. “Oh yeah, how much?”
Damn it, we didn’t even discuss money.
Maybe Dad’s right. Maybe I’m going ahead with this for all the wrong reasons.
Like, say, the hot, passionate kiss Tristan hit me with this morning in the hotel bathroom.
&nb
sp; “A lot,” I reply indignantly, but he doesn’t believe me any more than I do. It sounds weak, and I don’t even know what a decent figure would be to toss out.
He shakes his head, running his hand over his balding head. “You don’t even know how much, Faith. This is exactly the reason why you can’t go. The man hasn’t even divulged how much he’s paying you, and you’re already packing your things.”
Suddenly, he’s laughing at me, looking me straight in the eye while he does it. I don’t like him mocking me, but I don’t have any words to defend myself.
Because he’s right.
I ignore him as he calls my name, grabbing my keys from the entryway stand. I’ll pack a few things in a bag, grab my passport, and go. Dad can’t stop me, and though I hate defying him, I feel like this is one time I’ve got to.
He’s standing by the door when I rise after pulling my shoes back on, waiting for me near the bottom of the staircase. It’s probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done to kiss him on the cheek and give him a sad smile. “I’ll call you as soon as I get there.”
He doesn’t say a word, just turns around and heads into the kitchen. I sigh, not wanting to leave on bad terms. Dad and I have hardly ever been on bad terms.
But, this is a win-win situation, even if he doesn’t realize that. He’ll get the money he needs, and, maybe I’m just as naïve as he says I am, but I know there was something in that kiss this morning. Tristan didn’t kiss me because he felt like it. He did it because he felt something between us. The same thing I’m convinced I felt the moment I met him.
Chapter Nine
Tristan
What the fuck is wrong with me?
It’s as if winning the game wasn’t a strong enough high, so I had to go ahead and kiss the new nanny.
I’ve never fucked around with my kids’ babysitter before. Never. But, the thing is, the last nanny never got my blood boiling, not like this one does. Faith’s hot as sin, with her glossy dark hair and matching earthy eyes. She’s the kind of girl that’s too innocent. Especially for a guy like me.
The team’s still buzzing about winning another game, and the only thing on my mind is Faith. She should be in college, and she’s got to be nearly ten years younger than me by the look of her. Damn it, this is why I kept as far away from Isobel as possible. I didn’t want there to be any confusion. I hired her to look after the kids, not to keep my bed warm.
But Faith's different, I know that already. She helped me out for no reason, and the kids warmed up to her right from the start. Maybe that’s why I’m so attracted to her. Maybe it has nothing to do with her perfect, perky breasts, or her nipples that seem to go hard whenever I enter the room.
Everything about this setup is wrong, but I can’t seem to rid my thoughts of her.
I shake my head, thinking it’ll get rid of my dirty thoughts. Earlier, when she’d bent down to pick up Ferguson’s Spiderman action figure from the floor, she managed to take my breath away. She’s perfect, with her pronounced hips and her ass that just begs to be squeezed. She’s the perfect figure-eight with her slim waist and athletic legs. Perfect, perfect, perfect.
I didn’t want to just kiss her; I wanted to do a hell of a lot more than that. And it took all of my self-control not to lure her back into that bathroom and have my way with her.
I undoubtedly left her confused, but kissing her felt like the right thing to do at the time.
Now, I don’t fucking know. I haven’t been with a woman in over three years, despite what tabloids and my teammates might believe. I used to be the player, until I fell in love, and then everything changed. Hayley had once been my everything, and her choice to leave me the way she did had turned my heart to stone. I wasn’t expecting betrayal of that magnitude. Not from her.
I sigh, sitting at the back of the bus. I called Mom to tell her that I’m on my way to the airport, heading to Colorado. She seemed in good spirits, and says she’s been given the green light from her doctor that she’s okay. That’s good. I won’t worry as much, knowing she’s doing better, but that won’t stop me from sending her messages to make sure she’s okay once we land.
My mind’s like a fucking mindfield right now. I don’t even know Faith, yet I’m trusting her with my kids. I never do that, not without applicants being properly vetted. I’m usually so fucking particular about who comes into their lives, which is why it took me months to hire the last nanny.
A nanny that dumped them at the arena without a second thought.
“Jeff, what’s up?” My agent is calling me, which makes me edgy. He never calls, just usually sends me a text. Calls are reserved for problems, and the way my head’s spinning out of control, I really can’t take any more bad news right now.
“Nothing. Just letting you know the nanny and your kids are in good hands. I told you I’d take care of everything.”
I smile, thinking the only thing he’s done is arrange a car to take Faith to her house to pack, then make sure they all got to the airport on time. Sure, he’d done me a favor, and I didn’t want to sound unappreciative, so I congratulate him and say, “Yes, great. Thanks. Now, I have one less thing to worry about. I appreciate it, Jeff.”
He laughs smugly. “I told you, you can count on me for anything. I’ll look out for the kids in Colorado, too. I don’t get why you’re taking them, though. Shouldn’t Darcy be in school?”
He’s right, and I should have just had him arrange to have them both taken back home to Arizona. But, I had visions of Jeff going to my parents’ house and dumping the kids there without a moment’s notice. If Mom wasn’t sick, maybe that would have flown, and my kids could be back home, attending school and being kids. But, Jeff has no experience with kids, and I can’t trust him to look after them properly and get them to school on time. Hell, he thought Darcy was in the upper grades of school. She might have the mouth of a teenager, but she’s still only a little girl.
Maybe if Faith works out as their nanny, Darcy can get back to school. Maybe…
I’m getting ahead of myself, and getting my hopes up.
“Or, should they both be in school?” he asks, unsure.
Yeah, I made the right choice. If he can’t figure out that only Darcy should be in school, then I definitely made the right choice.
Then again, I hired Isobel, and she’d turned out to be a complete disaster, so maybe my judgment was lacking, too.
“Ferguson’s not even four yet,” I grit out.
He sounds confused. “So, what age do they start school, then?”
I’m not even going to dignify that with an answer over the phone. Besides, didn’t he go to school? How can he not know?
“Is Faith with you?” I quickly change the subject, knowing this conversation needs to come to an end. I shouldn’t be giving him a lesson on when kids start school.
And I shouldn’t have kissed Faith. Damn it, my mind keeps coming back to that. She’s looking after my kids, and I don’t even know her. What is it about her that makes me put my trust in her without knowing a damn thing about her?
“She’s right here. Talk to her. I’m just waiting for you guys to arrive.”
I smile, thinking that I’m sure he’s waiting for us, and not patiently. When I was going through my rough patch, and no other agent would touch me, Jeff was there by my side. But, there are some things that he’s a bit out of touch about, and being in close proximity of children for any length of time just happens to be one of them.
“Tristan, we’re all here. I have my passport, and the kids do, too. You don’t have to worry about a thing.” I can almost feel her beaming at me through the phone line. It’s as if her voice soothes me. I can’t say a fucking thing as I lean against the side of the bus, and it’s loud because nearly everyone’s getting off the bus to go into the airport.
“Tristan?”
“Sorry, Faith. Yes, we’re getting off the bus now. I know I don’t need to worry about a thing. The kids are in good hands now.”
“Well, b
etter than Isobel’s, anyway,” she chuckles wryly.
I reply, “Well, at least I don’t have to worry about finding them stranded at the airport somewhere.”
“What do you mean?”
“Isobel left them at a concession stand. Imagine if she’d been at the airport, not the arena.”
She sounded guarded. “I wouldn’t do something like that. It’s just a horrible thought. Besides, Darcy, Ferguson, and I are going to get along just fine.”
As the coach signals for me to get off the phone, I say, “I don’t doubt it. I’ll see you inside.”
She laughs. “We’ll be fine. Don’t worry about it. See you soon.”
I hang up, feeling like a hormonal teenager. And I don’t know why. I stand on the stairs to get off the bus, knowing I would enjoy this flight a lot more if she were sitting by my side so we could finish that kiss from the hotel room. The one interrupted by Darcy.
Next time I kiss her—because I’m pretty sure there’s going to be a next time—I’ll ensure there are no interruptions. Just Faith and I.
Chapter Ten
Faith
The whole flight, it felt like something out of a storybook, because I’d never been on a plane. I could tell that both Darcy and Ferguson were experts, despite being kids. Dad’s always been scared to fly, and it was only due to my grandmother’s insistence that I’d need it one day that I even got a passport.
I listened intently to the instructions given by the stewardess, but the kids took it all in stride.
The team was only a few rows ahead of us, but Tristan may as well have been a million miles away. He’d come over once the stewardess announced we could leave our seats, offering up his seat with the team if I’d rather he sit with the kids, but I declined, much more content with Darcy and Ferguson than a slew of men I didn’t know. He would turn and wave once in a while, though, and the kids did the same.
Puck Daddy: A Bad Boy Hockey Romance Page 4
