"We're playing, thank you very much," I said as I stuck my nose up. "You're interrupting our mystery. We were just about to find out who stole the money from the bank."
Christian raised a brow. "Whose idea was that?"
"I know it was definitely Tina," Annie said as she narrowed her eyes at my doll.
I gasped. "You're throwing me under the bus? I thought we were partners!"
"I don't want to go to jail," Annie stated seriously.
“Neither do I,” I shot back.
Annie burst into a fit of giggles.
I joined her.
I glanced over my shoulder at Christian and sucked in a sharp breath.
He stood there just staring at me. The look in his eyes was soft and appraising like he wanted to say something. Instead, he cleared his throat again and the look faded away. "Dinner is just about ready. I came to get you two so it would still be hot by the time it's done. Ready?"
"Yeah.” I nodded. “We should put the toys up really quickly though. I'm sure someone's going to be exhausted after dinner and bath time."
"Will not," Annie piped up. "I can stay up all night."
"I don't think so," Christian and I said at the same time and we both chuckled.
She pouted at us. "I'm old enough," she insisted. "I want to stay up."
"No way," I said. "I have to watch you in the morning and you're already a big enough grump when you've had your full eight hours. We can however, read a book after dinner before I have to go for the night." I stood up and stretched. My muscles whined at sitting on the floor cross-legged for so long like I was still a child. I started picking up the toys.
"Three books," Annie shot back.
"Two."
"Deal." She grinned.
"I feel like that child just tricked me," I muttered.
I saw Christian stifle a laugh.
Chapter Twelve
Hannah
Annie and I worked together to put away the rest of the toys while Christian went to check on dinner. When we were done, she slipped off to go and wash her hands and I went downstairs to see if I could help with anything.
"Dinner's served," Christian said looking pleased with himself as he swirled pasta on our plates. Steak sat beside it and fresh steamed broccoli too. He had opened a bottle of red wine and quarter-filled two glasses with it.
"What do you think?" he asked, one eyebrow cocked.
"I think I've died and gone to food heaven. I can't believe you cooked all of this," I exclaimed as I picked up a noodle covered in white sauce and sucked into my mouth. I licked my finger. "This is delicious."
I gazed up as I felt his eyes on me.
He stared at me as if he was in an incredulous daze. Then he swallowed thickly. He shook himself out of his strange state immediately, but that heated look stayed in his eyes.
If not for Annie coming down and climbing into her seat at the table, I don’t know what would have happened. She kicked her feet happily, as Christian put a plate in front of her and a cup of juice. “Can I have ketchup, please?” Annie asked.
“No,” I was happy to hear her father say very firmly.
“Awww,” she grumbled, but she didn’t protest beyond that.
Hiding a smile, I settled in at the table and we all started eating. Even with Annie there chattering away, it was odd, the tension that flowed between the two of us. Every time he looked at me, I could feel his eyes as if they had stripped me naked and were appraising every inch of my body.
I had downed three glasses of wine by the time dinner was done. I couldn't help it. Every time I looked at him, I became a ball of nerves and desire that I couldn't even explain. I dabbed at my mouth with a napkin and looked over at Annie to distract myself.
She was an absolute mess.
"Were you trying to eat your dinner, or wear it?" Christian asked her.
Annie grinned. "I tried to eat it, but it was as slippery as worms."
"I think you just like making a mess." I laughed as I cleaned up her face and hands as best I could. "Let's get you into a bath and then into bed. Then you can say goodnight to your daddy."
Annie held up her arms.
Christian picked her up and hugged her as she kissed his face. He pulled a face as she left behind a mess of pasta sauce.
I laughed so hard at the OCD businessman’s disgusted expression that my stomach hurt. "I don't think he likes messes all that much," I teased.
"I don't like being slobbered on," he corrected.
"You love it!" Annie laughed as she covered his cheek in wet, messy kisses.
I finally rescued him by taking her into my arms. "Don't give your daddy such a hard time. He made us a delicious dinner."
Her little arms went around my neck. "No more slobber kisses for Daddy."
“No more,” I agreed.
"I appreciate that," he said, and leaned over to give her a kiss on her cheek.
As soon as he did, I could smell his cologne. It was subtle and spicy and made me want to smell it more. I felt a jolt travel up my spine. He glanced at me and for a moment, I wished he'd kiss my cheek too. I had the smallest desire to be part of this family. To be the one to wake up with them, be with them, play with them and grow with them.
You’re getting way too attached.
"I'll be up in a minute for story time," Christian said, but his voice sounded strangely husky.
"See you in a minute," Annie sang.
I turned on my heels quickly. Annie and I had a minimally splashy bath time which I was happy for. Usually, Annie could cover the whole floor in water at one time. Usually, when I turned around to grab a toy or a towel she would splash as much water as she could. At the moment, she seemed content to play with her mermaid and ducks. When I said it was time to leave, she happily stood up and let me swaddle her in a towel before I carried her into her bedroom. It felt good to carry her, because usually, she didn’t want to be touched by me.
"Which PJ's do you want to wear?"
I'd noticed a long time ago that she got excited when it was time to pick a pair out for herself. Of course, she'd never told me which she liked before, but tonight she talked my ear off. It was actually a surprisingly welcome change. I didn’t realize how much it had affected me that I couldn’t get her to open up to me.
Christian came up during story time and shared the reading with me. By the time the story was done, Annie was out. She was curled up around her stuffed bear, her long hair spread on the pillow as she smiled even in her sleep.
"She's so adorable…" I sighed. "I always knew we'd get along if she just gave me a chance."
"Yeah. I'm glad she decided to go easy on you. She could use a friend when I'm not around." He glanced at his watch.
"I’ll clean up the kitchen before I go," I said quickly. It had been a wonderful night so far and I didn’t want any awkwardness to start now.
“You don’t have to. The maid will do it in the morning.”
“No, it will be all crusty by the morning and much harder for her. I don’t mind and it’s only fair. You slaved over a hot stove for us.”
"I'll help you," Christian said as he kissed Annie's head and stood.
He followed me out of the room into the kitchen.
We rolled up our sleeves and smiled at each other. It felt comfortable to be doing this. Like a piece of domestic happiness, I had always dreamed about. The place wasn't overly messy because he must have done some cleaning while he cooked. I grabbed a towel when the dishwasher stopped and began to dry the contents.
Quiet reigned for a minute before he glanced at me. "Thank you," he said, turning to me.
“For what?”
"For taking such good care of Annie."
"Hmm… I let her fall down the stairs," I said, as the very thought of it made me cringe. "I still feel awful about that."
"That's how I know you care about her. Also, you thought on your feet in a crisis situation and I like that. So really, you are doing a great job with her."
> "I'm trying. She's a good kid and I have a lot of patience for her."
"Cleary…" He nodded. "I wasn't totally honest before."
"About what?"
"About the amount of nannies she’s had. She's had a ton of them over the last year. She didn't like any of them and found a way to make all of them quit."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
He put the cutlery away in the drawer as he explained, "I thought if you knew that you'd get discouraged and not want to stick around. People love to take the easy route. A difficult child is more often than not looked at as if they're bad, and there's nothing else to them. I don't think a child should have to be perfect to be loved. She's going through a hard time, but she's not a bad kid."
"I think the same thing as you. I was a little worried there that we would never get along, but I'm glad she's warming up to me. She's hilarious." I grinned as I thought about us playing.
"Did you ever think about leaving?"
I glanced up at him. His voice had changed and the look on his face was part concerned and part something I couldn't begin to decipher. I touched his arm. It was an instinctive gesture. "Not once. I told you in the beginning that I don't give up. I wouldn't do that to either of you."
Christian took in a deep breath. His eyes slid down to my hand that lingered on his muscled arm.
I pulled my hand back when I realized what I was doing. His gaze flicked up to mine and immediately I wished he would push me against the counter and rip my clothes off. My breathing picked up as he let his hand slide down and linger on my hip. It was the smallest touch, but it radiated desire and longing.
Fuck.
Every thought that went through my head was dirtier than the last. My eyes were drawn to his inviting lips. When he licked his sensuous bottom lip, I shuddered. "What are we doing?" I asked quietly.
"I just wanted to say thank you. That's all," he said in a deep, husky voice.
Just the sound of that voice made my knees weak.
Christian's hand shifted from my hip and he turned towards the table again.
I could see the tension in his body and his reaction to me pushing so hard against the fabric of his pants and it was an impressive push too. I wanted to press my hand against it, slide it against my lips and watch him moan as he gave into me.
I swallowed hard. My entire body felt hot and bothered, so I had to force myself to breathe right again.
We finished cleaning up and put everything away in relative silence only making small talk after that. I don't think either of us could really focus.
"Would you like me to drive you home?" Christian asked when we were done. "You've had a couple of glasses of wine."
"Oh yeah, I have." I laughed lightly. I hoped that was why I felt so damned hot and flushed. "What about Annie though?"
"I'll ask Gary to come over and keep an ear out for her. He’ll probably be in the pub around the corner." He smiled.
I smiled too and shook my head. "Sounds like a plan. Let me grab my things."
"I'll wait for you here," he said, already speed-dialing Gary.
I nodded and jogged upstairs to grab the bag I'd left in the spare room. I hadn't wanted to wake Annie up when I came back to retrieve it. Slowly, I pushed her bedroom door open a bit. I saw her still passed out and I smiled with satisfaction.
"Night kid."
I snagged my bag, and stopped very briefly to check that I looked okay in the en-suite bathroom mirror then walked out to the living room where Christian was waiting on me. Gary must have sprinted down the road because he was already nestled on the couch and polishing off the rest of the wine bottle.
I climbed into his gleaming sports car and Christian closed the door down after me.
"Ready?" he asked.
I nodded. As he pulled away from his home, I had a thought of staying the night and waking up there.
You're getting ahead of yourself, madam.
I knew I was, but my imagination had a mind of its own sometimes. I couldn't stop it even if I wanted to.
Chapter Thirteen
Hannah
The drive back throbbed with the sound of the engine and something else mysterious that seemed to hang in the air between us. The overhead streetlights flooded the interior of the car and every once in a while with enough light, I could dart a look in his direction to check out his expression.
Christian's hands gripped the wheel so hard his knuckles were white. His lips seemed to move silently as if he were having some kind of inner dialogue.
I would have killed to know what he was murmuring. I had a sneaking suspicion it might be the same thing that was in my head.
Every ounce of tension that flowed off his body made me just as anxious and antsy as he seemed to be. I wanted to ask him what was going through his head, but I didn't dare. I wasn't sure what I'd say if he said he wanted to throw me down and have his way with me.
I shoved my thighs together and squeezed as my fingers gripped the seat tightly.
Calm down, Hannah. There is absolutely no way that anything is going to happen between us.
It couldn't. He was my boss, my employer. If I crossed that line, I'd be potentially screwing up a job that I really liked and wanted to keep. Plus, I’d just made a huge breakthrough with Annie and I didn’t want to throw it away. I couldn't risk that. Right?
The car pulled up to my apartment building and I glanced around. The parking lot looked pretty empty. I was very aware that we were completely alone in the luxurious, but tight confines of his car.
I swallowed and turned to him. "Thanks for the ride," I said. I had tried to make it sound light and casual, but even to my own ears, it sounded like I was ready to rip his clothes off and jump him. Our eyes locked and for once, neither of us turned away. I drowned in the depths of his lust filled- hooded green eyes. I tried to think of something to say to him, but my mind churned uselessly and came up with nothing.
Christian shifted in his seat and captured my lips without a word.
His mouth was hot against mine. Heat and passion locked onto me as I melted in my seat. His hands gripped my face and pulled me closer. Any reluctance I might have had shattered and all the longing I had felt since the day I met him exploded out of me and poured over us.
I pushed my hand against his cheek and felt the rough stubble beneath my palm. The way it grated against my skin only turned me on even more. My lips parted and my tongue darted out to taste him. His tongue slid along mine and I trembled in his arms.
Our kiss went from exploring and passionate to deep and fevered. Moans filled the car, our chests heaved, and the panting sound of our breaths made my toes curl.
Christian's hand slipped underneath the fabric of my shirt. His fingers moved over my chest, down to my bra. He shoved it up and his fingers caressed my already hardened nipples.
I gasped against his mouth and felt the wetness flooding between my thighs. "Christian," I whispered against his mouth.
“Fuck, you taste so amazing,” he muttered hoarsely, as his fingers threaded into my hair. He pulled me closer, his tongue quick and eager as he pinched my nipples one after the other.
I rocked against my seat as my pussy screamed for more friction. I needed to feel more. I needed to feel everything. I shifted in my seat and in the small confines managed to straddle Christian's lap. The length of his rock-hard cock pressed up against my wet panties. His face showed surprise until I ground myself against his cock. He attacked my mouth with fervor as his hands gripped my rounded ass.
"Hell," he growled. "I want you like I’ve never wanted another woman."
"I want you too," I panted. "So bad.
“I can’t sleep at night," he admitted.
Well, I couldn't think straight, couldn't even speak, as I was consumed by his kiss and his touch. His strong hands hiked up my skirt and exposed my thighs to the cool air of the AC. He gripped my thighs and they burned up where he touched. I felt myself trembling in his hands.
My breath ca
ught in my throat as his fingers pushed between my thighs. I cried out as I felt the tip of his finger rub around my clit and stroke the sensitive flesh through my panties. My hips jerked toward him and rubbed against that finger, begging for more of that amazing sensation. As he kissed the line of my throat to my shoulder and collarbone, his finger circled my clit like a dog chasing its own tail. Again and again. Round and round. Faster and faster.
"More," I moaned against his mouth. "Give me more."
Christian grunted and pushing aside the fabric of my panties, rubbed directly against my clit. His fingers slid through my wetness and he used it to coat his fingers before he slipped a thick digit inside of me.
I gasped, his name on my lips, as my head tilted back with my eyes closed and rolling back in pure pleasure.
He worked his finger in and out until I couldn't breathe.
I rotated my hips as I tried to draw out more of that torturous sweet pleasure but it wasn't enough. Christian pushed another inside of me then another until his fingers pushed and prodded, opening me up and stretching me wide for him.
"Christian, slow down," I panted. "I'm gonna climax if you keep doing that."
"Come for me," he growled, as his fingers picked up speed.
They curled and prodded my sensitive spot until I couldn't breathe.
"Come," he ordered.
I buried my face in his neck and my body trembled all over as I felt the orgasm build in my belly until my body tensed and went completely still. I cried out, my teeth sank into his flesh and my nails buried in his skin as I held on for dear life. Color burst behind my lids as every inch of me was overwhelmed with sheer unadulterated pleasure. The orgasm took over as I jerked and spasmed on top of him until it ebbed away and my body went limp. I was left spent and panting against his hard body.
I heard him breathing fast and shallow in my ear as he pulled his fingers free. I heard the sucking sound of wetness before I forced myself to open my eyes. Just in time to see Christian licking his fingers clean, the look of pure lust in his eyes was enough to make me want to rip his pants off and fuck him in the front seat of his car.
Billionaire Needs Nanny Page 5
