Chapter 17

BRIGGS

“Did you leave anything in the store for other people to buy?” I laughed.

“We didn’t buy that much,” Bonnie said.

I eyed the mountain of shopping bags in my foyer. “Okay then.”

“Did you have a good time, Layla?” Sophia asked.

“Yes,” Layla replied quietly.

“How was the spa?”

“It was n-nice,” she stammered, a flush creeping over her cheeks as she stared at the floor.

“Did you do the V-Steam?”

“She got the works,” Bonnie chuckled.

“I’m gonna take my stuff up to my room and go see the babies,” Layla said.

“Mary and Sonya took them for a walk down to the lake,” I said.

“Oh.” She gathered up several bags and headed for the stairs.

“What else is hers?” I asked.

“Those ones,” Blaire said.

I snatched up the bags and followed Layla, stopping to grab something from the coat closet.

“I brought the rest of your stuff,” I said when I reached her open door.

She glanced nervously over her shoulder. “Thanks.”

I set the bags on the floor. “Can I come in?”

“It’s your house.”

“True. But this is your bedroom. I don’t have the right to come in here unless you invite me.”

“You can come in.”

I stepped inside the room, leaving the door open. I would’ve preferred to close it, but she seemed jumpy, so I decided not to push my luck. “I enjoyed our conversation on the phone last night.”

“I had too much to drink,” she said, laughing nervously. “I’d never had alcohol before, so it didn’t take much to give me a buzz.”

“I see.”

“Yeah,” she continued, hovering on the far side of the bed. “I hope I didn’t say anything inappropriate.”

“You didn’t,” I assured her.

“That’s good.”

“Layla?”

“Yes?”

“Why do you look terrified?”

“I’m not.”

“Do you want me to leave?”

“That’s up to you.”

“No,” I sighed, reining in my frustration. If I wanted a twenty-year-old, I had to adjust my expectations. Most of the time, Layla acted older than her age.

But this wasn’t one of those times. “It’s up to you, sweetheart. If you want me to leave, just say the word. I don’t want to pressure you.”

“I don’t want you to leave,” she said. “I like hanging out with you. But I’m your employee. It’s weird.”

“Do you mind if I close the door?”

“No. But your family might think something is going on in here.”

“I don’t care.”

“What will Mary think?”

“Mary is an employee. My personal life is none of her business.”

“I’m an employee, Briggs.”

“We can rectify that.”

“You’re going to fire me?”

“No. I want you here for the boys.” I took a step closer, my eyes locked on hers. “And for me.”

She blinked, her throat working hard to swallow as I edged closer to her. “I-I want to be here. Very much.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” I whispered, reaching out to stroke her jaw. “There’s no reason to be afraid, sweetheart. I won’t hurt you or pressure you into anything. We can take things nice and slow—and see where it goes.”

“I’d like that,” she said, a shy smile spreading across her face.

“Can I kiss you?”

“Okay,” she giggled.

I leaned down, brushing my lips across hers. They softened slightly under mine, so I tilted my head and pressed harder, sucking on her bottom lip.

I wanted to ravish her mouth, but I fought against the impulse and just let my lips languish against hers. When she moaned softly, I prodded gently with my tongue.

Her mouth fell open, welcoming me into her warmth. My hands dropped to her waist, pulling her in close while I explored her mouth with deep, erotic strokes of my tongue.

“You taste so good,” I murmured, kissing along her jaw to her ear.

I smiled when I felt her body finally relax against mine. She wrapped her arms around my neck while I trailed light kisses down to her collarbone.

I slipped my hands under her top, caressing the soft, smooth skin of her belly.

My mouth found hers again, kissing her hungrily while my fingers sought out her nipples. I rubbed her hard peaks through her lacy bra. “Is this new?”

“Yes,” she whispered, her eyelids fluttering open.

“Is it comfortable?”

“Um, yes,” she said, wrinkling her brow. “That’s a strange question.”

“Sorry. I just noticed your bra looked really worn out, that first night here—when I walked in on you cuddling one of the babies. I would imagine a good bra is really important.”

“Because I have big tits?” she asked, pulling out of my embrace.

~Uh-oh, man. Tread lightly here.~

“Well, uh. Um.”

She tilted her head, a small smile playing on her lips while she watched me fumbling to say the right thing.

“Are you laughing at me?”

“No,” she giggled.

“Uh-huh. I think you are.”

“You’re cute, Briggs.”

“You’re cute, Layla.”

She giggled again, the sound warming my heart. I suspected she hadn’t had many things to laugh about in her life. Until now. I wanted to see that smile every day.

And I wanted to be responsible for putting it there.

“You’re sexy, Layla.”

“You’re sexy, Briggs.” She looked away, her cheeks turning a rosy shade of pink.

“Unh-uh,” I whispered, turning her head around gently but firmly to face me. “No looking away.”

“Why do you get to make the rules?”

~Hmm~. She had a feisty streak in her. I liked it, a lot~.

“I don’t get to make all of them,” I said.

“What are your rules, Briggs?”

“Well, I’m not sure. I’ve never done this before.”

“Done what?”

“This,” I said, moving my finger back and forth between us.

She snorted and rolled her eyes. “You expect me to believe you’ve never made out with a girl before?”

“No,” I chuckled. “I’m thirty-eight years old.”

“How many women have you slept with, Briggs? Never mind. Forget I asked that. I don’t wanna know.”

I closed my eyes, pinching the bridge of my nose while I decided the best way to respond to her question.

“I honestly don’t know the answer to that. But I want you to know that I’m clean. I had a thorough set of tests after your sister came forward. And I haven’t been with anyone since.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t want that life anymore. The bunnies, the meaningless sex, all that. I’m retired. I’ve got three boys who need a dad to set a good example for them. I’ve had relationships.

“But they were mostly casual. I always put my career first. Now I have the time to devote to a woman in my life.”

“I’m not a woman, Briggs,” she said quietly. “I’m a twenty-year-old girl with no life experience or education. I don’t bring much to the table. You need someone your own age, from your world.”

“I don’t want any of those women, sweetheart,” I whispered. “I want ~you~. And just for the record, you are all women. And a very sexy one. Who I would like to know better. With and without clothes on.”

“What will people say?”

“What people?”

“Um, your family, your staff, the media, my sister.”

I rubbed the back of my head, releasing a heavy sigh. “I’m not gonna lie to you, Layla. The paparazzi can be brutal.

“And when they find out I’m dating my twenty-year-old nanny, it will be rough. But it will blow over. It always does. However, that being said, I think for now it would be best to keep our relationship under wraps.”

“I’ve never been in any kind of relationship before, Briggs,” she said querulously, her eyes darting around the room.

I reached for her and pressed my forehead against hers while I gazed into her eyes. “Do you trust me, Layla?”

“Yes,” she whispered softly. “I trust you, Briggs.”

“I got you a welcome home gift,” I said, retrieving the small gift bag I had left on the table by the door.

“I was gone for a day, Briggs,” she laughed, eyeing the bag nervously.

“Thirty-three hours,” I corrected. “That’s more than a day.”

“You counted how many hours I was gone?”

“I missed you.”

“You’re a sweet guy, Briggs Westinghouse.”

I handed her the bag, eager to see her reaction.

She removed the pink tissue paper, pulling out the phone first. “Briggs! You bought me a cell phone?”

“You said yours was really old.”

She turned the box over in her hands. “This looks like an expensive phone.”

“It comes with unlimited data.”

~“Unlimited data~?”

“How much do you have on your current plan?”

“Um, none.”

“Well, now you do.”

“Briggs, this is too much. You already spent so much money on me yesterday.”

“There’s something else in the bag.”

She reached inside, her jaw dropping as she pulled out ~Three Men in a Boat,~ the book. “Briggs,” she gasped. “Where did you find this?”

“I’ve been looking online since you told me about it.”

“Is this an original edition?” she whispered, running her fingers over the cover.

“Yes.”

“This must’ve cost a lot.”

“Not really.”

She set the phone and the book on the bed before reaching up to press a soft kiss to my lips. “Thank you, Briggs.”

“You’re welcome.”

“You’re spoiling me.”

“You deserve it.”

I pulled her into my arms, giving her a long, slow kiss while I held her close. She was mine, and I had no intention of letting her go.