Page 30 of Nanny for the Bodyguard

“Dammit.”

We’re chuckling lightly when a woman walks over from the bench across from us. She’s the mother of Candance, one of Jade’s friends, and she approaches us with a bright grin and a wave.

“You sure have a way with those girls, I’ll tell you that.” Easton smiles at the compliment. “You’ve definitely got a keeper there.”

It takes me longer than it should to realize that the woman is implying that Easton and I are a couple. I jerk upright on the bench, holding out a hand to wave off theveryincorrect assumption.

“Nah,” Easton says, wrapping his arm around me, “it’s me who’s the lucky one. She’s just letting me have a moment so I look good.”

My cheeks are on fire as Easton slides his hand up to my head and forces it to the side so that he can plant a kiss on my hair.

What the absolute fuck does he think he’s doing? This is bad. So, so, so bad.

“Aww, that’s so sweet. You two.” The woman waves at us, all enamored by Easton’s lie, and it takes everything I have not to yank myself away and punch him. “Well, I just wanted to say thank you for entertaining the girls. It’s usually such a handful to be out here at the park with her. You gave me the afternoon off.”

“Happy to oblige, Sarah.”

Easton turns up the power on his megawatt smile and then flashes it in my direction, pretending to be so fucking in love.

I’m going to kill him.

Sarah, which is apparently the woman’s name that I missed while fuming, grins all the harder.

“Well, I’ll keep that in mind.” She leans forward, patting Easton’s knee. “You’re doing such a good job with everything that happened.”

Easton stiffens, clearly not enjoying how the rumors of his predicament have circulated through town.

“I’m so sorry for your loss, hun. But truly, you’re stepping up for that little girl. She’s lucky to have you.”

Faltering for only a moment, Easton nods. “I’m lucky to have Jade. Really.”

“Aww,” Sarah swoons. “Well, I’ll leave you two alone. Y’all are such a cute couple.”

Maneuvering my head again, Easton kisses my forehead, and I go stock still.Oh, my God. This is too much.

Then, Sarah wanders off, and I wait two whole seconds before smacking Easton across the arm and glaring at him.

Easton has the nerve to laugh, and I glare harder. “What the hell was that about?”

“Sorry! Sorry.” He waves off another smack to his arm, trying to hold back a laugh. “I wasn’t trying to make you uncomfortable. It just felt easier to pretend we were together than have to give her our entire backstory.”

I shake my head. “So not an excuse! You could have said literally anything else. ‘Oops, not my girlfriend. Just the nanny.’ ‘We’re old friends.’ End of story.”

There’s a beat of silence as Easton shrugs, releasing a long exhale. I’ll wait for him to come up with a response, though, because he’snotgetting out of this.

“It was funny, Hazel. I know how people in this town like to spread rumors. Figured I’d give ‘em some material. Besides, Sarah,” he gestures with his thumb toward her bench, “has been flirting with me since the girls started hanging out. I needed a way to shut that down.”

“Ugh, you suck.” I sigh, hanging my head in my hands, but a tiny laugh sneaks out.

“See. Even you think it’s funny.”

Shoving him playfully, I blow a raspberry at him. “I think your face is funny.”

He laughs, and we’re both batting at each other like dumb kids. “What are you twelve?”

“So’s your face!”

The comeback makes no sense at all, and we both devolve into a fit of giggles. It’s so damn hard to keep being mad at him, and I hate it a little.