Page 7 of Nanny for the Bodyguard

He needs help. The guy is clearly overworked.

As I stare at him and Jade, watching how he watches her, my chest squeezes again. I don’t want to look at him the way I am, like he’s this charming single “dad” who’s still so damn hot it should be illegal.

After all, he broke my heart.

Easton didn’t come back to me after his tour. He didn’t write when it was ending, and we haven’t spoken in years. How do I know this isn’t just some ploy, a con to get me to help him because he knows I’m an easy mark?

What if that’s all Ieverwas?

But when he glances over at me, and I meet his eyes, eyes that are so familiar and alluring, I know I can’t leave him like that.

There’s still something here between us, and as much as that scares me, it also compels me to act.

“You know, if you ever need a babysitter, I’d be happy to help. I work for myself, after all, and I can hang with Jade and work on my novel when I can.”

“Are you serious?” Easton’s brows shoot to his hairline as he gapes at me.

“Just being nice.” I smile, glancing over at Jade as she hurries over from the playground. “Would that be okay with you? If I help to watch you sometimes?”

The little girl’s face, with ice cream still smeared around her mouth, lights up, grinning from ear to ear.

“Yes! Totally!”

Easton exhales, this profound look of relief on his face, and nods. When he looks at me again, there’s a layer of desperation behind his eyes that pulls at my heartstrings all the more.

With an apologetic smile, Easton tilts his head at me. “Can you start on Monday?”

THREE

Easton

I’ve been awake since four o’clock. In fact, I haven’t slept well since Friday when I saw Hazel.

Because it’s fuckingHazel.

The words I said about coming back to her, everything I said that I thought I could actually mean that time, are spinning in my head, and I’m going to be sick.

Why didn’t I go back? I just…I know I should have. But I just…ran. Ialwaysrun.

Pain zings through my hand as the coffee I’m pouring spills all over me, and I hiss, setting my mug down in a hurry and rinsing off with cold water in the sink.

I’m such a mess.

Ding dong!

The bell screams through the house, interrupting the quiet, and then I hear Jade shout from the living room.

“Door!”

Sighing, I dry my hands off on a dish towel and toss it back on the counter. “Yes, Jade. I heard the bell, too.”

She can’t hear me, and I don’t want her to, but Christ, are all ten-year-olds like this? WasIlike this?

Walking to the front, I try to steady my nerves as I reach for the knob and pull the door open. Hazel is standing right outside, bright and early, just like we texted about after exchanging numbers.

I didn’t tell her that I still had hers programmed in my phone.

“Morning.” She smiles, and I notice the backpack on her shoulder and the large cup of coffee in her hand.