Page 11

Nikki

I glanced at the clock on the oven as I sucked down my third cup of coffee of the day. It was a bad idea and I knew it, but I slept like hell the night before—thoughts of Logan kept me up most of the night—and I’d already spent the day with an endlessly energetic five-year-old. I needed this coffee.

And on top of all that, Livvy’s nanny, Mrs. Mulberry, was late. Fifteen minutes late to be exact, which meant I’d be about that late getting to the radio station. “Screw it, I have to call her.” I had a lot of patience with the older woman because she was so good with Livvy, and she had more energy than a sixty-year-old probably should. But this was too late.

“Hello?” A confused male voice answered her phone.

“I’m sorry, I must have misdialed. I’m looking for Mrs. Mulberry.” Or maybe it was the right number, and she had a young lover. She said she had no family in state, after all.

“I’m Neil and Helena is my aunt. She’s in the hospital.”

“Oh no! What happened, I mean if you’re comfortable sharing?” My heart raced as I listened to him speak blandly about her mild heart attack. “Is she going to be all right?”

“They expect she’ll make a full recovery.”

“That’s good. It’s just so hard to believe, she seems so young at heart, you know?”

“Not really,” he shrugged. “We’re not as close as we should be.”

Obviously. “Please send her our best wishes and let me know if there’s anything she needs.”

“I will. And thank you.”

I ended the call feeling horrible that Mrs. Mulberry had such a scare, but then I started panicking. My show was due to start soon—really soon—and I didn’t have any backup childcare. “Livvy, put your shoes on, please!” I had no idea what I would do, yet, but I had a fifteen-minute drive to figure it out. Worst case scenario I could make one of the interns or production assistants keep an eye on her during the show, but that wasn’t ideal. They were strangers to her, and I had no clue if any of them were capable of caring for a child.

“We goin’ somewhere Mommy?” Her bright, excited smile never failed to make my heart skip a beat, even if her eyes were identical to her father’s.

“Yep. Mommy has to get to work, and Mrs. Mulberry is sick.”

“I’ll make her a card. She loves my cards!” Livvy was halfway up the stairs before my words stopped her.

“Later, Livvy. Mommy really has to get going and you’re coming with me until I figure something out.”

She gasped as she rushed back down the staircase as quickly as her little legs could carry her. “Can I be on the radio too?”

“We’ll see.” I guided her to the driveway where my car was parked, loaded her up along with a bag of snacks and kiddie entertainment, and headed to the station.

This is what you get for not expanding your circle, Nikki.

Yeah, it was my own damn fault for not fostering more friendships, particularly those with other moms. But single moms were too busy for friendships, and moms in relationships weren’t too eager to have a single friend around for… reasons. It was still my fault but nothing I could change in the next fifteen minutes.

There was one real option, but I was reluctant as hell to pull the trigger on it, even if it was the most logical and safest option. But there was another consideration, and that was the fact that I hadn’t told Logan the truth yet. The more time he and Livvy spent together the more likely it was that he’d figure out the truth before I found my courage to tell him—but right now I needed his help more than anything else.

The phone rang four times before he picked it up. “Nikki. Is everything all right?” The concern in his voice only confirmed that this was the right move. Logan was a biker, sure, but he was a good man who felt the need to keep us safe.

I could do this . “Um, hey Logan. We’re safe but I, god I can’t even believe I’m about to ask you this.”

“Ask me anything Nikki.” The words rolled off his tongue with ease.

“I need your help,” I said and launched into a too-long tale about Mrs. Mulberry, her heart, and negligent nephew as I pulled into the radio station. “To make a long story even longer, I need someone to look after Livvy while I’m on air. And I’m asking you to do it.”

He was silent for a long time before he finally spoke. “I’m headed back to your house now.”

I wanted to ask why because for just a moment I actually forgot that he was my shadow, going everywhere I went because of a very pissed off biker gang. “We’re actually at the station. I’m running late. Can you come here? Please?”

“Be there in less than ten,” he replied and ended the call.

I wanted to be upset about that, but I figured it was hard to talk on the phone on a motorcycle. “Let’s go kiddo.”

“Where the hell have you been,” Mia asked the moment I stepped off the elevator.

“Nanny had a mild heart problem,” I answered in an upbeat tone while Livvy took in the new sights.

Mia’s eyes went wide. “Oh shit.”

“Yep, Logan is on his way here.”

Mia’s brows shot up so high they disappeared behind her bangs. “Is that a good idea?”

“It is when your best friend is also your producer. I’m out of options, and he was going to be around anyway. It’s a win-win. Mostly.” My stomach dropped as the easy lie fell from my lips.

“If you say so.” She held out her hand for Livvy. “Come on Munchkin, you’re coming with me while your mommy gets ready to go on air.”

“I’m not gonna be on the radio?” She sounded so sad I almost laughed.

“Nah, but I’ll show you how to get her to say whatever you want. Okay?”

“Okay!” Livvy went with Mia while I headed into the studio to clear my head and go over the notes for tonight’s show. There was still plenty to do before I actually went on the air and most of it required Mia’s input.

A few minutes later the production team and I gathered inside the small office while Livvy sat curled up on a sofa with her learning tablet doing a puzzle. She was in her own little world, oblivious to the curious looks of the production staff.

We went over the topics and themes for the night, what songs I wanted to play, and then Mia gave me the advertising information I needed to insert into the show.

“Excuse me.” The receptionist looked uncomfortable. Her cheeks were flushed and her gaze kept darting behind her. “I’m sorry to interrupt but there’s a guy, a biker,” she whispered. “He’s requesting to speak to you Nikki. Should I call security?”

I almost laughed at the image that created, instead I shook my head. “Tall and lean, shoulder-length brown hair and green eyes?”

She nodded. “Stupidly gorgeous in that bad boy way?”

“Yep,” Mia and I said at the same time.

“You can send him in.”

She nodded and waved him inside. “I’m sorry about that.”

“Don’t be. It’s your job to keep any asshole off the street from getting up here. Thank you.”

Shocked, she nodded with her mouth wide open before she rushed back to her desk.

A few seconds later, Logan popped his head around the door, his eyes bounced around the room before they locked with mine. “Hey.”

“Hey.” The word came out on a breathy whisper. “Thanks for coming.” I met him near the door because my coworkers were far too curious about him, and I didn’t want to answer any questions until I had answers.

“No problem. What’s up with the nanny? Nothing serious I hope?”

“Mild heart attack, according to her nephew,” I whispered.

Logan nodded as he studied my face. “You trust me to take care of Livvy?”

“Yes,” I answered easily. “You could’ve walked right by her at the festival and you didn’t. She likes you and I trust you, that’s good enough for me. Just don’t make me regret it.”

“Of course not.” His lips pulled into a slow, panty-melting grin that nearly made me forget we weren’t alone. “What do I need to know?”

I gave him a rundown of her food likes and dislikes, her favorite activities and anything else I could think of. “She’ll tell you if you’re doing anything wrong, trust me.”

His laughter was deep and rich, a little rusty, like he didn’t laugh a lot. “I have no doubt.” He held out his hand and I frowned. “Keys. Can’t exactly put Livvy on the back of my bike, can I?”

“Right.” I shook my head and dropped the keys in his hand. “House and car keys.”

“Moving pretty fast, aren’t we?” He wiggled his eyebrows and leaned in close. “I wonder what you’ll give me when I make you come properly.”

I gasped and looked up into his sparkling green eyes. There was mischief there and heat. Lots and lots of heat. Trying to get my raging libido under control I shouted, “Livvy, look who’s here!”

Livvy looked up and gasped before she scrambled off the sofa. “Rebel! What are you doing here?” She rushed to him and practically skidded to a stop.

He dropped down so they were eye to eye and smiled. “We’re hanging out while your mom works.”

“We are?” She looked at me and then back to Logan, bouncing on her toes, ready to burst with energy. “What are we gonna do?”

“We’ll figure something out, kiddo.” He tweaked her nose and laughed when she giggled. Logan stood and faced me. “I’m gonna give you a ride home after the show. Don’t leave the studio until I tell you we’re here. Got it?”

I was breathless at his commanding tone, and I nodded slowly because the lust he created fogged up my brain. “Yeah, I got it.”

“Good.” He scooped Livvy up into his arms as if he’d been doing it since the day she was born.

“Bye Mommy!” Livvy leaned in for a hug and a kiss which brought Logan and his too masculine scent far too close to me.

“Bye honey. Have fun and make sure you listen to Logan, okay?”

“I will. See you later.”

“Yeah,” he grinned. “See you later.” They walked out and I stood there staring after them, wondering if he’d figure it out before they picked me up tonight.

“Damn girl.” Mia finally broke the silence. “You didn’t tell me it was like that .”

“Like what?” I knew exactly what she meant. Electric. Combustible. Dangerous.

The entire production team exploded with laughter.

My cheeks flamed. “Okay people, back to work.” I smacked my palms together and dropped my head forward to cover the blush staining my cheeks.

That man was walking, talking temptation.

I couldn’t hide my reaction to him if I wanted to, so I did what I did best.

I got back to work.