Page 52 of The Billionaire's One-Night Stand Nanny

“Hi,” I said. His hair was wet from the rain outside, and not drops-clinging-to-silken-strands romance novel wet, butwetwet. The shoulders of his jacket were several shades darker than the rest of it. “We weren’t expecting you.”

“Is mom okay?” Maddie asked. “Where–”

“Your mom is fine,” Ryan said. “I’m sorry if I surprised you both. I texted you, Flora.”

“Oh,” I said. “Sorry, my phone was–” It was in the kitchen, where I’d left it an hour ago after making our hot chocolate.

“Don’t worry about it,” he smiled. “But… have you been outside recently?”

Maddie rolled her eyes. No words needed.

His smile turned to a grimace. “Well. It doesn’t look like you’ll be going outside any timesoon, either.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, sitting up.

“You can take a look for yourself.” Maddie and I both stood, her running through the house and me trailing at a more moderate pace after her, Ryan at my side.

“Oh my gosh!” she squeaked, looking out the front window. “It’s a river!”

“I’m so sorry, Flora, but I think you might have to stay here tonight.” Ryan said in his low, warm voice. He looked down at me, brown eyes apologetic. “It’s bad out there. There’s a lot of flooding. I only just managed to make it from Midtown, and Brooklyn…”

“Is Maddie..?” I asked.

“Tally said she’d come in the morning, it should be cleared up by then. It’s safer if she stays here.”

I nodded. “Is that…” I didn’t know what I meant to say. “I mean, are you okay with me staying here?”

“Morethan okay,” he said, quietly enough that Maddie couldn’t hear. She still had her nose pressed to the front window. “The only inconvenience for me is that you’ll have to stay in the guest room.”

“Is there cell reception in the guest bedroom?” I asked, fluttering my eyelashes up at him.

His gaze darkened. “I do believe there is.” His eyes were still locked on mine when he said, louder now, “Maddie, Flora’s going to be staying over tonight because of the storm. I–”

“Really?” the girl said, whirling to look at us. “You mean it?”

I nodded.

“Can she stay in my room?”

His eyes twinkled at me. “No, ladybug, I think Flora will be more comfortable in the guest room. But if you want, you can stay up a little later and we can all hang out.”

“Eleven?” she asked hopefully.

“Ha. No. Ten.”

“We can have a lot of fun between now and ten,” I shrugged, looking over at Maddie. And a lot of fun after, I thought, glancing at Ryan, who smirked at me. He was obviously thinking the same.

“But first we’ll have to scrounge up some dinner. Pizza delivery… is not going to happen.”

He turned, leading the way back to the kitchen, and Maddie ran over to me. I gave her a hug. “This is going to be nice, huh?” I said.

“Yes. And,” her eyes widened, her voice dropping seriously, “he might not look like it, but my dad is areally good cook.”

I couldn’t help it. I laughed, loud and surprised. Maddie nodded seriously and I smiled, wrapping her into a tight hug again.

CHAPTER25

Ryan