Those Three Words: A Single Dad, Billionaire Boss Romance(54)

“I get it and I agree. I’m not being irresponsible and not thinking about those things, about her feelings or yours. I want you to know I’m considering all those things and I’m trying to make the right choices for my happiness, for—” I hesitate. “Our happiness. I am a father first and foremost; I don’t want to confuse or hurt Eleanor either.”

She listens quietly.

“Just promise me you’ll let me worry about that—as her father. Trust me that I will make the right decisions for her?”

She nods, her smile a little less apprehensive this time, then she pulls her hands slowly from mine and goes to walk around me. I shoot my arm out, capturing her around the waist.

“You know I care about you, right?” She stares up at me and I pull her closer. “You mean something to me. I don’t know what’s going through that pretty head of yours but don’t question that. Last night was”—I feel myself stir in my slacks with just the mention of last night—“special. I don’t regret it this morning if you’re worried about that.”

“I know, I understand.”

“Do you?”

I pull her back to stand in front of me, my hands resting on her waist as she places her palms on my chest.

“I know there’s a lot of complications between us. I’m your boss and you are quite a bit younger than me. I know that things could always go south and you worry how that will be, living in my home, taking care of my daughter. And most likely, people will talk when it gets out I’m in a relationship with my nanny.”

“A relationship?” Her eyes dart to mine, searching them. I can’t tell if it’s fear in her eyes or if she wants reassurance. I squeeze her waist a little tighter as I back her against the counter.

“I’ve tried to talk myself out of wanting you. All those reasons I just mentioned play on a loop in my head but no matter how hard I try”—I lean in and place a soft kiss on her neck—“I can’t stop myself.”

Her head lulls to one side, her fingers curling against my shirt.

“I don’t want to stop myself anymore.”

I run my tongue up the length of her neck, stopping only to kiss the same trail. I nip her earlobe. “I know you deserve better.”

I suck her earlobe into my mouth, eliciting a small moan from her.

“But I can’t stop and now that I’ve had you, Margot, now that I’ve tasted you, felt your body against mine, filled you so completely—there’s nothing that will stop me. Nothing will stop me from making you mine.”

I whisper the words against her ear as her hands dig into my chest. I don’t give a fuck if she’s wrinkled my shirt. I slide my hand up her neck, then the other hand, and I hold her head still as I tilt my own to lean in and kiss her. I’m a breath away when I hear Miss Perry’s telltale heels clicking rapidly across the marble.

I step back, the moment dissipating as I reach for my coffee and put several feet between us just as Fiona enters the kitchen.

“Good morning,” she says, eyeing us both suspiciously. “A little early for you, isn’t it, Miss Silver?”

Gone is the heated gaze from Margot’s eyes. Instead, she looks sad. I see her glance from me back to Miss Perry. “Time to get Eleanor up and ready for her ballet class.” She exits the kitchen and I turn to face Fiona.

“Try playing nice, please,” I remind her.

“I was perfectly pleasant.”





I try to focus on work but the image of Margot’s face after I jumped back from her this morning has me worried. I had just given her a speech about how much she meant to me, how I couldn’t care less about all the reasons we shouldn’t be together, and then I acted like a complete ass when Miss Perry walked in.

It’s not that I don’t want Miss Perry to know about us; I don’t care. I try telling myself it’s because I don’t want to make any of the household staff feel uncomfortable with any private moments or physical touching between Margot and me. But that thought didn’t seem to stop me one bit the other night coming home from the bar when I had Margot coming all over me and the back seat. Poor Phil.

The reality is, I know I need to tell Margot about the one night—the mistake—I had with Fiona. Then again, why would I need to tell her that? She didn’t know either of us back then and there’s never been one ounce of feelings involved when it comes to Miss Perry.

I play this game in my head back and forth for hours, convincing myself that I’m making the right choice and then second-guessing it all an hour later.

I pull up Google and decide to plan our second date. I want to prove to Margot that she’s more than just a hot fuck to me. I start researching bowling alleys and arcades, trying to find the perfect ice cream place to recreate the memory she shared with me last night.





“Where are we going?”

“It’s a surprise.”

“Well, how should I dress?”

“Casual.”

Margot hooks an eyebrow upward. “Do you even own casual clothes?”

“No, I was actually born in a suit; hell, I even sleep in one.” She rolls her eyes and walks toward her bedroom. “Yes, I own casual clothes. I’m going to go change; you do the same. I’ll be back down here in”—I look at my watch—“fifteen minutes.”