Chapter Seven
Riley
I barely resisted the urge to pinch myself. I couldn't believe this was my life. Jeremy and I were spending another afternoon at the pool, which was hands down my favorite place in the whole city. There were only few other residents here, either sitting on lounge chairs or swimming in the water.
I couldn't understand why this place wasn't chock-full of people. If I lived in this complex, I’d probably never leave the pool.
I'd even bring my laptop here and a pair of headphones and do all my meetings from my lounge chair.
I felt like I was on a vacation while the slides kept Jeremy very entertained.
He was old enough that he didn't need me to go down with him.
I'd asked him in the beginning if he wanted me to, and he vehemently said no.
I was waiting for him in the pool in case he needed help.
The last thing I wanted was to embarrass him.
He slid right down and dunked under the water.
He resurfaced seconds later, giggling and spitting water everywhere.
"What did I tell you? You need to keep your mouth closed."
"I know, but I thought I could keep my head afloat. Maybe next time. Can I go again?" he asked me eagerly.
"Let's take a short break." He'd been going at it for almost two hours, and I learned that when he got tired, he was more careless. I didn't want him to hurt himself.
"Can we eat the snack you made?"
"Sure we can."
I was wearing a black bikini, which I wasn't entirely sure was appropriate for a nanny job.
It wasn't what I'd call super sexy, but a one-piece would probably have been better.
But right now, I wasn't in a position to splurge on a bathing suit that I was only going to use for a few months, so this one would have to do.
Jeremy and I got out of the pool and sat on two lounge chairs I’d carefully set up under the shade of one of the palm trees. I preferred natural shade to umbrellas, if possible.
I'd made brownies with him earlier, and he grinned as I took the lid off the Tupperware. He reached for one and shoved it into his mouth.
"Don't swallow it whole."
"So good," he said while chewing on it. His little face was too adorable. I snapped a picture of him with my phone. Then I ate one, too, closing my eyes and savoring it.
It was truly delicious.
We each took another one, and then I opened the bottle I’d filled with a mix of apple juice and ginger ale and poured it into glasses for each of us.
He gulped it down and then said, "I'm feeling much better after the break. Can I go back on the slide?"
I laughed. "Let's wait twenty minutes, okay? You just ate. I don't want you to hurt your tummy."
He pouted. "Okay."
"What did you and your dad do over the weekend?" I asked him.
"We were at the pool. He taught me how to swim butterfly. Do you want to see?" He straightened up again.
"Twenty minutes, remember?"
He went back to pouting.
"Do you want to tell me another one of Spider-Man's adventures while we wait?" I asked.
"Yes!"
His eyes lit up as he began to rattle on about Mary Jane and Spider-Man. I used this trick a lot because he always lost himself in stories about Spider-Man and didn't notice time passing.
Jeremy was retelling me how Peter Parker got bitten by a radioactive spider when he suddenly jumped up from the lounge chair.
"Dad," he exclaimed.
My breath caught. I turned around and saw Duncan walking toward us from the building.
I instantly felt self-conscious. It was only four o'clock. He never came home this early. I wanted to throw something over my bikini, but I couldn’t put on my dress because I was still wet. Crap.
"Hi, Duncan," I said. My voice was ridiculously high-pitched. "Did you text me that you were coming home earlier? I didn't check my phone."
"No, it was a spontaneous decision. I have another call later on, but I can do that from my office upstairs. What were you two up to?”
“Riley is an amazing listener,” Jeremy cut in. “She already knows all about Spider-Man.”
Duncan looked at me sympathetically.
"I don't mind," I assured him.
"Dad, you want to come in the pool with us? You can show me the butterfly stroke again."
“I’d like to, bud, but I've got another call in forty minutes."
"That's a long time."
Duncan looked around. "All right, I suppose I could bring my phone and then do the call from here," he said. "I'll go change. I'll be back in ten minutes."
I bit the inside of my cheek. I felt awkward, and not just because the man was impossibly hot. I wasn't sure what to do.
Should I stay? Should I go? I felt like I was interrupting their father-son time.
"Want me to leave earlier?" I asked.
He shook his head. "No. I don't know how long the call will take, and I'd like you to keep an eye on Jeremy."
"Okay."
"Is that fresh juice?" He pointed to Jeremy's cup.
"Yes."
He stepped closer, bending at the waist and picking up the cup.
He was dressed to the nines. I got a glimpse of his neck as he gulped down the drink.
Even that was sexy. Goose bumps covered my skin just from watching him before he headed upstairs with a wave.
How on earth was I going to react when I saw him wearing swim trunks?
He came back down ten minutes later, as promised, and I got my answer.
Jeremy and I were in the pool again. I noticed Duncan approaching us before Jeremy did.
The man looked absolutely incredible. He had a twelve-pack or something—it was definitely a hell of a lot more than just a six-pack.
His chest was mouthwatering with a light smattering of hair.
I imagined how those muscles would feel under my fingers or my lips.
I’d map them with great care, moving up his shoulders and down his arms. I couldn't get enough of them.
And his legs were just as toned as his arms.
He put his phone on the table between my cup and Jeremy's, then walked toward the edge of the pool. I heard a few giggles and looked over my shoulder. Two women were ogling him with their heads together, whispering. I felt an insane jealousy coursing through me.
Oh, wow. That was new and uncalled for. I didn't remember ever being jealous before. Lucky me that it would happen now, with the father of the boy I was nannying. I was clearly losing my mind.
Duncan raised his arms and dove into the pool. Then he swam right next to me.
"Dad, you're here," Jeremy called. He’d reached the top of the slide. "Watch me."
"I wouldn't miss it," he said.
I concentrated on Jeremy as well. Once again, I felt self-conscious about my bikini. It was a bit more revealing than what everyone else was wearing.
Duncan came even closer, and our arms brushed. That brief contact was enough to send my senses into a tailspin.
I drew in a deep breath, and even through the pungent smell of disinfectant around the pool, I still could smell Duncan's aftershave. I peeked at him out of the corner of my eye, but his gaze was fixed on Jeremy.
Jeremy slid down the next second, landing in the water perfectly with his feet forward. He managed to keep his head afloat this time.
"See, I did it, Riley!" he exclaimed, then walked toward Duncan.
The pool wasn't deep on this side; the water reached to Jeremy's chin, which was perfect.
Still, I understood Duncan's request to watch him at all times because the other side of the pool was over his head.
Even so, all types of accidents could happen in and around pools that had nothing to do with the depth of the water.
"Well done," Duncan said.
"Can you show me the butterfly stroke again? I wanted to show it to Riley earlier, but I forgot the steps."
"Sure, buddy." Duncan looked around once. His eyes seemed to gloss over me completely. That was a relief. I'd been afraid that he would be annoyed by my swimwear, but he didn't even seem to notice it.
My stomach rolled in disappointment. Crap, I had no business being upset that my employer wasn't considering me attractive. It was a good thing.
I walked over to the edge of the pool, watching Duncan and Jeremy.
Jeremy was staring at his dad with utmost attention.
My mouth watered at the sight before me because somehow Duncan seemed a million times sexier when doing the butterfly stroke.
Clearly, he swam often, moving with grace through the water.
He dunked his head every time, and when he came back up, he didn't gasp for air; he took an elegant intake of breath before dunking again. I could watch him for hours.
Apparently, so could Jeremy, who'd moved closer to me. "Isn't Dad amazing? I don't know how he does it."
"Does he swim often?" I asked.
"Oh yeah, every day."
"Well, then, he’s had a lot of practice."
Afterward, Duncan straightened up and walked over to us. I nearly swallowed my tongue. His muscles seemed more pumped and defined from the effort. I was not going to survive the next few months working for this man. He was far too sexy.
"Your turn," he told Jeremy. "I’m going to walk next to you in the water and watch."
He took Jeremy's hand, and they went to the middle of the pool. I relaxed, figuring that with his back to me, I wouldn't be so on edge.
Oh no, that was a mistake. His back was just as sexy as his front. I couldn't explain what was happening to me, except that I'd never been around such a hot man. The guys I'd dated were fit, but Duncan wasn't just fit. He was a work of art.
He patiently explained every move to Jeremy, correcting him firmly but gently, melting my heart. If I had a kid, I would raise him in the exact same way.
The unexpected effect of the butterfly stroke, though, was that Jeremy was completely spent five minutes later. He was red in the face as he walked toward me and said, "I need a break. Riley.”
“Want another brownie?" I suggested.
"Yes, please."
"Now I've got a new strategy," I whispered to Duncan, who joined me as Jeremy got out of the water. "Whenever he's got too much energy, I'm going to ask him to swim."
"It knocks him right out, but don't get your hopes up. He's going to be fit as a fiddle in twenty minutes."
It turned out that Duncan was wrong. Jeremy wanted to go on the slide only ten minutes later.