Chapter 20
twenty
. . .
Winnie
“I’m trying real hard to do the right thing. And trust me when I tell you, it’s proving to be the most challenging thing I’ve ever done.”
This man made no sense, and my drunk ass was done with the games.
“Please. Just admit that you don’t like me that way.
I get it. We kissed, and now it’s awkward for you because we work together.
But this isn’t Wall Street. I’m a part-time nanny.
There’s no board of directors coming for your ass.
” I fell back on the bed. I was drunk, and I couldn’t look at him without seeing three Archers.
And trust me, one Archer was more than I could handle.
“I’m aware of our professional situation,” he said with a smirk. “But it’s a hell of a lot more complicated than you just working for me.”
“Explain it to me, then.” I exhaled sharply. I wanted answers. And I had the liquid courage to ask for them tonight.
“You told me that you weren’t willing to settle, and I couldn’t agree with you more. And trust me when I tell you, you’d be settling if we let things go any further.”
I shot back up to a sitting position. “I meant that I didn’t want to kiss a man who didn’t want to kiss me. You clearly ran with that one.”
His lips turned up in the corners. “What I mean is, we’re in very different places, Winnie. You’re twenty-four years old.”
“Twenty-five in a few weeks.” I wriggled my eyebrows. “Why are you so hung up on my age?”
“Well, for starters, I’m a decade older than you.
At least for a few more weeks, that is.” He sighed.
“But it’s not even about your age. I have a child.
I’ve got nothing to offer you. You’ve got your whole life ahead of you.
I’m sure you want to get married and have a family and the whole white picket fence bullshit.
That’s not for me. I’m on a different path. ”
I gaped at him. “That’s what you took from me saying that I wasn’t going to settle?
For goodness’ sake, Archie, that’s a lot.
For starters, I already got married. I’m ahead of you on that one.
And look how that ended for me. So the last thing I’m thinking about is marriage and children and white picket fences.
I don’t even like front yards with fences. I prefer open spaces.”
He chuckled. “You’re good for Melody, and you’re good for me. And if we let things go further, we would fuck that up.”
“Because you think I expect it to lead somewhere?” I shook my head. “From where I’m sitting, you’re the one who’s going far into the future. I just liked making out with you.”
He studied me, a wide grin spreading across his handsome face.
Damn. This man was so freaking gorgeous. The broad shoulders and tousled hair. The emerald green eyes and the peppered scruff around his jaw. He had this masculine scent of amber and cedarwood that made it difficult to think straight when I was around him.
“I liked making out with you, too.” He tucked my hair behind my ears. “I just don’t want to do anything to mess up what we have, you know? Having you in our home has been really great, Winnie. And if I take things too far, if I hurt you, if I hurt Melody—I’d never forgive myself.”
“You put a lot of pressure on yourself. I don’t have any expectations, Archie.
I’ve been divorced for seven months. I’m happy to be single.
I was in a horrible relationship for a long time.
I haven’t had sex in two years.” I blew out a breath.
“Two years. And this”—I motioned between us—“it’s the first time I’ve felt anything.
And it feels good to feel something again, you know? ”
His gaze softened. “Two years?”
I laughed that that was the one thing he’d focused on.
“Yes. We separated a year ago, and that last year of our marriage, we slept in separate rooms. I’m fairly certain he wasn’t faithful.
He was out all the time. We were both miserable.
And I poured myself into my books and my words.
I came here for a fresh start. Not to find a husband or have a child.
Hell, Melody is the first child I’ve even been around, and she makes a good argument for children of course, but I’m certainly not thinking about a baby of my own. ”
“I’m sorry for making assumptions.” He looked away before turning his attention back to me.
“I didn’t expect to be raising a child on my own, but I wouldn’t change anything.
I love my daughter fiercely, and I’m used to being on my own.
Sure, I go out occasionally, and I certainly haven’t gone two years without having sex, though it’s been a while for me as well.
But having you in my home, in my life—it’s been nice, Winnie.
And that’s terrifying for a multitude of reasons.
And I don’t want to do anything to let you down, because I don’t have much to give. Not in the traditional sense.”
I laughed. And once I started, I couldn’t stop.
“Is something funny?”
“Did it ever cross your mind that I don’t want anything from you other than your lips on mine, and maybe access to your body,” I said with a chuckle, because I couldn’t believe how blunt I was being with him.
“I mean, I’m grateful for your friendship, too, of course, but you’re incredibly sexy, and you make me feel things I haven’t felt in years.
So I don’t have anything to offer you, either, other than my impressive nannying skills and cooking skills, and maybe I could make you feel as good as you make me feel. ”
I fell back on the bed and covered my face with my hands because I’d really just said it, hadn’t I? Obviously my buzz hadn’t worn off yet to be able to admit all this. Ugh.
He fell back to lie beside me. “That’s a very impressive offer, Winnie.”
I rolled on my side. “I can’t believe I just said all of that. I clearly feel comfortable with you.”
“I mean, it’s probably because you find me incredibly sexy.” He smirked, and I swatted at his chest.
“Maybe you stop making it into more than it needs to be, Archie. We like hanging out. It doesn’t complicate things for me with Melody. And I like our friendship. I’ve never been so open with someone before.”
He ran a thumb over my little gold bow earring. “You should always say what you think.”
My stomach started churning, and a wave of nausea hit me out of nowhere.
“Well, I’d like to make out with you again, but I fear the tequila is catching up with me at the moment.” I jolted forward, then jumped to my feet and ran to the bathroom. “Good night, Archie. Thanks for everything.”
I pushed the door closed as the most overwhelming need to vomit took over my body. I leaned over the toilet and heaved several times, hoping like hell that he’d left my room.
Another couple of heaves, and the door opened.
“Don’t come in here. It’s a crime scene,” I groaned.
A deep chuckle came from behind me as his big hands gathered my hair and he reached for an elastic on the countertop and tied it up on my head. “Stop being dramatic. We’re friends, right? This is what friends do when one friend drinks a ridiculous amount of tequila.”
I flushed the toilet just as he handed me a wet washcloth, and I wiped my mouth with it and sat so that my back was leaning against the wall.
He sat beside me and wrapped an arm around me so that my head could rest on his chest.
“Don’t say that word. I’m never drinking again.”
He handed me a Gatorade, and I looked up at him with confusion. “Do you have magic powers, Archie?”
He chuckled. “Nope. When I heard the first heave, I went to grab you a Gatorade from the kitchen.”
“Thank you. I’m sorry I can’t make out with you now.” I peeked up at him, my eyes heavy.
He snorted as he moved to his feet, taking me with him.
He carried me to bed and found a tee in my top drawer and handed it to me. “I’ll turn around while you put that on.”
“Always the gentleman.”
“You’re drunk, Winnie. Put the shirt on,” he said as he showed me his back.
I unzipped my dress and let it fall to the floor before slipping the tee over my head. “I’m dressed, but I want you to know I usually engage in a very detailed skin care regimen, but I don’t feel like tonight is the night for that.”
“I agree.”
“I need to brush my teeth.” I sighed as he turned around and lifted the comforter for me to slip in. “Get in bed. You can do all of that in the morning.”
“So bossy,” I chuckled as I moved beneath the comforter.
And then he did the most surprising thing of all.
He turned off the lights, kicked off his shoes, and slid into bed beside me.
“What are you doing, Archie?” I said, my voice coming out hoarse.
I was a weird mix of exhausted, drunk, and emotionally charged because I was so happy that he was in here with me.
“I’m going to stay with you in case you get sick during the night.”
“You can’t stay away, can you?” I whispered.
“That’s not untrue. Go to sleep, Winnie.”
I rolled onto my side so I was facing him, and I tucked my head beneath his neck. “Sorry for the vomit breath.”
He chuckled before kissing the top of my head.
And I listened to the sound of his heart beating, and sleep finally took me.
The sun poked through the opening of the curtains, and I squinted as a loud pounding sounded in my head.
It was as if a mariachi band had started playing in my bedroom.
“What is that noise?” I groaned as I looked up to see Archer Chadwick sitting on my bed, fully clothed, sipping a cup of coffee.
“Morning, sunshine. I can assure you, it’s a very quiet morning. What you’re hearing is the aftermath of a world-class hangover.”
“Why do you look so happy about it?” I sat forward, covering my mouth as the memory of vomiting in front of Archer came back to me. I hurried off the bed and rushed to the bathroom to brush my teeth.
“Listen, dragon breath, there’s no judgment,” he said with a laugh from the bedroom.
I quickly brushed my teeth. My hair was a disaster, so I ran a brush through it, then pulled it into an elastic and tied a little bow around it, because I’d need those superpowers today for sure. I walked back to the bedroom.
“I assure you, my dragon breath is gone.”
“Replaced with a bow,” he said, glancing at the back of my head as I slipped beneath the comforter.
“Correct. I’m sorry you had to sleep in here all night. I would have been fine. I just can’t hold my liquor because I don’t drink very often.” I shrugged.
“Maybe I wanted to stay.” He set his coffee down and pointed to the nightstand beside me. “That’s a fresh Gatorade. You should drink it.”
I reached for the blue drink, unscrewed the cap, and took a sip, then replayed our conversation from last night.
Oh. My. Gosh.
Did it ever cross your mind that I don’t want anything from you other than your lips on mine, and maybe access to your body.
I set the drink down on the nightstand and slid under the covers, pulling the comforter over my head because the embarrassment was real.
“Winnie?” His deep voice was too damn sexy.
“Yep.”
“Why are you under the covers?”
“Because of the things I said to you. I’m going to need a minute to process.”
Loud laughter filled the space around me, and then the comforter lifted briefly as he slipped beneath it beside me. “You mean about wanting to use my body and finding me ridiculously sexy?”
“Please, stop,” I groaned.
“I find you ridiculously sexy, too,” he whispered against my ear, nipping at the sensitive skin and making me yelp.
I pushed the comforter back, and we both sat up. “You don’t have to say that to make me feel better. Can we just pretend that last night never happened?”
“Nope. I’m glad last night happened. Let’s talk about it now that you’re sober.”
Oh, my.
This I was not expecting.
I tightened my bow and turned to look at him. “Okay. Let’s talk about it.”