Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
She had this under control?
He was pretty sure he had never seen anyone who had something less under control. And she’d told Wyatt not to go get him?
Jeb moved closer to his son and stared up at the small woman clinging to the branch of the large oak in his backyard.
“I didn’t call him!” Wyatt called out to her.
“Huh?” She opened her eyes, staring down at Jeb. “Shit.”
“Don’t swear,” he said automatically.
“Shit. Sorry. Crap. Urgh, can’t seem to stop.”
“I have a way to stop you,” he threatened.
Fuck.
What kind of threat was that? He wasn’t even sure.
You cannot threaten or flirt with Casey. She works for you. She’s your son’s sort-of nanny.
Although he was starting to think that out of the two of them, Wyatt was going to be the one looking after Casey.
What had he been thinking, hiring her? Was he really going to trust her with his son?
“What?” she asked. “What does that mean?”
“Nothing,” he said. “Come down from there. Now.”
“I’m pretty sure that she can’t come down, Papa. She’s stuck,” Wyatt told him.
“What the hell were you trying to do?” he snarled up at her.
“Don’t swear,” she scolded.
Jeb huffed out a sigh. “Don’t get sassy with me, young lady. You’re in trouble.”
She gasped so dramatically that he was scared she might fall off the branch. She let out a small squeal as she slipped, tightening her arms and legs around the branch.
For fuck’s sake.
“Don’t be mad at Casey, Papa,” Wyatt told him with a frown. “She was just trying to hang the swing up. You said you’d put one there but you never did.”
Shit.
Wyatt was right. He had said he’d hang a swing there. But instead he’d built a playground miles away. Because he thought Elise would want her name on something for everyone to see. That had always been her thing.
She’d never do anything that she couldn’t boast about and be congratulated over.
However, Elise wasn’t here anymore.
“You’re right, Wyatt.”
“I am?” Wyatt said, sounding surprised.
“Yeah, you are. I should have put a swing up before now. I’m sorry.” And he felt ashamed that someone who’d only known Wyatt for a few days had tried to do something that he’d said he would do ages ago.
“Oh. Okay. Yeah. What are you going to do about Casey? I think she’s scared of heights.”
“I’m not scared of heights,” Casey said. “I’m just slightly nervous. I don’t understand. I used to climb trees all the time. I just got up here and felt a bit . . . a bit . . .”
“Nervous,” Jeb supplied.
“Yeah, nervous. That’s the word I was trying to think of.”
Jeb shared a look with his son.
“Maybe we should pull over the trampoline, Papa. That way she can jump down onto it,” Wyatt suggested.
Casey let out a high-pitched squeak.
Jeb shook his head. “No, I don’t think that’s very safe. There’s only one thing we can do, unfortunately.”
Casey felt Jeb climb out onto the branch she was clinging to.
“Don’t come out here,” she cried. “It can’t hold us both.”
“The branch will be fine,” he said soothingly. “But what you can do is scoot back to me where it’s thicker.”
“I . . . I don’t need your help.”
“Casey,” he said warningly. “You’re stuck there.”
“No, I’m not! I’m good at climbing trees. I just don’t understand what’s going on.”
“When was the last time you climbed a tree?” he asked.
“Um, I don’t know. Maybe six or seven years ago. I used to climb up and down the one by my bedroom window.”
“You used to sneak out of your house?” he asked. “That was naughty.”
“If you’d had my dad, you’d have snuck out too.”
There was a beat of silence.
Shit.
“I shouldn’t have said that.” Her and her big mouth.
“We’ll talk about that later,” he promised.
Um, she didn’t see why they would need to do that.
“Come on, Casey,” he coaxed. “Come back this way.”
All she had to do was scoot back. She could do this.
She couldn’t do this. She was completely stuck.
“I can’t move,” she said tensely. “I’m so sorry! I’m such an idiot. Is Wyatt staring at me like I’m an idiot?”
“Wyatt doesn’t think you’re anything like that,” he reassured her.
“You got this, Casey!” Wyatt yelled.
She let out a deep breath. Then she slowly moved back along the branch until she felt Jeb grab hold of the back of her jeans. Relief flooded her, nearly making her dizzy.
For some reason she trusted that he’d get her down safely.
“That’s it,” he reassured her. “You’re doing so well. I’m going to help you down. You just have to do what I say, understand?”
“That’s never been my strong point,” she told him.
“What? Doing as you’re told? Yeah, I can tell.”
They were now back at the trunk of the tree and he started to loosen the rope around her waist.
“That’s rude,” she muttered. “I’ve done everything you’ve asked me to. I even folded laundry this morning and I hate folding laundry.”
Yeah, he’d seen the pile in the living room as he’d walked through the house. Those were folded?
Perhaps asking her to help with the housework and look after Wyatt was too much. The other nannies had helped out around the house while Wyatt was at school, though.
“All right, I see we need to establish some rules then.” He let the rope around her waist drop to the ground. Wyatt tidied the rope up.
“Rules? I don’t need rules! I’m an adult.”
“I’m going to help you turn around and then you’re going to hold on tight to me. Arms around my neck and legs around my waist. Understand?”
“I’ll fall,” she said.
“You’re not going to fall,” he replied firmly. “Because I’m going to keep you safe.”
She didn’t move.
Shit.
She didn’t trust him. Which was understandable. They barely knew each other.
“Do you promise?” she asked.
“I promise. I won’t let you fall.”
“What if you get tired?” she asked.
“I don’t get tired.”
“You don’t get tired?” she asked.
“No.”
“Everyone gets tired,” she murmured.
“Not me. I won’t get tired. I won’t let you fall. I won’t allow any harm to come to you. I promise.”
“You promise. No harm. Don’t get tired. Right. Right.”
But she still didn’t move.
He couldn’t believe he was about to say this . . . but he said it anyway.
“Look at me,” he told her. “Right now.”
“Jeez, no need to get so bossy,” she told him as she turned her head to stare at him.
He really couldn’t believe he was going to do this. “What is my aura like?”
“Um. What?”
“My aura. Does it tell you that I’m calm? That you can trust me?” He had never asked such awkward questions in his life.
“I don’t know,” she cried.
“What do you mean you don’t know?” he asked.
“That stuff is all bullshit! I make it up because I like to see people’s reactions. I can’t actually see auras.”
That wasn’t what he was expecting her to say. And now he felt more of an idiot than he had before.
“Right. You’re turning around and you’re trusting me.”
“Don’t wanna.”
Was her Little peeking through? Her voice sounded young and high.
Hmm.
“Wyatt?” he called out.
“Yes, Papa?”
“Can you do me a favor?”
“Yep!” Wyatt replied, bouncing from foot to foot.
He hadn’t been this excited about helping him in a long time.
“Could you get me a blanket and some water, buddy? I think Casey will need them when I get her down.”
“Okay!”
He rushed off and Jeb had to clear his throat before he could speak again. Too many emotions were running through him right now.
The biggest being sadness at how much his relationship with his son had deteriorated. And relief that things were going better. For how long, though, he had no idea.
“Little girl, I want you to listen to me.” His voice was low and firm.
She stiffened as though she sensed a change. “What?”
“I’m going to talk quickly so keep up. Are you a Little?”
“I . . . just because I’m short—”
“Not talking about your size and I think you know that. Are you a Little, Casey? Do you regress? Have you ever had a Daddy or a Mommy?”
Shit.
He hadn’t thought of that, had he? Although Jeb thought that she’d looked at him a few times with hunger in her gaze.
“I . . . I . . . how did you know?”
“I had a sense,” he prevaricated, not wanting her to know that he’d seen her with her toy alligator.
“Are you . . . do you . . .”
“I’m a Daddy Dom.” The words settled deep inside him, taking root. Fuck, had he missed this? Pushing this part of himself aside for years hadn’t felt right.
But this did.
That doesn’t mean that this girl was the right one for him or that now was the time to get involved with a Little. He had a young son at home.
Speaking of . . .
“Got them, Papa,” Wyatt cried as he returned.
“Okay, right.” Shit. He was out of ideas on how to get rid of him.
“What about some chocolate? Do you need some chocolate, Casey? Or maybe one of your lollipops?” Wyatt asked.
“That would be good, sugar. There’s some on my nightstand if you wouldn’t mind getting a couple.”
“Your nightstand?” Jeb murmured.
“I need a sugar hit first thing in the morning.”
“That’s going to stop,” he said firmly.
“What? No, it’s not. I need it to survive.”
“No, you don’t. You need good food. Healthy food. Your body and your teeth will thank you.”
“Not sure I like being around a Daddy Dom if you’re all so bossy.”
“Can’t speak for other Daddies, but this is who I am. And we definitely need some rules while you’re here to keep you safe and healthy.”
“But I . . . you’re not my Daddy Dom.”
Shit.
“No, I’m not. And you have every right to tell me no. But for the next few minutes, I need you to listen and trust me. If you would like me to take charge until we’re both safely on the ground I can do that.”
“I . . . I want you to take charge,” she whispered. “Please. Until I’m on the ground.”
“Good girl. You’re being so brave. I’m going to help you and then you’ll feel nice and safe. Have you ever had a Daddy?” he asked.
“No. I’ve never had a proper boyfriend. Just a fiancé.”
Um.
If she’d been engaged to a guy hadn’t he been her boyfriend prior to the engagement?
He didn’t really have time for those questions, though.
“Come here, little girl. Turn around to face Daddy.”
“What happens if I fall?” she asked.
“Then I’ll catch you,” he replied.
“But you’re up here with me.”
“I’ll manage it.”
She nodded and slowly turned around.
And then he had a koala clinging to him. But that didn’t worry him. Better that she held on tight so he could be certain that she wouldn’t slip.
“Go Papa! You got this!” Wyatt said as he returned.
“Did you find the lollipops?” Jeb asked.
“Yep, I’ve got five.”
“I think one will suffice,” Jeb replied dryly.
“Don’t be too sure,” she said, letting out a small squeak as he nearly slipped. But he caught himself easily. Then he patted her back.
“Oh, I know what else to get that will help,” Wyatt said. “I’ll be back.”
Wyatt disappeared again as Jeb reached the last branch.
“Right, little girl, you’ve done so well. You’ve done exactly as I’ve said. I’m so proud of you.”
“Thanks, Daddy. I mean, Jeb.”
“It’s all right, you can call me Daddy. At least for the next few minutes. I’m going to lower you to the ground now. All right? We’re not that far up anymore.”
“All right, Daddy.” She glanced down.
“No, keep your gaze up. On me. I don’t want you looking down.”
“All right.” Those blue eyes stared up at him trustingly.
Fuck.
He felt a thousand feet tall right now. As though he could do anything because she believed in him.
Moving her around so she no longer straddled him, he grasped hold of her under her arms and lowered her down. “There’s only about a foot left, are you ready for me to let go?”
“Do it,” she said in a tight voice.
After letting her go, he quickly jumped down, landing easily. Then he grasped hold of her, pulling her in against him with one hand on her ass and one on the middle of her back.
“Are you all right, little girl? You didn’t hurt yourself?”
He’d forgotten how good it felt to take care of someone like this. To have them look up at you like you hung the moon and the stars.
Easy.
But he couldn’t help but stare down at her plump lips.
Fuck.
He wanted to kiss her. To press his lips to hers and claim her. Especially when she licked them. Jeb leaned in, ready to brush his lips against hers. Casey placed her hands on his chest and moved onto her tiptoes.
That’s when he heard Wyatt call out. “I’m back! I have it!”
Jeb stood back hastily. Fuck. Shit. Had he really nearly kissed her? With Wyatt close by?
What was wrong with him?
Wyatt turned up with his stuffed teddy bear. “This is Mr. Bear. Mama gave him to me when I was just a baby. You can tell him all your fears and worries and he makes them go away.” He handed the toy to Casey. “Here, let him take away your fears.”
Jeb tensed. He knew what an honor it was for Wyatt to hand over Mr. Bear to someone else. That toy was his most treasured possession.
Casey didn’t know that, though. Or how it would hurt Wyatt if she rejected his offer.
But Jeb should’ve known better. Casey seemed to understand his son better than he did. Which was depressing to think about.
She crouched down to level and looked at Mr. Bear.
“I think that Mr. Beer is the most amazing bear I’ve ever seen in my life,” she told Wyatt. “Are you sure that you want me to give him a cuddle and tell him my worries?”
Wyatt nodded. “You nearly got hurt because of me.” Wyatt looked down at his feet despondently. Jeb opened his mouth to say something but Casey simply placed her hand on Wyatt’s shoulder.
“That was no one’s fault but my own,” she told him.
“I’m the one who stupidly thought that she could climb to the top of that tree and set up some rope for the swing.
Little did I know I’ve developed some sort of fear of heights.
Not your fault at all. You did everything you should have.
Remained calm. Followed your Papa’s requests. You’re so good in an emergency.”
“I am?” Wyatt stared at her with a small smile.
“Uh-huh. Not that it was an emergency,” she said looking up at Jeb worriedly. “If it was an emergency we would’ve called for help.”
Jeb raised his eyebrows as he stared down at them. “You shouldn’t have been climbing a tree, Casey. It’s too high up and you could’ve fallen and hurt yourself. That’s a rule.”
“Wait, were you serious about there being rules?” Casey asked. She took hold of Mr. Bear, hugging him tight as she stood.
Wyatt handed her one of the lollipops and she popped it into her mouth and stared up at Jeb.
“Can I have one too?” Wyatt asked.
“Go for it, sugar,” she said around the lollipop in her mouth.
“Neither of you should be eating those. It’s nearly dinnertime.”
Both of them gave him matching sassy looks.
Great.
He definitely had his hands full with the two of them.