Chapter 27
Chapter Twenty-Seven
GRACIE
"Okay, yeah, that makes sense." I clear my throat and my mind of the little green monster that tries to make an appearance. I have no reason to be jealous of my sister's friendship with Ang. It's a job to him.
But I was once a job as well.
I shake the thought away. Even if I don't know Ang that well, I know my sister. And Ang isn't her type. Plus, I don't care what she says about her and Chase. That man is the love of her life, and there's no way she’s getting over him anytime soon.
"I better get back. I need to grab Everly," I tell the room at large without looking at either of them.
"Did you stick her with Owen or Annalee?"
It feels good that Ang doesn't ask where I left Everly, but rather with whom. It shows that he trusts me to make the right decisions by her.
"Annalee. When I left, they were coloring at the reception desk. She must've known I would bring Everly there eventually, because she was prepared."
"I guess I need to get over there and meet Annalee at some point," my older sister remarks.
"You're going to love her,” I assure my sister. “Honestly, she's perfect for Owen. A little quiet at first, but she has no issue standing up to him. Besides, she doesn't judge my T-shirt obsession, so right there she has my devotion."
Annie laughs and shakes her head. "I'm so used to you wearing them, I didn't even notice today's until you said something. Nice one, by the way."
I glance down at the cute raccoon lying sideways across my chest. Today's shirt says: “When night falls, I get trashy.” Considering what Ang and I did last night, I feel it is entirely appropriate.
Smiling at my sister, I say, "I do what I can to make people's day." I turn to Ang. "Got a few minutes to walk back with me?"
With both a nod and a smile, he places his hand on my lower back and leads me out. "I'll be back soon," he hollers over his shoulder to my sister.
"So I take it you didn't need to meet with your foreman?" I ask as soon as we step onto the sidewalk.
"No, I did. I just had to meet with Annie as well."
"It looks nice, by the way. I'm happy for her."
Ang spins me around so I'm facing him. We’re stopped mere feet from the security building. "So you're not mad that I didn't tell you she's in town?"
I can only imagine how much this has been bothering him.
So, instead of teasing him like I want to, I tell him the truth.
"You warned me that you had a secret you couldn't tell me.
Does it bother me that you kept something like this from me?
" I shrug my shoulder. "Maybe a little. But I get it.
It wasn't you as my partner not telling me, it was the business side of you. And for that, I can't be mad."
The tension in Ang's shoulders slips away. "I did feel terrible about it. Especially whenever you brought her up."
I chuckle just thinking about those times. "I always thought you looked funny whenever I mentioned her name."
"Because I suck at lying," he exclaims with extra emphasis. "My face says it all."
I can totally see that now.
Knowing we’re back on even footing, and that I really should let him get back to work, I tip my head toward the entrance to the building. "I really should grab Everly. There's no telling what kind of trouble she's giving Annalee."
"Probably a lot." Ang leans down and brushes his lips across mine in a sensual kiss that ends far too soon. "I'll see you at home in a little bit. This shouldn't take much longer."
"You know you make this nanny gig a little too easy. I don't think I've worked a full day since I've started."
Ang simply lifts his shoulder. "I've never needed one full-time.
Just when I have to go in and deal with stuff.
" Then he leans down, and his breath on my ear sends delicious tingles through my body when he whispers, "Besides, I like seeing you throughout the day.
It makes everything so much better. Maybe we can work in some alone time while Everly naps. "
I wouldn't say I'm the kind of woman who blushes very often. I mean you can't wear the shirts I do and be easily embarrassed. But I sure as shit turn a nice shade of red when Ang says things like that.
"I just might take you up on that offer."
Giving Ang one more kiss, I spin on my heels and walk into my brother's place of employment. I find Annalee and Everly in the same position I left them. Both are coloring at the desk, but now Owen has joined them.
"I take it by the kiss I just saw that you're no longer mad at Ang?" Owen asks without picking up his head from the sheet he’s coloring.
I have to admit, it looks a little funny watching my much older brother color like a kid. I never witnessed that growing up. He was always too busy to do such things. It’s a bit heartwarming, and it makes me wonder if maybe he’s ready to be a dad.
"Creeping much," I tease instead of actually answering.
"A little hard not to when you're making out in front of everyone."
I roll my eyes. "It was barely a brush of the lips. Take your macho, big-brother attitude down a few notches. I'm not a teenager anymore. Hell, I'm not even in my twenties anymore." Ang, who apparently didn’t stay at the pub, blushes from my brother’s comment and I mentally snicker.
Even if that's how I acted right up until I started this gig. It's no wonder my family always treated me like a kid. I acted like one for the longest time.
“I thought you had stuff to do?”
Ang lifts his one shoulder. “I decided I can handle it later.” He turns to his daughter. “You ready to go home?” Ang asks Everly. “It’s lunchtime and then a nap.”
“Everly no nap,” the little girl responds, and I have to hold back the laughter trying to burst from my lips. This is the same discussion I have with her every time I explain it’s time to lie down and close her eyes. I swear she’s afraid she’s going to miss something.
“We can talk about it when we get home.” Ang gives her the stern-dad look. “Say goodbye to Owen and Annalee.”
I’m so tempted to remind him I’m the nanny—again—but I let Ang take control with his daughter. Especially since we have an audience. Our relationship is still new and developing, and I’m not sure what to make of it some days.
Everly does as her father asks and says goodbye to my brother and his fiancée.
But when we get outside, she heads straight for my vehicle instead of her father’s.
I snicker when I see the confusion on his face.
After a few seconds, he merely shakes his head and gives both of us a kiss before heading back down the street to get his own SUV.
It takes longer to get Everly buckled in than the actual drive to the house takes. It’s insane to think how small this town really is, and I start to wonder why I even bother to use the car when we could walk everywhere we want to go.
When we get home, Everly doesn’t put up as much of a fight as I would expect about eating and then going down for a nap. Which tells me she’s more tired and worn out from her time with my brother than she would like us to think.
I make my way back downstairs and find Ang waiting for me in the kitchen.
“So about that promise you made me.” I waggle my eyebrows at him, but before I can do anything else, he’s moving across the room and wrapping me up in his arms.
“I hope you weren’t expecting sunshine and roses, because I’m about to fuck you fast and hard.” I love the way he can go from sweet to talking dirty in under a millisecond. It’s one of the many layers that is Ang. And I sure do love unraveling each and every one of them.
He carries me to the laundry room and sets me down on top of the cabinet used as the folding station. “Lift your ass,” he demands, and I obey quickly as he strips my clothes off me and then himself.
“And here I thought you said this would be a fast fuck,” I tease.
“That doesn’t mean I’m going to pass up the opportunity to see your luscious body.”
I heat from his words and the way his fingers play me like a well-tuned piano. Before I even realize what’s happening, Ang is giving me my first orgasm.
“Holy shit,” I moan after I’ve managed to catch my breath. “What the hell was that?” Never have I orgasmed that fast in my life.
“That’s me knowing your body better than you do, sweetheart.”
Well, damn if he isn’t right. But I don’t get the opportunity to say as much before he’s lining up with my core and slowly entering me.
So much for fast and hard.
We continue just like that. Ang working himself in and out of me while simultaneously piecing my heart back together.
“I love you.” The words fly out of my mouth before I can take them back, and I wish I could when Ang freezes. I try to bury my head in his chest, but he doesn’t let me.
“Look at me, Gracie.” I look up into his eyes and nearly melt at what I see. “I never thought I could love someone else, but you gave me that. I love you more than you realize.”
Ang continues to make love to me on the folding table in the laundry room. And it might not sound like it, but it’s the most romantic thing to ever happen to me.