"Well, well, well. Don't you guys look adorable all bundled up like two little bunny rabbits?" A male voice that didn't belong to Levi spoke, my eyes flying open to see a handsome dark haired man with tattoos on each arm and eyes as bright as Levi's.

He was dressed in a dark blue flannel with a white shirt underneath, the look complete with a pair of dark jeans and two silver dog tags around his neck.

Levi awoke, grumbling when he saw the man standing in the doorway of my bedroom, a grin on his stubbled face.

"How the hell did you get in here, Everett?" Levi asked groggily, nearly half sleep.

Declan popped his head in, wrapping his arms around the leg of the man known as Everett. He ruffled Declan's hair, earning another groan of annoyance from Levi.

"How many times have I told you that you cannot open the door without me or Laurel present?" Levi scolded his son.

"Not even for his uncle?" Everett questioned, the smile on his face reaching his baby blue eyes.

I started to get out of bed, feeling like we've just been caught in a situation far worse than simply sleeping together.

With cheeks as red as my hair, I excused myself and grabbed Declan's hand. "I have to get Declan ready for preschool."

I didn't bother waiting to hear Levi's reply as I quickly got both Declan and I dressed, then left to drop him off at preschool.

****

"So is this a thing now? You sleeping with your nanny?"

"No, of course not." I sat up in bed, running my fingers through my bed hair.

"You're not a very good liar, Levi."

"Why are you in my house, Everett?" I asked, not in the mood to hear him lecture me about my playing house with my nanny.

"I came to check up on you."

He's always checking up on me, which I've found comfort in over time. Being away from Declan for even a minute has always been exceedingly hard for me. And now it seems Laurel is included in that as well.

I hadn't taken my anxiety meds yet, so my emotions were through the roof. I couldn't stop fidgeting with my shaky hands and the sound of my ragged heavy breathing could be heard loud and clear throughout the bedroom.

Thinking about Laurel, I reached behind me to grab the pillow she laid her head on. Holding it close to my chest, I catch a whiff of her delightful scent and feel myself begin to calm.

A soft groan leaves my lips, my eyes fluttering open when I realize I had closed them.

Forgetting that Everett was still standing there watching me, I clear my throat and avoid making eye contact.

"I'm surprised you haven't fucked her already with the way you've gone feral just by her scent," he comments, a single brow raised in concern.

I didn't realize what he was talking about until my eyes followed his down to my lap. I slammed the pillow down, covering the erection that had made itself known in my pants.

Fuck.

"I just like the way she smells," I say, trying to justify my actions.

"Based on the weird shit you've been doing lately, I would say that you like more than just her scent."

Everett can be annoying as hell. But in the twenty-six years that I've known him, he's always been right. Which I consider to be both a blessing and a curse.

"You're right," I admit. "It's only been a little over two months and I find myself needing her. I think Declan feels the same way." A smile tugs at the corners of my mouth. "She's amazing with him. The way she cares for him is just so natural. It's almost like she's become his..."

"Mother?" Everett finishes.

"Yeah..." I mumble, never having been able to say the word out loud. I choose to avoid the topic entriely, especially around Declan, because I don't want him to know his mother didn't want him.

Though I'd be a fool to underestimate his understanding of the situation. I mean the kid is insanely smart.

And deep down, I think he knows more than I'd like to think. He used to draw pictures with just me and him in them. But lately, he's been drawing Natalie in the background with a large red "x" through her stick figured body.

I don't even have pictures of Natalie lying around the house. So I have no idea what to make of his newfound artwork.

Everett sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't want to be the bearer of bad news Levi, but she's your nanny. It's her job to care for Declan in the way a mother would."

Once again, he was right. She is just doing her job. And I would expect nothing less from her. She's an excellent nanny.

"I think it's time you start dating again. This obsession you have for your nanny is only going to make your anxiety worse."

I shook my head. "I'm not ready for all that."

"I'm not saying to go out and hold auditions to find Declan a new mommy. I just think it's time you find yourself a pretty little distraction to get your mind off a certain nanny."

"And if I can't?"

"Then you're fucked, my friend."

****

"Laurel!" Kara, the woman at the front desk shouted, surprised to see me. "It's been a while."

"Yeah, I apologize. I've been a little busy with my new job."

"I see that," she said, glancing back and forth between me and her computer. "You've already made a payment for this month and the next."

Giving her a small smile, I signed myself in. "Has she already taken her medication?"

Kara nodded, smacking the gum in her mouth obnoxiously loud. "Yup. She's just out back enjoying the fresh air."

"Okay, thank you."

"Of course!" She replied with an overzealous smile, before continuing to type away at her computer with her magenta painted claws.

Passing by the front desk, I traveled down a hall and out back to the yard where my grandmother was sitting at a bench enjoying the newly bloomed garden of tulips.

"Laurel!" My grandmother squealed with excitement when she saw me. Despite her old age and petite frame, she was a rather nimble woman with the energy of a woman decades younger than she was.

Walking towards her, I waved at some of the other elderly house-guests, who were also enjoying the fresh air and beautiful sun.

My grandmother pinched my cheeks when I reached her, tugging as hard as she could. I groaned in pain as she released her tight hold on my now sore cheeks.

"Ow grandma. What was that for?"

"Why haven't you visited me? Are you two busy with your young, heart attack free life that you couldn't even stop by to say hi to your poor old grandmother?"

"I'm sorry," I apologized, genuinely sorry. "My new job requires my attention twenty-four seven."

"New job?" She questioned, sitting back down. I nodded, joining her on the bright blue garden bench. "What happened to your old one?"

I explained to her what happened with the rude picky customer, followed by my pervert of a manager.

She frowned, disappointed that she didn't know this sooner. "So you're working as a nanny now?"

I nodded once more, pulling out my phone to show her a picture of Declan. Handing her my phone, she put on her glasses and looked down at the screen.

"Oh he's adorable!" She narrowed her eyes, closely analyzing the picture of a happy Declan being pushed on the swing by his father. "My oh my. And who's that handsome man?" She zoomed in on Levi, fanning herself with her free hand.

"That's Levi, Declan's dad," I said, taking my phone back.

"Wow, wow, wow! If I was just ten years younger-"

"Grandma!" I said with a shocked laugh.

"What? Don't act like you can't see what a handsome ass man he is."

"I'm not," I defend. "I knows he's handsome but-"

"But what?" She cut in. "I see no ring and you're not getting any younger. I wouldn't mind a great grandchild... or six."

"Grandma," I whined, blushing profusely. "He's my boss. And he's tweleve years older than me."

"So? That never stopped me and your grandfather, and we've been married for sixty years."

I didn't want to talk about this anymore. Levi and I have already crossed employer-employee lines by sleeping in the same bed more than once.

Besides, I didn't take his job offer to find love. I took his job offer because I wanted to not only help my grandmother, but to help Declan and possibly many more children like him in the future.

"How about we go inside and get ready for a game of bingo?" I suggested, trying desperately to shift the topic of conversation away from me.

"Nice try young lady, but this conversation is far from over."

I rolled my eyes, smiling through my teeth. "Great," I murmured in a sarcastic tone, wishing we could talk or do anything else.