Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 100441 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100441 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
For the life of me, I can’t remember why right now.
And as I reach into my boxers and try to jerk off to any other image but my nanny, all I keep seeing when I close my eyes is Lyric’s long hair in a bun and his hazel eyes that always seem a little bit mischievous even though he’s one of the most levelheaded people I know.
The scariest part of it all is how I can be so wrapped up in someone when he’s the last person I should be thinking about.
It’s his job to be with Kaylee. To protect Kaylee.
Oh fuck. My hand tightens on my cock, and precum dribbles out of the tip. I want to be the guy to give Lyric everything he wants even though I can’t be.
I shouldn’t be.
Yet the thought of being everything he needs has my muscles tightening, my cock spasming, and cum covering my stomach.
So much for not thinking about him.
Chapter Fourteen
Lyric
Ryder’s supposed to wake me when it’s almost time to go to playgroup, but I wake to the sound of the buzzer for the front gate, and I have to wonder what time it is. Why did we think it was a good idea to stay up so late working on a stupid song? Okay, it’s a good song, but right now staying up to work on it until the wee hours of the morning just feels stupid.
Fuck, I’m tired. I don’t think I’ve ever been so tired in my life.
The buzzer doesn’t stop, so I climb out of bed and throw on my clothes from yesterday.
Kaylee’s playroom is empty, and the large house is quiet.
Maybe Ryder took Kaylee for a walk or something and forgot the clicker for the gate.
Sleepily, I make my way to the intercom near the front door and press the button to talk to whoever is incessantly annoying me.
“Hello?” I croak.
“Ryder?” a feminine voice says.
I glance around the foyer. “I … I don’t think he’s here right now.”
“Who’s this?”
“You’re the one buzzing my house. Who’s this?” Yeah, my house. Like, I’m just claiming it right now. I don’t think Ryder would mind. Especially if this is some fan who went on some Hollywood tour of stars homes or something. Though, I doubt any of those come out this far.
“It’s Maggie. Where’s Ryder?”
The name tickles my subconscious.
Maggie.
Oh shit. Maggie.
Kaylee’s mom.
“Come in.” I hit the buzzer to open the gate but immediately wonder if I wasn’t supposed to do that.
Maggie who? I might’ve let in a potentially crazy person because they share the same name as Kaylee’s mom.
My phone is still in my pocket from last night, so I get it out and check my messages. My battery’s nearly dead, but it’s enough to see a message from Ryder saying he called one of the playgroup moms who slipped him their number the other week to find out where playgroup was today.
Wait, he’s taken Kaylee to playgroup?
I reread the message, catching the end where he tells me to take the day off.
I can’t help wondering if this is his way of saying we should back off. That maybe we should step back.
From recording.
From being friends.
The doorbell sounds, and it breaks my train of thought.
I stare down at myself and know my hair is a mess and I look ratty. For some reason, I want to impress this woman.
She’s Kaylee’s mom, and I’m … Kaylee’s nanny.
Just her nanny.
Remember that, Lyric.
I open the front door and come face-to-face with Kaylee from the future. Her green eyes, dark hair, hell, even her scowl is like Kaylee’s when she’s mad.
What I’m not expecting?
The military uniform. Or the giant government-issued duffle at her feet.
“Uh, hi. I’m Lyric.”
Maggie’s eyes narrow. “Friend of Ryder’s?”
I don’t miss the way she emphasizes friend.
“Umm, I’m Kaylee’s nanny, actually. Uh, come in.”
Okay, so apparently, the idea of Maggie was not as intimidating as the real thing.
I step aside, and she moves through the place like she owns it.
“Umm, Kaylee’s not here right now. Neither is Ryder.”
She spins on her booted heel. “So, why are you here if they’re not? Are you live-in? I thought Ryder didn’t have live-ins anymore.”
“Oh, uh, no. I don’t live here. I, uh …”
She stares at me expectantly.
“We had a late night, so I stayed over. It happens sometimes.” Or once. Like, just last night.
“Well, do you know where they are? I kind of came a long way.”
“Sorry, yes. They’ve gone to playgroup. I can tell you the address.”
“You got a car? I grabbed an Uber straight from the airport.”
“Uh, I don’t. But Ryder has let me borrow the Pontiac before. I can call and ask.”
“He … Pontiac. You …” She tilts her head. “Are you sure you’re just Kaylee’s nanny?” She eyes me up and down. “You don’t look like a nanny.”
“I mean, I guess Ryder and I are kind of friends too.”