Chapter 8

My first month and a half as Elsie's nanny has flown by. It's a job I never in a million years would have chosen for myself but it has been more fun than I could have ever anticipated. Elsie is an amazing little girl and so full of life and love. She's a cuddle bug when she wants to be and she's a spitfire ball of energy the rest of the time. She keeps me on my toes and she makes me laugh and seeing her with Zeke makes my heart so happy. He's such a lucky man to be her daddy.

Sometimes I lay awake at night and feel guilty for where I am.

Living in a huge house that isn't mine.

Sharing space with a man I am not married to.

Being a mother to a little girl who isn't my own.

Luke and I wanted to have a family. It was our dream when he was done in the service to settle down somewhere comfortable and raise a large family. Kids were a huge part of our future plan.

But life had other plans for us both.

There's not a day goes by that I don't think about Luke or where we might be if he was still alive, but now, three years later, new thoughts are starting to weave themselves into my mind more often than not.

Thoughts about Elsie.

Thoughts about Zeke.

Dirty thoughts about Zeke.

Ever since that night I kissed him while watching baseball I haven't been able to get him out of my mind. I don't know what made me do it.

Scratch that. Yes I do.

Luke and I would kiss when we were excited and celebrating Carter's wins. It's just something we did and there I was watching his game and what a moment it was. Zeke wrapped his arm around me, holding me against him like we'd been kissing forever. His lips were soft and gentle. His tongue was strong but tender.

Did he want to be kissing me?

I don't know.

But I do know one thing.

Zeke is an excellent kisser.

Ugh, I know, I know. I should not be thinking about my boss in such scandalous ways, but damn. When the hot hockey player with a body that would give Thor a run for his money comes into the kitchen a shirtless and hot sweaty mess because he was mowing the lawn or working out in his gym, what's a single girl to do?

It would be a waste of sheer masculine beauty if I didn't look and appreciate.

If not for me, then for every single woman or man across the globe.

My boss is hot as fuck and if I'm supposed to just not notice that or not think about what it might feel like if he were to take me in his arms, push me up against the wall, rip my clothes from my body and thrust his thickening mammoth-sized velvety soft—

"Ada?"

His voice tears me from my relentless daydream. "Hmm? What?"

"Did you not hear me?"

"What? Were you calling me?"

"Twice yeah." He chuckles. "Literally standing right here. You okay?"

I finally turn and see him and holy hell he looks every bit as delectable as he did in my dirty little thoughts just now.

Shirtless.

Chugging his water as sweat literally runs through the sinews of his abs. Yep. Even down those sexy alleyways.

What do we dirty minded women call those?

His happy trails?

His sex lines?

Apollo's belt?

The V-line?

"Uh…" I clear my throat and take a sip of water as a means of stalling to come up with a better answer than ‘yeah I was just picturing you fucking me against the wall in a hot and steamy daydream because what normal single or married woman wouldn't fantasize about that if she were in my shoes'?

"Yeah, I'm fine." I smile and shake my head. "Sorry, I don't know where my mind went just now."

That's a lie.

"I must've been daydreaming or something."

"Day dreaming?" He smiles. "Anything good?"

"Scoring."

Another lie.

His brows peak. "Scoring?"

"Yeah." I shrug with a laugh. "Just wondering what it would be like if I did what you do. You make it all look so easy. Who knows, maybe I'd be good at it."

A broad smile grows across his face. "I have no doubt you'd be great at it. Maybe one of these days I'll put you in front of the net and let you try it out."

"Are you kidding me?" I scoff. "No fucking way. I don't want those big ass rubber disks flying at my face at a hundred miles an hour!"

Zeke cackles, a sparkle in his eye as he meets my gaze. "Oh, but I thought you'd be good at it."

"Good at losing two eyes, a nose, and probably all my teeth, you mean."

He grabs the towel that was hanging from his shorts and wipes the rest of the sweat from his face. I have to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from drooling.

"It would certainly be cute watching you try."

Sign me up, Coach!

"Anyway, I was just finishing my workout. I'm going to grab a shower quickly before I have to pack for tomorrow."

"Right. Yeah. Okay." I check the time on the microwave. "Elsie should be up from her nap soon and then she can help me make dinner."

"Great. I'll be down soon."

___

Though my days with Elsie and Zeke have been mostly smooth sailing, this morning was a bit of a sad one watching Elsie say goodbye to her dad as he left for the team's three-day stretch in Canada. Usually for games that aren't too far away, the team flies home the same night. Though he gets home rather late, Zeke is here when Elsie wakes up. A day here or a night there is one thing for a four-year-old kid, but knowing her daddy is going to be away for three whole days and she can't be with him is hard. It wasn't easy for Elsie to watch her dad drive away, but she was such a trooper. She cried for about ten seconds as we waved out the window and then I luckily saved the day by offering to take her to the Paw Palace to introduce her to all my puppy and kitty friends.

"Elsie this is Winston." I crouch down next to her and hold my hand out to the six-year-old deaf golden retriever in front of us so he can smell my scent. His tail wags and I give him a few scratches behind the ears. He turns to Elsie and licks her outstretched hand, making her giggle.

"Ew. He licked me."

"Those were just his doggy kisses." I hand her a small dog bone. "Here, would you like to give him a treat? Winston loves his crunchies."

Elsie takes the dog treat and I help her guide it to Winston in a safe manner. He sniffs it and licks it out of her hand, wagging his tail again as a thank you. We shower him with love and affection and then move on to a few of the other safe and gentle dogs in the shelter. Once we're done saying hello to some of my favorites and passing treats to as many of the dogs as we can, I take Elsie's hand and lead her to the kitty rooms to meet my favorite shelter cat.

"And this big old guy is Mr. Purrito."

In true fashion, my favorite orange and white cat saunters over to us, rubbing himself on the bottom of my leg before doing the same to a giggling Elsie. He flicks his tail and bops his head into Elsie's hand.

"Aww, I think he likes you, Else."

"Yeah. He likes me!"

I sit down with Elsie next to me and Mr. Purrito jumps willingly into my lap. His purrs loud enough for both of us to hear. Another little kitten, this one white with a few gray spots, playfully trots over to Elsie and paws at her foot. It meows and crawls into Elsie's lap.

"Ada look!" she says, beaming. "This kitty cat likes me too!"

"It sure does! Now be very gentle when you pet it okay? We don't want to scare our kitty friends."

"Do these kitties live here?"

"For now, yeah." I nod. "They're here to find new homes. They want to live with families who will give them lots of love. Like how your daddy gives you lots of love."

"These kitties can come live at my house. They can play with my toys too. I would share with them."

I rub my hand down Elsie's back. "That is extremely sweet of you, Elsie. These kitties are going to stay here for now, but maybe one day we'll be able to give one a very nice home." I lean over and whisper, "We should probably let your daddy decide that though. He's the boss."

"Yeah. We can show Daddy these kitties one day and he will like them all."

"You think your daddy would like all the kitties?"

Her eyes grow huge. "YEAH!"

___

Slipping into my pajamas after a long hot shower, my bed has never looked so inviting. Elsie will be awake in probably less than eight hours and if I want to be ready to hit the ground running with her, I need to get some sleep.

I set my alarm on my phone just as it dings in my hand with an incoming text.

Seeing his name pop up on my screen makes me smile.

My heart does a little flutter seeing the words my girl in his text. I know he's not talking about me, but my face flushes as if he is.

Pretty sure if you asked nicely I would let you own mine.

Okay, you don't even have to ask nicely.

You could be a caveman about it if you want to.

"Oh my God." I cackle into my pillow so I don't wake Elsie. "Drunk Zeke is killing me!"

I do a quick survey of my room even though the only light on is the lamp next to my bed. Everything looks like it's in its place. I don't see anything missing.

"Oh my God!" I laugh "Is he seriously offering me dick pics right now?"

Yes.

I mean…if you're offering…

I would be stupid to turn that down!

"What could he possibly be talking about?" My brow furrows as I try to translate Zeke's texts.

The lace one…fell on the floor…my bedroom…tea party hats…the lace one…What is he….

I gasp. "Oooh shit. Did he…?" My fingers fly across my screen as I type out my next text.

Oh God!

My boss has seen my boudoir photos and thinks they're hot! What do I say to that?

I shake my head with a blushing smile because what am I supposed to say to my drunk boss about anything let alone pictures of me wearing next to nothing?