Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Chloe

Before I can even recover from the shock of my home being under water, both Danny and Banks arrive to manhandle my furniture. Nikolai barks out orders, Banks grumbles about him being a tyrant, and the three of them get to work. Nikolai has somehow found a storage unit, rented it, and maneuvered my things to Banks's waiting truck.

"Grab that suitcase and come with me." Nikolai's commanding voice makes me jump. I've been lost in thought in my bedroom, frozen in indecision about just what clothes to bring to his place. I've never lived with a professional hockey player and his seven-year-old daughter before.

Despite being a take-charge kind of woman historically, I am woefully lacking this time around. I've pretty much just thrown everything I own into the suitcase without a plan. On top of the pile? My adorable yellow rubber rain boots. My top lip lifts into a snarl of self-disgust. What was I thinking?

Nikolai must see my indecision because he charges into the room in his undershirt and slacks from the courthouse, shuts the suitcase, and curses long and low under his breath in Russian when the thing won't close. His suit jacket and shirt are around here somewhere. "Do you have a...what do you call it? A bag for clothes?"

I lift my gaze to his, wondering how this giant man is in my space, ordering me around, and pushing me to move into his house. I don't take orders from men. Never have, don't plan to start. And yet, there it is. That ribbon of desire wiggles into my gut at the idea of him ordering me to do... other things . Dirty things.

I clear my throat and try to stay focused. "A duffle bag?"

Nikolai nods, all serious while my brain is in the gutter. I slip the rain boots out of the suitcase and put them on in place of the heels that are now ruined before spinning around toward my closet. Thankfully, the flooding is minimal on this end of the duplex. I come back out with a duffle bag, which Nikolai takes from my hands and fills with the mound of clothing that won't fit in the suitcase. I nearly swallow my tongue when I see his giant hands close around a red lace bra, but he's all business. He zips up the suitcase, hauls it off the bed that Danny elevated on some bricks in hopes the wood posts would dry, and shoulders the duffle while still having a hand left over to reach for me.

"Come. I have your keys. I will drive."

I frown, leading the way to my front door and grabbing two of my more fragile plants. I'm not sure I need to take them with me, but I can't seem to leave them behind. Nikolai's hand closes in on my back, gently pushing me toward the door and away from any more plants. My perimenopausal brain can't handle the physical touch of Nikolai apparently. One touch and all trains of thought fizzle into oblivion.

"You will need to call your insurance, but the plumber came by and confirmed it was a broken pipe," Nikolai tells me as I lock the front door behind us.

I follow him down the walkway toward my Bronco, looking absolutely ridiculous in a pantsuit, yellow rubber boots, and plants in both hands. How the hell does this man move so fast with a suitcase I know for a fact is past the fifty-pound airline limit? Banks and Danny turn the corner and see us, immediately grinning like idiots. Nikolai grunts a greeting and the two part to let us keep walking.

"So," Banks says as they follow behind us, biting back a grin. "You two moving in together?"

I roll my eyes, finally breaking free from the frazzled fog that has held me captive since I stepped into a flooded condo two hours ago. "I'm his temporary nanny, Banks. Don't be starting a rumor."

Banks holds his hands up like he's Mr. Innocent when I know he gossips more than a teen girl. "Just find it curious Druggy needs a live-in nanny. Isn't he old enough to take care of himself?"

"You will shut your mouth, Benny, or I will show you where lobsters spend the winter," Nikolai grouses, stopping in his tracks. I have no idea what that means, but he's giving his teammate a look I know would have Dad stepping in to interfere before these hotheads do something they'll regret. Something about the ridiculous threat activates that desire again despite my best intentions.

I take a step between them. "I'm his nanny for Ayana , Banks. You know, his daughter? The type of offspring that you and Kaitlyn will soon have? They're small and cute, but they actually take a lot of work." I swing my gaze back to Nikolai. "Which reminds me, I need to call my dad and let him know what's going on so no other pea brains spread rumors about all this."

"Hey," Banks pouts.

Danny laughs, then nearly sprints the rest of the way to Banks's truck, calling over his shoulder. "I don't want to be there for that conversation. Coach might just grab a shotgun. He's been beaming since you moved to Tampa."

My heart melts, then freezes over when I consider what he might have to say about me living with one of his players. I have to phrase this just right or I might damage Nikolai's reputation with my dad.

Nikolai looks like he's trying to incinerate people on the street with his gaze alone. My suitcase lands in the back of my vehicle with a thud. Nikolai takes the plants out of my hands and safely tucks them into the back. Banks heads for the truck, saying they'll unload my stuff at the storage unit and drop by Nikolai's with the key.

"Thank you!" I call out to them, feeling weird about them handling my business like that and not even blinking an eye.

Nikolai spins my keychain around his thick finger, moving to the passenger door and holding it open for me. "We will get lunch and then head to the house to get you settled."

My stomach lets out a growl at the mention of food, so loud even Nikolai hears it based on the way his gaze drops to my midsection. "I didn't eat breakfast today. Too nervous about the court hearing."

His startled blue eyes fly to my face and soften. "Thank you, Chloe. I owe you a lifetime of gratitude."

I walk up to him, doing my best to be saucy in rubber boots squelching against the hot Florida pavement. "A lifetime, huh? I'll have to think of a suitable act of gratitude."

His gaze immediately drops to my mouth and it's all I can do to not lean into his chest and slide my hands over the muscles that I felt under me the night I fell on him on the ice. Doing that would be very bad. Definitely not advisable if we're moving in together. Probably a violation of roommate etiquette or something.

"Chloe," he murmurs to my lips, his hand coming up to cup my elbow.

"Yes?" I sway on my boots, desperate for his touch in a way I don't think I've ever felt before.

His fingers squeeze my elbow and I feel it between my thighs.

"We should call your father on the way to lunch."

And just like that, a proverbial wave of ice-cold water splashes in my face and he's gone, leaving me there between cars in my ridiculous yellow boots and panting like a dog in heat. I blink a few times and then climb into my vehicle, lecturing myself about keeping my hands to myself. He's made it clear over and over again that he can't cross that line with me. I need to respect his wishes. We're on the freeway heading south before I've recovered enough to speak without my voice shaking.

"Hey, maybe we should have some rules about this living situation, roomie."

He swivels his head and looks at me for the first time since we got in the car. "Rules?"

I stare out the windshield, figuring that's safer than looking directly at him. "Yeah, you know. Like, curfews, or sleeping arrangements, or boundaries of some sort? Do you leave dirty dishes in the sink? Or sleepwalk?"

"What is this sleepwalk? And no, I do not leave dirty dishes anywhere." He pauses. "But I do have a dog. Did I tell you this already?"

I clap my hands to my chest and swivel to face him, already forgetting about the not-looking-at-him rule I made up in my head. "Oh my god, you have a dog? I love dogs! What kind? Is he trained? Can he sleep with me?"

The tires hit the rumble strips and Nikolai jerks the wheel so we're back in our lane. He flashes an alarmed glance at me before gripping the steering wheel so tight his knuckles turn white. "No, he cannot sleep with you. He sleeps in a crate. His name is...Paul." His lips twist distastefully and I laugh.

"Paul? That's adorable! Okay, so he can't sleep with me, but can I take him and Ayana on walks and stuff?"

Nikolai squeezes his eyes shut for a moment, which is concerning, considering he's the one driving on a freeway in Florida where anything can and usually does happen. "Yes, you can walk him, but in the off season I take him on my run every morning."

I nod, feeling excited about living with Ayana and Paul the doggo. I'm absolutely not thinking about a hot and sweaty Nikolai running around the neighborhood without his shirt on. "Okay, got it. What other things do I need to know? Oh! I know. Do you sleep naked?"

The growl makes me burst out laughing, but when he whips the car to the right at the next exit, I sober quickly. "Sorry," I mutter. And I am sorry. I just can't seem to help myself. He's so fun to tease. One of these days I think my flirting ways might just make his head explode.

He stops abruptly at the red light and turns to me. "First rule. No flirting. Second rule. You must always wear appropriate clothing. Third rule. No bringing men to my house. Fourth rule–"

"Hold up there, big guy. Let me get a notepad and pen. Sounds like you have a long list." I smile wryly at him. "Oh, and the light's green."

He growls again and takes off, throwing me back against the seat. "Call your father."

I salute him. "Yes, sir."

His eyes narrow and he looks like he wants to crack my steering wheel in half. "Fourth rule. Don't say yes sir to me again unless you're naked and ready for me to fill every one of your holes."

I gasp, equally turned on and shocked. When he aims a smug smile my way, I realize he intentionally went for the shock factor to shut me and my big mouth up. I smile sweetly and pull out my phone. "I think I'll call Daddy. Shall I give him your regards...sir?"

Dad answers before Nikolai can come up with a reply. "Hey, pumpkin. What's up?"

"Hi Dad. So hey. I have some news, and before you freak out, I just want you to know this is business only."

"Chloe," he warns. "What did you do?"

"Well, one of your players needed some help, so I offered. You know how I am. Can't not help someone in need, you know?"

"Chloe," Dad interrupts, sounding beleaguered. "Just spit it out."

"I'm moving in with Nikolai so I can nanny his daughter and the courts will give him custody."

There's silence on the other end of the line. Nikolai looks at me with alarm. I shrug. How else was I supposed to tell him?

"Say it all again and start at the beginning this time," Dad finally says. I hear a door slam and there's silence in the background.

"Nikolai needed a temporary nanny so the court would give him joint custody of his daughter. I offered to fill the role. But now my duplex is flooded, and Ayana needs a lot of supervision with you keeping Nikolai so busy, so he offered to have me live with them, considering I'll be there so much anyway. But this is all temporary. Just until my duplex gets fixed and Nikolai finds a permanent nanny. So you don't need to worry."

Dad groans. "Worrying about my daughter is kind of my job. Is Niko there with you?"

I look over at the man who has parked at the curb outside a hole-in-the-wall deli. "Yes."

"Put him on."

I wince and hand the phone to Nikolai. He shoots me a deadly glare but takes the phone. "Sir."

I sink my teeth into my bottom lip and wonder how this is real life. Forty-two years old and Dad is threatening a boy. With his attention diverted, I allow my gaze to trace along Nikolai's broad shoulders, thick biceps and forearms corded with muscle. Not a boy. Definitely all man.

"Yes, sir. Understood. Yes. I swear to you, sir."

Nikolai hits the end call button and hands me my phone. He scrubs his hand across his face and looks a little green around the edges.

I tuck the phone into my purse and worry my lip some more. "That went well, huh?"

He doesn't answer me. He just stares out the windshield for long moments while I squirm. He finally puts his hand on the door handle and sighs. "Let us get lunch. It might be my last meal." And then he slips out the door.