Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chloe

The red wine swirls around the oversized wine glass as I twirl it, leaving legs that Tanner assures me mean the wine is top notch. I have no doubt. Everything about this date has been top notch. The restaurant in downtown Tampa is one that usually takes months to get a reservation. The man across the linen covered table from me looks like a million bucks in his designer suit and fresh shave. The watch he sports on his wrist is certainly Patek Philippe. He screams money and intelligence, which is a good sign, along with the good manners he displayed when he held the door, slid my chair out for me, and let me order what I wanted on the menu instead of what he assumed I'd like.

And yet...I feel nothing but a passing fondness for the man.

"Did you leave room for dessert, Chloe?" Tanner asks, leaning forward and putting his elbows on the table and flashing dark, bedroom eyes.

Sadly, I did not, and that's not some vapid female thing about wanting to appear dainty on a first date. I ordered a steak and risotto, not a salad with dressing on the side.

"Not tonight," I say gently, lifting the glass to take the final sip of wine. We finished off a bottle together and it's safe to say I'm feeling good. Relaxed. Not strung out with butterflies in my stomach like when I'm around Nikolai.

His grin turns up a degree, and I can't help but smile back. The man really is handsome. If you like the airbrushed magazine model look.

"Perhaps on our next date?"

I dip my head. "On our next date."

Tanner flags our server and pays for our meal, not even entertaining my argument about paying for my own meal. Then he's by my side, helping me out of the chair and guiding me out of the restaurant with his hand on my lower back. The conversation flows easily as he drives me back to Nikolai's house in his fancy Mercedes. Meanwhile I'm racking my brain to find one fault on this date. One tiny thing that could explain why I don't feel that tug of attraction with a man that should fit every single requirement on a woman's list for a possible mate.

"It's dark. I'll walk you up." Tanner gets out of the car and comes around to help me out of the passenger side, which is fabulous. Between the wine, the skirt and heels, and the low level of the car, I could use a little help getting to my feet. He keeps his arm around my waist as we walk to the front door. His cologne is a bit overpowering at this close of range and I might have just found the one tiny thing wrong with him.

"Thank you again for a truly lovely evening," I say when we reach the wrought-iron front door. Earlier, I explained to Tanner that I live here temporarily while my duplex is being fixed.

We turn to face each other on the welcome mat. "I'll call you tomorrow. I'm out of town later this week, but if you're available Saturday, I'd love to see you again."

"I'd like that." And I would. Maybe between now and then I can get Nikolai out of my head entirely and enjoy a second date with a perfectly wonderful man.

His hands go to my hips and for a split second I tense, wondering if he's registering the width of my curves and finding me lacking. Then he pulls me closer and dips his head, brushing his lips across mine and I push those stupid thoughts aside. He barely gets a chance to deepen the kiss when the outdoor lights flip on, illuminating the porch in daylight spotlights. We both jump back, startled.

My hand flies to my lips and I laugh breathlessly. "Motion sensors."

Tanner's jaw tightens, but he forces a smile. "I should go anyway. I'll call you."

And then he's gone, striding back down the walkway to his car and waving goodbye as he climbs inside. I put the key in the lock, but the door swings open before I can twist it. Nikolai stands in the shadows of the dark house, his face a mask of anger.

"It is late," he says in a menacing whisper.

I frown right back, shutting the door quietly behind me. I turn and face him, hands on my hips. "I'm sorry, is today not my day off? I thought it was. Silly me."

"Is this sarcasm?"

I throw my hands out to the side, thoroughly exasperated with the man. "Yes, it's sarcasm!" I hiss, trying to keep my voice low in deference to Ayana sleeping. "Why are you up?"

Nikolai drops my gaze and reaches around me to flip off the lights outside. Huh. Not motion sensors after all. My jaw drops open in realization. Nikolai hijacked my date on purpose. I round on him, a long string of complaints ready on my lips, but he beats me to it.

"I just wanted to make sure you got home safe. I do not trust people I do not know and you are..." he trails off, looking confused and defeated.

I deflate, losing my train of thought and the righteous anger that flooded me a moment ago. "I'm what?"

He looks up, his blue-eyed gaze finding mine in the dark, and that's when I realize we're standing mere inches apart. "You are special, Chloe."

I narrow my eyes, telling my stupid heart to quit beating so fast. "Because my dad would kill you if any harm came to me while I lived under your roof?"

He shakes his head slowly. His hand comes up and pushes a curtain of my curled hair behind my shoulder. "No. You are special because you are kind and good and talented and a host of other...what do you call them? Attributes? You deserve the very best, Chloe Cooper."

My heart melts into a puddle, and even though I want to shake him and make him see that all I want is him, I know he's not mine to have. He's got to focus on Ayana. So I revert to the only way I know of dealing with him: I tease.

"You sure we can't just fuck and call it friends with benefits?"

His eyes widen and then he drops his head. For a second, I think maybe I've ruined things between us. Then he lifts his head and his lips curl up into a smile, right before he lets out a hearty laugh that has me joining in.

Just like that, all the tension between us dissipates. I have no doubt it'll be back, but for tonight, we've sidestepped a ticking bomb of attraction. As his laughter subsides, he pulls me into a hug and then kisses my forehead like I've seen him do with Ayana. My hands land on his waist and it takes everything in me not to let them roam his impressive physique.

"Go to bed, Chloe of the short people. You are talking crazy and clearly need sleep."

I tip my head back and give him a genuine smile. It hits me right there in his foyer right before midnight. I like Nikolai. Like, really like him. And even if we can't be anything but friends, I'm going to have to be okay with that because I can't imagine not having him in my life, even after all this nanny business between us is over.

"My neck is already killing me, so to bed it is. Goodnight, Nikolai of the tall people."

We share one more smile and then he releases me. I feel the burn of his stare on my backside until I turn the corner and escape his view. It does absolutely nothing to help me get to sleep.

A mild wine headache blooms just after dawn when Ayana bursts into my room. Nikolai follows right after, averting his gaze when he sees I'm still in bed. Paul shoves past him and jumps on the foot of my bed. Nikolai hovers in the doorway like crossing the threshold would be a crime.

"I am so sorry," he mutters. "Ayana, you cannot go into Chloe's room before eight. I have told you this."

"But," Ayana whines, wrapping her little arms around me. "She said we could make pancakes again, and I love you, Dad, but you make them really dry and healthy."

I chuckle, finding her enthusiasm for cooking adorable. I sit up in bed, thankful I switched to baggy T-shirts and unattractive shorts for pajamas recently. I still have to keep my tabletop fan on high all night to help combat the night sweats, but at least I don't tempt Nikolai with an overabundance of flesh showing.

I give Paul's head a scratch. "Give me thirty minutes and I'll help you with those pancakes. Deal?"

"Deal!" she squeals and runs out of the room. Paul barks and jumps off the bed to follow her.

Nikolai steps back. "Again. I am sorry. Also, there is ibuprofen in the guest bathroom."

I shake my head at him, but quickly stop when that makes the headache worse. "Remind me never to drink wine again. Why does a couple glasses hit you so hard once you turn forty?"

Nikolai tosses me an impish grin. "I would not know. I am still a young man in his thirties."

My pillow narrowly misses his head as he slams the door shut. I hear his deep laughter as he walks down the hallway. I get dressed, swallow the ibuprofen, and head for the kitchen, all the while humming a tune under my breath. Ayana is sitting on a barstool at the counter waiting impatiently for me.

"Dad had to go to practice. He left me another note." She waves a sheet of paper in the air. "I told him I can't read Russian and he told me to use Google translate for now. What's Google translate?"

I pull up the website on my phone and show her how to use it. It takes a few tries, but we're finally able to determine that he wrote My pancakes are not dry, little bunny.

Ayana giggles and I get busy plating the unhealthy version of pancakes. Once we're both done eating, I fire up my laptop and click over to a site that teaches various languages.

"Today, we start your Russian lessons." When Ayana gives me a scowl, I hold up my hand. "I will learn with you."

That seems to make her happier about doing schoolwork during the summer. We start the program, and it moves a little faster than I can keep up. I keep having to hit pause and replay so it pronounces the words again. Ayana giggles, already knowing some Russian words. She can even pronounce some of the Cyrillic alphabet, complete with guttural sounds that don't come naturally to me. By the time we finish the first lesson, my headache is back.

"That's enough for today, zajushka ."

Ayana claps at my attempt to use the nickname her dad uses. Then she slumps back in her chair, all levity gone. "Dad calls me that because of a book he gave me when I was little."

I don't point out that she's still little. Instead, I just listen, glad she's opening up to me.

"He would read it to me every night. Well, every night that I saw him. But then Mom said the book got lost the last time we moved. And then I didn't see Dad as much." She picks at the chipped pink polish on her fingernails. "I wish he still read it to me."

I reach over and hold her tiny hands. "I bet if you asked him, he'd find the book and read it to you now."

Her bright blue eyes hold my gaze earnestly. "I wish he was with me every night, not just sometimes."

My heart aches, knowing how divorce can trickle down and hurt the one innocent party in the whole thing. I squeeze her hands. "I tell you what? Why don't we go down to the rink and bring your dad some lunch? We could have a picnic!"

Her face lights up, even as my heart squeezes hard. While she gets dressed, I call my own father and make sure Nikolai can take a lunch break. He assures me it's fine, but asks me if I'd bring him lunch too. Considering how much dads mean to their daughters, I quickly agree.

As I pack a basket full of sandwiches, chips, and fruit, I remind myself once again to keep things on a friendship level with Nikolai. There's too much on the line for him to be messing around with his live-in nanny. That little girl deserves a father in her life full time.