16. Jessica

16

JESSICA

D ylan's touch stole all of my worry, all of my fears. When we were together, touching, all there was in the world was him. What he was doing to my body transcended space and time. It didn't matter if I was worried whether he found me beautiful or funny, or anything else, because his touch elevated me to a higher realm.

I don't know what skill he possessed to do what he did, but he took my breath, my thoughts. I was nothing but nerves that needed to be touched and a pulse that needed to speed up and be free. I was lost to all sensibilities, and when he slid inside me… I was light and explosion. My inner walls clamped down on him as he thrust and drove me well past the edge of the proverbial orgasmic cliff. I didn't tumble over that edge. I was hurled, vaulted with the force and trajectory of a catapult into the bliss of the cosmos.

I screamed. There was no name on my lips because what were words? If I could have formed sound, I would have called out Dylan's name because I needed him with me. He needed to join me as I flew through a field of stars.

As I came back to my body, Dylan held himself above me, his face contorted in the most exquisite expression of joy and pain. He pressed his hips against mine, only pushing against me as if he could get any closer.

His hair curled along his brow from the sweat he'd worked up. He smiled and began laughing when he opened his eyes.

I laughed too, simply because I was so happy to have been with him, to be with him. He rolled to the side and wrapped me against his chest. "You belong here," he said. His voice was still thick with passion.

"I do like it here. The bed is more comfortable, and the company is far better."

"You don't have room for company in your bed," he pointed out.

"Exactly. I'm in there all alone," I said.

"That's settled. You'll stay with me all night."

"I should get up before Max wakes up," I said.

"Only if that's what you do normally, then yes. If it's not, then Max can learn that you sleep in here with me."

I made a noise low in my throat.

"What is it, Jessica?"

"Just because your mother figured us out, that doesn't make me any less concerned about everyone finding out about us," I said.

"Are you ashamed?" Dylan sat up and looked down at me.

"I'm cautious. Give me that, please. I'll stay with you all night, as much as you want. But let me have the pretense that I'm still just a nanny. Can we not have this conversation again until I'm ready?" Everything that was loose and relaxed began to tighten up. I hated that I had to be concerned about the job when I wanted to be happy and bask in the glow of everything that Dylan made me feel.

He leaned over and kissed my shoulder. "Topic is on the shelf until you bring it down. I promise."

He slid out of bed for a moment before returning.

"Where'd you go?" I asked.

He held up a baby monitor receiver. "I haven't needed this since you started. But if you're in here, we'll use it again."

I waited for him to climb back into bed before I wrapped around him and started kissing him again.

"Jessica." He chuckled as he rolled me onto my back.

Sleeping in Dylan's bed didn't involve as much sleeping as I think either of us really needed.

In the morning, I was up and across the hall before Max woke up. The morning rolled with our standard morning routine. I helped Max to get dressed, and then we played until Dylan came in fresh from his shower.

My heart sank a little bit when I saw he was wearing his work clothes, designer slacks, a dress shirt, and a tie. I had kind of hoped we would get to have another day together before the weekend. But it made sense. The man had a business to run. Instead of running off to take my shower while Dylan took Max down to breakfast, I joined them.

"Any big plans for today?" Dylan asked.

"Aquarium," Max said.

"We were there yesterday," I said with a laugh.

Max nodded. Clearly, being there the day before wasn't going to change his mind about wanting to go again today.

"Why don't we visit Nana?" I asked.

He responded with a shrug and went back to eating his eggs.

Dylan finished eating and got up. "You two finish. I'll see you when I get home."

He placed his hand on my shoulder, and I looked up. I didn't expect the quick kiss. I blinked a few times.

"Did you just…?" I asked.

Dylan smirked. "I guess I did."

This was not going to be a very well-kept secret.

After breakfast, Max and I decided to play upstairs and then visit with his grandmother around ten. It was late enough that if she slept in, she would be up, and early enough that lunchtime and her afternoon rest wouldn't be interrupted. I set an alarm on my phone, and when it went off, we gathered a few toys and story books and headed downstairs.

"What?" Clara was always such a joyful person when she answered the door.

"Max was hoping this was a good time to visit with his nana," I said. I didn't try to be falsely happy. But I didn't grumble, either. Clara was allowed to have the market cornered on being grumpy for the day.

"She's tired and resting," Clara snarled.

"Is that Max?" Mrs. Anderson's voice was clear and strong as she called out. "Where is my Max?"

Clara narrowed her eyes at me as she opened the door a little wider, allowing Max to run inside. I started to step forward, but Clara blocked my entry.

I raised my brows and cocked my head to the side, waiting for her to tell me what I was doing wrong this time.

"Don't think you're getting away with anything," she said.

I shook my head, uncertain what she was referring to.

"I'm not trying to get away with anything. I don't know why you seem to think I have an ulterior motive. Are you planning on actually watching Max while he's in here today, or are you going to let me in?"

"I know you are being inappropriate with Mr. Anderson. Don't think you are the first nanny to find herself in a compromising position."

Of course she knew. She was never far from Mrs. Anderson's side. And she probably had a monitor on her for any time Clara had to appear to be out of sight. Clara was obsessed with Mrs. Anderson's care to the point of it being problematic, in my opinion. But that wasn't my responsibility to deal with. If Dylan had a long conversation with his mother, or even one half as long as the one I had with her, of course Clara would already be aware that there was something happening between us.

"I'm not in a compromising position," I said flatly.

"I could report you," she responded.

"To whom? Why?" I was so tired of her animosity. Was she jealous? Of what? She lived in this house too, so it wasn't that I had a job that came with a place to live. Maybe she wanted Dylan for herself? I didn't actually believe that, but the thought was there for a moment.

"Watch yourself, Jessica. It would only take a few words to get you fired."

"And you're untouchable?" I said before I even thought about how to reply.

She smirked and wiggled her head.

"You win," I admitted. "Can I come in now?"

I took one step into the room before Clara was rushing past me to jerk Max away from Mrs. Anderson. I hadn't seen what the issue was, but suddenly, Max was crying and Mrs. Anderson was pleading with Clara.

"You need to get him out of here before he does damage," Clara barked.

"He was fine. He didn't hurt me," Mrs. Anderson responded.

"He can't be throwing things," Clara yelled.

"Play catch." Max sniffled.

I could handle her making things difficult for me, but she wasn't going to make Max miserable. I scooped him up.

"How would you like to go swimming?" I asked. It was the first thing that came to mind.

His little face beamed.

"We don't have a pool. It's too cold outside," Clara corrected me.

She wasn't wrong, but I had no intention of staying around here a moment longer.

The weather outside was normal for this time of year. It was overcast from the fog, and the coastal air was cool. That also meant that if I headed into Carmel Valley or out toward Salinas, it would be warmer, much warmer.

"Exactly. We're going to pack up and take a little break, go get some sunshine, and find a hotel with a pool." I kept my gaze on Mrs. Anderson, not acknowledging Clara at all. "I need to get away from her before I do something truly horrible."

"You're going to blame me for all of this? He could have hurt his grandmother."

"It was just a bad toss, Clara," Mrs. Anderson said.

"You're ganging up on me!" Clara sniffled and whined.

"We're leaving," I called out as I carried Max away. He didn't need to witness Clara's histrionics. All she would do was call him trouble and blame him for everything and play victim if anyone contradicted her. I was well and truly done playing her games.

Upstairs, Max and I picked out a few outfits and a swimsuit for each of us. I took a few minutes to locate a hotel and confirm a room. There were a couple of high-end hotels at the mouth of the valley. Those options were closer, and they had an off-season mid-week discount. I booked a room for the night. Even if we just played in the pool for the day and went home, it would be worth it.

I got Max buckled into the extra car seat in the back of my car and slid behind the wheel. He kept chanting ‘pool' over and over again.

"Let me tell your daddy what we're doing, okay?" I asked as I made eye contact with him through the rearview mirror.

I'm taking your son and running away , I texted. Clara is being particularly mean this morning. She is yelling and playing victim and threatening me. I got a room at the Valley Verge Hotel. Max and I are going swimming. I'll keep you posted .