Chapter 10

"Hey, Owen, the rocket pops are on sale since the Independence Day holiday will be here soon." I grabbed a cart and let him pick out a couple boxes of the popsicles from the freezer case at the front of the store. He set them carefully in the cart and I smiled. "Do you like fireworks?"

He cocked his head and seemed to think it over. "What's that?"

God, what kind of mother did he have? No movies, no cartoons, and no fireworks? Jude didn't seem to know anything about entertainment himself, so I couldn't expect him to be any kind of expert there. But Owen's mom had no clue, either?

Some people were just not natural parents, I supposed. No natural aptitude and no inclination to learn. Though sometimes it seemed as if Jude wanted to learn.

Yet other times, he seemed to have no interest whatsoever.

I glanced toward the set of doors at the front of the store. Where the hell was he? He'd gotten some call, fine, but we had cold things in our cart and couldn't wait forever to shop. Owen was already getting antsy.

"People set them off for holidays like the 4 th , which is coming up soon. You know, to celebrate. Fireworks make a lot of noise and send trailing colorful sparks through the sky. I'll show you a video online so you know what to expect for when we go."

"Online?"

"Yeah. So you can have an idea what it's like." I scooped my fingers through his thick, messy hair, rewarded when he turned his face into my shirt as if he was embarrassed but happy. I made sure to keep touching him to make up for all that Jude wasn't doing. I had an odd feeling he didn't skip casual touches to be mean, but because he didn't know any better.

I wanted to help both of them get used to such things.

Even touching, huh? I just bet.

My cheeks grew hot but I just kept walking through the different aisles, pointing out stuff to Owen as we went. Things we'd talked about earlier, as well as new things I happened to see. He was so interested and excited about everything, and I kept encouraging him to get whatever he liked.

Of course without Jude with us, I wasn't entirely sure how I was going to pay for a full cart of groceries when the only credit card in my wallet was practically charged to the max. But maybe we could squeak through with the good karma I was hopefully building up.

And if not, Jude could come back and bail us out.

He couldn't have gone far, even if he was hiding after his phone call to avoid more shopping.

We went through every aisle, grabbing all the stuff we'd talked about before we'd started shopping, along with some staples to make some quick casseroles I'd recently discovered. Plus, ingredients to make things like pancakes. Owen was most fixated on the toaster waffles, however, so we ended up getting three different kinds.

Four, when Owen saw chocolate chip peanut butter ones in the front freezer on our way out.

I grabbed those too and did some quick calculations in my head as we picked a checkout lane, hoping like hell I'd missed a BOGO sale so we didn't get embarrassed at the checkout by my declined card.

No, Jude had not returned. And no, he hadn't texted me to explain since he did not have my phone number.

On that note, had I even included it on my resume? Logic would assume yes, but with my hurrying at the end after updating it, I could not be sure I had.

No wonder he hadn't called me.

Sure, give the dude who dumped his son on you an out just because he has toned forearms, beautiful blue eyes so dark they sometimes look black, and full, sensual lips meant for kissing…and other things.

I fought off a shiver. The air conditioning in this store was relentless.

Uh huh, that was why I was shivering. Not the kind of thoughts I was having.

"Baddie? Baddie?" Owen gripped the pocket of my shorts, dancing in place as he held his stuffed fish pointing to the candy. "Spot wants a candy bar."

It took me a second to figure out who Spot was. Clearly, his new spotted fish. Duh.

"Oh, he does, does he? Does he have a preference, or is he open to experimentation?"

Once again, my thoughts veered naughty places. Jeez, what was my problem today? It was super hot outside, but thanks to the AC, that wasn't a problem in here. Normally, hot weather didn't send my thoughts straight into the gutter.

More like you don't typically spend the better part of a day with a hot as hell, much older man.

Was he much older? Not as if he'd given me any indication of his age. But he just seemed far more mature than guys my own age.

"Baddie, candy?"

"Which one do you want, slugger?" I ruffled his hair again, swallowing a sigh when he ducked under my hand to escape and grabbed a King-size chocolate bar to throw in the already almost full cart. What the hell, not like saving a few cents would matter at this point.

The line inched forward and we were finally able to check out our purchases. Once the cashier totaled our order at just over one hundred bucks, I swiped my credit card and prayed we wouldn't be humiliated.

Owen didn't need that. Neither did I, for that matter.

When the checkout girl tugged out our long receipt and thanked me, I sent up a quick prayer of relief and we rolled our cart up to the glass doors just as a loud crack of thunder sounded overhead.

Of course. Why not? Now we were going to get poured on too.

"C'mon, kiddo. We can stand under the overhang outside while we wait for your dad."

And he better be coming soon or you're going to get to see me kick his ass, right here in the parking lot.

Owen gripped my hand and clutched his fish to his chest as we headed out. It was fucking pouring, so hard the water was bouncing off the pavement. But we only had to stand and get drenched for maybe a moment before the sleek Jag cruised to a stop in front of us.

Thank God.

Jude rushed to climb out and open my door before he did the same for the backseat and picked up Owen to get him into his car seat.

Apparently, endless rain improved his moves.

But he forgot about the cart full of stuff I'd just mortgaged my future to buy until I reminded him with a terse question just as he slid back in the driver's seat. He hit some hidden lever and climbed out again to swerve the cart toward the back of the car.

By the speed he unloaded, I feared most of the stuff would be crushed—possibly even the loaf of bread and the pint of fresh berries I'd picked up with whipped cream because Owen had asked for them.

Whatever. I'd done my part. If Jude messed stuff up, that would be on him.

And hey, he'd bought me four tires—or he would, if Dare ever surfaced with my car. The tire buying wasn't permanent, and I'd be paying him back, but it wouldn't be quick unless Jude was going to pay me well.

Very well.

Which we would need to talk about before I did anything else for him. I couldn't just assume I'd be well-compensated for a job I hadn't even officially been hired for.

But I also was not going to discuss any of this in front of Owen. I had a feeling he understood more than we were giving him credit for.

"Are you intending to feed all the neighborhood children too?" Jude asked as he slipped in behind the wheel, his drenched dark hair now plastered to his head.

Yet it didn't make him seem any less attractive.

"Why? Can't your refrigerator handle our selections? Or is it too small?"

His eyes narrowed, and I crossed my arms over my chest, not at all concerned if he chose to make inferences I was talking about other potentially small things. Even if I knew damn well no part of him was small due to his momentary lapse earlier when he'd basically rubbed up against me.

But still, I knew men had sensitive areas and that was always one.

"No problems there, trust me. My refrigerator is built to handle anything."

"Of course. What's your problem then? You should be well-rested after skipping out on our shopping."

"I didn't skip out on it. I got a work call," he said tightly, turning on the wipers with a flick of his wrist.

"And here I thought the boss man like you wasn't subject to work whims. Silly me. Aren't you curious how I paid since you went off and stuck me with the bill?"

"Whatever you paid, I'll cover. I talked to Dare too. Your car needs new brakes too besides the new tires."

"Oh, dammit. How much? Does he do payment plans?" Then I glanced into the backseat and found Owen in a mumbled conversation with his new stuffed fish so I added in an undertone, "What are you going to pay me?"

"It's covered," he said as smoothly as if I'd never spoken. "Everything is covered. Anything I owe you for the bill is too."

"That simple, huh? Just open wallet, toss out some cash."

"You've helped me greatly. I can't thank you enough."

"Yeah, you should get started on that thanking, pal. Since you didn't even last through half our shopping trip."

I wasn't hurt. Not at all.

It wasn't as if I'd wanted to shop with him and pick out stuff that Owen could try. How foolish would that have been?

"I lasted just fine," Jude snapped. "I had no problem shopping. The work thing was just unavoidable. You heard me get that call, right?"

Reluctantly, I nodded.

"Then Dare called to get the repairs approved before he started. I figured you'd need your car back soon so you could go to the florist when you need to." He pulled out of the space and signaled to join the flow of traffic steadily heading out of the plaza. "Unless you're going to quit and just stay with me. With us."

I stared at the side of his head, watching his utter fixation on the road. He barely even seemed to blink. Which was why it took me a moment to fully hear what he'd just said.

"I must've misheard you," I said finally. "Did you just say?—"

"You heard me quite well, I suspect. Just as you did the first time I suggested the same, though that time you just ignored me."

"I didn't ignore you," I said quietly. "I just didn't understand what you meant."

"I'd like to hire you as my live-in nanny. Salary is open to negotiation. I presume you need your car to continue going to your little job at the florist. But if you've had a chance to reconsider, maybe you've realized staying with me would be all you need." He looked at me, and the power in his gaze would've laid me out flat if I hadn't already been sitting down. Then his focus dropped. "Put on your seatbelt, Madison."

He didn't add now but he might as well have. The weirdest thing was, I immediately complied. Not that I had anything against being safely belted in. Just when he used that particular tone of voice, it never would've occurred to me to think of denying him.

Anything.

"Let's just be clear here." My own voice lowered to match his. Owen continued to babble to his stuffed fish in the backseat, seemingly paying no attention to us.

Probably good, since I suspected Jude wanted more from me than a simple exchange of work services for monetary compensation.

There was nothing simple about the subtext between us. I'd never experienced anything remotely like it before in my life, but I wasn't shying away any longer. I was too curious, and frankly, too interested in him not to follow where he led.

"Yes, let's." He cocked a brow at me. "Or do you need clarity from me?"

"That would be fucking lovely."

His lips quirked. "It would, wouldn't it?" He cast a quick look at the rearview mirror and evidently, what he saw pleased him because he continued. "I want you to be available as needed to care for my son and to do whatever light household tasks you deem necessary."

"As I deem?"

"Yes, as you deem. You seem quite capable of running a household as you see fit."

"Right, but normally, employers set the rules and I follow."

"Any rules would not be over how many times you vacuum or make meals."

"Um, okay." I bit my lower lip, trying not to twist my hands together. Already I felt in over my head. Even if on the surface, the setup sounded great. Too great. Obviously, I wasn't being told every part of this story. "Keep going."

"That's not enough for you?"

"Um, no, I know that's not enough for you."

"You do, hmm? And how do you know that?"

"Because I have a brain and eyes and know that nothing in this world is given freely. If you're going to compensate me well and let me have total rein, you'll want something in return."

"You'll be caring for my son. Nothing is more important than that to me."

"Right, and what about you?"

His lips quirked again. "Do you foresee me needing care too?"

"You probably do. I can't see you cooking for yourself, Mr. Big Shot that you are."

"Oh, so you're thinking I'll demand meals from you." He flicked on his turn signal and turned onto the lake road, adjusting his speed as the rain picked up yet again and thunder boomed above.

"Meals are fine. It's as easy to cook for two as it is for one. Or three in this case, since I need to eat too."

"You certainly do. You're a slight little thing, so you'll definitely need to eat more."

There was an edge to his voice I couldn't identify. I didn't mind it. It skated along my nerve endings, and I found myself crossing my legs, since I felt restless and needy and couldn't quite keep still.

I had no clue what was happening right now.

Or what I wanted to happen.

Just I needed something. I didn't even know what. All of a sudden, it felt as if I was dangling over an abyss I couldn't make sense of. It had come out of nowhere—okay, not entirely out of nowhere, since we'd had subtext between us since the very first day. But I sensed the decisions I'd make here would change everything.

"I eat plenty."

"Yes, but there's room for improvement, I'm sure." Again, he darted a glance into the backseat and then he reached out to cup my knee. Possessively. As if I was already his and we were just discussing out loud what had already come to pass.

Without hesitation, he slid his hand higher toward the hem of my short-shorts.

"Are you wet?" His voice was low. Hungry.

Decisive in the very best way.

I didn't move. I wasn't even sure I breathed.

"Maddie, are you wet?"

My smart tongue reared its head. "I got rained on, remember?"

"Madison. Are you wet?"

Guess he didn't care if my hair was soaked and curling of its own free will, thanks to the unexpected storm. I wetted my lips and spread my legs infinitesimally, daring him to go further than he probably had any intention of going so close to his son.

Until he called my bluff.

His dexterous fingers crept higher along my inner thigh, slipping under the denim to where my panties were tightly cupping my slit. My wet slit, mostly just from the filthy suggestion of his question. I hadn't been wet before he asked me, but with that one question, I'd soaked my panties.

I probably should've been ashamed of that fact, but the low growl he let out as the pad of his fingers brushed my wetness, so close to my clit, was enough to have me arching in my seat.

I wanted more. Needed it. And the fact his child was still babbling nonsense baby stuff in the backseat didn't put the brakes on my libido.

Dear God, what was happening?

And how could I get him to make me come? Quickly?

Without doing something that might cause his son to be irreversibly mentally harmed?

It wouldn't even take much. Just a few circles of his fingers and I'd pulse out my release into his hand. Make him all sticky with what he'd teased out of me with so very little.

Something large lumbered in front of the car, shadowy in the dusky twilight caused by the sudden storm. Jude slammed on the brakes, swearing vividly, slamming his hands on the wheel when the huge beast lumbered off.

"Was that a moose?" I asked dazedly as he removed his hand from my shorts.

His choked laughter almost soothed my disappointment. Almost.

"It was a deer. Though a moose certainly would've been more noteworthy. Are you okay, buddy?" When Owen didn't immediately reply, his tone sharpened. "Owen, are you okay?"

"Uh-huh." A moment passed. "Moose?"

Now it was my turn to laugh. "No, Owen, just a deer. The male ones can get pretty big. They have big racks…" I trailed off at Jude's knowing look that somehow meant so much more now that he'd, well, almost touched my pussy.

Just barely, but it felt as if we'd crossed some intimacy line that was so fucking weighty, I couldn't quite catch my breath.

Because that's the closest you've come to actual sex with another person in years, and he's so much older than you.

Maybe Reagan was closer to right than I'd ever guessed. Not that he'd lure me into the sex trade, but there was clearly going to be some sort of sex exchange here.

I had no problem with that, either. Not one bit.

Jude eased off on the brake and continued up the lake road, keeping both hands firmly on the wheel and his attention squarely ahead of him.

"Exactly how old are you?" I managed to ask when I got my wind back. Sort of.

"How old are you?" he returned.

"21."

"Fuck."

"I'm legal," I reminded him stiffly.

"I should hope so. Barely."

"That doesn't tell me how old you are. You're not like forty or something, are you?"

"And if I was? Would that be a problem?"

I thought it over for a minute, not wanting to say something untrue. It seemed vitally important that I be completely honest with him to the best of my ability. "No. I don't think it would be."

"Right answer." He spared me the briefest of glances before focusing on the road once more. "But I'm not. I'll be 33 in November."

I exhaled. "Oh. Okay. My brother Penn is older than you."

"Yay." His low, sarcastic response made me roll my eyes. Not that he seemed to notice because he was yet again solely focused on the road.

Apparently, his goal had just been to make sure I was revved up, and then to leave me hanging. I'd say I was surprised, but I couldn't because it fit his MO all the way around. He took us shopping and then ditched us to?—

Make sure your old rat-trap car has brand new tires and brakes. Such an awful man.

Great, now I was even defending him. But it was a good point.

We hadn't exactly clarified a damn thing, except I wanted him to make me come sooner rather than later. But if he didn't finish the job, well, then I would. I was an empowered woman, for fuck's sake.

A short while later, Owen went inside to "go potty," which meant he knew how already. Jude had definitely lucked out there. "I assume he came to you like that?" I asked after he opened my door.

At least Jude's door-opening manners were on point.

His brow creased. "Like what?"

"Potty-trained. Because teaching little kids to go on the toilet is not always easy. And it's definitely not in the beginner's round of child rearing."

"How do you know?"

"I have many relatives. So, his mom handled that, I assume?"

"I never thought of it, honestly. I've read a couple books since I learned of his existence but no. I didn't know anything about it, and from day one, he's just announced when he has to and handles it on his own." He cocked his head. "Should I be…checking him?"

"Who dresses him?"

"He mostly dresses himself. Sometimes he has issues, like misbuttoning things or putting the wrong things together, but he is very independent." Jude tipped back his head. "More things I'm bungling?"

I climbed out of the car. "You handle putting away the groceries, I'll make sure he's all good with bathroom stuff."

Immediately, the tense expression he wore disappeared. "Oh, good. Thank you."

I couldn't resist brushing against him on way to the front door. "Oh, and if you don't finish what you started in a timely fashion, I'll just handle it myself."

He gripped my arm in his brutally strong fingers. "Don't."

"Then don't keep me waiting." I broke away from him and he didn't attempt to hold onto me. Just let me go.

I crossed the enormous lawn and hurried up the few steps to the front door, unsurprised to find it unlocked. No one locked their doors in Crescent Cove. Apparently, even Jude didn't, and he didn't seem casual about anything.

I rushed inside and leaned back against the front door to catch my breath. If I was honest, I hadn't stopped breathing faster than normal since he'd touched me.

Your move, Keller.