Nanny for the Doctor Sneak Peek

If today weren't already my last day of work, I'd quit in a heartbeat. As I lay at the bottom of the staircase, the two demons I've been nannying for just laugh.

Everything hurts after this particularly nasty fall, especially my head and ass. This is why you don't squirt people with water guns when they're on the stairs!

"Ha ha, did you see her go flying?"

"Awesome!"

I can't piece together which of the twins is saying what, and my head swims as I try to focus. It's taking way too much effort, even I know that, and I have a feeling a trip to the ER is in order.

When I try to stand, pain tears through my ankle. I'll add this to the tally of injuries these hellspawns are responsible for.

"Marcus! Cayden! Get your little behinds over here!"

Being intimidating while you're slumped on the floor is extremely difficult, but the twins come over, the tiniest bit of remorse hanging over them when they see me.

"You can't shoot me with those things when I'm on the stairs!" I take a breath through the throbbing ache. "Remember how I said someone could get hurt? Well, here we are."

"It was funny."

Marcus, often the instigator of the pair, grumbles, and, honestly, I'm so over this shit.

"It was not."

My head is throbbing, and the hallway lights are too bright. Then, opening the door right in front of where I've landed are Mr. and Mrs. Jones.

"What's all this? You can't play by the stairs." No crap, Penelope.

Mrs. Jones's nasally voice cuts through my ears like a knife, and then arms are lifting me up.

"Mom! Dad!"

The twins shout together, and I flinch at the high-pitched shriek children are so good at. As I realize Mr. Jones is helping me stand, a nauseating dizziness washes over me.

"Whoa, why's her face look like that?" Cayden, the quieter but still equally malicious twin, eyes me.

Mr. Jones finally speaks, and his voice near my ear makes the pounding in my head worse.

"What happened?"

"They shot me with the squirt gun and I fell." Wrapping my tongue around the words is like trying to learn how to blow a bubble with chewing gum, and the pain in my head picks up.

"Honestly, you two. Now we have to add a trip to the ER to our already demanding schedule. Ugh! Honey, just walk her to the car, and I'll drive her."

I can't really track what happens next. Presumably, Mr. Jones gets me into their car, and then Mrs. Jones drives it to said hospital.

"Couldn't we just have your last day go without incident? You're already leaving us without a nanny for who knows how long, and now this."

Glaring at Mrs. Penelope Jones is more than a little difficult right now, but I give it everything I have.

Yeah, because I wanted to fall down a flight of stairs and smash my head. Shit, how am I supposed to afford a medical bill on top of everything else?

Time seems to speed like a bullet train as the horrid woman finds someone to help me out of the car and into the hospital. She doesn't even bother to stay and see if I'm all right, so I wind up sitting on a gurney alone as I wait for the doc.

The nurse who checks my vitals leaves, and it's then I realize I've busted my lip open.

"Fucking worst last day." My words come out with a lisp, and I sigh. "Really? This has got to be a record or something."

I love helping kids, but this last job was something else. And sure, I don't know who I'll be nannying for this time around, but that's how it can be with high-end clients, especially if they're putting in a call at the last minute.

I just hope whoever it is will be less of a jerk and they finalize the details soon.

Between the Jones's later-than-stated nights out, to their constant excuses for their monster children, I've had it up to here with problem child setups.

After a few moments, the tiredness overwhelms me, and I lay back on the bed. That's when the doctor finally comes in, staring intently at his clipboard.

"Hi, I'm Dr. Finnigan. It sounds like you took one heck of a fall, Ms. Marrington. Wait. Mae?"

I struggle to sit up, but when I do, I come face-to-face with my brother Johnny's best friend, Reed. It's been a few years since I've actually seen him because he's been a bit MIA being a busy doctor and all, but damn.

Images of the thirtysomething guy I knew back then don't do justice to the handsome hunk of a man standing before me. I even like his scrubs.

Reed is somehow even more gorgeous than I remember, and I have quite a long memory when it comes to him. I mean, hell, I've been crushing on the guy since puberty.

"Reed? You're my doctor?"

"It would seem so." He chuckles and sets down his clipboard at the end of the bed, shining a light in my eyes.

The penlight is annoying at best, and all I want to be looking at is Reed's beautiful hazel eyes. The way the colors swirl, a little bit of blue, a little bit of green—it's mesmerizing.

"You fell?"

"I was bested by a pair of demonic twins." I flinch back from the light, my eyes watering.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I'm a nanny and the six-year-olds I was taking care of, up until today, actually, are terrible. And I like kids. Like, a lot. But those boys? Yikes. Squirt guns indoors are not a good idea, but they're so spoiled by their parents."

It occurs to me that I'm rambling too late to stop myself, and I feel a bit like I'm drunk.

"That's right. Johnny mentioned you're a nanny. Kids usually love you. Can you follow the light with your eyes?"

"Most of the time, they do." I try to follow Reed's blinding device, but everything still feels off, and now that the adrenaline has worn off, I'm exhausted.

"So two six-year-olds got the best of you? They did good, even managed to give you a fat lip, complete with a lisp."

"Yeah, ha ha. I couldn't manage the kindergartners. You'd be doing just as well as me if you had to juggle dinner, laundry, and twins with a love of chaos."

He tries to hide his smile by looking at his notes again, and I roll my eyes. I can see the dimples in his cheeks, and everything suddenly feels hot.

This is fabulous. I sound like a boozer and must look just terrific. Why'd it have to be Reed?

"Okay." Reed steps back and addresses my ankle. "Let's see about this."

His fingers probe the side, and I yelp as pain shoots through me.

"Fudge ripple sundae!" I hiss in a breath. "Please don't do that."

Reed laughs, the sound making me feel that much more intoxicated. "Fudge what?"

Heat warms my cheeks as I realize I'm still censoring myself, like I do around kids. "Trying not to swear."

"Don't hold back on my account. I know your brother, remember?"

Oh, I remember, all right. You have no idea how often I would stare at you while you hung out with him.

After a few more moments of Reed poking and prodding my various injuries, he leans back against the counter in the hospital room.

"Well, you have a concussion and a split lip, but the good news is that I don't think your ankle is broken. Just sprained."

"Oh, goodie. I'm so glad it's just a concussion." My words are a ridiculously distorted, and I need to remind myself to avoid S's.

Reed continues to bite back his laugh, and at this point, I'm so embarrassed that I'm considering moving to another state.

"You need to get some rest. I'd like to keep you here for the night for observation. Just a precaution. You'll be good to go in the morning, most likely. I'll have a nurse bring you a brace for your ankle. Keep it elevated, and I'll order some ice packs for the swelling and the head contusion."

"So, ice and sleep?"

"That's pretty much it. You can have some Tylenol for the pain as well." Reed smiles, and even after all this time, my pulse still flutters.

"Any questions for me?"

My concussed brain can only think of one, but thankfully, I still have the sense to stop myself from asking what he looks like under those scrubs.

"Nope."

"All right. I'll send someone in with the ice and Tylenol, then check on you later. Get some rest, Mae."

"Whatever you say, doc."

Reed leaves, and eventually, after I've been given some cold packs and pain meds, I drift into a fitful sleep, my thoughts filling with images of Dr. Finnigan.

* * *

I rememberwhen he came by for a visit, picking up my brother for a trip to Vegas. Reed had just broken up with someone, and I'd heard him mention something about needing to let off some steam.

At the time, I'd just been an awkward teenager, and I couldn't stop ogling him the entire time he was at my house getting ready with Johnny.

Reed's always been cute, and it was the first time I'd wanted to sleep with someone who wasn't just a fantasy from my favorite TV shows.

With his dark hair and light hazel eyes, Reed could've been a male model or actor, and I was obsessed as soon as we met. Johnny's best friend was a hottie, and it didn't help that he seemed so mature and put together compared to the high school guys my age.

"Don't give Mom and Dad a hard time while I'm gone, okay? I know you're thinking about sneaking out with Tori."

I gawk at my brother. What a buzzkill!

"I am not, and so what if I was? You're leaving. Go enjoy Vegas." I roll my eyes at him.

"Mae, you know I'd take you along for the fun if you were older."

Johnny's eyes soften, and I can't help but smile at him.

"I know, I know. The unplanned kid gets the shaft again." I shrug. "Go have fun."

"Thanks." Johnny looks over his shoulder, calling out for Reed. "Hey! Chat with Mae for a sec so I can finish packing."

"I'm not a baby or need supervision. You don't have to send your buddy over here to entertain me."

"On the contrary. I'm sending Reed over so you can entertain him. He needs to get out of his head. He's thinking about Leslie too much."

I stand up straighter, adjusting my shirt as Reed walks up. "Whatever."

My attempt at nonchalant could have been better, and then Reed is standing before me, towering with his six-foot-two height.

"So, Mae, right?"

"Yup. You want to go outside so we don't have to stand in the hall?"

"Sure, Lil Bit."

I lead Reed to the back porch, and we sit next to each other on the steps. The sun is just hanging on to the horizon, and the cool air sweeps across my legs, giving me goose bumps.

"Sorry about your girlfriend."

Reed looks over, smiling like it's no big deal. "Ah, it's fine. Someone better will come along."

"Oh, yeah? Like who?"

I can't believe my own words, and the heat creeping through my body as I meet Reed's eyes is like a furnace.

"I don't know, maybe someone…sweeter."

Silence hangs in the air as we stare at each other. My body is burning up, a need growing in my core that pulses stronger than anything I've ever felt.

We inch closer to each other, and it's just like the movies. Tension swells as our mouths drift closer, and Reed's hand finds my cheek.

His eyes rake down my body, pausing on the curve of my breasts behind my tight tank top. I've seen some of my brother's porn, and I imagine what it would feel like to let Reed take my virginity.

My friend Liz says it's better when the guy takes his time, and all I want in the world right now is to see what it would be like with someone like Reed, someone experienced.

With a shuddering breath, I deliberately push my chest out, hoping to draw Reed in.

"You're so beautiful, Mae."

Reed's words make my heart beat all the faster, and I stare at the tiny bit of space between us. His fingers take my chin, guiding my eyes back up to his.

"Kiss me, Mae."

Our lips crash together, and it's everything I've ever wanted. The taste, the thrill. I even love that Reed is older, more mature, and I don't give a fuck that he's my brother's best friend.

I awoke with Reed"s kiss fresh on my lips, the dream clinging to me. In my hospital room reality set in and heat flushed my skin.

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