Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 77398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
“Of course, Dr. Pierce.” She left, closing the door behind her in my private changing room.
“Does everyone always just do what you say?”
“Yes, you should try it sometime. Now, what’s this bullshit of me being reimbursed about? It’s a birthday gift, Cami. All you need to do is say thank you.”
“Yes. Today, was my present. I don’t need a membership to come back again.”
He set the bag he was holding down at his side. “And why is that?”
“No, no, no! You don’t get to trick me with your trickery of questions. You know I don’t need to come back here.”
“You’re right.” He cocked his head, placing his hands in the pockets of his slacks. Looking all debonair and intimidating, in that Aiden Pierce sort of way. “You don’t need it. You’re fuckin’ gorgeous the way you are, but I want to give it to you.”
Motherfucking swoon.
“I really appreciate that, it’s very Richard Gere, Pretty Woman of you, but I can’t accept it.”
“And why is that?” he repeated, except this time there was annoyance in his tone.
“Because… because… I don’t know! I can’t fucking think when you’re looking this good and smell…” I sniffed him. “Like that. Oh my God, what is that? You smell amazing, and it’s messing with my senses.”
“Jean Paul Gaultier.”
“Obviously, that guy knows what he’s doing. You probably know him considering you’re so rich.”
“Does me being well off bother you?”
“Well off? No. Well off is living in a nice house in the suburbs. You are borderline Christian Grey.”
He arched an eyebrow, not understanding.
“Sorry, Skyler has me reading all these books and… yeah.”
“Cami, what’s the problem?”
“You’re the problem. This is the problem. I can’t compete with this. Listen, I know you pay me a lot of money to be your nanny, but I will never be able to live up to this. I feel like you’re so out of my league that we’re not even in the same playing field. I’m all the way over there—” I guided with my hands “—still in the Southside. I don’t bring anything to the table, Aiden. And you keep paying for all of my stuff. I saw the insurance card with my name on it in the mail. So what? Now you’re paying for my health insurance? You’re completely tying me to you. What am I going to do when you’re not around anymore?”
“I’m not around? Where am I going?”
“Well, when I’m not around anymore.”
“Try and leave, my Tiny Dancer.”
“See… and then you pull that dominating, alpha card. That’s just… really sexy and really frustrating at the same time. You’re not going to need me forever and neither will your kids. I won’t be the nanny indefinitely.”
“You’re right. You won’t be.”
I winced, hating he was agreeing with me.
“I don’t know what bothers me more, sweetheart. The fact you think so low of yourself, or that I’m so easily disposable for you.”
“No.” I shook my head. “It’s not that at all. I just don’t want to rely on you.”
“And why not? I rely on you.”
I jerked back, caught off guard. “You do?”
“Mmm hmm.” He stepped toward me, brushing the hair away from my face. His fingers lingered, caressing my cheek with the back of his knuckles. “I rely on you to take care of my kids. To love them, to be there for them. To take care of my home, to cook for us, to be there for us.”
“Exactly, I’m the nanny and the housekeeper.”
“You’re not hearing me correctly, so let me spell it out for you.” He gripped onto the back of my neck, tugging me close to his mouth.
Nothing could have prepared me for what he said next.
Nothing.
Staring profoundly into my eyes, he revealed,
“I rely on you to be there for me. As my nanny, as my friend, as the woman I’m falling in love with.”
Chapter 20
<>Aiden<>
The words just fell out of my fucking mouth.
Every. Last. One.
What are you doing, Aiden?
“You’re what?”
“You heard me.”
“Did you just say that to prove a point?”
“Do I ever say what I don’t mean?’
“No.”
“Then you have your answer.”
I backed away, reaching for the bag I brought in with me. “I know what it’s like to have nothing. To own only the shirt on your back. I worked really fuckin’ hard to get where I’m at in life, both physically and financially. I didn’t do it for myself. I did it for the family I always knew I wanted. I provide, Cami. It’s who I am, it’s how I’m made. You’ve not once asked me for anything, not one fuckin’ thing. Don’t think for one minute I don’t see who you are. Your heart is all I see. Do you understand me?”
She nodded, faintly startled by what I just shared.
“Giving you the things you deserve makes me happy. Don’t take my happiness away, not when I’m feeling it for the first time in years. Because of you. That’s what you bring into my life, Cami… happiness. And I wouldn’t change that for all the money in the world.”