“Just because I like lime in my beer—” Zach started, then he stopped when he found me, still frozen in the doorway.

“I hope you don’t mind.” Addison grinned at me. “It was such a beautiful day, and I thought we’d soak up the last of the summer sun, you know?”

Heat pricked at the back of my neck, and I was all too aware that Addison was in full view of both Zach and Matt. They could see, just like I could, all the curves and planes of her body.

“Why don’t you go put some clothes on?” I asked, my voice curt as I turned back to my friends. “Give me a minute here, guys. Turn on the game in the living room, and I’ll be right in.”

Zach said, “Fine, I’ll drink your disgusting beer, but I swear to God, if we don’t have hot wings, somebody is gonna get hit.”

“Save it,” Matt muttered, and nodded at me before he led Zach back through the kitchen.

Quickly, I crossed the yard and scooped Dylan up from the ground, groaning as her wet swimsuit dampened the front of my shirt.

“I could have done that,” Addison said, but I ignored her.

“You could have brought out a towel too,” I grumbled under my breath.

Instead, though, she was going to traipse through the living room under my friends’ watchful eyes, letting her luscious ass hang out for everyone to see.

This wasn’t me. Jealousy, macho asshole anger? Just not my bag, but there was no question my blood ran hot with fury at the thought, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake it.

Gritting my teeth, I carried Dylan up to her room and dressed her in a pair of pajamas, then carried her right back down and sat her on the carpet in front of the TV. Handing her some plastic keys to play with, I sat back with my friends and tried to focus on the game.

“The place looks different,” Matt said.

“Clean,” Zach agreed, and I nodded.

“Addison does a lot around the house,” I said, then glanced at the steps. She’d probably come back down here at any minute, and when she did, I’d have to introduce her to everyone.

No matter what she changed into, though, I knew my friends would see her as I still did in my mind’s eye—all creamy skin and luscious curves. Her bikini top had been too small for her, and her modest cleavage had been enhanced to the point that all I could think about was thrusting my cock in that tight vee and sliding it up and down . . .

I stuffed my hands in my pockets and leaned back into the couch.

“Do she and Dylan play in the sprinklers a lot?” Zach asked, his face the picture of innocence. Dylan turned, gurgling at the sound of her name. “And if so, what times of day? Asking for a friend.”

Matt barked out a laugh. “Yeah, I could probably use some cooling off myself.”

“That’s enough,” I snapped, and Zach flipped me the bird before focusing back on the game.

Something was happening on the screen—someone had been fouled or had fouled someone else—but my mind was too busy reeling to keep track. All I could do was think about those damn long legs and how they would feel wrapped around my waist. Her soft brown hair pulled into a high ponytail, and how that ponytail would look bouncing as she sucked my cock.

This was so not going to work.

“Actually, I think I better put Dylan down for a nap,” I muttered, then scooped up the baby and hauled her upstairs like I was sprinting for my own touchdown. She babbled a little and I heard my friends cheer from downstairs, but I kissed the top of her head and laid her in the crib all the same.

Damn, I seriously hadn’t thought anything through today. It was close to her naptime, but even if she slept, they would wake her in a matter of minutes. Football and babies might not mix. We were going to have to move the Sunday game ritual to a new location.

One that didn’t include my boys seeing my smoking-hot nanny in her bathing suit.

As an image of that tight little ass filled my mind again, I groaned, wishing I hadn’t seen her either. What the fuck was I going to do about Addison?

I had a few ideas, of course, but most of those involved restraints and scented massage oils.

In the hall, I heard her bedroom door click shut and I waited for a long moment, weighing my options. But how many times could I do this—over and over again and still coming to the same result? It wasn’t working. None of this was working.

I marched to her door and knocked hard.

After a slight pause, she called, “Come in.”

When I walked inside, she was wearing a fluffy pink robe that stopped just above her knees. Her swimsuit was on the floor in front of her, and my mind was momentarily sidetracked by the fact that I knew she was naked beneath her robe.

All I would have to do was walk toward her and open that belt, let the fabric slide to the floor, and then . . .

An ache of need rushed to my groin, and my jaw ticked. “This isn’t going to work,” I said, clenching my hands at my side. This was a shit thing to do. I knew it, but damned if I could stop myself.

“I . . . I don’t know what you mean.” She shook her head. “I just—”

“This. You working here. It just isn’t going to work.”

“Wait, I don’t understand.” She searched my face, her wide eyes glassy with a rush of tears. “Did I do something wrong?”

What could I possibly say? No. I just can’t control the insatiable desire to fuck your brains out.

I stared at her, my blood still pumping as I tried to frame a coherent response.

“If you’re still mad that I took Dylan out the other night without texting, I told you, I’d—”

“Not Dylan,” I cut in, spearing my fingers through my hair in agitation. “You’re great with her. It’s just . . .”

With the groan of a man on the edge, I lunged at her, sweeping her into my arms and crushing my mouth to hers. It was the space of an instant, but it didn’t matter. Feeling her lips on mine, the sweet mint of her breath, the heat of her skin, it was all complete perfection.

She froze, and for a second, I wondered if she would pull away. It would be for the best, and I’d been such an asshole to her, I more than deserved her rejection. But just as I was about to release her, her lips parted and she molded her body to mine. If we went even one step further, I would be completely lost. We needed to talk first, and then?

Well, I’d see how things played out. I pulled away, the breath sawing in and out of my lungs even as my cock pulsed with need.

“It’s not your fault, Addison. It’s mine. I’m attracted to you in a way I’ve never felt before. Hell, I can’t even think about seeing you in that bikini without wanting to fuck you senseless.”

Her breath caught. I was still holding her, feeling the rise and fall of her breasts against my chest, and though her eyes widened, she made no move to step away.

“And then, after you told me the story about your ex and how he shook your confidence—” I shook my head, trying to loosen the words sticking to the insides of my brain. “All I can seem to think about is showing you exactly how much I want you.”

She blinked up at me once, then twice, and I traced my thumb along the side of her cheek, willing her to keep looking at me, to give in, to confess what she wanted.

Electricity crackled between us and I held my breath, waiting for it to ignite a fire. Instead, Addison disentangled herself from me and tightened the knot of her robe.

“But you’re my boss, Max. I know I haven’t been here long, but I love your daughter and I don’t want to lose this job if things get . . . sticky. So, where does that leave us?” She was practically breathless, her cheeks flushed, and she glanced down at the floor rather than look at me.

But I was done with that—done with playing cat and mouse.

I took another step toward her and tucked my fingers under her chin, turning her gaze to me. “I’m your boss Monday through Friday from nine to five. The rest of the time, we’re a man and a woman.”

She sniffed, pulling her chin away. “You’re not serious.”

“I am. At night, on the weekends? I’m not paying you for that time. Whatever happens then happens between two people, not a boss and an employee.”