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Authors: Carly Phillips
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over her brow.
Chelsie laughed, but she knew the woman’s gray hair was an illusion and that she had both the stamina and the desire to care for the little girl. “What did he say?”
“That he didn’t need some young girl practicing at playing mommy. Asked me if I could handle the job, and when I agreed, he hired me. But I don’t mind telling you, the days are long.”
“How have the nights been this past week?” Chelsie knew her scheduled time with the little girl, as well as with Griff, hinged upon Alix’s moods and sleeping patterns.
“After the day I put in, I pretty much sleep like the dead. Mr. Stuart says they’re still the same. But Alix isn’t. She’s a happier child.”
“I’m glad for that, but time works miracles. Like I told Griff, you might find her emotional recovery and my presence are just coincidence.”
She shook her head. “Nonsense. Anyway, you lighten my load, and that’s a big help.”
“Unfortunately, it’s only temporary.”
“We’ll see.” A kindly smile touched Mrs. Baxter’s lips.
Chelsie ignored the comment. If the older woman held out any hopes of something permanent forming between her and Griff, she’d be disappointed. They could barely manage to relax enough to be in the same room. Not that Chelsie wasn’t fully aware of him every moment they were together. She just wasn’t fool enough to act on the attraction.
Chelsie reached for the dirty dishes.
“I can handle things in here,” Mrs. Baxter said, taking the plate out of Chelsie’s hands.
“Okay. I’ll give little Miss Manners here a bath.”
She scooped up the child and began the ritual that was now second nature. Funny how fast she’d fallen into the mommy role. The thought frightened her, because it was the very thing she’d promised herself would not happen.
Alix shrieked and smacked her chubby hands against the water, causing a small wave to cascade over the side of the tub and drench Chelsie’s shirt. Chelsie pulled at the beige silk camisole and groaned. “Good going, squirt. Now I’ll have to stop home before I go back to the office.”
A last-minute hearing in the judge’s chambers had delayed her, so she’d had no time to go home and change clothing. She glanced down and frowned. Obviously, taking off her suit jacket hadn’t been the way to avoid getting soaked. That she couldn’t stay one step ahead of a two year old was more embarrassing than she cared to admit.
The little girl laughed and splashed again. Chelsie chuckled and resigned herself to another long night. Griff might hope to gain sleep from this arrangement, but Chelsie certainly could not. Between her heavy caseload, her volunteer work at the shelter, and her hours with the Stuarts, she had little if any time left for sleep.
Despite all the pain that could result from this arrangement, she wouldn’t give up one second of her time with Alix. Chelsie knelt over the edge of the bathtub and attempted to rinse shampoo out of the squirming child’s hair.
Alix splashed again. Chelsie laughed and splashed back. Why not? Her shirt was already saturated and the little girl loved the water play. After exhausting both herself and Alix, Chelsie attempted to pull her out of the tub, though by the child’s screams of protest, Chelsie was the only one worn out.
“Mrs. Baxter had the right idea. Maybe I should have volunteered for dish-washing detail,” she murmured.
“And here I thought bath time was the highlight of your evening.”
Chelsie whipped around, startled by the sound of Griff’s voice. Her heart fell into a steady staccato rhythm. “I thought you wouldn’t be home until late.”
“And miss spending time with my favorite girl?” The reference definitely referred to Alix, but his gaze lingered on Chelsie much longer than necessary.
His eyes smoldered, heating her body with a glance. No one, including her ex-husband, had ever looked at her quite that way before. She relished the feeling.
Chelsie thought
Chelsie laughed, but she knew the woman’s gray hair was an illusion and that she had both the stamina and the desire to care for the little girl. “What did he say?”
“That he didn’t need some young girl practicing at playing mommy. Asked me if I could handle the job, and when I agreed, he hired me. But I don’t mind telling you, the days are long.”
“How have the nights been this past week?” Chelsie knew her scheduled time with the little girl, as well as with Griff, hinged upon Alix’s moods and sleeping patterns.
“After the day I put in, I pretty much sleep like the dead. Mr. Stuart says they’re still the same. But Alix isn’t. She’s a happier child.”
“I’m glad for that, but time works miracles. Like I told Griff, you might find her emotional recovery and my presence are just coincidence.”
She shook her head. “Nonsense. Anyway, you lighten my load, and that’s a big help.”
“Unfortunately, it’s only temporary.”
“We’ll see.” A kindly smile touched Mrs. Baxter’s lips.
Chelsie ignored the comment. If the older woman held out any hopes of something permanent forming between her and Griff, she’d be disappointed. They could barely manage to relax enough to be in the same room. Not that Chelsie wasn’t fully aware of him every moment they were together. She just wasn’t fool enough to act on the attraction.
Chelsie reached for the dirty dishes.
“I can handle things in here,” Mrs. Baxter said, taking the plate out of Chelsie’s hands.
“Okay. I’ll give little Miss Manners here a bath.”
She scooped up the child and began the ritual that was now second nature. Funny how fast she’d fallen into the mommy role. The thought frightened her, because it was the very thing she’d promised herself would not happen.
Alix shrieked and smacked her chubby hands against the water, causing a small wave to cascade over the side of the tub and drench Chelsie’s shirt. Chelsie pulled at the beige silk camisole and groaned. “Good going, squirt. Now I’ll have to stop home before I go back to the office.”
A last-minute hearing in the judge’s chambers had delayed her, so she’d had no time to go home and change clothing. She glanced down and frowned. Obviously, taking off her suit jacket hadn’t been the way to avoid getting soaked. That she couldn’t stay one step ahead of a two year old was more embarrassing than she cared to admit.
The little girl laughed and splashed again. Chelsie chuckled and resigned herself to another long night. Griff might hope to gain sleep from this arrangement, but Chelsie certainly could not. Between her heavy caseload, her volunteer work at the shelter, and her hours with the Stuarts, she had little if any time left for sleep.
Despite all the pain that could result from this arrangement, she wouldn’t give up one second of her time with Alix. Chelsie knelt over the edge of the bathtub and attempted to rinse shampoo out of the squirming child’s hair.
Alix splashed again. Chelsie laughed and splashed back. Why not? Her shirt was already saturated and the little girl loved the water play. After exhausting both herself and Alix, Chelsie attempted to pull her out of the tub, though by the child’s screams of protest, Chelsie was the only one worn out.
“Mrs. Baxter had the right idea. Maybe I should have volunteered for dish-washing detail,” she murmured.
“And here I thought bath time was the highlight of your evening.”
Chelsie whipped around, startled by the sound of Griff’s voice. Her heart fell into a steady staccato rhythm. “I thought you wouldn’t be home until late.”
“And miss spending time with my favorite girl?” The reference definitely referred to Alix, but his gaze lingered on Chelsie much longer than necessary.
His eyes smoldered, heating her body with a glance. No one, including her ex-husband, had ever looked at her quite that way before. She relished the feeling.
Chelsie thought
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