If You Give a Single Dad a Nanny (Aspen Grove, #1)

by Ann Einerson

The final touch is a pink sticky note with have a magical day written on it.

She’s most certainly not dressed for a winter in Maine.

Maine mentioned

I’m greeted with a captivating combination of one blue and one green eye. She has a pert nose, full, inviting lips and her cheeks are flushed as she looks down at me. I’m struck by the thought that I’ve never met someone this uniquely beautiful.

“You’re beautiful in whatever you wear, so a few extra layers won’t do you any harm, if you’re concerned about how you look.”

“My classroom is door number three on that side.” “Thanks for showing me. I’ll wait right here.” I smile. “Okay, thanks, Marlow.” She wraps her arms around my waist, hugging me tightly. “I’m glad you’re my new nanny.” “Me too, sweetheart.”

“Dylan, what are you doing?” she murmurs. “Thinking about what it would be like to kiss you,” I say softly. It’s not the first time. I imagine she tastes like strawberries and pink lemonade, sparking my curiosity to test my theory.

Good morning, sunshine, I hope you enjoy your breakfast. Have a great day. -Dylan

Dylan: Did you check the guest bedroom yet? I hustle out of the kitchen and hurry upstairs, tiptoeing past Lola’s bedroom. When I step into the room Dylan prepared for me, I squeal like a little kid when I spot the giant box of Cheez-Its on the bed. His sweet gesture sends a flurry of butterflies dancing in my stomach. I’m touched that he went out of his way to do something so thoughtful, especially considering his aversion

Marlow: Sounds good. Have a great day! Dylan: You too,

“I will, thank you.” I lift Lola into my arms, and she nuzzles her face into my neck. My heart squeezes at her innocent gesture, my hand stroking down her tangled hair, reassuring us both that everything is going to be okay.

I step forward and lift her chin with my hand. Her tear-filled eyes meet mine. “Please don’t cry, sunshine.” I wipe away a stray tear with my thumb.

“You taste sweeter than I imagined, sweetheart,” I groan into her mouth.

“I’m sorry I kissed you,” she blurts out. “I’m not sure what came over me.” I chuckle. “In case you didn’t notice, sunshine, I enjoyed it very much.”

I gently caress her cheek, noticing that she’s unusually warm. “Sunshine, can you open your eyes for me?” I coax her.

Good morning, sunshine, Take these with water and call me so I can bring you something to eat. -Dylan

As my gaze wanders to his face, the attraction is undeniable. He’s downright sexy, particularly with his five o’clock shadow and glasses. He smirks. “You think I’m sexy?” Did I say that out loud? “Yeah, you did.” That too? He chuckles as he strides out of the kitchen. “For the time being, let’s assume that whatever is going through your head is coming out of that beautiful mouth of yours.”

“Will you stop being so nice? It’s freaking me out.” He presses a kiss on my forehead. “You’ll get used to it.”

“I want you to listen carefully, sunshine.” He cups my face with his hands and looks me directly in the eyes. “You might not be perfect, hell nobody is, but you are incredible just the way you are. You find the silver lining in any situation and have a gift for making people smile on their worst days.”

“I guess that will have to do for now. I want you to know that I do like you, sunshine.” “I like you too, Dylan,” she murmurs.

“You got it, sunshine. Now get some sleep.” I lean down and give her another kiss on the forehead before turning off the bedside lamp.

Morning, sunshine, I hope you’re feeling better. These are for you. P.S. They take less time to heat up than a corn dog. -Dylan

“You’re so pretty,” Lola sighs dreamily. “Daddy, don’t you think Marlow’s pretty?” She tilts her head toward Dylan. “Yes, she’s very beautiful.” His gaze is fixed on me as he speaks.

I squeak in surprise when Dylan pulls me toward him, turning me around so my back is against his chest, his hand possessively on my hip. “There, now your daughter has plenty of room.” He gives Sarah a terse smile. “Dylan,” I whisper. “You’re making a scene.” “I’m only doing what Sarah asked.”

“For starters, I really want to kiss you, and if we’re being blunt”—I glance down the hall to make sure Lola’s still in the other room—“I want to strip you bare and fuck you.”

“Mark my words, Marlow Taylor, when we finally get a moment to ourselves, I’m going to do much more than kiss you.”

“It doesn’t matter how it happened. I’m glad you’re here.” “Me too, sunshine.” I walk us backward until she is pinned against the nearest wall, her eyes locked on me.

“Do we have to?” Marlow asks as she adjusts my slightly crooked glasses, giving me an adorable grin as she rights them.

“Be mine, sunshine? The only person I want to be with is you.”

“I’m not leaving until you’ve had coffee, breakfast, and at least one more orgasm,” I promise. “My hero.” She grins, leaning in for a kiss.

MARLOW SHRIEKS WHEN I SLING her over my shoulder and carry her upstairs.

“Dylan Stafford, what has gotten into you?” she cries out. She has. Marlow Taylor has become a fixture in my life, and I never want her to leave.

While she’s high off euphoric bliss, I toss the vibrator on the bed and remove my glasses, setting them on the nightstand.

“Hey, Marlow.” “Yeah, lolabug?” “I love you,” Lola whispers as she wraps her arm around Marlow’s waist.

“I love you too,” Marlow says reverently as she strokes Lola’s hair. She glances in my direction, her eyes widening when she finds me standing in the doorway. I smile at her, encouraging her to continue.

I watch as he unfolds the blanket and lays it flat on the ground. When he’s finished, he stands in front of me so we’re only inches apart. “See, I have this next-door neighbor who’s hot as fuck when she’s in her studio painting. It’s hypnotizing to watch her hips sway to the beat of the music with each stroke of her palette knife.” He gently wipes off a smudge of pink paint from my forehead and rubs it between his fingers as he speaks. “I’ve had this fantasy lately, involving a palette of paints and her being sprawled naked on the ground.”

“I want to restrain your hands while we play. Is that okay?” he asks. I nod. “Yes, I trust you.”

Thrust. I’m yours Thrust. This is just the beginning. Thrust. I’m falling in love with you.

I gently lift her chin, meeting her mesmerizing blue-green gaze. “I love you, Marlow Taylor. I love you so damn much, and I’m sorry it took me so long to tell you.” She places her hand over mine as tears stream down her face. “I love you too, Dylan Stafford.”

Marlow playfully swats my chest. “Dylan, I’m serious. Who’s going to watch her in the mornings? What if you find a nanny that she likes better than me?” She nervously chews her lip.

“He never hired anyone to shovel your sidewalk,” I tell her honestly. “So, let me get this straight. Even though you weren’t particularly fond of me when we first met, you took it upon yourself to shovel my driveway and mow my lawn without being asked?” She appears genuinely perplexed. “I liked you from the beginning, sunshine.” I drop a kiss to her sweet lips. “I just wasn’t ready to admit it to myself.” It took me a while to come around, but now that Marlow is mine, I’ll do whatever it takes to ensure she stays that way.

“HEY, MARLOW.” “Hey, lolabug.” “Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of Daddy and Waffles while you’re gone.” She pats my hand with a big smile on her face.

“I love you, lolabug.” “I love you too, Marlow.” Lola jumps up from under the covers, wraps her little arms around my neck and presses a kiss to my cheek. I cling to her tightly, committing this moment to memory. Saying goodbye to her is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do, and I’ll be counting down the days until I have her back in my arms.

Dylan might think of me as the color in his life, but he’s the brushstroke and the canvas in mine.

“I love you, sunshine.” The declaration spills freely from his lips. “You own my heart and soul, and I’ll spend the rest of my life showing you how much you mean to me. No matter the distance between us, you’re mine. Now and forever,” he vows.

“Don’t forget, sunshine, you’re mine.” “And you’re mine,” I vow.

“I love you, sunshine.” “I love you.”

Morning, sunshine, I love you & am so proud of you. I can’t wait until you’re back in my arms. -Dylan

After she told me she was eating Cheez-Its for breakfast, I reached out to a client of Stafford Holdings who owns multiple restaurants in Paris. I arranged for regular meal deliveries to Marlow’s apartment, complete with handwritten sticky notes I overnighted so they could include them in the delivery.

Dylan pushes his glasses up his nose, and I’m captivated by his sexiness.

“I love you, Dylan.” “I love you too, sunshine.”