Free Nanny Behaving Badly by Judy Jarvie

jumped to a Technicolor vision of Lyle with hair wet, flesh outlined through cubicle glass, smiling in welcome, immersed in hot sprays. Inviting her to freshen up too.
    Lyle removed his tie then stretched wide and sighed. ‘Thanks. You’re amazing, my guardian angel and Mary Poppins combined. How do you do it?’
    ‘Years of preparation and dedicated study.’
    Did Mary Poppins feel hot under the corset, imagining shared showers?
    Lyle disappeared. Yet the marimba pulse jumping inside Maddie lingered. Perhaps she needed her head examining? Or her renegade hormones demanded solitary confinement.

    ‘Come and play in my room, read me a story,’ Josh beckoned, appearing with a bunch of toys in his arms.
    Maddie shook her head. ‘Not yet, sweetie. Let me tidy the dinner things, then we’ll read a favourite story.’ Lyle was taking a shower and she had tasks to complete. Her brain cells to frogmarch into order. ‘Come and play in here at the table while I finish up. Maybe we could sing some songs?’
    Maddie filled up the machine and flipped on the switch, heard the low hum as it kicked in. Then she flicked on the oven to reheat.
    ‘I’ve got a bed in my room the same shape as a racing car. It’s got a rally car bedspread. Come see? Then we can do a story about Ritchie The Rally Car. I can show you all dad’s trophies too if you like? We could play racing?’
    Josh whirled around on the spot. Boy, this kid had turbo energy and enthusiasm.
    Maddie skilfully deflected. ‘You’re one lucky boy to have such a special room. And a clever dad.’
    ‘Come now,’ Josh urged, grabbing her fingers and pulling hard on her arm. ‘Dad loves to get into bed with me, he says my bed’s better than his.’
    An image of the pair sprinted through her brain. Both with hair soft and dark, snuggled and warm and adorable together by soft lamp light.
    Just as a real father should be.
    ‘Come on, Maddie.’ Josh pulled her ever closer to the door.
    The insider insights on Lyle caused her resolve to wither the nearer Josh dragged her to the hallway. Would giving in hurt so very much? She was here, after all, to forge a link. Not deflect and back off as her father had.
    She raised her hands in surrender. ‘Okay. Okay. Show me this super bed.’
    Josh raced up the sweeping staircase ahead of her. She’d noted over the past few days that Lyle clearly didn’t do things by halves. The whole house was completed in bespoke luxury all the way.
    Josh ran off down the grand hallway towards his bedroom. She followed – then paused as movement caught her eye passing a doorway.
    Whoosh – the oxygen in her lungs expelled on instinct in one fell swoop just from glancing on autopilot. Six feet three of semi-clad gorgeous male arrested her interest and handcuffed it to the wall.
    Lyle stopped drying his hair with his towel, inquiry in his gaze.
    Then smiled and her heart bungeed.
    Bare-chested, bronzed defined torso. A towel around his waist, inquiry in his eyes. Super-hot daddy alert.
    ‘Okay?’ he asked, tossing the wet towel aside and finger combing. She gulped. His voice was soft but rough too. Just like the image before her. The dips and planes of his body made her mouth go dry. Her fingers itched to touch it. Smooth skin, rugged lines, velvet voice, edgy promise.
    Moisture clung to skin. Droplets glistened on pristine pecs. An intriguing sweep of dark hair led her eye downwards to the towel’s bunched knot – Maddie skirted it all with a mental skid.
    Awareness twirled as Maddie cursed her own impropriety. She should’ve stayed in the kitchen, out of harm’s reach. What had she been thinking? The unintentional yet unmasked voyeuse inside blushed crimson. The sensible ethical woman inside knew she’d crossed a very tricky line. But this time her tongue was glued. Her voice sounded croaky, as her body battled with the dizzy heat.
    ‘Just seeing Josh’s room. He insisted.’ Perspiring inside her clothes now, she felt his full force heat