Page 32 of Blue Sky

Guacamole

Iwoke extra early with a spring in my step but fear in my heart. Beck had kissed me! I had wanted him so to kiss me so badly but when it finally happened, I panicked.

This kiss was electric. The way it started sweet but turned hungry. The way his lips claimed mine. The way he caressed my body.

But minutes after our lips touched, doubt took over my mind. This could all go terribly wrong. He was my boss. He was about to spend the next nine months flying around the country performing at air shows. And then, who knew where he would be stationed. I didn’t want this to be a fling, but I didn’t see a path for making this work. So I backed off.

And now, I was wondering if I had ruined my chances forever.

I gasped when I saw Beck walk out of his room in his white dress uniform. Though I could barely control myself when I saw him in his tight blue flight suit every morning, his sexy white uniform was a million times hotter. He looked handsome, classy, and completely out of my league.

I wondered what it would be like if Beck was my husband, if Sky was our daughter, if this house and this life was mine.

But I was quick to realize not only was that not the situation, there was no possibility of that ever happening. Beck was an educated, wealthy Blue Angel pilot. Despite the kiss, we didn’t have a future together. In other words, he was way, way, way out of my league.

I exhaled. Say something, dammit.

Mónica beat me to the punch. “Wow, Beck. You clean up good.”

“Thanks.”

Beck’s blue eyes narrowed at mine. He was clean-shaven and smelled like chicory and amber.

I clutched Sky to my chest, as if she was a security blanket that would help hide my lust for her dad.

“You look handsome.” Ay, I was so lame. Was that the best I could do at flirting? The poor, simple nanny hitting on the rich, cocky fighter-pilot hunk.

He licked his lips. “Glad you think so.”

Mónica’s eyes bulged. Before she could open her mouth, I kicked her and gave her a “don’t you say a word” look.

Beck was clearly just trying to make this less awkward. He was a gentleman.

He grabbed some chips and plunged them into the guacamole. I had made snacks and put out drinks for his friends that were about to stop by and pick him up.

He touched my hand and heat jolted through my body. “Lo, I shouldn’t be home too late. These work functions are such a drag. I’d rather be home with you and Sky. Charlie and his wife will be here soon.”

Did he really mean that? He probably just meant be home with Sky and since I was her nanny, I was included in that sentence. He couldn’t possibly mean what I thought he meant, what I wanted him to mean, what I dreamt he would mean.

That he wanted me.

“We’ll be here. Have fun.”

The doorbell rang. I left Beck with the chips and opened the door. A wave of nausea hit when the people standing in the doorway came into view.

Another man was dressed in his dress whites standing next to the woman we had seen at the pool. But they weren’t alone.

Next to them, was a tall blonde woman with huge fake breasts pushing out of her tight red dress and stiletto heels strapped to her feet. A wave of noxious perfume hit my nostrils, but the scent wasn’t the reason I wanted to vomit.

This woman was clearly Beck’s date.

“Oh, hi! My name is Laurel. You must be Paula, the nanny. I’ve heard so much about you.”

Funny, I’ve never heard anything about you.I wanted to scream, yell at Beck, run back into my bedroom like an insolent teenager. “It’s Paloma, like Picasso.”

“Well, isn’t that a pretty name,” she said with a thick southern twang. “What a beautiful baby. Cutie, just like her daddy.” She pointed at Beck. “Can I hold her?”

“Sure.” I handed Sky to Laurel, and the baby immediately started crying.