Page 30 of Whisper Sweet Nothings
I made my way to the door. “How was your night? Did you have fun with Sabine?”
“Not particularly.” He held my stare. He was standing now, his muscular frame highlighted by the light from the moon. “Thanks for staying with Melody.”
“Of course. I’ll see you in the morning. If you want to sleep in, just send her into my room with me, and we’ll get breakfast and walk over to the park.”
“I think you might be too good to be true, Winnie,” he said as he winked at me.
I nodded before hurrying to my room and closing the door behind me.
I needed space and air.
I climbed into my bed and squeezed my eyes closed, and all I saw was Archer Chadwick’s emerald green eyes.
My boss.
And I hoped like hell that sleep would take me, and I’d wake up tomorrow and forget all about how sexy my boss had looked tonight.
The sun came through the curtains, and I sat forward in bed and grabbed my phone, surprised that it was already after ten o’clock in the morning. I sprang out of bed, surprised to see that my door was closed. I pulled it open to find Archer and Melody sitting at the dining room table, eating pancakes.
“I thought I left my bedroom door open? Why didn’t you wake me up? You could have slept in,” I said as Melody jumped off her seat and ran toward me.
“Daddy shut your door, and he said that we should let you sleep.” She smiled up at me.
“I feel like I’ve failed as the traveling nanny.”
“Listen, I was up, and you were out. You need sleep, too. This isn’t boot camp. You’ve been doing everything for us since we arrived. You’re allowed to have some downtime, too.” He motioned to the plate beside his that had a silver dome over it. “I got you eggs and bacon.”
I sighed. “Let me brush my teeth real quick.”
I hurried into the bathroom, gaping at myself in the mirror when I realized my tank top was completely see-through. I brushed my teeth and my hair, pulled it into a bun on top of my head, grabbed the robe from the closet, and slipped it on over my pajamas.
I came back out to join them and made my way to the chair beside Archer.
“How did everyone sleep?” I asked.
He wore a fitted black sweater and dark jeans, and he looked all polished and put together, per usual.
“I slept reals good. Did you fall asleep with me, Winnie?” Melody asked, that little twang making me smile every time she said my name and held the last syllable longer than necessary.
“I did, sweet pea.”
“I like when you call me ‘sweet pea.’” She flashed me her white teeth and then cinched her brows together as if she was thinking about something. “Hey, it’s Thanks Turkey Day soon, right, Daddy?”
“Yes. And we’ll be here in Paris for Thanksgiving.”
“What about Winnie’s daddy?” she asked, and my chest squeezed at how thoughtful this little girl was.
“Do you usually spend Thanksgiving with your father?” Archer asked, and now he mimicked his daughter’s concerned look.
“Yes. But he knows I’m in Paris, and he’s going to be just fine. We always cook for all the guys at his mechanic shop, and he’ll just do it this year without me. I sent him our favorite recipes, and I told him I’d FaceTime him on Thanksgiving and help him get things prepped.”
“I should have asked you if you were okay leaving over a holiday,” Archer said, and I could see the anguish in his gaze.
“You did! You asked if I wanted to go to Paris with you, and I said yes. You didn’t force me,” I chuckled. “I’m happy to be here.”
I always missed my father when I wasn’t with him, but he understood that I’d moved to Rosewood River to make a new life for myself, away from Chicago and away from Jaden—and he was the one who’d encouraged me to do it.
“All right. Well, you know if you want Christmas off, or any particular days or weekends, you just put it on the calendar.”
