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Five

“Uh?”

Okay, maybe I'm not in bed like an early riser. It's almost midnight, and I'm currently chatting with Samantha and David, with empty pizza boxes sprawled on the table in front of us. I called them over when my attempts at sleep proved futile.

“The very Dominic Powers?” Samantha was on the verge of jumping off the couch.

“Dom, Dom, what now?” She smacked my arm in an instant. “Ouch.”

“That's what you get for tarnishing the name of such a sexy-looking man.”

“Well, that settles it. I'm not that sexy.” Our gaze shifted to David, who was finishing the last slice of pizza. “I mean,” he continued between bites, “no one has called me sexy or even cute since I entered this room. I've lost my looks and charms.” He began to fake cry, sobbing dramatically. “But. It. Is. Fine.”

Sam and I glanced at each other, then back at David, who was giving us puppy eyes. Samantha huffed and nudged me to continue with what she was saying. “I read about him on the internet last week. He's on his way to becoming the king of the stock market, and he's only twenty-eight. So young and hot. You're lucky to be working with him.”

“I'm babysitting his daughter, not working with him. But he is sexy, no doubt.”

“And you're working in his house! Just imagine how nice it would be to see such an amazing sight every freaking day!”

“You're too excited about this. And I need to sleep. I have to be at their house by seven, and I plan on getting there even earlier.”

“I do feel sleepy,” Samantha said amid a really loud yawn.

I stood up and slipped on my slippers, ready to head to bed. Noticing David engrossed in his laptop, I said, “David, are you sure you're okay sleeping on the couch? You can join us in the room if you want.”

“Yeah, I'm fine,” he looked up from his screen. “Besides, sharing a bed with two hot girls is not a scenario my little friend would handle well.” I chuckled and took Samantha's hand, making sure David had a blanket.

“I'm proud of you, you know?”

“Why?” I slipped my hand into my silk deep blue PJs as we made our way to my room.

“This is the first time in three weeks I haven't received a call from an absurdly drunk you, giving me disoriented speeches about your life.”

I grinned at her and held the door open for her to enter. “What can I say? Things tend to change in one's life.”

She turned, facing me at the entrance, and said, “I'm proud of you.” I smiled broadly and hugged her, and we both jumped into bed afterward to chat incessantly until sleep beckoned.

I've never liked math. Even as a five-year-old, I struggled with the subject immensely. I was watching little Ruby as she attentively listened to the explanations her homeschool teacher, Mr. Roberto, was giving her.

Already intensely tired from the barrage of numbers, I opened my phone again to see if anything fun was happening. I had done that ten times in the last forty minutes. Although there were only about nineteen minutes left in her learning for the day, I couldn't take it anymore.

It was punishment enough that I had to sit in one place for their seven-hour learning session because Mr. Roberto—the not-so-fun, very grumpy teacher—doesn't like strangers touching his things or walking around in his modest apartment. Even though his place wasn't as large as Mr. Powers', it was evident he was wealthy too. Why he would decide to homeschool a child was still a mystery to me.

But I assumed he was doing it as a hobby.

Soon, the remaining nineteen minutes marked the end of the longest and most excruciating seven hours of my life since graduating from school. I mean, I couldn't even leave because I didn't trust the idea of leaving a rough-looking man with a five-year-old. I sighed in huge relief as my butt left the cushioned chair.

"Come on, Ruby. Let's go," I said to the five-year-old, who was packing her books. I helped her put them in her backpack, placing it on her back after she insisted I not carry it for her. I'm lucky to be babysitting such a good kid.

"Alright, come on, let's go." Let's go far away from this room that has tortured me a lot. I didn't even bother to say goodbye to her teacher. The dude was busy rolling himself away anyway.

Damn it! I'll still see him tomorrow.

Ruby and I entered the elevator, and in no time, we were on our floor.

"Yay! Pool time!" She immediately dumped her bag on the ground as soon as she got inside the house and raced upstairs. Still a bit shaken from earlier, I grabbed her bag and walked to the living room, dropping her bag and then my body onto one of the couches to let the feeling of relaxation kick in.

In no time, Ruby's voice came traveling down the stairs, her mouth making funny noises. I listened as her slippers scurried to where I was. "Grace..." My eyes snapped open. Her face was looking at me, worry etched on it.

"Hey, Ruby." She had changed into a blue swimsuit, a juice box in one of her hands.

"Let's go swimming?" Her voice was low and so concerned, it made me smile. I held up my hand for her to grab, and she helped me up in the little way that she could. I stretched and then re-grabbed her hand.

"Definitely. I can't wait to see the pool."

She let a little frown cross her face. "But you're not in your swimsuit."

No, I'm not, darling.

"Jeez!" I slightly slapped my forehead. "I forgot them." Her frown turned into a pout. "I'll still get into the pool, though."

"How? You don't have your swimsuit."

"Just wait until we get to the pool, okay?" She instantly smiled and pulled my hand.

"Come on, come on. Let's go." I gave a short laugh and yielded to her tugs, hurrying after her little figure out of the room and to the elevator, wondering what was so exciting about the pool.

As soon as we got there, I saw it. Not only was there a gold-studded swimming pool whose waters kept beckoning me to jump in, but there was also a freaking slide way above the pool. Way above.

Now I wish I'd brought my swimsuit.

I couldn't take my eyes off it. I mean, the pool was large. It covered approximately the area their living room downstairs did. Gosh, talk about money.

"I still don't think you'll swim," Ruby said as she set down her juice box.

"I wish I could right now," I mumbled to myself at first, and when I realized Ruby was still waiting for an answer, I looked down at her. "I wish I could; don't worry, I'll just roll up my trousers and dip my legs in the water. And next time, I'll make sure to bring my swimsuit." She smiled broadly.

"I'll go into the pool now." I watched as she took the steps and dived in, grabbing her juice box, which she had left beside me, her body bobbing as she enjoyed the water. "Oh no!" she exclaimed after swimming for a while, during which I was studying the whole structure. I walked away from the base of the slide and hurried to her side.

"Ruby, what's wrong?"

"I forgot my rubber duck. I always swim with it because it's so huge, and I can always use it as a boat!" She pouted as she slapped her hands onto the surface of the water.

"Okay, darling, calm down. I'll go get it for you. Is it in your room?"

"No, it's in my dad's. Fiona kept it there last time to punish me." Wow. She doesn't seem upset about being punished.

Wait a minute! Did she just say her dad's room?

"Your dad's room?"

She nodded. "His room is the first..."

"I know, darling. I'll go get it for you. Come here." I helped her out of the pool and had her sit on a nearby bench. "Will you be okay alone?" I asked, wrapping a towel around her to prevent her wetness from causing irritation.

"I'll be fine. Thanks, Grace! I love you!" My, my, using the big L word already. That was quick.

"It's fine, sweetie, and right back at ya!" I resumed my walk to the elevator, wondering to myself if going into Mr. Powers' room was a good idea. But what can I do? A girl needs her rubber duck.

Upon reaching the penthouse, I made my way upstairs. I've only been upstairs to go to Ruby's room, and now, I'm about to set a record by going into my boss's room on just my second day of work. Taking a second to steady my breath, I pushed open the polished wooden door that separated my eyes from what lay on the other side.

The quietness I encountered assured me he wasn't in. Besides, I had heard him leave the house when Ruby and I were preparing for her home lesson.

The room was quite dark, the only light source coming from the sunrays peeking through the shutters. Awed by the intense combination of grey, white, and black, I inhaled the masculine scent the room was giving off.

That's probably the closest I'll get to smelling the sexy man.

I took a few more steps and stopped right at the edge of his king-sized bed, whose sheets were ruffled as if someone had just been intensely active on them.

The thought of Mr. Powers in bed with someone flashed through my mind, causing my brain to conjure a sexual image that made me feel slightly hot despite the cool air in the room. I took my eyes off his bed, ignoring the fact that he had a novel on his nightstand, and focused on his wide-open closet filled with suits hanging off the rack. Below those were his casual wears, which made me wonder if I'd ever see him in anything other than a suit.

Not too far from the closet was another door, which I guessed was the bathroom. Remembering that I was keeping a girl waiting, I began to look around, checking the closet first. After a few minutes of carefully searching the closet with no rubber duck in sight, I stood straight, closing my eyes for a second to consider where I would keep a toy if I wanted to punish a child. Amidst my thinking, I heard a door gently close, and I opened my eyes, dropping my hand that I had unconsciously placed on my waist.

"What are you doing in my bedroom, Miss Sands?" I gulped hard as his half-naked self moved closer, slowly, my eyes roaming over his open, well-toned, almost perfectly sculpted torso.

"I asked you a question, Miss Sands," he said, raising an eyebrow, his voice lower and sexier than before. Realizing it was time to say something, I placed my hands on my upper thigh and rubbed them.

"I... uh..." I pointed in some direction. "Ruby... Ruby left her toy here, and I had to get it for her," I said with a nervous chuckle, a crazy feeling in my chest as he halted his steps. He ran a hand through his hair and told me to get out in a low, rough voice, his eyes glancing toward his bed.

"Yes, sir," I said, nodding slightly and proceeding to walk out of the very manly room.

"Grace..." His voice, with the power to make one shiver, called out, and I did feel a shiver. I turned slowly, an uncertain smile on my face.

"Never enter my room again."

I clenched my hands into fists and threw them into the air. I nodded slightly as I replied, "Definitely! I'll never enter your room. Absolutely clear."

Oh God, I'm acting very nervous, and I must look silly. But what can I do? His eyes were sternly watching me as I backed out of the room. I was close to leaving his room when I remembered I still didn't have the toy.

"Uh... sir?" I stepped back into the room. He was already on his way into the room he came from, so he turned, his lips in a thin line, his eyebrows raised as if questioning my prolonged presence.

"The toy, Ruby's toy. She said it's in here. If you could just..." He raised his hand slightly to silence me. And I fell silent, even though my sensible self found it annoying. My eyes followed his figure as he walked to the other side of his bed, his body moving with ease, his muscles flexing.

I took another gulp, questioning the universe. Why did I have to enter his room when he was shirtless? Why was he even around?

I watched as he bent slightly to pick something up. Then he began to approach me with a huge rubber duck in his hands.

"Here," he said, pushing the toy into my chest as he reached where I was standing. As I raised my hands to properly hold it, his fingers slightly grazed mine, and I swear, I felt goosebumps rise on my skin.

Unable to look into his intense eyes for fear of jeopardizing the situation, I quickly rushed out of the room.

When I finally got downstairs, I slowed my pace and let out a shaky breath. My eyes darted around the room as I tried to rationalize what had just happened. I looked at my arms, and there it was, evidence of my reaction to his slight touch, already fading.

Jeez, what's going on with me?

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