The sound of a baby crying filtered through my brain as I struggled to open my eyes. It was still dark and I scrabbled for my phone, squinting as I checked the time. Three-forty-six am. Tempting though it was to pull the pillow over my head, I knew I should go and see what Alfie wanted. I threw off the covers and jammed my feet into a pair of slippers. It didn’t occur to me that I should have put something over the skimpy vest and shorts I usually wore to bed. Using the torch on my phone, I crept from my room into Alfie’s.

I totally wasn’t prepared for the sight that greeted me.

Hayden stood there, topless, cradling Alfie against his chest, pyjama pants hanging low around his hips. His chest was strong and muscular, sculpted as if from hours of work in the gym, with abs that made me want to lick them. I could barely tear my eyes away from him.

It was as if he’d recreated that famous Athena poster just for me.

My breath hitched and it would seem that my nipples were about to betray me as they hardened underneath the thin material of my top.

As if sensing me there, Hayden turned and brought a finger to his lips. “Ssshhh. I think I’ve just got him back off to sleep. You can go back to bed.”

“It’s fine, I can keep you company for a little while.” I lowered my voice, not wanting to wake Alfie, wanting to stay longer.

“Go get some rest. There will be plenty of opportunity for you to get up.” The corner of his mouth quirked up. “It’s cold, isn’t it?” His voice was low and sexy, although I knew he was talking like that so he didn’t disturb Alfie.

No, no it isn’t. The temperature in here is off the scale and you’re the one heating up the mercury.

“I’m not cold.”

He nodded. “Right.”

His gaze dropped to my chest and suddenly I realised what he was getting it. Instinctively, I crossed my arms over my breasts, feeling a warm flush in my cheeks.

“If you’re sure, I’ll head back to bed then.” I took a step towards the door.

“See you in the morning, Bea. Sweet dreams.”

If I wasn’t mistaken, he winked at me as I left.

Once back in my room, I found it hard to settle. I couldn’t stop thinking about Hayden’s naked chest. And when I finally did manage to get back to sleep, my dreams were anything but sweet. Steamy, sexy, hot, perhaps, definitely not sweet. I woke up in a sweat shortly after nine. Immediately, I felt guilty for sleeping so late and leaving everything to Hayden when I was meant to be the one helping him.

I ventured out of my room, making sure I had a dressing gown on this time. Hayden was lying flat on the sofa, Alfie stretched out on his bare chest, snoring gently.

If only Athena were still making posters…

He saw me and smiled. “If you’re putting the kettle on, I’d love a coffee. I’m going to attempt to get this little man in his cot.” Trying not to disturb the sleeping baby, he carefully stood up and carried Alfie into his room.

I did as Hayden asked, loading the coffee pot with a good, strong blend, then turned my attention to the refrigerator. There were bacon, eggs, tomatoes and mushrooms, which I felt we deserved after surviving our first night, and I set about making us a cooked breakfast.

By the time he came back, I was serving up. He’d also put on a T-shirt, which I was slightly disappointed by.

“Oh my God, that smells fantastic!” Hayden inhaled the air, which was thick with the scent of cooking bacon.

“I thought we needed it.” I took the plates to the table, then went back for the coffee and tomato ketchup.

Hayden was already tucking in when I sat down again. “What did you want to do today?”

“I’ve got that thing with Laura tonight. I don’t have to go though.” I chewed on a piece of mushroom that was decidedly too hot and almost managed to strip the skin off the roof of my mouth.

“No, you said it was your welcome-home party. You should go.” He paused. “It’s a shame I can’t come with you.”

I pondered his response. Why would he want to come with me? It’s not as if he knew any of my friends. “If you’re sure?”

He nodded. “I’ll be fine. Alfie and I already have a movie marathon planned.”

“As long as you don’t introduce him to Sylvester Stallone at his tender age.”

“I was thinking more along the lines of Peppa Pig.”

Wailing burst from Alfie’s room and Hayden pushed his chair back. “I’m guessing we’re not the only ones who need breakfast. Tell you what, why don’t I look after Alfie all day? You can get yourself ready for this evening. Then it’s your turn tomorrow.”

I opened my mouth to protest, then thought better of it. It wouldn’t be long before Hayden would be at work all day and I’d be on my own with Alfie. I would make the most of today.

Laura had booked the back room in The Green Man for my party. There was a cheesy ‘Welcome Home’ banner stretched between two of the light fittings, a table laden with party food: mini burgers, chicken goujons, sausage rolls, vegetarian pizzas, and several bottles of Prosecco. Not to mention about thirty people, most of whom I didn’t know.

I spent a lot of the evening chatting to the people I did know and telling them about my trip, where I’d been, what sights I’d liked best, and then about the PR job I was starting. Everyone appeared really interested, but as soon as I mentioned I was a live-in nanny for one of my brother’s closest friends, their attention began to wane.

“This is all your fault, Tom.” I wailed to him after another person had walked away. To get me through saying the same thing over and over again, I’d downed several glasses of fizz in quick succession and they were starting to affect me. “If you hadn’t have suggested the idea to Hayden, I wouldn’t be the most boring person on the planet.”

“Don’t be silly, you’re not boring, Sis.” He ruffled my hair. “Although if you tell one more person about Hayden, I’m going to think that you fancy him.”

His words sobered me up quicker than coffee. Was it really that obvious? I mean, I knew that I was attracted to him—the dreams I’d had that morning seemed to confirm that. I thought I’d managed to hide it well. Then again, I hadn’t drunk a vat of Prosecco in a very long time, so it was possible my tongue may well have run away with me.

“Don’t be silly, I couldn’t possibly fancy him. He’s your friend for a start.” I made a face, which I hoped conveyed something like ugh-any-friend-of-yours-would-have-to-be-hideous.

Laura bounced up to us, a bottle in her hand. “Do you need a top-up?”

“I think that’s the last thing she needs, but I’m her older brother, so who am I to tell her what she needs?” Tom laughed. “I’m going to chat to those girls.” He pointed at some of Laura’s friends from the beauty salon and headed off in their direction.

“I haven’t had chance to talk to you since we moved you into Hayden’s place,” said Laura, topping up my glass and pulling me over to a table in the corner. “How’s it all going so far?”

I sighed, sipping my drink. “You have to promise you won’t breathe a word of this to my brother.”

Her eyes lit up, sensing gossip. “I promise, now spill.”

Briefly, I told her all about the previous day and then this morning’s show, then described the dreams I’d had. Her jaw dropped open.

“What are you going to do?”

That was what I’d wrestled with the whole day. It wasn’t as if I could make a move on Hayden at any point over the next six weeks. And after that, I’d be moving out, and potentially moving on. I’d have to lust over him from afar and pretend I wasn’t interested. That was going to be difficult.

“Try to close my eyes whenever he’s topless?”

Laura shook her head. “Come on, you must be able to tell if he’s interested in you.”

“Apart from a passing comment about my nipples, I don’t think he sees me like that. I’m just there to help him out with Alfie. I might as well be over fifty with chin hair and a wart on my nose.”

“Er, I don’t think so.”

“Besides which, he’s Tom’s best friend.”

“What’s that got to do with anything?”

She was right. If I did decide that I wanted anything to happen with Hayden, and he reciprocated, then Tom wouldn’t have any say. I downed the rest of my drink and held out my glass for Laura to refill. Maybe the answer would lie in the bubbles.