Jenna

 

 I want to ask Elliott if he’s anyone else’s, if this means we’re exclusive, but I don’t dare. It feels too presumptuous on my part. He’s a movie star. There must be any number of willing women, and suddenly, it doesn’t seem like such a clever idea to be in his bed.

Not that it ever was a good idea. It just felt so natural last night, and waking up with him this morning was… nice. I just have to be careful not to get carried away, not to be stupid and fall in love with him, but from the way I’m feeling it might be too late for that, no matter how little time I’ve known him.

They say sometimes you just know. And I just know I’ve fallen hard for a guy who is fun to be with, a good daddy, a good brother, and it doesn’t hurt that he looks like the movie star he is.

I have to stop thinking he’s perfect. He has got to have a lot of faults I haven’t even seen yet. Other girlfriends would be a biggie that could change my mind in an instant. Unrequited love is not going to be in my future, thanks very much.

But whatever, we have today to enjoy. Elliott gets Ben to rent a jeep and after he brings it home, Elliott gives him the day off. We set off with Sophie on our island discovery trip, all the kid paraphernalia along with a picnic in the back.

The island is beautiful, the air fresh and the sun warm. It doesn’t feel like I’m working at all. I’m miles from the cold grey drizzle of a typical London October. He shows me his favorite cove, craggy peaks, forest roads.

“We’ll go farther afield another day, but there is so much to visit. I love it here. Are you hungry? That picnic is calling my name.”

“You’re lucky to have Mrs. Martinez.”

“Yes, she’s an angel. I hope she never retires.”

We stop and haul everything out of the back of the jeep. Sophie claps her hands. She hasn’t been admiring the scenery much, just talking to her pink bunny in the back, keeping up a one-sided chat that makes us laugh.

Elliott spreads a picnic rug out under a tree. We’re in some forest somewhere. It feels like we are far from civilization, but we passed a village just ten minutes ago. We open up the basket and take out all the things the housekeeper has stashed away for our lunch. So much food you’d think she was feeding an army, not just two adults and a baby.

But we seem to get through a lot of it. It’s the kind of food where you can’t resist just one more taste of this dish or that.

“I’m glad it was you who took the job as my nanny. I didn’t know how I was going to get to see the girl on the flight again, otherwise.”

“You could have just asked me out.”

“I could, but you might have said no, and then I would have been mortally wounded. We stars have big egos, you know.”

“I wouldn’t have said no.”

“I’d have had to wait until you had a day off if I wasn’t your boss. This way, I get to see you every day.”

I feel all warm inside when he says that, although part of me is saying don’t read too much into this. He has a natural, easy-going charm. But when he looks at me again and kisses me, deeply and thoroughly, his eyes never leaving mine, all doubts vanish like the snow in July.

After lunch, Sophie has a nap under the tree. She looks so peaceful in the shade, and I lie, equally at ease, in Elliott’s arms. He teases me with kisses and caresses, but nothing more can happen there, even though I’d like it to. Not when Sophie could wake up any moment. Not when some curious hiker could come by and catch us.

“When Sophie goes to bed tonight, I’m going to peel off every stitch and kiss you all over,” he whispers, his breath tickling my ear, “and then I’m going to eat you up.”

“Like the big, bad wolf.” I giggle.

“Maybe not going as far as that. Can’t fuck you if you’re all eaten up.”

“Shhh. Sophie will hear. We can’t have her learning words like that at eighteen months.”

“I guess not. Eaten up is very, very bad, but it depends on the context. Eaten up and fucked together is bad.”

I glance over at Sophie. She’s fast asleep. “Fucked is very bad.”

“Very bad indeed. I’ll have to spank you for repeating such things where my daughter might hear.”

My breath hitches. “You wouldn’t.”

“Only if you want me to.” And I can’t help but laugh. I have no idea where he’s going with this. Or maybe I do.