They didn’t do much of anything for a few days. Niko was a little bored but they kept him entertained with movies and board games, and Sergei interviewed two more nannies. Unfortunately, they didn’t like either of them and he sat back in frustration after the second one left.

“I don’t get it,” he said in exasperation. “I’m using a top-rated agency. How can they not have any good matches?”

“It’s Alaska,” she said. “There may not be a lot of options, but I have a suggestion.”

“I’m open to anything.”

“My best friend, Sara, has been helping out in Vegas but she would probably be willing to come here for a year, give you a chance to meet people, get settled…”

“I take it you already asked her?”

“I mentioned it and she said she wouldn’t stay forever, but she’d consider it for a season or two. She’s getting her master’s as well, but she can only afford a class at a time, so she takes them online.”

He looked thoughtful. “I’d like to meet her first.”

“She’s good with Niko and she was with us when we went skating, so he was all about her being a girl hockey player.”

Sergei winced, feeling guilty about the fact he’d only been on skates with his son twice. There was one time, his first year in Boston, when Niko was barely a year old. It had been his old team’s Family Day, and Tatiana and Niko had come along with the other wives, girlfriends and children. Niko had been on skates, wearing a mini-version of Sergei’s jersey, but it wasn’t the same. They’d all gone as a family with Toli, Tessa and the kids while he’d been in Las Vegas but no one wanted to ice skate in the summer so that had been the only time. There were so many things he’d dropped the ball on in the time since Tatiana had passed away; he really needed to stop.

“You don’t have to consider her if you’d rather not,” Dani said, watching him intently.

“No, I was just thinking about the fact I’ve only taken my son skating once. And he’ll be four this winter.”

“My leg will be better in a few days and we can take him.”

“Sounds good.” He took a breath and suddenly came up with an idea. “How about I fly us to Vegas for your birthday? It’s the first weekend in August, right? You’ll be able to celebrate with family and it’ll give me a chance to meet with Sara. If it works out, we won’t have to worry about the nanny thing and can focus on Niko and both of us staying in shape for hockey season.”

The smile that lit her face momentarily blinded him, it was so full of happiness and excitement. “That would be the best birthday present ever. Thank you!” She caught him off guard when she leaned over and brushed her lips across his cheek.

The area tingled from her touch and Sergei was fairly certain his cock took notice as well. They both seemed to have felt it because the air was suddenly charged with the electricity between them. There was an unspoken question in her eyes as she continued smiling at him.

“Would you like to go to a team party with me?” he asked slowly, wishing she would look at him the way she had just now more often.

“What?” She froze, staring at him as if she didn’t understand what he’d said.

“I…” He cleared his throat and tried to formulate a sentence that wouldn’t make him sound like the horndog he was. “Dani, this is stupid. The chemistry between us is off the charts. If I’m wrong, I’ll apologize and stay at least ten feet away from you for the rest of the summer, but I know women, and I’m ninety-nine percent sure I’m not wrong. Am I?”

Her cheeks were pink and her eyes got a little glassy, but she shook her head. “No, you’re not wrong about the chemistry.”

“I sense a but coming.”

She dipped her head. “I work for you, and even if I didn’t, our brothers, our friends, there’s Niko to think about… Everything would be really weird if we went there.”

“You’re right.” His eyes never left her face. “But the alternative is walking around in heat for two more months. At some point, one of us is going to make a move and I’d be more comfortable if it was you.”

Her cheeks burned pink. “That’s so not going to happen. I already told you I’m not real experienced with this kind of thing, so if you’re waiting for me to make some kind of sexual overture, forget it.”

He took a step closer to her, one big hand cupping the side of her face. “Come to the team party with me. I want to spend time with you outside the house and it’ll be good for you to meet everyone. The invitation said no kids, so we’ll find a sitter for Niko and it’ll be just the two of us.”

“Are you asking me to go as your date?”

He hesitated. “I didn’t really think that far ahead, but you’re definitely not going as my nanny. You’re my friend. Not my nanny, not my brother’s best friend’s little sister, not my employee. If I introduce you as my nanny, it’ll start all kinds of gossip because anyone can see the spark between us the minute we’re in the same room together and that’s such a cliché. But if I simply introduce my friend Danielle, who’s helping me with Niko before she goes to train for the Olympics, even if people jump to the friends-with-benefits conclusion, it nips gossip in the bud and you can still work for any team in the NHL without feeling like there was too much speculation about us.”

“So you’re taking a friend on a date?”

She had such a strange look on her face he cocked his head, a small smile playing on his lips. “Is that bad? Do you want it to be a real date? A not-just-my-friend date?”

“Like I told you, I don’t do a lot of dating, so being on a date as your friend is a little confusing for me. Can’t we just say we’re going on a date and leave it at that?”

“Yeah, baby, we can.” He leaned forward, his eyes trained on hers, hoping beyond hope she wouldn’t turn away this time. She was watching him, too, and he moved closer. He brushed his lips across hers a few times, barely touching her, but when her eyes fluttered closed he knew he’d crossed the first threshold. The tips of their tongues touched almost tentatively, and he waited for her to give him some kind of signal she wanted more. There was something so beguiling about her he wasn’t sure how to handle it. He’d originally thought someone so innocent would bore him; instead, she was like a sexual blossom ready to bloom and sprout wings.

When her mouth opened for him, he made sure to keep the pressure light and let her lead their progress. Niko was in the next room and he wasn’t ready to take this to the bedroom yet anyway. A sweet but sensual kiss seemed like a good place to start, though, and the nearly undiscernible whimper of pleasure that escaped her told him he was right. Her inexperience was coupled with an almost tangible desire to experiment, but something in his gut told him to go slow. She wouldn’t be one of those women who just jumped into bed with him, and though a tiny part of him was nervous about pursuing a woman who wanted more than sex, it would be silly to deny how right it felt now that he’d touched her.

“Mama D—what are you doing?” Niko came barreling into the room and skid to a stop as they jumped apart.

“Kissing.” Sergei was unprepared to have this conversation with his toddler, but he wasn’t going to allow it to be something his son thought was taboo either.

“Why?” Niko was frowning.

“Because we like each other,” Dani responded with a soft smile. She held out her hand to him and Niko took it, climbing into her arms and firmly settling himself between her and his father.

Sergei smiled at the child’s sneakiness, but sat back, wondering what she planned to say.

“You don’t kiss me like that,” the boy pointed out.

Dani threw her head back when she laughed. “No, of course not. That’s how grown-ups kiss, not how we kiss friends or our children.”

“Am I your children?” he asked solemnly.

Dani blinked rapidly, a tiny shimmer of tears glossing her eyes.

“Child,” Sergei murmured. “You’re one child.”

“You’re a child of my heart,” Dani whispered, regaining her composure, and putting one of Niko’s hands on her chest. “You’ll always be right here with me, no matter where I am.”

“When you’re in ’rado for hockey?”

“Yes, when I’m in Colorado or Las Vegas or anywhere.” She kissed the top of his head. “Now go find us a book to read. We’ve been watching too much TV.”

“Okay.” He took off up the stairs to find a book from his room and the adults looked at each other.

“Sorry about the interruption,” Sergei said quietly, reaching for her hand. She twined her fingers with his and for a moment they were quiet.

“Did I say the right thing? To Niko?”

“Absolutely. It’s hard to know exactly what to tell a three-year-old about kissing, you know? I thought I had a little time before I had to have that talk with him.”

She chuckled. “Well, he caught us red-handed.”

“Honey, are you going to be okay with casual?” He was intently aware of her closeness, the scent of her shampoo, everything about her, and it was enveloping him, making him think things he had no business thinking.

She was mulling over what he’d said, the look on her face a delightful mixture of mischief and determination.

“One date,” she said finally. “Then we’ll reassess. Is that fair?”

“More than fair.”

“I just have one question.”

“Sure.”

“What am I supposed to wear?”