Chapter 24: I Can’t Be With My Boss - part 1

Chapter 24: I Can’t Be With My Boss - part 1

POV Celeste

I didn’t sleep.
I mean, actually sleep? Not a second. Zero. Zip. Nada.
I didn’t just pull an all-nighter—I pulled a full-blown emotional breakdown.

My body felt wrecked, like I’d run five marathons in high heels. But my brain? My brain was a full episode of a Mexican telenovela—screaming, betrayal, steamy kisses, and a dramatic close-up.

All because of one man.

A man with a voice like thunder, hands made of sin, and a tongue straight from the end of the world.
A man who also happened to be my boss. The father of the kids I nanny. The owner of the freaking house—along with my sanity, which clearly left with his self-control when he shoved his face between my legs.

I was not prepared for that.
Not physically.
Not mentally.
Not in any way.

I spent the whole night tossing and turning, eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling, clutching my sheets while my brain replayed everything.

His mouth.
The stubble scraping against my skin.
The way he looked at me—like he wanted to devour me whole.
And I wanted to be devoured.

Jesus.

I slammed a pillow over my face and let out a muffled scream.
I was gone. Completely gone.
Celeste. 24. Betrayed ex. Emotionally hungover college student. Now nanny to the kids of a masked, brooding, ridiculously hot man who, apparently, has destroyed all my brain cells.

This couldn’t be happening.
It couldn’t.

Because as much as every cell in my body had begged for him, as much as I had clung to him like he was my last shot at pleasure in this life... he was my boss.
MY BOSS.

I smacked my forehead into the pillow five times.

“You’re an idiot, Celeste. A complete I-D-I-O-T.”

I couldn’t fall for this man.
Hell, I couldn’t fall for any man. Not when the wound from Patricio’s betrayal was still raw. It still hurt to hear his name. Still bled thinking about how my own sister had him while I starved for scraps of attention.

And now, just when I was rebuilding—studying, working, being independent—I had to go and fall for him?
Mister Mysterious, Angry, Hot, and Emotionally Damaged?

Of course.
Typical Celeste.
Queen of impulse, master of emotional chaos, falling for the worst possible option like it’s a full-time job.

I needed to run. That was it. Just… run. Disappear. Hide from myself.

I jumped out of bed, hair sticking out like a chicken hit by lightning and face puffy like I’d cried through the entire movie Up.

Decision made. I was quitting.

I’d take care of the kids until school drop-off, then ask him for a serious talk. Or maybe write a letter. Or a song. Or sing “You’re No Good, But I Like You Anyway” in front of a mirror.

But yeah. Quitting. Done. End of story. Goodbye, apocalypse daddy.

I marched out of the room like I was heading to my own funeral—old sweatshirt, messy bun, sneakers, and a broken heart—and went to the kitchen for water.

That’s when I saw it.

A handwritten note, blocky and boring, totally his vibe.

“Work trip. Back in a few days. —Abraham.”

The world. Stopped.

Literally. I swear I heard the sound of my heartbeat stutter for a second.

He left?

But… what about the talk?
The tension?
THE CINEMATIC ORAL SEX HE GAVE ME BY THE POOL?

I almost collapsed.

I gripped the counter, trying to process what the hell that meant. Was it rejection? Fear? Was he running away? Was he a jerk… or was he just being responsible?
Honestly, I had no idea.
And to be fair, I had zero moral ground to judge.

But the fact was… he left.
And he didn’t even bother to talk to me.

That hurt. Way more than I wanted to admit.

I didn’t know what stung more—the desire still burning through my veins, the orgasm that had knocked the soul out of me, or the fact that it kind of… felt like he used me?

No, no. He didn’t mean to.
Right?
I think?

Anyway, I was still just the nanny. At least for now. Since I was, you know, planning to quit in a few hours.

I was still standing there, staring at that note like it was gonna magically reply, when it hit me again.

Work trip.
Back in a few days.
Signed: the man who gave you the best oral of your life and disappeared like Batman.

Awesome, right?
I’m doing amazing. Super chill. Emotionally stable.
Lies. I was a mess.

My head was chaos, my heart was a samba drum, and my legs were still kind of jelly—which was especially humiliating since the guy dipped without even saying goodbye.

But then…

“AUNT CELESTE!”
A tiny, sweet voice snapped me out of it, and the next second, two small arms wrapped around my waist.

It was Abby.

“Hi, baby,” I smiled, crouching down to hug her tight.

She pressed her little face into my neck and my heart melted like butter on toast. Behind her, Adam walked in slower, backpack already on, looking like he was late but pretending to be chill.

“Did Dad leave?” he asked.

“Yeah, he did. But he left a note. He’ll be back in a few days,” I said, trying to keep my voice neutral. Like it didn’t totally throw me off.

“Yay!” Abby cheered. “That means you’ll stay with us alllll day!”

Oof.