The Bad Boy's Nanny

Ch. 18 - Organic Side

I wake up with a horrible headache. We stayed up to God knows what time last night to try and watch the rest of the Harry Potter movies. I didn't want to seem as though things between Elliott and me were awkward, but I definitely wanted to just go upstairs and sleep off all the wrong feelings.

I kissed him. And as perfect as it might have been, I was beyond stupid for letting it happen. I've been trying to plan out what to say to him today, how to tell him that we can't ever share an undeniably sensational kiss like that ever again. It just sucks.

Rolling out of bed, I take a couple minutes to do my makeup and put on some decent clothes before waking up Bethany and going into the kitchen. I set Beth in her highchair and go to make her breakfast. As I sleepily bump into the counter, my eye catches sight of a huge bouquet of flowers on the ledge. I march over to them to check. Sure enough, a little card says "To: Ivy" and is signed by Elliott.

Dammit.

He got me flowers. What girl doesn't want flowers? I want flowers! Elliott Kennedy bought me flowers. And they smell so good too!

"Good morning."

I spin around, nearly gaping at Elliott's shirtless body and running shorts. "Wow, you're up early! Did you go for a run?"

"Yeah," he says with a sweet smile, placing his headphones on the counter. "Considering I spent all of yesterday on the couch eating food, I thought it'd be a good idea. I haven't gone on a run in like eighteen years."

I force a smile to seem as though nothing is wrong. "That's great!" I bite my lip. "Thanks for the flowers."

"You like them?" he asks all cutely. "I usually don't buy girls flowers after kissing them, but you're different. I thought that might've been your first kiss and I wanted you to know that it meant something to me and-"

"Please stop," I blurt. "It's just going to make it harder."

"Make what harder?"

"I'm going to hate myself for doing this, but, Elliott, we can't be together," I say, my heart tightening. "I can't risk losing my job. It's my only way to pay for college."

"Oh." He looks down, placing his empty water bottle on the counter. "I feel stupid."

I groan and have the urge to whack my head against the table repeatedly. "Don't. I-I just need the money, and if your mom ever found out about us then there's no way she'd want me in the house. I'd get fired in an instant."

"You know what, Ivy? That sounds like the perfect thought out excuse," he says pointedly.

"It's not an excuse."

He sighs. "What is it? Are you afraid I'm going to hurt you?"

I shake my head, though he isn't too far off. I am scared to develop serious feelings for someone like Elliott. He's everything I should be afraid of. He's dangerously handsome, takes too many risks, hasn't been in a serious relationship before. He'd ruin me in a mere instant.

I've never had an emotional connection with anyone before. The closest I've ever been to that is with Mikey, but he's just like a little brother. To dive into something with such depth as a relationship like Elliott would hold only makes me fear of drowning.