The Twins' Mom [Taylor Swift x Joe Alwyn AU]

viii

Taylor could hardly believe how snippy she had gotten with Joe last night.

She replayed the conversation on her head as she got the girls ready for their afternoon nap, cringing inwardly as she placed Winter on her belly on the carpet with a toy while she wrestled a wiggling Summer out of her jumper and into a fresh diaper.

Antagonize your boss. Way to go Taylor. Was she trying to get fired?

Or even worse, give him any reason to doubt that she was just the twin's nanny? But all that garbage about him changing his priorities had really ruffled her feathers, and she didn't believe it for a minute, not after the way he was ogling her when she opened the bedroom door in her nightgown. And if she thought she would be interested in a man like him, he was dreaming.

Although she couldn't deny that in a very small and completely depraved way it had been just the tiniest bit exciting. And to his credit Joe had looked conflicted, like he knew it was wrong, but he just couldn't help himself. Which she was sure summed him up in a nutshell. He would try to change, try to be a good father to the twins, but in the end he would fail because that was sort of man he was.

But it had been an awfully long time since someone had looked at her in a sexual way, and what woman wouldn't feel at least the tiniest bit special to be noticed by a rich, gorgeous guy who was known for dating actresses and supermodels? She also didn't let herself forget that he was a womanizer, and she was one of hindered of women he had looked at in that very same way.

She laid Summer in her crib and turned to pick up Winter but she had ripped all the way across the room and would up by the closet door.

"Come back here, you little sneak," she said, scooping her up and nibbling the ticklish spot on her neck.

Winter giggled and squirmed, but when Taylor laid her own the changing table she didn't put up a fuss. She was definitely the milder mannered of two, but she had a curios nature.

Taylor was sure that left to her own devices, Winter could get herself into trouble. There was no doubt that Winter is more like her, and Summer seemed to take after their birth father's side of the family.

Taylor was having such a blast getting to know them learning all their little personality quirks. She realized how fortunate she was to have this opportunity and she wouldn't take it for granted.

And if being with her daughters meant putting up with an occasional inappropriate glance, it was worth it.

Speaking of Mr. Inappropriate, Taylor heard the deep timbre of Joe voice from his office down the hall.

He was on the phone again. He was working from home today, or so he said. Exactly what he was doing in there, or what the so called "work" entailed, she wasn't sure. Polishing his various trophies and awards? Giving interviews?

Other than basking in the glow of his former fake, she wasn't sure what he did with his time.

She laid Winter in her crib and blew each of the girls a kiss good-night, then she closed the curtain to another the light and steels out of the room...colliding with Joe, who was on his way in.

He said, "Whoa!" Looking just as surprised to see her as she was to see him.

She instinctively held her hands up to soften the the inevitable collision and wound up with her palms pressed against hard wall of his chest, breathing in the warm and clean aroma of his skin. He wore thousands pesos cologne. And though it was completely irrational, the urge to slide her hands up around his neck, to plaster. Herself against him, hit her swift and hard.

Touching Joe was clearly a bad idea.

She pulled away so fast her upper back and head hit the door frame with a thud.

Joe winced."you okay?"

She grimaced and rubbed her head. "Fine."

"You sure? You hit that pretty hard." He reached behind her and cupped the back of her head in one enormous palm, but his touch was gentle as he probed for an injury, his finger slipping through her hair beneath the root of her ponytail, spreading warmth against her scalp. "I don't feel a bump."

But, oh man, did it feel nice.

Nice? Ugh! This was insane. Knowing the sort of man he was, his touch should have repulsed her.

She ducked away from his hand. "I'm fine, really. You just startled me."

He frowned, tucking his hands in the pocket of his jeans, maybe he realized that touching her wasn't appropriate. Or maybe he liked it as much as she did. "Sorry. Where are the girls?"

"I just put them down for their nap."

"Why didn't you tell me? I'd like to say good night."

Honestly she hadn't thought it would matter to him. " I thought I heard you in the phone and i didn't want to disturb you."

"Well, next time let me know," he said, sounding irritated. "If I'm here, the girls come first."

"Okay. I'm sorry . They're still awake if you want to see them."

His expression soften. "Just for a second."

He disappeared into their room and Taylor walked to the kitchen to clean up the girls' lunch dishes.

Joe really was taking this "being there for the girls" business pretty seriously. But how long will it last?

It was probably a novelty, being the caring uncle. She was sure it wouldn't be long before he slipped back into his old ways and wouldn't have the time or the inclination to say good night with the twins.

"What is this?" Ms. Cruz snipped, holding up the empty bottles from the girls' lunch as Taylor walked into the kitchen.

Was this some sort of trick question? "Um... bottles?"

She flung daggers with her eyes. "And why were they on the kitchen counter and not in the dishwasher?"

"Because I didn't put them there yet."

"Anything you use in the kitchen must be put in the dishwasher or washed by you. And any messes you and the children make are yours to clean."

"I'm aware of that," Taylor said and only because Ms. Cruz had given her this identical lecture three times now. "I planned to clean up after I put down the twins for their nap. Their care is my priority."

"I also noticed a basket of your clothes in the laundry room. I'd liked to remind you that you're responsible for your own laundry. That includes clothing, towels and bedding. I work for Mr. Alwyn . Not you or anyone else, is that clear?"

Taylor gritted her teeth. She was sure it bugged the hell out of the housekeeper that she was forced to feed Taylor, although Joe was right that she was an excellent cook. "the washer was already running so I set them there temporarily."

Taylor had done absolutely nothing to offend her, so she had no clue why Ms. Cruz was so cranky, so inclined to dislike her.

"As I have said to Mr. Alwyn on numerous occasion, I took this job because there were no children, I am not a nanny or a babysitter. Do not ask me to hold, change, feed or play with the twins. They are your responsibility, and you're alone."

As if she'd want her girls anywhere near this nasty old bitch. "I'm pretty clear on that, thanks."

Ms. Cruz shoved the bottles at her and Taylor took them. Then, her pointy, beak nose on the air. Ms. Cruz stalked away to the laundry room behind the kitchen. And though it was petty and immature, Taylor gestured rudely to her retreating back.

"That wasn't very ladylike."

She spun around to find Joe watcher her, a wry grin on his face.