My Babysitter

Prank on:The Midnight Knock

Flora lay awake in her bed, the ceiling fan spinning lazily above her. The events of the afternoon replayed in her mind like a movie she couldn’t turn off. Matt’s stormy eyes, the water dripping down his chest, the eagle tattoo spreading its wings, the infinity symbol low on his abdomen, and that towel that had done nothing to hide his reaction to her. She had stuttered like a fool, her cheeks burning, her heart pounding so hard she thought it might burst. He was the man who had babysat her when she was four, the one who had read her stories and made her pancakes. Now he was a billionaire CEO living next door, and the way he looked at her made her feel things she had no business feeling.

She told herself it was just the shock of seeing him half-naked. But deep down, she knew it was more. The way his eyes had darkened, the way his body had reacted, it had stirred something in her that she had been denying the moment she saw her that close. She was not the type to fall for the dominant and the possessive type. She was the prankster, the jolly one, the one who kept things light to hide the vulnerable side she never showed anyone. People left eventually, like her mother had. So she kept things casual, friend-zoned every guy who tried to get close.

But Matt was different. She had no idea that he had been removing threats, keeping boys in line.

But the thoughts of him from earlier made her shiver, not from fear, but from something hotter, something she didn’t want to name yet.

Her father knocked on the door, pulling her from her thoughts. “Flora, you still up kiddo?”

She sat up, pulling the covers around her. “Yeah, Dad. Come in.”

He entered, his face engraved with the lines of a man who had worked hard all his life. He had built his import and export company from nothing to everything, working day and night after her mother left when she was born.

“I saw the light under your door,” he said, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“How was your day?

Did college go well?

Any interesting classes or projects you’re working on?”

Flora smiled, her sarcasm coming out even in this moment. “Dad, I’m 19. I am not a kid anymore. College was fine. Just the usual lectures and group work. Nothing exciting, but I got through it.”

Her father nodded leaned closer to give her a forhead kiss, his eyes softening. “Good to hear. Keep focusing on your studies. It’s important for your future.” She nodded.

Her arms wrapped around her father from the love he never stopped giving even after years, the way he devoted his life without thinking of another marriage just to keep her safe from the world's cruelty.

"Love You Dad". For Everything.

But inside her she was already planning the pranks. The midnight knock, the doorbell dash, this will be the best, She said to herself. the perfect way to get back at Matt for his taunts and the way he made me feel. huh.

After her father left, Flora waited until the house was quiet. At 2 a.m., she slipped out of bed, put on a light robe over her pajamas, and crept out the back door. The night air was cool against her skin, the moon casting long shadows across the lawn between their houses. Her heart raced with excitement and a hint of fear. This was the start of the prank war, and she was determined to win.

She ran across the lawn, her bare feet silent on the grass. She reached Matt’s door, rang the doorbell, and dashed behind the large bush in his yard, hiding in the darkness. She could hear her own breathing, fast and shallow, and the sound of her heart pounding in her ears.

Inside, Matt was in his study, unable to sleep. The encounter with Flora earlier had left him restless.

Fuck what's happening to me. He said to himself.

He had watched her flee across the lawn, her curves moving in ways that made his blood boil. He had spent years protecting her from afar, removing threats, but now she was close, and the obsession was growing. He wanted her, not just physically, but completely. The way she had looked at her, the stutter, the blush, it was all he could think about.

The doorbell rang. Matt stood up, a smile playing on his lips. He knew it was her. He had been waiting for her next move. He opened the door, shirtless, the eagle tattoo visible in the moonlight. He stepped out, scanning the yard. “Flora, I know you’re out there. Nice try with the doorbell dash.”

Flora froze behind the bush. How did he know? She tried to stay silent, but a twig snapped under her foot.

Matt walked toward the bush, his voice low and taunting. “Come out, little terror. Or do I have to come get you?”

She stepped out, her cheeks burning. “How did you know it was me?”

He laughed, that dark, intimate laugh. “I always know. I’ve been seeing you since you were four, silly Flora. Your father asked me to keep an eye on you. But now, it’s feels more than that I guess I need to do. He smirked again.

His hand brushed her waist as he reached for her, the touch lingering, sending sparks through her body. She felt the heat of his skin, the strength in his fingers. Her mind screamed to pull away, to deny the attraction, but her body leaned into the touch.

“Matt, this is just a prank,” she said, her voice shaky.

He leaned closer, his stormy eyes locking on hers. “Is it? Because the way you looked at me earlier, the way your body reacted, tells me otherwise. You want this as much as I do.”

Flora’s heart raced.This is your babysitter, stupid. But he is not anymore. He is a man, a dominant, possessive man who makes you feel things you shouldn’t be thinking.

From her phone, a text from Mia: “What are you doing at this hour? I saw the light in your room earlier. Be careful with that neighbor. He sounds intense.”

Flora glanced at the message, her mind splitting between the prank and the growing tension.

Matt’s POV: f**k She is so close. The scent of her hair, the curve of her waist under my hand. I want to f**k her, want to make her mine. But I have to be careful. She is vulnerable, and I can’t scare her away. The way she hides her vulnerable side, the way she pranks and teases, it only makes me want her more.

The touch lingered, his fingers tracing the edge of her robe. “Run back home, Little Flora. But know this: the game is just beginning. And I play to win.”

She pulled away, her heart pounding, and ran back across the lawn. The touch burned on her skin, the words echoing in her mind. She was in trouble, and she knew it.

The night air cooled her rosy cheeks, but the fire inside her only grew. The prank war had taken a turn, and she was not sure who was winning.

Mia texted again: “Flora, are you okay? This is getting wild.”

Flora replied quickly: “Just a prank. I’ll tell you tomorrow.”

Back in her room, she lay in bed, her mind racing with the events of the night. The father convo had made her feel protected, but the encounter with Matt had made her feel alive in a way she hadn’t felt before. The internal monologues played in her head, the denial, the attraction, the fear of vulnerability.

Matt stood at his window, watching her light come on. He smiled, knowing the game was just beginning. The obsession was growing, and he was ready to claim what he had been protecting for so long.

The night passed slowly, both of them lost in their thoughts, the tension building with every passing moment.