Even The Weak Can Be Wicked (PLAYBOOK #2)

CHAPTER 2: CLUELESS

ALEKSANDER

“What?” Ashton hasn’t stopped laughing since I brought it up. “You think I am having an affair with my 21year old babysitter?”

So Jessica is 21? The driver gives us a glance through the rearview mirror and smirks.

“You looked very comfortable around each other.” I point out and he snorts a, “because she is our babysitter Alek, jeez. We have known her since her freshmen year.”

“Oh,” then why hasn’t my heartrate gone back to normal?

“Besides, I wanted you to meet her because—”

“You wanted to set us up?” I knew it.

“No, I know she is not your type.” He shakes his head and adds “I wanted you to meet her because Lori and I think she would be perfect to house sit for you, while you are in Boston.”

“Oh.” I am still stuck on the part where she is not my type.

What is that supposed to mean? He has only met one of the few women I have been with, how does he know my type?

“We once left her alone for a weekend to look after our place and she did a good job.” Ashton is tapping on his phone, “she mentioned she needed the extra money so think about it, okay?”

My brother airdrops her number and a file full of information I can get through one web search.

“Is she really British or Irish?” I remember she had an accent, a very thick and posh one.

“British, she grew up in Manchester.” Ashton looks at me intently, “any more questions about her?”

I have many, dozens but it’s not worth the risk of a heart attack or stammer relapse.

“No, I trust you.” I raise my chin proudly, “but I still don’t think I need a house sitter.”

I will be flying between Massachusetts and Boston most of the time and I won’t be gone for that long.

“No, Holly needs a house sitter because if you leave her at my house for 9 to 12months my kids won’t give her back,” he raises a fair point.

The apartment the school got me sadly doesn’t allow pets and a change of environment won’t do her any good because she has a boyfriend in the neighborhood and has grown attached to him.

“Fine,” we have been arguing about this for weeks. “If you trust her then you will be responsible for the process of hiring her.”

I have enough on my plate as it is.

“Wait what?” Ashton is laughs without humor, “you Dr Aleksander Henry, don’t have questions about someone’s who is going to be in your personal space for months while you are out of town?”

“No.” I am more concerned about my alarming heartbeat.

I need to remember to see my doctor before leaving, I feel like I was electrocuted.

“What have you done with my baby brother?” He checks my forehead and sniffs me, “did you drink too much? You know alcohol doesn’t agree with you.”

I remove his hand from my neck and click my tongue because he knows that is not true. Getting drunk with art and theatre camp counsellors is not my idea of a fun night, which is why agreed to stay 2hours.

“Are you done?” I touch my chest to check if my heart hasn’t jumped out.

Scientifically, I know it’s not possible but I still check because I am experiencing an abnormality here.

“No. I am really concerned about you Zander,” a smirk plays at his lips. “You had a beautiful woman in a Pamela Anderson costume and you didn’t even acknowledge her. Are you gay?”

Not this again.

Nobody has gay panics like my brother, who I doubt would even care if I suddenly started dating men.

“I thought she wasn’t my type,” I hope he offers clarity on the subject he said too casually for my liking.

“I know she is not a brainy scientist but she is still a woman with a pulse and did I mention she was Pamela Anderson? Even you have to admit she was the best dressed there.”

The driver looks at us again.

“Still sure about the affair?” I double check and he clicks his tongue.

I agree Jessica was the best looking at that party but I am not a married man with two children, he is.

“Lori agrees you know.” He smiles to himself, “she honestly hired Jessica based on her looks and personality.”

“I am not surprised.” I am also not surprised Ashton let her. “But I hope those are not the factors you will consider when hiring her to watch my house and dog.”

Maybe I should ask some questions but the contraction that hits my heart advises against that idea.

“Are you being like this because of April—” I cut him a warning look. “It’s been almost 2years. Do you not think it’s time to move on?”

“With my house sitter?” I raise a brow and he actually thinks about it.

If I am being honest, I do too.

She was tall. I know that is not a thing most men usually mention at first but April was 5’2, I had to bend down to kiss her and it eventually gave me neck pains but Jessica went up to my nose in heels and I am a pretty tall guy.

I liked that she was tall.

“What?” I realize my brother is still talking.

“I said, too bad she is not an actual blonde because the golden locks and bangs suited her and made her face softer.”

So she is not a blonde? That is a shame because it did suit her.

“Softer?” I realize he is expecting me to respond.

Maybe it was the makeup but Jessica Beer had what my niece Kylie calls a resting mean face. Pointy snobbish nose, pouty heart shaped lips, fox slender eyes and straight trimmed brows.

There was nothing soft about her or her face.

“Yeah, she usually has red fiery hair that makes her look like a femme fatale. Lori loves it, says it gives her an edge.”

“Lori likes her then?” I decide to move the subject away from Jessica.

The mention of her looks is causing too many contractions on my chest and I don’t know what to make of it.

“Loves her to death,” my brother shifts uncomfortably before adding. “I can hire her then? Jessica I mean.”

I take a second to exhale and nod.

“Sure.” I really meant it when I said I trusted my brother.

It is myself I am beginning to doubt because it is not like me to not carry out a thorough investigation regarding my personal space. Especially something as personal as my house but the less I know about Jessica Beer, the better.

(2months later)

Monday

It is Kylie’s birthday this Friday and I am staying in Oakwood for the week to surprise my brother and my favorite niece. I should mention she is the only one I have.

I landed at 8:18am because I like early flights as they allow me to reset the day but when I walk into my house at exactly 9’oclock in the morning, I find my house sitter already up and naked.

Okay, maybe she is partially naked but the black thong she is wearing with a cropped white t-shirt that says ‘sassy’ in glitter wouldn’t even fit my dog who is a tiny golden retriever.

And socks, I think it’s important to point out she has white tube socks on and her auburn hair is held up with a pink pencil.

But yes, for some reason, Jessica Beer—my house sitter—is dancing around in what I assume is underwear (not a hairband), socks and a cropped t-shirt that ends above her pierced belly button.

Again, I should mention she has noise cancelling headphones on and she probably doesn’t notice me standing in the middle of the foyer as she kisses a framed photo of me before wiping the glass.

Confused, I watch her for the 2minutes—120seconds—she prances with a rag while singing a song about leaving. She even picks up a bottle of water and wipes the ring mark it left.

At least she is not tone deaf and can actually hold a note, she is honestly very good.

When she finally turns and finds me standing next to my suitcase, she is so stunned she spills the water over her chest and to my dismay it soaks the t-shirt and leaves it completely transparent.

The word sassy covers her exposed areolas as the rest of the shirt disappears to show the curves of her full breasts.

I really hope this doesn’t happen when she is babysitting at Ashton’s but it would explain why he is so fond of her.

It would explain a lot of things actually.