18

Chapter 3- Change of Location

"Do you want to talk about it?" Hudson asked as he sat beside Quinn as she watched Olivia and Roderick paint outside near the pool. Sipping a cup of tea, she turned to Hudson and found they were standing too close to one another. They both smirked as they turned their gazes towards the kids.

"You know...I didn't mean to overhear...but it seems he kind of tore you down..." He paused. "Why is it that you let him do that to you?" Quinn was both surprised and confused on his sudden desire to know so much about her romance life. She had only been working for him for about two weeks, but they spoke as close friends.

"The history. We have known each other since we were eight and dated all through middle school and high school-chose this college to be together because you think when you're seventeen and in love-that nothing can ruin that; the thought of marriage and kids and-"

"Marriage isn't all its cracked up to be. I'm sure it is when you find your soulmate...but...when you rush into it...you make mistakes...you settle. And from what it looked like with David...you definitely settled."

"I did not!" She turned with a smile.

"Ya did too...answer this.." He turned fully to her, where his gaze could have burned a hole into her. "When he's near you do you find that everything else melts away? When he touches you...do you feel everything in your body just concave on itself?" He hesitated for a moment, moving close enough to kiss her. "When he kisses you, do you feel like fireworks and grenades?"

She cleared her throat as she pulled herself back.

"I don't know." She answered randomly. In honestly, she could not think of anything but how close he was. His lips tempted her in a way she had never thought possible. She could not cease the sensual thoughts or visions from entering her mind-and him always being around her made it that much more impossible-so she decided to test if he really felt for her.

That next week, she decided to take the kids swimming in the pool and brought them swim toys from every store she could find. Throwing the toys in, she would play with them, helping Roderick as he had difficulty getting to the bottom. Having a fear of the deeper end, he clung onto her back and even trembled when it came to getting closer to it. Wearing her most mature suit possible-while still being seductive, she found that he passed from the window every ten minutes or so-only glancing over.

"We never see dad this much-"

"What do you mean?"

"Out of his office. With the other nannies...he avoided them."

"He likes you." Roderick teased Quinn as she shook her head.

"Nonsense. Oh, get that one!" She got their attention from the pool before growing stunned. The door to the pool house came open and Hudson emerged. His dark tan skin gleamed teasingly to her as a tattoo was prominent on his right arm. Reading as a devotional to his firefighting career, her eyes scanned his body and was surprised to see just how ripped he was. Just perfect enough to be impressive without being sickeningly large. Sliding into the water, he took Roderick from Quinn and began playing with him as Olivia moved to the chair on the outside and became glued to her phone.

"Come on, Olivia!" He said as he placed his arms on the edge of the pool, leveling his head against his skin before glaring to her. "Put the phone down and come bond with us."

Quinn got chills as he spoke 'us'. But realized she would be foolish to hope of anything to come of it.

He began to move by Quinn, slowing sneaking behind her.

"Otherwise you'll end up like this!" He swept her in his arms and pretended to dunk her as their gazes locked. Feeling him hold her, her lips came ajar and he playfully threw her off to the side, before then quickly excusing himself."

"Work to do." He said as he left, making Quinn more and more confused.

Now marking two months working for them, things were growing more and more difficult. Hudson was constantly giving her hints of interest but would pull away anytime anything grew real. She took this as a sign to stay away and remain clear of him. Although she fought everything in her body to do so.

Returning to her dorm after work, she found her side of the room had been emptied with a note upon her bed. An eviction notice.

"I didn't know you could get these in college..." She said to herself before sitting in the hall with two boxes of belongings. Allowing herself to be defeated for the majority of the afternoon, she was surprised to hear a familiar voice call her name.

"Quinn!"

"Rochelle?"

"Yes." Quinn jumped to her feet. "Roderick wants you to read him one of his stories...he won't sleep and keeps crying for you."

"Oh...wow...I'll be right there..."

Leaving her boxes in place, she followed Rochelle the block to the house before going into Roderick's room. Keeping the door just slightly cracked, he jumped up and extended his arms as he called out for her.

"I like the way you read. Can you read me that one?"

"Sure thing." She said with a smile as she had began reading. Within five minutes, he was giving out a soft snore as she was met with Rochelle in the hall.

"I saw you sitting with those boxes...I am not taking any alternative...you will take our pool house."

"Are you sure?"

"A nanny usually lives with the family anyway...And it would help with the kids even more because I have to go out of town for a few weeks here and there."

"Only if it isn't too much trouble."

"The day you are rude to me, I swear hell would have frozen over."

With the new feeling of hope linger deep inside her, Quinn moved to the pool-letting her legs soak in the soothing water. Kicking them back and forth, she heard the door slide open behind her and a familiar voice to comfort her.

"Can I sit with you?"

She nodded as she saw a pair of legs next to her before then seeing Hudson sit beside her. "I know things are difficult for you right now, but I promise to do everything I can to help you."

"I feel like I don't deserve it."

"Are you kidding? You have done so much for these kids! And for me...you know...around the house...even made me feel young again!' He teased. "I just don't want you to worry."

"Thanks...but its' kind of inevitable."

"Tell me what I can do."

"You have already done so much."

"Quinn," She trembled when he spoke her name. "Please let me help."

"You already are. Thanks to you and Rochelle, I won't be sleeping in a sleazy motel or anything."

"Alright."

"I should get to bed, I have classes in the morning."

He nodded. "Goodnight, Quinn."

"Goodnight."

She moved towards the pool house before he called towards her. "For what it's worth, I'm glad you are staying here."

And just like that, she knew this crush was not going to go away easily-if at all.