Fakely HIS

Chapter 38

Poking my head inside the study, I silently observed Nicholas working. Biting my lips, I forced my hands to not fidget as I thought about what to say to him. Hunter's words from two days ago had messed with my head and I wanted to desperately get it out of my head – and also to desperately get out of this house.

It wasn't like I wasn't allowed to go out of this house – I didn't need his permission. Nicholas had actually encouraged me to go out when Sky had called yesterday and wanted to meet for brunch. He wasn't what had me worried, it was the paparazzi's reaction if I brought the twins with me.

Nicholas practically lived in his office or in the study these days; something about James finally agreeing to hand over the Chicago office to him on terms that he worked harder to finish off a deal. The time I got to see him home had reduced as was the time he spent with his kids and considering that Marcia had still not come back from her son's place and Nicholas was never home, leaving the kids home alone was not an option – I had to take them with me.

Nicholas had offered to pay for a babysitter, but I was wary about even that. Leaving the kids with someone we barely knew didn't sit well with me. I was in a dilemma.

"How long are you going to be standing there, staring at nothing?"

His words broke me out of my trance and I blinked, looking at Nicholas as he sat leaned back in his chair, his laptop shut. I had been so consumed by my thoughts, I hadn't even realized that Nicholas had noticed me and had stopped working. Giving him a sheepish smile, I stood straighter.

"I didn't mean to disturb your work."

"You didn't," he assured, waving for me to come into his study, "Come on, tell me what's bothering you."

Sighing, I stepped inside, biting my lips as I contemplated how to bring it up, "Sky called yesterday..."

"I know," he caught my hand, pulling me into his lap. A soft gasp escaped me as he held my hips, making me comfortable there, "You have brunch plans tomorrow. What's new?"

My body slowly relaxed, as he rested his chin on my shoulder, his touch somehow calming me, "I... What if there were paparazzi there? I don't want to take Archer and Bryce out with me and then have the paparazzi hovering over us every second."

"You need not worry about that, we can always call in a babysitter," he offered again.

"I don't feel comfortable leaving the kids with someone we don't know," I said, sighing, "Will Matt be able to take care of them for two hours?"

"Matt's gone to a conference in China. He won't be in until next week," Nicholas ran a hand through my hair, his breath hitting my neck, making a small shiver run down my spine, "How about I stay home tomorrow to take care of the boys while you go have brunch with your friends?"

I immediately shook my head at him, "We both know you have an important meeting tomorrow; you were working hard the past two days to put it all together."

He smiled at me, his eyes lighting up, something that I cannot put my finger to burning deep inside it, "If you've forgotten, I'm the CEO, I can always postpone."

"No," I shook my head, determined to not have him skip his meeting for me, "You can't do that. Not for me, not for anything else. Let's think of something else."

"How about my mom?" he asked after a few minutes.

I looked at him over my shoulder, "Wouldn't Paige mind?"

Rolling his eyes at me, he scoffed, "I'm her son; Archer and Bryce are currently her only grandchildren, why would she mind?"

"You think so?"