Nanny Next Door Read Free Page A

was about to pounce. In fact, he seemed totally relaxed.
    But the way he stared at her with those dark, dark eyes, it was as though he could see right through her. Maybe it was a cop thing. Or maybe, playboy that he was, he was checking her out.
    Sure he is, Syd. A gorgeous man like him looking at a woman like you.
    Not that she didn’t consider herself attractive. She was, in an unrefined way. Makeup, though she’d tried every subtle technique known to man, made her look cheap and her wild red hair never cooperated when she attempted the latest sleek, sophisticated style. Most days it ended up in an unruly mass of curls pulled back in a ponytail or wrestled into a clip.
    And clothes? That was another disaster. She wore conservative skirts and blouses to work, but otherwise had the fashion sense of a brick. She relied on her daughter for fashion tips and clothes swapping and as a result was the only thirty-four-year-old resident in all of Prospect who dressed as if she were still in high school. But she was comfortable that way. She liked herself that way, and all of the complaints and criticisms Jeff had dished out over the course of their marriage—and there had been a lot—hadn’t broken her spirit. Though at times he’d come close.
    “Hey, Margie,” Deputy Valenzia said to the person on the other end of the line. “My car was hit and I have the insurance info.” He paused, scowling. “Can’t I fill it out the next time I come in?” The answer must have been yes because he read off Sydney’s name, insurance company and policy number. Glancing up at the clock over the sink, he scowled again. “Could you just take care of it for me? I have to get back before April wakes up.”
    April. His latest conquest? Maybe that was her new neighbor. Great. That meant a constant police presence on the block until they broke up, which from what she’d heard, thankfully wouldn’t take long. The only thing worse would be if Deputy Valenzia was living there, but her luck couldn’t possibly be that lousy.
    “No,” he continued, sounding irritated. “I’m next door. My cell phone is dead. I think April drooled on it.”
    Okay, unless his girlfriend had overactive salivary glands, April had to be a dog. One never could tell though…
    He rattled off what she figured was probably his badge number, thanked Margie—whoever she was—then hung up the phone and pushed away from the counter, rising to his full, intimidating height. “Thanks.”
    Wait a minute? That was it?
    She frowned. “You’re not going to call for reinforcements?”
    His dark brows knit together. “For a fender bender?”
    “No Breathalyzer?”
    “Do you need one?”
    “Of course not! I just thought—” She really needed to keep her mouth shut.
    He walked toward her, his footsteps heavy on the tile floor, and Sydney stiffened again, even though it was obvious he didn’t plan to arrest her. Maybe he didn’t work for Jeff after all.
    She took a deep breath, forcing herself to relax.
    He stopped barely a foot away, towering a good ten inches over her, until she had to crane her neck to meet his eyes. He held out the insurance card for her. “Next time watch where you’re going,” he said.
    She nodded and plucked the card from between his fingers, careful not to make contact again. God, she hoped he was only visiting next door. She didn’t think she could handle the stress of knowing there was a deputy living so close, monitoring her every move.
    “Thanks for the phone.” He stepped past her to the door and as he was walking out he turned back, flashing her a lazy grin. “See you around, neighbor.”





CHAPTER TWO
    D ANIEL V ALENZIA managed to contain his amusement until he was out the door and on his way across the lawn to his rental. Sydney Harris needed to take a big fat chill pill. But he couldn’t really blame her for being tense, considering all she’d been through the past few months.
    Her sleazebag ex-husband must have done quite a