Confessions of a Naughty Nanny
by Piper Rayne
Self-Published
Book 6 in The Bailey's Series
When a famous music producer moves to Lake Starlight it can’t just be a coincidence.
It’s the universe helping to move things along in the right direction so that Griffin Thorne can discover me.
I have to confess—I’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen.
Confession #1: I may have overhead that he was in search of a nanny. What can I say? My brother has a big mouth.
Confession #2: It’s possible I helped along the assumption that I had nanny experience. Hey, babysitting my nieces and nephew counts, right?
Confession #3: There’s a good chance I oversold my qualifications. But my Grandma Dori backed me up, so it’s not completely my fault.
And it worked. He hired me. Only for me to find out that he left the business.
I guess it’s on to Plan B.
When he accidentally overhears me singing, I expect nothing from him. Then he asks to work with me on a song for our town’s Founder’s Day Parade and it feels like a dream come true. Until...
Confession #4: I’ve fallen for him.
Genre:
NOOOOOOOOO!!!
Listen, I was really looking forward to this one.
One, because I love Phoenix. Her attitude and personality is so different from the rest of the Bailey's. I was excited to see who would catch her eye.
Two, because I love a bit of a taboo romance, and the title screams taboo.
But ... this book fell a bit flat for me.
Phoenix was still herself ... but a bit different too.
And Griffin was fun. Interesting.
I just didn't feel any chemistry. At all. The taboo nature of it didn't even do it for me.
It was too quick.
A bit unexciting.
Not what I was expecting for the fiery Phoenix.
Not what I was expecting at all.
While I am disappointed that this book was not what I was hoping for, it's not terrible. I still enjoyed it. It just was a bit flat for me. But it might be different for you, so give it a try if you haven't yet!
Sedona: “Did he just pick his nose?”
Phoenix: “Yep. Welcome to Rome’s life now.”
Sedona: “Ew, gross.”
Dion pulls his finger from his nose and inspects the booger on the end. His mouth slowly opens.
Sedona: “Phoenix, stop him.”
Dion sticks his finger into his mouth.
Phoenix: “Then I’d have to touch his finger,”
Sedona: “You cannot let our nephew eat boogers.”
Sedona is much like Savannah. I think they share a Pinterest page on organizational techniques.
Phoenix: “Can and did. If you want to stop him, get on a plane.” He looks up and nods.
Denver: “No sleeping with him.”
I roll my eyes.
Phoenix: “Those who screw their co-workers shouldn’t cast stones at others.” Cleo: “You’re growing up so fast.”
She pretends to sniffle.
Cleo: “Seriously though, please refrain from becoming the cliché nanny who slept with her boss. I’m not sure your brother would ever recover.”
I laugh and she does too.
Phoenix: “He’s super hot though, right?”
I say just to needle my brother.
Cleo: “He’s also in his thirties and has established his life. But yeah, he’s hot.”
She giggles. I nod and say nothing else. I’m not looking to sleep with Griffin Thorne. I strictly want his money.
Denver: “Cleo!”
Denver yells. She draws back and shakes her head at him.
Cleo: “Calm down before you give yourself an aneurism. My God, it’s not like Griffin is your best friend.”
Denver: “Yeah, my best friend already fucked my other sister and now they’re living together.”
Cleo covers her mouth and laughs.
Cleo: “Shit, you might be oh for two soon.”
He fists his hands at his sides.
Denver: “Not making it any better, babe.” Griffin: “You just dive right in, don’t you?”
His grin is wide and contagious.
Phoenix: “When I see something I want, I’m rarely detoured.” Griffin: "Tell me, who is Phoenix Bailey?”
I open my mouth, but he places his finger on my lips.
Griffin: “And I don’t want to know who she is in someone else’s eyes. I want to know what you see in the mirror every day.”
When is his psychoanalyzing going to end? A small part of me likes that he’s trying to figure me out, because maybe that means he cares. I’m reluctant to tell him who I really am, but I might as well see if he can handle it.
Phoenix: “I’m passionate, and I protect myself fiercely. I don’t like bullshit, and I hate two-faced people. I say what I want without worrying too much about repercussions. If I want something, rarely does anything stop me, but lately a heavy dose of self-doubt has stopped me from being the fighter I always believed I was. Are we being completely honest?”
He nods.
Phoenix: “And we still have the one-for-one agreement?”
He rolls his eyes but nods with a smirk.
Phoenix: “I also have the hots for my boss. Your turn,”
I say in a soft voice. His hand moves away from me a bit. He glances around then locks eyes with me.
Griffin: “I’m also passionate about my work. Most of the time too passionate, which means long hours. I’m obsessive. So much so that I just made a woman cry because I had to keep digging. I love discovering new talent, so I’m not surprised that after only a month here and hearing you sing, I’m ready to dive in. My son is the most important thing in the world to me.”
He stops briefly and licks his lips as though he’s nervous.
Griffin: “And I’m the cliché dad bad movies are made about, because I want to nail the nanny.” Griffin: “We take it slow. No need for labels. Maybe I don’t satisfy you?”
He laughs.
Griffin: “Nope. I guarantee I’ll satisfy you.” Phoenix: “Let me call Principal Nutters.”
She picks up her phone. I somehow manage to suppress a smirk at the principal’s last name. Principal Nutters: “Can I give you some advice, Miss Bailey?”
Principal Nutters says when I reach the door, and I turn around to face him.
Principal Nutters: “You should probably inform the school when Maverick comes home and tells you something like that.”
Phoenix: “With all due respect, Principal Nutters, in my experience, the tattletale always loses.” Griffin: “Um. I’m not really looking right now.”
Juno: “Why not? I mean, if you don’t mind me asking.”
Kingston: “Juno,”
Kingston says with warning in his voice and shoots me an expression to say he’s sorry.
Griffin: “Truth is, my sole focus is on my son at the moment. I wouldn’t be able to give one hundred percent to a relationship.”
Juno: “Then I suggest you stop locking lips with my little sister.”
Huh. I guess we weren’t as hidden as I thought. Griffin: “Please stop saying that. I’m Griffin.”
Phoenix: “No, you’re not. Don’t you see that? You represent my dream. And what if I allow myself to get involved with you and you destroy me? I’ve done stuff before thinking it through my entire life. I shouldn’t have gone to LA without a plan. I shouldn’t have tried to get this nanny position. I shouldn’t have… I shouldn’t have… my entire life is filled with ‘I shouldn’t haves.”
I place my hand on his strong chest.
Phoenix: “You’re offering me something I could never obtain on my own, and I tend to screw things up. So if things got messy between us, I’d have another ‘shouldn’t have’ in my arsenal.” He laughs.
Denver: “Okay, but you know I won’t be the last Bailey to visit you, right? There are two more.”
Griffin: “Am I in the Christmas Carol movie?”
He walks backward to his truck.
Denver: “Remember, the Ghost of Christmas Future is always the scariest. I think we both know which Bailey that will be.”
He opens his truck door.
Griffin: “Who?”
Laughing, he sticks his head out the window.
Denver: “G’ma D, of course.” Griffin: “No one is giving up, but there are obstacles.”
Dori: “Obstacles are meant only to steer you another way, not to block you,” How can they even think I’d want to be fixed up? I just told them I was in love with Phoenix.
Griffin: “I love Phoenix.”
Dori: “Then why are you here?”
I look around as if an idea is going to form.
Griffin: “I have no clue.”
Ethel: “All you have to do is go get her,”
Ethel informs me, and she’s right.
Griffin: “Maverick!”
Dori: “Relax, we have him. I’ll call one of the girls to watch him.”
Dori stands. I grab my keys, my wallet and my phone, stuffing them into my pockets.
Dori: “Come here first,”
I walk over to her, and she hugs me tightly.
Dori: “Welcome to the family.” Harley: “I can’t believe this. The one time I’m not pregnant and you three are all pregnant. ROME!”
Rome: “No. Absolutely not,”
