By Sunday, Annie was surprised at how well they were still able to hide their affection in front of Emma-Claire. Even though she’d agreed, it still didn’t feel comfortable being all over each other in front of her. The morning after they’d first made love, Annie wondered if she’d ever be able to keep her hands off of JC again in public, much less in front of Emma-Claire. But that morning when they were making breakfast, they were both just as guarded about it as before. JC admitted later he didn’t want it to be a public display of affection all of the time in front of her, but he was a little more prone to grab Annie’s butt or graze against her if Emma-Claire wasn’t paying attention. Annie knew it would come in due time and that if she knew Emma-Claire as well as she thought she did, then the child would be ecstatic and eventually react like most children reacted upon seeing their parents show affection in front of them. She remembered quite well the faces that Henry and Ruby would make when Corbin would kiss Patsy in front of them or the time that Henry asked Corbin if his mother had cooties when they’d met because didn’t all girls have cooties until they got married? So, Annie wasn’t worried or concerned about when or how Emma-Claire would discover her father was dating her nanny. As long as she didn’t walk in on them in bed, Annie was fine with whatever happened.

Sunday had been a rainy, lazy day and by Emma-Claire’s naptime, Annie was feeling a bit tired herself and had sprawled out on the couch in the living room while JC had been on the phone off and on all day with different people trying to get Girl Radical a new gig. So far, he’d booked a few locations in North Hollywood, Burbank, and Anaheim.

“Right. Exactly. So my parents are in town next week and I’ll probably take a few days off to hang with them,” JC was saying as he came upstairs from the basement. Annie stirred and smiled to herself upon hearing him say that. Taking a few days off meant that she would for sure get some time alone with him. “Yeah. Good. That sounds great. I’ll be in touch. Bye.”

Annie let out a tired sigh and turned over, looking right up at JC who was standing above her.

“Hey,” he said. “Sorry, you were just all sexy on my couch and I had to do something about it.”

Annie smiled back sleepily and lifted her arms to drape around his neck, pulling him toward her. JC gladly rested his body on top of hers and kissed her again, this time with more desire and Annie forgot about how tired she’d been before he’d joined her on the couch. This was how most of their encounters had been over the course of the last two days. They couldn’t seem to get enough of each other. His hands wandered down between her legs and began to massage her over her jeans. Annie groaned and bucked against his touch. He became more aggressive, which she liked a lot.

“Tell me what you want me to do,” he growled in her ear and Annie looked into his eyes.

“Don’t stop doing that,” she gasped. “But here. Let me help you.” She moved her hands down to the button of her jeans and undid them, then took his hand and moved it inside of the material. Once his thumb made contact with her most sensitive spot, Annie moaned contentedly and basked in what he was doing to her.

“Does that feel okay?” he looked into her eyes and continued to massage her. “Tell me if it’s too hard.”

“No, it feels good,” Annie assured him and looked down between them to watch, which only made her more turned on.

“That’s hot, baby,” he whispered.

“What is?”

“You watching me do this to you,” his forefinger slipped inside of her and Annie thought she would die from how good it felt. His motions became fiercer and Annie could feel it pulsate within her.

“I-I’m almost…shit, JC…I’m –“ she couldn’t even finish what she was about to tell him before a surge of pleasure came over her and she was soon throbbing against his fingers. She gasped and pulled him toward her. He pulled his fingers out and Annie bit her lip, gingerly taking his hand, and looking at him as she put one in her mouth and sucked on it. JC raised an eyebrow at her gesture.

“Shit, Annie. That’s so sexy, baby,” he watched her as she pulled his finger from her mouth and clasped her hand with his.

“I don’t know, I just thought I’d try something different,” she whispered and reached down to pull her jeans on again. He folded his arms around her and Annie leaned into him and closed her eyes. That was only one of many encounters they’d had like that. They were addicted to one another and Annie loved this stage of their relationship where everything was new and exciting and every touch made her feel as though her entire body was on fire.

“So, you get a few days off next week?” Annie finally said, her fingers laced through his and resting on her stomach.

“Mmhm,” JC kissed the top of her head. “I’ve already told my parents they could have my bedroom because I’ll be in the pool house with you.”

Annie turned around slightly and looked at him. “So your parents will know we’re doing it every night? Awesome.” She was being somewhat sarcastic but was a little worried that his mother might think of her as some sort of easy floozy and Annie didn’t want that to be the first impression Karen had of her son’s girlfriend.

“Annie, my parents know we’re in a relationship and they’re not stupid. We’d be doing it whether or not we were there or in the house,” JC chuckled against her ear.

“I don’t want your mom to think I’m a slut,” Annie said and moved away from JC to face him.

“Trust me. I’ve dated much sluttier,” he was trying to be assuring but this only made Annie frown. “What I mean is, she knows what kind of girl you are and we’re grown ass adults. It shouldn’t matter.”

Normally, Annie wouldn’t have let it matter. But she wanted to make a good impression on his parents not only as the nanny to their granddaughter but the girlfriend of their son. JC saw Annie’s expression and pulled her back to him.

“Relax. My parents are easy going. My mom already likes you. I’m pretty sure she’s more paranoid that I’ll screw something up for us before you could ever do anything wrong,” he kissed her lips and Annie placed her palms on his chest and flirtatiously grinned at him.

“Oh? And are you planning on screwing up anything between us?” she rested her forehead against his.

“No,” JC kissed her again. He loved the feeling of her lips pressed against his. Her body wrapped around his when they made love. Everything about her. JC knew this woman had made him a goner. He was madly infatuated with everything Annie Leighton was.

It was Monday morning before Emma-Claire found out their secret. JC and Annie had been in the kitchen making her breakfast when Emma-Claire had gotten up from the table to run to the bathroom. JC had taken that opportunity to press Annie up against the refrigerator and quickly fondle and kiss her. To their relief, Emma-Claire had walked in when he was pulling away from her and had only seen their lips touch.

“Daddy! Are you kissing Annie?” Emma-Claire shrieked and ran over to them. She looked up at both of them with wide eyes and covered her mouth with her little hands.

“I am,” JC pulled Annie to him and wrapped his arm around her waist. “Is that okay?”

Emma-Claire didn’t answer, only looked up at Annie. “Do you like it when my Daddy kisses you?” she asked and Annie bit on her lip as not to burst out laughing.

“I do, Emma-Claire. I like it a lot,” she bent down to Emma-Claire’s level. “But if you don’t want me to kiss him in front of you, I won’t.”

“You can kiss him,” Emma-Claire took Annie’s hand in her little one. “Do you love my Daddy?”

“I care about him a lot,” Annie replied, brushing a strand of hair from Emma-Claire’s eyes. “But we care about you a lot more, girl.”

“So are you gonna be okay if Annie is my girlfriend?” JC spoke and Emma-Claire averted her eyes from Annie to JC.

“Yeah, Daddy,” Emma-Claire smiled. “Are you gonna marry her?”

“Right now we’re just gonna be boyfriend and girlfriend. That’s all you have to worry about, honey,” JC tousled her hair and went back over to the stove to spoon out her oatmeal. “Oh, and guess what today is?”

“I know! Mimi and Pops are coming to see me!” Emma-Claire squealed, nearly bouncing up and down in her seat.

“That’s right,” JC grinned and placed the oatmeal in front of her. “And me and you and Annie are going to pick them up at the airport.”

“Yay!” Emma-Claire giggled and dug into her food. JC pulled Annie into his lap and rested his head on her back. 

“That was painless,” he said softly and Annie nodded, her fingers resting on top of his. She felt that familial feeling wash over her once more and noticed she’d been feeling it a lot more lately. It was getting easier and easier to accept and now that Emma-Claire knew, Annie knew that she’d have to guard her heart even more from going to that place of wanting this to be her new family.

Emma-Claire looked as though she had never been so happy before at dinner that evening. She sat between Roy and Karen and across from JC and Annie and was the center of everyone’s attention. Roy had been taken immediately with his granddaughter and Emma-Claire with him. They’d already established a silly grandfather to granddaughter relationship in the short ride from the airport to the Mexican restaurant near JC’s house. Karen had brought her an entire suitcase of toys and when JC had protested it, Karen had told him that they didn’t get to see their granddaughter and this was what grandparents did was spoil their grandchildren. Not five minutes into dinner, Emma-Claire had announced, “Daddy and Annie are boyfriend and girlfriend!” and burst into giggles upon her pronouncement. Annie tried to will herself not to blush but it had become impossible and it was then that Emma-Claire asked Annie why she was “red in the face.”

“So, anyway,” JC cleared his throat, doing his best to avert the subject. “I’ve taken off a few days so we can all hang out. And tomorrow night, I’m taking Annie out on our first date. Which means, Emma-Claire, you get Mimi and Pops all to yourself.”

“And we’re gonna do whatever you want to do,” Roy looked down at Emma-Claire and tickled her under her chin to which the little girl burst into fits of laughter.

“Can we go to McDonalds and play on the playground? And can we watch a movie in Daddy’s big movie room and eat popcorn with M&Ms?” Emma-Claire began to spout off other random activities that she wanted to do with her grandparents. JC put his arm around Annie’s shoulder and traced his fingers lazily on her shoulder watching his daughter’s interactions with his parents. He couldn’t remember a time when he felt more content in his life and especially a time where he felt so comfortable with someone he was just starting to date. Maybe that was why none of those other relationships or flings had ever worked out. Maybe it was because he needed this child in his life to introduce him to all he’d ever been missing.

Later that night, after settling his parents into his bedroom, tucking in Emma-Claire with Annie, and grabbing a few items from his dresser drawers, he felt almost giddy walking over to the pool house with Annie. They were finally going to be in a space that they could be as loud as they wanted for as long as they wanted. Karen had told them both that evening that they could have the morning off and she would see them whenever they made it over to the main house. He hadn’t realized just how exhausting the last month or so had been having Emma-Claire around. Nor had he realized how difficult it was to have sex with his girlfriend or steal any intimacy with her with the child in the next room. He expected them to immediately grope each other as soon as they entered the pool house, but it was as though every single bit of exhaustion caught up with them and even when JC began to kiss on her, Annie only snuggled against him, letting him know that she was just as tired.

“I figured we’d be like bunnies tonight,” JC chuckled in her ear, pulling her into a hug.

“Me too,” Annie sighed and looked up at him with a tired smile. “Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. I feel the same way,” he kissed her.

After brushing their teeth, he followed her up to the loft and watched her strip down to her bra and panties, then pulled the covers back on her bed. She slipped beneath them and looked at him, waiting for him to follow suit. He threw his clothes on the ground and slid in next to her in nothing but his boxer briefs, then pulled her against him. His fingers drummed across her stomach and Annie let out a contented sigh.

“Your parents are pretty great,” she said, turning over so that she was looking up at him.

“Yeah, they’re awesome,” JC smiled and moved a strand of hair behind her ear. He leaned down to kiss her and Annie shifted so that he was laying on top of her. “Did I ever tell you they adopted me?” he kissed her neck as he said this.

“No? Really?” Annie moved and propped herself up on the back of her elbow.

“Yeah,” JC continued and went back to her neck, this time sinking his teeth into her.

“Ow!” Annie yelped and giggled at the same time. “Wait, so you’re adopted? Have you ever met your birth parents?”

JC moved the hair by her ear and began to suck on the skin beneath it. “Ann, are you really interested? Because I find your neck really kissable right now.”

“Well, wait a minute. I wanna hear the story,” Annie gently pushed him away from her and JC sighed, moving down her body and resting his chin on her stomach and looked up at her as he continued.

“I was five when I was adopted. I knew my mom because she knew the Chasez’s. I still hear from her every now and then,” he began to draw circles on her stomach with his fingers. “But I’ve never met my father. He left when my mom was pregnant with me. So I really have no use for him.”

Annie saw the look of disgust wash over JC’s face and frowned. She ran her fingers through his hair and down his cheek. “I’m sorry, baby.”

“Oh, it’s fine. Roy’s my dad. He’ll always be my dad. And Karen is my mom. They raised me. They’re my parents,” he kissed her stomach and looked up at her again. “That’s why when you called me out on being a jerk dad to Emma-Claire I was so quick to change. I didn’t want to be the man that my birth father was. And I know I have enough of him in me to have easily done that. I don’t easily commit to things or relationships-“ he saw Annie wince at that statement “-no, Annie, that’s not what I mean. You’re the first woman that’s made me think twice about my life and the state of it. You and Emma-Claire.”

Annie breathed a sigh of relief at the same time emitting a small laugh. “JC…”

“Hey,” he crawled back up to her until his face met hers. “I think it’s time you started calling me Josh.”

“Oh yeah?” Annie enveloped her arms around his neck.

“Yeah,” JC bent down and pressed his lips against hers. “Most of my friends and my family call me that. And I want you to start calling me that now.”

“Well,” Annie kissed him back. “What if I slip and call you JC?”

“Then I guess I’ll have to spank you,” JC constrained himself against her, their legs intertwining. JC reached down and tugged at her panties. “I want you, baby.”

She wrapped her legs around his waist and arched herself so that JC could easily slip inside of her depths. Their tiredness suddenly dissolved as it always did when it came to being with each other.

“Where are you taking her on your first date?” Roy asked JC the next afternoon.  They were sitting on the back patio and Roy was smoking a cigar, while JC sipped on a beer. Annie had decided to use the free time she’d gained to clean the pool house since it hadn’t been touched in a while and she’d also wanted to give her boyfriend space to visit with his parents. Karen was inside napping with Emma-Claire.

“There’s a new restaurant in Beverly Hills I’m going to take her to,” JC answered, his feet propped up on the patio table. “Then I thought we’d either hit up a club or a wine bar.”

“She’s a great girl, Josh,” Roy noted, his gaze wandering over to the pool house. “I know you’re not one for settling down and I know this girl’s only been with you a short time, but son, I think if I were you, I’d hold on to this one.”

“Yeah, I know, Dad,” JC agreed and leaned back into the couch. “She’s different. Maybe it’s because she’s the one who got me to pay attention to Emma-Claire and showed me exactly what I was missing with her. I don’t know. She’s amazing.”

“I’m glad to hear you talk that way,” Roy mused. “Your mother was afraid you’d die alone one day.”

At that minute, he looked up to see Annie emerge from the pool house. She looked over at Roy and JC and waved. “Come over here,” JC called to her.

Annie strolled over and sat down across from JC on the couch. He eyed her and shook his head. “What’re you doing over there? I said come here,” as he said that, he grabbed her arm and pulled her over to him.

“I was giving you and your dad time, silly!” Annie playfully slapped his arm.

“You’re not interrupting in the least, Annie,” Roy assured her with a smile. “I was just telling Josh how great we think you are for him.”

“Oh, um, thank you,” Annie wished she could control her blushing. It had gotten out of control in the last twenty-four hours with all of the comments made about her and JC. It wasn’t that she was ashamed; she’d just never had this much attention drawn to her in a relationship before. And considering how she and JC had even started their relationship, well, she knew it might be considered somewhat scandalous to those who didn’t know the full situation. From what she’d gathered from his parents, she was pretty sure that this relationship with their son was a positive thing.

“You have any more Diet Cokes?” Roy stood to his feet and put his cigar in the ashtray.

“In the frig. I can get you one-“ JC went to stand and Roy shook his head.

“No, I’ll go get one. Be right back,” he went back into the house and JC looked at Annie and leaned in to kiss her.

“What time are you picking me up?” she asked him, bringing her knees to her chest and looking at him coyly.

“Seven-thirty,” JC replied, linking his fingers through hers. “So you’d better be ready and looking sexy.”

“I’ll be ready. I don’t know how sexy I’ll be, though. I’m not one for showing too much skin on the first date,” she quipped.

“Oh really?” he said. “Do you put out on the first date?”

“Lately I’ve been putting out before I even go on a date.”

“Great. Then I’ll bring a toothbrush,” JC leaned in and began to peck her lips. “I can’t wait to take you out tonight, baby.”

Annie grinned at him. “Yeah. It only took you a week and a few times in bed to finally ask me on a date.”

“You’re funny,” JC shook his head. “I’m gonna come to your apartment at seven. So it’ll feel like a real date. And so you and I don’t have to parade through the living room in front of my parents and Emma-Claire.”

“I love that idea,” Annie agreed and went to stand. “I guess I’d better get ready. It’s almost five and if you want me to look sexy then I’ve got a lot of cleaning up to do.”

“Baby, you have no idea how hot you are, do you?” JC gave her a once over and shook his head. “I’ll see you at seven.”

Annie bent down to kiss him. “See you then.”