Nick stared at the woman perched on his sofa, her eyes staring off as something in the distance even as her fingers stroked through Delilah's hair.

After her day off last week, she had been different. Not that Nick knew much about his new housekeeper, he still hadn't managed to bring himself to open the envelope, but even he could discern that there was something wrong. Still, she had come home, spent time with the children as promised with a smile on her face. It was only now, in quiet moments when the children were not watching, the mask slipped and he got to see the troubled woman underneath the façade.

There was definitely something wrong with her.

Noting his gaze upon her, she offered a smile which did not reach her eyes and then glanced away again. Her hair was down today instead of her usual top knot and she was wearing a casual summer dress due to the unusually warm weather they had been experiencing. It was her day off, his day with the children but she had advised him of no plans, instead choosing to immerse herself within the children. And by extension, she was choosing to spend time with him.

Nick frowned and glanced down at his children who were lying in her lap, content to be mothered and doted upon. She did that for them. She cared for them in the small ways which mattered like stroking Delilah's hair after she had woken from a bad dream or kissing Tommy's finger when he had accidently shut it in the cupboard door. Small things he had glimpsed for himself but they made a big difference to his children. And if Nick was being completely honest with himself, they made a big difference to him too.

None of her predecessors had ever taken the time to truly care for his children, to go that extra mile to make sure that the kids enjoyed being in her company. The others had just been another member of staff, one for the kids to loathe and run rings around and yet here she was, a dainty little woman, making his children fall in love with her.

"Would you like a something to eat? I'm going to make the kids some lunch?" she murmured, nudging Delilah to the side so she could get to her feet. Tommy had fallen asleep, his thumb in his mouth as he slept on.

Betsy's tired eyes met Nick's for just a second as she waited for him to answer. He hesitated and then shook his head allowing her to leave the room. There was no happy bounce to her step like there had been that first week. They needed to talk – there was really no avoiding it if they were going to make this something more than temporary.

Nick glanced down at the two children laid beside him. Tommy's mouth hung open, giving little snores with each inhale, while drool escaped down his cheek. Delilah content to be watching the television, her fingers absently twirling strands of her hair.

His eyes lifted back up to the doorway Betsy had disappeared through.

The decision was already made.

Nick gave it a few long seconds before he too stood from the comfort and warmth of the sofa.

"I'll just go and see if Ms Betsy needs any help with lunch. I'll be back in a minute." He muttered, getting nothing more than grunt in response before Tommy buried his face into the cushion and resumed his snoring.

Delilah didn't even notice his leaving. Her eyes were firmly on the TV screen.

Shaking his head, Nick resolved that his children would spend less time in front of the TV if it was the last thing he did. First thing first, he had to deal with his housekeeper.

Entering the kitchen, Nick was unsurprised to see every surface gleaming. Ms Reed was off visiting her family so Betsy had taken it upon herself to maintain the pristine state of the kitchen in her absence. He had caught her at midnight the night before, down on her hands and knees, her small hands covered in vibrant pink gloves as she scrubbed the kitchen floors. She definitely didn't shy away from work and Nick would be lying if he said he hadn't spent a few minutes watching her work before announcing his presence, watching her bottom sway side to side as she scrubbed in time to the music playing in her earphones.

The woman herself was nowhere to be seen in the kitchen. Everything was still and silent. Then quiet cussing sounded from the far side of the kitchen where the door to the pantry stood ajar. Shaking his head, Nick crossed the room in a few big strides and yanked open the door. His abrupt appearance startled Betsy, who had been balancing on a small folding footstool as she tried to reach items on the top shelf. Yelping, her arms flapping uselessly at her sides, Betsy fell backwards from the stool.

Launching forwards, Nick thrust his body between hers and the shelving, catching her within his outstretched arms. The force of her falling body sent him stumbling backwards, his back hitting the shelves so that several boxes of cereal fell from the top and smacked on to his head, the contents exploding outwards over the floor. Winded from the force of the hit, it took several seconds for him to drag in a breath.

Groaning loudly, Nick forced himself away from the shelving, the slight woman tightly within his grasp. She too was struggling to draw in breaths but it was probably more to do with the shock of the fall.

"Why is it you always seem to fall over when I'm around?" Nick grunted before allowing her body to slide down his as he set her back on her feet. She wobbled on her feet while her wide eyes stared about the room, seemingly in a daze.

When he got no reply, Nick looked down to meet the blue eyed gaze of the woman still pressed up against him. In that moment all thoughts of his pain and discomfort disappeared. With his hands wrapped around her arms, Nick held onto her even though she had finally found her balance. He tried to let go but his body wouldn't allow it. The feel of her warmth against his body felt so foreign and at the same time it was fulfilling. It was as though he had been missing something even though he hadn't realised it before. For so long he had been on his own. The flings had been nothing more than – he wasn't proud to admit it – sexual relief. Yet, for the first time in years, holding this one woman felt different for Nick.

He could feel all of her, feel It branding itself into his memory so that he would never forget this moment and the feel of her. Immediately Nick felt a sliver of guilt. This woman was being nothing but an excellent employee and he couldn't stop these thoughts from crossing his mind.

"Are you okay?" He asked finally, releasing one of his hands from around her arm so that he could move the piece of hair from where it had fallen in front of her eye.

"I'm fine," Betsy stuttered in reply, her eyes dropping away from his but making no move away from him. "You caught me before I could get hurt. Thank you for that. Are you okay? You hit the racking quite hard and I did fall on you."

Nick rolled his eyes. "I'm fine. It's nothing a hot bath can't cure." He replied, before using his hand to tilt her face up so she could meet his gaze. Nick sucked in a sharp breath.

The intimacy of cradling her face, even if he hadn't intended it to be so, had him struggling for air. She blinked and as their eyes connected, he felt like he was staring into the depths of her. She was a stranger and yet he felt like he knew everything he needed to know about this woman with a single look. She was vulnerable under his stare. She needed him. And he needed her.

Clearing his throat, he tried to clear his mind of the fog.

"That's not what I meant. You've been..." he paused, his eyes searching for the right word. "Off. You've been off for the last few days."

The woman in his arms stiffened, he felt her chest heave due to their proximity as she started to draw in panicked breaths.

"I'll be better I promise. Please don't fire me." She burst out, her breaths heaving in and out. Both of her hands gripped tightly on to his t-shirt as she spoke. Desperation clung to her like a second skin.

"Ms Jones, calm down. I am not going to fire you." Nick stated, before releasing a sigh. "I was just expressing my concern. I wanted to check you are alright. So, are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

He pinned her with a stare, his fingers holding her in place until she sagged against him.

"Okay, I'm not fine but I will be." Betsy released her hands from where it had been gripping his shirt and instead wrapped her fingers around his where they were touching her face. "Thank you for caring."

Nick blinked and shook his head, quickly dropping his hands and taking a step back. He coughed to clear his throat, his eyes unwilling to meet those of the small petite woman just a few paces away. "Yes, well. It's what any good employer would do."

Betsy shook her head, a small but genuine smile appearing on her lips for the first time in days. "No, it's not but I really do appreciate it. I'm just ...trying to get over some things. It will take a while but I will get there eventually."

Before he could blink, Betsy had closed the space between them. And then she was on her tip toes. Nick's eyes were wide as she pressed her lips to his cheek, the touch so brief he almost thought he had imagined it.

"I'll just clear this up and then I'll make a start on lunch." Betsy stated, her cheeks now suffused with red as she steadfastly avoided his gaze.

Not really hearing her words, Nick nodded numbly to whatever it was she was saying while he slowly lifted his hand pressed over the spot where her lips had been just moments before. It had only been a kiss – a strictly platonic kiss on his cheek but Nick felt like his world had turned upside down. The skin beneath his palm tingled and his heart felt out of sync.

Mad. He was going mad. It was the only way to explain how this small bundle of woman affected him so much with so little effort on her part.

Dropping his hand from his face, Nick drew in a deep breath and did his best to regain some semblance of control. Betsy chose that moment to re-enter the pantry, dustpan and brush in hand. Stepping into her path, he prised them both from her hands and pinned her with a stare. She was so unaffected by their proximity, so unmoved by the feel of the slightest brush of their skin. Maybe she didn't feel it like he did. It was a thought which made Nick feel queasy.

Keeping his face blank, he nodded his head back towards the kitchen. "I'll take care of this. You go on and get started with lunch."

Betsy blinked up at him but there was intensity to her gaze as she stared up at him. Being this close, he noted for the first time that her eyes weren't just plain blue; there were flecks of green within her irises. It was like looking into the depths of the sea and getting lost in its beauty. Nick cursed on the inside but kept his face serene – well as serene as he could ever look. He didn't even recognise this person she turned him in to.

Finally his employee nodded her head, blonde hair swaying everywhere.

"Okay," she murmured and then without another word she left him on his own to clear up the mess.

Staring at the dustpan and brush, Nick felt something within in him shift. He wanted her to want him. It was irrational – she was his employee – he shouldn't want her.

Rubbing a hand down his face, Nick sighed before muttering to himself, "I'm so screwed."