The Nanny (The Fabulous Dalton Boys Book 1) by Kirsten Osbourne

married him, isn't it?  Because he's sex on a stick."
    Ashley felt the phone taken from her hand, and she looked at Barrett.  "I'm happy to hear you think I'm sex on a stick, ma'am.  What can I help you with?"  Ashley felt almost sick at the thought of Barrett having to deal with her aunt.
    He laughed.  "It may not have been one of my finer moments, but I knew if I got her on that plane, and I could explain, I'd have a shot with her."  He was quiet for a moment.  "Yes, she is pretty incredible.  I'm keeping her."  He laughed again.  "I cannot wait to meet you, Aunt Lachele."  He handed her phone back to her, bent and put his shoulder to her waist as he had on the day in question and carried her back to their room, dropping her on the bed.  "I woke up early so I'd have time to make love to my wife before work.  I still have that time."
     
    *****
     
    Kalee dropped by to see Ashley that afternoon.  "Can I get you to make a statement that despite the fact that it looks like you were kidnapped and forced to marry in that picture, which it does, you married Barrett of your own free will?"  She collapsed on the couch in the living room of Barrett's wing where Ashley was sitting with the baby.
    Ashley blushed and nodded.  "Does it really look that bad?"
    "You haven't seen it?"  Kalee dug in her purse for a minute before holding up a copy of The Dirt .  Not only was Ashley on the cover, she was the big picture on the cover, the top news story.
    "Yeah, that looks bad."  She sighed.  "Of course, I'll make a statement.  I really did marry him because I wanted to."
    "And you'll make a sworn statement of that?  Like with a notary?"
    Ashley nodded.  "I'll do whatever it takes."
    "Good.  Why don't we go into town and get that done this afternoon?" Kalee asked.
    "I'll have to take the baby, but that's fine."
    "Will it hurt him?" Kalee asked, looking at the baby in Ashley's arms.
    "No, I think little Mason will be fine.  I don't want to have him exposed to a lot of germs until he's at least six weeks, but it's summer, and there's not as much going around."  Ashley smiled at him.  "Not Mason.  I'll think of something."
    Kalee grinned.  "Anything would be better than his current name."
    "Well, that's true!"  She handed the baby to Kalee while she stood up.  "I'm going to go and talk to Brooklyn.  She'll want to go with us.  I need to go to Wal-Mart as well, and though it's not her favorite, it is shopping."
    "Of a sort."  Kalee handed the baby back.  "I'll drive.  Do you have his car seat?"
    Ashley had taken it out of the box, and it was sitting on the floor in his room but hadn't been used yet.  She led the way and handed Kalee the car seat.  "Rear facing."
    Kalee nodded, heading out to install the seat while Ashley went in search of Brooklyn, the baby still nestled in her arms.
    Brook was sitting in a chair in the main living room, her legs thrown over one arm, flipping through the pages of a magazine.  She looked up when she saw Ashley.  "How's the drooler?"  She'd warmed up a lot to the baby since she'd had him overnight, seeming to actually care about him a little.
    Ashley grinned. "He's fine.  I need to go to Wal-Mart for more diapers and formula.  I thought you might want to go with me.  I know Wal-Mart's not your favorite place, but it's better than staying here and breaking a sweat...cleaning?"
    "I'm taking a break," Brooklyn said with a grin.  "Sure, Wal-Mart's better than cleaning.  Besides, I want to see if I can find one of those robot vacuums, so it looks like I've done something on days I haven't."
    "I don't think they sell those at Wal-Mart."
    "It won't hurt to look—and looking for a new vacuum cleaner is a great reason for me to be shopping during the day and not cleaning, right?"
    Ashley shook her head as she headed for the door.  "We have to see a notary as well, so I can state that I wasn't forced to marry Barrett."
    Brook laughed.  "Nice photo on the front of The Dirt ,