Chapter 3 Babysit

Anushka's P.O.V.

I don't know what to say as he walks to the desk and asks for the wellness center. Dakota is still holding his hand, smiling at him as though he hung the stars just for her. The woman at the desk gives us directions, and I follow slightly behind Jordan and Dakota.

When we get to the wellness center, we have to wait a few minutes before a man comes out to get Jordan. I hesitate, and he turns to look at me.

"Aren't you coming?" He asks. Dakota puts her hand on her hip.

"Come on, Mommy," she says, as though it makes perfect sense for us to be in this stranger's business. She is never this overly friendly with anyone. Why does she like Jordan so much already?

"I wasn't sure you wanted me to," I reply.

"I need my ray of light, or I may not get through this." The cheesy lines are starting to have a little effect on me, but I'm not going to let him know. I stand and follow them to the back. Jordan shows the man, whose name badge says Calvin and that he's a physician assistant, his arm and explains what happened.

"I believe she put a pesticide on you. Unfortunately, the locals have been doing it to tourists a lot lately. Typically, it only causes the rash, but there must be something in what she used that caused you to have a more severe reaction. I'm going to give you some prednisone. It should help with any reactions to the pesticide. You need to take a hot shower and wash thoroughly. I also suggest you not be alone right now in case it gets into your bloodstream and begins causing other problems." Jordan looks at me as Calvin turns toward a locked box on the wall, pulling out what I assume is prednisone.

"Are you here with anyone?" I ask him quietly. He asked me if I was alone, but I never asked him. Maybe he has someone in his room waiting for him right now.

"Nope. I'm here alone. I had to get away from everyone and everything for a while." Funny, he sounds like me.

"We will stay with you. Please, Mommy," Dakota says, glancing at me. She sticks her little lip out and gives me her best puppy-dog eyes. Jordan sees what she's doing and does the same. Good grief, why are they double-teaming me?

"Yeah, please, Mommy," he says as Calvin chuckles in the corner.

"Fine, we'll babysit you," I say, leaning against the wall. Jordan smirks at me as Calvin hands him his pills. Dakota claps her little hands as though I told her she could have a pony.

"Take these exactly as directed and return or go to the hospital if you have any new or worsening symptoms," Calvin instructs him. We walk out of the wellness center, and I prepare to go outside, but Jordan stops me.

"I need to shower. He said I needed to wash thoroughly." I turn around and shrug.

"You go do that, and we'll go to our room until you finish." I know his little nurse is going to argue as soon as the words are out of my mouth.

"He can't be alone, so we need to stay with him," Dakota argues.

"His instructions were that I shouldn't be alone. I think I need someone with me at all times. What if I slip and fall?" He wiggles his eyebrows at me, and I swat his arms as we walk down the hallway. I know exactly what he's implying, and there is no way I'm going to shower with him or even be anywhere near the bathroom while he's in there. I'm only doing this because he was poisoned. I'm not interested in him, not even a little. He stops at the room directly across from ours.

"What a coincidence. This is our room," I say, pointing at our door.

"Well, I guess I know where to go when I get lonely at night." He holds his door open for us. I ignore what he says because I don't know what to say, but my mini-me has no problem finding her words.

"If you get lonely, you can come over. We can watch movies and do lots of fun stuff. Even when I get tired, Mommy can play with you." I groan as Jordan's smile spreads. Someone, please tell Dakota to stop talking.

"That all sounds like fun," he says, watching me as I sit in one of the chairs. Dakota sits in the other chair while he pulls out clothes. I look from the bed to Jordan and can't help but think about what he'd look like lying in the bed. Why is my mind going there? I just met him, not even an hour ago. I have a daughter to think about, not the sexy man who's charming both of us.

"Do you have any kids?" Dakota asks Jordan. I actually want to hear this. He turns and shakes his head.

"Nope, I don't have any kids," he replies. Dakota nods as though that's what she wants to hear.

"Do you like kids?" she asks nervously. Jordan walks over to where we're sitting and smiles at her.

"Of course, I like kids, and I think you're the best one I've ever met." The way her little face lights up makes my heart break. She really has been missing something—not having a male figure in her life. Not that I think a man needs to be in the picture to raise a child.

"I don't have a daddy," Dakota says, smiling at him. Jordan glances at me and then back at her.

"I bet there are a lot of men who would love to be your daddy," he tells her. Dakota looks at me, and I know she wants to ask him to be her daddy. I shake my head slightly, and she listens to me for once. It's time to break up this serious talk.

"Can I be honest?" I ask Jordan.

"Of course," he replies.

"You need to brush your teeth because your breath smells like vomit." Dakota and I burst out laughing at how quickly he runs to the bathroom. We need to keep the conversation light for the rest of the day.  Emotions cause nothing but problems.