Matteo turned on the couch, leaning back against it and placed his hand over his eyes. He blinked slowly and felt the early morning light blind him, like an arrow hitting its target. When he opened his eyes again, he saw that the sun was already shining brightly throughout the room, bathing the cold, white walls with the warm rays of dawn, illuminating and warming the place that had previously seemed so devoid of life or warmth.

He blinked once more, trying to pry his eyelids apart and rubbed his eyes, his vision clearing as Matteo got used to the morning light. He looked around and finally remembered where he was, leaning forward in search of his cell phone. He felt around the coffee table and his pants pockets until an image he hadn't expected to see became clear; all Matteo could see were blue-green eyes, as intense as the sea on a rainy day, along with a thin nose and pretty lips, open in an even prettier smile, although he felt that this smile didn't indicate good news.

In a leap that made his heart race, Matteo threw himself off the couch just as the alarm clock rang, telling him it was time to wake the children. Determined to regain control of the situation, he took a few steps back and put some distance between himself and the man who was leaning over the couch, insisting on disturbing him and who was now smiling at him, his pretty lips widening and the pleasure on his tanned face making it clear that the fun was far from over.

Still half asleep and with his face burning, feeling as if he were observing his own life through a blurred lens, Matteo saw when Mr. Moore straightened his spine and, still smiling, approached him. The man stopped in front of him, placed one of his hands on Matteo's shoulders and looked at him in what seemed to be a friendly way. However, this time, Matteo could see that Mr. Moore had deigned to wear clothes and had even combed his hair, which was now thrown back, allowing him to see how handsome the man really was. With a clean-cut face, white teeth and a smirk, he looked so charming that for a moment Matteo forgot where he was.

If Matteo said that something had possessed him and controlled his mind, would anyone believe him? Well, that's what happened. In slow motion, he found himself raising his own hand and holding the fingers that rested on his shoulders, staring at them, half-seeing and half-disbelieving. Fingers over fingers, his palm curved over his, observing how both hands, together and of such different tones, fit so well that for a moment Matteo just allowed himself to watch. He heard a throat clearing and only then turned his attention to Mr. Moore; his green eyes, handsome face and friendly smile finally making him realize that the silence had lasted longer than usual.

That was a fact he couldn't deny, Derek Moore could be strangely annoying and nice at the same time, but he was one of the most beautiful people Matteo had ever met, even though his face had a slightly rounded shape and he was now wearing glasses, not forgetting the sweetest smile he had ever seen.

"Rough night?”

"…something like that." Matteo said, unsure. With each passing moment, Matteo's confusion grew, making him… uncomfortable, making him feel that little sensation crawling out of his stomach, running down his spine, causing a trail of heat and shivers, something beyond what he was willing to admit.

The truth was that Matteo couldn't help it, Mr. Moore's voice sounded so hoarse and so velvety that he couldn't suppress another shiver, Matteo couldn't help the way his hands gripped his tighter. In return, Derek Moore didn't seem to be behind. The grip on his shoulder was so strong and determined that Matteo's attention went immediately to what the man was saying, making him pay attention to his mouth, to how his lips moved, to his tongue that came out and wet his slightly dry lips, Matteo little by little feeling himself going crazy with every second he spent near that man; one moment, Mr. Moore seemed like he was going to kick him out of the house and the next, they were the best of friends. Matteo didn't feel comfortable with any of this, bothered by the man's sudden change. It made him insecure and uncertain of how to act.

Realizing what was happening, Matteo let go of him and took another step back.

"Sir, if you could--”

"No, it's my fault. I didn't express myself properly." Mr. Moore raised his other hand and when he saw Matteo moving away again, he lowered it and continued in a much softer tone of voice, keeping his intense eyes on Matteo's. "Can we start over?”

Matteo felt a different kind of heat rise up his spine, he opened his mouth to call him a bipolar lunatic when he stopped in the middle of what he was going to say. Yes, Matteo shut up. He shut up because Mr. Moore kept looking at him as if Matteo was the only thing worthy of attention, he shut up mainly because Mr. Moore smiled again, a small and beautiful smile, but so sincere that it had hit him completely and with full force, making him realize that he was in more trouble than he thought.

You know what? Matteo didn't know what was happening to himself or to this man, or why this sudden change in behavior. And he didn't even want to know. Should Matteo leave or…

"I swear, I'm being sincere. I'm sorry about before. The last nanny she got didn't leave the best impression, you know?”

“She?”

"Sofia Gray, my wife? The one who hired you? It doesn't matter, she did it on purpose.”

"I understand if you--”

“No, I insist,” Derek Moore said, sounding more… firm than before. “Let’s see what happens by the end of the day. Think of it as an experiment, okay?”

And so, the matter was concluded. Mr. Moore nodded to Matteo, straightened his spine and turned, indicating the way. He strode in the direction indicated and climbed the flights of stairs, walking down a long hallway that led to the children's room.

Still a little dizzy from so many mood swings, Matteo had no choice but to follow him, practically running to catch up with him. He took the stairs two at a time and, already panting, reached Mr. Moore on the upper floor.

"I thought… that you… wouldn't be involved?”

"I wasn't serious. I'll be there whenever I can. So relax. I'm not that kind of father.”

For some reason, Matteo felt that Mr. Moore was still mocking him even though the mockery wasn't obvious. In the same way, he followed him once more into the room, being greeted by two children who were already awake. They ran to their father, laughing, and each of them held one of the man's legs, their happiness sincere and contagious, soon making him forget what had just happened.