Duty Or Desire

After removing Ciara’s coat, hat and mittens, she adjusted his niece in her lap, looked him dead in the face and said, “Yet you did offend me, Sheriff.”

He blew out a slow breath. He needed to explain his actions as best he could while leaving out a couple of vital details. Like his intense attraction to her. He’d hoped it had been a fluke, but when she’d opened the door just now, he’d seen that it hadn’t been. At least he was doing a better job of controlling his reaction today than he had last week.

“I apologize for offending you. When Bonnie told me about you, I assumed you were an older woman. I hope you can understand my surprise when you walked into the kitchen.”

“Even if I wasn’t what you expected, I’m sure Miss Bonnie told you about my qualifications. I still don’t understand why there would be a problem even if I’m considered young to you. I used to work in a day care. I worked in a nursery at a hospital taking care of newborns and I’m getting my PhD in child psychology. What else did you need, Sheriff?”

He had to tighten his lips to keep from saying he didn’t need anything else, but it would help tremendously if she didn’t look like a goddess. And then, as if things needed to get more interesting, his niece took hold of the front of Myra’s sweater. That caused a dip in the fabric, exposing a generous portion of Myra’s cleavage. He nearly swallowed his tongue when he said, “I don’t need anything else. I think that would do it…if you’re still interested.”

She didn’t say anything for a moment, like she was mulling it over, trying to decide. Then she said, “Yes, I’m still interested.”

He felt relief at that. “Good. However, there are a few questions I need to ask to finish the interview process.”

“Ask away.”

“First, I want to offer my sympathy in regards to your parents. Bonnie told me what happened.” He saw the sadness that appeared in her eyes. She and her parents must have been close. A cop was trained to read people even when they didn’t want to be read.

“Thanks, Sheriff.”

He wished he didn’t have to ask the next question but there was no way around it. She needed to know what her working environment would be like. “You will need to move in with me for two months.” He paused, deciding he didn’t like the way that sounded. “Let me rephrase that.”

“No need,” she said, smiling. “I know what you meant. And yes, I’m aware that because of your unorthodox work hours, I’ll have to move into your place as a full-time nanny to Ciara. In fact, moving into your place works better for me.”

He lifted his brow. “Why is that?”

“Because my lease on this place expires in a week, and I would have had to find someplace else to stay. I won’t have to do that if I move into your place to take care of Ciara. Then around the time Miss Bonnie will be returning, I’ll be heading back to South Carolina.”

He nodded. She was right. It would work out well for her. That meant she would leave Denver around the holidays. She’d mentioned her birthday was on Christmas…just like his.

She shifted positions on the sofa and Ciara shifted with her, without taking her eyes off the flames in the fireplace. Funny, she’d never been so attentive to his fireplace. Then he saw the colorful flames emitting from the logs. He smiled his understanding about why such a thing was holding his niece’s attention since it was now holding his.

“Did you know, Sheriff, that babies have the ability to recognize colors at eighteen months?” Evidently she noticed he was staring at the flames as much as Ciara.

He glanced back at her. “Is that a fact?”

“Yes. However, I suspect Ciara has a jump start since it’s quite obvious she can detect colors now. I also suspect it won’t be long before she notices similarities and differences in shapes, sizes and texture of objects.”

He nodded again. “She’s already begun talking and thinks I’m her daddy. She’s even called Bonnie Momma a few times.”

“Does that bother you? That she calls you Daddy?”

He had to be honest that yes, it did. “I don’t ever want her to forget Matt and Sherry.”

She shifted in her seat again, in a way where Ciara could still keep her gaze on the flames. “Can I be blunt with you, Sheriff?”

He nodded his head. “Yes.”

“Chances are she’s already forgotten them.”

His jaw clenched and unclenched. He preferred she not say such a thing because he definitely refused to think it. “You don’t know that.”

A hint of sadness appeared in her eyes. “Yes, I do. She was only three months old at the time of their accident, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then what she remembers most is their scent.”

Although he didn’t want to agree with her, he knew what she said made sense. “Like I said, I don’t want her to forget them.”

“What you mean is that you want her to remember them.”

As far as he was concerned, it meant the same thing. Evidently she didn’t think so, but he refused to spar with her. Besides, there was one other thing they needed to cover before he felt totally comfortable hiring her.

“When Ciara gets older,” she continued, “around three years old, that would be a good time to begin establishing her parents’ likenesses into her memory with pictures. There’s nothing wrong with her calling you Daddy. When she’s old enough you can tell her the truth.”

He didn’t say anything for a moment. Instead of appreciating her insight, he resented it. He was hiring her as a nanny, not a social worker. He and Ciara would do just fine without her dotting every i and crossing every t for them.

“There’s another matter I want to discuss with you.”

“Oh?” she said, moving her gaze from his to smile down at Ciara. His niece had finally gotten bored of the fire and was glancing around the room. Myra Hollister held Ciara firmly in her arms and he was amazed that Ciara hadn’t given her any pushback. Usually, she was ready to get on the floor and move around to see what she could get into. The Higgins household had gone through a lot of changes since his niece began walking three months ago.

“And what matter is that, Sheriff?”

“Our relationship.” When he realized how that sounded, he quickly said, “Our working relationship. I think I need to define it.”

He saw the way her brows scrunched up. “Why?”

Her words pretty much confirmed she honestly didn’t have a clue. Maybe that was a good thing. But still, he needed to make sure they had an understanding about a few things.

“Why do you think you need to define our working relationship, Sheriff?” she asked again.

Pete drew in a deep breath. “We will be living under the same roof. I’m a single man and you’re a single woman.”

“And?”

“People might talk, Ms. Hollister.”

She looked even more confused. “Why would they? I’m sure people around here know your profession. You’re the sheriff. You’re also the guardian to your niece. Why would anyone have anything to say about you hiring a temporary nanny until Miss Bonnie returns?”

He shifted in his seat. “Like I said. I’m single and so are you.”

“So is Miss Bonnie.”

Pete frowned. Was she deliberately being obtuse? “I’ve never had a young, single and beautiful woman living under my roof before.”

She stared at him for a moment and then cocked a brow. “Although I don’t consider myself one of those real proper Southern belles, I was raised to adhere to conservative protocols. Is there something about your reputation that I need to be concerned with, Sheriff?”

Her question threw him. “Why would you think that?”