A Nanny for the Cowboy

But as soon as he opened the door and saw her standing there in a tight pair of blue jeans and shirt that definitely failed to hide her curves, he knew he was in trouble.

“Good morning,” she said, stepping past him and into the house.

Closing the door behind her, he followed her, keeping his attention on the cardboard box she held in her arms, instead of the view of her enticing backside. “What’s in the box?”

“The special treat I mentioned.”

He hadn’t expected anything quite so large. “That’s a pretty big special treat.”

She looked over her shoulder at him on her way into the living room and gave him a sheepish grin. “Synchronicity.”

“What?”

Setting the box on a small table, she opened it and peered inside. “Synchronicity. An unexpected but happy coincidence.” She pulled out an old metal replica of a farm truck with a small plastic cow and calf in the back. “My mom was getting ready to throw these out a few days ago,” she explained, turning to look at him. “Apparently, my brothers didn’t want them, so I said I’d take them. I didn’t know why, but I see now that it was because of Brayden. I hope he’ll enjoy them. I remember how much we did.”

Luke took the truck from her and studied it. “I think I had one like this. Can’t buy them like this anymore.”

“Exactly,” she said. “I noticed how much Brayden enjoys his farm toys, so I thought, why not? It’s okay, isn’t it? I mean, you don’t mind, do you?”

He looked up at the sound of hesitancy in her voice and wished he hadn’t. Damn those blue eyes! “Yes,” he managed to answer.

“Oh.” She ducked her head and took the truck from him, returning it to the box. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize...”

“I meant that it was okay,” he hurried to assure her. “I don’t mind. Brayden will get a kick out of it.” He pulled out a small tractor and set it on the table, then peered into the box. “What else is in there?”

She shrugged. “Some wooden building blocks and more farm toys.”

Luke reached into the box at the same time she did, accidentally brushing her hand, and immediately jerked away. Just touching her rattled him, but he pulled himself together before he spoke. “Brayden’s still asleep, but I know he’ll like everything. So... Maybe I should show you around before I have to get to work.”

She returned the toys to the box and closed it. Squaring her shoulders, she stepped away. “Yes, that’s a good idea, although I’m sure I’ll know my way around in no time at all.”

He didn’t doubt she would. She was that kind of woman. Or at least he suspected she was. But it didn’t really matter, he thought, as he led her from the living room, through the dining room and into the kitchen. Once she settled into her job of taking care of Brayden, he wouldn’t be spending that much time around her. A quick hello in the morning and a goodbye before she left in the evening, and that would be it.

“Nice kitchen,” she said.

Her voice pulled him out of his reverie. “Thanks. Let me know if we’re out of anything.” He thought about the nearly bare cabinets and refrigerator, and added, “I’ll make a trip into town for groceries later. There’s plenty of meat in the extra freezer, out in the garage, but Brayden likes peanut butter and jelly.”

“I noticed,” she said with a throaty chuckle.

He wasn’t sure whether to be embarrassed or laugh with her. “Yeah, I figured you did,” he said, giving in to the latter and adding his own chuckle. From the kitchen area, he walked to the attached family room and pointed to the corner, crowded with toys. “Brayden usually plays in here. We both spend more time in here than anywhere else. Except maybe outside.”

She looked around, as if assessing the place. “Having the kitchen close by while he plays makes it handy.”

He wasn’t about to admit that they didn’t spend all that much time in the kitchen, so he checked his watch and realized that he needed to get busy. “I’ll show you the upstairs, before I go.”

“Is that where Brayden’s room is?” When he nodded, she turned back, obviously headed for the living room. “You go on, then,” she said, over her shoulder. “I can find my way. I’ll just put the toys I brought with his others and then check on him.”

Luke felt like he was being a lousy employer, if he couldn’t even spare the time to properly show her around. “Well, I—”

“No, it’s all right. Really. I’ve probably made you late.”

He stood in the doorway staring at her, stunned by her self-assurance. She reminded him of his sister, but she wasn’t nearly as bossy as Erin. This woman didn’t seem to let anything daunt her, and he begrudgingly admired her for it.

Great. One more thing to admire her for, when he was having enough trouble keeping his attention away from those long legs and those blue eyes and those—

“Will you be wanting dinner at noon?”

Luke quickly dragged his thoughts from where they shouldn’t be and shook his head. “I’ll just come in and grab a quick sandwich or something. Too much work to stop for anything, with Dylan gone.”

But instead of hurrying off to start his workday, he settled on the arm of the sofa and watched her neaten the room he’d spent a good hour straightening before she arrived. He didn’t mind, though. He liked the fact that she was tidy, and he’d make sure he didn’t cause her any more work than was necessary.

With a throw pillow cradled to her chest, she turned to face him. “This is a very nice house. Comfortable and...nice. Brayden’s mother must have very good taste.”

Luke stiffened. He’d been working on not letting the past bother him so much and wished he’d found a way to avoid what needed to be said. Besides, if she was going to be his son’s nanny, she deserved to know at least some of what had happened.

“Kendra left,” he answered, the words as stiff as his body. “Almost a year and a half ago. And hasn’t been back since.”

“With no explanation?”

“None.” But he knew that was a lie. There’d been Kendra’s form of an explanation—a tantrum in the middle of the night. One of many that had come on not long after Brayden’s birth. But he didn’t think Brayden’s nanny needed to know about that.

“She hasn’t contacted him? A phone call? Note?”

Ready to put an end to the subject, Luke got to his feet. “Nothing. And I don’t expect she ever will.” He fervently hoped she never would. Brayden was his now. Kendra had even signed the papers, giving him full and complete custody, and relinquishing all parental rights.

“I’m sorry,” she said, standing. “That’s sad. For all of you.”

He didn’t agree at all, but he didn’t say so. He didn’t miss his ex-wife at all, and Brayden didn’t remember her. They did fine without her or anyone. One mistake was enough, and he didn’t have plans to repeat it.

He walked on to the door, and she followed. When he opened it and stepped out onto the porch, he noticed the suitcases on the ground by her car. “What are those?” he asked, turning back to find her standing in the doorway.

“My things.”

He looked again at the suitcases and then at her, totally confused. “What kind of things?”

Her expression was one of complete surprise. “Why, my clothes and...and other things.”

Nothing was making sense to him. “Why?”

She was now standing in front of him, plainly as confused as he was. “Because I can’t wear the same thing every day, now can I?”

Every day? Why would she need— When it hit him, he couldn’t believe he’d been so distracted by everything going on that he hadn’t made himself clear. “You thought the job was for a live-in nanny?”

Her face paled and she took an unsteady step back, one hand going to her throat as her eyes widened. “It isn’t?”

Chapter Two

Hayley was afraid her legs weren’t going to hold her, but somehow she managed to continue standing. Her face began to burn with the heat of embarrassment, while she tried to make sense of what had gone wrong. She’d assumed her position would be that of a live-in nanny. Apparently that’s not what Luke had in mind. Why hadn’t they discussed it the day before, during the interview? There was no excuse, except that he’d been distracted, and she’d needed the job to help pay for her college tuition.