The Rancher's Nanny Bargain

by Sara Orwig

  Why did Cade have that effect on her?

  Before she could dwell on that thought, Gabe let out a laugh. Then he leaned in closer, assessing her with his eyes. “I think you may be a challenge, Erin. I hate to see you stuck out here with my brother, who will be wringing his hands over what he needs to do for the little one and he won’t even think of asking you to go dancing. Don’t you know physical activity is one of the best ways to deal with stress?”

  “Yes, I do and your brother has a gym in his house and a pool and I can use them daily.”

  “I might have to ask him if I can swim over here.”

  She smiled at him. “I’ll tell you what you should do,” she said, leaning forward slightly herself. “You find one of those pretty Texas women who love to party and dance and ask her out for Saturday night and go have a blast because she’ll love it and you’ll have fun.”

  “That’s exactly what I’m trying to do, because I can’t imagine that back before your breakup you weren’t one of those pretty Texas women who liked to get out and enjoy life.”

  “It’s not going to happen, cowboy. I’m not dating right now, but I do appreciate your invitation and your enthusiasm. Now, if you’d like to visit one night with your brother and Amelia and me, I think you’ll find that she is adorable company.”

  “I’ll take you up on that one on some weeknight because she is a cutie, and I’ve been over and played with her.” He leaned back in his chair and crossed one booted foot over his knee. “You know, I told my brother that I was coming over to meet you and I was going to ask you out and he told me to go right ahead. He said you weren’t dating and I would get turned down because you turn everyone down, so I know it wasn’t just me, which is a good thing to learn.”

  “No, it’s definitely not just you. Far from it. It’s more just me right now.”

  “Well, I’ll try again sometime, so you’ll have another chance for a night out with me,” he said, laughter dancing in his vivid blue eyes, and she had to smile again.

  He stood and walked around to Amelia. “She’s happy sitting there, so would you rather I didn’t pick her up?”

  “No, go ahead. She’ll like the change and I’m surprised she’s been content where she is this long.”

  He leaned down to get Amelia, unbuckled her and picked her up. “Hello, Amelia,” he said while she tried to grab his hat.

  Talking quietly to her, he walked away with her. “Want to look at the yard and the fence and my pretty red truck?”

  Erin watched him walk around and show things to Amelia, who seemed happy with him, and she wondered again at the lack of physical response she had to an outright flirting and very good-looking young cowboy. Especially when a single glance from his brother would set her heart racing. What was it about Cade and the chemistry between them?

  Gabe spent a long time walking and entertaining Amelia before he finally returned to strap her into her stroller again.

  “There she is.” He sat back down in the lawn chair and for the next twenty minutes they talked about grad school and life in general. Finally Amelia began to fuss and Erin stood up to take the stroller.

  “I think it’s nap time so unfortunately, Gabe, we’ll have to tell you goodbye.”

  He stood. “It’s been fun to meet you, Erin. I’ll be back another time.”

  “It was interesting to meet you. Thanks again,” she said. “You’re good with Amelia.”

  “She’s a little doll.” He waved to Amelia. “Bye-bye, Amelia,” he said as he turned to walk back to his truck. As Erin reached the door to go in, she saw his red truck disappear down the road.

  While Amelia napped, Erin got some more of her things put away and when the baby stirred an hour later, Erin got a bath ready. She bathed Amelia, washing her thin, soft curls and later dressing her in a pale blue jumper and matching short-sleeved knit shirt.

  They stayed in the playroom, Erin entertaining the baby by holding a big furry bear in front of her face and popping out to say “Peekaboo.”

  The first time she did it Amelia laughed. Delighted by the new sound of her laughter, Erin giggled in turn and repeated it, saying “Peekaboo” in a funny voice and getting more laughter.

  She couldn’t resist the third and fourth times. Amelia looked so adorable. When she heard a noise behind her, she turned to see Cade standing in the doorway. He was dusty and had a smudge of dirt on his jaw. His hair was tangled as he stood there watching her. And once again she felt that electric charge zing through her.

  “I’ve never heard Amelia laugh like that,” he said.

  “Neither had I. Listen.” She repeated the game, popping out from behind the bear, and Amelia gave another hearty laugh that made both Erin and Cade laugh in turn.

  “I’ll be damned,” Cade said, entering the room. “I’m too dusty to pick her up,” he said, waving his hand at himself while still watching his little niece.

  Erin repeated her game and got another laugh. As she laughed she looked at Cade. “Adults will do anything to get a laugh from a little one. It’s the most delightful sight and sound ever.”

  He studied Erin and she realized the cool remoteness he usually exhibited was gone. “You’re great with her.”

  “I’m just playing with her,” she said, but she was lost in his blue-eyed gaze that at the same time immobilized her and rocked her, no doubt from the sparks that flew between them. She knew he felt them, too.

  Her pulse raced and then she realized how they were looking at each other, as if neither of them had seen the other before. As much as she wished she could sit there and feel his eyes on her all day, Amelia stirred and she turned to hand the child a rag doll. Then she picked Amelia up and placed her in her lap as she sat cross-legged on the blanket. All the time she felt as if Cade’s gaze was still locked on her. When she finally glanced at him, she saw that she had been correct. He stood there watching her, his eyes like lasers trained on her and her alone.

  She felt slightly uncomfortable, and searched for conversation. “Your brother came by today.” It was the first thing that came to her.

  “Gabe? He told me he would. Let me guess—he asked you out and you turned him down.”

  “You’re right. He was fun and cheerful and very nice. I hope I didn’t hurt his feelings.”

  “I don’t think you did. Although he never gets turned down, so it’s a new experience for him. He’s even less serious with his women friends than I am.”

  The words came out before she could stop them. “Are these negative feelings about commitment all because of your dad? Your brother Nate married and so has your half brother, Blake.”

  “That they did. Nate never had negative feelings about marriage, though. I’m a year older and I hated the fights our parents had. Dad cut Blake out of his life and Dad went from wife to wife with mistresses in between—he spread a lot of misery. You have a wonderful family, so be thankful. I don’t want to marry and risk that kind of upheaval ever. As far as my brother—I don’t think Gabe is avoiding any serious relationship because of our dad. I just don’t think Gabe’s ready to settle down. He came close once when he was in college and none of us know much about her, but they dated a whole year, which is amazing for Gabe. Then she moved on and that was that. I’ve never heard of her since.” He shrugged. “As far as asking you out, he’ll be back.”

  “That’s what he said.”

  As much as she wouldn’t mind another invitation, it wasn’t Gabe she pictured asking her out for a Saturday night on the town. It was this cowboy right in front of her.

  Startled by the mental picture her errant thoughts conjured up, she turned her attention back to Amelia, and shifted her in her arms.

  Cade must have sensed an end to the conversation, because he backed up. “I’ll go get cleaned up so I can come back and hold her for a while,” he said quietly, and
then he turned and was gone.

  When she heard his boots scrape the floor in the hall she finally let out her breath she didn’t realize she was holding. So much for hoping this job would be easy and Cade would continue to be cool, remote and professional. He might remain professional, but it was already too late for cool and remote. That wall he’d had up the first day had vanished and she didn’t think it would return.

  Maybe he would surprise her and come back his quiet self—her employer who was polite, nice and remote. Not the tall handsome rancher who could make her heart pound with a glance and cause the temperature in the room to climb when he spoke to her. How was she going to resist that man through the coming months?

  Far more immediate, how was she going to resist him tonight when, after putting Amelia to bed, it was just the two of them in the house?

  * * *

  Cade spent the next two days getting up before sunrise and leaving, going out to work. On a ranch there was always work to do, and he was never so grateful for it. He intended to avoid the house—actually, he wanted to avoid Erin—as much as he could until evening when he wanted to spend time with Amelia.

  He needed to get to know his niece and learn how to take care of her. From what he could see Erin was a marvelous nanny, as Luke had promised. Amelia liked her and every time he saw them together Amelia was happy. In the evening when Erin would play with her, he joined them. That was the most difficult part of his day. That was the time he couldn’t avoid her anymore.

  Flirting with Erin was a huge temptation. The more he tried to avoid her, the deeper his reaction was to her when they were together. She was a wonderful nanny and there was no way he could regret hiring her, but this was turning out to be a situation that left him sleepless at night.

  Friday morning he changed his routine and lingered in the kitchen eating breakfast, thankful for Maisie’s presence which helped him keep focused. Erin came through the door with Amelia in her arms. Erin’s jeans were snug and a red knit shirt clung to a figure that made his pulse beat faster. Maisie was off on weekends, so they’d be alone after today. How was he going to ignore Erin all weekend, yet try to be with Amelia? Just the thought made his throat dry up.

  “Good morning,” Erin said, looking wide-eyed at him. “I’m surprised to see you here.”

  Amelia held out her arms to Cade. Startled, he stood to take her. “Good morning and hello to you, Amelia,” he said. He looked back at Erin. “That’s the first time she’s made it obvious she wanted to come to me.”

  Erin smiled at him. “That’s good. She’ll do it more. You’ll see. Can you stay and hold her for a few minutes? It’ll be good for both of you to be together.”

  “Sure,” he said, looking at Amelia as she ran her small hand over his jaw.

  “There’s our pretty girl,” Maisie said, bringing a bowl of fluffy yellow scrambled eggs to the table. “Aren’t you the cute one,” she cooed softly to Amelia. The baby smiled and reached out for Maisie, making all the adults laugh.

  “So much for her wanting to be with me,” Cade remarked.

  Maisie reached for her. “I’ll take her. I’m through cooking now anyway.” She took Amelia, who nestled against her as she walked away to the window. The cook talked softly to Amelia, trying to get her to look outside. “I’ll take her out for a few minutes so you two can have breakfast in peace,” Maisie said. “She likes to look around and then she can eat.”

  “Sure,” Cade answered at the same time Erin said to go ahead. They looked at each other and laughed. “I’ll try to let you field the questions about Amelia,” he said as Maisie stepped outside with the baby and closed the door behind her, leaving them alone in the kitchen.

  He held a chair at the table for Erin near Amelia’s high chair. “Ready for breakfast?”

  “Yes, thanks,” she answered politely, taking a seat. As she did, he caught the faintest sweet scent, which could have been from baby powder, from perfume or from an early-morning shower. Instead of lingering on the scent, he tried to focus on breakfast, sitting down and passing the bowl of scrambled eggs to Erin.

  “Thank you,” she said without looking at him, keeping her attention on the bowl of eggs as she took it from him. Her fingers brushed his and she drew a deep breath.

  “Maisie better get the hell back in here before I say something I shouldn’t,” Cade said, and Erin glanced up with a wide-eyed, startled look.

  “I think you’re right,” she whispered, confirming his assumption that she had as much a reaction to him as he had to her.

  “I hate to step out there and get her to come in because she’ll think we don’t want her to carry Amelia around, which is not the case. I’ll be right back,” he said, leaving the room. He forced himself to think about Luke and remember his best friend telling him that he felt certain he could count on Cade to be professional around his sister, telling him how vulnerable she was. It was a litany he chanted more and more often. Not that it seemed to be doing much good. He walked down the hall with clenched fists. He wanted her in his arms and he wanted to kiss her. To be truthful, he wanted to seduce her, make love to her. But he wouldn’t—couldn’t—cross that line. He couldn’t allow himself to be the cause of any more hurt. And if he knew one thing about Erin, he knew she was way too earnest to take seduction lightly.

  “Damn,” he said quietly, feeling caught in a dilemma. It was August—how was he going to cope with being with her every day until mid-December?

  He would be gone some because of business and during the day he was out working, but he wanted to bond with Amelia and the only way to do that was to spend time with her—time he’d also be spending with Erin. What was he to do?

  He had reached the front door and stood looking through the sidelights flanking the wide, oversize door. He stared at his front porch and yard without seeing, either. In his mind’s eye all he saw were Erin’s big green eyes, her long legs, her tempting curves and ready smile.

  “Where the hell is your willpower, Callahan?” he asked himself softly. But he couldn’t answer his own question. He thought maybe the best thing would be to hear Luke’s voice. More than anything he wanted to call his friend, but he was probably already out of touch. No, Cade was on his own here.

  Taking a deep breath and determined to resist Erin and remain professional, he headed back to the kitchen. To his relief Maisie had returned, Amelia was buckled into her chair and Erin was giving her tiny bites of cut-up banana that she could pick up and feed herself. Erin talked softly to her as she placed a little cup with a lid in front of Amelia.

  He figured he’d give it a shot. “Erin, do you know if I can get through to your brother?” When she looked at him questioningly, he bluffed. “I thought you might like to talk to him.”

  Her taut look eased. “He sends me texts. A phone call will be expensive. Right now he’s in São Paulo, Brazil, for a few more days and then he continues on south.” She glanced at the kitchen clock. “If you want to get in touch with him, the time is fine now. It’s around noontime there.”

  “Great. Let’s call him after breakfast.” Cade resumed his seat and tried to keep his attention on his plate, Amelia, Maisie—everything around him except Erin—but he failed. His gaze swept over her, taking in each and every curve that her knit shirt revealed. Was he the only one who felt as if the temperature in the kitchen had climbed to uncomfortable heights? Finally, he stood, cutting short his breakfast, knowing he had to get out of the house before he did something foolish. Like flirt or ask her out.

  He stepped into the hall, walked to his office, allowing himself to cool down. When nothing worked he called Luke and blew out a breath when he finally heard him answer. “Good morning. Or afternoon. It’s Cade...No, everything’s fine,” he reassured his friend when he expressed concern. “I just thought we’d call you. Here’s Erin.” He walked back into the kitchen and handed her the phone, tur
ning his attention to helping Amelia who was doing quite well on her own and sipping from her small sippy cup.

  The reception had been fair when he’d told Luke hello and since Erin was speaking more loudly than normal, he assumed the reception was poor, but then her voice dropped back to the usual conversational level as she talked about Amelia and being on the ranch and the weather. He listened as she asked Luke what he was doing and finally, she looked at Cade.

  “I’ll let Cade say hello. This call was his idea and we’re talking on his phone,” she said, listened a moment and laughed as she handed the phone to Cade.

  “Hi, buddy,” Cade said. “I thought we’d see if you’re frozen yet, but instead you’re partying it up in Brazil.”

  “Long, tedious meetings that end tomorrow, thank goodness. Food is great here and the nights are fun, as a matter of fact.” He paused a second, then said, “I know I don’t have to ask you to know Erin is doing a good job.”

  “Absolutely. She’s a marvelous nanny,” he said, meeting Erin’s green-eyed gaze and seeing her mouth form a “thank you.”

  “She has bonded with Amelia and I’m slowly, very slowly, learning how to deal with Amelia.”

  “Yeah.” Luke’s voice came clearly enough that Cade recognized the sarcasm in his tone. “I know why you called. You’re having a difficult time trying to keep from flirting with her. Remember, she’s vulnerable,” he said slowly and clearly. “She’s been hurt badly.”

  “I’m very aware of that,” Cade said cheerfully, hoping Erin didn’t guess the drift of the call.

  “I know she can take care of herself, but you have a way with the ladies, so keep in mind that she’s my sister, that she is hurting and she doesn’t need to hurt even more.”

  “Sure thing. You keep from freezing if you ever leave São Paulo.”

  “I will and you remember what I’ve told you. I don’t know if I can get through from where I’ll be, so I’m glad you called and let me talk to her. She sounds happy, which means she likes being with Amelia and I think it’s good for her to have to take care of your little girl.”