The Rancher's Nanny Bargain

“Ah, Erin, I see Grandmother has already fled the scene and left it all to you,” he said, looking down at her and looking at Amelia. “Amelia seems happy.”

“For having such upheaval in her life, she’s a happy baby. I think they sense what’s happening around them.”

He sat on the end of the sofa, so close he could easily reach out and touch her and Amelia. “She’s doing better,” he said as he shifted his attention to the baby. “At first she cried a lot. Thank goodness she doesn’t cry as much now because that tears me up. When she’s been fed and isn’t sleepy and everything should be all right, but she still cries, I feel as if she wants Lydia or Nate.”

“Cade, I’m sorry,” Erin said softly, touching his hand lightly. She removed her hand instantly and drew a deep breath as he turned to look at her.

The moment had changed again as soon as she’d touched him. He was instantly hot, wanting to reach for her, wanting to flirt with her, to kiss her. That slight touch that was simply meant to console him stirred a potent desire within him.

Wide-eyed, Erin looked at him, then shifted away. When her cheeks turned pink, he decided she felt the same rush of desire as he had—and the knowledge only deepened his response to her.

“Amelia’s happy now,” she said, casting her gaze on the baby rolling the ball around. Erin laughed as she caught the ball and placed it back in front of Amelia.

“Now that you’re here, my grandmother will be going home to Dallas.”

“That’s fine. You’ve hired me and I can manage. That’s my job.”

“I know you can take care of her easily, but I really expected Grandmother to at least give you a day. But I should have known because I know my grandmother. She’s not into childcare.”

“Your grandmother has been here since the accident?”

He shook his head. “No. Last May my older brother—actually my half brother—Blake Callahan married. His wife, Sierra, is expecting. She’s been so good—she took Amelia for a week when I couldn’t right after the accident in June. I didn’t want to impose on her, but she insisted.”

“That was nice of her,” she said, smiling at him and turning back to Amelia. His gaze ran over Erin’s profile and he noticed her dark lashes were long and thick. Her skin was flawless, soft looking. He realized the drift of his thoughts and tried to refocus. He told her more about his new sister-in-law.

“Sierra is like you are with Amelia, totally relaxed and competent with a baby. She has a big family with lots of kids. Her grandfather was involved in an agency in Kansas City that had a shelter for the homeless. They’ve branched out and have a home for kids who need a place, and this past year they opened a small animal rescue.”

“I hope I get to meet her.”

“You probably will because I’m close with Blake. Sierra’s family is the opposite of ours. My dad, Dirkson Callahan, is not into family and kids. He attended the funeral, left when it was over and we haven’t seen him since. He’s too busy making money.”

“I’ve known you a long time, but I don’t know your family.”

“My dad is Dirkson Callahan and his first marriage was only eight months long, no children. He married Veronica next and had Blake, but divorced when Blake was a baby. He never acknowledged Blake, not until recently when Blake contacted him. Then my dad married my mom, Crystal, and I’m the oldest, then Nate and then Gabe. After Mom and Dad divorced he hasn’t married again, but there were plenty of mistresses.”

“You make me more grateful than ever for my parents.”

“You’re lucky. Anyway, when Nate’s will was read, I was named guardian, but I already knew that because Nate asked me before they did their wills and set up a trust. Nate and I were always close. Anyway, Grandmother took pity on me and came to help me until I could get a nanny. And Maisie was around to help out, of course.”

“It sounds to me as if you’ve had everything covered.”

“I want everything perfect for Amelia. I owe it to Nate and Lydia.” He reached out and cradled the baby’s cheek before she grabbed her ball again. “Amelia seems fragile. I don’t know whether she likes me, I don’t know what to feed her. I’m at a loss,” he admitted. “I’ve never felt so helpless.”

“Now I’m here for her, and before I leave you can hire another nanny and you’ll be fine. So will Amelia because you love her. Don’t worry, Cade, I’ll teach you how to care for her.”

He bit back a reply that she could teach him a lot of things, but he wouldn’t have been referring to Amelia.

“There’s one rule of thumb when it comes to babies,” she said. “Use common sense.” Her eyes seemed to twinkle when she added, “You run this ranch and it’s loaded with babies, just the four-footed kind.”

“They’re easy and that’s different. I think you’re on the verge of laughing at me,” he said, looking into those green eyes that captivated him.

“Not really. You’re worrying too much. She’s going to love you. I’ve already seen her reach for you, so she likes you and trusts you or she wouldn’t do that.”

“I hope so,” he said. “Look, I know Grandmother abandoned you but I have to make a long-distance call. Then I’ll come back.”

“You don’t need to come back—not that I don’t want to see you, but we’ll get along fine.”

“Can I get anything for you right now?”

“No. We’re fine. We’ll get to know each other. She’ll probably take a nap later.”

“I do know she had lunch before you came because I fed her. Don’t hesitate to go get my grandmother if you need to. She shouldn’t have left you the first hour you’re here. Or go ask Maisie. She’s polite and honest. And you can always call me on my cell if you need me.”

“This isn’t a difficult job,” she said, smiling at him. “Go do what you have to do,” she said, rolling the ball back and forth in front of Amelia who patted it and tried unsuccessfully to grab it. Erin glanced up to meet Cade’s solemn gaze and the moment she looked into his eyes, he felt fiery sparks between them.

Unfortunately—or maybe fortunately—he needed to get some business taken care of, so he had to leave her. He suspected the better he got to know Erin, the more difficult it was going to be to keep a professional attitude with her. And he had to.

No matter if it killed him.

* * *

Only when Cade left the room did Erin let out the breath she’d been holding. How on earth was she going to get through the next few months when desire arced between them like that? Though the two times she’d been with him had been relatively brief, this heart-pounding, breathtaking fiery attraction had flared to life each time. It was as unnerving as it was unwanted. She was certain it would disappear and nothing would come of it, but until that happened, his appeal shocked her.

Amelia gave the big ball a push and it rolled away. She held out her tiny arms and waved them, wanting the ball back. Laughing, Erin got it and rolled it to Amelia. “Here’s your pretty ball, sweet baby,” she said softly, wanting Amelia to get accustomed to being with her.

This job wasn’t really that different from the many she’d had as a babysitter except she would live on the ranch for the next few months. Living on his ranch with Cade—that was the difference. She had felt sorry for his hurt and wasn’t thinking beyond sympathy for him and for little Amelia when she had placed her hand on Cade’s as a reassurance.

The instant she’d touched him, everything had changed. Her sympathy vanished, replaced by a fiery awareness of Cade as an appealing, sexy man. The contact made her tingle; even more, the slight touch of her hand on his had made her want to be in his arms.

She hadn’t felt a shred of desire for any man since she’d had the miscarriage last year. After Adam broke their engagement and called off the wedding, even the tiniest flicker of desire was gone. She hadn’t wanted to date. No man had appealed to her. She had thrown herself into school and been numb otherwise.

That had ended the minute she walked into Cade Callahan’s office and looked into his dark blue eyes. That strong physical awareness didn’t diminish, even though she knew all about Cade’s attitude toward commitment and his decision never to marry. She knew he liked to party and liked women who wanted to party. He was definitely not the type of man she would ever want to get involved with. Intimacy with Cade, however spectacular physically, would be meaningless emotionally.

So why did she have this volatile reaction to a mere look from him, or these tingles from an accidental contact of their hands or arms? He hadn’t flirted or tried to kiss her, yet the slightest brush of their hands made her heart thud and made her want to be in his arms, to have his mouth on hers.

How could she have this reaction to a man her brother had repeatedly warned her didn’t have it in him to be serious or to place any value on marriage and family?

How could she be drawn to a man like that?

She had to get more resistance to Cade and keep up her guard because she was going to be in close contact with him. They would have physical contact. They were sharing a baby and they would be sharing a house. Both their rooms opened into Amelia’s room.

Luke had warned her and he was right. She did not want to go home with a broken heart when this job ended no more than her brother wanted her to. But she had a problem. A big problem. How was she going to resist Cade, a man she had been attracted to since she was thirteen, a man who could make her tremble by a look and make her want him by the mere brush of his fingers? How could she stay under the same roof, day and night, and say no to him?

Three (#uacd04a4e-8408-5b8f-a2db-4471273e266d)

After playing for almost an hour with Amelia, Erin realized Amelia was tired and picked her up to change her and rock her to sleep. Leaving the door open between rooms, she unpacked her things.

That night for dinner they ate in the casual dining area adjoining the kitchen on one side. There was a large casual living area on the other side. Both areas were separated from the kitchen by islands, and there was a lot of space in all three rooms.