Page 27 of Nanny for the Cowboy

Ugh, he’s playing dumb. Just can’t resist, can he?

I sigh, rolling my eyes at him. “On the ranch, jerk. With Darby. The lot.”

He chuckles, and I still hate how the sound instantly makes my nerves buzz, my legs wobbling like jello. Thank God for the chair under my ass, or I’d stumble.

“Well, you still need plenty of practice dealing with the ranch.” Brooks pauses, purposefully dragging it out. “But you’re a natural with Darby, I’ll admit.”

“You’ll admit that, but you can’t be bothered to admit that the sheep like me better than you.”

“What?!” Brooks’s arms drop from where he folded them over his chest, a task considering the cast, and steps forward.

“You know it’s true. None of them pitch a fit when I have to line ‘em up to get shaved.”

“Sheered.” He narrows his eyes at me.

“Um, excuse me, is it done with a giant razor? Yes. Is that shaving? Yes.”

Despite his stoic expression, a permanent resident on his face, Brooks quirks a brow, just the barest hint of a smile creeping up. I can see him fighting it back, and something about it makes me want to draw that elusive sight out like a Big Foot hunter.

“They get their fuzzy butts shaved, and when I have to line them up at the fence for Rick to do it, they stay. They like me better than you.”

Leaning against the counter on his elbows, Brooks is suddenly much closer to me, and I remember how much taller he is than me. It’s easy for all that height to reach across the marble surface.

“So, you’re a sheep whisperer. You still fall down on your ass every time you try to pick up a hay bale.”

I glare playfully at Brooks, and now I’m leaning over the table, getting up in his business. There’s no way I’m going down without a fight, and he has to know that.

He’s goading me.

“And you broke your arm doing what exactly?” I raise my brows, smirking. “You still haven’t told me, and I have a feeling that’s because you’re embarrassed. Did the big, strong rancher fall onhisass?”

Brooks’s expression tells me everything I need to know. My assumption hit the nail on the head, and as he slides back from the counter, he holds up his hands in defeat.

“Oof, shots fired.” He grins, though, appreciating the good ribbing just like I do. “I may have been a little less than careful.”

“Ha! And you’re up my ass about the hay bale that’s half my size.” I sit back in my chair, folding my arms as I smirk victoriously. “Not my fault I came out a shortie. You can blamemy genetics for not providing you with a nanny the size of a linebacker.”

That smile stretches wider, and dammit, I love seeing it there. My brain starts tumbling down the dark hole that leads nowhere good, though. I’ll be thinking about his dick in no time.

Oops, there I go.

“I think I can thank your genetics for a lot of things.”

I blink. I’m not sure how to take that, but there’s this air of…flirtation behind Brooks’s words. I can’t be sure I’m hearing that right, but shit,amI right?

Is he flirting with me?

Shaking myself into focus because Icannotgo there, I remember the other thing that I was going to ask Brooks about.

“Oh, hey, I meant to ask.” I drop my stare to the island, feeling a little stupid for what I’m about to say. “Do you get a lot of wild animals on the ranch? I’ve been hearing…some noises at night. They’ve been loud enough to wake me up, and…I was just a littlecurious.”

Cocking his head, Brooks continues with that damned smirk, but his expression does soften.

“City girl’s not used to the outdoors, that’s for sure.” He nods. “Yeah, we get all sorts of animals. We’re well away from town so they aren’t shy about coming up to the property looking for food. It’s why I take such care to keep the livestock safe.”

That all makes sense, but I still can’t shake the feeling of needles prickling down my spine. I know I’ve been jumpy and on edge since I arrived, but this feels different.

“Sure. Okay. Do we need to be worried about them getting into the house?”

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