Page 29 of Nanny for the Cowboy

“Remember that shitty work situation I was talking about?” Brooks nods. “Well, it’s shittier than I let on.”

With a sigh, he drops his head before leading me back to the chair, getting me to sit. “Alright, Lucky. Talk to me.”

“My boss, Kyle Grant, well, he became my business partner when I was just coming up in the industry. He was having trouble with his current venture, not bringing in enough new marketing clients and alienating the ones he had. I saved his ass. But…”

I haven’t said this bit out loud to anyone but my dad, and as I gear up for it, I feel like some ridiculous main character in a Lifetime movie, even if I have to be honest with myself and admit to loving them.

“Just recently, we were working with a current client to see if we could push things harder, get more from them. It was a risky move, and I never supported it. But Kyle…he doesn’t really love listening to anyone who isn’t him.”

“Let me guess.” Brooks dips his head as he nods to himself. “It went to hell.”

I nod. “It did. In a fucking handbasket. Kyle blames me for that, even though—well, I suppose that’s not important. He does. Worse, he’s…he’s actually threatened me. I didn’t believe it at first, figured he’d take a day and cool off. But I found a threatening note that night stuffed under my door. I called up my dad, he offered the chance to come here, and bam.”

Brooks eyes me, his brows down low over his eyes, and when he speaks, his voice is a dark whisper of itself.

“You came here…to escape your boss?” I nod, not hiding how stupid I feel about it. “Because he threatened you?”

I just nod again, but this is fucking exhausting, and before I know it, I’m slumping into the chair and dropping my head into my hands.

“Clover, I?—”

“I know. You can’t believe I would drag my mess to your doorstep. I’m sorry.” My voice is muffled against the shell I’ve created around myself with my arms. “I shouldn’t have, and I can get gone in no time. I don’t mind sleeping on the floor or finding some motel or something.”

“Clover,” Brooks starts again, but I can’t hear him get upset about all this.

“I was so dumb. And I’ve been feeling like I’ve been watched. At the park with Darby, at the store. I can’t do that to anyone. No way.” I sit up, meeting Brooks’s eyes with a shake of my head. “I won’t. Dammit, I wanted to know about the animals because I worried it was Kyle. That’s nuts! Don’t worry. You won’t have to deal with me for another moment.”

I push off of the stool at the counter, ready to go collect my things, but Brooks snags my arm at the bicep, keeping me right there in front of him.

As I hold his stare, Brooks’s features soften slightly. He lets out a long breath and then makes me face him directly, taking both of my shoulders again in a gentle but firm squeeze.

“As long as you’re under my roof, Clover,” Brooks’s eyes pierce into me, and I can’t look away, “I’ll protect you.”

And that’s it. He just nods like it’s all settled. “Are you serious? You hardly know me. Why?”

I can’t wrap my brain around it, but it does nothing to change the fact that I’m fucking choked up because he’s offering to keep me safe. My vision blurs as I fight to keep it together.

“You’re a part of this household now, and I protect my ranch.”

A sad smile creeps up on my face, and we just stare at each other. I give Brooks a nod, indicating that I’m not going anywhere, but there’s something else behind his eyes.

I can’t tell what, and I don’t know what I’m feeling either. But it’s something new, different. It’s something that’s been growing between us since I got here and just surged up several notches.

What’s happening here?

My pulse slows, but it’s still pounding against my ribs. Brooks clears his throat, catching himself and stepping back as he gradually slides his fingers off my arm.

“We’ll need to eat soon. We should, umm, get cleaned up.”

A nod is all I can manage. Brooks echoes it, then turns around and heads up the stairs. I stand in the quiet kitchen for too long before I snap out of it and follow after to wash up for dinner.

ELEVEN

Clover

“Dad?” I knock again, and this time, he answers it with a smile.

“Sorry! I was down the hall. Didn’t even hear ya knock.” He settles into himself now that he’s not surprised and reaches out for a hug. “Well, hey there, stranger!”

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