AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Erik raps his knuckles on the counter. “Let me know if you need anything else.”
I nod. “Thanks.”
He leaves and I check my phone, groaning when I see the text from my brother.
Damon: I asked Wyatt. I’ll let you know.
Let me know?! Nononono. When Damon asked if I might be interested in being Wyatt’s nanny, I said I’d consider it. And I have. There’s absolutely no way that I’d be able to nanny for him. I can’t even think his name without my body reacting as though I’m in the last mile of a marathon. How in the world am I supposed to survive being in his house?
I’d see him every day. Watch him as he does his cowboy things. Wrangling cattle. Tearing off his shirt and wiping the sweat off his brow from a long day’s work under the hot sun. Muscles slick with sweat. Dirt on his big, meaty…
Nope. Not going to work. There’s no way I could watch his son when the only person I want to watch is Wyatt.
Mia: I said I’d consider it.
Mia: An HOUR ago.
Mia: Why in the world did you ask him?
Damon: It’s a great gig for you, Mia. It pays well and Luke’s a great kid.
Damon: And you know Wyatt.
More than he knows. The fantasies my brain concocted when I was younger would make a… No.
I set my phone down and take a deep breath. Maybe this won’t be so bad. I could use the money. Scratch that. I need the money since I’m only working part-time at the Inn’s kitchen. The silver lining is that it comes with a free room so I don’t have to pay rent. But said room looks insane right now. Hoarder levels of clutter. It’s not like I have a lot of stuff, but it’s not easy fitting my entire life into a single room.
After taking a few centering breaths, I try to look at it from a different angle. More money means Lizzy and I are closer to opening up the bakery we always wanted. The dream we’ve had since we were kids. The main reason I returned to Whispering Winds. I’m not going to slow myself down because I’m not sure if I could handle being around Wyatt.
It was a crush. I’m sure once I really get to know him I’ll realize everything was in my head. He’s not the dreamboat I made him out to be. He’s just an ordinary dude that I wasted years pining after. At least, that’s what I’ll tell myself—Ohmygod!
I lurch forward when I feel a meaty hand around the nape of my neck.
“Evening, Red,” a man slurs as I try my best not to gag.
I can’t even formulate a response as I stare at the man who thinks trying to grab my attention by grabbing me and then addressing me by the color of my hair is a good idea.
“Don’t be shy, sweetheart. I don’t bite.”
“Keep that up and I might.” I might gag too. Maybe both at the same time would be enough of a deterrence.
Chalk this up as another reason why I don’t go to bars. I have no interest in being hit on by random men. I’m especially not interested in being hit on by men twice my age and married. I glance at the ring being choked out by his sausage-link fingers.
“A fiery attitude to go with the—ughgghoghrgrggl!”
The man whimpers, cringing in on himself as another man the size of a damn grizzly bear, pulls him away from me in one easy movement.
“Leave my girl alone,” the man rasps in a voice I feel all over my body.
Every inch of me is thrumming as I stare at the side profile of my bearded savior, handling the other guy like he’s a child’s toy. Even though his denim shirt covers everything but his thick forearms, it’s clear that he’s built like a tank. I’ve never seen anyone so muscular. And I can’t stop drinking in every inch of him from his dusty cowboy boots and the black, wide-brimmed hat on his head.
“I-I-uh-I had no idea,” the man sputters, backing away with his hands up. “I-she was alone. I?—”
He takes a step forward. “You saying you thought she was an easy target?”
That voice. I’ve never heard anything so sensual. Raw and masculine. All those goosebumps I had earlier are flaring again. And when his scent reaches me, it’s game over. My body is on fire.
I wonder if his tongue could put me out.
