Page 11 of Curvy Nanny for the Cowboy

“Wow, that’s a great idea. Your parents must be proud.” Her smile and her praise were genuine, and there wasn't one comment about how lucrative the idea was. “I’d love to try one of your cheeses.”

“Soon. I promise.”

Molly nodded and went back to her food for a few bites before she spoke again. “Tell me about your wife. Hunter says he doesn’t remember much.”

“How could he? He was little more than a baby when Sara died.” I shook my head at the unfairness of it all. “We got married young. Sara got pregnant when I was still in college, and so we got married. We lost the baby, and it wasn’t the first.” A bitter laugh escaped. “It was the first of many over the years. We did everything—natural and in vitro—and nothing worked.”

“I’m so sorry, Colton.”

I believed her shaky words. “Finally, we gave up. It cost too much, financially and emotionally. About three months later, we found out we were pregnant. Again. Wonder of wonders, she carried him to term.”

Molly smiled. “Your miracle baby.”

“That’s what Sara called him too.” She’d been so damn happy; we both were. “And at her thirty-seven-week appointment, they found the cancer. She delayed treatment until after she gave birth. Hunter was barely two when she died.”

Her hand went to her heart. “My goodness. She didn’t even get to see him grow up. Heartbreaking. I’m sorry to, um, bring all that up.”

I shrugged it off. “You were curious.”

“Yes and no. Hunter wants to know about her, and I wanted to make sure it wasn’t a tragic death or something before we started talking. I was thinking we could go through any photos you might have or her parents. Anything so that he can get to know her.”

I stared at this woman who was so much more than a beautiful face and a hot body. She was a good damn person with a big heart, and she was trying to give my boy the one thing I hadn’t even tried.

“Or not. Maybe you can just tell him about her,” she hesitated.

“No, it’s a good idea. I just can’t believe I didn’t think of it.”

“Don’t beat yourself up, Colton. You have a lot going on here while also coping with losing her yourself.” She sighed and shook her head, a sympathetic grin on her face. “Just, whenever you get a chance, I’d love to grab some things for him.”

“There are a few boxes in the attic. I’ll get them down for you.”

“Thanks. Now I have an even more serious question.” Her big green eyes stared at me for a long time.

What the hell could be more serious than my dead wife? “I’m listening.”

“How do you feel about chocolate chip cookies?”

My lips spread into yet another smile before a laugh escaped. “Well, the stir-fry was damn delicious, so I’d say I feel curious to try ’em. Let’s start with three and go from there.”

Molly laughed, and it was the sweetest, most feminine sound I’d heard in too damn long.

And I only stared at her ass for five seconds when she went to get the cookies.

Okay, ten seconds.

Fifteen tops.

Chapter7

Molly

Iwoke up hot and sweaty after a particularly steamy—super sexy—dream about Colton, which made it impossible to go back to sleep. Every time my eyes drifted shut, there he was with his sexy stubble, his dimpled smile, and sparkling hazel eyes, teasing and taunting me. Amplifying my aroused state until I woke up again and again, hot and aching and itching for some way to relieve the stress.

Nothing worked, so I kicked off the covers and reached for my phone to see exactly how early Colton had raised me from sleep. The sun wasn’t even out yet, not technically anyway. The sky was awash with shades of blue that would eventually turn to pink and orange, but for now, it was just serene shades of blue. The clock on my phone said it wasn’t even six o’clock yet. It also said that Travis was drunk and texting me nonstop throughout the night.

I sent a note of thanks to the universe for my Do Not Disturb settings and steadfastly ignored whatever it was he had to say, blocking him outright to rid him from my life and my thoughts. Travis was hundreds of miles away and no longer my concern. Whatwasmy concern was the inconvenient attraction I felt for the man who signed my paychecks. I refused to act on it, of course, but the thoughts grew more pervasive by the day. They were more distracting, more vivid, and made it awkward as hell to be around him.

“What I need right now is yoga.” I changed out of my pajamas into a tank top and shorts that would keep me cool as the sun began to rise, grabbing my mat and creeping outside even as thoughts of Colton swirled in my mind. He was gorgeous; that wasn’t in question, but it was a stupid crush, one that I didn’t plan to act on, so it didn’t matter.

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