Page 20 of The Cowboy Takes a Nanny
He sniggered. “You know I won’t go easy on you, don’t you?”
She lifted her pert nose into the air. “Nor I with you. So be warned.” She shrugged. “I think the term is game on.”
He didn’t release her from his gaze. “So, we’re okay? Really okay?”
She held his eyes, her smile wistful. “We’re okay Leo, or at least about as okay as we can be.”
While he pondered that, she scooped up Benny and slid around him and Mia, effortlessly moving the ball along as she passed him.
She cheered. “I believe,” she said with a cheeky smile, “that was a goal. Are you up to the challenge of taking on this mighty French Brit team?”
The light in her eyes, and the cheer reassured him. The challenge? Way, way too tempting. And he waved good-bye to another night’s sleep thanks to the fantasies her taunting provoked.
He grinned as Ella scooped up both children and once more ran the ball past him.
It was for his daughter, he reminded himself. Yep, for Mia.
Chapter Six
From where she was sprawled on the only sofa the upper level of the house offered, Ella heard Leo’s return from his lightning-fast trip. It was late, as she’d expected, but she was pretty sure he’d want an update on Mia’s day, so she’d waited downstairs, both baby monitors on the floor beside her.
She knew she should probably get up; pretend at least some modicum of professionalism, but she was staying put until she absolutely had to move. Reluctant to even lift one eyelid until his voice alerted her to the fact that she’d left moving a bit too late. Not only was he in the room already, and so close she decided she may as well stay where she was.
“Tough day at the office?”
“Jest away. But until you have tried all day long to reason with two cantankerous children with a combined life experience of less than three years, come back and we’ll talk.”
His tone sobered. “Mia—the kids—they’re okay?”
With a sigh she forced both eyes open and dragged her weary body to a sitting position, shuffling up so he could join her on the sofa. “You could use more furniture, you know that?”
He scraped his hand down over his face, the rasp of the day’s whiskers loud in the silence that had previously only been broken by the crack and pop of the fire. “Yeah, so you’ve previously mentioned. I’ve been meaning to talk to you about it—I might need some help there.”
“Feel free to ask, but if you’re imagining any kind of insightful interior design advice tonight, I’d keep my expectations low.” Her yawn stretched every facial muscle, and she blinked as the extra oxygen forged a faint path to her brain.
“Noted. And the kids? Mia?”
“Both asleep—now—but I don’t imagine we’re in for a peaceful night. I have no clairvoyant skills but if I’m correct, they may be coming down with something.”
“Mia’s sick?”
The panic in his voice snapped her out of her drowsy state and while she understood his concern, it annoyed her that having to explain was going to keep her from her bed. She knew it was ridiculous to resent him, but it was likely she’d be up and down all night if thing went the way she was expecting.
Reaching across she snagged his arm, halting him before he charged upstairs. “I don’t think it’s anything serious. Joey was here earlier, and she phoned to say both she and Ruby had low grade temperatures and it felt like it was developing into stomach flu. Melanie had it a couple of days before, and they thought maybe they’d dodged it.” Ella yawned. “And as usual Benny and Mia were loving all over both baby Ruby and your sister, and I guess the bug must have been left here with us as well. We’re all hoping it doesn’t amount to much, but mostly that it passes over Evie.”
She saw the concern in his eyes and shot him a tired smile. Despite the occasional awkwardness between them, and their habitual ragging on each other, she loved and respected his dedication to his daughter. She knew well the level of fear she experienced when Benny was unwell, and for Leo, it would probably always provoke anxiety for Mia’s well-being. She at least could help share the load with Leo, something she hadn’t always had. She would be a voice of reason, and help him keep things in perspective. “There’s nothing we can do right now but wait and watch. We have fever medicine ready and if something does develop, we are prepared. They’re both sleeping—I’ve been up and down to check a dozen times.”
“Why didn’t you just stay up there with them? Grab some sleep?”
She shrugged and didn’t try to stem the next yawn. “I wanted to update you, prepare you for what might come. And there’s dinner in the fridge—you can heat it up in the microwave—thought I’d better make sure you knew it was there, in case you were hungry.”
The smile lit his face. “You waited up for me?”
He really should give a girl a break! His slow smile had her instantly regretting admitting she’d worried that he may not have had time to eat. “Of course not. I assumed you’d want to know about your child.”
The corners of his mouth deepened. “Nah …You waited up for me. Thanks, Mom!”
Ella blinked. “I think that’s my exit line.” With a haughty sniff, she pushed off the sofa, wobbled a bit until she got her bearings and then began to stride toward the stairs.
