The Nanny And The Reluctant Rancher

She might belong on the cover of a fashion magazine, but she sure as hell didn’t belong on his ranch.

“Hey, Logan,” Punch yelled from the kitchen, “you gonna eat these tamales in here?”

Anyone other than Punch, Logan would have strongly warned against Sophia’s cooking. But considering the mood he was in, he needed to vent on someone. “Help yourself,” he called back.

He closed the front door, then turned back to the woman standing in front of him, her hat in one hand and a violin case in the other. Damn, but this was awkward.

“Miss Delaney—”

“Kat.”

“Kat, I—”

“Hey, Logan, how do you work this here microwave?”

He was going to murder the man. No, better yet, he’d give him the leftover enchiladas to go with the tamales. He looked at Kat and frowned. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

Kat let loose of the breath she’d been holding when Logan disappeared around the corner. Her insides were shaking and her palms were sweating. She’d given countless performances in front of thousands of people, but never had she been more nervous than she was right now. Her training had taught her to hide her fear, but nothing had ever prepared her for Logan Kincaid.

His height had been the first thing that had taken her aback. He was tall, probably around six-foot-four, with broad shoulders and thickly muscled arms. He wore a denim work shirt, with the sleeves rolled to his elbows, and snug, faded jeans over long, powerfully built legs. His hair was black, his eyes darker than any eyes she’d ever seen. When he’d first looked at her, she’d felt as if she were made of glass, and she might shatter under his piercing gaze.

But the fact that he was handsome wasn’t what had knocked the sense out of her. She met handsome men all the time. Not one had ever left her weak-kneed or light-headed. No, Mr. Kincaid was just so... male. At the most basic, the most primitive level, the man exuded virility. He was a masculine feast for the feminine senses: the rough, electric texture of his hands, the deep rugged sound of his voice, the faint, strangely pleasant smell of dust and dirt and leather. Just looking at him had made her pulse rate increase, and when he’d held her hand in his, pleasure had rippled through her entire body.

Had he noticed the color rise to her cheeks? she wondered. Something told her there was very little that Logan Kincaid missed with those eyes of his. Had Oliver been right? Could Mr. Kincaid know just by looking at her that she really wasn’t a nanny?

Of course he couldn’t. She was just tense. After all, she’d flown the red-eye, waited three hours for the first bus out of Dallas to Harmony—which was a four-hour ride—an hour trying to find someone to drive her here from the town, and at least thirty minutes bouncing in a truck. She was also in a completely new environment, meeting a strange man about a new job.

She had good reason to be high-strung, and that would certainly explain her physical reaction to Mr. Kincaid, she told herself. She was just tired and on edge. A good night’s sleep and she’d be fit as a fiddle.

Smiling at her own pun, Kat moved into the living room. She’d immediately liked the house when Mr. Wilkins had driven up. It was single story, a redbrick ranch-style structure with a wide, cement circular driveway and gently sloping gray tile entry. The living room was spacious, with a high, vaulted ceiling, hardwood floors and a floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace. The furniture was large and masculine, like the man himself, and the few pieces of art were a blend of American Indian and the Old West. It was a warm, comfortable room, not like the man himself.

A movement from a doorway across the room caught Katrina’s attention. “Hello?”

There was no answer. With her violin and hat still in her hand, Kat moved toward the doorway. “Hello?” she called again. “Is someone there?”

Again, no answer, but there was a sound, a soft, swooshing sound. Kat stopped, then watched as a young, blond child in a wheelchair appeared in the doorway. She was a beautiful little girl with pale, smooth skin and enormous gray eyes. In her plain brown jumper and white blouse, the child almost blended in with the room.

“Hello.” Kat smiled. “I’m Kat.”

The child said nothing, just stared at the violin case and hat in Kat’s hand.

“What’s your name?” Kat moved in front of the little girl and knelt down.

“Anna,” she answered quietly.

“Nice to meet you, Anna.” Kat put her hand out Anna stared at it, then slowly put her small hand in Kat’s.

“I’m your new nanny,” Kat said. “But I’d rather you just thought of me as one of your friends, if that’s okay.”

“I don’t have very many friends,” Anna said softly.

Anna’s statement didn’t surprise Kat. A disabled child living on a ranch outside a small town raised by nannies probably didn’t get to meet a lot of other children. Neither did a child prodigy living in New York with well-meaning, but ambitious parents.

“I don’t have very many friends, either,” Kat said warmly. “But we each have one new one, starting right now.”

Anna smiled shyly. “You don’t look like a nanny.”

Kat laughed. “Thanks, I think.”

“Is that a violin?” Anna stared at the case in Kat’s hand.

“Why, yes it is, would you like to—”

“Miss Delaney.”

Kat jumped up at the sound of Logan’s voice behind her. She had no idea why he would be, but she could have sworn he sounded angry.

Logan’s tight expression softened when he looked at his daughter. “Anna, I’ve asked Sophia to make you some lunch. Why don’t you go on in the kitchen and say hello to Punch while I speak with Miss Delaney.”

Anna looked from her father to Kat, then nodded reluctantly and left the room. When Logan turned to her and frowned, Kat felt a tremor of apprehension low in her stomach.

“You have a beautiful daughter, Mr. Kincaid.”

“Thanks.” Logan sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Look, Miss Delaney—”

He’d called her by her formal name three times in the past two minutes. Something was wrong, she realized. Very wrong.

“—I know you came a great distance to get here. It’s not an easy drive to Harmony, and riding with Punch was no picnic, either, I’m sure.”

Something told her he wasn’t about to discuss the discomfort of her transportation here. She drew in a slow, deep breath to steady herself, certain she wasn’t going to like whatever it was he was going to say. “Why don’t you just get to the point, Mr. Kincaid.”

“I’m afraid you aren’t going to work out, after all.”

Her heart sank. He knew. That had to be it. He knew she’d never been a nanny, maybe even figured out somehow what she really did do, and that while she hadn’t lied on her application about anything, she had withheld information about herself that he might consider important.

She struggled to keep her voice even and her shoulders straight. “And may I ask why?”

“It’s my fault completely,” Logan said with obvious difficulty. “There were some streaks in the fax transmission you sent, and I misread the application. I thought you were older.”

He was letting her go because she was too young, not because he knew who she was? Relief washed through her, then disbelief.

“Let me get this straight,” she said, struggling to keep her voice even. “I fly hundreds of miles, wait three hours for a bus that I ride on for almost four hours, then hire Wildman Wilkins to drive me here, and you’re telling me you’ve changed your mind because I’m too young?”

“Look, Miss Delaney, I’m sorry about this. I’ll pay for any expenses you’ve incurred, and give you a week’s salary. That should take care of any inconvenience I’ve caused you.”

She couldn’t believe this. After all she’d gone through to get here, everything she’d planned, he was firing her? “You’re sorry?” she repeated. “A week’s salary?”

His eyes narrowed. “All right, then, two weeks’.”

She had to choke back the hysterical laughter bubbling in her throat. “Are you saying you’d rather pay me off, than give me a chance?”

“I’ve admitted I made a mistake,” he said stiffly. “Anna needs someone older, with more experience.”

Of all the stubborn—Katrina took a calming breath and leveled her gaze with his. “Was there anything else you misread on my application or credentials? Something that you find objection to?”

He hesitated. “No.”

“Do you have someone else for this job?”

A muscle jumped in his jaw. “Not at the moment.”

“Then who’s going to take care of Anna until you find someone?”

Logan had already been asking himself that very question. He did need someone. Now, not next week or the week after. But he had no intention of hiring someone as young as Kat Delaney, and certainly not someone as pretty.

He surprised himself by that thought. It wasn’t as if he didn’t know that he could control his baser instincts...he could. But he’d been busy with the ranch and Anna, and he’d been without female companionship for a long time. A woman who looked like Kat might be a distraction. A distraction he didn’t want, and he sure as hell didn’t need.

He could hardly tell her that, though. Gee, Miss Delaney, I can’t hire you because I’d like to drag you to my bed.

“I have a part-time housekeeper. We’ll manage until I find someone else.” They might starve to death, he thought, but somehow he would manage. “I’ll have Punch drive you back to town,” he said evenly. “I can give you a check now or send it to the address on your application.”

Her green eyes darkened as she lifted her chin. “Don’t bother. I don’t want your money, and I have no intention of going home. I came here to Harmony to work for the summer and that’s what I intend to do. I’m sure I’ll find something else.”

Logan shook his head. “You can’t be serious. Harmony is a small town. There won’t be much use for a violin-toting nanny.”

“I’m a hard worker, Mr. Kincaid. Reliable and trustworthy. Qualities that most people admire.”

Logan frowned. She’d emphasized the word trustworthy, the implication being that he wasn’t. She was wrong for the job, dammit. That didn’t make him dishonest or unscrupulous. “Maybe I should drive you back to town. I could—”

“No, thank you.” She jammed her hat on her head and struggled to pick up both of her suitcases. “Please tell Mr. Wilkins I’ll wait for him in the truck. Good day to you.”

He would have offered to carry her luggage for her, but something told him if he tried, he just might have a violin crammed down his throat.

She stopped at the door, and without turning around, said quietly, “Would you object to my visiting Anna while I’m in Harmony? Maybe just for an occasional afternoon, or sometime when you come into town?”

Her question caught him off guard, then settled over him like a net of guilt. “You can come here anytime you want.”

She nodded, then wrestled with her suitcases while she opened the front door and closed it behind her. Logan started after her, then stopped and swore heatedly. He’d already admitted to her he’d made a mistake, he had no intention of going after the woman and trying to explain further.

Why the hell should he feel guilty? He’d offered compensation, hadn’t he? And he certainly didn’t believe she would actually stay in Harmony. She was a city girl. One day in a sleepy little town like Harmony and the woman would be on her way.

Whatever she did, it didn’t matter to him. He had no time to think about a curvy, green-eyed brunette with incredible legs. There were more important things to worry about right now, such as finding an appropriate nanny for Anna.

With a heavy sigh, Logan went to the kitchen to get Punch, wondering where in the hell he was going to find the perfect woman.

Two

She wasn’t going home.

Suitcases at her feet, Kat sat on a wooden bench in front of the Harmony Hay and Feed and Hardware Store. A few of the townspeople had passed by and given her odd looks, several had even asked if she needed help. She’d wanted to tell them it wasn’t she who needed help, it was a pigheaded rancher named Logan Kincaid.

Damn the man! He needed someone for Anna, that was obvious. With a ranch and house his size, how could he possibly manage? A part-time housekeeper wasn’t enough, he wouldn’t have advertised for a nanny if it were.

If she hadn’t met Anna, Kat might not have taken Logan’s rejection so hard. But in the few minutes she’d spoken with the child, Kat had felt a connection she couldn’t explain, and wasn’t sure she understood. It was something in Anna’s soft gray eyes, a need, or a loneliness. Maybe Kat even saw herself. Whatever it was, she’d nearly cried when Logan had told her he didn’t want her.

But she hadn’t cried, and even if Mr. Logan Kincaid had drastically altered her plans, she was determined to go through with her stay in Harmony. Everything was just as she’d imagined it. Wide, open spaces, deep blue sky. The people were friendly and no one seemed to be in much of a hurry—except Punch Wilkins. The man drove like a New York City cabdriver. Her fingers were still clenched from holding on to the truck door.

In spite of Logan Kincaid, Kat was glad she’d come here. So it was impetuous, and maybe even a little reckless. For once in her life, just once, she wanted to be unpredictable, have a little excitement. No schedules, no meetings, no practices. No one had a piece of her here. She answered only to herself, made her own choices, good or bad.

She wouldn’t go home! She couldn’t! How could she face her parents, or Max or Oliver, if she gave up now? She had to take charge of her own life, make her own decisions, even if they were bad ones.

Sighing, Kat sat back on the hard wooden bench and looked around. Punch had dropped her off here, next to the bus depot because Logan had told him to. Obviously the man hadn’t believed she really would stay. But he was wrong. She could be just as stubborn as he was. She noticed a small motel at the end of the street, the Harmony Motel. Right next door was the Harmony Café. A large sign in the window of the café caught her attention: Waitress Wanted.

Smiling, Kat picked up her bags and crossed the street.

Anna wouldn’t eat. She hadn’t said a word in two days, and for that matter, she hadn’t even looked at him. She’d stayed in her room, even refusing his offer to take her with him to town today for ice cream. Logan had been tempted to make her come with him; he knew she wouldn’t have argued if he’d insisted. But he hadn’t wanted to force her, so he’d driven into Harmony for a load of grain by himself, trying his damnedest to think of a way to cheer his daughter up, other than to give her what he knew she really wanted, which was Kat Delaney.

He’d been surprised when he’d seen Anna talking to the woman two days ago. Anna rarely spoke to people she didn’t know, and for that matter, hardly spoke to people she did know. He’d seen the disappointment in her eyes when he’d told her that Miss Delaney wouldn’t be staying. When Anna had asked if it was something she’d said that had made Miss Delaney leave, or if the woman hadn’t liked her, Logan had spent the next hour trying to explain that of course it wasn’t anything she’d said, and of course Miss Delaney liked her. He’d then tried to explain, though awkwardly, that he’d decided the woman just wasn’t the right nanny, right for her. He’d told her that he called another nanny and she’d be coming in a few days, but from that moment on, Anna had retreated to her room, and she’d only picked at the food he’d insisted she eat.

He flipped on the truck radio to a country and western station, then tipped his hat back with a sigh. As hard as it was to admit it, he felt like a heel sending the Delaney woman away, in spite of her being too young. He’d seen the disappointment in her eyes and her forced attempt at bravado when he’d fired her. She’d come a long way, and she’d certainly seemed eager. He could have kept her on, at least given her a chance. But his initial response to her had been so strong he hadn’t thought logically. His firing her had been more like a knee-jerk reaction than a rational decision.

No, he’d made the right decision, dammit. He was only human, for God’s sake. A woman who looked like Kat Delaney under his roof would be too big a distraction. Since he could hardly explain that to Anna, she was just going to have to accept his decision.

Logan swung off the main road and headed into town. It was ridiculous, but as he drove past the bus depot he found himself looking for a slender brunette with a big gray hat, as if she’d still be sitting on the bench there. He shook his head at his foolishness. She might have told him that she’d be staying in Harmony, but he hadn’t believed her. Once she realized there were no jobs for her, and she didn’t fit in here, that bus ride back to the Dallas airport would be looking mighty good. He figured she’d come to that decision about fifteen minutes after Punch had dropped her off.

He forced the woman from his mind and turned his thoughts back to his daughter. As soon as he loaded the truck, he’d make a trip over to Johnson’s Department Store and pick something out for her, maybe a new game for her computer, or that jewelry-making kit she had her eye on last trip into town. Hell, he’d buy them both. He’d do anything to bring a smile to her face.

As he pulled into town, Logan passed Marge Baker, Harmony’s librarian, and waved at her. She stopped in the middle of her sweeping, put a fist on her ample hip and frowned at him.

“What’s her problem?” Logan wondered aloud, but knowing how crabby the woman was anyway, paid no attention. He had some books at the house, maybe they were overdue. He’d better check when he got home, or she might send the sheriff after him.

At the hay and feed, though, Mike Carson hardly said a word to him, and his son, Jessie, had ignored him when he’d helped load the truck. Maybe it was just his own bad mood reflecting off everyone else, he decided.

The smell of hamburgers drifted to him from the café across the street and his stomach growled in response. After Sophia’s cooking, one of Stubbs Parson’s big juicy burgers was like a gourmet meal. He’d grab a little lunch for himself, order something for Anna, then make a quick stop at the department store before heading home. Between the food and presents, he’d have his daughter smiling before the sun went down.

The bell tinkled overhead as Logan entered the café. The lunch crowd had filled most of the tables, but Logan found a spot at the counter and slid onto a stool. He turned the coffee cup already sitting in front of him right side up, then picked up a menu and studied it, trying to figure out what Anna would like.

Coffee magically appeared in his cup, and a soft, silky voice asked, “What can I get for you, Mr. Kincaid?”

Logan went still, then slowly lowered the menu and stared into eyes the color of spring sage.

Well, I’ll be damned.

Kat Delaney.

She wore a blue waitress uniform, much shorter than he thought appropriate, though he never recalled having that thought with Ellen, the usual waitress. But, of course, he’d never interviewed Ellen to be Anna’s nanny, either.

He couldn’t believe she was still here.

She’d pulled her hair back into a ponytail, emphasizing her large green eyes and thick lashes. The color rising on her cheeks matched the pink of her lips. He had to make a conscious effort not to stare at those lips.

He tipped his hat to her and forced his voice to be even. “Miss Delaney.”

“Oh, you can call me Kat,” she said cheerfully, pointing to her name tag. “Everyone else here does.”

His eyes went to the name tag pinned neatly to her snug-fitting uniform, directly over her full breasts. He ground his back teeth together.

“Hey, Katie, darlin’, my cup’s empty,” Rusty Burke called from a booth. “How ’bout a refill?”

“Be right back.” She grinned at Logan and with her coffeepot in hand, sauntered over to the obnoxious man.

He watched her smile at Rusty and felt the heat rise under his collar. What the hell was a woman like her doing here, talking to guys like that? Was she too damn innocent to know what men like Rusty wanted? It sure wasn’t a cup of coffee.

His hand closed tightly around his own coffee cup. Who knew better than him? he thought angrily. He’d certainly wanted a hell of a lot more than coffee himself. But at least he knew he wouldn’t do anything about it. The same was not true of Rusty, or a dozen other local cowboys. She had no idea what she was getting herself into, waiting on these men and smiling at them the way she was.

She came back and pulled a pencil and pad from her pocket. “What can I get for you?”

Logan nearly groaned. If she asked that question all day long to this group, she was in for trouble.

“Hey, Katie,” another man called from a table. “You got any honey?”

Logan turned on the man and growled. “Get it yourself. She’s helping me.”

Kat raised one eyebrow, but said nothing, waiting with her pencil poised.

“I’ll have a hamburger,” he said sourly.

“Would you like it cooked?” she asked sweetly, “or shall I just toss it through the bars?”

He frowned at her, but when she turned away, he reached across the counter for her arm and gently pulled her back. She was right, he was being surly. She didn’t deserve it now any more than she’d deserved being fired two days ago.

“I wasn’t expecting to see you here.” He wished they were anywhere but the middle of a crowded café.

She smiled slowly, and the soft upward curve of her lips made his pulse jump. “I admit, I’m a little surprised myself. If it wasn’t for Mr. Parson, I might have given up. He’s been wonderful to me.”

And I haven’t, Logan thought with a frown. Her skin was soft and smooth where he held her arm. He knew he should let go, but he couldn’t seem to break the contact between them.

“Look, Miss Delaney—Kat,” he said as quietly as he could over the clatter of dishes and people talking. “About the other day. I didn’t mean to be rude or unreasonable. I just...well, you weren’t what I was expecting.”

She looked at him for a long moment, then sighed softly and relaxed her shoulders. “How’s Anna?”

“Logan Kincaid, get your hands off my waitress!”

Stubbs Parson came around from behind the grill waving a spatula, his bulldog face scowling.

“Don’t think you can come in here and steal this gem away from me, especially after the way you’ve treated her, Mr. Flimflam man. Word has it from Punch Wilkins you brought her all the way from New York, then fired her faster than he could microwave a tamale.”

Logan and Stubbs had been friends for years, and Logan, like everyone else in town, had always tolerated and been amused by the ornery old café owner. At the moment, however, Logan definitely didn’t feel very tolerant, and he sure as hell didn’t feel amused. He ignored Stubbs and looked directly at Kat. Her face was bright red and it was obvious that everyone in town knew he’d fired her. No wonder people had been treating him like a pariah. With that innocent face of hers, and that sweet smile, Logan Kincaid would look like the devil incarnate. Logan decided he was going to strangle Punch.

He also decided he wanted Kat Delaney back.

For Anna, of course.

“How much is he paying you?” Logan asked Kat.

Flustered, Kat looked at Stubbs. “Well, I—”

“Oh, no, you don’t.” Stubbs waved his spatula at Logan. “To quote Punch, you said that you needed someone older. Well, mister, she might be too young for you, but she’s not for me.”

“I’m not too young for you, sweetie,” Stella Jones, the town beautician said from the booth behind him. Stella had to be at least sixty, with brassy red hair and a cosmetics-counter face. Logan’s collar was burning now, and the heat moved like wildfire up his neck. He decided he wasn’t going to strangle Punch. That would be too quick. He was going to kill him slowly and painfully.

“How much is he paying you?” Logan asked Kat again.