Brenda Jackson - Duty Or Desire

“You still working on your thesis?” Wallace asked her.

She moved back to the table to sit down. “Yes, but not as much as I should.” Then, because she wanted to share her disappointment with someone, she said, “I interviewed for a nanny position last week.”

“That’s great. How’s that working out for you?”

Knowing Wallace figured she’d gotten the job, she said, “I wasn’t hired. The guy thought I was too young.”

“Too young?”

“Yes. I think he was looking for an older, matronly woman.”

“Too bad, it’s his loss. You’re good with kids and would have been a great nanny.”

She believed that, too. At that moment her doorbell rang. “Thanks. I have to go. Someone is at the door.”

“Okay. Make sure you check to see who it is before opening it, Myra.”

“Okay. I’ll talk to you later.” She clicked off the phone and headed for the door.

Pete couldn’t believe he was here, but it had taken his best friend Derringer Westmoreland to help make him realize that just like Bonnie had said, Myra Hollister was the best person to be nanny to Ciara. Besides, he was running out of time.

Bonnie would be leaving town next week and so far, the women he’d interviewed had been so lacking in certain skills he’d quickly shown them the door. Then there had been Ciara’s reaction to each of them. She had taken one look and started screaming her dislike.

According to Derringer, Jason’s wife, Bella, and Myra Hollister had become friends. Bella had invited Ms. Hollister to one of those Westmoreland family chow-downs, something the Westmorelands got together for every Friday, and the one thing they’d all been amazed about was how the Westmoreland kids had taken to Myra and she to them. It was as if she was a modern-day Mary Poppins.

Something else Derringer had said had helped Pete see reason. If he truly wanted what was best for Ciara, then he would get the best. It would be up to him to keep things professional between him and his nanny. He had to agree with that. All he had to do was remember his relationship with Ms. Hollister was strictly business.

He intended to make sure it stayed that way.

So here he was on Myra Hollister’s doorstep with Ciara in tow. It was his day off and he hoped Ms. Hollister was still interested in the job. He glanced down at his niece who was smiling happily at him.

Suddenly the door opened and Myra stood there with a surprised look on her face. “Good morning, Sheriff Higgins.”

He was about to ask if he could come in when Ciara released a happy scream and all but jumped out of his arms into Ms. Hollister’s. He tightened his hold on his niece as she tried twisting out of his arms.

“You can let her go. I have her,” Myra Hollister said. Ciara not only went to the woman but wrapped her arms around her neck as if Myra Hollister was her lifeline.

He’d seen the interaction between Bonnie and Ciara numerous times and had seen the bond developing between them over the months. But he hadn’t been prepared for this, although he’d been forewarned.

“Hey there, Ciara, how are you, sweetie?” Myra asked her, and that’s when Ciara pushed back to look up at the woman while smiling brightly.

Myra Hollister lifted her eyes over Ciara’s head to look at Pete, who could only stare back at her. Today she looked even younger. The legal drinking age in Colorado was twenty-one, and he could see her getting carded easily. Few would believe she was twenty-four without proof. She was wearing her hair down and around her shoulders as she had the other day, and he wondered if the curls were as fluffy as they looked.

“Would you like to come in, Sheriff Higgins?”

“Yes, if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all,” she said, stepping aside for him to enter, propping Ciara on her hip.

“She’s heavy,” he said, reaching for his niece once they were inside. Again Ciara rebuffed his outstretched hands and clung to Myra.

“She’s fine. Come in by the fireplace. Glad to see you have her dressed properly.”

“Of course,” he said, taking off his Stetson and hanging it on the hat rack by the door.

It was October and the temperature was below freezing. Did she think he didn’t know to dress his niece for the cold weather? Granted, he would admit Bonnie had made it easy for him by laying Ciara’s clothes out the night before.

“Would you like something to drink, Sheriff Higgins? I have tea, hot chocolate and coffee.”

When she sat down on the sofa with Ciara, he sat in the chair across from her. “No, I’m fine.”

He knew from Bonnie that Myra was leasing this home. He liked the community and recalled it had once been his area to patrol when he was a deputy. The people were friendly and because of a neighborhood watch program, crime had been practically nonexistent.

“I want to apologize for my behavior the other day. I didn’t mean to offend you.” He decided to get it out there. He wished he wasn’t noticing how good she looked sitting there in her leggings and pullover sweater. Or how at eleven o’clock on a cold Monday morning she reminded him of a bright ray of sunshine.

After removing Ciara’s coat, hat and mittens, she adjusted his niece in her lap, looked him dead in the face and said, “Yet you did offend me, Sheriff.”

He blew out a slow breath. He needed to explain his actions as best he could while leaving out a couple of vital details. Like his intense attraction to her. He’d hoped it had been a fluke, but when she’d opened the door just now, he’d seen that it hadn’t been. At least he was doing a better job of controlling his reaction today than he had last week.

“I apologize for offending you. When Bonnie told me about you, I assumed you were an older woman. I hope you can understand my surprise when you walked into the kitchen.”

“Even if I wasn’t what you expected, I’m sure Miss Bonnie told you about my qualifications. I still don’t understand why there would be a problem even if I’m considered young to you. I used to work in a day care. I worked in a nursery at a hospital taking care of newborns and I’m getting my PhD in child psychology. What else did you need, Sheriff?”

He had to tighten his lips to keep from saying he didn’t need anything else, but it would help tremendously if she didn’t look like a goddess. And then, as if things needed to get more interesting, his niece took hold of the front of Myra’s sweater. That caused a dip in the fabric, exposing a generous portion of Myra’s cleavage. He nearly swallowed his tongue when he said, “I don’t need anything else. I think that would do it…if you’re still interested.”

She didn’t say anything for a moment, like she was mulling it over, trying to decide. Then she said, “Yes, I’m still interested.”

He felt relief at that. “Good. However, there are a few questions I need to ask to finish the interview process.”

“Ask away.”

“First, I want to offer my sympathy in regards to your parents. Bonnie told me what happened.” He saw the sadness that appeared in her eyes. She and her parents must have been close. A cop was trained to read people even when they didn’t want to be read.

“Thanks, Sheriff.”

He wished he didn’t have to ask the next question but there was no way around it. She needed to know what her working environment would be like. “You will need to move in with me for two months.” He paused, deciding he didn’t like the way that sounded. “Let me rephrase that.”

“No need,” she said, smiling. “I know what you meant. And yes, I’m aware that because of your unorthodox work hours, I’ll have to move into your place as a full-time nanny to Ciara. In fact, moving into your place works better for me.”