Nicole Helm - Wyoming Cowboy Protection

“It’s fine. I promise.”

“I don’t want to be in anyone’s way or a burden, Laurel. That isn’t why I called you.”

“I know, and in an ideal world Noah would hire you of his own volition, but we don’t live in an ideal world. Noah’s cousin, who used to do most of the housekeeping, moved out. Grady—that’s Noah’s other cousin—tried running an ad but Noah refused to see anyone. This, he can’t refuse.”

“Why?”

Laurel flicked a glance Addie’s way as she pulled in front of a ramshackle, if roomy-looking, ranch house.

“Addie, I know you’re in trouble.”

Addie sucked in a breath. “You do?”

“I could be reading things wrong, but I’m guessing Seth’s father isn’t a very good man, and you need to get away from him.”

Addie swallowed. It was the truth. It wouldn’t be a lie to tell Laurel she was right. Seth’s father was a terrible man, and Addie desperately needed to get away from him.

“I’m a cop, Addie. I’ve dealt with a lot of domestics. This is the perfect place to get away from a guy who can’t control himself. You’re safe here. In Bent. At the Carson Ranch, and with me looking out for you.” Laurel smiled reassuringly.

“I just...” Addie inhaled and exhaled, looking at the house in front of her. It looked downright historical. “I need a fresh start. I’d hate to think it’s built on someone who doesn’t want me around.”

“Noah might not want you around, but he needs you around. The way I see it, you two need each other. Noah might be quiet or gruff, but he’s not a jerk. He’ll treat you right no matter how much he doesn’t want you to be here. I can promise you that.”

“And the baby?”

“I’ve never seen Noah hurt anyone, and I’ve known him all my life and worked in law enforcement here for almost ten years. But most especially, I’ve never seen him be cruel to anyone, even Delaneys. He’s not an easy man to read, but he’s a good man. I’d bet my life on that.”

The door to the house opened and a big, broad, bearded man stepped out. He wore jeans and a T-shirt, the lines of a tattoo visible at the sleeve. His grin was like sin, and all for Laurel. So this couldn’t be the quiet, reserved Noah she was apparently ambushing.

“That’s your man?” Addie asked, watching him saunter toward where they were parked. She’d never seen two people just look at each other and flash sparks.

Laurel grinned. “Yes, it is. Come on. Let’s get you introduced.”

* * *

NOAH GLOWERED OUT the window. Damn Grady. More, damn Laurel Delaney getting her Delaney nose all up in his Carson business. Since he wasn’t the one sleeping with her, Noah didn’t know why he had to be the one saddled with her relative.

But saddled he was.

The young woman who got out of the passenger seat looked nothing like a housekeeper, not that a housekeeper had ever graced the uneven halls of the Carson Ranch. He came from hardscrabble stock who’d never seen much luxury in life. Never seen much purpose for it, either.

Noah still didn’t, but all his help had moved out. Grady was off living with a Delaney. Vanessa, who’d once taken on much of the cleaning and cooking responsibilities—no matter how poorly—had moved into town. His brother, Ty, came and went as he pleased, spending much of his time in town. Any time he spent at the ranch was with the horses or pushing Noah’s buttons. Noah’s teenage stepcousin was as helpful as a skunk.

Noah was running a small cattle ranch on his own, and yes, cleaning and cooking definitely fell by the wayside.

Didn’t mean he needed an outsider lurking in the corners dusting or whatnot. Especially some wispy, timid blonde.

The blonde pulled a baby out of the back seat of the car. And she had a baby no less. Not even a very big-looking baby. The kind of tiny, drooly thing that would only serve to make him feel big and clumsy.

Noah’s scowl deepened. He didn’t know what to do with babies. Or wispy blondes. Or people in general. If only the horses could housekeep. He’d be set.

The door opened, Laurel striding in first. Noah didn’t bother to soften his scowl and she rolled her eyes at him.

Noah was a firm believer in history, and the history of Bent, Wyoming, was that Carsons and Delaneys hated each other, and anytime they didn’t, only bad things came of it. Noah didn’t know what Laurel had done to Grady to change Grady’s mind on the importance of the feud, but here they were, ruining his life. As a couple.

It was a shame he liked Laurel. Made all his scowling and disapproval hard to hang on to.

The blonde carrying the baby stepped in behind Laurel, followed by Grady.

“Noah,” Laurel said with one of those smiles that were a clear and sad attempt to get him to smile back.

He didn’t.

“Noah Carson, this is your new housekeeper, Addie Foster, and her son, Seth. Addie, this is Noah. Ignore the gruff Wyoming cowboy exterior. He’s a teddy bear underneath.”

Noah grunted and Grady laughed. “Ease up there, princess. No one’s going to believe that.”

Laurel shot Grady a disapproving look. “The point is, Noah will be a fair and, if not pleasant, a kind employer. Won’t you, Noah?”

He grunted again. Then looked at the blonde. “Thought you were a Delaney.”

“Oh, well.” Addie smiled, or tried to. “Sort of. My grandfather was one.” She waved a nervous hand, her eyes darting all around and not settling on any one thing.

“I’ll show you to your room, and Noah and Grady can bring in the baby stuff,” Laurel said cheerfully, already leading Addie and baby down the hall like she owned the place.

“Come on, let’s get the stuff,” Grady said once the women were gone.

“Remember when this was my house because I was the only one willing to work the ranch full time?” Noah glanced back at where the two women had disappeared. “Your woman’s going to get baby ideas,” he muttered.

Grady scoffed, but Noah noted that he didn’t argue.

Which was to be expected, Noah supposed, but Noah hated change. Especially uncomfortable change. People change.

“You don’t have to be prickly about it. You’re going to have a clean house and a few home-cooked meals. Try a thank-you.”

“You know me a lot better than that,” Noah returned as they opened the trunk to Laurel’s car.

Grady sighed, grabbing a stroller. “Laurel thinks Addie’s in a bit of trouble.”

“What kind of trouble?”

“Laurel’s theory? Abusive husband.”

“Hell,” Noah grumbled. He didn’t know what to do with babies, and he definitely didn’t know what to do with a fragile woman who’d been the victim of abuse.

“She just needs a fresh start is all. Somewhere she feels safe. I’ll keep an eye out for any other jobs that’ll work while she’s got the baby, but this is important. And it isn’t like you don’t need the help.”

“It isn’t that bad.”

Grady looked at him dolefully as they hefted a menagerie of baby things out of Laurel’s trunk and headed toward the house. “Pretty sure you were wearing that shirt yesterday, cousin.”

Noah looked down at the faded flannel work shirt. “No, I wasn’t.” Maybe. He didn’t mind doing laundry, but he hated folding laundry, and then the clean and dirty sometimes got a little mixed up if they weren’t muck clothes.

Grady stepped inside, but Noah paused on the stairs. He looked back over his shoulder at the mountains in the distance. Clouds were beginning to form and roll, and there’d be a hell of a storm coming for them soon enough.

On a sigh, Noah stepped inside. This was his idea of a nightmare, but he wasn’t a jerk who couldn’t put his own wants and preferences on the back burner for someone in trouble. If the woman and the baby were really running from some no-good piece-of-trash ex...