Somethin' Dirty: Country Fever, Book 4 by Em Petrova Read Free Book Online Page B

shake his. Professional distance was a must. Sleeping with one’s boss was never a good idea. Less so when she didn’t want any ropes to bind her to Reedy.
    He took her hand, and she curled her toes into the floor at the feel of his work-roughened palm. “Thanks, Nola.”
    Heart throbbing, she rushed out of the house and shut herself inside her car. As she made her way back down the mountain, she breathed easier. The tension between her and Griffin had to all be in her head. Tomorrow would be easier.
    But she had a feeling that keeping a professional distance from the rugged cowboy was going to be like keeping a stallion away from a mare in heat.
     
     
    Griffin bounced a fussy Lyric on his shoulder and tossed another look out the kitchen window at the driveway. Nola was due any minute, and his internal clock knew it.
    Where that woman was concerned, he was far too aware. For the twelfth time since taking her on as nanny, he reminded himself that besides now being on his payroll, Nola was too young. Still, his overactive libido didn’t apply an age to desire.
    Lyric squawked.
    “I know she’s late.” He glanced at the clock on the range. They hadn’t really discussed a time for her to arrive, but he’d assumed she knew ranchers got up early.
    He resisted the urge to put Lyric in her bouncy seat and clean up the few breakfast dishes. But if he ignored the mess, he’d have something to talk to Nola about. If he didn’t think of a to-do list, he feared what may spurt from his mouth.
    Armed with a mental list, he took the baby outside and stared down the driveway. The overcast sky made him eager to get to work before it rained. Where was she?
    He let Lyric capture a hank of his hair. After twenty minutes, irritation rolled off him. Nola was living up to his perception of young women.
    With his resolve firmly in place again, he went back inside. Seconds later the drone of an engine made his heart leap.
    Dammit, stop that. He peeked out the window and watched Nola’s bare legs emerge from the car.
    His cock jerked. Disgusted with his lack of control, he swung from the window and met her at the mudroom door. When she saw his expression, the smile fell from her face.
    “Oh no. I’m late, aren’t I?”
    The uncertain way she nibbled her lip sent Griffin into an instant state of arousal. But a single look at her fresh, young face helped him clamp off his desires. Wanting this woman was wrong in 500 ways, starting with her age and ending with the fact she was his employee.
    “Some dishes in the sink to do. Laundry to fold. And can you change the crib sheets?” He thrust Lyric at her. Awkwardly, she accepted the baby and held her a little apart from her body. “She’s been fed and changed. I’ll be in the barn.”
    With that, he stomped outside. Gulping air, he strode faster to put more distance between him and that alluring woman.
    But an hour of back-breaking barn work didn’t ease the grip she had on him.
    Forty more minutes of feeding and watering animals only gave him time to go over ten reasons why she was irresistible.
    Twenty more minutes of horseback riding to the top field to check the herd afforded him a better view of his personal goals. No matter how lonely and horny he was, he did not want another Miranda in his life.
    His relationship with Nola was strictly professional. He wrote her checks and she cared for his daughter. Simple.
    But when he returned to the house for lunch, only to find a covered plate with a sandwich and a few pickles on it, his heart rocked.
    He eyed her. “What’s this?” He lifted the corner of the plastic wrap covering the plate.
    She fidgeted, a faint flush coating her beautiful features. “I figured I was making myself a sandwich anyway and might as well make two.”
    A kernel of warmth took root in his chest. He pulled off the plastic and lifted the top slice of bread to see a random selection of deli meat and cheese. She didn’t know his tastes, but it was the most