When I opened my front door, the last thing I expected was to see Lyla dressed up like that. Sure, I understood that she was trying to make a good impression given how wracked with guilt she was over how she insulted my brother, but I didn’t expect her to go quite that far.

My mouth immediately went dry as I took in the sight of that short skirt that showed off her legs, the button-down blouse that clung to her skin, and what can only be described as the sexiest pair of heels I’d ever seen.

And I was a guy.

I didn’t pay attention to heels.

Yet, here I was noticing them now.

I smiled to put her at ease when she caught me staring at her, but I had to clench my hands into fists when she blushed.

Damn, who was this woman?

And what was she doing to me?

Why was my body reacting to her like I was some lovesick puppy who’d never touched a woman?

I gestured for her to enter, and when she did, I caught a whiff of her perfume as she went by, and my insides did this funny little thing they hadn’t done since high school.

Jesus.

I needed to get a grip.

I lifted my chin up as I led her into the living room and invited her to sit. As soon as she crossed one leg over the other, her skirt inched up on her knees, and I had to look away before my attraction gave me away again.

“As you can see, it’s not a large house. There are three bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. I have a cleaning lady who comes once a week, but I generally keep things tidy myself,” I began as I gestured around the house. “Emma is just shy of six-months, but she’s a very easy baby.”

“Oh?” Lyla looked relieved as she listened attentively.

“Yes, she goes to sleep around 8 and doesn’t stir during the night. I make baby formula for her every morning, and she’s fed three times a day. She usually changes around 3 to 4 times a day,” I continued. “Do you want me to write all of this down for you?”

“I can write it myself,” she offered as she rummaged around for a pen and a notebook. Her pen scribbled furiously as she tucked her hair behind her ear. She began to chew on her bottom lip in concentration, and I found myself strangely fascinated by the gesture.

It was…endearing.

A term I wasn’t used to using.

I raised my fingers and began to tick off the points. “She eats once in the morning, once in the afternoon and once at night. Diaper changes depend on her dietary habits, so I can’t give you a set time for that, and she usually sleeps at around 8. There’s a paper on the fridge with instructions on how to make the baby formula, and all my numbers including the station’s number in case of emergencies. There’s also the doctor’s number, and the social worker’s number.”

Lyla looked a little overwhelmed, but she did her best to hide it, as she kept her head bent and her eyes focused on the paper in front of her. “Got it. Anything else, Sheriff Baker?”

“Please call me, Clay. You’ll get one day a week off, and when she’s sleeping, your time is yours to do with you as you please,” I explained as I stood up and brushed some lint off my jeans. “Come with me, so I can show you Emily’s room, and where you’ll be staying.”

Lyla stood up and followed in my wake as I led her down the hallway. I noticed her politely cataloguing everything, and I wondered what she thought of the house. Did she think the mismatched furniture was sweet, or sloppy? My mom was a big fan of flea markets. Did she think the colors were too bright, or quirky?

I had no idea why I was wondering these things. It’s not like I was asking her to move in with me forever. She was just here to watch over Emily, that’s all.

What did I care if she liked the house?

Except, I kind of did.

For reasons unbeknownst to me.

“This is my room,” I gestured towards my room, then hurried forward and opened the door to Emily’s room. I’d finally finished painting the nursery a beautiful shade of violet, and the crib in the middle, where Emily lay quietly sleeping, had been given an extra polish. When the door creaked, her eyes popped open, and she gave us both a big happy grin.

My heart melted at the sight as I walked forward and gently picked her up. “Hey, baby girl. Did you sleep well?”

Emily gurgled and cooed in response as she stared at Lyla in fascination. “This is Lyla. I think you’ll like her.”

Lyla leaned in. “Hi, Emily.”

“You’ll be staying in the guest room. It has a connecting door to Emily’s room, and feel free to decorate it however you like,” I said as I began to bounce Emily up and down.

Emily was laughing excitedly as Lyla made faces at her. She used both of her tiny arms to reach forward, and Lyla glanced at me first before she gently took her.

“Do you have any questions?” I asked.

“Should I make a note of when Emily’s mom visits?” she asked, her blue eyes wide and unassuming.

“No, she’s not involved in Emily’s life,” I said firmly. I could tell that Lyla was a bit startled by my forceful response, but there was nothing I could do about that now.

She’d accidentally hit a nerve.

I wasn’t ready to tell her about Annabelle yet.

“Okay,” she said, her tone cheerful. “Does this mean I get the job?”

I threw my head back and laughed. “Yes, you can start tomorrow. How does that sound?”

“Sounds perfect.”