Gettin' Lucky (Love and Laughter)

by Raye, Kimberly

“You must not be a morning person, either.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “You’re not thinking clearly, otherwise, you would realize what a terrible mistake you’re making. Helen already thinks I’m the governess, and you would have a lot of explaining to do if I up and left and you had to call the agency again.”

  He sighed. “Now I do feel like throwing up.”

  She smiled. “Agree to my terms and the urge will pass.”

  “Three thousand dollars.” He ran a hand over his tired face. “I must be out of my mind.”

  “Three thousand, plus the eighty-dollar cab fare your nanny stiffed me for. And you promise to get rid of any and all firearms in the house.”

  He nodded. “All right, three thousand and eighty dollars, and the guns are history.” His gaze zeroed in on her again. “But remember. You do everything I say, when I say it, and overall, do your best to avoid Helen. Got it?”

  “I’ll try.” Doubt crept in and took a few bites out of Lucky’s ego. “Do you really think I can pull this off?”

  “You have to. Now stay in your room while I shower and change. I’ll meet you back here in half an hour, after I have a sit-down with Bennie and tell her your post is going to take a little longer to fill, so you’ll be staying for a few weeks.”

  “She’s really great,” Lucky said.

  For a split second, his harsh expression eased and a smile tugged at his lips. “I know, that’s why I can’t let this little setback mess everything up. Bennie is the one thing I’ve done right in my life.”

  “Oh, I’d be willing to bet you’ve done more than just one, Tyler Grant.” That kiss, for instance. Ooo, boy.

  She turned and left, her heart pounding double time. Mabel must have put something in the orange juice because Lucky was usually comatose until 8:00 a.m.

  WHAT THE HELL was he doing?

  The thought flashed in his mind as he watched her leave the room, her hips molded beneath the clinging black slacks.

  Control, he told himself. She was his employee, he was her employer, and despite the sparks between them, she wasn’t his type. When, if he ever settled down again, it would have to be with someone like Nan. Someone sophisticated, wealthy, refined. Helen’s idea of an appropriate wife.

  Lucky was completely off limits. He would coach her and pass her off as the best nanny this side of the Rio Grande. Nothing more. Period.

  “Lucky’s staying?” Bennie said when Tyler told her the news. Where he’d expected his daughter to turn sulky, accusing eyes on him, she actually smiled.

  “It’s Miss Myers to you, and it’s only for two weeks,” Tyler told her. “Until the agency can send a capable replacement.”

  “Until Grandmother leaves,” Bennie chimed in.

  “Pure coincidence.” Tyler averted his gaze. He couldn’t fill Bennie in on the details about the theft and Lucky’s true identity. She might slip up and spill the news to Helen. “Miss Myers is very kind to have agreed to stay and help us, so I want you to cooperate and be nice, is that clear?”

  “Since when am I not nice, Daddy?”

  Tyler gave her a knowing look. “You want the full list?”

  Bennie turned red and shook her head. “I’ll behave. I’ll act like the perfect lady.” She gave him a kiss and left.

  Lucky joined him in the library a little while later. She’d turned her shirt around, the material molding to her perfect breasts the way the slacks clung to her hips. The clothes were a little too small to look elegant. Inviting, yes. Elegant?

  Forget inviting. He needed elegant.

  “If you’re going to pull this off for two weeks, then we have to prepare. There are certain things Helen will expect you to know. Proper etiquette, culture, who’s who in Houston—things like that. We’ll start tonight.”

  “Start what?”

  “Lessons,” he said, pulling a few leather volumes from the shelves. “Here,” he said, handing her the books. “Start reading these.”

  “Wine-tasting Made Easy and What Not to Say at the Dinner Table. You’re kidding, right?”

  He shook his head. “The Dalton Agency doesn’t peddle your average nanny/baby-sitter. We’re talking educated, sophisticated women. Dalton nannies are trained for the wealthiest families.”

  “Obviously.” Her gaze dropped to the books in her hands. “Gifts from your mother-in-law?”

  “Actually, they were my mother’s,” he said, wondering why he didn’t just keep his trap shut. Her gaze lifted, connected with his. That’s why. She had eyes that begged him to talk, to pour out his soul. Damn, she was good.

  “Trying to better herself?” Lucky asked.

  “Trying to better the rest of us,” he replied.

  “So she didn’t go for the rugged-cowboy type?”

  He shook his head. “She liked the three-piece suit, pocket-full-of-money type that doesn’t sweat or get his hands dirty.”

  She smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners, sparkling with honesty and something else. “Well, there’s nothing wrong with a little dirt and sweat. It builds character, or that’s what my daddy always said. So where is your mother now?”

  “She and my dad divorced when I was sixteen. She left and I went to live with her.”

  “You two must have been close.”

  Tyler sighed. “There was no being close to my mother, though I tried. I went to the right schools, had the right friends, wore the right clothes, even married the right woman according to my mother’s standards. Nannette, Bennie’s mom, was as blue-blooded as they come. She was perfect. Beautiful, smart, a product of good breeding and heir to one of the oldest fortunes in Houston.”

  “Did you love her?”

  “You cut right to the chase, don’t you?”

  She smiled. “I’ve always been very straightforward. So answer the question. Did you?”

  “We weren’t in love, if that’s what you mean. I loved the idea that my mother was so taken with her, and she liked the idea of dating someone her parents didn’t approve of.”

  “You? But you’re smart and handsome and—”

  “I’m the son of a lowly rancher,” he corrected, unable to stifle a surge of pleasure at her quick defense. “My father is self-made. His father was a sharecropper. Peasant stock compared to royalty.”

  “Nonsense, people are people. We all put our pants on one leg at a time. So you do it in a fifty-room mansion in River Oaks, while I’m in a one-room efficiency on the south side. We’re still doing the same thing.”

  It sounded so simple—too simple to someone who’d spent his life trying to measure up, and too close to the truth. He pulled another volume from the shelf and handed it to her.

  She smiled and clasped the books to her chest. “I’m not making any promises. I’m about as peasant as they come, but I’ll do my best.”

  “Fair enough. Just read as much as you can, as fast as you can today, and tonight you and I will meet for a crash course in the fine art of being a Dalton nanny.”

  Meanwhile, Tyler was going to see what he could do to keep Helen preoccupied for the next two weeks. Right after he tortured himself with another cold shower and gave his libido a good lecture on how to control itself. And his heart Definitely his heart, he decided when she turned another smile on him. Two weeks.

  What the hell had he done?

  “DON’T YOU WORRY about a thing. Between me, Buster and the boys, we got your granny covered.”

  “And tell everybody I’m sorry I have to miss Saturday’s game. We’re bowling the Quickie Cab Iguanas and I know the guys are nervous.”

  “About bowling against a bunch of lizards? They’ll be fine without you and I’ll give ’em your apologies personally.”

  “Thanks, Stella. You’re a lifesaver.”

  “No need to thank me. Just take care of yourself, and make sure this guy’s on the up-and-up.”

  “Oh, he’s legitimate, all right. He gave me part of the money as a down payment, and he seems like a decent guy.” />
  “Don’t let him fool you. He’s still a man,” Stella declared, “and they’re all predators, every last one of them. They’ll eat you alive at the first sign of weakness.”

  “I should be so lucky. Of all the things I’ve ever been afraid of, being eaten alive by a good-looking cowboy has never been one of them.”

  “Men don’t care about looks. As long as you’re breathing and you’ve got double X chromosomes, you’re fair prey.”

  Lucky wasn’t in total agreement. Experience had taught her that it took a little more than simply being the correct sex to attract a man, any man, and to catch a guy like Tyler... The task was so daunting she didn’t even want to think about it.

  For a good-looking man of means like Tyler, a woman would have to have the entire thing going on: great body, great face, an abundance of feminine assets and a mind. One who could read several books in a single afternoon and look dynamite doing it.

  Lucky had the mind, but it was all wrapped up in the wrong package. No pretty-colored paper or great big bow. She was more the plain brown wrapping-paper type, with plenty of strapping tape and a warning that read Tampering With Mail Is A Federal Offense. Violators Will Be Prosecuted.

  “Don’t underestimate him just because he’s nice,” Stella cautioned. “You’re a good girl, easy pickings for a lonely man out there in the middle of nowhere.”

  Don’t I wish, Lucky added silently. “He’s definitely not interested, but thanks for the advice.”

  They talked a minute more while Lucky promised to take care and guard her innocence. Then she hung up and sat down at Tyler’s desk to cram for a few more minutes before he arrived for their first nightly lesson.

  She tried to concentrate, but talking with Stella had stirred Tyler’s image. And sitting in his chair, the scent of leather and male surrounding her, didn’t help matters.

  Bolting to her feet, she walked over to the broken movie projector. She busied herself putting the pieces that didn’t require a screwdriver back together. Still, the task wasn’t distracting enough.

  Her nerves tingled as she remembered Tyler’s soft but firm touch against her breast. Okay, so he was interested, despite what she’d told Stella. But only because Lucky was the only available female for miles.

  She was practice. A convenient substitute for some gorgeous, well-endowed socialite. One who didn’t put on her shirt backward and could tap-dance “Yankee Doodle” in four-inch stiletto heels without missing a step.

  The realization gave her an ill feeling inside, but she forced it away. Forget the whys. Tyler was directing some attention toward her and she was determined to make the most of it. To flirt back and sharpen her own skills so when she returned to Houston, she could do some serious manhunting, she reminded herself.

  “That projector is a lost cause,” Tyler said, leaning against the doorjamb.

  “Nothing is a lost cause.” She fit another piece into place then rubbed her hands together. “You haven’t seen me with a screwdriver and a wrench.”

  “You’ll have to settle for a fork and a knife.” He motioned her to follow him. “Let’s go.”

  “What do you mean and where are we going?”

  “Helen’s taking a bubble bath, so we’re taking advantage of the time. Nanny lesson number one, you can’t stare at me all through dinner.” He led her into the dining room where she found two complete plate settings with enough silver to kill a dozen werewolves. “There’s a reason and a purpose for every fork, knife and spoon,” he said.

  “But I’ve been reading all day about wine-tasting.”

  “That’ll come later. This is the most urgent. This and your appearance.” His gaze traveled over her face. “Didn’t Earline show you any makeup techniques?”

  “I like the natural look.” Liar. She’d tried for half an hour to duplicate Earline’s eye-makeup technique, and had wound up looking like a circus clown. “I think I might need an extra lesson. I’ve never really been into makeup. It’s hard work.”

  “Mabel can help you. But first things first.” He indicated the lavishly laid table.

  They started with napkins—the hows, whens and wheres of using them. Then Tyler went through a detailed description of each piece of silverware, and an hour later, Lucky had the headache of her life.

  “You’re not paying me enough for this.” She stifled a yawn. “It’s after ten on a Saturday night. I should be getting double-time.”

  “Think of this as a bonus, not work. You’ll be wiser, more socially acceptable. Don’t you want to improve yourself? Be a more well-rounded woman?”

  Woman. He certainly had a way with words. And gazes. Hungry gazes. Yes, he had the hunger part down pat.

  And as for well-rounded... Well, she really wouldn’t mind a certain duo being better rounded.

  “Okay, so maybe it isn’t so bad that I’m learning this stuff.” She chewed her bottom lip, a habit she’d picked up over the past twenty-four hours while she was on a gum fast, and studied the place setting. Carefully, she picked up each utensil and repeated what he’d told her. “And bottom line,” she finished, “you start at the outside and work your way in.”

  “Good.” The smile he gave her was more than good. It was great, and worth the heavy-metal drum solo beating inside her head. Definitely worth it.

  “You know, I’ve been meaning to ask you,” Lucky began.

  “Yes?”

  “How did you learn to kiss so good? I mean, I’d like to learn, and if there’s a school that produces great kissers, I’d be really interested in enrolling.”

  He stared at her incredulously. “You want to learn how to kiss? You have to be kidding? That kiss...” He shook his head. “I think you’ve got kissing down pat.”

  “Me? Really?” She brightened. “You think I’m a good kisser? Why? What was it I did? I need specifics.”

  “Are you serious? You’re serious.” He shook his head. “Look, Lucky.” He took a deep breath and she saw the muscles in his arms tighten. “That kiss last night... It shouldn’t have happened. You and I have to work together. I’m your boss and you’re my nanny. Besides that, we’re worlds apart and I don’t have room in my life for a woman. I’ve got my daughter to think of, and this ranch and my father... Aw, hell.” He leaned forward and captured her lips with his.

  Before Lucky knew what was happening, she was in his arms, sitting on his lap, caught in a deep, urgent kiss that sent her senses reeling. Geez, he had great lips. Ah, and a wonderful tongue. He stroked and coaxed and took her breath away, and though she’d promised herself to stay alert and note every nuance for future reference, she couldn’t think, much less document Tyler’s incredible technique.

  He swept her away with his mouth, his hands. His fingers stroked the length of her spine, fitting her against him. Soft female curves to hard male muscle. He felt wonderful. Strong. Hard...

  “Tyler, boy, is that you?”

  Lucky and Tyler jerked apart at the sound of Ulysses’s voice. Lucky scrambled from Tyler’s lap, wiping at her lips, her gaze fixed on tall, dark and gorgeous Tyler Grant. He looked stunned, shocked at what had just happened.

  “Son?” Tyler’s father stood in the doorway, wearing his bathrobe. The bandages were off now, both eyes red and nearly swollen shut. “I can’t see a dadblasted thing.” Ulysses groped his way into the room and sank into a chair. “Those damn city doctors.”

  Lucky took deep breaths and tried not to look at Tyler. Not with his father right there.

  “Dad, the doctor said to relax. It’ll take a few more days for the swelling to subside and for your eyes to adjust to the light. Then, hopefully, your vision will start to return to normal.”

  “Normal? Hell, I’d be happy with shapes, a few splotches of bright light—somethin’ to show me the dadburned surgery actually worked!” He waved his hands in front of him. “You don’t know what it’s like, boy. A man like me’s used to fendin’ for himself. It ain’t natural for me to be stumblin’ around.” He felt on the table n
ext to him and grabbed a bowl of potpourri. “So this is where I left my popcorn.” Ulysses scooped a handful and prepared to shove it into his mouth.

  “Dad!” Tyler grabbed his father’s hand.

  “What? Now I can’t have popcorn? You been talkin’ to that doctor about my dadbumed cholesterol level again?”

  “Dad, this isn’t popcorn.”

  “’Course it is.” He tugged at the bowl, but Tyler was stronger. He placed the bowl out of Ulysses’s reach.

  “Come on, Dad. It’s late. Let me help you back to bed.”

  “I’ve been in that bed for hours, boy. My back’s aching. ’Sides, I could use a little snack. What in blue blazes are you doing?”

  “Having a...um, a talk with Miss Myers. She’ll be replacing—”

  “That dadbumed thief! Hot damn, boy, didn’t you learn your lesson? You can’t trust women like her.”

  “Ulysses, here you are.” Mabel came up behind Tyler’s father. “I’ve been looking all over for you. Come on out to the kitchen and I’ll fix you a sandwich.”

  The old man patted Mabel’s hand. “With the little pickles?”

  “A whole jar of them,” she assured him.

  “Lock up your personals, son,” Ulysses muttered as he let Mabel help him up and usher him toward the door. “And watch your back.”

  Lucky shook her head as Ulysses and Mabel made their way down the hall. “Your father doesn’t exactly like me.”

  “It isn’t you. It’s your type.”

  “He doesn’t like cabdrivers?”

  “No, he doesn’t like the type of woman he thinks you are—a fortune hunter, just like the nanny who ripped me off. Dad doesn’t take too kindly to women only interested in a man’s money, whether she wants to marry him or rip him off, or both. Give him a few days and I’m sure he’ll mellow.”

  “And if he doesn’t?”

  Tyler smiled. “I’ll give Hank a call and we’ll borrow his bulletproof vest.”

  8

  “I SEE YOU’RE FEELING better today.” Helen’s gaze roved over Lucky when she arrived for breakfast the following morning.