Page 223 of Cowboy Daddies

“If you’d had my dad, you’d have snuck out too.”

There was a beat of silence.

Shit.

“I shouldn’t have said that.” Her and her big mouth.

“We’ll talk about that later,” he promised.

Um, she didn’t see why they would need to do that.

“Come on, Casey,” he coaxed. “Come back this way.”

All she had to do was scoot back. She could do this.

She couldn’t do this. She was completely stuck.

“I can’t move,” she said tensely. “I’m so sorry! I’m such an idiot. Is Wyatt staring at me like I’m an idiot?”

“Wyatt doesn’t think you’re anything like that,” he reassured her.

“You got this, Casey!” Wyatt yelled.

She let out a deep breath. Then she slowly moved back along the branch until she felt Jeb grab hold of the back of her jeans. Relief flooded her, nearly making her dizzy.

For some reason she trusted that he’d get her down safely.

“That’s it,” he reassured her. “You’re doing so well. I’m going to help you down. You just have to do what I say, understand?”

“That’s never been my strong point,” she told him.

“What? Doing as you’re told? Yeah, I can tell.”

They were now back at the trunk of the tree and he started to loosen the rope around her waist.

“That’s rude,” she muttered. “I’ve done everything you’ve asked me to. I even folded laundry this morning and I hate folding laundry.”

Yeah, he’d seen the pile in the living room as he’d walked through the house. Those were folded?

Perhaps asking her to help with the housework and look after Wyatt was too much. The other nannies had helped out around the house while Wyatt was at school, though.

“All right, I see we need to establish some rules then.” He let the rope around her waist drop to the ground. Wyatt tidied the rope up.

“Rules? I don’t need rules! I’m an adult.”

“I’m going to help you turn around and then you’re going to hold on tight to me. Arms around my neck and legs around my waist. Understand?”

“I’ll fall,” she said.

“You’re not going to fall,” he replied firmly. “Because I’m going to keep you safe.”

She didn’t move.

Shit.

She didn’t trust him. Which was understandable. They barely knew each other.

“Do you promise?” she asked.