She giggled. “I told you, never. I love our circus too much.”
Aspen hurried over to us, a look of worry on her face as she took in my expression. “Hallie, this is my husband, Roan. Also known as Lawson’s brother and Charlie’s uncle. Roan, this is Law’s new nanny, so stop scowling and scaring the crud out of her.”
Roan looked a little sheepish as he turned back to me. “Nice to meet you, Hallie.”
“Y-you, too.”
“I swear he doesn’t bite, even when he looks like the abominable snowman,” Aspen assured me.
That last part confused me, but I just went with it. Seeing Roan’s gentleness with a daughter I surmised wasn’t his by birth was enough for me to give him the benefit of the doubt.
“I really am glad to meet you,” Roan said. “You’re honestly a miracle.”
“A miracle?” I parroted.
He set a wiggling Cady down, and we followed her, Charlie, and Heather toward the fence line. “I didn’t think Law would ever settle on someone to hire.”
Aspen pushed into her husband’s side, and he wrapped an arm around her. “Cut him some slack. Law had some real doozies for applicants.”
Roan chuckled, the sound deep and rich. “My favorite was the one who only cared about the cable and snacks.”
Aspen arched a red brow. “What about the one who offered to have a five-some with all of you?”
My jaw went slack. Was she for real?
Roan grimaced, then bent his head to brush his lips against hers. “You know you’re the only one I’m interested in taking to bed, Tenderheart.”
Pain streaked through me at the sweetness of the moment, the intimacy. You could see the dance of emotions between them as clear as day: care, love, respect, heat.
What would it feel like to experience just one of those things, let alone all of them at once?
Aspen kissed him back, then sent him a look. “There are children and company, Roan.”
He just grinned at her. “There’s always the barn.”
My cheeks flushed at the insinuation.
She smacked his stomach. “You’re incorrigible.”
“That’s how you like me.”
Aspen shook her head but extricated herself from her husband’s hold, moving to my side. “Sorry about him.”
“I’m not,” Roan called as he helped the kids into the pasture so they could greet the animals.
I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing. “He seems nice.”
“Niceis not a word I’ve ever used to describe Roan. He’s far too honest for that.”
I glanced up at Aspen. “Honest is good. Way better than nice.”
People hid behind niceness. It could be fake. Honest kindness, the type I’d seen from Roan with Cady and Aspen, people would give anything for that.
“I agree.”
“Aspen,” a deep voice called from behind us.
I hadn’t heard someone come up, even on the gravel. I’d been paying too much attention to the show between Aspen and Roan. I jerked, whirling around, my heart hammering.
