Ride Wild (Raven Riders 3)

Women who’d had an easy go at life didn’t end up in the Ravens’ protective custody, after all.

All of which had Slider deciding that Sam and Ben’s idea wasn’t so crazy, even though that meant he was taking parenting advice from his ten- and six-year-olds. Honestly, he didn’t think they could do much worse than he’d done these past couple years, and though there was humor in that somewhere, it also left him feeling like it was well past time to fucking step it up.

So he silenced his head and boxed up his bruised heart and let his gut lead this. “I’d like to ask you something, although I’m aware that five o’clock in the morning isn’t really the best time.”

There was a bit of wariness in her gaze, not that he blamed her, but still she nodded. “What is it?”

Slider took a deep breath, then let all kinds of words he’d been stuffing down just fly. “Cora, it’s quite possible you’re the best thing that’s happened to my family in a long time. And since, to be frank, I’m not the father I once was, I could use your help. Even more of your help, I guess. Because you’re amazing with the boys. A natural. And they love having you here.” He looked at her.

Green eyes wide, her mouth dropped open in surprise. “Okay. Wow,” she whispered. “That’s really kind of you to say. But . . . what does that mean, exactly?”

Jesus. He was an idiot. “Right.” He chuckled. “I guess it would help if I actually asked the question. Would you consider moving in here and working for us as a full-time nanny?”

Maybe it was because it was still the middle of the night. Or maybe it was because the remnants of a flashback-induced panic attack were still circulating through her blood. Or maybe it was because Slider had opened up to her in a way he never had before. But Cora could barely believe what she’d just heard.

“Excuse me?” she managed, her pulse tripping into a sprint.

“Oh, hell. You hate the idea.” Slider raked at his hair. “Damnit. Forget I said anything. We’ll just keep things how they are, which is fine. No, it’s great. Really.” He rose in a rush.

“Wait,” she said, standing, too, Blue Bear still in her hand. “I just . . . I’m not sure I . . . did you really just ask me to live here as your nanny?”

His gaze narrowed. “Uh, yeah?”

Cora blinked. Wow. Wow. “That’s . . .” Wow! “Oh, my God. I would love that,” she said. Hadn’t she just been thinking how much she would love a home like this? An actual real house to live in? The Ravens had been amazing letting her stay rent-free at the clubhouse all this time, but that wasn’t a viable long-term solution for her life, especially now that Haven was moving out. She’d never thought of being a nanny before, and maybe it wasn’t a permanent plan, either, but at least it was a job.

At least it was a start.

And now she had fun news of her own to share the next time she talked to Haven. So Cora didn’t need to think about it. “I’d be happy to accept, Slider.”

A slow smile crept up his face, and holy wow, it was the first actual smile she’d ever seen on him. Even with the beard, it made him look younger, it made those odd, pale eyes look livelier. “Yeah?”

She nodded when what she really wanted to do was break into a victory dance. “Yeah.” What would it be like to live with Slider? The man with the surprising smile. The man whose naked image lived in her head, whether she wanted it to or not. The man with whom she’d shared some sort of a moment in that hospital bed.

“Well, okay. Great. That’s . . .” He nodded. “The boys are going to be thrilled.”

Grinning, Cora hugged herself, then belatedly realized she was hugging a stuffed bear. They both chuckled. “I’m glad, because I’m definitely thrilled, too,” she said. And she really was. She’d always appreciated and enjoyed babysitting for them, but now it felt like a real opportunity.

“Good. Seems to me,” he said, peering down at the rumpled blanket on the couch, “first thing I need to do is make you an actual place to live around this place. A couch in the family room isn’t going to cut it. I’ll get on that right away.”

“Okay, that sounds great.” How ridiculous was it that the idea was so exciting? But having her own space to decorate and call home seemed like a little life victory, even if it was little. Still, she’d take it.

“So, would six hundred dollars a week plus room and board seem fair?” he asked. “And there’d be time off, of course. Paid vacation. I think the club is paying for your cell, and I’d take that over since you’d need it for the job. I looked into it a bit so I’d know all the rules people usually follow.”