Marine for Hire Read Online Free PDF Page A

door. “Seriously, if it weren’t for you, I’d go to my first day of work wearing yoga pants.”
    “We’ll have to do it again sometime. Have a great night, guys!”
    And with that, Sheri found herself alone with her new manny.
    Well, technically, she still hadn’t made up her mind about that. She watched Sam for a moment, his massive shoulders bent over the kitchen sink as he scrubbed a baking sheet with a fierceness that made his forearms ripple. A splash of soapy dishwater hit the front of his shirt, and she admired the outline of his perfect washboard abs through the damp cotton. His fingers flexed around the sudsy sponge as he slid it over the slick pan.
    Sheri cleared her throat. “Thank you for dinner. It was incredible. The salad was delicious.”
    He nodded and looked up from the sink. “There was a good farmers’ market just up the road. Great fresh produce.”
    “Right,” she said, thinking normal mothers probably knew the location of every farmers’ market on the island so they never ran out of nutritious, organic vegetables to steam and puree for their little angels. She stood up as he returned to the table to grab the empty wineglasses.
    “Please,” she said. “At least let me finish the dishes. You’ve done so much already.”
    “No way,” he said, planting a firm hand on her shoulder and pushing her back into her chair. His hand lingered there for a few beats and Sheri shivered from the heat of his fingers and the delicious pressure of his palm cupping her shoulder.
    God, how long had it been since a man touched her? Maybe Kelli was right about this mojo thing.
    He hesitated, then drew his hand back and smiled, making Sheri thankful he couldn’t read her thoughts.
    “Really, I’ve got it,” he insisted. “Just let me help you. Can I get you another glass of wine?”
    “I’m fine, thank you. Look, I think we should talk.”
    “Okay.”
    She cleared her throat again, not sure why she felt so nervous. “I won’t pretend I wasn’t shocked to have you just show up here with Mac informing me you’re the new nanny. But you do seem to know your way around a changing table and a kitchen, and right now I’m not in a position to be picky.”
    He raised one eyebrow. “That’s your idea of a vote of confidence?”
    “Sorry. I’m new at this.”
    He grinned, and she felt bad for antagonizing him. Hell, he’d just cooked her dinner. She’d given a blow job to the last guy who’d done that, and she hadn’t even liked him much. Okay, so he’d been her husband, but really—
    “Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?” she asked, eager to shift her brain from that train of thought. “I know Mac already interviewed you, but I’d feel better if I got to know a little more about you and your qualifications before we commit to anything.”
    “Fire away.”
    She thought about it for a moment, wondering what sort of questions normal moms would ask their potential nannies. Something about feeding times and care plans and childrearing philosophies?
    “So, um, how’d you get started as a—as a manny ?”
    He dried the baking sheet with a turquoise towel, then bent down to tuck the pan in the drawer beneath the oven. Sheri was so distracted staring at his ass that she forgot she’d asked a question.
    “I have six older sisters,” he said as he stood up and set the dish towel on the counter, anchoring his hands on either side of it. “Five of them are married with kids, which means I have a whopping total of six nieces, eight nephews, and two more on the way.”
    “Wow,” she said, taken aback. “You must have a close family?”
    “You could say that. My mom died when I was five, and my dad didn’t marry my stepmom for another fifteen years. My sisters sort of took over mothering me, while my dad did his best to make sure I didn’t go to school wearing their doll clothes and an apron.”
    She laughed, trying to picture a smaller, less-buff version of Sam in a pink frilly apron.