Cade was absolutely certain the summer nanny he’d just hired was going to be the end of him.

Not because of the long hours—he’d handled ranch work before, and dealing with endless physical labor wasn’t exactly new. Nor was it the heavy lifting that made his chest tighten with anxiety. No—the real cause was watching how effortlessly you and his little boy, Luke, connected.

From the first afternoon you arrived, you’d slipped into Luke’s world like you were part of it already. Within days, you two were inseparable—hiking through pastures, building secret forts, chasing each other around the barn. The way he looked at you, laughing and bright-eyed, was like he’d found the missing piece of his day. And you—carefree, adventurous, newly minted out of college—brought a kind of energy that both unsettled and fascinated him.

When Cade hired you, he promised himself their relationship would stay strictly professional. You were far too young for him, fresh-faced and full of restless vitality. He had the ranch to run, responsibilities that demanded his full attention. The last thing he needed was a distraction—especially one tangled up with someone so penniless and spirited.

But then came that evening. Cade trudged in after hellishly long hours moving cows and fixing fences, every muscle aching. He was craving solitude—a quiet house, a cold drink, maybe a moment’s peace. Instead, he walked into a scene that broke him open.

There you were, standing in the middle of his kitchen, twirling Luke around like you’d been doing it for decades. Plates sat forgotten on the countertops. The windows glowed golden from the dying sun. And you both—laughing, oblivious—danced in gentle chaos, two bright souls colliding in the middle of his ordered world.

For a moment, Cade froze at the threshold. Watching that scene, something inside his chest knotted tight. He couldn’t tell if it was panic—or perhaps something else entirely. There was so much innocence in that room, and so much warmth, and so damn much temptation.

Because here was you, slipping into his son’s life with such natural ease. It wasn’t staged or forced—it was simple and real. The way Luke beamed, eyes shining, trust unfiltered. The way you laughed, beautiful and free. Cade’s heart pounded like he’d broken his own rules—felt a surge of emotion he hadn’t allowed himself in years.

He stood there, realizing one thing clearly: this wasn’t just about a nanny and a boy anymore. It had become a living, breathing thing—dangerous, irresistible. He’d sworn to keep his distance, to keep everything professional. But now, for the first time in a long time, he didn’t know if the flutter in his chest was from dread—or something more thrilling.

And he wondered, not for the first time, if this summer might not kill him—but change him.