Del shut the gate and skipped to the vehicle smiling as she got in. “Now what?”
“We follow the boys down to the home paddocks and let them rest up a bit. Tomorrow, we can bring them into the pens to do our general health checks, drenching and docking the lambs before the shearers come in a couple of weeks. There is so much to do this time of the year, we run ourselves ragged which is why I need help with the kids.” She was listening to his every word. “We need to bring in the rams and older sheep as well, but that can wait until after lunch. Which reminds me, Bluey was going to give you a cooking lesson.” He loved the way she blushed under his gaze. “Were you on the level when you said you can't cook anything if it wasn't microwave-ready and in a box?”
She looked out the window and took a deep breath before glancing back at Blake. “I never really had to cook much and frozen dinners suited my lifestyle at the time, so why bother changing if I didn't have to? I’m sorry. I should have told you before you brought me back here.” Frustration sounded in her voice. She picked at her broken nail and curled her fingers into her palms. Blake glanced out of the window giving her time to get over her embarrassment.
“Stop beating yourself up, Del. There are more ways than one to make this work. So you can’t cook like we do. No problem. We’ll just have to give you a crash lesson then, won't we?”
It wasn't the only thing he’d like to give her a lesson in either. Del was totally unsuitable for the job she had taken on, but he wanted to keep her close and that need was growing. He’d thought it over while trying to sleep last night. Instead of falling into the usual exhausted slumber, he tossed and turned, the vision of Delilah keeping him awake. She was just what he needed—a breath of fresh air overlaid with spring flowers and puffy clouds. To hear a woman laughing in the kitchen once again was refreshing after being alone for so long. The smell her perfume as she brushed past him brought back memories long buried and she was starting to wake up his long tampered down urges. Something he hadn’t missed until she was there. Unsuitable but irresistible.
She was quiet on the drive back to the sheds, springing out of the vehicle when he pulled it up to a stop. Del held out her hands to help Lilly from the ute, and he watched them walk over to the fence together. Blake wondered if he had embarrassed her or she was finding her skills in the kitchen lacking for his benefit. This was harder than he remembered, living with a grown female in the house. He glanced at her back, letting his gaze drop to her butt and long bare legs as she leaned on fence with one arm under her chin on a fencepost and the other draped casually over his little girl’s shoulder as Bluey and Royce brought the sheep in.
He walked over and lifted Lily, sitting his daughter on the top post. Then he stepped over to where Delilah was and leaned on his arms on the old wooden palings. “Have you ever been to the Outback before, Delilah?”
She looked over at him and smiled. “No, this is a first for me.”
“Not really your style is it?”
“I never would have thought so, no. I have to admit, it's interesting.”
“I'm sorry about the kids waking you up this morning. I've tried to keep an eye on them when someone new comes but, it doesn't always work.”
Delilah chewed her bottom lip before looking up meeting his gaze. “Don't worry about it, I understand. It must be hard on them.”
“Yeah, it is and I'm almost at my wits end. I have to run the farm and do the work myself or pay through the nose for help, and we can't afford that right now.” He pushed the hat back on his head and rubbed the sweat from his forehead before pulling the hat back into place. “Every time I get a new nanny the kids manage to get rid of her. It's like they have something set in their minds about what they want and nothing can sway them. I've threatened, and bribed, and talked to them—might as well talk to myself.”
“They must miss their mother.”
“Yeah, they do and I can't blame them for that. It just doesn't make it any easier by doing what they're doing.” He watched the sheep coming closer.
“Have you thought of getting someone older, more grandmotherly if you get me?” She held her hand over her eyes to guard from the glare of the sun. “Maybe they think you’re trying to replace their mother when younger women arrive to take care of them. It might be too much for them to take in.”
“Yeah, that’s the route I'm taking this time. I was thinking the same thing when I approached the agency again. After the last couple of efforts, I sat back and wondered what I was doing wrong. I think I’ve figured it out now at least. The reason I was so keen to get you here is because I'm waiting on them to get back to me with a couple of possible candidates, but they aren't free for a few weeks yet.”
“Well, it might work out okay then. I can stay for five or six weeks if you need me to. It might tie in nicely with your ladies. In the meantime, try not to worry too much. I might not be a good cook, but I can amuse the kids—at least I hope I can.”
“Between us, we should be able to cope. I'd better get
