Lauren tore herself away from the window and went into the kitchen.
It was bustling.
Betty was baking something that smelled wonderful and a woman she didn’t know was busy filling thermoses with coffee and soup.
“Care packages for the drovers,” Sally explained. “The black thermoses are filled with coffee, the red ones with chicken soup. Darn almanac was wrong. It said no rain today.” She turned to the woman next to her. “Meet Ann, Chet’s wife. Ann, meet Lauren.”
“Hi,” Ann said. “I’m glad to meet you, although not this way. Chet’s talked a lot about you.”
“Ann!” Sally cut her off quickly. “Are you through with that bunch of sandwiches?”
“I am,” Ann said. “And I’m going into the dining room to sit down.” She grinned at Lauren. “I’m pregnant.”
“That’s wonderful,” Lauren said. “Congratulations.”
When she left, Sally lowered her voice. “She’s going to stay in one of the rooms upstairs tonight. We don’t want her alone tonight during the storm.”
“How bad is it?”
“Real bad. The winter feeding pasture they’ll move the cattle to isn’t close, and they have to go through some rough areas, and calves have a habit of wandering off. Keeping them together is the hard part. The thunder and lightning don’t help.”
“Chet and Reese seem close.” It was more a statement than a question.
“They are. Chet was born here. Chet’s father worked for our father. The boys grew up together. They’re closer than a lot of brothers I know. Chet and Ann have a house on a creek about half a mile from here.”
“And Chet’s father?”
She shrugged.
Lauren guessed that wasn’t a happy subject. “Reese asked me to look after the kids tomorrow.”
“They’re fine for tonight, thanks to you,” Sally said. “It’s tomorrow that’s the problem. They were really looking forward to the mustangs tomorrow, but that’s out of the question now. So is any riding. Every one of our hands is doing double duty now and we can’t spare any of them to teach or be there for safety reasons.”
“I’ll come up with something,” Lauren said. She just didn’t know what. She’d used the poker card. She didn’t think another day of poker would be much of a worthy pastime. Neither did she think the boys would enjoy a day of Scrabble or playing other card games when ranch hands were outside in driving rain trying to save cattle.
Lauren finally got up and went upstairs. It had been a far longer day than she’d anticipated when she left Covenant Falls early this morning.
She took a long, hot shower, then dropped into bed, but the rain pounding against the windows and the intermittent lightning kept her mind on the men slogging through the weather, particularly one in a yellow duster.
Sleep didn’t come easily. Reese’s kiss was still engraved in her thoughts, and the faces of two men kept popping in and out. How could she have feelings for one when those for the other were still alive?
She woke up as gray light entered the room. She looked at the clock. It was 6:00 a.m.
She stood up, wishing she had a robe. Instead, she wrapped a large towel she’d taken from the bathroom last night and wrapped it around her and walked over to the window. The rain was still coming down hard. It was oddly quiet beneath the window.
She opened the door and found a bundle of clothes. There was the promised duster, which would do in the room, a pair of jeans that looked as if they’d never been worn and a red-and-white-checkered shirt. There was also a belt for the jeans.
It was needed. The shirt was large but fine. The jeans were held up only because of the belt.
It was 6:30 a.m. by the time she got downstairs, and the kitchen was buzzing with activity. Sally was packing sandwiches, Betty was baking something that smelled wonderful and Ann was busy filling more thermoses with coffee.
“Reese and Chet are still out?” Lauren asked.
“Afraid so. They’ve been out there all night and will be gone most of the day. It takes time, but they should be back sometime tonight. We’re sending supplies via pack horse.” She looked at the ill-fitting jeans. “I was afraid of that. You can use our washer and dryer for your own clothes. It’s at the back of this room.”
“Thanks, I’ll do that but in the meantime I appreciate the loan,” Lauren said. “What about the mustangs?” Lauren asked.
“They’re in their stables,” Sally said. “Reese and Chet are the only ones who can handle them safely, so the horses will stay there. They’ll be fed and watered by Nathan. It’s safe enough when they’re in the stalls.”
“Maybe the teens can pitch in by cleaning the stable, not just for their horses but for all those who are out in this weather,” Lauren suggested. “Your ranch hands probably didn’t have time to clean their stalls out before leaving. We can put feed and water in them. When they return, we can meet them and take care of their horses.”
“That’s a terrific idea,” Sally said. “They’re going to be exhausted when they arrive. But will the kids go for it? There are twenty stalls. It’s asking a lot.”
“We should make it an adventure,” Lauren said. “And maybe even have a prize. Like who can clean a stall the fastest? And,” she added, “Reese said he wanted them to experience ranch life. This is part of it.”
“What would the prizes be?” Betty asked.
“The winner could pick the meal for a day, or a dessert, or a game or an outing. They would be helping the ranch hands at the same time. I think this group is competitive. They certainly were at their poker game.”
“Wouldn’t your daughter be at a disadvantage?” Sally asked. “She doesn’t have the same mobility as the others do.”
“Don’t tell her that. She’s the most competitive person I know. It faded for a while but you all are bringing it back. And her mobility is getting better day by day,” Lauren added. “I don’t want her to think of what she can’t do, but what she can do.”
“It’s worth a try,” Sally said. “They would be pitching in where there’s a need. A good lesson. I know the hands would appreciate it. They’re going to be dead tired when they come in. They get no sleep on one of these drives.”
“What about asking the kids when they come down?” Lauren said, words tumbling out as she thought out loud. “Somehow make it their idea. Present it as a gift to the ranch hands who have helped them so much.”
“Winner gets to pick a meal within limits,” Betty said. “No pizza three times that day. Once, maybe... But I like it. You have a devious mind, Mrs. MacInnes. I admire that. It’ll keep them busy on a rainy day.”
“Call me Lauren,” she said. “I should return to Covenant Falls,” she said. “All my clothes and other belongings are there.”
“The roads are going to be bad for the next day or so. Several of them will probably be flooded,” Sally said. “You can call the inn when we have service again and ask them to pack your clothes and hold them until you return. They’re very accommodating.”
Lauren thought about it. She realized she didn’t want to leave. For the first time since the accident, she felt closer to her daughter. She liked being around horses and people who liked them. She liked Leo. She liked Sally and Betty and Chet. She wanted to watch as they trained the mustangs.
She tried to ignore the fact that she would also see more of Reese.
Reese was cold, tired and frustrated.
The cattle did not go willingly. There was good grass and water where they were. They did not understand that the water was rising as overfed streams started spilling over their banks. And then there was always that pesky calf that wandered off. Leo was a good cattle dog and could usually bring them back, but it slowed the drive.
A horse-drawn wagon following the drovers carried portable fencing to keep the cattle from wandering once they reached their new temporary home. Reese didn’t like using that pasture. It was too far from the ranch house and several of his hands had to stay with them. None of them liked it. It was a lonely business. The destination was land leased from the federal government. Not really theirs.
He had time to think on the ride up, particularly about Lauren. Too much time. He’d wanted to kiss her earlier. He would swear she felt the same way. There had been a strong attraction between them since they’d met. After the first ten minutes of their initial meeting, he’d liked her, and that like had grown exponentially. There was a subtle humor hidden in a very self-contained exterior. And strength.
He liked the way she handled the kids as adults. He liked the way she cared about her daughter enough to give up a profession she loved. He’d been fascinated to find her teaching poker and how much the teens had enjoyed being treated like grown-ups.
He’d not been seriously interested in a woman since Cara and the pain and disaster that resulted from their marriage. He’d been smitten from the moment he met Cara Taylor. She, too, was smart and attractive. They fell in love quickly. Too quickly, as it turned out. Both of them paid a high price for the speed.
He vowed then never to make the same mistake. And sure, he’d been tempted. He wanted children, but he wanted a good, solid home for them with friends and opportunities. He had to admit there wasn’t much of either at Eagles’ Roost...
Reese, his crew and Leo returned to the house and stables at around nine Monday night. It had stopped raining but the trees were still dripping. The ranch hands were sopping wet, cold, hungry and tired. Reese was the first to approach the stable when Tony Fields met him. “I’ll take care of your horse, sir,” he said. “There’s food and water in his stall.”
Startled, Reese dismounted and watched with amazement as quiet Jenny took the next horse from a rider who gratefully surrendered the reins and started toward the bunkhouse. Heath took the third horse.
Julie stepped up then. “Mom and I will hold the other horses until the first ones are bedded down. All the stalls have been cleaned, and water and feed replenished. We’ll finish unsaddling and warming your horses.”
Reese wanted to protest but then he saw Lauren. She shook her head.
He nodded gratefully and signaled to the riders to dismount and go to the kitchen. “There’s drinks and coffee, and food. Beer, too, for those who want it.”
Nathan, who had been with them all day, hesitated. “I’ll stay,” he said. “They might need help.”
“You’re as wet as the rest of us,” Reese pointed out.
“Yeah, but I’m younger,” Nathan replied with a grin.
Reese hesitated, then with a slight smile said, “So you are. You don’t have to rub it in. Go help them.” He turned toward the kitchen. When he walked inside, he dropped his boots in the mudroom and soaked up the warmth. Once in the kitchen, he stripped off his gloves and took the coffee offered to him. The available beer was attractive but he needed the warmth of the coffee. A pot of stew was on the stove and a mound of several different types of sandwiches sat on a huge platter.
“What just happened?” he asked Sally. “Why are the kids in the stable?”
“They came to me this afternoon. I explained what was involved in moving cattle,” Sally replied, “that it was a cold, wet, punishing drive. They wanted to do something to help and came up with the idea all by themselves. They’ve been out there cleaning stalls, refreshing water buckets and preparing the feed for each horse, according to the whiteboard. They cleaned the stalls and put down shavings. Even Heath’s uncle pitched in for a few hours.”
“How long have they been at it?”
“About five hours.”
“They did all of that?” Chet asked suspiciously. “Who came up with the idea?”
“They didn’t want to say. Apparently, it was group thought.”
“Was Lauren, by any chance, with them?” Reese asked.
Sally looked up at the ceiling.
“Sally?”
“I think she might have been, but it was the kids who pushed the idea.”
“I bet,” Reese grumbled under his breath.
“Well, she might have mentioned they could help a little, but the kids enthusiastically came up with the idea of cleaning the stalls,” she said, stumbling through her explanation. “You all taught them well,” she added.
“Sally, you’ve been corrupted.”
Chet interceded. “Well, they sure hit the target. I can’t imagine anything more appreciated. We’re dog-tired, wet and cold.”
“That’s what they figured,” Sally said. “Get all the cattle out?”
“Pretty much,” Reese said thoughtfully. “There’s a few cows wandering about lost, but we’ll take a couple of the guys tomorrow and gather the strays.”
After nearly twenty hours in the saddle, the ranch hands usually dispersed quickly, but tonight they loitered while eating stew and munching sandwiches.
Lauren had stayed back when the riders reached the stable. She wanted to be there to help but she wanted the kids to take the lead. It had been Tony who came up with the plan after Sally explained what was happening. The others quickly agreed.
When they finished with the last horse, they trooped back into the house. With eight of them, including Nathan and Lauren, along with two ranch hands who had been left behind, it hadn’t taken long to unsaddle the horses, rub them down and put warm blankets on them.
They all smelled like horse when they entered the kitchen and were met by a rousing cheer.
Reese held up a cup of steaming coffee in a salute, followed by those of his crew.
“Taking care of the horses meant a lot to us,” Reese said. “Believe me when I say that, the proof being these people stayed here to say thank you rather than rushing to a shower and bed.”
The words were followed by another round of “yahoos” from the men and two women behind him.
The teens, including her daughter, looked stunned, then stood a little straighter. Lauren suspected they weren’t used to a lot of praise by adults. She vowed to herself she would do better.
Reese turned to business. “We’ll have our ceremony for passing the first week with flying colors Wednesday night when everyone is awake. It might be a little later than planned and your parents won’t be there, but you deserve it. As to getting back on schedule, Julie and Jenny will have their riding lessons in the morning, and the boys will work with their mustangs. You’ll switch in the afternoon. And again, thank you for the homecoming surprise. I assure you it is greatly appreciated.”
Another shout of approval came from the ranch hands, and then they started to disperse for the bunkhouse and showers, grabbing additional sandwiches as they did. After the last one, including Reese, left, the teens followed. Julie gave Lauren a big smile before following Jenny up to bed.
Lauren thought about lingering to see if Reese returned but realized he was dead tired and probably wanted nothing more than some sleep. She wasn’t tired, though. She was exhilarated. She’d loved seeing the grateful faces on the incoming riders and the proud ones of the teens. She wasn’t ready to go to bed.
She went into the corner library in the living room. Most of the books were old Westerns. She selected a classic and curled up in a big cushy chair. She was on the second chapter when Reese stepped inside. She knew it before she looked up and saw him. It was the musky male scent mixed with a tangy aftershave lotion.
He looked entirely different than he had a half hour earlier. He’d obviously taken a shower. His eyes were red, and lines of exhaustion were etched on his face as he sank into a chair near her.
“I thought you would be in bed,” she said.
“I will be, before long.”
“Rough night and day and night?”
“One of the lesser joys of ranching.”
“And what are the big ones?”
“Watching a mare give birth. It’s always a miracle to me.” He took her hand in his. “And,” he added, “nights like this. I was really proud of the kids tonight. Whose idea was it?”
“Does it matter?”
“No. What matters is they did it together and took pride in it. And the ranch hands appreciated it, probably more than you think. I appreciated it more than you’ll know.”
“You should probably go to bed,” she suggested.
“I should,” he agreed, “but I would rather talk to you. What are you reading?”
“A Western. I found it in the bookcase. The Big Sky.”
“It’s a good one.”
There was a pause as if he was considering whether he should say something more or not.
She tipped her head in question.
“I was impressed with what you did with the computer,” he said.
The switch in topic made her head spin. She shrugged, “It was just play money and it wasn’t that hard. And you certainly couldn’t spend it. It’s toy money.”
He hesitated, then asked, “Are you good at math and contracts?”
Puzzled, she stared at him. “I’m good at math, have to be at the academy. Now contracts, not so much.”
“But you are good on computers?”
“Aircraft are highly computerized these days,” she said. “We have to know technology. Why?”
“Would you consider staying here longer?”
“Why?” she asked, puzzled, even if an odd expectation started poking her.
“I think I told you computers and I do not have a good relationship,” Reese said.
“You did.”
“Whenever I use one, something weird seems to happen. So I try not to use them. Sally isn’t much better. Nathan has some skill but if something goes wrong, he’s not much help, either.”
“And?” she asked.
“You seem to understand the things,” he said with that slow smile that charmed her. “Our bookkeeper, business manager and computer wizard is in Chicago because her mother is gravely ill. She was supposed to be back this week, but she called Sally earlier and her mother is worse. I don’t know when she’ll return, and we have some important bids and contracts going back and forth. We can’t afford delays or mistakes. It wouldn’t take much of your time.”
She was stunned. “I don’t know,” she said. “As far as bookkeeping goes, I’m not so sure I’m your person.”
“Anyone new would have a learning curve,” he pressed. “Sandra could help you out via computer or phone. It would only be temporary.”
Excitement filled her. She really liked the ranch. She liked the people who worked here. She loved the mountains. And it would be an intellectual challenge, one she badly needed.
And then there was Reese.
“I would have to ask Julie,” she said. “I don’t want to ruin this program for her. None of the other kids would have a parent hanging around.”
“I wouldn’t want that, either. Would you be comfortable talking to her about it?”
She wasn’t sure, but excitement started to build in Lauren. She was good with computers. She had to be, since so many weapon systems were computerized. She’d felt aimless since she resigned her commission. She’d always needed goals and challenges.
The last week in Covenant Falls had been bearable because she’d been busy. She’d taken the riding lessons and did some exploring of the area but it wasn’t what she wanted to do for weeks. She wanted to be involved in something worthwhile. Eagles’ Roost’s equine therapy program met that standard. So did the historic ranch.
And it would only be temporary.
He was regarding her steadily. “It might,” he tempted, “bring you and your daughter closer. Riding is something you can have in common, and the other teens seem to really like you, not to mention all my employees after tonight.”
“That was the kids tonight,” she protested.
He raised an eyebrow. “I just wonder which one came up with the idea.”
“It was a joint project,” she said.
“I noticed you jumped in readily enough.”
“Tony organized the work force.”
He looked up, astonished. “Tony?”
“Yep, but don’t let them know I spilled the beans. They wouldn’t trust me again.”
“I swear it,” he said, “but I’m glad you told me. And you didn’t answer my question. Will you consider staying here while Sandra’s gone?”
It was a terrible idea. She knew it all the way through her bones. She couldn’t stay away from Reese now.
“Don’t you need some sleep?” she asked. Avoiding the answer.
“Yes, ma’am.” He grinned at her. “You look swallowed up by those jeans.”
“Which is why I’m driving to Covenant Falls in the morning,” she shot back.
“But you look adorable.”
They both stood. She was tall but he was a good six inches taller. She lifted her gaze to him, and his dark eyes seemed to smolder. He touched her cheek and ran his fingers along her cheekbone.
She turned her head slightly, and their lips met. Softly at first. Then hungrily as if they couldn’t get enough of each other.
An internal voice warned her to stop.
But it was too late. As need and desire exploded between them she wondered whether from the moment they met if it had always been too late.
When his lips touched hers, she responded with all the need that had been building from the moment they first met. His kiss was not tentative but hungry. His arms locked around her as his mouth invited a response, even as his hands kneaded her back, sending ripples of sensation through her.
The quickening in her heart became a tattoo. It pounded so hard she knew he must hear it. There was something so solid about him, along with being immensely sexy. Her heart pounded an erratic rhythm as his kiss deepened, shaking her down to her toes. Torrents of sensation ran through her.
His arms tightened around her and she felt the quickened beat of his heart. He was compelling, had been since the first time they met. Maybe it was the toughness mixed with gentleness that so disarmed her. Maybe it was the time and heart he put into his mustang program or the way he worked with his employees. They not only respected him but also went way beyond what was expected of them. Maybe it was the dark eyes that hid emotions she was discovering deep within him.
Whatever it was, she felt she was standing in the middle of another storm. Electricity sparked and sizzled between them.
She should move away from him but her legs wouldn’t cooperate. His lips touched hers. Searching. Asking. Her arms went around him and their bodies radiated heat. She trembled as every nerve within her came alive. His mouth explored hers, awakening every nerve ending.
His hands ran up and down her body, then he pulled her even closer and she felt every muscle on him. A fiery craving spread through her as her arms went around his neck and her fingers played with the still-wet tendrils of his hair.
“You’re so damn irresistible,” he whispered.
Heavy approaching footsteps ended the moment abruptly. They swiftly moved apart as Chet walked in. The kiss was so unexpected she hadn’t considered that there was no door. The room just opened to the hallway.
The foreman looked from one to the other. “Just checking in before leaving. Everything looks good in the stables. The kids did a great job...and I’m heading home unless there’s something you need. Didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“You didn’t,” Reese replied easily. “I just asked Mrs. MacInnes to stay a few days and fill in for Sandra. She seems to have a knack for computers.”
“Good idea,” Chet said to Lauren as if he hadn’t noticed how close she and Reese were. “Turn this guy loose on a computer, and something bad happens within minutes. I can’t say I’m much better. Well, I’m off to bed.” He turned red then.
Reese chuckled. “Good night,” he said, obviously dismissing him. “Say hello to your wife for me.”
“She’s probably not all that happy with you right now for keeping me so long.” He turned to Lauren. “And a good-night to you, Mrs. MacInnes,” he added as he turned and walked swiftly away.
Reese stepped back farther. “I keep forgetting there’s not a door here. There’s usually just the three of us, and Sally and Nathan usually stay in the back wing.” His hand went to her shoulder. “Chet won’t say anything.”
Part of her had been relieved when Chet entered, while another less cautious part of her brain resented it. This—whatever “this” was—was moving so fast. Maybe too fast. He was exhausted. Truth be told, she was, as well. They were both susceptible to runaway feelings.
She grabbed at the thought as if it was a lifeline even though her heart was still speeding. She hastily drove the subject into another lane. “Sally said you and Chet grew up together.”
“We did. Chet’s father was my father’s foreman. Both thought the ranch gave them God-like authority, like in the old Western movies. Chet and I grew up together, learned to ride together. When he finished high school, he went to work at the ranch, and I went to college.
“It’s a long story,” he continued, “but when my father was badly injured, Chet’s father tried to wrest control of the ranch. I was at college and Sally was only fourteen.
“I came home. My father wasn’t the same after the accident. Half the time he didn’t know where he was, and he now had a physical disability. There was no one on the ranch I could trust, certainly not Chet’s father, and he’d hired most of the employees. He thought he would be running Eagles’ Roost after my father’s accident. It wouldn’t have lasted long if he had gained control,” he added. “The ranch was already in trouble. He was stealing cattle, inflating cattle counts for loans, and couldn’t keep ranch hands more than a month or so.
“He claimed in court that my father had made him half owner and designated him to operate the ranch. He had a paper with a signature. Chet knew it was fraudulent. He also knew what would happen to the ranch if his father succeeded. It would have been broken up and sold. He loves this valley as much as I do.
“When it was all over,” Reese continued, “I fired his father but, because of Chet, with a healthy payment, and asked Chet to stay as my right hand. He’s the brother I’ve never had. Sally feels the same about him. I’m not telling you anything private. It was all over the Colorado newspapers twenty-two ago.”
“I knew I liked him. I just didn’t know why,” Lauren said. “What happened to his father?”
“He left, became foreman of a ranch in Texas and was fired. Chet gave him money until he died of a heart attack.”
She had so many other questions to ask. She wanted to know if he’d ever married, ever been in love. He seemed so self-contained.
But instead, she played with his hand. It was strong, calloused. “That kiss...that was the first since Dane.”
“What do you think he would want for you?” Reese asked gently.
She thought about it, but then she knew. “He would want me to be happy. You two have a lot in common. He was disowned by his father because he joined the air force instead of the family business, and he loved us especially hard because there was no one else to share his love with.”
“I doubt that was the only reason,” he said.
“No. I shouldn’t have said it like that. It’s just he had so much love bottled up inside. It was just so damn unfair...a drunk driver after he’d survived so many missions. I don’t know if either Julie or I can stand pain like that again.”
He wrapped his arms around her. “I think you can handle anything, including rampaging elephants.”
She felt his warmth and strength flow through her. She was falling in love and was amazed at how quickly it had happened. It had been so different with Dane. It had developed over years, not days or weeks.
How could she believe in it when she’d only known him for such a short time?
“Tell me about Dane, or is it too difficult?” he asked as he led her over to the sofa. He gently pulled her down and put his arms around her as he waited for an answer.
“Dane came from a family, a wealthy one. He was the firstborn son and was raised from birth to run the family’s business, a large financial firm in the Northeast. Problem was he hated everything to do with his father’s firm and the fancy schools he attended.
“Like me, he looked up one day and watched a plane cross the sky,” she said softly. “And he knew that was where he belonged.”
He nodded, his hand grasping hers as she continued, “He quit college, joined the air force as an enlisted man and worked his way up, and that’s extremely difficult in the air force. Nearly all pilots come out of the academy. Anyway, his family cut him off cold. Never spoke to him again, never acknowledged him. Not even Julie.
“I don’t mind,” she said. “Who wants contact with a family like that? But Julie does. She was the only one of her friends who had no relatives other than her father and myself. Her adored father died. There’s no one but me left. That scares her.”
“I can understand that. Poor kid.”
Lauren nestled in his arms.
“Can I ask you something?” she said.
“Sure.”
“Why do Sally and Nathan have different last names?” She’d heard the boy referred to as Nathan Howard.
Reese was silent for a moment. “It’s really no secret,” he said. “My father treated her terribly. He took his frustration over his situation out on her. She disappeared after graduating from high school, fell in love—or thought she did—with someone who thought she had money. She married him, and he came to me for money.”
He paused, then went on, “I knew it was just the beginning, and that he was mistreating her just as Dad had. When I wouldn’t give it to him and urged her to divorce him, he beat her. Badly. I found him, gave him a taste of his own medicine and told him what I would do if I ever saw him again. He believed me.
“She found out she was pregnant soon after he left. She didn’t want her son to have his name and refused to put it on the birth certificate, said she didn’t know it. He became Nathan Howard... She’s considered taking her maiden name back.”
“What about the father?”
“He was long gone by then. When I did a search later, I discovered he’d been killed in a fight. No surprise there.”
“Does Nathan know what happened?”
“Yes. Everyone in town pretty much knew when she turned up pregnant here. It’s next to impossible to keep secrets in this valley. We told Nathan when he heard the rumors. He had a hard time at first, but the horses, and Leo, helped a lot. So does music.”
“How did Sally become a physical therapist?”
“She’s a lot like you. She needs to be useful. When Nathan started school, she went to the university and got her PT degree. Betty looked after Nathan during the week and Sally returned on weekends. She’s still a traveling PT except during these few weeks of our Junior Rancher program. But she chooses her jobs for only short periods of time.”
Lauren’s respect for Sally jumped even higher. She’d overcome a lot and became her own person, a strong one.
After a moment, Reese continued, “Nathan is like a son to me and I’m glad he has the Howard name. He’s a good kid.”
“I’ve noticed.”
She snuggled deeper into his arms.
“Are we safe here now?”
“Now that Chet has gone, I think so. The kids are in bed. Sally always stays in the other wing of the house, as does Nathan. They’re both occupied now.” He paused, then added softly, “I didn’t mean for that kiss to happen,” he said. “But I’m glad it did.”
“I know,” she whispered. “Me, too.”
“Something has been stirring between us since we met,” Reese said.
“It complicates things. Especially my staying here,” she pointed out.
“I wasn’t just making a job up. I do need someone who understands computers while Sandra is gone.”
She nodded. He was always direct. It was one of the things she liked about him. One of the many things. She looked into those dark eyes and knew an aching need deep inside. She knew what she should do. Walk away. Now.
She also knew what she wanted to do. Stay and see where this...undeniable attraction led them. But there was her daughter to consider. If Chet noticed something, so would Julie. She didn’t think her daughter would react well. She was so protective of her dad.
But Lauren wanted to stay. She wanted to ride up into the mountains and she wanted to explore the ranch and she wanted, darn it, to feel the warmth of Reese’s arms. It felt so natural. She wasn’t ready to throw something this fine away.
“I have to go back to Covenant Falls in the morning,” she said softly. “I’m in dire need of clothing, and it’s all there. I have a riding lesson scheduled, as well.”
He leaned his head down and kissed the top of her nose. “Heaven forbid,” he said, “that you miss a riding lesson a hundred and fifty miles away. Have you noticed we have a few instructors here, myself included?”
“I hear they’re a very demanding group,” she retorted.
“It depends on the rider. And you have a very fetching nose. Has anyone told you that before?”
She burst out laughing. “I can honestly say they have not,” she responded as she traced a pattern on his hand. His fingers were long and calloused. They were obviously newly washed but they reminded her of what a long two days he’d had. “You should go to bed,” she pointed out.
“You’re right, and so should you, but this is a conversation I want to resume.”
“My nose isn’t that interesting.”
“Everything about you is intriguing,” he replied. He paused, then added, “You will stay for a while?”
“How can I say no after such a compliment to my nose, but I do have to go to Covenant Falls tomorrow.”
“You can borrow some clothes from Sally,” he suggested.
“I need my own. I just bought some fancy new jeans that are sitting in a suitcase. And some boots. I came for a picnic only.”
“And you had an adventure instead, and I discovered a woman of many talents. Counterfeit money. Poker. Subterfuge.”
“Don’t forget computer guru.”
“Ah, the most important of all. Does that mean you’ll stay?”
“After I drive to Covenant Falls and pick up my belongings.” She hesitated, then added, “At least for a few days. Any longer depends on how Julie responds to the idea.”
His arms tightened around her again. “When will you be back?”
“I’ll leave around seven in the morning,” she said. “I have a riding lesson at twelve. I don’t want to cancel it this late. Luke has a pretty busy schedule. I’ll stay overnight and be back the next morning.”
He brushed back a wayward curl that fell over her eyes. “That’s good. I want to show you something then.”
“What?”
“I can’t really explain it, but you’ll like it.”
“About staying after Thursday...”
He waited for her to continue.
“I’ll have to talk to Julie, see whether it’s okay with her. Coming here was all for her. I don’t want to bust in and ruin it for her.”
“I understand that.” He leaned down and kissed her again, this time lightly. “But selfishly, I want you to stay. You brighten this ranch, not only for me but everyone else, too. You’ve turned us into a family rather than a program.”
She was stunned and touched at the words. Mist started to blind her eyes. She knew if she stayed a moment longer, she would be in his arms again, and that wouldn’t solve anything.
She nodded. “Good night” was all she could say as she barely managed to stand and take the steps that would propel her toward her room.