Rancher's Baby

Oh, she could just die. She remembered exactly when that conversation had taken place. And from the way Tye’s big body stilled and his nostrils flared, she knew he was recalling the same thing.

“Things happened after you left for Idaho—”

“Montana.” It was a snarl.

“Montana, then. Lyle and I resumed—”

“You’re lying. You expect me to believe you went back to that jerk after walking in on him in bed with another woman? I don’t think so.” The heavy scorn in his voice brought a rush of heat to her cheeks, but before she could formulate a response, he went on. “If it’s true, then I’m sure good ol’ Lyle won’t mind telling me about it. Shall I track him down and give him a call?”

The heat drained from her cheeks as suddenly as it came and left her cold. Freezing. “No.” She wanted to fight, to throw him out of her life, but she could see from the set look on his face that he wouldn’t go. Closing her eyes in defeat, she laid her head against the back of the rocker. “Lyle was killed in an automobile accident shortly after the divorce.”

Silence filled the room. When he didn’t answer, she opened her eyes.

He looked shocked, and for a moment she was meanly pleased to have knocked him off stride. But before she could congratulate herself too much, Tye recovered his voice.

“I’m sorry. That must have been a jolt even though you weren’t married any longer.” His tone grew steely. “Still, it doesn’t change anything, does it? That baby is mine and I’ll do whatever I have to to prove it.”

She didn’t know what else she could say, so she said nothing, just lowered her head and watched her son’s tiny feet flex as he tugged vigorously at her breast. Really, there was nothing more to say. If Tye forced the issue, he’d have no trouble finding out that he was indeed a father. She’d even listed him on the birth certificate.

Why had he come down here?

Even before she had learned of her pregnancy, she’d assumed she would never see him again. Truthfully, she hadn’t wanted to. Her behavior on the night she’d caught Lyle having sex with another woman wasn’t exactly something she wanted to recall.

She hadn’t planned on telling Tye he was going to be a father, honestly hadn’t thought he would want to know. In the few talks they had had about his photographic career, he had never hinted at any desire to settle down to family life. In fact, she distinctly remembered he’d said that bachelorhood suited him just fine. He’d been out of town half the time she had lived next to him. He was a wanderer, just like her husband had been. And she knew better than to expect anything from a wanderer.

Panic began to well up, clogging her throat with fear. What would happen now?

“Dulcie.” His voice interrupted her racing thoughts.

She looked up and was captured in the full intensity of his golden eyes. She’d forgotten how compelling his eyes were, how beautiful. His driver’s license called them hazel, but the word was only a pale description-”Is this our baby?” His words were quiet and plaintive, demanding honesty.

She swallowed, unable to look into those eyes and lie any longer. “Yes.”

A grimace twisted his face for a second.

It was gone so quickly that she couldn’t decipher it. Was he angry? Or had that been pain she’d glimpsed?

“Why didn’t you call me when you found out you were pregnant?” There was no accusation or demand in his voice, only bewilderment.

Dulcie shrugged, looking across the room at the copper-and-turquoise mobile that danced above the dressing table. “I didn’t know how to reach you,” she said.

Tye frowned and a small snort escaped him. “I slipped a note under your door with the number at my uncle’s ranch the morning I left. And I tried to call you, remember? Several times. Every time I did, I left the number.” He shook his head, looking at the baby as if he couldn’t fathom that it was real. “But you never called me back.”

Dulcie cleared her throat as she placed the baby against her shoulder and began to rub his back. “I, um, I didn’t keep your number.”

“You didn’t.” His words trailed off.

She saw the anger flare again, saw the conscious effort he made to overcome what she had to admit was a justified urge to shout at her. Why had she ever thought she could or should raise her son without at least giving his father the chance to know him?

“What’s his name?” Tye stepped closer and stretched out a finger, drawing back just before he caressed a tiny pink arm.

“Ryan.” Dulcie was mesmerized by those eyes again. Hadn’t she always been? Even when they’d just been friends, she’d been aware of his sex appeal. But now, it filled the room, making her supremely aware of the intimate bond they shared. “His name is Tyler Ryan Kincaid. I took my maiden name back after the divorce.”

The small twitch at the corner of his eye was the only sign he gave of his surprise, but his voice was deadly quiet when he spoke. “You named him after me, but you weren’t going to tell me about him?”

Two

His son. Tye swallowed the lump that rose in his throat. He had a son.

Nothing in his life had prepared him for the emotion that surged through him as reality sank in. For a moment, all his misgivings were submerged beneath a growing sense of wonder.

He circled around to the side of the rocking chair to get a better look at the baby. The child’s round skull was covered with thick black hair that stuck straight up. His tiny head lolled to one side and his eyes were half closed, his arms hanging limply over Dulcie’s shoulder. He looked the very picture of satiation.

Gently, Tye slipped his index finger beneath the baby’s palm. When Ryan reflexively clasped his hand around his father’s finger, Tye smiled. “Wow. He’s got quite a grip for such a little guy.”

“He’s not so little,” she said. “He weighed over nine pounds when he was born.”

His cousin Leslie’s second daughter had been almost that big, and he remembered the horror story her husband told about how difficult the birth had been. He winced at the thought. Dulcie was small and petite, hardly built for delivering a miniature fullback. “Was it hard on you?”

She shrugged. “After twenty-three hours of labor, they thought I wasn’t going to be able to deliver him. They were prepping me for a cesarean section when his head crowned and the doctor decided to give it one more try. I think it was about two more hours after that before he was delivered.”

He was appalled. The thought of her suffering through a day of wrenching pain was more than he could bear to think about. “Were you alone?” he asked.

She shook her head. “Angel was with me.” Then her lips curved into a wry smile. “Although I wish she hadn’t been. That experience could have turned her off pregnancy for life.”

He didn’t share her mirth. “Dammit, Dulcie, I could have been there. I could have helped you.” His voice reflected the bitterness that rose within him. “But you never gave me the chance. You were going to cut me out of my son’s life without a second thought. Why?”

Her hand moved restlessly over the baby’s back, and she wouldn’t meet his eyes. “I…we really didn’t know each other that well, Tye. You’re devoted to your work and you’re always traveling. I honestly didn’t think it would matter to you.” Her hand hesitated for a moment, and she looked up at him with an unspoken apology in her dark eyes. “Now I realize that was unfair.”

“Unfair?” Tye snorted. “That’s an understatement.” He eased his finger from his son’s tiny fist and walked across the room, massaging the back of his neck with one hand.

“What will you do now?” Behind him, Dulcie’s voice was filled with apprehension.

He pivoted to face her. “How the hell do I know? I just found out I’m a father five minutes ago. I need some time to think about this.” And just like that, he knew what he needed to do. “You and I have to talk, to make some decisions. I’ll stay here at the ranch for a while until we can sort all this out.”

Dulcie’s eyes widened. “Here? In this house?”

“In this house,” he confirmed. Seeing her brows draw together, he added, “And just in case you’re thinking of refusing, let me remind you that I could take this to court if I have to. I have a right to be involved in my son’s life.”

Dulcie was silent for so long that he wondered what she was thinking. When she finally spoke, it wasn’t the stinging response for which he’d braced himself. “What about your job?” she asked. “Don’t you have to work?”

Tye thought of the healthy nest egg his free-lance photography had provided, about the way his agent was constantly pestering him to approve limitededition prints from some of his work. “Let me worry about that,” he advised her.

The ringing of the dinner bell interrupted any more conversation. He waited in the hall until Dulcie rearranged her clothing, then followed her downstairs to the dining room, where the table was prepared for dinner.

Three cowboys were taking seats as he entered. Dulcie pointed to a seat at the long table and told him, “Sit there.” She placed Ryan in a little cradle next to the far corner of the table and took a seat where she could see the baby. Just then, Angel backed through the door from what he assumed was the kitchen. Behind her was a little girl with glossy, bouncing dark curls carrying a fistful of napkins, which she handed to Dulcie. Angel set a large casserole dish on the table and turned to lift the little girl into a chair. Another cowboy, easily the biggest man in the room, entered through the same door, carrying a huge bowl of baked potatoes, as well as a covered basket from which wafted the fragrant scent of bread. He set them on the table and took the seat at the head of the table, with Angel on his right and the child seated between them.

Angel placed her hand on the man’s brawny forearm. “Day, we have a visitor this evening. This is Tye Bradshaw.” She turned and smiled at Tye. “Tye, this is my husband, Day Kincaid, Dulcie’s brother.”

The rancher rose at the same time Tye did. The hand he extended met Tye’s in a grip strong enough to crush bone. Tye returned it in full measure, not easing the pressure until Day grinned and relaxed his palm. “Welcome to the Red Arrow, Tye. What brings you to these parts?”

As both men resumed their seats, Dulcie rushed into speech before Tye could explain his presence. “Tye was my neighbor in Albuquerque. He’s going to be visiting for a few days.”

A few days? Tye turned his head and stared at Dulcie until she dropped her gaze to her plate. He had a suspicion it was going to take more than a few days to straighten out everything between them. When he looked at Day Kincaid again, the welcome had faded from Day’s eyes and a guarded speculation had replaced his initial friendliness.

Angel carried on with the introductions. Tye saw her nudge her husband in the ribs with a surreptitious elbow, clearly a warning to mind his company manners. “Tye was involved in an accident in Deming, and his car is under repair.” Then she turned to Tye again, naming for him the three cowhands who were grouped at the foot of the table. She finished by pointing to the little girl. “And this is our daughter, Beth Ann. She’s a big help with her new cousin Ryan.”

The child giggled and nodded vigorously. “I sing songs to Ry’n. He loves my songs.”

Tye couldn’t help grinning. The child reminded him of his two cousins’ little girls. “How old are you, Beth Ann?” he asked.

She proudly held up four stubby fingers. “Fou’.”

“Wow!” He feigned amazement. “I have two little nieces the very same age.”

Beth Ann looked fascinated. “What’s ’ere names?”

“Melody and Ariel,” he answered. “Melody has a big sister named Pamela and Ariel has two baby sisters called Margaret and Katie.” When he glanced at Dulcie, there was a speculative expression on her face, and he didn’t trust the gleam in her eye.

“That’s a lot of girls,” she remarked. “I don’t remember hearing about your family before.”

No one else at the table could have registered the dig but Tye. Hell! He hadn’t purposely concealed anything from Dulcie. When they’d gone out together in Albuquerque, they’d talked only in generalities. Or about her marriage.

“Technically, they aren’t my nieces, they’re my cousins. I don’t have any sisters or brothers,” he said. No time like the present to start overcoming past mistakes. “Those are the children of the two cousins I was raised with.”

He could see in her face the desire to question him further, but the rest of the company gathered around the table inhibited her.

“So you’re from Albuquerque?” Dulcie’s brother addressed him from the end of the table.

Tye shook his head. “Not originally. And not recently. My family is in Montana. I’m a free-lance photographer, and for a while I had an apartment in Albuquerque.” He inclined his head toward Dulcie. “Which is where Dulcie and I met. But I’ve spent the last year on a Montana cow-calf operation, working for my uncle after he fell and shattered his left leg pretty badly.”

Day’s eyes lit up. “How many head?”

The rest of the meal was dominated by ranch talk. Although Tye could tell Day hadn’t forgotten to be suspicious of him, Tye liked Dulcie’s brother. And her sister-in-law, Angel. A beautiful woman. Idly he wondered what there was about human attraction that made him only mildly interested in her undeniable fair beauty, while every cell in his body was alert to Dulcie’s presence when she was in the room. No way could he pretend he was indifferent to Dulcie.

That was good, Tye decided as he watched his son’s tiny body stretch and squirm as Ryan awoke from his catnap in the cradle, because he was going to be seeing a lot of her in the future since they would be raising their son together. Together. The word brought a whole host of interesting possibilities to mind, but he pushed them aside to consider a more mundane matter.

He wanted to be involved in his son’s life. Not just hovering on the periphery but to be there on a daily basis. There to witness the first step, the first word, to set him on his first pony and to teach him to ride and rope. Even more important, he wanted Ryan to have the stability of a family of his own, to know he was loved, to feel that he was special.

He knew what it was like to spend your life wondering what had been more important to your parents than the child they had created and abandoned. Ryan was never going to have to face that.

He and Dulcie had created Ryan. For the rest of their lives they would be tied by that bond. He might as well admit it—there was only one conclusion to the thoughts racing around in his head. He was going to marry her.

Amazingly, the thought didn’t bother him. He’d avoided commitment like the plague all his life because he hadn’t thought he’d ever want the responsibility of children, and everybody knew marriage nearly always meant kids. But in the few short hours since he’d been presented with his son’s existence, he’d been touching on the idea like a skittish colt who wanted sugar but was afraid of the hand that held it. Coming close, dancing away, drawing near again but not quite able to complete the leap of faith it took. Well, he guessed he was leaping now.

He couldn’t imagine marriage to another woman, but marrying Dulcie seemed like a good idea to him. He’d spent enough time with her to know that she soothed him rather than irritated. And God knew they were a good match in bed.

The mere pairing of “bed” and “Dulcie” in the same thought was all it took to bring back vivid memories of the night she’d lain with him. Too vivid. He shifted in his seat and deliberately transferred his gaze to the squirming infant she was lifting from the pine cradle.

Ryan might be the reason for the marriage, but the more he thought about it, the better the idea seemed. Then, when he was away on assignment, Ryan still would have one parent and a lot of support and stability in his life.

“Come into my study? I’d like to talk a little more.”

Dulcie’s brother was looking at him expectantly, and he realized Day had been addressing him. The man clearly was used to giving orders and having people jump.

Slowly, he pushed away his plate and rose. “The meal was delicious. Thank you.”

Angel smiled graciously as she began to clear away the supper dishes. Dulcie avoided his eyes, but she looked worried about something. He promised himself that as soon as he could get away from Day, he’d talk to her some more.

He followed the other man toward the front of the house and into an office.

“Have a seat.”

The tone in Day’s voice wasn’t an invitation but an order. What the hell was up here? Tye ignored the command, leaning against a sturdy bookshelf and consciously adopting a relaxed pose. “Thanks, I’ll stand.” He looked at the computer equipment spread across the desk. “What software do you use for your breeding program?”

“I didn’t bring you in here to compare work techniques,” Day said. His teeth clicked together audibly over the last word. “You’re upsetting my sister. Angel told me Dulcie wasn’t expecting you.”

“She didn’t know I was coming,” he admitted. “I thought I’d drop in and see her while I was down this way.”

“You’ll have to leave tomorrow,” Day said abruptly. “She’s a new mother and a recent widow. She needs rest and no disruptions.”

“I’m aware of Dulcie’s needs. But she and I have some catching-up to do. I planned on a longer visit.”

Day’s face darkened. “My sister has had enough man trouble in her life to last her quite a while. If you’re courtin’, she’s not interested.”

Damn. He should have known this wasn’t going to be easy. There was no help for it but to tell the truth. “I’m not exactly courtin’.” He hesitated, then took a deep breath. “I’m Ryan’s father. And I’m hoping to stay awhile.”

The bald words ricocheted off every wall in the room. A second crawled by, then two. From the kitchen, the clatter of dishes seemed abnormally loud. Day’s face would have made a great photograph, if Tye was into portraits. He’d title it Shock Absorbing.

“Is that true?” Day’s sharp demand wasn’t aimed at him. Tye turned, seeing for the first time that Dulcie stood behind him in the doorway.

She nodded, apparently speechless, but he could read pure outraged anger in her expression.

“But…what about Lyle…?” Day was floundering, apparently trying to figure out how to phrase his questions in a delicate manner. At any other time, Tye would have found his efforts immensely amusing.

“Tye and I weren’t…we didn’t…we were just friends until my divorce was final,” Dulcie informed her brother in a steely tone. “Not that it’s any of your business.”

Good for her. Intent on Dulcie, Tye never saw the fist that connected with his jaw. He didn’t even get his hands out in time to break the fall, and Day’s punch knocked him flat on his back on the hard wooden floor.

He lay there, his head throbbing. The headache from the accident that had been held at bay after his nap returned in force. He was seeing three and four of everything, but his hearing was unimpaired and he had no trouble deciphering the raw fury beneath the blistering curses that Day Kincaid was heaping on his head.

“Get up,” Day said through his teeth. “Get up so I can knock you down again. You’re not fit to lick my sister’s boots. It might be okay in Montana to use a woman without worrying about consequences, but around here we do things differently. Real men don’t leave their women to face pregnancy and birth alone. Real men don’t father bas—”

“Day, stop it!” The command was a harsh scream. “He’s injured. You might have done permanent damage to his head.” Dulcie was kneeling at Tye’s side, her fingers gently exploring the spot on his jaw where Day’s fist had landed.

Day uttered a growl of contempt. “I figure that would be an improvement.” He glared at Tye. “Get up.”

Tye climbed to his feet, despite Dulcie’s protests. He still saw two of the furious dark-haired man, but he did his best to focus on one of them. “You can pound on me some more if it makes you feel better. I probably deserve it.” He paused, then looked at Dulcie, holding her gaze with his own as he spoke to her brother. “But I won’t fight back. Dulcie’s already too upset. She needs rest and relaxation right now. Having the two of us at each other’s throat won’t help.”

Dulcie’s big brown eyes were fastened on his face. Though he was speaking to her brother, he was communicating with her, as well. I’m sorry. Let me try to make this right.

Day cleared his throat.

Dulcie shook her head slightly, as if she was coming out of a trance. Her expression darkened again as she stomped across the room toward Day. “How dare you!”

“Huh?” Day looked taken aback by her attitude. “What did I do?”

“I can fight my own battles.” Dulcie shook her finger in his face, so close that he flinched and blinked. “Stop pretending to be a protective older brother.”

“I’m not pretending.” Day’s tone was injured.

“I know.” Dulcie’s voice softened slightly. “And it’s nice to know you care. But I can straighten out my life without any interference from you.” She slipped behind him and gave him a hefty shove that barely succeeded in jostling his solidly muscled frame. “Now go away. Tye and I need to talk.”

“All right. But I want to say one last thing to lover boy here.” Day looked back over Dulcie’s head at Tye. “I’m not sorry I hit you. And if you want to try a rematch, you just name the date.”

“Out!” Dulcie stomped her foot and flung out an arm toward the door.

With a last unreadable glance at his sister, Day left the room.

When the door closed behind him, Dulcie turned to face Tye. Or maybe turned on him was more accurate, he decided. The woman didn’t look happy. Even so, she was enchanting.

Her glossy black hair curled wildly to a point below her shoulders, and her dark eyes were sparkling with temper. Her brows were drawn together in a manner that she probably thought looked ferocious, but to him only emphasized her fragility and femininity. He’d been attracted to her quiet, self-contained beauty in Albuquerque, but he’d sensed there was more to her than she would share with him. Perhaps that had been part of her charm.

Now he was seeing what lay below the surface. And far from boring or repulsing him, he found this new, spirited woman more exciting than ever.

“And you,” she said in a tone laden with fury. “How dare you talk about me behind my back? If I’d wanted Day to know you were Ryan’s father, I would have told him myself.”

That stung. Already he was absurdly proud of his newfound parent status. “You should have told him,” he said harshly. “Just like you know in your heart you should have told me.”

That stopped her. Dulcie paused with her mouth open to deliver another verbal blast, and to his chagrin, he saw tears rising in her eyes. “This won’t work,” she said. “You’re going to have to leave.”

He would have gone to her and taken her in his arms, but she dragged her sleeve across her eyes and he realized her temper hadn’t abated. Instead, he crossed his arms and shook his head. “Nope.”

“But I can’t think when you’re around.” She crossed the floor to him and placed her hand on his arm. “Please, Tye. Each of us needs to have time to decide what we want for Ryan before we try to discuss it. I won’t try to exclude you anymore. I just don’t want to make any rash decisions.”

She looked so appealing that he couldn’t prevent himself from unfolding his arms and sliding his uninjured hand up to cup her elbow. Drawing her closer, he slipped his arms around her shoulders and dropped his head to nuzzle his nose in her soft hair. “I don’t need time,” he murmured. “I know exactly what I want for our son.”

“And what’s that?” she whispered. She held herself rigid and unyielding, but her breathing was shallow and uneven and her breath was warm against his throat. The tips of her breasts brushed his chest over and over again. He had to restrain himself from yanking her to him so that he could feel every womanly curve again.