Pursued by the Rich Rancher

She blinked at the quick change of subject, then said, “I’m a translator. Before I married I worked in New York at the United Nations.” She toyed with the Eiffel Tower charm on her simple silver necklace. “My husband worked at the stock exchange. We dated for a year, got married, moved back to his home state of Texas...” She shrugged. “Now I help translate novels for foreign editions.”

Ah, the necklace and T-shirt made sense now. “What languages?”

“Spanish, French, German.”

“Wow,” he nodded, eyebrows lifting, “that’s impressive.”

She shrugged dismissively, her hand sliding back to her neck, stroking the Eiffel Tower charm. “Words are my thing just as horses and running a business are yours.”

Words were her “thing,” yet she had a virtually nonverbal son. “When you said you’re a city girl, you weren’t kidding. Do you miss the job?”

“I don’t regret a thing,” she said between bites of cobbler. “I’m lucky to have a job that enables me to stay home with my son. I don’t have to worry about making the appointments he needs.”

“What about help? Grandparents?”

“My parents help when they can, but I was a late-in-life baby for them, unplanned. They’re living on a shoestring budget in a retirement community in Arizona. My ex’s parents come up with different options, ranging from some cult miracle cure one week to institutionalizing him.”

“You should have their support.” Since weeklong camps had started in the spring, he’d seen how stressed many of the parents were, how near to breaking.

“I have great friends and neighbors. I told you,” she said firmly. “No pity party.”

“Fair enough,” he conceded.

She stared down into her cobbler, the silence stretching out between them. Finally she looked up. She stirred a spoon through the ice cream on the side. “Do you always deliver dessert to the campers?”

The question hung in the air between them, loaded with a deeper meaning he couldn’t answer. Sure, he was here for his grandmother, but he would have been here anyway.

He settled for answering honestly. “You’re the first.”

“Oh.” The lone syllable came out breathy, the wind lifting her hair.

He reached to catch a lock, testing the fine red threads between his fingers before stroking it behind her ear. Her eyes went wide, wary, but with a spark of interest he couldn’t miss. For a long moment that stretched, loaded with temptation and want, he considered kissing her. Just leaning in and placing his mouth over hers to see if the chemistry between them was as explosive as he expected.

But that wariness in her eyes held him back. He had limited time with her. One mistaken move and he wouldn’t have the chance to make it right before she left.

He angled back, pushing to his feet. “I should let you turn in. Morning comes early here.”

She blinked fast, standing. “Thank you for the dessert.” She stacked the containers and backed toward the door with them clutched in a white-knuckled grip. “I assume I will see you tomorrow?”

“You most definitely will.”

* * *

It was only dessert. Only a touch to her hair.

And just that fast, she was tied up in knots over a man she’d met this morning. A cowboy.

God, she felt like a cliché.

Nina stood at the sink and scraped the last bite of gooey dessert down the disposal before tossing the disposable container in the trash. And God, it would be so easy to stand here at the sink and watch Alex through the window as he walked away. She’d only known him for a day. She wished she could just call it physical attraction, but she’d enjoyed talking to him. Even liked the way he could let peace settle for moments, as well.

Maybe she was simply starved for adult interaction. Her only time with other grown-ups centered on Cody’s doctors’ appointments or therapies. Even his play group focused on children with special needs. She wanted to give Cody every opportunity possible. But she couldn’t deny her life was lonely no matter what she’d told Alex about having friends back home. The only interaction she had with others was volunteering in Cody’s preschool program. Some said she should use that time for herself, and she tried. But it was easier said than done.

This week truly was a relaxing gift for her and Cody. She dropped onto the fluffy fat sofa. The cabin was cozy, comfy. A pink and green quilt—Texas two-step pattern on a brass bed. The whole place was an advertisement for Lone Star relaxation without being hokey. A colorful rag rug was soft under her feet. The lantern-style lamps and overhead light were made to resemble a flicker flame.

She should really finish unpacking and get some sleep.

Her well-traveled luggage rested on a pinewood bench. But her mind kept swirling with all the dreams she’d once stored in that case. She’d taken that suitcase with her to college, then New York City. The stickers all over the vintage piece advertised countries she’d dreamed of visiting. Warren had bought her a new set after they married, but she couldn’t bring herself to throw the old ones out. After her divorce, she’d donated the honeymoon designer luggage to charity and reclaimed her old “dreams for the future” set. Those changes had felt like a reclaiming of her values and hopes.

Her cell phone chimed, interrupting her swirling thoughts. She leaned from the sofa to grab her purse off the coffee table. Her stomach leaped at the possibility that Alex might be calling. He had access to her number from her registration.

She glanced at the screen. Disappointment jabbed at her. Then guilt. She should be thankful her friend Reed was checking in on her. She and Reed had met at a play group for their children. A nice guy, a single father of a little girl with Down syndrome. His partner had left him over the stress of having a special-needs child. Nina understood the mark that betrayal left. They helped each other when they could, but they both had such very full plates.

“Hello, Reed.” She propped her feet on the coffee table. “You’re up late. Morning’s going to come early for you getting Wendy to the bus stop.”

Reed owned a bistro and took his daughter to work with him when she wasn’t in school. Little Wendy loved the activity and charmed the customers.

“I’m not the only one up late,” her friend teased back, his Northern accent so different from a particular cowboy drawl. “Did you lose your phone? I’ve been calling for a couple of hours. Just wanted to be sure you arrived safely.”

“I was outside on the porch talking to...” She couldn’t bring herself to tell him about Alex, not that there was much to tell. So she fibbed. “I was talking with another parent. Cody was asleep. The nights here are...idyllic.”

“How did Cody enjoy his day?”

She grasped the safer topic with both hands. “He was enthralled by everything here. We’re only a day into it, but I’m cautiously optimistic we’re going to make a breakthrough here.”

“I wish I could be there to see that.”

“You have a restaurant to run.”

“True enough. So tell me more about the camp.”

What parts should she share with him? That she suddenly understood about the cowboy appeal? Or at least the appeal of one cowboy in particular? Reed was a friend, but not the kind of friend to whom she could say anything like that. “I was nervous coming up here that the camp would just be some overpriced excuse for parents to get a break. But it really is all about the children.”

“Such as?”

“They had pony rides but let the parents lead the children around so they would feel more at ease. The menu is kid-friendly with a variety of choices so even kids with issues about texture will find something that works.” And the adult fare was delicious, especially when delivered by a hot man who looked at her with hungry eyes. She hadn’t felt like a desirable woman in so very long.

“That’s awesome, really awesome. I’m glad you’re getting this break and able to spend time with other adults. You spend too much time alone cooped up in your house.”

True enough, but she didn’t want to dwell on negative thoughts. She sagged to sit on the edge of the brass bed. “You must have called for a reason...”

“Can’t I just check on you because you should have people looking out for you?”

“Sure you can, but I also hear something in your voice that worries me.” She traced the pink and green pattern on the quilt.

“Your mother-in-law called. She’d gone by your town house and realized you’d left. She checked again this evening.”

“What did you tell her?” Her mother-in-law didn’t approve of her choice to keep Cody at home, and Nina knew she would just get blowback for choosing this camp. Her mother-in-law would come up with a million reasons why it was wrong.

“I said you went on a weeklong vacation with Cody. She wanted to know where. I told her to call you if she wanted details.”

“Thank you.” Sighing, she sagged back onto the bed, her head sinking into the pillows. “I appreciate that.”

“Stop worrying. They’re not going to get custody of Cody. There’s no reason for a judge to pass over custody to them.”

“Thank you again. I feel like I’m saying that all the time, but I mean it.” She stared up at the ceiling fan slicing lazy shadows across the room, the distant echo of a band playing at the lodge penetrated the walls like a soft lullaby. “They just want to lock him away and control his inheritance. They don’t love him. Not really.”

“I know. And so will any judge who looks at the facts. When my partner tried to get out of helping with child support, my lawyer was on me 24/7 to keep a journal,” Reed said with the unerring persistence that made him a force to be reckoned with in the courtroom. “Write a detailed accounting of your schedule and outings. Document. Document. Document. You’ll have the facts on your side.”

“Aye-aye, sir,” she teased. “I will. Now you should stop worrying and get some sleep.”

“You too. And be sure to take lots of photos of Cody.”

“I will. And give little Wendy a hug from me. Tell her I’ll bring her a present.”

“Sure will,” he said, an unmistakable affection leaking into his voice. He loved his daughter. “I’ll be checking for text message photos.”

“You’re a good friend.” And such a good man. They could have a great life together—except for the fact that they weren’t attracted to each other. At all. Not a chance ever, since she wasn’t a guy. “Good night, and thanks.”

She disconnected the call, the taste of blueberries and the tangy scent of a certain cowboy’s soap still teasing her senses.

God, on the one hand she had an amazing friend she could never sleep with. On the other hand she had a week with the hottest man she’d ever met. Too bad she’d never been the fling sort. But with the memory of Alex’s touch still buzzing through her, she wondered if maybe she could be.

Three

Alex propped his boots on the office desk, the morning routine stable noises wrapping around him. Except today he couldn’t get into the groove. Thoughts of Nina Lowery had him tied up into hitch knots.

He’d spent most of the night on the porch in a hammock, staring up at the stars, trying to reconcile his blaring conscience with his shouting libido. By sun-up, he’d reconciled himself to the fact that he couldn’t hide his identity indefinitely. He would tell her who he was today and take it from there. It wasn’t as if he’d actively tried to pry those stocks from her hands, and she had no reason to expect he would.

And he was genuinely interested in her.

What did he intend to do with this relentless attraction? It would be so much simpler if they’d just met somewhere outside the Hidden Gem Ranch. Not that he left this patch of earth often.

He cranked back in his chair, peering out in the open barn area that was more like a stadium, used for parties. The kids had worn themselves out with a morning of nature walks and a wagon ride picnic. Now they were napping in the cool barn on mats, a wide-screen television showing a video for the spare few who hadn’t fallen asleep.

He scanned the familiar walls of home. Like in all their stables and barns, custom saddles lined the corridors, all works of art like everything the McNairs made. Carvings marked the leather with a variety of designs from roses to vines to full-out scenes. Some saddles sported silver or brass studs on horn caps and skirting edges rivaling the tooling of the best old vaqueros. He’d explored every inch of this place, starting when he was younger than those kids sleeping out there.

And speaking of those snoozing kids...

This would be a good time to clear up his identity issues. That much he could do—and should do—before making any other decisions about Nina.

He shoved up from his desk and walked down the hall, angling past a table of drying art projects made of leaves used for papier-mâché. Nina sat beside her son, cross-legged on the floor with a reading tablet in her hand.

Snagging a bottle of water off the snack table, Alex made his way over to her. He sidestepped sleeping children. Every step of the way he enjoyed the opportunity to look at her. Her hair was swept up on top of her head, a couple of red spirals brushed her forehead and one trailed down her neck. His hands itched to test the feel of her hair between his fingers, to tug one of those locks and let it spring back. What was she reading?

He wanted to know that as much as he wanted to touch her hair again, and this time run his fingers through the wavy curls.

Alex squatted down next to her, extending the water. “You need to stay hydrated.”

She glanced up from her tablet, her eyes flickering with surprise, then happiness. She was glad to see him.

“Thank you.” She set aside her book and tugged open her canvas bag to reveal three bottles of spring water. “But I’m set for agua.”

He twisted the top of his bottle for himself. “What are you reading?”

“Madame Bovary.”

“In French?” He thought of her speaking multiple languages.

She tapped her temple. “Keeping my skills sharp.”

Cody stirred on his nap mat.

Alex froze, waited until the boy settled back into sleep with a drowsy sigh. Hesitating for a moment, Nina rose carefully. Alex gestured toward the door, tipping his head to the side in question. She tucked away her tablet and pulled out a bottle of water. Why did he feel as if he’d just won the grand prize? She followed him to the open barn doors, the wind sweeping inside as the low drone of the movie filled the air.

She lifted her drink and tapped his in a toast. “I truly do appreciate the thought even though I brought my own.”

“You’re a planner.” As was he. He liked the regimentation needed to run this place, enjoyed the challenge.

“I wasn’t always, but I have to be now.” She gazed back into the barn at her son with obvious love and protectiveness in her eyes. “My son depends on me.”

There was a strain in the corner of her eyes. He wanted to brush his thumbs along her cheeks until she rested. “I’m sorry you don’t have more family to help out. Family is...everything.”

As if he needed a reminder of the stakes for him here.

An awkward silence settled.

He’d met a woman he wanted to be with and her family posed a threat to his way of life. If she even would have him in the first place. She seemed attracted, but wary as hell—with reason.

An older cowboy brushed past, clapping Alex on the shoulder. “Hey, boss, mind if I take the afternoon off to go to my daughter’s spelling bee?”

Alex waved. “Enjoy. I’ve got this under control.”

“Great. My wife will have my hide if I don’t make this, and I gotta confess, I would have been there anyway.” The older cowboy’s smile spread. “I’ll pull overtime tomorrow.”

“No thanks needed. Just tell the little genius good luck from Uncle Alex.”

“Can do, boss.”

Alex winced at the last word. Boss. So much for telling her on his own terms. He hung his head, wondering how she would react to his identity being revealed. Hell, he should have told her last night. Or even fifteen minutes ago.

Turning slowly, he prepared himself, surprised at the disappointment churning in his gut. He couldn’t blame his grandmother either. This was his own fault... Except he didn’t find anger in Nina’s eyes.

Just curiosity. “You said you wanted to talk?”

Apparently she’d written off the “boss” comment to him being a foreman of some sort. He had to clear this up or it was going to explode in his face. “Let’s go somewhere quieter.”

Away from people who would tell her too much before he was ready for her to know. He guided her into the warm sunshine.

“Um, sure.” She looked around nervously. “But I need to keep Cody in sight.”

“Of course.” He took her hand and tugged her toward a corral a few yards away, the only spot with a clear line of sight to the barn but also out of the hustle and bustle of ranch workers and guests.

She looked around, leaning back on a split-rail fence. “What’s all the activity outside about? Seems like more than regular work and tourists.”

“We host major events around here, parties, rehearsal dinners and weddings.” The last word made him wince. One wedding in particular.

“Even in the middle of the camp going on?”

“Even then. We have a lot of land, more than just this one space, and we intend to keep it that way.” Which reminded him of his grandmother’s test as well as the Lowerys and their plans to convert the place into some Wild West theme park. “We pride ourselves on people feeling their event is private.”

She angled her head to the side, her high-swept ponytail swishing. “And which event are they working on now?”

“A large-scale rehearsal dinner and wedding, actually.” His cousin’s wedding to Johanna. Alex was over any feelings for her, but he wanted the damn awkwardness to go away. “I bet your city-girl imagination is running wild at the notion of a country wedding.”

The corners of her lips twitched. “Are you accusing me of thinking in clichés?”

“If the square dance fits.” He winked.

She laughed, the melody of the sound filling the space between them and filling him up, making him want to haul her close. He needed more time with her. He just had to figure out how to balance his grandmother’s request with his wish to be with the woman all week, no interference muddying the waters.

“Nina,” he said, hooking a boot on the rail as he leaned back beside her, “there are all sorts of things going on at this place, including events planned for the camp parents.”

She looked at him through her long eyelashes. “I read every word of the brochures and registration literature.”

He allowed himself the luxury of tugging a curl, testing the softness between her fingers. “You’re not interested in a spa treatment while your son naps? Or a sitter after he goes to sleep?”

Her eyes fluttered closed briefly and then steadied, staying open. “I’m here for Cody. Not for myself. I can’t just turn off that mom switch.”

He got that. And he sure as hell didn’t expect her to neglect her son. He understood how it felt to be a kid shuffled to the side. “What about riding lessons?”

Confusion shifted across her face. “Excuse me?”

“If you want to be a part of your son’s world, how about experience it firsthand? Cody’s sleeping and the stable is next door.” He set aside their half-drunk water bottles on the split-rail fence and called to one of their gentlest mares. A pudgy, warm chocolate–colored horse walked toward them with slow, ambling steps. And sure, Alex knew he was delaying his real purpose for speaking with her today, but he couldn’t resist enjoying what could be his last chance to spend more time with her. “Consider becoming acquainted with one of our horses?”

She looked at the horse and tucked her arms behind her back, shaking her head. “No, thank you. I don’t think so.”

He hadn’t considered that even as a city girl she might not like the ranch. “Are you afraid of horses?”

“Not afraid so much as...uncertain,” she said hesitantly, holding up her hands. “My son is fascinated, so I’m here for him, but I can’t say I share his fascination.”

He didn’t sense a dislike of horses. Just nerves and lack of knowledge. The notion of introducing her stirred him. “We all have preferences. Even if you’re not an equestrian fan, I can see you want to know more about your son’s world. So for his sake, give this a try.” He raised his hands and linked fingers with hers, wondering why he wasn’t telling her about who he was. Instead he was touching her, watching the flicker of the sun in her green eyes, and he couldn’t bring himself to change course, not just yet. “We can take it slow?”

Her throat moved in a gulp. “Meaning what?”

“Just get to know Amber.” He guided her hand along the mare’s neck, Nina’s soft skin making him ache to touch more of her. “Check out the feel of her. She’s a gentle sweetheart.”

Gasping, Nina stroked the horse again, reverently almost. “Wow, I didn’t know. I rode a little as a child, but I only remember how scared I was and how bad it hurt to fall off. I thought she would feel bristly, but her coat is like satin.”

“You’ve truly never been around a horse before?” And yet she’d come here for her son, even though the horse clearly scared her every bit as much as she entranced her.

“I can feel her heartbeat.” Her awe and laughter stoked him.

He kept his hand over hers, his eyes locked on her gaze, watching her entranced by the animal. “She can hear yours.”

Nina turned and met his gaze. She wanted him. He could see that clearly, felt her desire crackling off her skin and into him.

Unable to resist, he dipped his head and kissed her. Just a simple kiss because they were outside and anyone could walk up to them. But damn it, this was his last chance before he would have to tell her about his grandmother’s plan, and then he didn’t know if he would get another opportunity. The thought of never tasting her, never knowing the feel of her was more than he could wrap his brain around.

She tasted like fresh spring water and the fruit salad from lunch. Strawberries and grapes. His hands curled around her shoulders. Soft. Warm. Such a perfect fit. Sparks shot through him, damn near knocking him senseless, as if he’d been tossed from a horse onto his head.

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