Suddenly a Daddy

“Dear God, Heather, why didn’t you wake me up to let me know you were taking Mandy?” he demanded. “When I opened my eyes and she wasn’t there, I—”

Heather placed her index finger to his lips to silence him when the baby moved restlessly and let out a little whimper. “I’m sorry,” she mouthed. She motioned for him to follow her out into the hall. “You looked like you might be a little tired from babysitting and I thought I’d—”

“Give me a heart attack,” he finished for her.

That’s when she realized that he’d been as terrified as she had when she’d been unable to find them. “I really am sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

Running a frustrated hand through his thick black hair, he took a deep breath. “I’ve never been that scared in my entire life.”

As they stood there, she couldn’t help but stare at his bare chest. Every muscle was well-defined and as her gaze drifted lower, she had an almost uncontrollable urge to reach out and trace her fingers over each one of the ridges on his abdomen.

“W-what happened to your shirt?” she asked instead.

“Oh, that.” He frowned. “Do you know how disgusting baby food spinach looks? And dear God, it smells even worse. But when it gets on clothes, it’s just plain nasty.”

She laughed. “It is pretty gross, isn’t it?”

“It’s horrible.” He made a face. “I thought I was going to lose it a couple of times when Mandy decided to take a handful and rub it in her hair.”

Heather couldn’t stop laughing. “Don’t tell me. You set the dish too close to the high chair.”

Nodding, he chuckled. “By the time lunch was over, she had more food on her than in her. And I’m positive our daughter could hold her own in a frat house food fight.”

“No doubt about it,” she agreed, smiling. “Any other problems? How did the diaper changes go?”

“When I finally got her to hold still it went all right. Up until then, it was a little hazardous.” He rubbed his flat stomach. “She’s got a hell of a kick.” His expression turned serious and he fell silent a moment before reaching up to touch her cheek. “Thank you, Heather.”

The back of his knuckles stroking her skin sent a shaft of longing all the way to her toes. “W-what for?”

“For today.” His voice took on a husky quality that stole her breath. “For giving me the chance to get to know my daughter.”

Without a second thought, she closed her eyes and leaned into his tender touch. She might have been able to resist had it not been for the sincerity in his tone and the genuine gratefulness in his amazing blue eyes. But no matter how much she tried to fight it, he was the man who had stolen her heart all those months ago and given her a precious baby daughter.

“I want to kiss you, Heather.”

His whisper made her feel warm all over. “Th-that probably wouldn’t be a good idea.”

“Oh, I disagree, I think it’s an excellent idea.” His firm lips lightly grazing the shell of her ear and his warm breath feathering over her skin caused excited little shivers to course throughout her entire body.

She was flirting with danger. This was Jake Garnier, player extraordinaire. But even as she tried to reason with herself, she swayed toward him.

Apparently, that was all the encouragement he needed because the next thing she knew he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. She opened her eyes just in time to watch him slowly, deliberately, lower his head and when his mouth covered hers in tender exploration, she thought she just might melt into a puddle at his feet.

As his tongue stroked her lips apart, her eyes drifted shut again and the intensity of his kiss caused her head to spin. But when he coaxed, demanded and persuaded her to respond, every cell in her body tingled to life and Heather found herself holding on to him for support.

She should stop him. It wasn’t smart to kiss the man who obviously hadn’t wanted anything more to do with her until he learned that she’d given birth to his daughter. But the thought evaporated when Jake crushed her to him and she felt his hard muscles against her tightening nipples and his insistent arousal pressed into her lower belly.

Her knees threatened to buckle and a swirling hunger began to flow through her when he moved his hand to cup her breast, then chafed the hardened tip through the layers of her clothing. She wanted him with a fierceness that frightened her more than she’d ever thought possible.

Jake must have sensed the change in her because he slowly eased away from the kiss, but continued to hold her close. “We’ve got plenty of time.”

She could deny that having him kiss her, that being in his arms and having his body entangled with hers wasn’t what she wanted, too. But they’d both know it was a total lie.

“No, it can’t happen, Jake.” It was hard to be convincing when his large hand still covered her breast. But she couldn’t seem to find the strength to pull free of his arms.

“I’m not going to stand here and argue. Right now, I have to take a shower.”

As she watched him retreat to the master suite, Heather couldn’t help but wonder if she shouldn’t take her daughter and run as fast as she could back to the safety of the carriage house. It was obvious that no matter what she said, he wasn’t going to listen to her. And living in such close proximity was going to make resisting him extremely difficult.

But thankfully with the Southern Oaks Cup Classic only two weeks away and all of the activities that preceded it, they were both going to become very busy in a very short time. If she could just hold out a few more days, everything should be fine.

She was going to have to attend to Dancer seven days a week and make sure that he was ready to run the race of his life. And as the owner of the favorite to win the Cup, Jake would be away at the almost non-stop receptions and balls that were held to celebrate the annual event.

With her going to bed early in order to oversee the thoroughbred’s dawn exercises and Jake sleeping in after being out late with Louisville’s social elite, their paths probably wouldn’t cross more than a handful of times. And the few times they did, it would most likely be in a public setting for pictures and publicity for the race.

Then, by the time the festivities came to a close, Jake would no doubt be bored with the comparatively slower pace of Hickory Hills and more than ready to head back to his exciting life in Los Angeles. She and Mandy would move back into the carriage house and once again settle into their comfortable, familiar routine.

* * *

As Jake sat in the study thumbing through a pile of invitations to teas, receptions and balls being held in honor of the big race, he frowned. How the hell was he supposed to work things out and reconnect with Heather when he was going to have to attend a string of social events?

But staring at the elaborate print on one of the invitations, a slow smile curved the corners of his mouth. The words “and guest” had him rising from his chair.

“Clara, could you watch Mandy for a few minutes while I walk down to the stables to talk to Heather?” he asked when he entered the kitchen.

“No problem.” She smiled when he handed her the baby monitor. “How long has our little angel been down for her nap?”

“About a half hour.” He checked his watch. “I’m not sure how long she sleeps, but I’ll only be a few minutes.”

“Take your time.” Clara grinned as she motioned toward Daily seated at the kitchen table peeling a pile of potatoes. “We won’t be going anywhere for at least the next two weeks.”

“I keep telling you, Grandma. When somebody’s grounded, it doesn’t mean they have to do stuff like this,” the boy complained. “It means they just can’t go anywhere.”

Jake hid a smile as he left the mansion and walking past the pool, started down the path toward the stables. Since his grandmother learned about his plan for a late night rendezvous, Daily had mucked out stalls, mopped floors, polished silver and performed any other menial task she could think to assign him.

In a few days, the kid would get a bit of a reprieve from doing household chores. Jake had already talked to Clara about having Daily help him with a few projects to improve the place. The housekeeper had readily agreed and expressed her gratitude for Jake’s influence with the boy. It seemed that Daily was having a hard time adjusting to his mother remarrying after the death of his father and she’d sent him to Hickory Hills in an effort to keep him out of trouble.

Shaking his head, Jake couldn’t help but wonder what his friends in L.A. would think of that one. With his reputation for partying and entertaining a different woman every night, he was the last person most people would want influencing their teenage boy. But since his arrival at Hickory Hills, Jake had found that he was enjoying the slower, laid-back pace and had started thinking less and less about getting back to the hectic schedule he’d kept for the past several years.

Maybe it had something to do with finding out he’d fathered a child. Or it could be that it was just so vastly different from his usual lifestyle the novelty hadn’t worn off yet.

He frowned. So why didn’t going back to L.A. sound all that appealing?

As he entered the stable, another thought occurred to him, but he dismissed it. He refused to believe that he might finally be ready to settle down. That was just ludicrous. Of course, he wanted to return to his condo and highly successful law practice. He’d be a fool not to want that.

Greeting Tony and another groom as they attended to one of the thoroughbreds, Jake relegated his self-analysis to the back of his mind. It was amusing to think that he owned over two dozen of the finest animals in the country and he’d never been on the back of a horse in his entire life.

“What’s up?” Heather asked when he walked into her office. “Is everything all right?”

Jake nodded. “Mandy is taking a nap and Clara is making Daily rue the day he even thought about sneaking out to see his girlfriend by making him peel potatoes for dinner.”

Heather’s smile sent a shockwave of heat straight to the pit of his belly. “Poor Daily. I doubt that he’ll be eager to try that again.”

Jake barely managed to suppress his frustrated groan. He seriously doubted she realized just how pretty she looked with soft curls escaping her ponytail and her creamy cheeks flushed from the early summer heat.

But it was her coral lips that fascinated the hell out of him. Since kissing her outside of Mandy’s room two days ago, all he’d been able to think about was doing it again and a whole lot more. And it was the “whole lot more” that was about to drive him over the edge.

“Jake, did you hear what I asked?”

“Uh…sorry.” Lost in his own misery, he hadn’t realized that she’d been talking to him. “What was that again?”

“I asked if you needed something,” she said patiently.

Oh, yeah, he needed something all right. But she didn’t want to hear what that was.

“As a matter of fact, there is something I need your help with.” That was an understatement, he thought sardonically. Forcing himself to focus, he sat down in the chair in front of her desk. “I have a million receptions and a couple of balls over the next two weeks.”

She nodded. “That’s part of the Southern Oaks Cup celebration and as Dancer’s owner, you’re expected to make an appearance.”

“From the number of invitations I’ve received, I’m beginning to realize just what a big deal this is,” he said, choosing his words carefully. Over the course of the past several years, he’d gotten into the habit of attending parties without a date. Now, he couldn’t believe how out of practice he had become at asking a woman out. “And I’d really like for you to go with me.”

He watched her open and close her mouth several times before she found her voice. “You can’t be serious.”

He smiled. “I’m very serious. I wouldn’t have asked you to be my date if I weren’t.”

“I…um, appreciate it, but I can’t,” she said, her eyes still wide with disbelief.

That wasn’t the answer he wanted to hear. “Why not?”

“I’m going to be far too busy overseeing Dancer and preparing for the race to be able to attend.” Her smile looked suspiciously relieved when she added, “I’m sorry, but you’ll have to go without me.”

It was perfectly clear to him why she was turning him down. The more time they spent together, the bigger the possibility she could no longer deny the pull between them. And that was the very reason he was going to insist that she go with him.

“But you would attend the various functions with me if not for your job, right?”

“Well… I…uh…since I’m not about to quit, it’s not an issue,” she hedged.

He knew he had her and if the look on her pretty face was any indication, she knew it, too.

Rising from the chair, he walked over and called for Tony to come to the office. When the man walked to the door, Jake smiled. “From now until the race is over, you’re in charge of the stables. I want Heather free to concentrate on overseeing Dancer’s training, preparations for the race and attending social functions.”

The man looked as if he thought Jake might be joking. “Me?”

“Yes,” Jake answered decisively. “Do you think you can handle the job?”

He watched the man’s gaze cut to Heather, then back to him. “Sure. I can handle it, but—”

“Then it’s settled.” Jake shook Tony’s hand. “If anything comes up, you’re still to consult with Heather.”

When he turned to walk back and lower himself into the chair in front of Heather’s desk, she looked as if she might blow a gasket. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m relieving you of your other duties until after the race is over.” He smiled. “This way you’ll be able to focus on Dancer and the race and attend the social side of this thing with me.”

“You can’t do that to me,” she said, standing up to pace back and forth behind the desk.

“Sure I can.”

She stopped to glare at him. “I have a signed contract that says otherwise. You may own this place, but I run it. I’m in charge and I call the shots.”

“You’re still in charge, Heather.” He hadn’t anticipated that she’d get this upset.

“At least running this farm will look good on my résumé,” she muttered.

He narrowed his eyes. “You haven’t been looking for a position elsewhere, have you?”

“Not yet,” she admitted belligerently. “But you just made the decision to start the search a lot easier.”

Rising to his feet, he walked around the desk and took her into his arms. “Look, you’re still in charge. You’re still overseeing Dancer’s racing career. That hasn’t changed. I’m just making it easier for you to concentrate your efforts on him.”

“Get real, Jake. We both know the reason you relieved me of the majority of my responsibilities was purely self-serving. You want me to attend the social events with you. That’s the only reason you did this.”

He took a deep breath. “That’s the way it started out. But the more I think about it, the more it makes sense for Dancer to be your top priority now.”

“I can’t argue that,” she grudgingly agreed.

“And won’t it make the next two weeks easier if you can turn your sole attention to that goal?”

She slowly nodded.

“I’m sorry I usurped your authority, but I’m used to being the one in charge.” He kissed the top of her head. “From now on, I’ll consult with you before I make a decision about the stables.”

She leaned back to look him square in the eyes and he could tell she was only slightly less furious with him. “You’d better, because if you interfere again, I’m out of here.”

If he’d doubted how seriously she took her job before, he didn’t now. “Understood. Now, will you please consider attending events with me. It would be nice to have someone I know at my side.”

“There isn’t a shy bone in your body. You’ll do just fine without me.”

He smiled as he brushed an errant strand of golden brown hair from her soft cheek. “Yes, but I want you with me.”

“I told you, I’m not one of your diversions while you’re here,” she stated flatly.

She wasn’t going to give in easily. But then he wasn’t, either. “Would you at least think about going with me?” he whispered close to her ear.

Staring at him for what seemed an eternity, she finally nodded. “I’ll consider it, but I’m not promising anything.”

Satisfied that his plan to spend more time with her had a chance, Jake lowered his mouth to hers to seal the deal with a kiss. His blood pressure skyrocketed as he slowly caressed her lips with his, and he decided he could easily become addicted to her sweetness as he savored the taste of her.

When he traced the seam of her mouth to deepen the kiss, he took advantage of her soft sigh and slipped inside to stroke her tongue with his. Teasing and coaxing, he encouraged her to explore him, as well, and when she tentatively acquainted herself with him, Jake felt as if a fire had been ignited in the pit of his belly.

But it was the feel of her breasts pressed to his chest, her nipples scoring his skin through the layers of their clothing, that caused his body to harden so fast it left him feeling lightheaded. He moved his hands down her back to the flare of her hips. Pulling her forward allowed her to feel the effect she had on him, how she made him want her. She whimpered softly and sagged against him, letting him know without words that she desired him as much as he did her.

Unfortunately, his timing was lousy. They were in her office in the stable with several people close by. And going back to the mansion was out of the question.

Reluctantly easing away from the kiss, Jake took a deep breath as he leaned back to stare down at her. He didn’t think he’d ever seen a more beautiful sight. Heather’s porcelain cheeks were flushed and her eyes were glazed with the haze of unfulfilled desire.

“I suppose I should let you get back to work now,” he finally managed to get out through his dry throat. Before she could gather her thoughts and tear into him over kissing her again, he released her and, walking to the door, added, “Our first reception is this evening. You can fill me in on our host and hostess on the drive over to their place.”

Chapter 5

Heather accepted the hand Jake offered as she got out of his Ferrari in front of the home of John and Martha Wainwright, then waited for him to hand his keys to the valet. She was still upset with him over his disregard for her authority at the farm, but the more she thought about it, the more she realized attending these social events with him could work to her advantage. If she did have to look for a position elsewhere, the contacts she made at receptions like this one could prove invaluable.

“So tell me about these people,” he said as he cupped her elbow and they walked the short distance to the tall, carved oak front doors of the estate.

“John Wainwright is president of the Southern Oaks Bank and Trust and Martha is the treasurer of the local ladies’ club,” she said, quickly filling him in on their host and hostess. “Neither of them have the slightest interest in horses or the Classic. But they would both have a coronary before they passed up an opportunity to host a reception for it.”

“In other words, they’re all about showing off with a big party and getting a mention in the society column.”

“Exactly.”

When he handed the doorman their invitation, the man smiled broadly and swung one of the entry doors wide. “Welcome to Waincrest, Mr. Garnier.” He nodded and gave her a wink. “And Miss Heather.”

“Hi, Hank. How is Mae?” she asked, smiling.

The man’s grin widened. “She’s doing just fine, Miss Heather. Thank you for asking.”

As they followed his directions past a sweeping staircase and out a set of French doors onto the terrace, she felt as if she’d stepped into a fairy tale. The place was decorated with a canopy of tiny white lights, white wrought-iron patio furniture and huge bouquets of red and white roses in marble urns. Clearly, the Wainwrights had spared no expense in transforming their lawn into a very elegant cocktail party.

“That’s our host and hostess,” she said, discreetly nodding toward a couple standing by the bar.

“This is why I needed you with me,” Jake said, leaning close. “You know who all these people are and what role they play in all of this hoopla.”

She rolled her eyes. “Like you wouldn’t have figured it out on your own.”

When a waiter carrying a silver tray with glasses of champagne stopped in front of them, Jake removed two of the flutes, then handed one to her. “If I remember correctly, I think this is how we met.”

She swallowed hard when his fingers lingered on hers a little longer than necessary and a feeling of déjà vu swept through her. He’d walked over to her, handed her a glass of champagne and the rest was history.

He leaned close. “Do you think the evening will end the same way it did that night?”

“With me pregnant?”

Jake’s teasing smile faded. “I didn’t mean that. But I’ll be damned if I’m sorry it happened. We wouldn’t have Mandy if it hadn’t.”

She could tell he was completely sincere, and she had to agree. “She’s brought more joy into my life than I could have ever imagined.”

Before either of them had a chance to say anything further, John Wainwright walked over to greet them. “You must be the owner of Stormy Dancer,” the man said, turning up the wattage on his smile. Almost as an afterthought, he nodded at her. “Miss McGwire.”

Wainwright wasn’t interested in talking to her and she knew why. His bank handled the accounts for Hickory Hills and he wasn’t going to waste his time with a lowly farm manager when he could schmooze with the owner of one of the premier stables in the entire country.

As the man engaged Jake in a conversation about becoming a member of the local country club, Heather quietly excused herself and started to walk away.

Jake put his hand on her arm to stop her. “Where do you think you’re going?”

Smiling, she pointed toward the buffet table. “I’ll be over there.”

She could tell he wasn’t happy with the way John Wainwright had dismissed her as insignificant. But she really didn’t mind being excluded from their conversation. She was far more comfortable talking to the Wainwrights’ staff than she was mingling with people who thought they were better than everyone else.

“Dear, would you mind helping me?” a small, elderly woman asked politely. With a cane in one hand and a mint julep in the other, the poor woman had no way of carrying her plate of appetizers.

Smiling, Heather shook her head. “I don’t mind at all. Where are you sitting?”

“As far away from these pompous asses as possible,” she replied, her expression so sweet that Heather thought she might have misheard.

“Excuse me?”

“You heard right, dear. I called them pompous asses,” the older woman repeated proudly. “I’ve finally reached the age where I speak my mind and don’t give a fig what people think. Now, come. Let’s find a place to sit and get acquainted.”

When Heather followed the elderly lady to an empty table away from the majority of the crowd, she helped the woman get settled. “Is there anything else you need, Mrs…”

“Wainwright.” The old lady shook her head disgustedly. “My son is the windbag who snubbed you in favor of kissing up to your young man.” She patted the chair beside her. “Sit, dear. I need someone to talk to who doesn’t act like they’re something they’re not.” She gave a disgusted snort. “I just hate when John and Martha throw one of these receptions. They put on such airs, it’s a downright disgrace.”

Heather didn’t know what to say. But she couldn’t help but like the elderly woman and her candid observations.

“It’s all right, dear.” The old woman patted Heather’s hand. “I have no illusions about how important most of these people think they are. And my son and daughter-in-law are the two biggest ducks in the puddle.”