The Rancher's Secret Son

It had been a dream come true. She still remembered that night as if it had happened yesterday, not four years ago.

Attempting to shake off the mental picture of that night, Claire stood and walked to the window to gaze at the Dallas skyline. But she saw none of it because she was lost in memories. No matter how many times she thought of Nick’s proposal, she always returned to the same answer—she could not leave her family.

When she had rejected his proposal, their fight had been bitter, deep and long-lasting. Nick had flown back to DC that night and they’d had no contact since. Nick had truly broken her heart, but if she had it to do over again she still wouldn’t change her answer to him. She had done the only thing she could.

Whatever happened when she let him know about his son, she knew one thing: she’d never fall in love with him again because she never wanted to repeat that pain. And there was so much more to work out now between them, because Nick’s political life was on a fast track, while she had her grandfather’s business to run and still had her grandparents with her. Plus, the biggest issue of all, now they had a son and had to work out sharing him.

She caught her reflection in the window and saw the concern etched across her face and darkening her eyes. She turned away from the window. What she’d like to do right now was cancel their dinner date and fly home and never see Nick again, because whatever she did tonight, if she told him about his son, she would be hurt.

Nick’s November wedding had been months before Cody’s birth the following February. Claire had decided he would have his wife and someday, their children, so there was no need to even let him know about Cody.

Tonight, though, she had to tell him. Would he understand why she hadn’t let him know? Nick was a successful, billionaire attorney from a family who had influential friends all over Texas. Would he want this son in his life after losing the baby he had expected?

He had been friendly today, but not the sexy guy who had flirted outrageously when he’d first met her and made it clear that he wanted to be with her. She felt he had asked her to dinner tonight on an impulse. Truthfully, if he hadn’t been widowed, she would have turned him down. She’d had every intention of refusing his offer until she learned about the death of his wife and his unborn baby.

Glancing in the mirror of her dresser, she studied her business suit. Except for casual slacks and a cotton shirt for travel, this suit was all she had brought to wear and she had worn it all afternoon with Nick. Shedding the jacket, she picked up her purse and went downstairs. The hotel, she remembered, was close to an elegant boutique and she hurried, wanting to find a dress for tonight. If she had to tell Nick about Cody, she wanted to look her best when she did so.

At ten to seven, when she was finally ready, she stood in front of the same mirror to take one last look at herself.

She wore a pearl necklace given to her by her grandfather and a delicate pearl bracelet she had bought herself. She turned slightly to look at her image, smoothing the flawless deep-blue long-sleeved dress with a plunging V neckline. Would Nick even notice her new dress? The Nick she had once known would, but she no longer knew this man.

There was only one way to find out, she told herself. She picked up her flat bag with her phone that held pictures of Cody, locked the door and left her hotel room.

As she rode down in an empty elevator, she couldn’t shake the feeling of calamity. She couldn’t get rid of her fear about Nick’s reaction to the news she was about to tell him. Sure, she was afraid he’d be furious with her for keeping the secret. But far greater was her concern that Nick would want Cody in his life. He was a family man, close to his own father, so she was certain he and his parents would want to bring Cody into their family. The big question was, how much?

When she stepped off the elevator and gazed around the elegant lobby with its marble floor and potted palms, she spotted Nick instantly. In his charcoal suit and matching tie, he was definitely the most handsome man there. Crossing the expanse, he approached her.

Her heartbeat quickened, an unwanted reaction she couldn’t shake. She had a feeling she was in for another terrible fight with Nick and she didn’t want to find him appealing at the same time. She wasn’t going to let him hurt her again.

Trying to ignore the heat that enveloped her, she smiled at him and gripped her purse even more tightly. She had to get through this evening—without tears, without anger...and without desire. She took a deep breath and faced him. She had to. For Cody.

Two

As Nick watched Claire step off the elevator, desire surged in him. His gaze raked over her, taking in the low-cut blue dress that hugged her slender figure, revealed enticing curves, and ended high enough to display her long, shapely legs. Willowy and tall at five foot ten, she’d always worn clothes well. But there was something about her now...she was downright stunning.

He walked up to her. “Hi. You look great.”

“Thank you.” She nodded at him, then angled her head toward a corridor off the lobby. “The hotel has a great restaurant. We can eat here and it will be easier.”

He smiled at her. “Taking you out to dinner is not a difficult task. C’mon,” he said, ushering her toward the door. He’d already called the valet desk and had his car brought around to the front. As they crossed the lobby, he made small talk. “How’s your family?”

“Mother passed away a little over a year ago and my grandfather is in assisted living now. I hope he’ll be able to return home before this year is over.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. I guess your grandmother is in good health?”

“Yes, but she’s older now and not quite the same. What about you? Do you enjoy being a State Representative?”

“Very much. Sometimes it’s frustrating and occasionally it’s disillusioning, but overall, I like politics and plan to run for a US Senate seat in the next election that will be four years from now.”

“You’re ambitious, but I knew that before. I’m sure you’d make a good senator, Nick.”

“Thanks,” he said, aware of her walking close beside him, catching a faint whiff of an exotic perfume he didn’t recognize, but liked. He remembered how silky her hair had felt. In spite of their fiery split, he had never been able to forget her, yet there was no point in trying to see her after tonight. They would have the same difficulties, only now much more so, and he wasn’t going to get hurt by her again.

When they exited the hotel, the valet opened the car door for her and she slid inside with a flash of her long legs that the valet admired as much as Nick did. He walked around to the driver’s side, tipped the valet and thanked him for holding the door.

They drove out of the hotel’s circular drive and in seconds were on the freeway. The winter sun had already set behind the tall buildings and the darkness was the perfect backdrop for the bright Christmas lights that gave a festive feeling to the night.

“Where are we going?” she asked, her question breaking the silence that had descended in the car.

“I’m taking you to a private club I belong to. It’s quiet enough to talk and they have dancing on certain nights, more often now that it’s December and there are more Christmas parties,” Nick said. “We can dance a few times, if I haven’t forgotten how. I don’t go out except with family or for business.”

Her eyes widened as she turned to look at him. “That surprises you,” he said.

“Yes. Somehow I pegged you for the type to sort of bounce back, if one ever can from that deep a loss.”

“I guess I’m not,” he replied abruptly. He didn’t want to talk about that loss. His late wife and the child he’d never known were subjects best left for another time. If they had another time. Changing topics, he said, “The deal went smoothly today. Do you do much business in Dallas?”

“Very little,” she replied. “We did this as a favor to a long-time client who suddenly went into the hospital and couldn’t possibly come.”

“Are you running the agency?”

“Yes, I am. They’re giving Grandpa physical therapy and he hopes to regain his strength, but he can’t ever be in charge again. Still, he can come to the office and be part of it, and that expectation keeps him going. One nice thing that made him happy—the agency has grown since I took over.”

“That’s what counts,” Nick said. He wasn’t surprised by her success. He’d always known she would be competent in running the agency and in dealing with people.

Soon he turned into well-tended grounds, winding through trees strung with miniature multicolored lights until they came to a sprawling stone building. Leaving his car with the valet, they entered the lobby where a huge Christmas tree stood in the center, and red ribbon and bows had been artfully strung along a hallway. Nick led her through the clubhouse to the dining room where they were seated at a corner table beside floor-to-ceiling windows that afforded a panoramic view of a golf course. More Christmas lights lit up the covered veranda and, beyond that, a pond that held two fountains.

In one corner of the dining room a man played a ballad on a piano while two couples danced. The waiter came to take their orders and Nick asked for white wine. When it was poured, he raised his glass. “Here’s to a successful deal that closed easily today.”

“I’ll drink to that, Nick,” she said solemnly, her dark eyes filled with unfathomable secrets. He wondered about her life now. For all she’d said so far, she’d told him nothing except that she was head of the family real estate agency.

“Let’s see if I’ve forgotten how to dance,” he said, standing, curious if she would dance with him. She was cool, standoffish and seemed preoccupied tonight. He wondered whether she was worried about her grandfather or if something else was disturbing her. Or was it a lasting anger with him over their breakup? She wasn’t the light-hearted, fun-filled Claire he had known, but he wasn’t the same person anymore, either.

They went to the dance floor where he put his hand on her waist, careful to keep distance between them as they danced to a soft ballad. “You’re not out of practice,” he said, remembering other times they’d danced together, him holding her close, his heart racing. Even now, he had a sharp awareness of her as she gazed at him intently.

“You’re not out of practice either, Nick.” He accepted her compliment. “You know, if you’re so steeped in politics, I imagine you are out and about plenty.”

“Usually at stuffy dinners or fund-raisers. Not much time to find a pretty woman and dance at those events.”

He wasn’t sure but he thought he saw her cheeks blush before she turned her head. He pulled her slightly closer and gave himself over to the dance. He liked the sensation of having her in his arms. She felt good. Familiar. From out of the blue, one thought kept reverberating in his head. This woman could have been your wife.

He still felt heartache thinking about what could have been.

Four years ago when Claire had turned down his marriage proposal and he returned to Washington, he’d turned to Karen. They had dated in college and law school, and known each other since high school, so their relationship seemed only natural once she’d accepted a job in DC working in the office of a friend of her father’s.

Nick couldn’t work things out with Claire and Karen was there, in DC, wanting to go out, charming him and filling a big void. She was from Dallas, their parents were friends and she would live wherever he wanted. She had wanted marriage. His firm wanted their young attorneys married and so did his parents. He still loved Claire but he knew it was over between them.

Doing what his family, his firm and his career indicated he should, he had proposed to Karen. He could still remember a moment at his wedding when he had been hit by a wall of longing, knowing that it should have been Claire beside him, but he had banked those feelings. Karen had been a good wife, seductive and beautiful, and he had grown to appreciate her more each year. She catered to him, bolstered his career, moved with him, and in return he gave her the social life she wanted. Both sets of parents were happy. Claire was out of his life.

But he had never forgotten her.

Even now, as he danced with her, he had to remind himself that there wasn’t any point in trying to see her again after tonight. She was tied to her family and to Houston more than ever, while he had his life in Dallas and DC and he had a political career that held golden promises for the future.

What about the sizzling current he felt as they danced? There was no denying she still had a physical effect on him, but that might simply be because he had been alone for so long now.

As he spun her around and dipped her in time to the music, he was swept away by vivid memories of holding her tightly, kissing her, making love to her. For an instant desire flashed, hot and unwanted, as he looked down at her mouth, wanting to hold her close, feel her softness while he kissed her. He remembered how soft and sweet her lips had been, and more than anything he wanted to taste them again. The desire was undeniable. Lust slammed into him, rising to the surface and surprising him after two long years of total numbness.

But he wouldn’t kiss her.

He couldn’t.

He swung her up to continue dancing, trying to cool down, to forget the scalding memories. There was no future in seeing Claire and he would not start that again.

Trying to divert his mind from taking her right there on the dance floor, he began questioning her. “Who’s the man in your life, Claire?” he asked, certain there had to be one.

She shook her head. “There isn’t one. No time. I’m too busy running the office, making sales myself, taking care of my family, visiting Grandpa five days a week. I don’t have a social life except through the office, church and family. I keep thinking it will change and things will settle down, but that hasn’t happened.”

“Maybe you’re working too hard. How big is your agency?” He was grateful for the safe path the conversation now took.

“I have three offices and almost seventy salespeople. We deal in commercial and residential properties.”

“That’s a big business,” he said. Studying her, Nick guessed she was tied into work most of her waking hours. “How many offices did you have when your grandfather turned things over to you? I thought there was only one.”

“One is correct,” she replied. “Good memory, Nick. I’ve been very lucky and have some great people who work for me.”

“I imagine luck is only a part of it. Congratulations. I’m impressed,” he said, meaning it. “You have to be a busy woman.”

“I am busy. And I’ve got a full day tomorrow. I’m flying home at six in the morning. Have to be at the airport at four because I’m not one to run out there at the last minute.”

“I’ll take you to the airport.”

She laughed, her eyes suddenly twinkling, stirring another flash of desire as he remembered the fun he once had with her. “Thanks, Nick, but that’s beyond the call of ‘for old times’ sake.’ I already have a limo reserved. Thanks, anyway. That’s very nice of you.”

“If you change your mind, the offer stands.”

The number ended and a fast one started. As they danced and he watched her hips move, he was assailed by memories once again. He couldn’t help remembering making love with her. He couldn’t help wanting her now, which shocked him again. He had a reaction to Claire that he hadn’t had to any other woman since Karen. Maybe it was time for him to come back into the world. Yet, even as he thought that, he knew he didn’t want to get involved with any woman at this time in his life. Definitely not Claire. He’d been there and done that and gotten hurt badly.

Trying to stop watching Claire so closely and shutting down the erotic images in his memory, he was grateful when the song ended. “Ready to sit one out? I’d like a sip of wine.” They returned to the table.

They talked through their dinners—steak for him and salmon for her, which he noticed she barely ate. She had to be worried about something at home, her family or business, because she seemed preoccupied. He felt a wall between them, but he didn’t particularly care. After a polite goodbye, he wouldn’t see her again, so it didn’t matter.

If she had said she was seeing someone, he would have not been surprised. The invisible barrier between them kept her restrained, as if she had accepted his invitation tonight to be polite and she would be glad to tell him goodbye. Two or three times he had caught her looking at him with an intensity that startled him. Was she still thinking about their last angry moments together? Each time she had quickly looked away, her face had flushed. So there was something disturbing her, keeping a wall up...

Was it him? But that was impossible, unless she was still hurting from their breakup. But he couldn’t imagine that she hadn’t gone on with her life. Or was it—

No. He had to stop attempting to figure out what she might be thinking. Soon she would be out of his life again, this time probably for good.

She may have been thinking the same thing, because she put down her coffee cup and said, “Nick, it’s been interesting to see you and I know it’s not late, but I have an early flight.”

“Sure,” he said, picking up on her need to leave. He signed for the check and led her out, telling himself it was for the best. But he couldn’t help the disappointment that he never would know the reason for those intense looks.

* * *

As Nick drove her back to the hotel, Claire rehearsed asking him to come in for a few minutes. She knew that, being the gentleman he was, he would see her to her door. Once there, it would be so simple to invite him in. But there would be nothing simple about confessing to him she had given birth to his son. Informing him that he had a three-year-old son was not the sort of thing to tell him over dinner in a public place. She had to be alone with him and her last opportunity was approaching.

At the hotel, he gave his car to the valet, saying he’d be right back.

She shivered as they walked into the lobby, blaming the chilly evening air. As they rode up in the elevator and walked to her door, her stomach was in knots and she dreaded breaking the news to him. Nick still seemed wrapped in mourning for his wife, but the fact that he had lost his unborn child made it imperative to inform him of his son.

She couldn’t look back and wish she had told him long ago because that was over and done. Maybe she should take a few days to think things through before she told him about Cody. She hadn’t had time to really consider how the situation was going to change her life and Cody’s life permanently. Not to mention Nick’s life, too.

“Claire, is something wrong?”

His voice cut into her reverie and she started, realizing she was still standing in front of her hotel room door, the key card in her hand.

He’d given her the perfect opening...except the words wouldn’t come. Even though she was freezing, perspiration broke out on her forehead and her palms grew damp.

Tell him. Tell him now.

But she couldn’t.

“No, I just got to thinking about something that has become a problem in my life,” she said.

“Maybe you’re working too hard,” Nick said quietly, running his finger along her cheek.

She looked up into those deep blue eyes with thick lashes, into Nick’s handsome face. Nick was a good person, intelligent, sophisticated, reasonable, charming. She should just tell him about his son. At the same time, she recalled the bitter accusations they had flung at each other when they had parted—she’d called him a selfish rich guy who always got what he wanted, while he’d accused her of not having a life of her own.

If she told him about his son, what hurtful things would they say to each other tonight? She didn’t want to go through that kind of stormy battle with Nick again.

“Nick—” She paused. The moment she told him, Cody would no longer belong to her side of the family only. She would have to share him and let him stay with Nick. Or worse. Would Nick try to take Cody from her?

“Yes?” Nick prompted, curiosity in his expression.

“I had a really good time tonight,” she said softly, barely able to get out the words.

He tilted his head to look intently at her again. “I’m glad. I wasn’t sure you were having that much fun. It was a good evening for me. How about a kiss for old times’ sake?” he said and leaned down to place his mouth lightly on hers while his arm circled her waist.

The moment his mouth touched hers, she felt the sparks she always had with Nick. His arm tightened around her waist and his mouth pressed against hers more firmly, opening her lips as he really kissed her, a deep, sexy kiss that for a few minutes stopped her worrying and fears, and shut off memories of their past and the big problem facing her.

Her heart pounding, she clung to Nick and kissed him in return, knowing it was folly, but unable to stop. She was swept back in time, into memories of Nick’s steamy, passionate kisses that had stolen her heart so quickly. She ignored the voice in her head that warned her she couldn’t let that happen again.

She clung to his broad shoulders, too aware of the hard, muscled body pressed against hers. Desire seemed to explode from his scalding kiss. It had been so long since she had been held by a man and kissed with such intensity.

When they moved apart, he was breathing as hard as she and he looked startled. His kiss had shaken her, igniting desire that burned through worry and made her stop thinking for a few minutes. But now, as she faced him again, she saw his blue eyes were filled with curiosity. Nick was an intelligent man and he had already picked up on something worrying her.

She couldn’t tell him. The words wouldn’t come to invite him in. She could take a few days to think about what she intended to do and to consult her family lawyer. She smiled at him, trying to pull herself together. “Thank you for the wonderful dinner, Nick. It was good to see you again. I am so sorry about your wife and baby.”

“You’re saying all the right things, Claire, but why do I have a feeling there is something else you want to say?” he asked, studying her as if he hadn’t ever seen her before.

“No, Nick. I’m just overworked at home.” Nervous, wanting to get away from him, swamped in guilt at the same time, she inserted her card into the door with such a shaky hand, she couldn’t get it to work.

Nick’s hand closed over hers and he opened the door for her. Even in her upset condition, she noticed the physical contact, the warmth of his fingers that sent an electric charge up her arm with his touch. “If you ever want to talk, I’m an old friend, Claire,” he said quietly.

She felt as if she had fallen into ice water. “Thank you. Good night, Nick,” she said, stepping inside and holding the door, turning to look at him. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

He nodded, giving her one more searching look before walking to the elevator.

She started to close the door and guilt swamped her. Could she live with her conscience if she flew home to Houston and didn’t tell Nick?

Closing her eyes, she opened the door just as the elevator doors opened. Nick glanced over his shoulder, saw her watching him and frowned.

“Nick, can you come in for a little while?”

He turned, once again giving her one of his probing looks that filled her with dread. Nick could be formidable. He had power, wealth and a state-wide network of cronies with influence. What would he do when he found out about Cody?

“Claire, I’ll be happy to help with a problem,” he said in a gentle voice, but it did nothing to ease her fear.

“Come in and let’s get a drink,” she said, leading him into the living area of her suite, which overlooked the sparkling lights of the city from the twenty-fourth floor. She switched on one small lamp that gave a soft glow in the quiet room. “I’m trying to think things through before I start talking. Just give me a minute,” she said. “What would you like?”