In His Brother's Place

“Just coffee. I’ll get my own.”

“Cups are on the second shelf. Help yourself.” Jordan willed himself to be annoyingly cheerful. “Did you tell Lucas we were going out for a ride this morning?”

“A ride? On horses? Like cowboys?” Lucas was all eyes and ears.

“Maybe.” Angie sat down at the table and swirled cream into her coffee. A bewitching spark danced in her mahogany eyes. “First show me how fast you can finish your breakfast, get cleaned up and make your bed. Then we’ll see. OK?”

“OK! I’ll be lightning fast, you’ll see!” He cleaned his plate and dashed for the door. Picking up her coffee, Angie strode after him.

Jordan followed her with his eyes. Angie was a good mother—loving, firm and protective. She’d done a fine job of raising Lucas on her own. But the boy was a Cooper. Justin would want him to have everything this ranch, and the Cooper money, could provide for him.

Jordan was just beginning to realize what he’d taken on. This wasn’t a short-term arrangement. Justin’s son wouldn’t be of age for another fifteen years. As things stood now, Angie had full legal custody of the boy. She could leave tomorrow and take him anywhere she chose. She could even meet someone, marry and allow her new husband to adopt Lucas.

Jordan knew he couldn’t let that happen.

It would take good lawyer to help secure Lucas’s place in the family. The legal process was bound to take time, especially if Angie chose to fight him at every turn. For now, it would be up to him to make damned sure the woman was happy enough to stay put.

He couldn’t bring Justin back or undo the tragic events he’d helped set in motion. But restoring his brother’s son in the Cooper family might, at least, grant him a measure of redemption.

By nine o’clock they were on the trail. The docile bay Jordan had chosen for Angie moseyed along at a plodding gait. Lucas, sitting astride her lap, giggled with delight. What could be more exciting than a ride on a real horse?

The well-worn path wound through piñon-covered hills to descend into a broad arroyo where spikes of yucca and clumps of blooming chamisa rose against adobe-colored ledges. Some distance ahead, Angie knew, the way would narrow, ending where a waterfall cascaded down the canyon wall.

The last time she’d ridden this trail, it had been with Justin. They’d taken a picnic to the waterfall and made love at sunset on the blanket they’d brought. Now it was Jordan who rode beside her on the splendid palomino she recognized as Justin’s former favorite.

Her bruised knee twinged as she shifted in the saddle. Her face flamed at the memory of last night—Jordan’s hand gliding up her leg. In the embarrassment of the moment, she hadn’t really noticed just how intimate it had been, letting him touch her like that. Remembering it now, the intensity of her response shocked her. She tried to tell herself it was because he looked so much like Justin. But that didn’t explain it. Justin was gone, and behind that well-loved face was a very different man.

Today, dressed in faded denims, a western-style shirt and a weathered Stetson, Jordan looked more at ease than Angie had ever seen him. He sat a horse as if he’d begun riding at Lucas’s age, which he probably had.

They said little, depending on Lucas’s chatter to fill the awkward silence. He talked mostly to Jordan, asking childish questions that Jordan answered with surprising patience.

“Are you a real cowboy, Uncle Jordan?”

“I just play at being a cowboy. But there are some real cowboys on the ranch. They work here, taking care of the cows and horses.”

“Can I be a cowboy, too?”

“Maybe not a real one. But you can play at it, like I do.”

“Can I have a horse?”

“Lucas,” Angie warned, “you mustn’t ask Uncle Jordan to give you things.”

Jordan’s gaze narrowed. “Before you get a horse you’ll have to be big enough to take care of it. That’s going to take some time. But you might be old enough for a puppy.”

“A puppy!” Lucas squirmed with excitement.

“Only if your mother says it’s all right, of course.”

“We’ll talk about it later.” Angie gave Jordan an annoyed glance. It wasn’t that she’d mind having a puppy around. Lucas would love a dog. But why couldn’t the man have asked her first?

She needed to have some serious words with him. Just because she’d agreed to move out to the ranch, that didn’t mean that she was going to let Jordan take over her life, or Lucas’s. He had no right to make decisions about her son’s care.

For the sake of Lucas’s safety, she’d live under the same roof with the man. She’d even force herself to be civil. But she wasn’t going to let herself fall for the “concerned uncle” act. She’d continue to monitor every conversation with him with a healthy dose of suspicion.

It didn’t matter that four years had passed. Jordan still had his own agenda. And she could never trust him to be on her side.

Angie’s chance to bring up the puppy came after lunch. They’d spread a blanket on the grass at the base of the waterfall, where they’d feasted on Marta’s cheese empanadas and piñon nut cookies. Lucas’s presence had kept their conversation on neutral ground, but now he was curled on the blanket, fast asleep in the warm sunlight.

“Looks like we could be here awhile.” Jordan leaned back against a boulder and crossed his long, booted legs at the ankle.

“I’m afraid so.” Angie felt strangely tongue-tied. “Wake him now and he’ll be as cranky as a little bear.”

“We can’t have that, can we?” His slow grin was so like Justin’s that Angie felt a lump rise in her throat.

“About that puppy,” she said.

His only response was the subtle twitch of one eyebrow.

“You should know better, Jordan.” She spoke in an impassioned whisper. “Getting Lucas’s hopes up before you’ve cleared it with me—it’s unfair. Worse, it’s underhanded. If I say no, I’ll be the villain.”

His expression didn’t change. “Why say no? The boy could use a playmate. A dog would be good for him.”

“Maybe. But that’s not your decision to make. I’m his mother. I’ll decide when he’s ready for a pet.”

“He’s my brother’s son.” Jordan’s eyes had gone hard. “Shouldn’t I have something to say about that, too?”

“Your brother’s son!” It was all Angie could do to keep from raising her voice and waking Lucas. “You’ve known him for less than a week. How could you possibly know what would be good for him? Were you there when he was born? Did you change him and feed him and walk the floor when he cried all night?” A surge of emotion cracked her voice. She gulped back tears.

“Angie, all I did was suggest we get him a puppy.”

“And now he’s got his hopes up. You should’ve asked me first. I’d have told you to wait.”

“Why wait? A pup would help him settle in.”

Angie glanced down at her sleeping son. “So far, he’s settling in fine. But what if we don’t stay? Do you have any idea how hard it is to rent with a dog? If we had to leave the poor thing behind, Lucas would be heartbroken.”

“Why wouldn’t you stay?” He sat upright, leaning toward her. Angie’s pulse slammed as his steely eyes locked with hers. “I’ve told you to consider this your home—yours and Lucas’s.”

Angie felt the jaws of a velvet-cloaked trap closing around her. She shook her head. “It may sound selfish, Jordan, but I can’t give up my whole life to raise Lucas here—and if opportunities lead me elsewhere, then I won’t be leaving alone. I certainly won’t give up my son.”

“But there’s no reason why you’d have to go away to find opportunities. Nobody said you had to give up your life. You’ll have a car. You can go into town, even work if you choose—and you’ll get the chance to meet new friends. In fact, I’m having a party here this weekend.”

“I can just imagine how I’d fit with your crowd—the poor girl from the barrio who got knocked up by your brother!”

Angie saw his mouth tighten. She plunged ahead before he could respond.

“And what about you? You could easily remarry and have children of your own. Then Lucas and I would be nothing but excess baggage. Your wife certainly wouldn’t want us here.”

“Damn it, Angie, why are you making it so hard for—”

His words broke off as Lucas stirred, whimpered and opened his eyes. “Hi, Uncle Jordan,” he mumbled. “Is it time to go home?”

“Anytime you say, buddy.”

He sat up. “Can I ride with you on your horse?”

Jordan glanced at Angie. “That’s up to your mother.”

“It’s fine.” Angie gathered up the picnic things so Lucas wouldn’t see the aggravation on her face. Jordan could have invented a reason to say no. Instead, he’d made her the potential villain. He was good at that—putting her in a position where she couldn’t refuse without sounding like a meanie.

Jordan boosted Lucas onto the front of his saddle and swung up behind him. Lucas’s grin almost split his small face. Angie sighed. She was already losing the battle to protect her son from this manipulative man—a man who was sure to break his trusting young heart.

Jordan spent the afternoon doing paperwork in his office. He’d hoped to see Angie at dinner, maybe mend some fences with her. But he entered the dining room to find the table set for one.

When asked, Carlos explained that Angie was working on her computer. She’d come down earlier and taken a tray to her room for her and the boy.

The message was clear. He’d blown it this morning, offering Lucas a puppy without asking her first, then trying to justify himself. If he didn’t want the woman to pack up and leave, he’d be smart to apologize—on his knees if necessary.

He considered going up to her room, then thought the better of it. Angie needed her private space where she could feel safe, even from him.

Especially from him.

What had gone wrong this morning? He’d wanted the outing to be pleasant. But Angie had been as prickly as a cactus, and he’d pretty much responded in kind. If Lucas hadn’t awakened, their clash might have erupted into a full-scale blowup.

They’d been on edge all morning. But Jordan knew it hadn’t really been about the dog. It had been about Justin.

The old memory flashed through his mind—Justin’s fist crashing into his jaw, then the slamming of a door. Lord, if only he’d known what would happen next… .

But he couldn’t change the past. He could only try to rebuild the future as best he could. That was why he needed Lucas.

Maybe he should come clean with Angie, tell her the whole story. But that would be a bad idea. If Angie knew the truth about how Justin had died, and his own part in the tragedy, she’d never speak to him again. She’d take Lucas and be gone in the time it took to pack her car.

It was after 10:00 p.m. when Angie carried the dinner tray down to the kitchen. Switching on the light above the sink, she took a moment to rinse and stack the dishes.

In darkness once more, she walked out onto the patio. A whimper escaped her lips as she lowered herself to a stone bench. She hadn’t been on a horse in years and her thigh muscles screamed from the morning ride. The long day had worn her out, but before sleep she needed a few minutes to clear her head.

The old Spanish fountain tinkled in the stillness. Beyond the adobe walls, a waning moon hung above the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The night breeze carried a hint of autumn chill. “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

Jordan’s voice, from the shadows behind her, kicked Angie’s pulse to a gallop.

“I saw the light come on in the kitchen,” he said. “Is there anything you need?”

She shook her head.

“I missed you at dinner. Especially since I’d planned to apologize for my high-handedness this morning.”

An apology from the almighty Jordan Cooper? Her instincts sprang to high alert. “I was working,” she said. “My clients depend on me to keep their websites updated.”

“Something tells me you work too hard.” His hands came to rest on her shoulders, strong thumbs slipping around to massage the knotted muscles at the back of her neck. The voice of caution whispered that Jordan never did anything without a purpose. Until she was sure what he was after, she should avoid accepting any favors from him. And that meant she should pull away. But his touch was pure heaven. She could feel the tension draining from her tired body. She closed her eyes.

“Feel good?” His hands moved lower to ease the tightness between her shoulder blades. She quivered as his fingers skimmed the fastening of her bra through her thin shirt.

“Mmm-hmm …” she purred.

“Since you’re likely hurting from our morning ride, I can offer something even better. The pool’s drained and covered for the season, but there’s a hot tub on the other side of that wall. Be my guest.”

Once again caution reared its head, reminding her of her resolve not to give in to his attempts to win her over. Yet the thought of that warm water easing her misery was like a siren’s call. But better safe than sorry, Angie reminded herself. “It sounds lovely,” she hedged, “but—”

“But you don’t have a bathing suit? No problem. There’s a dressing room close by. My mother kept robes and a basket of spare suits in there for guests. You’re bound to find something that’ll do for a dark night. Go on, now, you’ve run out of excuses. I’ll get it warmed up.”

This was a mistake, Angie chided herself as she rummaged through the oversize laundry basket. Every minute she spent with Jordan ripped away another layer of her defenses, leaving her raw and exposed. He was so like Justin, yet so different—and in all the wrong ways.

As for the swimsuits, most of them looked as if they’d been here since the 1940s. Here was a black bikini bottom that looked as if it might fit her. But the top was impossibly big. Never mind, she’d just wear her pink T-shirt.

Kicking off her jeans and underpants she pulled on the brief. As an afterthought, she unhooked her bra, worked it out from under her shirt and tossed it onto a bench with the rest of her clothes. Draping a white terry robe over her arm she followed the stone path around the garden wall.

Trust the Coopers not to have an ordinary hot tub. This one was built of native stone set low in the ground like a grotto. On one side, desert plants added to the natural setting. The other side was open to a sweeping view of the mountains.

By now the night air had grown chilly. A shimmering curtain of steam rose from the water’s rippling surface.

Angie laid the robe on a stool and stepped down into the delicious warmth. Settling onto the lip of the underwater bench, she sank up to her shoulders and closed her eyes. Heaven.

Smiling blissfully, she opened her eyes. Only then did Angie realize she wasn’t alone. From the far side of the hot tub, Jordan’s face grinned back at her.

Four

“I didn’t know this was going to be a party.” Angie’s voice was edgy, her manner clearly distrustful. Maybe she thought he was out to seduce her.

That hadn’t been Jordan’s intent. He’d only hoped to put her at ease, maybe relax her enough for a civil conversation that wouldn’t end in her storming off to her room. But seeing her like this, with damp curls framing her face and that pink shirt clinging to her skin, was putting all the wrong ideas into his head. Time to defuse the tension.

“Should I have made margaritas?” he joked. “I can, you know. Just ask.”

“I’ll pass, thanks. This is an amazing hot tub. I don’t remember it from before.”

Before, meaning when she was here with Justin.

“I had it built for my mother, to help her arthritis.” And his mother hadn’t used it even once, Jordan recalled. She’d moved out soon after it was finished.

“How was Lucas after the ride?” Jordan changed the subject. “Did he say he enjoyed it?”

“It’s all he’s talked about. That and getting a puppy.” She lifted dripping hands to slick back her hair, raising her breasts above the water. The outline of her nipples through the wet pink fabric sent a stab of heat to his loins. His swelling erection strained the crotch of his swim trunks.

This wasn’t in the plan. He’d been attracted to Angie all along, and would have jumped at the chance to get her in his bed. But she’d been his brother’s girl. Except for that single slip-up in his car, he’d done an admirable job of keeping his thoughts above his belt and his hands to himself.

Now here she was, warm, sexy and no longer Justin’s girl—but still off limits. The irony of it was driving him crazy.

Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.