Home with the Cowboy

by Mary Sue Jackson

  Daniel had to bite back a smile. “You two seem to have hated each other for a long time, haven’t you?”

  Uncle James dropped his gaze to his desk and muttered, “Hate isn’t a strong enough word for how I feel about that woman.”

  “Why do you hate each other?” Daniel kept his voice casual, although he’d always been intensely curious about the details surrounding his uncle and Sarah. “Aren’t you too long in the tooth to hold a grudge this long?”

  Uncle James’s face closed. “None of your business, boy. That’s ancient history, anyway. Now, get along and give the little lady those papers before I tell you again that you’re making a mistake.”

  Daniel didn’t need to be told twice. Someday, he’d get that story out of Uncle James about him and Sarah. But right this second, he had way more important things to do: namely, getting Willa to really and truly stay here in Texas with him.

  Twenty

  Daniel returned later that morning and handed Willa papers as if he were handing her the keys to the kingdom.

  “What is this?” She took the papers with a frown of confusion. Bobby sat on the floor playing with his trucks, but at the sound of Willa’s voice, he got up and came to stand at her knee. He poked at the papers and babbled a question, but Willa’s attention was fully on Daniel.

  In the hard light of day, she felt as if she should be embarrassed by what had happened last night. It wasn’t that she thought she’d done anything wrong, but she’d never been so desperate for a man, either. She’d turned into some kind of sex kitten in Daniel’s bed, for God’s sake!

  Blushing at the memory of his kiss, the feeling of his body on top of hers, Willa struggled to pay attention to what Daniel was saying.

  As if he knew her thoughts, he grinned and said, “I don’t want you to feel like a guest anymore, staying here. I want you to make this place yours, too.”

  Willa stared at Daniel in shock. As she read through the document, her shock increased. He wanted her to be a tenant but not pay any rent? Was he crazy? But her treacherous heart fluttered at this gesture even as she kept telling herself that she and Daniel were a temporary thing.

  Oh, she was in trouble. Big, big trouble. She stared down at the papers, and her heart whispered that she could sign them and stay here with him and Bobby. There’s nobody back in New York, the whisper said. But here’s a man who wants you to stay right here in Texas. A man you basically threw yourself at last night. Are you really going to say no to him?

  “What you doing?” said Bobby as he tried to grab at the papers. “Want to see!”

  “These are boring. Go play with your trucks. Those are way more fun,” she answered.

  Bobby looked unconvinced, but he evidently decided that this time he’d obey without further protest. Willa had a feeling she’d pay for that later on, knowing how obstinate Bobby could be when he didn’t get his way.

  “I don’t know,” she said quietly to Daniel. “You know I have that job I might get in New York.”

  Daniel waved away her concern. “And you might not get it. Or you might not want it if you do.”

  She felt a little irritated that he seemed so nonchalant about this. It was her life, not his. She couldn’t simply make this decision willy-nilly.

  “I need to think about it.”

  “That’s fine. Take all the time you need.” Daniel touched her cheek, his gaze turning dark. “I wish you hadn’t left my room last night.”

  Her heart thumped hard in her chest. “Me, too.”

  “Then next time, you won’t leave?”

  Out of the frying pan and into the fire, she thought. “Will there be a next time?” She barely recognized the flirtatious note in her voice, but there was something about Daniel that brought out that sex kitten in her.

  “Oh, I plan on it,” he drawled, and added in an undertone, “I know I won’t be able to get a damn thing done today, thinking about tonight.”

  He kissed her hard, but briefly, before he left the house to go to the fields.

  Willa pressed a hand to her chest, desire burning bright in her belly. When she sat down to play with Bobby, she kept staring off into space, thinking about last night and the nights to come. Bobby finally pushed his trucks away, got up, and sat himself down in her lap, whining that he was bored and wanted to do something else.

  After she’d put Bobby down for his afternoon nap (and thank goodness, he’d fallen asleep!), Willa finally got an email from Grayson about her next interview. She’d hoped that she could do this one over the phone, but Grayson was adamant that she return to New York.

  Email my assistant so we can get the interview scheduled. No cancellations this time, either.

  Well, that was clear enough. Willa couldn’t guarantee that something wouldn’t come up, but it was strange that the thought of losing out on this job didn’t fill her with despair the way it had before. Did that mean she’d already decided to stay here? That she’d sign that document and become a tenant who also happened to be wildly attracted to the owner?

  It was so ridiculous that she was tempted to laugh. Then despair filled her, because she had no idea what she was going to do. Daniel was making it harder and harder for her to hang onto her dream of landing this job and staying in New York.

  She was annoyed with herself for being so easily swayed from what she’d thought she’d wanted most in life. It shouldn’t even be a question, and yet here she was, weighing the pros and cons of both situations.

  And yet . . . this was the first time she could remember feeling wanted. Her—plain, weirdo Willa Markson. Even her father had never done so many things for her, and she knew that he loved her. Could she really give up not only being wanted, but feeling like she belonged?

  “Wiwah, I hungwy,” said Bobby as he tugged on her pants. “Want chicken nuggets.”

  “You had chicken nuggets last night. And I think the two days before that. How about a hot dog tonight?”

  Bobby considered the question with so much gravity that Willa fought back laughter.

  Soon Daniel returned from working, and Willa made Bobby his hot dog (which consisted of a hot dog, bun, and exactly one squirt of ketchup) and then made the adults sandwiches from the leftover chicken she’d cooked the night before.

  As they sat at the kitchen table together, all three of them eating, Willa couldn’t help feeling like she was sitting with her family. It amazed her how quickly Daniel Gunn had become important to her. When had he changed from being Bobby’s uncle to being a man she felt she could truly come to care for? Maybe even love?

  Fear curled in her belly at the thought. If she fell in love with Daniel, she’d never get out of Texas. Even worse was knowing he didn’t love her, so she was only fixing to get her heart broken.

  I’m not in love with him, she reasoned to herself. I’m just attracted to him. Once we get this out of our systems, it’ll be over.

  After she put Bobby to bed, she found Daniel outside the door. Before she could get a word out, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

  Willa wrapped her arms around his neck and held on as he ravished her mouth, the stubble from his beard rubbing against her chin and cheeks. He’d just taken a shower, and the ends of his hair were still damp.

  “I’ve wanted you all damn day,” he growled. He rubbed his arousal against her lower belly.

  “I can tell.” She reached down and cupped him through his jeans. “You must have really, really missed me.”

  Daniel swore under his breath, and in the next minute, he threw Willa over his shoulder. She covered her mouth to stifle her laughter so she wouldn’t wake up Bobby.

  In record time, they were in Daniel’s bedroom and stripped naked. Although Willa pulsed with desire, heat filling her veins, she forced herself to slow down and savor the moment.

  She took in the musculature of Daniel’s body, the crisp dark hair on his chest that arrowed down to his belly, his swollen cock. She kissed him everywhere she could reach, her heart pounding, and h
e groaned her name, sifting his fingers through her curls.

  Soon, though, Daniel pushed her onto the bed and thrust himself inside her to the hilt. The bed rocked as they gave and took from one another with an intensity that would’ve stunned Willa if she could have formed a coherent thought.

  In the aftermath, Daniel wrapped her in his arms and whispered, “Stay with me tonight.”

  Feeling her heart doing that ridiculous little flutter, she nodded, telling herself that she could still protect herself from these feelings that she couldn’t stop building inside her.

  Twenty-One

  Another week passed in what felt like the blink of an eye. Every night, Willa came to Daniel’s bed, and she stayed there until it was time to get Bobby out of his crib in the morning.

  Some mornings, Daniel wished that there wasn’t a toddler in the house so he could enjoy Willa as the sun came up. Seeing her naked and wanting in the sun’s rays peeking through the window, shading her skin with hues of pink and gold—

  Bobby sneezed, effectively destroying Daniel’s daydream. The recent rainstorm had caused worsening hay fever for everyone, Bobby especially. This morning, Willa had found him sniffling and sneezing in his crib, tears in his eyes because he couldn’t breathe through his nose.

  “I’ll go get some allergy medicine,” she’d said. “You can try steam to clear his sinuses if he gets really fussy.”

  Daniel hoped that Willa would return soon, because Bobby was only getting crankier. It didn’t matter that the air conditioning was on and that the house was completely closed up: the little cowpoke’s allergies were in full force.

  “My nose hurts,” whined Bobby, rubbing red eyes. He hiccupped. “Why it hurt?”

  “It won’t hurt much longer. Willa went to go get you medicine. She’ll be right back.”

  Bobby’s lower lip wobbled. “Where Wiwah?”

  As the minutes ticked by, Daniel wondered what the holdup was. Had the pharmacy not had what Willa needed? If so, she’d have to go to the next town, a thirty-minute drive, to get the medicine.

  Needing to do something, Daniel decided he’d try Willa’s steam suggestion. He filled the bathtub with hot water as Bobby sat on the bathroom floor. Soon the room filled with steam, the mirror turning foggy and sweat making Daniel’s shirt stick to his skin.

  The steam seemed to help Bobby breathe better, and he was at last able to breathe through his nose.

  “It’s hot,” said Bobby in confusion as Daniel tried to distract him with the few toys he’d brought into the bathroom. “Wanna go, Unca Dan.”

  Daniel was sweating bullets himself at this point, but he didn’t care. He was just glad that he’d been able to do something for his nephew—and he’d done it without Willa’s intervention.

  More and more, Daniel felt that he could be a parent to Bobby and not totally screw it up. Bobby had also gotten more comfortable around his uncle, and the toddler didn’t throw a fit every time Willa left Bobby in Daniel’s care.

  Bobby started yawning, and Daniel realized it was close to morning naptime.

  But more importantly, where was Willa? Daniel sent her a text, to which she replied a few minutes later saying she’d had to go to the next town as Daniel had feared. She’d be back as soon as she could, though.

  “I think it’s time for a nap,” said Daniel as he picked up Bobby.

  “No, no, no.”

  Daniel laid the toddler in his crib and began to rub his back. Bobby stared up at him with a gaze that Daniel feared could see into his very soul—a soul that cared so deeply for this little boy that he’d do anything in the world for him. Daniel realized in that moment that he’d move mountains to keep Bobby safe and happy and loved.

  Daniel kissed Bobby on his temple. “Go to sleep.”

  Bobby yawned again, and slowly, his eyelids fluttered closed. Daniel stood over him, listening to his nephew’s easier breathing, pleased with himself that he’d done all this on his own.

  Right as Daniel shut Bobby’s door, he heard Willa’s steps on the porch, and he headed to the living room to meet her.

  “I’m so sorry! I can’t believe it took me that long. I should’ve stocked up on his allergy meds ages ago, but it slipped my mind.” She glanced over Daniel’s shoulder toward the hallway to the bedrooms, her forehead creasing. “Is he asleep?”

  “He is. I did the steam thing you mentioned. It worked.”

  “Oh, good. I’m so glad.”

  She smiled with genuine pleasure, and it shot straight to Daniel’s groin. He let her walk to Bobby’s door and ease it open for a glance at the little boy in his crib. As soon as she’d pulled the door gently shut again, he took her hand and led her into the living room. They sat on the couch together in companionable silence. Although he was tempted to give in to his desire, he decided that he’d rather hold Willa close. Besides, he needed to get to work—eventually.

  “Was he really fussy?” said Willa.

  “After you left, because he couldn’t breathe, yeah. When you didn’t come back as soon as I’d thought, I figured I might as well try the steam.”

  “You two have really come a long way.” At Daniel’s silence, she added, “He didn’t throw a temper tantrum when I left, or anything. And you’ve been putting him down for naps and for bed almost more than I have.”

  Daniel swallowed. “When I found out Robert and Stacey had died, I didn’t know if I could be what Bobby needed.” He’d never admitted this to anyone, but right then, it seemed important to tell Willa. “I didn’t know if I had it in me to be a parent.”

  Willa took his hand and squeezed his fingers. “I’ll admit I wasn’t sure about bringing my friends’ son to a man who didn’t know a thing about babies, but you proved me wrong. A million times over. Bobby is going to do great with you. You’re just the person he needed after everything.”

  Daniel couldn’t name this emotion welling in his chest: gratitude, amazement, or God forbid, love? Overwhelmed, he captured Willa’s mouth in a passionate kiss.

  The kiss was tinged with desperation, though, because her acknowledgment that Daniel could be the parent Bobby needed meant that she didn’t have to stay for Bobby’s sake. The only reason she would stay would be for Daniel himself. A wild hope filled him, but it was soon tempered when he remembered that Willa hadn’t yet signed the papers to become his tenant.

  She was still going to go to her interview. She was still planning to return to New York. He’d be a fool not to believe in her tenacity to go after her dream, just like Uncle James had said.

  Yet she was here, in his arms, and she hadn’t said no when he’d given her the papers to sign. Kissing her and pushing her down onto the couch, Daniel gave in to desire, and Willa met him with an intoxicating enthusiasm.

  Twenty-Two

  Willa smiled as she watched Daniel attempt to show Bobby how to fish. When he’d presented Bobby with his own toddler-sized fishing pole, Willa had refrained from telling him that Bobby wasn’t old enough to cast a line or reel in a fish because Daniel had seemed so pleased with himself.

  Willa knew that Bobby still didn’t understand what fishing was, precisely, but the little boy gave Daniel his rapt attention anyway. It had helped that Daniel had pointed out to Bobby the silvery trout swimming in the stream when they’d arrived.

  “Fishies are swimming,” said Bobby with all the wisdom of his young age. “They swimming, Unca Dan.”

  “That’s right, and we use this to catch them,” said Daniel as he showed Bobby how to hold the pole. It didn’t have a hook on it, of course, so Bobby wouldn’t be able to catch anything even if he could use it properly.

  Willa took out her phone to snap photos of the pair. More and more, she could see how well Daniel was adjusting to parenting. Despite her initial worry that a bachelor like Daniel wouldn’t take to caring for a toddler, Daniel had proven her wrong a million times over.

  “Wiwah, wook!” Bobby shook the fishing pole as he looked over at Willa to make sure she was watching. �
��I fishing!”

  “I know! Good job, Bobby. You look so grown up.”

  Daniel picked up his own pole that he’d already cast into the water, and together he and Bobby stood silently, waiting for a bite. Bobby, though, kept trying to cast his line the way he’d seen his uncle do. Willa giggled as she watched him.

  “I brought you one, too,” said Daniel to Willa. “Have you ever fished?”

  “Of course, I have. I’m from Texas, aren’t I?” Willa went over to where Daniel had placed the third pole and fishing tackle. “Let’s see who can catch a fish first.”

  Daniel grinned. “But I have a head start.”

  “I can still win,” said Willa confidently.

  With Bobby between them, Willa and Daniel waited, their breaths held. Willa felt a slight tug on her line, but it disappeared just as quickly.

  “Where are fishies?” Bobby shook his pole. “I want fishies. Unca Dan said I could have one.”

  “It takes time to catch fish,” explained Daniel again, his voice as patient as ever. “And you have to stay quiet, otherwise they’ll get scared and skedaddle.”

  Bobby’s face screwed up, but he stayed quiet—until three minutes later when he cried, “What’s that?” as he pointed to the brush across the stream.

  A rabbit darted into the woods in a flash of brown, which caused Bobby to toss his fishing pole and lunge forward as if he was going to try to chase after the animal.

  “Whoa there, buddy, you gotta stay here,” Daniel said, grabbing the arm of the small excited boy to keep him out of the stream. “No, the rabbit is gone.” Daniel placed his pole on the bank, tying it to a stake so it wouldn’t go into the water. “Let’s eat lunch. You’re hungry, aren’t you?”