The Rancher's Secret Son

by Sara Orwig

  “We were both hurt,” she whispered. “We can’t undo the past. Don’t try.”

  “I’m not trying to undo the past, Claire. And for this weekend, let’s put aside trying to work out our future. Let’s just get reacquainted and let me get to know my son. I want to make the most of each moment and not worry about how we’ll move forward. Can we do that?”

  “Of course. That sounds best to me.” She gave him a slight smile. She fingered the diamond. “Can I go look in the mirror at my new necklace? It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

  “You have another present. Go ahead and open it.”

  She carefully opened a smaller box to find a gold charm bracelet with a one-carat diamond imbedded in the gold between each charm. One charm was a baby in a small crib and inscribed on the crib were the tiny numbers of Cody’s birthday. Another charm was a birthday cake with one candle followed by a charm in the shape of a small boy, then three figures, a man and a woman with a small boy between them. She smiled as she touched it. “That’s special, Nick. Thank you.”

  “I’ll add a charm each year until Nick is eighteen, but you can pick out what you want for the charms.”

  She turned the bracelet in her hand. “You’re committing yourself for the coming years. You don’t know what you’ll be doing.” She looked up at him. “Let’s sit down,” she said, moving to a chair. He sat close beside her, a table between them where they set their drinks.

  “Nick, are there any grandchildren in the Milan family yet, besides Cody?”

  “No. Cody is the first grandchild.”

  “Oh, my word,” she said, rubbing her arms as if she were freezing. “Then for sure your father is going to push you to marry me. He won’t want you to take no for an answer.”

  Nick frowned. “I’m sure you’re right. You’re out of his reach, although he might contact you. My dad interfered a lot in my sister’s life when she fell in love with her husband, Jake, but Dad’s older now, more mellow, less energetic.”

  Sighing, Claire shook her head. “I don’t want to deal with your father. I can if I have to, and I’m not going to marry you because your dad wants us to, but if Cody is the only grandchild and you’re headed for a big political life, you know that’s what’s coming.”

  “I’m a grown man and I can make my own decisions.”

  “You’ve always pleased him. You told me that. You’re very close.”

  “We are, but I have to live my life. I’m not going through hell to please my dad. I don’t want another broken heart and I know you’re deeply involved in your life, as I am in mine—even more than we were four years ago. Besides, I’ll work out a way for them to see their grandson and they’ll settle down eventually.”

  “I don’t think so, Nick. There’s more than seeing a grandson. There’s your political career at stake.”

  “Stop worrying until it gets to be a problem,” he said. “Right now, Dad doesn’t know Cody exists.”

  She shook her head. “Why do I feel like I’m headed for disaster?”

  “It’ll be all right, Claire,” he said to reassure her. But deep inside he wondered if they were, indeed, headed for disaster. She was right on target about his dad. Nick just had to head off his dad trying to contact her or, worse, bribe her, which would only anger Claire more and cause worse feelings.

  He had to change the subject before she read his own fears on his face. “Now, tell me more about your life and Cody’s.”

  “I think you mean, tell you more about Cody,” she said, smiling at him. She settled back to talk about an incident when Cody was a baby and from that on to other moments in his life. Nick listened intently, but he watched her, remembering, taken back to times before. They had seldom spent hours just talking like this because they kissed as much as possible, which always led to making love.

  Something he shouldn’t be thinking about, he chided himself. It conjured up steamy memories that made him want to pull her into his arms and kiss her until he could carry her to his bed. How could she still have this intense physical effect on him? Was it because he’d been without a woman in his life for the last two years? Or was it because it was Claire?

  He reined in his errant thoughts and focused on formulating a full picture of his son’s first three years of life as Claire regaled him with stories, some funny, some touching. Eventually, she stood.

  “Nick, it’s one o’clock in the morning and this day has been long and emotional. It’s time to call it a night.”

  “Today has been nerve-racking for all adults concerned,” he said, standing beside her. “Cody was the happy one, thank heavens. It worked out better than I hoped.” They left the room and Claire switched off the light.

  He gathered his carry-on and briefcase, turning to join her at the foot of the stairs.

  “I’ll switch on the alarm down here. Want anything before I do?”

  “No. Not at all,” he said, watching her punch buttons on her phone. When he started upstairs with her, it seemed natural to drape his free arm across her slender shoulders. The moment he touched her, he realized his mistake and pulled back.

  At her door he set his things on the floor. As if he hadn’t just chastised himself for touching her, he placed his hands on her shoulders. “Thanks again, Claire,” he said, aware of her warm shoulders beneath her blouse. Her mouth was rosy, too tempting. It amazed him how much he wanted to kiss her and hold her close. He wanted to out of gratitude, and even more, he wanted to because she was an appealing, gorgeous, sexy woman and he could remember how her kisses had pleasured him.

  “Nick, thank you for the necklace,” she said, touching it briefly. “It’s beautiful.”

  He looked at the necklace, knowing what it represented and knowing he would have showered her with more if he had been present at the time of Cody’s birth. He had to stop looking back, but it was difficult when he had learned about Cody only days earlier.

  “He’s absolutely wonderful. Think about taking a week off and bringing him to Dallas so we can get to know each other better. We can stay several days on the ranch if you think he’d like that.”

  “He’d love it,” Claire said. “What little boy wouldn’t love it on a ranch? Especially with you doting on him.”

  “Then think about spending the whole time there. He’ll have a wonderful time and I know you used to like being on the ranch.”

  “I did,” she answered.

  “So do I. Now more than ever.”

  “You were a success tonight, Nick. I think he’s going to love having you for a dad.”

  He smiled. “We did all right tonight, didn’t we?”

  She returned his grin briefly, but the worry didn’t leave her expression. “I suppose we did. The tough decisions are still ahead, though.”

  He nodded and she tilted her head toward her door. “Nick, it’s late.” When he stepped back, she said, “I’m an early riser. You can go downstairs and the coffee will be brewed by six. Is that early enough because I can go down an hour sooner if you’d like?”

  “Six is perfect. Thank you for tonight. You did all you could to make this easy for me.” Nick brushed a kiss on her forehead and looked into her eyes. Moments like this reminded him of what he’d missed, but he was doing better at putting the past behind him. “The more time I have with Cody, the sooner I’ll stop longing for what might have been. Tomorrow I’ll invite him to the ranch.”

  She nodded. “Good night, Nick,” she said and stepped into her room.

  He picked up his things and crossed the hall, shutting himself into his suite and letting out his breath. He couldn’t spend a lot of time around her. Each time with her he had to fight the temptation to kiss her. And it was getting more and more difficult.

  “Dammit,” he whispered, finally giving vent to feelings that had threatened him during the evening. Claire had him tied
in knots. He would take them to his ranch, which stirred memories of the week he had taken Claire to the family ranch when they had been so wildly in love. He thought about the hours they had made love there and he ached, wanting her and wondering how he was going to keep from being hurt worse than ever.

  Nick raked his fingers through his hair. What did she feel? Right now, was she locked in as much turmoil over him as he was over her?

  * * *

  As worry filled her, Claire covered her face with her hands. Nick was appealing, sexy and he was being good to her. How was she going to avoid falling deeply in love again? And hurt even worse than before?

  She was still attracted physically to Nick. Every touch had been sizzling; the light, impersonal kisses that were so meaningless to Nick had made her breathless. She didn’t want to respond to him, didn’t want to have her life tied in with his constantly. She couldn’t forget his political ambitions. Cody’s birth so close to Nick’s marriage would hurt him in politics, and he’d need to marry her to smooth things over for the political races he faced. He said politics didn’t matter, but she didn’t believe him. Whatever Nick felt, his father was going to push Nick to marry her.

  Nick wanted her to take a week and go to Dallas, to his ranch. Could she cope with being under the same roof with Nick for a week? She stood in the middle of her room, staring into space, remembering being on the ranch with Nick and how in love they had been. Memories would be intense and make it even more difficult to resist him.

  Finally she began to get ready for bed, barely thinking about what she was doing because her thoughts were on Nick and how to deal with him. She turned back her bed and returned to the sitting room to switch off the light. Before she did, she saw the glitter of the heart-shaped pendant on her dresser and she crossed the room to pick it up. It had cost Nick a lot, she thought as she looked at the sparkling diamonds catching the light. Turning off the light, she carried the necklace and placed it on her night table before she got into bed. Nick was too appealing in too many ways. She couldn’t see how she could avoid loving him...and that was the problem.

  Six

  Claire had coffee brewing when Nick walked through the kitchen door the next morning. In jeans, boots and a plaid, cotton shirt, he looked more approachable and still as handsome as ever. “You don’t wear jeans often.”

  He crossed the kitchen to her. “I don’t recall seeing you in jeans a lot of times, either. I have to say, they look infinitely better on you.”

  “I beg to differ, but thanks,” she said, smiling at him, glad to see him relaxed and more at ease than yesterday.

  “I have tickets reserved for all of us at the aquarium. If you don’t think Cody would like that, I’ll cancel and we’ll do something else.”

  “Cody will love it. I’ve meant to take him, but just haven’t done it. He’s sleeping late. I guess he was worn out last night.”

  “So how did his mama sleep?” Nick asked, getting himself a cup of coffee and standing close.

  “Fair. There’s no way to turn off worries,” she said quietly.

  Setting down his coffee mug, he placed his hands on the counter on either side of her, hemming her in so he had her full attention. As her heartbeat accelerated, he leaned down to look directly into her eyes.

  “Let’s get back to the cheerful morning. You and I can be friends. We were once. There’s no rush here. I can take my time getting to know Cody. I’m not pushing you and I have no deadlines where Cody is concerned. As much as we can, let’s put the past behind us,” he said, giving her a crooked smile.

  “I’ll try.” Inside she was hurting more than ever, because he was so understanding, which only made him more appealing. She felt on track for a giant wreck to her heart. He stood too close, only inches away. She couldn’t keep from looking at his mouth, thinking about his kisses. She drew a deep breath and looked up to find him watching her with desire blatant in his expression.

  “This is life altering and I’m trying to get accustomed to the change of having you in our lives,” she said, looking into his sexy, thickly lashed blue eyes, which had always captivated her. Why was she so susceptible to Nick? Her heart started racing the moment he stepped into the room and sped up again when he moved close.

  “Okay, but keep in mind, I’m not pushing. We don’t have to rush to make changes.”

  “Thank you for that concession.” She could barely get out the words, yet she didn’t want to ask him to move away and make more of an issue of her reaction to him.

  He wrapped his arms around her lightly. “We’ll work something out we can both live with.”

  She didn’t answer. It was easy to say they would work things out, but it was going to be difficult to actually do it. Nick had hurt her badly years ago and she couldn’t bear another big heartbreak. “I should get breakfast, Nick.”

  She moved away to stir the oatmeal she’d put on the stove.

  Nick still held the appeal he once had and there was no way to stop her reactions to him. Each response would be a deeper hurt when they couldn’t work out being together. She still couldn’t leave Houston and Nick wouldn’t leave Dallas, Washington, DC, or Austin now or in years to come if he was elected—and he would be. With a child between them life would be more complicated than ever. Not only could she be hurt, so could Cody.

  Cody skipped into the room with his stuffed tiger beneath one arm. He wore his pajamas and had the bug net Nick had given him in his other hand.

  “Good morning,” Claire said, hugging him and wanting to keep holding him, but she let him go. He turned to look at Nick who picked him up.

  “I have tickets to the aquarium today. How does that sound?”

  Cody looked expectantly at Claire. “It’s where they have big tanks,” she explained. “Way bigger than the one you have and they hold fish bigger than you.”

  He turned to grin at Nick. “I’d like that. I have little fish.”

  “I saw your fish, and after breakfast you can show me your fish tank and tell me about your fish. Do you know what kind you have?”

  “Yes, sir, I do,” Cody said.

  Nick set him on his feet and Cody put the net and his tiger on one chair as he climbed into his booster seat. Then Nick pushed him under the table. “I’m going to need to get one of these chairs at my house. Probably at the ranch, too.”

  Startled, she glanced at the booster seat. She hadn’t thought about Nick having to get equipment and toys for Cody, but she supposed he would if he planned to have him part of the time. For an instant it made the change seem more real and imminent. Nick glanced at her and she turned away quickly, but in seconds, he was beside her, taking the spoon from her hand. “I’ll stir the oatmeal now. You play with Cody or do whatever you would like to do.”

  “Thanks, Nick,” she said, certain he had guessed she was upset.

  As Nick helped her get breakfast, he turned to her. “I called the limo driver I have for the weekend and he’ll take us to the aquarium today.”

  “We’re going in the limo?” she asked, and before Nick could answer, Cody asked the same question.

  He looked so hopeful she had to smile as Nick nodded. “Yes, we are, Cody.”

  Cody beamed with pleasure while she shook her head. “Next week may be very dull around here.”

  “Then make arrangements and come to Dallas next week. You own the company, so get someone else to run it.”

  “You know it isn’t that easy when I have appointments, closings and things to do. I’ll check my calendar after breakfast.”

  “Give me the word and I’ll arrange my schedule so I can be off and we can go to the ranch. Cody, would you like to spend a few days on my ranch?”

  “Yes, sir,” he replied, his eyes widening. “Are there horses and cows?”

  “Yes, there are. And I’ll let you ride a hor
se with me if your mama says it’s okay.”

  Cody looked hopefully at her and she nodded. “If you’re with your dad,” she said with only the tiniest hesitation before she said “dad.” How odd it seemed to say that and mean Nick, even though it was an accurate description.

  As she worked beside him, she couldn’t keep from having a sharp awareness of Nick, or having fun with him and Cody. But every moment of fun with Nick fanned the fiery attraction between them and made heartache loom more threateningly. How could she protect her heart from Nick’s appeal and charm when she was tied to him forever by their son?

  It was midmorning when they left in the limo for the aquarium. As they walked through the building and took a train that passed between large tanks of fish, her gaze ran across Nick’s broad shoulders, his narrow waist and long legs. His boots gave him height that he didn’t need, and just looking at him she felt her pulse jump. Only her squealing son deflected her attention.

  At one point Nick stepped close to Claire while she stood with Cody and watched fish swim past on the other side of the glass. “I’ve made reservations to take you both out to eat tonight. Seven o’clock. If it’s too late for Cody, I can change the time.”

  “No, that will be fine.”

  She still had the afternoon to get through at the aquarium, and now dinner. How would she make it through the day without giving in to the temptation that was Nick Milan?

  * * *

  That evening Nick and Cody waited downstairs. Cody played with his new laptop and Nick helped him until he heard Claire’s heels in the hallway. He stood and walked toward the doorway as she entered. She’d changed into a scarlet crepe dress with a scoop neckline, and her hair fell to her shoulders and was caught up slightly on each side by a tortoiseshell comb. The only jewelry she wore was the diamond necklace he had given her and the gold charm bracelet.

  “You look gorgeous, Claire,” Nick said in a husky drawl. His insides knotted and he had to struggle to stop staring at her.