“Yeah, it does.” Chase watched his brother swig the beer, and suddenly, he wanted one as well. He wanted to feel that bitter taste coat his tongue and burn down his throat. Shit. He hadn’t wanted a drink in years. Scowling, he tossed his hat on the table, and then bent his head, running his hands through his hair as he tried to pull himself together. “I told her I’d marry her and claim the kid. I gave her a plane ticket for tomorrow to move out here.”
Zane didn’t answer, and after a long moment, Chase looked up. His brother was spinning the bottle between his fingers, leaving prints on the condensation. He was studying the bottle intently, as if he hadn’t even heard what Chase had said.
But Chase knew he had. That was Zane’s way. Silence until he had something to say.
Zane finally looked up. “You heard from anyone else lately?”
Chase knew Zane was asking about their seven half-brothers, the legacy of their bastard father. “No.” Chase had bought the ranch five years ago with the goal of bringing his family back together. He had enough acreage for every Stockton man to have his own ranch, but so far, no one had come. Granted, Steen was in prison, so he had a valid reason, but no one else had come back to the town they’d grown up in. Chase wasn’t giving up, though. The bond between the brothers was intense and unshakeable, and he knew that every single one of them would drop everything for each other, if one of them needed help. The connection was there, and someday he was going to bring them back together. “You going to move into the ranch?” he asked Zane, knowing the answer, but unwilling to let his brother off the hook.
“No. I like the road.” Zane raised his eyebrows. “At some point, you have to stop trying to fix what’s broken, bro. Broken’s okay.”
“Yeah, I know broken is okay, but fixed can be better.”
“You so sure about that?” Zane leaned forward, his beefy forearms resting on his muscular quads. There was a tattoo on his arm of his favorite bull, the one that had dumped every single cowboy, except for Zane, who’d ridden him three times. “You want to bring a woman into this house? You want to marry one?” He raised his hand. “Blood oath, bro, remember? Never let a woman come between us? Or did you forget that?”
Chase rubbed the mark on his palm that all the brothers carried. “I remember.”
Zane studied him for a long moment. “So, you think she’s different, then? You think she doesn’t make you violate the oath?”
The oath had been a promise to never allow a woman to bring negative energy between the brothers or to take a position of power in any of their lives, which basically banned marriage or a significant relationship. All the Stockton men knew how badly women could screw things up, but none of them were willing to go celibate. Hence, the creatively worded oath that basically translated to “brothers first, women last, every single time.”
“I’m not sure. I barely know her.” But he felt like he did know her. She was different. This was the woman he’d known for a decade, and yet, at the same time, he’d known her only for a few hours. Shit. He stood up, restless. “I’m going to go for a ride.”
Zane didn’t move. “Sit down. It’s almost midnight, and your pony is napping.”
Slowly, Chase sat down, surprised by Zane’s command. His brother never wanted to talk about anything. “What’s up?”
“How bad’s the dad?” Zane asked.
“Bad.”
Zane was quiet for another moment. “How about her?”
“I trust her.”
Zane looked sharply at him. “No shit?”
He shrugged.
“They won’t come if there’s a woman here,” Zane said. “None of them will come.”
He was referring to their brothers, the ones Chase had been working so hard to bring home. Chase ground his jaw, not answering, but he knew Zane had a valid point. His ranch offered a respite from women, a place for the brothers to bond. Although none of them had moved back, they all stopped in from time to time, just as Zane had done tonight. They were linked by a brutal childhood that had required them to fight for each other and protect each other. Nothing came between their commitment to each other, especially a woman. “I—” His phone rang suddenly, and he looked down. His pulse quickened when he saw it was Mira. “It’s her.” He answered it immediately. “You okay?”
“I can’t marry you.” She spoke without preamble, direct and to the point.
Something plunged through his gut like a knife, and he tightened his grip on the phone. “What?”
“I don’t know you. I can’t bind myself to you for life, or give you parental rights to my child. Forever is a long time.” There was a panicky edge to her voice, and she was talking so fast that he knew she was on the verge of falling apart. “I’m running from one nightmare. How do I know I’m not running into another one? I can’t risk it, Chase. I mean, I know you through AJ, but what does that mean? We don’t know each other. This is my life, my baby, my everything. I just…I just can’t.”
Based on his conversation with his brother, her backing out should have relieved him, but it hadn’t. It felt completely wrong, edging him toward panic. He felt like he was sinking into quicksand and it was closing over his head. “Mira, just get on the plane. Come out here. We’ll give it four weeks. If you feel like you can’t trust me by that point, then we’ll call it off.”
There was a moment of silence, then she took a deep breath. “Really? We don’t have to get married right away? You’re okay with that?”
“Of course I am.” There it was. Such an easy solution. Bring her out there, but not tie himself down. It gave him time to see if he could find a way to repay his debt to AJ without sacrificing what mattered to him. If not, the marriage was off. “We won’t even tell anyone you’re pregnant. We’ll just do a test run and see if it can work.”
She laughed softly, her voice filled with relief. “Okay, then. I wanted to come, but I sort of panicked. I didn’t want to come under false pretenses and not marry you once I got there. I feel better now. We’ll just see how it goes, then.”
He smiled at the sound of her laugh. The fact that she’d been panicking as well made his own tension abate, replaced by a need to step up and protect her. “It’ll be okay. We’ll get it right.”
“Okay.” She was smiling now. He could hear it in her voice. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then, okay?”
“I’ll meet you at the airport…unless you want me to fly down there and get you?”
She laughed again. “I’m very capable of navigating an airport by myself, but that’s a very nice offer. I appreciate it, but I’m fine. See you tomorrow night. And…Chase?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks. For all of it.”
He smiled. “My pleasure.” He was still grinning when he hung up the phone, then his smile faded when he saw his brother studying him. “What?”
“The mighty has fallen.”
***
Mira saw him the moment she walked through the gates into the luggage area.
Chase was leaning against the far wall, his hands jammed into his pockets as he carefully scanned the faces pouring through the gate. He was wearing a brown cowboy hat this time, and his faded jeans sat low on his lean hips. His plaid shirt was open at the collar, revealing tanned skin and the same gold chain she’d noticed before. He looked like a real life, untamed cowboy, and a ripple of anticipation pulsed through her. This man was here for her.
He finally saw her, and his gaze stopped, pinned to her. Heat flushed her body, and she lifted her chin, trying to quell the thudding of her heart. He levered himself off the wall and strode toward her, the languid, easy gait of a man who could saunter across a thousand miles of barren country and never break a sweat. He never took his gaze off hers as he neared, but his expression was unreadable.
He came to a stop in front of her, still studying her face.
She pulled back her shoulders, craning her neck to look up at him. “You’re taller than I remembered.”
“Am I?” He s
lid his hand behind her neck, his touch warm and seductive. “My dear Mira,” he whispered. “I know everyone in this town, and this is a small airport. If we decide to go through with it, it needs to be set up from the start, or there will be holes for Alan to find.”
Her heart started to pound even harder. “What are you saying?”
“We slept together two nights ago, and now you’re moving out here to live with me.” His fingers tightened on the nape of her neck, drawing her closer. “I have to greet you the right way. You on board?”
Oh, God. He was going to kiss her. Why hadn’t she thought of that before? But he was right. “Okay,” she managed, her voice no more than a nervous squeak. “Lay it on me, cowboy.”
He grinned. “Be careful what you ask for, sweetheart. A cowboy has a lot of talents, and kissing just happens to be one of them.” Then he lowered his head and kissed her.
Her heart leapt the moment his lips touched hers. The kiss was tender and tantalizing, his lips so warm and soft against hers that she melted into him. His fingers tightened on the back of her neck, and she felt his other arm wrap around her waist, tugging her against him.
The well-muscled hardness of his body was in sharp contrast to hers, and he seemed to tower over her, wrapping her up in an embrace that was so delicious she never wanted to leave it.
He angled his head and deepened the kiss, sending spirals of electricity running through her. Instinctively, she slid her arms around his neck, leaning into him. His tongue slipped through her parted lips, and for a split second, she almost melted right there. Dear God. Was this what a real kiss was supposed to be like? It had been so long she’d completely forgotten what it felt like to be thoroughly kissed by a man. She wanted more, more kisses, more of him, more touching, more—
“Who in the hell’s this?” A deep, raspy male voice blasted in her left ear, and she jumped back, completely embarrassed to be caught nearly climbing into Chase’s skin in the middle of an airport next to a baggage claim.
Chase, however, pulled her right back against him, tucking her under his arm before he swung around to face whoever had interrupted them.
A weathered cowboy in well-worn jeans and scuffed boots was standing beside them. His salt-and-pepper hair was just visible beneath his black cowboy hat, and his denim shirt looked like it had been through a thousand washings. There was a sparkle in his blue eyes, and his grin was engaging as he surveyed them.
Chase tightened his arm around her shoulders. “Evening, Gary. This is my cousin, Mira Cabot. Mira, this is Gary Keller.”
Cousin? She blanched. Was Chase that kind of guy, the kind who lived in a world where people made out with their cousins on a regular basis?
Gary burst out laughing, and he slammed his hand onto Chase’s shoulder. “Always think you’re funny, don’t you, Stockton? Cousin, my ass.” He swept off his hat and bowed low to Mira. “Welcome to Wyoming, my lady. If Chase gives you a hard time, you feel free to ring me up. He’s never too old to get his hide tanned.”
She grinned with relief, realizing it had all been a joke. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”
Gary set his hat back on his head, gazing at her more intently now. “Haven’t seen Chase around women much,” he said thoughtfully. “You must be somethin’ special.”
She felt her cheeks turn red. “I, um—”
“She is.” Chase pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “It took me ten years to get her to come out here, but she finally made it. The right bribe makes all the difference.”
Gary guffawed again, and she smiled, relaxing against Chase. It had been a long time since she’d had much to laugh about, and it felt good to be around a man who wasn’t going to get weighed down by what they were embarking upon.
“Ten years, eh?” Gary eyed her. “Why’d you keep him waiting ten years?”
She grinned. “My mom always told me that the right guy will wait. So, I had to test him. I figured ten years was about long enough.”
“Shoot, I married my lady two weeks after I met her. I’d never have waited ten years for her.” He flexed his arms. “She knew she had to grab me while the grabbing was good, or I’d have been gone forever.”
Chase laughed. “It took you nine years to get her to say yes, you old liar. Don’t mess with Mira, or I’ll have to hunt you down.”
Gary feigned fear, clasping his heart. “Oh, I’m scared now. Watch out, Mira, the man’s a force to be reckoned with.” The older man winked. “Sunday dinner? The little lady would love to meet the woman who finally got Chase’s attention.”
Dinner? Mira started to panic. How could she go to dinner and keep up a façade with such a nice man. “Oh, I don’t—”
“You bet,” Chase said. “I’ll bring the pie.”
“Excellent.” Gary winked at Mira again. “I invite Chase only because he makes the best apple pie in the county. It’s the only reason anyone invites him anywhere.” He tipped his hat, his affection for Chase evident. He was so warm and engaging that Mira knew he was the real deal, a genuinely nice cowboy who lived by the code of loyalty. “Welcome again, Mira. If you’re good for Chase, then you have my vote. See you guys on Sunday.”
Sunday? As she watched him walk away, the enormity of what she’d just stepped into suddenly seemed to loom up. This wasn’t a simple façade between the two of them. This was an intention to deceive an entire world, one by one, laying the seeds for a deception that had to be strong enough to last the lifetime of her child.
Good God, what had she done?
Chapter 6
Chase leaned moodily on his kitchen counter, watching Mira inspect his kitchen. He’d spent a lot of time refinishing the cabinets and installing the granite countertops. He was proud of how the kitchen had come out, but right now, he didn’t even care what she thought of it. All he could do was focus on her. Her hair was loose, tumbling around her shoulders. She was wearing old jeans that fit her with enough sensual perfection to make his gut clench every time she turned around. He’d noticed her bright pink toenail polish, and her bare ankles made it clear she was still wearing the anklet she’d had on when he’d first met her.
At the funeral, she’d been gorgeous, all fancied up in her dress, but now that she was casual and walking through his house, it was different. It was real now. She was real, and accessible.
He hadn’t meant to kiss her when she’d arrived, but when he’d seen her standing there looking both terrified and brave as hell, kissing her had made sense. He’d wanted to claim her, right there, in front of everyone. Kissing her had set her up as being under his protection, and he’d wanted to do that.
Ah, hell, who was he trying to kid? It hadn’t been a conscious, strategic decision. It had been a raw, visceral need to imprint himself on her before anyone else could do the same.
The kiss had been incredible. Amazing. Best moment of his life…and then Gary had interfered. After Gary had left, Mira had withdrawn. She’d been careful not to even brush against him as they walked, and her smile had been taut and distant.
The warm, open woman he’d met at the funeral was gone, and he didn’t like it.
He wanted the Mira he knew back, but as he watched her walk through his house, he had no idea what to do to make it happen. “I’m not used to having a woman in my house,” he said finally, hoping that she might take pity on him and help him figure out what to say.
She glanced over at him, and for the first time since the kiss, he saw a small smile curve her mouth. “I’m not used to being in a man’s house, so we’re even.” She turned to face him, her eyes finally meeting his. “I’m not comfortable going to Gary’s, Chase. I feel like we’re spiraling too fast into a situation that’s out of my control.”
Ah…so that was it. He considered her concerns for a moment, but it took him less than a split second to dismiss them. He didn’t know what it was, but something was burning in him that he hadn’t expected. Going to Gary’s would cement their connection in the public eye, and he wanted that to hap
pen. Yeah, it wasn’t real, and it was, as he’d said, a business partnership only, but he wasn’t going to leave her high and dry. His need to protect her and the baby was growing stronger every minute he was with her. “You don’t turn down an invite from Gary,” he said simply.
She blinked. “Why not?”
He shrugged. “He’s a good guy.” He didn’t want to explain any more than that. To explain what Gary meant to him was to go places he didn’t go with people, especially not a woman he barely knew.
Awkward silence settled between them, and he shifted. He had no idea what the hell to do with her. He hadn’t been lying when he’d said that he didn’t know what to do with a woman in his house. He was so out of his league. “How are you feeling?”
“Fine.” She sighed, and he suddenly noticed how tired she looked. There were shadows under her eyes, and her shoulders were slumped.
“You’re tired.” He walked over to the front hall where he’d dropped her luggage. “Sorry for being an insensitive ass. I’ll take you to your room.” He swung her bags off the floor and headed down the hall toward the bedrooms. His suite was at the far end, taking up one entire end of the house. “This way.”
There were two guest bedrooms. One in the basement, and one right next to his room. The basement would give her privacy and space. It even had a kitchenette so she could make her own meals, and its own bathroom. He’d never even have to see her if he put her down there. They could both live their lives and do their own thing. It would be like not even having her in the house.
He glanced over at her as she walked beside him. His gaze fell on her mouth, and he remembered what it had been like to kiss her. She seemed to sense his perusal, and she caught his eye. Neither of them spoke, but a sensual awareness slithered down his spine and wrapped itself around his gut.
This wasn’t simply a woman. It was Mira Cabot, the woman who’d been a part of his consciousness for over a decade.
A Real Cowboy Never Says No Page 6
