Sunset Seduction

by Charlene Sands

  Luke didn’t blame Ward for questioning him. He rarely rode the horses he intended to sell. Usually Luke rode his own mare, a fast yet gentle bay mare of fine breeding named Nutmeg. “Not this time, Ward. Appreciate the offer, though. I just want to take him out by myself. Say goodbye, you know?”

  Ward gave the animal a firm, affectionate pat. “Yeah, I know. Gonna miss him. He’s got spirit, this one, but he’s a pushover with kids. Edward comes by to see him and the horse has such a tender way with him. That little girl’s gonna be real happy on her twelfth birthday.”

  Luke nodded. He mounted the horse and rode off without saying any more. He wasn’t much in a mood for small talk.

  He’d tried to small talk his way with Audrey last night with a text message.

  Just making sure you’re feeling well.

  After the bombshell she’d dropped about having his baby, Luke had been at his wits’ end. Yet, he’d had to give Audrey the time and space she needed. It wasn’t as if he didn’t need time, too. This whole thing had been a weird twist of fate and now an innocent child’s future was at stake.

  I’m feeling okay. Going to bed now.

  was her curt reply, and Luke had gotten the hint.

  This morning, Audrey had dropped her second bombshell. Apparently, one wasn’t enough for her. He didn’t know which one had shocked him more. Now, not only did he have an unborn child to deal with, he had Audrey’s vow of love plaguing his thoughts.

  Summer heat drew down on him. Luke lowered the brim of his hat and clucked his tongue. The Andalusian took off at a run. Caliber’s long legs ate up ground and Luke’s hat nearly blew off his head as the animal flew across the acreage. Out beyond the pasture, with the house long forgotten in the distance, Luke thought his head would clear. He thought everything would become as transparent as glass or at least as clear as a murky, old barn window.

  Solutions didn’t magically appear.

  One thing kept coming back to his mind. One thing knocked him upside the head over and over again and continued to plague him.

  Audrey loved him.

  He hadn’t seen it coming.

  He was a damn fool for being so dense.

  Her heartbreaking confession this morning left him dumbfounded. And numb. He’d hurt Audrey in the worst possible way and the sad thing about it was he would continue to hurt her. Because he didn’t feel the same way about her.

  He brought Caliber to a trot along a path that led to a cropping of apple trees. The fruit wasn’t edible yet, the balls were hard and green and the size of a walnut. He dismounted, his boots hitting the earth as hard as his heart was heavy. He ground-tethered the horse and stared out on Slade land from under the shade of a tree.

  Why was it that grown-up Luke Slade had never loved a woman?

  The horse snorted, his breaths labored and deep from the long run. Luke stared at him for a minute, sorry to see the gelding go. He was a beautiful animal and a good addition to the Slade ranch. Every single one of the ranch hands, the wranglers especially, remarked on the horse’s good nature. Even Audrey had called him a sweetheart.

  Which was a lot more than she’d called him lately.

  Luke took a big swallow. In that moment, he realized something. He’d seen it first in Ward’s puzzled expression when he’d offered to take Caliber out. Now, it was as if someone had taken a rag and wiped that old barn window clean. There was clarity that Luke had never seen before. And the news wasn’t good.

  He had a flaw.

  Well, damn, he had many. He didn’t think he was all that, but this blemish in his character got his spurs to jingling, as his father would say.

  Luke thought back to when he was a boy of six and a sleek, beautiful colt named Smoke was born on the ranch. It had been love at first sight as far as Luke was concerned. He’d eaten, slept and breathed for love of that colt. His dad had warned him not to get too attached because Smoke was bred of champions and he would be sold off. He’d go to a good home, Randall Slade had said. Luke pretended he’d understood, but that hadn’t stopped his fascination with the horse. In his young heart, he’d never believed Smoke—the colt he’d loved since the moment the foal was brought into the world—would really be leaving the ranch.

  Then one day six months later, Luke’s heart had nearly broken in two when he saw Smoke being loaded into a trailer. He remembered running as fast as his little legs would take him, chasing after that trailer, crying and calling Smoke’s name. His father had looked at him with regret in his eyes. As if to say, I’m sorry, son, but I warned you.

  Luke had cried himself to sleep for one entire month, learning a life lesson that was probably way too hard for a six-year-old boy to fully comprehend. But he’d understood the heartache. And the pain inflicted.

  After that, Luke had admired the horses on the ranch from afar. As a boy, he would feed them, ride them when necessary, groom and muck their stalls, all chores his rigid old man required. But he would never allow himself to get close to them. To make a lasting bond. He’d come to realize the hard facts of life on a horse farm. It was the family business. Those gorgeous bays and palominos and black stallions…they would be all be leaving eventually. They’d be sold outright and Luke would never see them again.

  The only exception was Tribute. Somehow, that stallion had gotten under his skin. Luke had tried to tame him and had been persistent in that pursuit. The why of it wasn’t clear in his mind, but he’d felt a kinship with the spirited animal and looked upon him as a challenge.

  Luke focused back on the present, his mind racing, thinking befuddled and crazy thoughts. He squeezed his eyes closed and then muttered a curse.

  You’re a coward, Luke.

  A big, freaking coward.

  Thoughts whirled in his head and truths came to light.

  He feared getting hurt. He’d never made lasting bonds. He’d protected himself from future pain at all costs. It was a pattern in his life and not a truth he liked facing. But it was there, underneath all the other garbage in his mind.

  Luke was always the first one to walk away from a woman. Images popped into his head of the women in his past and the relationships he’d refused to work on. His noncommittal attitude and his willingness to call it a day when things got rough or when things looked like they were getting too serious played over in his mind.

  He’d done the same with Audrey. And she’d come with an additional warning tag—she was Casey’s sister. Yet of all the women Luke had been with, the only one he’d want to carry his child and spend his future with was…Audrey. That was a good thing, wasn’t it? Marriage and parenthood with her were doable. He liked Audrey. She was a good friend. She was pretty. Beautiful, he would say. And she came from the same background as he did. She was a country girl and loved ranch life. The notion of life with her wasn’t terrible.

  Crap.

  Dang it if Audrey wasn’t right about him. It was a sad state of affairs. He shook his head and muttered, “You are sorely jaded, Luke Slade.”

  He mounted Caliber and rode the horse back to the ranch at a slow, easy trot. When he arrived at the stables, he decided to groom Caliber himself, wash him down and currycomb him. He checked his legs and picked out a pebble from his shoe and then let the horse feed from a bucket of oats. He slipped the gelding a few sugar cubes, too. His efforts raised eyebrows among the ranch hands and he also caught Audrey, mother of his child and woman who refused to marry him, staring at him a time or two.

  * * *

  Audrey tiptoed out of the house just after midnight with Jewel at her heels. Her work with Trib was paying off. It seemed the horse looked upon Jewel as an equal and somewhat of a friend. What choice did the stallion have? Jewel was the only game in town. Hopefully, it was more than that. Hopefully, Trib’s temperament was mellowing and he was beginning to trust the both of them. That’s all she wanted. Some trust from the horse.

  Quiet as a church mouse, she entered the barn and opened the top half of the paddock door. Immediately, Jewel jumped
up on the ledge with the grace of, well…a cat, to take her regal pose and greet her new friend.

  Meow.

  The second Trib spotted her, he wandered over. He settled right by the paddock door and stood nose to nose with the cat. Audrey whispered, “Hi, boy. That’s right. Come closer. We won’t hurt you.”

  The horse shifted his gaze to her for a moment, then back to the cat.

  Carefully, Audrey dug into her pocket and came up with half a dozen sugar cubes in her palm. She arranged them carefully and slowly brought her hand toward the horse’s mouth. “A treat for you.”

  Trib craned his neck and turned his head toward her hand. Out came his long pink tongue to lick her palm and gobble up the sugar cubes. Audrey released a breath. Success. “You are lonely,” she whispered. “Well, don’t you worry. We’re here now.”

  Maybe it was her imagination, but the wariness that she’d come to expect from Trib was gone. At least for right now. She wanted so badly to let this horse know he had nothing to fear from her and that he didn’t need to guard himself quite so carefully when she was around.

  Making progress with Trib helped ease her heartache about Lucas Slade. At least she had these nights to look forward to. At least she felt needed and wanted by the very horse that had severely injured her baby’s father.

  How strange was that?

  That night, Audrey fell into an exhausted sleep. In the morning, she rose and dressed, readying for her first appointment with the obstetrician who would be treating her while she lived on Sunset Ranch.

  She walked into the kitchen and found Luke there, seated at the table. He lifted his beautiful face, his blue eyes brightening the second they landed on her. Emotion rocked and rolled inside her belly, which wasn’t at all fair, since she’d just gotten over her morning sickness. She’d never get through these next few weeks if Luke continued to look at her like that.

  “Morning,” he said.

  “Good morning.”

  She distracted herself by looking at the big breakfast Ellie had whipped up. Flapjacks and eggs sat waiting for her along with a bowl of fresh late-summer fruit. She turned to Ellie, who was wiping a dish at the sink. “Looks great, Ellie.”

  “I hope so. I’ve got more coming, if you’re inclined.”

  Ellie liked to feed people. “Oh, no, I’m sure this is plenty.”

  She took a seat at the table.

  “You sleep well?” Luke asked, always the gentleman. Though Audrey figured she looked like heck since her secret work with Trib kept her awake half the night. Afternoon naps were not overrated and she’d managed to slip a few in this week to make up for the loss of sleep.

  “Yes, I did. Thank you.”

  He nodded.

  Lime-scented aftershave wafted in the air and teased her nostrils. Luke always smelled so good. He wore a crisp black-and-white-checked shirt tucked into the waistband of brand-new Wrangler jeans.

  They ate in silence, both aware of Ellie’s presence. Audrey hadn’t told anyone but Casey, Sophia and Luke about her pregnancy. She was certain Ellie didn’t know and she wanted to keep the news close at hand for a little while longer. Luke would want to tell his brothers, she was sure, but when he thought it best.

  When Ellie excused herself from the kitchen, Luke lifted his eyes to her. “I put aside my work for the morning, so I can drive you into town for the appointment. I’m…uh, well, I want to support you and let you know you’re not in this alone.”

  Tears stung behind Audrey’s eyes. It was a beautiful thing to say, yet somehow those words spoken from Luke, the man she loved, made her ache inside. “I know. You’re too decent to abandon me.”

  He straightened in his seat as if she’d insulted him. “I’d never do that. I asked you to marry me.”

  Audrey glanced away. Luke just didn’t get it.

  And later that morning, after driving into Silver Springs, they met with Dr. Amanda Ayers. After an examination that Luke insisted on attending, the fine doctor confirmed the pregnancy, giving them both insights as to what to expect in the coming months, along with a list of instructions to follow. The reality of her motherhood sank in like a sledgehammer pounding wood.

  “I guess there’s no getting around it,” Audrey said, as Luke took her hand and guided her out of the doctor’s office.

  Luke smiled. “The pregnancy? Only way I know happens nine months from now.”

  Gladness filled her heart. At least Luke was taking it like a man. He’d fully participated in the discussion with Dr. Ayers and now he seemed to be adjusting well to becoming a father. She wouldn’t go so far as to say he was happy about it. The situation wasn’t ideal. The details of her life were murky at best. If she decided to move back to Reno, the baby would have two homes and parents who weren’t together, but it pleased Audrey to see Luke’s gradual acceptance. “That’s seven months and one week from now, buster.”

  Luke gave her hand a little squeeze and chuckled as he opened the car door for her. He had no idea what his touch did to her or the loss she felt when he let go.

  “Yeah. You gotta forgive my math skills.”

  She slid into her seat and strapped her seat belt on, glancing up at him. “Hopefully, the baby will have my brains.”

  Luke didn’t miss a beat. “As long as he has my good looks, we’re golden.” He winked and closed the door before she could think of a witty retort.

  They left Silver Springs in the dust. And once out of town and onto the open road, Luke reached over to take her hand in his. Bone-melting warmth spread through her system. Did he know what he was doing to her? Was it a deliberate attempt to soften her and get her to change her mind about marrying him?

  He gazed into her eyes then and for several magical moments she saw something new, something different in the way he looked at her. She wasn’t imagining it. There was a connection now, fragile as it was, and the hope in her heart was becoming a tangible thing.

  Mercy.

  He paid attention to the road for the next ten minutes and then turned to face her again. “I’m pretty darn hungry.” The caress in his eyes was still there. “Would you have lunch with me? I know this little place just off the road that I think you’d like.”

  She didn’t have to think twice. Her appetite for food and for Luke had returned. “Would love to.”

  Content, he made a right turn onto a single-lane highway and parked in front of the Chipmunk Café.

  She reread the sign above the cabin-esque building and gave a slight shake of the head.

  “What is this place?”

  “You’ll see.”

  He helped her out of the car and held her hand as they strode into the wood cabin diner. Audrey took a look around and her mouth dropped open. Her gaze roamed over tables and bench seats made of molded plastic that resembled split-wood logs. The walls were decorated with oversize walnuts, woodsy foliage and greenery. Off in one corner was a children-only section where little ones crawled into a simulated underground chipmunk burrow and sat on stools that stood less than one foot high to eat their meals. Other game areas were strategically placed throughout the large dining hall that kept kids racing from one to the other with big smiles beaming on their faces.

  “I heard Dr. Ayers say that protein is good for the baby,” Luke said. “I hope you like nuts and seeds, because every dish here is made with them. Either in the recipe or crushed and sprinkled on top as a coating. My favorite is the peanut-crusted hamburger.”

  Audrey felt her smile widen. She already loved this place. “How long have you been coming here?”

  “Ever since I was a kid. Wasn’t often enough for me back then. It was a special treat if Mom and Dad agreed to bring us here. Dad hated the noise and Mom was allergic to nuts.”

  “Oh, wow, Luke. I don’t remember you ever talking about this place.”

  Luke looked around. “There’s an empty booth. Wanna try it?”

  “Of course.” She wouldn’t think of disappointing him.

  Luke put his hand to
her waist and guided her across the room, fending off three small children racing toward the burrow. Luke smiled like a little boy when a waitress dressed in a furry russet-colored chipmunk costume came to take their order. Audrey opted for the candied-walnut chicken salad and Luke ordered his favorite burger.

  During the entire meal Luke rattled on and on about the baby and the things he wanted to do with him or her. Audrey found herself caught up in the enthusiasm and they both agreed, once the baby got old enough, they would put the Chipmunk Café on their radar.

  That warm light in Luke’s eyes didn’t diminish throughout the meal or on the drive home. Something was definitely different with Luke today. He kept finding ways to touch her. To slip her hand into his or to spread his palm across her back as they walked along. But she didn’t place much faith in it. He was getting excited about the baby. Not her. Never her.

  She’d pretty much convinced herself of that.

  They entered the house together, Luke closing the door behind them. She took a step toward the hallway that led to her room and felt a gentle pull on her arm. A strong hand slipped down to her wrist and she turned to look into Luke’s incredibly handsome face.

  “Thank you,” he said, “for letting me come today.”

  His grasp on her wrist tightened as he drew her closer. She drifted to him as if on a windswept cloud. “It’s important that you be there. You’re, uh, the baby’s father.”

  Sincerity touched his eyes and he gave a slight nod.

  “Thanks for the Chipmunk Café,” she whispered, her ridiculous heart beating like mad.

  “I had fun.”

  “So did I. It’s a wild place for kids.”

  “For some grown-ups, too,” he said with a cocky grin that brought out all of his boyish charm.

  “Well, I’d…uh, I’d better get changed. I have wor—”

  Luke glanced at her mouth. Then a smile broadened his lips and he bent his head. She didn’t move. She didn’t step back. Fool that she was, she wanted this. The second his lips touched hers, all the warning bells ringing in her head went on mute. A tiny whimper rose from her throat. Luke deepened the kiss until her breaths came fast and heavy. Thoughts of pushing him away entered, then fled her mind. She couldn’t breathe, much less think.