The Rancher's Unexpected Family

by Helen Lacey

  She rolled her eyes and grinned. “Yes. Nancy gave us the afternoon off while she does some craft project with Micah and Tahlia. So, that means I still get cell-phone privileges, right?”

  He grinned. Maisy had taken his new rule—no homework, then no phone or internet—better than he’d anticipated. “Sure.”

  She frowned slightly, looking at him. “Are you okay?”

  Cole almost rocked back on his heels. It was the first time his daughter had ever asked him that. “Fine,” he said, holding back on telling her they were leaving in front of Ricky. “I’ll be in the barn working on the truck. We’ll talk a bit later.”

  She nodded and then took in a sharp breath. “Um, do you think we could go into town Friday night? There’s a speculative fiction reading at the library. Ricky’s going,” she added.

  For a moment, Cole thought he’d stepped into an alternate universe. Having a civil conversation with his daughter was such a rarity he had to catch his breath. And right in that moment, he didn’t want to disappoint her. “We’ll see,” he said and left them to return to their game.

  By the time he got to the barn, Cole was so wound up he could barely stand being in his own skin. He dumped the box on the workbench and rolled his shoulders. He’d had forty-odd hours to come to terms with his decision to leave the ranch. Since that crazy, mind-blowing kiss, he’d gone through every possible option and had come up with the same answer every time. The longer he stayed at the ranch, the deeper involved with Ash he would get. Leaving was for the best, the only way to ensure he steered clear of his attraction to her. He didn’t want to think about how Maisy had been slowly mellowing over the last couple of days. Part of him wanted his daughter to still hate the ranch—then taking her home wouldn’t cause her any grief. But he had seen a tiny shift in her attitude and their conversation just now was testimony to that. Who knew how far she’d come if they stayed? And how could he risk interfering with that sort of growth?

  Damn. Leaving was supposed to uncomplicate things.

  Cole clanged a couple of tools on the bench and swore loudly.

  “Do you need to borrow a dime?”

  He turned instantly. Jaye was standing by the truck, his sketch pad in his hand, a broad smile on his freckled face. The kid was always cheerful. “A dime?”

  “For the swear jar,” the boy reminded him and moved toward the bench. “I finished my plans,” he said excitedly. “And did what you said. Here, see,” he said and opened the sketch pad, pointing to the drawing of his soapbox car and outlining several places with his index finger. “And here. So my brace won’t get in the way.”

  Cole took the notebook and looked at the design. It was impressive stuff. “Looks great. This thing will be a rocket, for sure.”

  Jaye beamed at him. “Yay. When can we get started?” he asked and grinned. “I know Mom said not to bug you about it, but there’s only a week and a half until the spring fair.”

  Guilt pressed down between Cole’s shoulders and he took a long breath. “Jaye, about that—”

  “I’ll do my schoolwork first,” Jaye said quickly, cutting him off even though Cole was certain he didn’t mean to. The boy was simply exuberant and excitable. “And my chores. I promise. And maybe we could work on the cart in the afternoons, once you’ve spent a whole bunch of time with Maisy. My mom said it’s important that you guys spend lots of time together.”

  Cole propped his hands on his hips and smiled. Guilt and responsibility snapped at his heels and he suddenly realized exactly what he needed to do. Ash had told him that she’d learned some of her most important life lessons from children. Cole was certain he was in for some serious learning himself. He’d made a promise and he would see it through. There was no way out of it.

  “Yeah,” he said, conceding defeat. “Your mom is right. And we’ll get started on the cart tomorrow afternoon, say around three o’clock.”

  He laughed as Jaye made a whooping sound, and waited until the kid left the barn before he turned his attention back to the pickup. He had a truck to fix. A cart to build. And a daughter whose trust he needed to earn.

  As for Ash... He figured the only thing he could do was stay out of her way.

  Or do exactly the opposite.

  * * *

  When Ash arrived home that afternoon it was after five o’clock. She knew her mother would have dinner in the oven, that Jaye and the rest of the kids would be watching television in the living room before mealtime and Uncle Ted would be sitting at the kitchen table with his paper and doing the crossword. Now that she was back at work the routine would set in. It put her at ease and stopped her thinking about other things.

  A six-foot-something other thing that she would never see again. Cole’s flashy rental car was missing from the yard and she noticed her truck parked outside the barn. Mitzy and Milo were racing around the yard, while the goats and Rodney were safely in their pens and settled for the night. She eased her uncle’s pickup to a halt beside her own and got out.

  So, he was gone.

  Good.

  She didn’t want to think about how the idea made her feel. She was mad at him. And disappointed. Ash hoped it worked out for Cole and his daughter. At least he’d be back in Phoenix with his family. Because family was all that mattered. She knew Jaye would be saddened that Cole had left, but she’d do what she could to make it up to her son. She’d planned on calling her mother earlier that day to let her know that Cole was leaving, but she got sidetracked by a fender bender in the middle of town, which had resulted in a DUI arrest and the ensuing paperwork.

  She noticed a light on in the cabin he’d occupied with Maisy and headed for it. Tomorrow she’d strip the bed linen and air the place out. Ash climbed the steps and opened the front door. The kitchen and living room lights were on and she spotted a coffee mug on the draining board. The curtains were drawn and for a moment she thought she heard a sound coming from down the hall. Impossible, since the place was empty. Ash shrugged off the feeling and was about to walk down the hallway to check the rooms and strip the beds, when she saw a shadow emerge from the first bedroom and a tall figure strode down the hall.

  Cole. Wearing only a towel hitched around his waist.

  Ash was suddenly rooted to the spot and stared at him, her gaze involuntarily moving up and down, over his broad chest and flat, washboard abs and the trail of dark hair that ran downward from his navel, disappearing beneath the towel. He’d obviously just stepped out of the shower. His hair was wet and droplets of water were sprinkled over his smooth, brown skin. He had a long scar on his rib cage and she was mesmerized by every angle, every plane, every muscled line of his body. He was perfectly proportioned, all lean muscle and sinew. He had a tattoo across his heart, something Celtic and undistinguishable. And the same linked braid around his right bicep. She’d never gone much for ink. But on him it was effortlessly masculine. Effortlessly sexy. Her mouth turned dry. Her skin heated. Her breasts felt suddenly heavy.

  “You know,” he said when he came to a halt about three feet from her, “my face is up here.”

  Ash colored hotly. She’d said the same thing to him the first time they’d met. Only then, she’d been indignant and annoyed by his blatant appraisal. Now that the shoe was definitely on the other foot, she could only manage to gape at him.

  Until she finally found her voice. “You’re still here?”

  “I’m still here.”

  “I don’t understand. Your rental car isn’t in the driveway and—”

  “It’s behind the cabin under the carport.” He took another step and the towel hitched a little lower. “And...I stayed.”

  “Why?” she squeaked out.

  He shrugged his magnificent shoulders and she couldn’t drag away her gaze. “Maybe I should get dressed first. Unless you prefer I remain like this?”

  She shook her hea
d. “No. Get dressed.”

  “Be back in a minute.”

  He retreated down the hall and Ash quickly turned on her heels and headed for the living room. She stood by the fireplace, knees locked, arms crossed. When he returned a few minutes later he wore jeans and a dark navy T-shirt and loafers.

  Ash stared at him, keeping her arms crossed, feeling his intense scrutiny through to her bones. “You said you were leaving.”

  “You said I was a lousy kisser.”

  She gasped, coloring hotly. “I didn’t say that.”

  “I’m pretty sure you did.”

  Ash shook her head. “I said that one lousy kiss wasn’t enough to get me into bed. Not that the kiss was lousy. Just that the...” Her words trailed. His mouth was pressed into a tight, almost involuntary smile and she realized he was making fun. “What are you still doing here, Cole? And where is Maisy?”

  “Up at the house with Ricky and Jaye playing video games.” He came closer. “And I’m here because I changed my mind about leaving.”

  “But today you said—”

  “I know what I said. I was rash. But I made a commitment to my daughter that we would stay here for three weeks. And I also made a commitment to Jaye that I would help him build his soapbox cart.”

  “But we—”

  “I’ve always considered myself to be a man of my word,” he said, cutting her off. “And I made a promise, one I intend on keeping.”

  Ash absorbed his words. “So, you’re staying because of my son?”

  “I’m staying because my daughter actually had a conversation with me this afternoon. A real conversation. And I know that it only happened because of this place...because she’s found friends in Ricky and Uncle Ted and Jaye, and a kindred spirit in your mom and I believe that because of your influence, she’s starting to realize that I’m not her enemy. And I’m staying because I promised a terrific kid that I would help him with something I know is important to him. Of course, if you would prefer that I left, I will certainly respect your wishes and—”

  “No,” Ash said quickly. “Of course not. It’s just that... I mean...what about the other thing?”

  “The other thing?” His brows shot up. “You mean, the you-and-me thing?”

  She nodded. “Yes. It’s still a problem.”

  “I know,” he said and shrugged. “I guess we’ll simply have to deal with it.”

  It sounded so simple. So easy. When she knew it was nothing of the sort. “You mean stay away from one another?”

  “Or not,” he responded and ran a hand over his jaw. “Look, there’s no point in making grand statements about steering clear of one another for the next couple of weeks. This is your home. I’m a guest here. But we’re bound to spend some time together and I won’t disrespect that, Ash. I’m also not going to deny that I’m attracted to you. I am. Very much so. But more importantly, I want to be a good role model for my daughter. So, I’m not going to try and get you into bed. I’m not going kiss you. Or touch you. Or do anything that isn’t strictly platonic. Unless,” he said softly, his voice holding her entire attention, “you want me to. It’s your decision. Your call.”

  Her decision? She wished she had that elusive frying pan to smack him over the head. “You’re saying that it’s my decision if we do or don’t have a fling while you’re here?”

  “Exactly.”

  “Because you want to spare your conscience?”

  “Because I don’t want to lie to you,” he replied. “I like you. And I’m very attracted to you. And I want to make love to you. But we both know that whatever happens, it’s temporary. We live in different states and have different lives and a long-distance relationship isn’t viable.”

  “We’ve known one another for five days,” she reminded him. “It’s a little premature to be using words like relationship.”

  He hitched his hands to his hips. “I don’t know... Tell me, have you ever had this kind of intense physical attraction to someone before?”

  It was a ridiculously arrogant question, but she couldn’t deny it. “No.”

  “Me, either,” he admitted. “So, if something happened between us, we’d both have to agree that it would be just for now, just for this brief span of time.”

  “But it won’t happen,” she said, swallowing hard. “And if it did, it would have to stay just between us, because it might lead to some people getting certain ideas...like my son. Or Maisy. Neither of them need any more confusion in their lives.”

  “You’re probably right.”

  She took a breath, felt his burning scrutiny through to every molecule she possessed. “So, it’s settled. No fling. No...anything.”

  “If that’s what you want.”

  She tensed. “I love how you get to have all the scruples and integrity here.”

  “And cold showers,” he reminded her.

  She let out a brittle laugh. “So, you’re handing me all this power?”

  “Yep,” he replied. “Around you I feel powerless, Ash. You’re beautiful and smart and you literally take my breath away.”

  It was a startling admission. No man had ever said that to her before. But, then again, she’d never met a man like Cole before. He was honest and forthright. Strong and fearless. He was exactly the sort of man she’d imagined she might fall for in her secret dreams. In the very depths of her heart she’d longed for the fairy tale—for a man who had strength in his character and integrity imprinted in his DNA. Someone she could rely on. Lean on. Trust and honor for the rest of her days. Someone who would make her feel whole and take away her fears of being abandoned. It was a lot to ask. A lot to expect. And in her bitterness and cynicism, she’d never really believed a man like that existed.

  Until now.

  “So, it’s settled—you’re staying?”

  He nodded. “I’m staying. It’s what my daughter wants. What she needs.”

  Ash sucked in a long breath. “Okay. We’ll keep it simple. You help Jaye with his cart, I’ll help Maisy work out that you are not her enemy. And maybe we’ll end up being friends when this is all over.”

  “Maybe,” he said and smiled. “My daughter has made plans for Friday night, at the library.”

  “The reading,” she said, remembering that Nancy had mentioned something about it. “Sure. Ricky will be there.”

  He nodded. “I thought we might take the rest of the kids into town for dinner.”

  She stilled. “That sounds like a date?”

  “A purely platonic date,” he replied. “Well chaperoned.”

  She could do that. He’d made it clear that he wanted her. He’d also made it clear he wouldn’t do anything about it. And Ash had always considered herself to be a woman of great self-control and high morals, so there was no problem she could foresee. A chaperoned, platonic date wouldn’t test either of them.

  Would it?

  Chapter Seven

  By Friday afternoon, the bones of Jaye’s cart were well on the way. Cole had scrounged around the ranch for materials and then bought what else he needed from the hardware store in town. Curbing the kid’s enthusiasm was impossible and by the second afternoon it had become contagious. Micah and Ricky helped out once their lessons were done for the day, while Maisy and Tahlia hung around the barn, pretending to ignore the project completely, with his daughter making some eye-rolling comment about macho conditioning.

  He liked how all the kids got along. There were a few minor squabbles, but nothing serious and Maisy was becoming more talkative and responsive with each passing day.

  While Ash stayed away from the barn.

  They’d hardly spoken since Wednesday and Cole couldn’t ignore how much he missed talking with her. She’d spent the previous evening with Maisy, watching a chick flick that he knew would have made his eyeballs
bleed, so he’d stayed in the cabin and answered emails and spoken to his sister about some contract negotiations for a new team sponsor. He was surprised by how little he missed his job and on self-reflection realized he hadn’t been truly happy with his career for a while. Since his divorce, certainly, and probably before that. Since he’d stopped driving. Managing the team had been the obvious move and one he’d planned on after he’d finished racing. But the accident and forced retirement had brought it on ten years before he was prepared for it. Still, he had a lot to be grateful for. And unhappy wasn’t really the right way to describe how he felt. Dissatisfied, maybe?

  It gave him a lot to think about. To wonder about. He’d been born into the racing scene. He’d never questioned his decision to drive and when that was taken from him, Cole literally changed gears because he had to, convinced that since racing was in his blood there was no other option.

  But now, he wasn’t so sure.

  “You look nice, Mom. Don’t you think, Cole?”

  He snapped his attention back to the present. Ash had stepped out onto the porch, dressed in a short denim dress and sexy pink cowboy boots. And he was done for. For a second he forgot to breathe. Forgot his promise to stop thinking about her in that way. Jaye was standing beside him, leaning heavily on his brace, while Micah and Tahlia were already waiting in the car. It was nearly sundown, but there was still enough light that Cole could see how stunning she looked. It had been forty-eight hours since they’d been this close to one another and as he dragged in a breath, he realized just how much seeing her meant to him.

  Too much.

  “Yes,” he said to Jaye. “She certainly does.”

  She met his gaze and smiled and his insides did a foolish loop-the-loop. He’d made the right decision in staying, but damn if it didn’t feel like the most difficult thing in the world right at that moment.