The Texas Rancher's Marriage

by Cathy Gillen Thacker

  Coffee flavored? Chase shook his head. “I don’t think you’re going to like them, buddy.”

  “I will, too!” Outraged, Jeffrey put a hand on the steering wheel and stood up in the cart.

  When and how had he gotten his seat belt off? Chase wondered.

  “And I want those.” Jessalyn pointed to soft oatmeal raisin.

  Anchoring one hand around Jeffrey’s waist to steady the little boy so he wouldn’t fall, Chase reached over to get the cookies his sister wanted, and dropped them in the cart. “Good choice.”

  “Now mine!” Jeffrey demanded.

  Again, Chase refused. “Pick something else. Something that Mommy likes for you to have.”

  Wiggling out of Chase’s light, easy grasp, Jeffrey folded his arms in front of him. “You said it could be my choice,” he pouted.

  Oh, great, was that Judge Roy coming down to the cookie aisle, too? Chase got hold of Jeffrey once again, anchoring him with one arm around his son’s waist. “It can be, but…” Chase had to use his other hand to move the cart slightly to the right, so Judge Roy and her daughters could get by. Unfortunately, the wheels were stuck and the big cart wasn’t budging. Chase set Jeffrey back in his seat so he could use both hands to maneuver the cart.

  “Thanks,” the judge said, pushing past.

  “Then—” Jeffrey bounded out of his seat and jumped up onto the steering wheel on his side of the cart “—I’ll get it myself.” He lurched forward, losing his balance in the process. Chase caught him, but could do nothing about the half-dozen packages of cookies that were knocked down.

  They clattered as they hit the floor. Judge Roy and her daughters swiveled to look, as did everyone else within earshot. Just that quickly, total chaos reigned.

  “You broke my cookies!” Jeffrey wailed, and let out a sob of distress that echoed throughout the store.

  * * *

  MERRI HAD JUST WALKED through the automatic doors of the grocery store when she heard a familiar sob that, once started, seemed to go on and on and on.

  Picking up speed, she rounded the corner of the cookie aisle, so quickly she nearly mowed down the customers trying to get away from the piercing cries.

  “Judge Roy!”

  The woman nodded, her expression courtroom bland. “Seems like your son needs you.”

  “Mommy!” Jeffrey wailed. “Make Daddy go away!”

  “Yeah, we don’t like him!” Jessalyn sniffled between sobs.

  It was a disaster. “Okay, you two,” Merri soothed, gathering them into her arms. “Hush now. Hush.”

  The twins clung to her and their tears subsided.

  Chase stood next to her, wearing that look of suppressed hurt and quiet disappointment she was beginning to know so well. A feeling that she was pretty sure he hadn’t had much experience dealing with until now.

  “I’m sorry,” Merri said. “I knew this was a bad idea.”

  “Which is why you’re here.”

  “I got to thinking, right after you left, that they’re just too tired from all the activity of the past few days to handle any kind of shopping. So I got in the ranch pickup truck and drove here.” Just in case.

  Chase shot her a grateful look. “I’m glad you did.” He rubbed the tense muscles at the back of his neck, admitting ruefully, “I could use the help. I’ve hardly gotten anything on the list.”

  “It’s not a problem.” Merri reached over and squeezed his arm. “We’ll work together and wrap this up in no time.”

  An hour later, they were back at the ranch. Merri let the twins sit at the kitchen table and eat cookies and drink milk while she and Chase put the groceries away. When they’d finished, the children were led to the living room, where they settled on the sofa with their blankets and stuffed animals, and watched their favorite Thomas the Train movie.

  Ten minutes into it, both were sound asleep. Merri switched the DVD off and returned to the kitchen, where Chase stood, breaking down some cardboard for the recyling bin.

  “How do you do it?” he asked her, clearly discouraged. “It’s like you have a magic touch.”

  Merri smiled wanly, her heart going out to him. “Not always.”

  He peered at her, sizing her up. “Most of the time.”

  She squeezed his hand. “You’ve got to stop trying so hard.”

  He caught her wrist before she could disengage. “Or in other words, I need to back off.”

  Merri nodded. “It’s going to happen,” she promised softly. “They will accept you as their father. But only when they’re ready.”

  The two adults fell into a thoughtful silence. “And when will that be?” he asked eventually.

  “I’m not sure.” Merri moved closer. “You have to have faith.”

  His mouth took on a rueful twist and he rubbed a hand across the shadow of beard on his jaw. “I thought you didn’t believe in wishful thinking.”

  “There’s nothing magical about them needing a father.” She turned to face him, squeezing his hand again. “Believe me, they are acutely aware they haven’t had a daddy. They will love you, in time.”

  Chase anchored an arm about her waist and pulled her close. “You’re sure?”

  “Very,” Merri said. She could see the desire in his eyes, feel the heat in his body. Why pretend this wasn’t happening when it was? In the past four and a half years, she had rarely thought about herself, and never done anything to tend to her own needs and desires. Being married to Chase made her want to change all that. He made her want to experience life—and pleasure—to the absolute fullest. Gazing up at him, she rose on tiptoe and wound her arms around his back. He threaded his hand through her hair, then fastened his lips on hers in a riveting kiss that stole her breath and weakened her knees. The hardness of his chest pressed against her breasts. Lower still, she could feel the proof of his desire. She arched against him, wanting, needing so much more. Yet knowing they weren’t alone, this wasn’t for show, and with the two children sleeping just a room away…

  Merri splayed her hands across his chest, flummoxed by her reaction to him. “Chase.”

  She’d told herself she was going to wait. Get her feelings and fairy-tale fantasies under control again, before she pushed desire to the limit.

  Reluctantly, he drew back. “I know. They might wake up.”

  That wasn’t why she needed them to stop, but if he wanted to think it was…

  It was better than telling him she was worried she might fall in love with him. Worried that her love would again not be returned.... Not in the same deeply romantic and passionate way, anyway....

  Knowing this arrangement would work only if the playing field was level, and determined to do what was right and honorable for both of them, Merri marshaled her defenses.

  She thought about the evening ahead, and the fact that she would be able to go to bed at a decent hour—albeit alone—while he was at the hospital, on duty. Her heart went out to him once more. “Do you want to take a nap, too, since you have to work all night?” she asked with concern.

  The look he gave her said he would rather sleep with her. Now. Probably naked. Although it wasn’t “resting” he had on his mind.

  Yet as always, he was motivated by doing the right thing, for all of them. Frustration turned to acceptance. “Wake me in an hour?” he asked gruffly.

  Merri nodded. “Sure thing.” Then she watched, her heart breaking a little, as he walked off.

  Chapter Eight

 
Merri held the phone to her ear. “I understand,” she said quietly, so as not to wake the still-napping twins.

  Pacing to the window, she gazed at the ever deepening gray of the late-afternoon sky. “These things happen,” she soothed. “You go rescue your brother before the storm hits. I’ll take care of things here. Yes…give everyone in your family my best.”

  Lamenting the fact that yet again her life had just gotten more challenging than it needed to be, Merri headed up the stairs.

  She walked down the hall toward the guest room.

  Chase wasn’t there.

  She kept going to the master suite and found him fast asleep, sprawled out on top of her bed. Shirt unbuttoned, hands folded behind his head, he was the picture of sexy masculinity. And Merri felt her heart give a little jolt.

  Why did he have to be so darn attractive? And why couldn’t she stop thinking about how it had felt to make love with him?

  More to the point, why was he in here instead of the guest room? Did this mean he intended to sleep with her from now on, even though their visitors had left?

  Having him beside her all night would definitely make it easier to make love. It would also help them feel married, and would leave her more emotionally vulnerable. But maybe, Merri thought, given their very complicated circumstances, there was no way around that.

  Maybe, she told herself sternly, she just needed to take things one day, one moment, at a time. And right now she had a task to complete.

  Aware this was something a wife would do for her husband, Merri approached Chase and sat on the edge of the bed, touching the side of his face gently. “Oh, sheik?” she teased, doing her best to keep her tone light, playful. Unemotional.

  Sleepy amber eyes opened. He sandwiched her hand between his palm and the roughness of his beard. “Hey.” He flashed her that slow, sexy smile she loved so much, kissed the inside of her wrist. Another thrill went through her. Merri cleared her throat. “It’s been an hour. Actually, a little over…”

  Chase rubbed his eyes, then pushed himself up on his elbows. His expression ready-to-head-to-work sober, he listened intently, then asked, “Twins still asleep?”

  Merri grinned at how much he already sounded like a doting dad. Seeing an opening to lighten the tension with a joke, she replied, “It’s extremely quiet.” She leaned closer, waggling her brows and inadvertently getting a whiff of his masculine scent. “So what do you think?”

  Affection lit his gaze. “That they’re still snoozing away.”

  Merri grinned back. “Correctamundo! You win the prize.”

  Chase sat all the way up and stretched his upper body. “Babysitter here yet?”

  Merri tried not to notice how the smooth cotton fabric of his white T-shirt, visible beneath his shirt, molded to all that sinew. What the man could do for an underwear ad, should he ever be asked…

  She pushed her desire aside long enough to answer his question. “Sadly, Amy, the babysitter, is not coming. Her younger brother was in a fender bender in San Angelo. Bobby just got his license a few months ago. He’s freaking out. Neither of them have been able to get hold of her folks, and Amy isn’t sure his truck is all that drivable, so she’s going to rescue him.”

  Chase sat up against the headboard, his thigh nudging hers in the process. “I take it he wasn’t hurt?”

  Merri noticed Chase didn’t move away. Nor did she.

  Aware of the body-to-body heat, even through their jeans, she swallowed. “Not a scratch, luckily. Apparently his truck is another matter. Bobby drove up on the curb, so the axle may have some damage.”

  Chase groaned in sympathy. “That’s an expensive repair.”

  “No kidding.” Merri thought about how intimate it was, sitting here like this, just talking, sharing their day. Who would have thought this part of marriage would be so comforting and fun?

  “Anyway,” she continued, casting a glance at the late-afternoon gloom outside the windows, “I hate to ask…but it’s going to start raining any minute, and I’ve got to bring the herd in and do the milking.”

  He looked at her with none of the frustration he’d experienced earlier still evident. “You want me to watch the kids?”

  She had to hand it to the man, he was resolved to be successful at whatever he did. And that went double in the daddy department. “Would you mind terribly? You said you didn’t have to leave until eight, and I can wrap things up in around two hours.”

  He waved off her concern. “It’s not a problem.”

  Merri stood, to let him up. She propped her hands on her hips. “You say that now,” she warned, not purely in jest. “They weren’t exactly cooperative earlier, and they’re going to be even crankier when they wake up, because they’re so off schedule.” Which meant he’d have his work cut out for him.

  Chase got to his feet in one smooth motion. “I wouldn’t worry about it. They can’t loathe me more than they already do.” He paused humorously. “Can they?”

  When she just looked at him, Chase ambled closer, towering over her. “I’m joking, Merri.” He cupped her shoulders and the warmth of his touch was almost as soothing as the tenderness of his grip. “Of course I’ll watch over them,” he stated, searching her eyes. “I’m their dad. It’s part of my job. Unless—” he narrowed his gaze “—you’d prefer I care for the herd instead?”

  “No. It’ll go a lot faster if I do it.”

  Chase picked up his boots and sat down to tug them on. “Are the Christmas decorations still kept in the attic?”

  Reminded that he had once lived here, too, Merri nodded. “Same place as always.” There were some things about the Armstrong ranch that never changed.

  He stood and headed for the door. “What about my stuff? Is it still in the attic, too?”

  Merri followed him into the hall, where she reverted to her the-kids-are-still-snoozing whisper. “You mean the belongings you left at the ranch when you went off to college?”

  He nodded, his handsome face filled with purpose.

  Curious as to what he was up to now, Merri smiled. “No one’s touched the boxes since you put them there.”

  He looked surprised but pleased. “Can you give me ten minutes before you head out, to find what I need?”

  It was fun being on his team, Merri decided. “Sure.”

  “Thanks.” He patted her arm, more as a friend would than a husband, and headed off. Seconds later, she heard him milling around on the third floor.

  Merri grabbed warm clothes. By the time she had her long underwear on under her jeans and shirt, he was tromping back down the stairs, several storage boxes in his arms.

  She wrapped a washable cashmere scarf around her neck. “Want to tell me what this is all about?”

  He grinned, as masculine and supremely determined as ever. “I’d rather surprise you.”

  * * *

  CHASE SAW MERRI OFF, then went into the living room, where the kids were still asleep. He set the boxes on the floor and opened them. A wave of nostalgia hit him as he lifted the first Lionel train car out of the box. Chase hadn’t seen any of this in years.

  Not since his dad had died, and he had considered himself too grown-up to mess with toys. They’d been in the attic ever since.

  No more.

  He lifted out one piece after another. Tracks, engines, control box, cord. Then he heard the stirring behind him.

  Recalling Merri’s advice not to push, he kept his back to the kids while carefully dusting off each and every piece. Ther
e was a telltale thud as four small feet hit the wood floor in perfect unison and scooted closer.

  One shadow fell to his right, the other his left.

  The small, sleepy-eyed figures came even closer, dragging their blankets and stuffed animals in their wake.

  “Where did you get that train?” Jeffrey finally asked from Chase’s left.

  Trying not to feel too encouraged, he responded casually, “It’s mine. My mom and dad gave it to me for Christmas one year, when I was a kid. It’s been in the attic.”

  Jessalyn came closer, too, flanking him on his right. “Does it have a name?”

  Belatedly, Chase realized all the cars and engines in the Thomas the Train video the twins had watched before drifting off to sleep had names. He looked at the gold leaf lettering on the side of the black engine. “The train’s name is Lionel.”

  Jessalyn pointed to a coal car. “What about this one?”

  Chase read the identifying script decorating that one, too. “That’s Pennsylvania.”

  Chase plugged the train in, hit the lever that would send it forward on the track. The train had juice; he could hear the engine going. Unfortunately, the wheels weren’t turning. He switched it off.

  The kids edged closer. “Is it broken?”

  “Just a little rusty.” Chase picked up the four cars he’d put on the track. “Let’s see what we can do to make it work.”

  He headed for the kitchen.

  As he had hoped, the kids trailed along after him.

  “Whatcha doing?” Jessalyn asked curiously, climbing up onto a stool at the counter.

  Chase rummaged around for some WD-40. Coming up empty, he reached for a bottle of cooking oil and plucked a basting brush out of the rack. “I’m going to try and oil the mechanisms on this thing.”

  Jessalyn wrinkled her brow in warning. “That’s for cooking.”

  Desperate times called for desperate measures. “You’re right—it is,” Chase replied, appreciating her effort to keep him out of the doghouse with Merri. “But I think it will work on the train, as well.”