Claimed by the Rancher--A scandalous story of passion and romance

by Jules Bennett

  “Manure?” Colt asked with a laugh. “We can put you right to work whenever you’re up to it.”

  Hayes shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “The sooner, the better. I’m not used to idle time.”

  Just as Nolan figured. His brother was going to have to stay busy. There was always plenty to do on a farm, so that was no problem. The real problem was that haunted look in his younger brother’s eyes.

  “Well, the dude-ranch plans are coming along,” Colt said. “The engineer has finalized the plans and we’re going to be building a few cabins back on the east side of the property.”

  “Dad would love that,” Hayes replied before inhaling deeply and turning to Nolan. “How is he?”

  Nolan released a breath. He wasn’t going to sugarcoat things—Hayes would learn for himself soon enough. “He’s not having as many good days as he used to. He’s in the past more often than not and wants to know why mom isn’t there. He fell the other night, but thankfully, nothing was broken.”

  “I want to see him.”

  “Of course. Do you want one of us to go with you?” Colt asked, tipping his hat to shield his face from the sun.

  Hayes shook his head. “That’s not necessary. I don’t need you all hovering over me now that I’m home. I just need to get readjusted. It will take some time.”

  Nolan met Colt’s gaze.

  “Stop it,” Hayes demanded. “I see the looks you two are throwing back and forth. Yeah, I’m not the same guy I was before I went over to that hellhole, but I’m still your brother and I’m still a rancher.”

  “We worry,” Colt stated gruffly.

  Hayes let out a dry, humorless laugh. “That makes three of us, but I’m okay. Well, I’m not exactly okay, but I’ll be fine. Just...don’t crowd me. Okay?”

  Nolan and Colt nodded, but Nolan also knew there was no way they were going to let their brother deal with this darkness on his own. They might all be living their own lives, going their own ways, but they were still family and that was all that mattered.

  “Just tell us what you need,” Colt replied. “This is new for us, too, so we want to help but we don’t want to make this more difficult, either.”

  Hayes nodded and reached into the truck for his bag. His government-issued bag that had traveled through hell and back with him. Nolan watched as Hayes flung the large army-green sack over his shoulder and headed toward his house.

  Colt shut the truck door and leaned back against it. “One of us needs to check on him pretty often until we see exactly what we’re dealing with.”

  Nolan took off his hat and swiped the sweat from his forehead. “He’ll be pissed if he thinks we’re babysitting.”

  “I don’t care what he thinks,” Colt retorted. “It’s better than having him suffer alone or worse. You know all those horror stories of soldiers who came home and couldn’t handle the civilian life.”

  “Maybe seeing Dad will help him,” Nolan said, propping his hat back on his head. “Dad may not know who he is, but this may be a simple case where Hayes will see someone is also struggling with identity. Or Dad may shock us and know exactly who Hayes is.”

  “I sure as hell hope so,” Colt muttered.

  His thoughts exactly. Nolan wasn’t sure how these next few days, weeks or even months would play out, but he had to be aware of everything where his brother was concerned.

  And not just his brother, but his wife. There were so many uncertainties with her, with their future. All he knew was he loved having her in his home, in his bed. He’d not wanted marriage, a family. But she’d come back into his life and thrust every bit of that into his face. He needed her, wanted her and planned on having her. Permanently.

  “I have to go,” he told Colt. “I need to get home.”

  Nolan hopped on his four-wheeler and headed for his house, ready to talk to Pepper.

  Eighteen

  Nolan came to an abrupt halt at the threshold of his bedroom. Lying out on the bed was a suitcase, clothes haphazardly piled all over it.

  Pepper came out of the adjoining bath clutching her toiletry bag. As soon as her eyes locked on to his, she froze.

  “I didn’t know you were back.” She worried her bottom lip as she held his gaze. “Um, how’s Hayes?”

  Nolan took one careful step in, as if any abrupt movement would shatter this already-fragile situation. “He’s okay. Or he will be with time.”

  When she nodded and put her small bag on top of her existing pile, Nolan shook his head. “Care to tell me what’s going on?”

  Pepper turned, smoothing her hand over her fitted tank. “I have quite a bit of news, actually. The case was dropped, thanks to you and your investigator.”

  Surprised, Nolan smiled. “That’s great news. Seems rather abrupt, though.”

  “Your money and power talked louder than I could, so I’m indebted to you.” She crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head. “The contractor finished up this afternoon, so my apartment is all ready for me. Looks like everything fell into place just when I needed it to.”

  When she needed it to. Those words were like a dagger straight to his heart...the heart he hadn’t wanted to get involved in this marriage.

  “You don’t owe me anything,” he managed after a moment. “You don’t have to rush out, though.”

  Damn it, he didn’t want her to leave at all, but apparently she couldn’t get away from him fast enough.

  “We agreed when the case was over, there was no need to be married.” Pepper drew in a deep breath and dropped her arms, her bangle bracelets jingling. He’d become so used to hearing that sound he found even that simple gesture was something he’d miss. “I’m not going to drag this out any longer. We both have lives we need to get on with. I’m borrowing one of your suitcases since the clothes were here already. I’ll pay you back for those, as well, once I get a solid income going. I’ll let you contact your attorney regarding the divorce.”

  The divorce. Why were her parting words so damn soul crushing? He’d wanted this. He’d laid out the guidelines from the beginning. He’d just thought he’d have more time. This all seemed so sudden—there was no transition period. She was in his bed last night, all wrapped around him, and now she was hell-bent on making tracks to get out. And she’d laid out her speech so nice and neat as if she’d spent the past few hours rehearsing it. Was that so she could deliver it void of all emotion? If so, she’d nailed it.

  “Sure,” he muttered. “I can do that.”

  Her eyes darted back to her suitcase, then to him. “If you don’t mind, can you start loading my car with all the baby stuff we bought? Then I can get this.”

  He swallowed, hating how she seemed to be so distant and almost cold. His Pepper had always been so forthcoming with her feelings, but now, well, she had erected some wall between them that hadn’t existed before. She was done—that much was evident.

  Could she seriously just leave without caring? He desperately wanted to know what she was thinking. But from the hasty way she was tossing things into her suitcase—his suitcase—perhaps it was best he didn’t know.

  “I’ll bring the baby stuff later,” he told her. “Just concentrate on your things for now.”

  “Oh, right. Of course.” She turned to the bed and quickly held the suitcase zipper together and forced it shut. “I’ll be in the shop tomorrow if you want to come by then and drop it off.”

  She tugged the suitcase off the bed.

  “Damn it, let me get that.” He crossed the room and jerked the luggage from her hand.

  “Why are you so angry?” she asked, looking up at him with those big, expressive eyes. “We agreed to this, and I can’t stay here forever. You and I both know we have lives to get back to, and our time of playing house wasn’t meant to be long-term.”

/>   Nolan hated how she tossed his own words back into his face. He hated that she was right because they were different people with different goals. Yet, somehow over these past couple of weeks, that line he didn’t want to cross had become blurred. So blurred he had no idea where it even was anymore.

  “This doesn’t have to be difficult,” she whispered. “You’re off the hook. I mean, we’re legally still married, but I don’t expect you to remain faithful to me.”

  Her eyes darted away, but her words said everything. She was giving him permission to move on with another woman...and if that didn’t speak volumes for where she stood, the loaded suitcase in his hand sure as hell did.

  Nolan stepped aside and let her pass. “I’ll take this down for you.”

  Pepper met his gaze once more. Biting her lip again, she nodded and eased by. As he watched her retreating back, he realized she’d never be in this room again. They’d never share a bed or late-night snacks in his kitchen. He wouldn’t roll over in the middle of the night and feel her son kick.

  Nolan swallowed hard and pulled the luggage behind him as he headed for the stairs. He’d never begged a woman to stay and he certainly wasn’t going to start now. If Pepper wanted to go, then he had to set her free. He’d be fine—after all, he’d moved on the last time she walked out of his life.

  But this time seemed so different, so final. And his heart hadn’t felt this empty the last time.

  She wasn’t even officially gone and his house already had a void that he knew would never be filled.

  * * *

  Pepper left her suitcase in the car. She didn’t care about her clothes, her toothbrush, her underwear. None of that mattered when her heart was in shattered pieces.

  Nolan hadn’t asked her to stay. He’d told her she didn’t have to be in a rush, but he hadn’t told her he wanted her in his home, in his life...his heart. Pepper had prayed he’d come home, pull her into his arms, and tell her he wanted her to stay. Convince her that the case and her apartment didn’t matter. She desperately wanted him to tell her that her only home was with him at Pebblebrook.

  But he hadn’t and she had too much pride to open up about her true feelings. She’d been burned before by this man. The only problem now was the flame was still burning.

  Pepper walked around her newly renovated apartment and toyed with the ring still mocking her on her finger. She’d forgotten to return it, but she couldn’t bring herself to take it off just yet. The marriage was over, but...maybe she could hang on in private just a bit longer.

  The faint smell of wood and paint had her making a mental note to pick up some potpourri tomorrow. The laminate floor that stretched from the living room through the open kitchen and on into the bedrooms was perfect. She was so glad all the flooring was new. She’d find some bright rugs to put down and...

  Tears filled her eyes as she covered her face and let the dam burst. She didn’t care about rugs or flooring or anything else right now. She already missed Pebblebrook. In such a short time she’d made that place her home. She’d tried to remain detached, but how could she when she’d been staying in the home she’d helped design with the man she’d never stopped loving?

  Now that she was alone, she planned on taking the rest of the evening for a good cry. The kind of cry that made the tip of her nose red, her skin splotchy, her eyes puffy. She’d just have to use extra concealer tomorrow for work.

  Pepper headed to her fridge and realized with a pang of dismay that there was no food. Her new kitchen was perfect with the tiled backsplash and quartz countertops...but there was no emergency stash of ice cream in the freezer.

  There was no way she was in the mood to go back out. It was getting late, not terribly so, but she’d had a rough day and she was emotionally drained.

  Only another woman would understand this type of need. It wasn’t as if Pepper had made a bunch of friends since she’d been back. She’d been busy with her shop, busy dodging custody issues and busy getting married to the one man she loved but who didn’t love her in return.

  If only there were some reality show on screwing up your life in epic proportions.

  Pepper grabbed her phone from her purse and shot off a text. There was one other woman who might actually know what Pepper was going through. Annabelle was the closest thing she had to a friend and she knew all about those Elliott boys. Annabelle had gone into all the mayhem that had surrounded her relationship with Colt. That woman definitely understood a frustrating, arrogant, sexy cowboy.

  Pepper wasn’t even sure if she wanted to talk about this—everything was still so fresh, so raw. But perhaps Annabelle could just leave a copious amount of ice cream on the stoop outside the apartment door and go.

  In the bottom of her bag, Pepper found a packet of pretzels and a bottle of water. Better than nothing, but she was going to need real food. Hopefully, Annabelle would take pity on her and bring a pizza or something with that ice cream. If there was ever a time that called for junk, it was now.

  Pepper waited for the reply, hoping Colt’s fiancée would come through. Because the only other person Pepper had leaned on was now out of her life...and filing for divorce.

  Nineteen

  Four days had passed since she left. Nolan had gone back to work on the second day and had been there since. What was the point in going home? Colt had promised to check on Hayes while Nolan was at the hospital. The surgeries had been brutal on him—one right after another. He was more than ready to get home and have the next two days off because he planned on sleeping and then diving into ranch work with his brothers.

  But on his way home earlier, he’d come across an accident. After working thirty-six hours, he was dead on his feet and wanted nothing more than to fall face-first in his bed...or a guest bed since he couldn’t bring himself to sleep where the sheets still smelled like his wife.

  The second he’d become a doctor, he’d sworn to help those in need and there was a definite need at the accident site. A woman was in full-blown labor and her husband had been in a hurry to get her to the hospital and run a red light, and their car had been hit in the side.

  Nolan had helped deliver the baby girl while waiting on the ambulance. He’d held the mother’s hand as they’d loaded her into the back, but he could tell that she probably wasn’t going to make it.

  The harsh reality of that entire scene gnawed at his gut and he nearly felt sick. When the father held on to his precious baby while praying for his wife to live, Nolan had known that man wouldn’t get a second chance.

  But maybe Nolan could. Hell, he’d had his second chance and he’d blown it. He’d let Pepper walk out of his house and he hadn’t put up a fight. Why? Because of his stupid pride and hardheaded mentality. So what if she laughed in his face or told him there was no way she’d stay married to a man who was a workaholic? He hadn’t even tried to convince her to stay. Since when did he just give up on things?

  Risking grief and heartache was completely worth it if the ultimate ending was joy and a life with Pepper. He wanted all they could have, all they’d lost. They were both getting a second chance and he refused to walk away again.

  As he headed to the kitchen to get a bottle of water, the ultrasound image of Pepper’s son was the only thing stuck on the fridge door. Nolan slid his fingertip over the image and wondered if she’d left this for him on purpose to drive him out of his mind or if she’d legitimately forgot it in her haste to get out.

  He grabbed the bottle and started to head upstairs to the shower. The piles of baby items in the living room caught his attention, though. All of the various things they’d shopped for. She’d been so excited that day, and he had to admit he’d had a great time watching her gather so many necessities for her son. He still needed to deliver all of that to her apartment, but he honestly had no idea how everything would fit in her living space. But it would all fit he
re in his home and he had plenty of bedrooms to spare for a nursery.

  Pepper and the baby were so much more important than this ranch or his MD, and he’d fought like hell to make both of those top priority in his life.

  Nolan wanted to call the hospital and check on the patient, but in his heart he already knew the outcome. Plus, if he didn’t check in, then there was still that glimmer of hope that she’d pulled through.

  And there was a glimmer of hope that he and Pepper could pull through, too. He just had to man up and go to her. He’d make her listen to what he had to say, to the reasons they should be together. If she chose to push him away, then he could live with it. He’d hate it, but at least he’d know he did all he could to get her to come back where she belonged...right here at Pebblebrook.

  If Hayes was looking for a second chance at life after all he’d been through, why the hell couldn’t Nolan? The only person standing in the way of what he wanted was himself.

  Nolan was going to fight for his wife.

  * * *

  Pepper brushed the navy strokes over her stark white canvas. Once she had the background, she planned on free-handing a quote with her son’s name. She’d opted to push forward with her thoughts, even if her heart hadn’t quite caught up yet. So the past few days she’d devoted to all things baby and she’d finally come up with a name.

  She touched up the edges, making sure all the white was covered, and took a step back to examine the even strokes. Someone pounded on her door, making Pepper jump and swipe the brush across her cheek.

  With a groan, she dropped the brush into the cup of water and wiped her hands on the towel before heading to the door. She’d deal with her cheek in a bit.

  Her heart kicked up because she figured there was only one person who could be on the other side of that door. She assumed Nolan was finally delivering that baby stuff. Seeing him would hurt, but she was going to have to get used to it. They lived in the same town now and running into him was inevitable.

  Drawing a steadying breath, Pepper glanced through the peephole. Her eyes immediately landed on his dark, disheveled hair. He’d turned his back and those broad shoulders were encased in a formfitting tee that made her remember exactly what those hard-packed muscles had felt like beneath her hands.