A Ranch Called Home

by Candy Halliday

  At first, he’d hoped the card game in the bunkhouse would be the perfect diversion for the growing physical attraction he was feeling for Sara. But he’d taken such a hard ribbing from his ranch hands about the strip poker they’d be playing if they had a pretty new wife like Sara, he’d given up on that idea.

  Not that he could really blame his rowdy hands for thinking he was fifty kinds of crazy. Hell, all of them were already half in love with Sara. Even Smitty liked her, though he’d yet to admit it.

  And that’s what had Gabe so confused.

  He’d expected to have a mutiny on his hands. Not a bunch of lovesick cowpokes.

  Yet, when Gabe thought about it, who could really blame the guys for being smitten with Sara? She had a pinup-model figure, sure. But it was more than that.

  Maybe the dresses she wore were part of it. She always looked so feminine: her dark hair swept up on top of her head, a few stray tendrils caressing her neck; an apron tied around her tiny waist; the long skirts of her dresses only allowing a peek at an ankle now and then.

  She was sexy as hell.

  But she was also as wholesome as motherhood, apple pie and “The Star-Spangled Banner” all rolled into one. And what cowboy had ever been able to resist a combination like that one?

  None Gabe knew of.

  He’d also been amazed by the way she’d taken over the household with such ease. Everything from one end of the house to the other had been spit-shined and polished to the point that he, Smitty and the rest of the hands were checking to make sure their boots were clean before they entered the house.

  And who would have ever expected that to happen?

  Not to mention the fact Sara was a pure genius in the kitchen. The meals she placed before them were so delectable the general conversation around the ranch had changed from what needed to be done on the 15,000 acres they were trying to maintain, to what Sara might be serving for supper that evening.

  But the thing that impressed Gabe about Sara most was the tenderness she openly exhibited toward her son. Watching Sara lovingly smooth Ben’s hair back from his forehead for a kiss, and seeing her cuddle Ben in her lap for a hug, brought back childhood memories of Gabe’s own mother. Thinking of his mother made Gabe realize that for the first time in fifteen long years he had clean clothes in his closet, fresh linens on his bed and a full stomach when the sun went down.

  Gabe didn’t know what more a man could want.

  Or did he?

  He left the truck, cursing himself for allowing Sara to invade his thoughts even one second longer. He was losing his edge. Letting his mind wander where it shouldn’t. Acting like some giddy teenager experiencing his first stupid crush.

  He was smarter than that.

  Stronger than that.

  He had a ranch to run, dammit.

  With that thought in mind Gabe headed for the back porch and entered through the kitchen where the rear stairs would take him to the second floor and his own bedroom. To his relief, other than the ticking of his mother’s old grandfather clock, the house was quiet.

  He reached his bedroom door without interruption. A sudden urge sent him down the hallway to check on his nephew—the same way he’d always checked in on Billy before he turned in himself.

  The bedroom door next to his was slightly ajar. Gabe paused.

  The room was dark, leading him to believe Sara was already asleep. But when he reached out to gently pull the door shut, moonlight streaming through the bedroom window allowed Gabe a quick glimpse inside the room.

  The second he saw her, time jerked to a stop.

  She was standing in the middle of the room with her back to the door, silently going through one of her yoga routines he’d overheard her tell Smitty helped her relax after a long, tiring day. Moonlight captured her poised silhouette, giving Gabe a mouthwatering view of her exquisite body through the thin material of the nightgown she wore.

  But it was her hair that affected Gabe most.

  Finally, he had his answer.

  Her hair tumbled down her back in a wave of silky sable, past her waist, stopping just below her hips. He watched for almost a full minute, unable to tear his eyes away from her graceful movements until visions of her naked body hovering over his, that long hair brushing across his face, stirred more than Gabe’s interest.

  Ashamed for spying, Gabe stepped back from the door.

  Anger quickly replaced his guilt.

  How Sara had the ability to turn him completely inside out was something he couldn’t explain. He’d expected to have more self-control. But all reason went right out the window every time he looked at her. Especially when she sent him one of those damn wide-eyed looks.

  Hell, maybe that’s it!

  Gabe frowned as he walked down the hallway.

  It’s her wide-eyed innocence that makes me so crazy.

  And Sara had been completely innocent.

  Not once in the three weeks since she’d been under his roof had she treated him with anything but the same respect he’d tried to show her. And never once had she given him the slightest indication that she could be even remotely attracted to a man like him.

  Forget her! Gabe told himself and opened Ben’s door. The tiny form snuggled beneath the covers caused old memories to surface. He’d only been seven years older than his brother, but he’d always felt this same protective feeling toward Billy.

  Gabe listened long enough to hear the sound of Ben’s even breathing before he eased the door shut. He had just started down the hallway when Sara appeared.

  “Gabe?” she whispered.

  Gabe’s mouth went dry.

  Again, moonlight from her open bedroom door played havoc with his emotions. Bathed in the silvery light, her creamy shoulders were bare except for the thin straps of her nightgown. And though she crossed her arms in an attempt to cover herself, her actions only made Gabe more aware of the tantalizing cleavage she couldn’t quite hide.

  “I was just checking on Ben,” Gabe whispered.

  “Thanks for doing that,” she said as he approached. “I left my door open so I could hear Ben if he needed me.”

  She didn’t move until he was almost close enough to touch her. And he might have done just that had she not stepped inside the safety of her bedroom at the precise second he reached her bedroom door.

  “Sleep well,” she said as she shut her door.

  Yeah, right! There wasn’t a chance in hell he’d sleep at all now.

  And that’s why he had to stop running from the situation and face it head-on. No more late-night drives. No more doubting his ability to handle the situation.

  He could do this.

  It was time to cowboy up and deal.

  Just like he’d always done.

  CHAPTER TEN

  SARA PUT AWAY the last of Ben’s toys in the den, turned out the light and headed toward the front staircase. She paused when she saw the light coming from Gabe’s office. He’d surprised her all week by staying home every night, making Sara suspect a lover’s spat.

  Pressure from Ronnie, no doubt. Insisting Gabe put an end to his phony marriage.

  And after her first full month on the ranch, even Sara was beginning to think putting an end to their marriage might be the wise thing to do. At least where she and Gabe were concerned.

  Oh, they’d managed to tiptoe around each other. They’d been overly polite. They’d even managed to pretend they weren’t two healthy adults in a most uncomfortable situation.

  But they were two healthy adults.

  And Sara hadn’t missed the desire she’d seen in his eyes the night they’d run into each other in the hallway when Gabe was checking on Ben.

  Run while you still can, her gut instinct told her.

  Sara would have done that, if, like always, Ben wasn’t her main concern. But in one short month, she’d watched her five-year-old transform into a little-boy version of the other men on the ranch, complete with a closet full of western clothing Smitty had brought home shortl
y after their arrival.

  “Now don’t throw a fit,” Smitty had told her rather condescendingly when he handed Ben the packages. “The boy needs proper clothing if he’s gonna tag around the ranch after me. Them shorty pants you put on him ain’t gonna protect his legs while he’s learning to ride. And them tennis shoes sure won’t protect Ben’s feet if he gets too close to a horse’s hoof.”

  Ben had been so delighted with his new clothes—his cowboy hat and his boots—Sara hadn’t seen the point in arguing. Especially when Smitty educated her further by pointing out that tailored western-style shirts wouldn’t hang up on fence posts like Ben’s assortment of loose-fitting T-shirts, and that the string on Ben’s new cowboy hat was there for a reason.

  “Ain’t got time to chase that baseball cap of Ben’s all over the corral,” Smitty had said with a snort. “The boy needs a good hat that’ll stay on his head and keep the sun out of his eyes.”

  Of course, the clothing had been one of the many concessions Sara found herself making where Ben was concerned. Although Gabe had asked her permission first, Ben now had his very own pony. Ben had promptly named the pony Lightning to go along with his toy horse Thunder.

  And since last week, Sara had pretended she wasn’t aware that Smitty was helping Ben sneak one of Bess’s pups up to Ben’s room every night after she delivered her final good-night kiss. Even Bandit seemed to be in on the conspiracy. Not once had Sara heard the slightest whimper out of the small fur ball. Even when she went into Ben’s bedroom during the night to adjust his covers, the only telltale sign that the pup was in the room was a tiny black nose that sometimes poked out from beneath Ben’s bed.

  So no, running like hell wasn’t an option.

  At least not yet.

  Sara took a deep breath and turned toward the stairs. She was already rehearsing the casual good-night she planned to offer when she passed Gabe’s office doorway. She had the word on the tip of her tongue when Gabe called out her name.

  “Got a minute?”

  Forcing a smile, Sara entered his office. She took a seat when Gabe motioned to the chair in front of his desk.

  He slid an envelope across his desk in her direction and smiled. “I only do payroll once a month,” he said. “The check inside belongs to you. The ten-dollar bill is Ben’s allowance. I made the mistake of telling Ben I got a monthly allowance when I was a kid. He hasn’t let me forget that.”

  Sara stared at the envelope, but she made no attempt to pick it up.

  “I’m not sure I understand,” Sara told him. “About the check, I mean. Not about Ben’s allowance.”

  “Family tradition,” Gabe told her. “My mother was of the opinion that she worked as hard as any man on the ranch and she expected a paycheck once a month like everyone else. You’ve done a remarkable job making this place livable again, Sara. If anyone deserves a paycheck for what they do around here, it’s you.”

  “Thank you.”

  She picked up the envelope, but she didn’t open it. She stuffed it into the front pocket of her dress, amazed once again over Gabe’s generosity. The week after they arrived, he’d purchased a new Jeep Cherokee and had given her the keys as her own means of transportation. She’d only driven it once into town—the result of another generous offer from Gabe. He’d called ahead and arranged for his personal banker to assist her in setting up her own bank account so she could deposit the money she’d been able to save in Conrad into an interest-bearing account. He’d also handed her a credit card when she’d pointed out that many of the draperies and most of the towels and the bedding in the house needed to he replaced. She’d made those purchases online on Gabe’s computer, since the nearest shopping mall was over one hundred miles away in Grand Junction.

  Offering her access to his computer had also allowed her to e-mail Annie and Dessie at least once a week to keep in touch. She was always careful to keep that correspondence focused strictly on Ben and how well he was doing on the ranch. Not that she thought Gabe would stoop so low as to read her e-mail. But as life had often taught her, it never hurt to stay on the safe side.

  At every turn, Gabe had gone out of his way to provide her with everything she and Ben needed to transition smoothly into their new lives on the ranch. So why did she still feel so uncomfortable in this man’s presence?

  Sara glanced in his direction again.

  He was settled comfortably back in his chair with a booted foot propped casually on one knee. And that’s when Sara realized her heart knew the answer about why she was always so nervous in Gabe’s presence whether she was willing to admit it or not.

  Gabe totally captivated her.

  Just looking at him now made Sara’s pulse quicken and her heart pound. And when his blue eyes suddenly met hers, the intense look he gave her affected Sara as deeply as a sensuous caress against her bare flesh.

  “How do you think Ben’s doing?” he asked, snapping Sara’s thoughts back to the conversation. “Do you think he’s adjusting to the ranch okay?”

  Sara laughed. “The way you and Smitty spoil the child? How could Ben not like it here?”

  He laughed along with her. “Ben’s quite a kid,” he said, his expression displaying the obvious affection he felt for her son. “And what about you? How are you adjusting to life here?”

  Sara blinked at his question.

  She and Gabe had daily discussions about everything from Ben’s activities to household purchases and problems, but he always caught her off guard when he pointedly asked about her. She started to tell him she’d never been happier. Until the thought crossed her mind that might not be the answer Gabe wanted. That, instead, maybe he was hoping she would say ranch life didn’t suit her at all—that she was even considering leaving Ben at the ranch and starting a new life on her own.

  After all, wasn’t that what Gabe said he wanted that day at the jail? For her to take Billy’s insurance money and start a new life, but to leave Ben with him?

  “Is there a problem?” Sara asked, automatically taking the defensive.

  He looked at her funny. “No,” he said, “there isn’t a problem at all. As far as I’m concerned, things couldn’t be working out any better. I was just worried you might be bored stuck out here in the middle of nowhere.”

  “I have an active five-year-old, and more than enough to keep me busy around here, Gabe. I don’t have time to be bored.”

  He nodded, absently tapping his pencil against his desk blotter. “I realize that, Sara, but you aren’t a slave to this ranch seven days a week. Feel free to take time off for yourself whenever you want.”

  “Thanks, I will,” Sara said.

  He kept impaling her with long, searching looks.

  Sara stood, eager to end their meeting. Being in the room alone with him already had her mind wandering into dangerous territory. But he seemed to have something else on his mind. And as those blue eyes covered her face again, Sara wondered if her growing feelings for him were so transparent Gabe might be picking up on the fact that it was all she could do to keep from taking him by the hand and leading him upstairs to her bedroom to fulfill the fantasies she had about him when she was alone.

  She needed to get out of there. Now.

  “Well, if there isn’t anything else, I think I’ll go to bed,” Sara said, practically sprinting for the door.

  “There is one more thing.”

  Bracing herself, Sara turned.

  “Saturday is the Fourth of July,” he said, “and Smitty and the boys and I are always invited over to celebrate with our nearest neighbors Joe and Betsy Graham.”

  “And you want Ben to go with you?” Sara asked, assuming that was the next question.

  “Actually,” he said, “I was thinking about giving Betsy a break from being hostess this year and inviting the Grahams over here.”

  “Here?” Sara echoed.

  “I wanted to ask you first, of course,” he added quickly. “I realize there will be extra cooking involved on your part if we celebrate here.
But you can count on Betsy to bring over enough food to feed an army.”

  Sara chewed nervously at her bottom lip. Could she handle this? Taking care of the ranch hands was one thing, but neighbors? That was something very different.

  She finally said, “The Grahams are your friends and this is your house, Gabe. You don’t need my permission to invite them over whenever you want.”

  His expression turned serious. “I realize that, Sara. But I was hoping this was beginning to feel like your home, too, not someplace you’re just passing through.”

  Sara flinched at his comment.

  She’d spent a lifetime just passing through. She wanted to believe things were going to be different in Redstone. That she and Ben could put down roots. And that Gabe’s friends would accept them, as he claimed.

  But what she didn’t want was to explain any of that to Gabe. At least, not yet. They’d only survived one month living together as a family. It was much too soon to let down her guard.

  He could still change his mind and ask them to leave.

  And so, Sara said, “I’ll start making arrangements tomorrow and put together a menu for Saturday.”

  She was trying not to sound as nervous as she felt about meeting Gabe’s friends. But a dozen questions were already running through Sara’s mind. How much did the Grahams know? Did they realize the marriage was in name only? Or were they expecting to find happy newlyweds waiting to greet them?

  It was on the tip of Sara’s tongue to ask.

  But Gabe saved her the trouble when he said, “You don’t have to worry about meeting Joe and Betsy, Sara. They’re good people and they have a son Ben’s age. Junior will be in Ben’s kindergarten class. I think it will be good for Ben if he meets a friend before school starts.”

  Good for Ben.

  Three little words.

  But those three words put Sara firmly in her place.