by Cindy Kirk
* * *
The reception was in full swing, the dance floor was crowded and Shannon still hadn’t crossed paths with Oliver. But she’d connected with almost everyone else in the entire county.
She’d even done her part by helping Gabi’s four brothers, Matteo, Cisco, Alejandro and Joaquin, feel welcome by introducing them to all the single women she knew.
They were a good-looking bunch who had all the women swooning. Moments earlier she’d been leaving the dance floor with Cisco when they’d run into Delaney Fortune. She’d introduced the two, then hurriedly excused herself. She’d promised Galen Fortune the next dance.
She’d known Galen since childhood. He was her buddy. Because there was only friendship between them, spending time with him was always easy and comfortable.
“You’re a good dancer,” she told Galen. “How is it that I didn’t know that about you?”
He maneuvered her around the crowded dance floor with quick, sure steps. “Another one of my many hidden talents.”
Shannon smiled and caught sight of Oliver speaking with his mother at the edge of the dance floor. She waved but he disappeared from view when Galen spun her around.
“It’s kind of weird, isn’t it?” Shannon said, relaxing in his arms.
“What is?”
Her lips twisted in a wry smile. “Being single when everyone around you is getting married.”
Galen’s brows pulled together. “Some just aren’t lucky enough to find the right person. Me, I’d rather stay single than settle.”
“Me, too,” Shannon said, relieved to hear she wasn’t the only one who felt that way. “I can’t imagine anything worse than—”
“May I cut in?”
A thrill ran down Shannon’s spine. Oliver wanted to dance with her.
Galen stepped back. “Thanks for the dance, Shannon.”
She smiled warmly at him. “Any time.”
Before she could catch her breath, she was in Oliver’s arms. She loved the way he smelled, a woodsy mixture of cologne and soap and maleness that had heat percolating low in her belly. She let the intoxicating scent wrap around her.
“You two looked quite friendly.”
“Galen? We’re buddies from way back.”
“Did you ever date?”
“No.” Shannon laughed. “He’s like another brother.”
Was it only her imagination, or did Oliver’s shoulders relax slightly?
“Have you enjoyed the festivities?” he asked.
“It’s been fun. I’ve danced a lot.”
“I noticed. You seemed to have developed a particular affinity for Gabi’s brothers.”
“They’re nice guys.” She lowered her voice. “The women all think they’re incredibly hot.”
He stared at her for a long moment. “What about you?”
She wasn’t sure what made her be so bold, but she let her fingers caress his neck. “Let’s just say I prefer a different type of man.”
His eyes darkened to stormy pools of blue and he surprised them both when his hand flattened against her lower back, drawing her up against the length of his body.
He held her so close she could feel the evidence of his desire against her belly. The hardness ignited the flame that had been simmering inside her for days.
Slow it down, she told herself. It might simply be the romance in the air that was causing him to react to her this way.
But she had to admit, whatever the reason, she liked having him stare at her with such blatant hunger in his gaze.
“My brother thinks you’re hot,” he murmured, twining strands of her hair loosely around his fingers.
It took Shannon a second to find her voice. “He—he’s not my type, either.”
“Who is your type, Shannon?” he asked in a husky voice.
There was a beat of silence. “I believe you know the answer to that question, Oliver.”
Even as his mouth relaxed into a slight smile, he tightened his hold.
Shannon sighed with pure pleasure. Dancing with Oliver, being held so firmly in his strong, capable arms, was all she wanted, all she needed. Forget Galen and Brodie. Forget the Mendoza brothers.
Forget our agreement.
Shannon opened her mouth to tell him she’d been wrong to insist things stay strictly business. But as they dipped and swayed to the romantic melody, she found it impossible to think, much less speak. The world around her disappeared and all she knew was they fit together perfectly and she was right where she wanted to be...
Reluctant to give up the intimacy, she lost herself in the music, drifting on a cloud of pure pleasure until the jarring ring of his cell phone shattered the moment.
Shannon lifted her head as he slipped the phone from his pocket and glanced at the readout.
“Working on a Saturday night?” she teased.
“It’s your parents’ number.”
Her breath caught, then began again. They wouldn’t call unless it was important. A jolt of uneasiness went through her.
Oliver pressed the phone against his ear and talked with her mother as he maneuvered them to the far edge of the dance floor, where it wasn’t so noisy.
“How high?” His mouth tightened into a grim line. “I’ll be right there.”
“What’s wrong?”
Shadows played in his eyes, making them unreadable.
“Ollie has a fever. One hundred and three.” His brows knit together as he calculated. “Thirty-nine point four Celsius.”
“Fevers that high aren’t uncommon in a child his age.”
“I can’t stay.” His gaze darted to the exit. “I can have one of my family members take you home.”
“No need.” Shannon snatched her bag up from the table where she’d left it earlier. “I’m going with you.”
Chapter Thirteen
Oliver unbuckled Ollie from the car seat and carried him into the house, his strides so long and quick that Shannon had to run to keep pace. Once inside, he flipped on the lights with one hand and sat the boy down on the sofa. Barnaby immediately jumped up to sit beside him.
“Let the dog be,” she told Oliver when his arm moved to swipe the animal off the sofa.
Confusion turned to understanding when the boy wrapped his arms around the corgi, resting his head against the dog’s soft fur.
“I’ll get the thermometer so we can recheck his temperature,” Shannon told Oliver. Thankfully, after a recent trip to the store, she’d stocked the medicine chest in the bathroom with all the necessities. “Mom gave him some acetaminophen before we got there so it should start coming down.”
“Stop,” Oliver ordered, pushing up from the sofa. “You sit here with Ollie. He needs someone to comfort him.”
Shannon moved to the sofa. She didn’t argue, though she could make a good case that it should be his daddy comforting him rather than a relatively new nanny. But Ollie had taken to her from the start and now, even as she took Oliver’s spot on the sofa, the child cuddled against her.
In less than a minute, Oliver returned with the temporal scanner. Shannon talked him through how to use it. A lethargic Ollie only whimpered.
Some of the grimness around Oliver’s mouth eased at the readout. “One hundred and one.”
Shannon exhaled the breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. “Better.”
She brushed Ollie’s hair back from his face and Barnaby licked her hand. The boy’s eyes were closed now and his respirations were easy and regular.
“He’s asleep,” Shannon spoke softly, her voice barely above a whisper. She glanced up at Oliver. “Think we should try to put him in the crib?”
“Let’s give it a few more minutes.” Oliver sat on the other side of Ollie and the dog. His gaze lingered
on her dress, a bunch of lace clutched between Ollie’s fingers. “You can take my car if you’d like to return to the reception.”
“Are you crazy? I’m not leaving Ollie.”
Or you, she thought. His son’s unexpected fever had clearly shaken Oliver.
Shannon brushed back a lock of Ollie’s soft brown hair. Tears stung the backs of her eyes. Oliver wasn’t the only one who’d been shaken. With his eyes closed and his skin so pale, Ollie looked so little, so defenseless.
“Children are such a responsibility,” Oliver said quietly as he gazed at his sleeping child.
“And such a joy.” Her heart rose to her throat. Shannon realized she wasn’t halfway in love with Ollie. She was totally in love with the little guy.
“You like children.” Oliver’s gaze never left hers. “The first time I saw you interact with him, I knew.”
She nodded, feeling oddly embarrassed by the blatant admiration in his eyes.
“I’ve always loved children,” she admitted. “Do you know when I was a little girl, I told my parents I wanted half a dozen kids when I grew up? Truth is, I’d still like a whole houseful.”
As she’d hoped, the statement distracted Oliver from his worry. His eyes widened. “Seriously?”
“Yep.” Shannon gave a little laugh, then lowered her voice to a confidential whisper. “Let’s keep that our secret. Something like that gets out and any potential suitors will run screaming away into the night, never to be seen again.”
He gave her a dubious glance. “You’re kidding.”
“I wish I were. Let me give you an example.” Shannon shifted slightly and repositioned Ollie in her lap. “I dated this guy when I lived in Lubbock. We had fun together. Things were going well, until the subject of children came up. One night I said to him what I just said to you. You’d have thought I’d exploded a grenade under him.”
Oliver cocked his head, his eyes bright with interest.
“His reaction made more sense when he told me he wasn’t sure he even wanted kids...ever.” Shannon expelled a breath and shook her head. “He called me once after that, but it was over. Now, if a guy asks, I just say I like children and hope to have a couple someday.”
Oliver rubbed his chin. “Why not be honest?”
“I am being honest. I do like children. I do hope to have a couple. But having more would need to be something my husband wanted, too.” Shannon gave a little laugh. “I have my doubts that I’ll find any man who wants six.”
“My mother had six,” Oliver reminded her.
“Mine had five,” Shannon said. “But I think things were different back then. Big families were more the norm.”
“I don’t know how they did it.” Oliver glanced at his son. “Being a parent is exhausting.”
“You even have household help,” she pointed out.
“It’s not only the physical care,” Oliver said, almost to himself. “I’m organized and disciplined. Though I certainly don’t know how I’d do it without a nanny and a housekeeper. But...”
He paused for a long moment then continued.
“Being a parent makes me feel vulnerable in ways I don’t particularly like.” His gaze lingered on his son. She saw the love in his eyes...and the fear. “I never thought I was capable of loving so deeply. It would kill me to lose him.”
How had she ever thought Oliver was a cold fish or that Ollie was simply an obligation?
“That’s the downside of caring for someone,” Shannon said solemnly. “It makes you vulnerable. My grandmother used to say love isn’t for the faint of heart.”
She wasn’t sure how the phrase translated into Britspeak, but from the look that crossed his face he got the gist.
“It can be frightening to have such intense feelings.” Oliver raked a hand through his hair. “Especially when you aren’t certain if the other person feels the same way.”
Shannon was fully prepared to tell him Ollie wouldn’t go to him so easily or let himself be comforted if there wasn’t love and trust between them.
Then Shannon realized his gaze wasn’t on his son, but on her. It wasn’t Ollie’s feelings he was wondering about, but hers. The knowledge gave her a subtle, pleasurable jolt.
She dropped her gaze to the boy, feeling warmth rise up her neck. “I think we can put him to bed now.”
“Let me.” Oliver rose, then bent over and carefully lifted his son from the sofa.
A second later, Barnaby hopped off the sofa, hitting the floor with a thud.
“While you get Ollie settled,” Shannon said in a low tone, “I’ll take Barnaby outside.”
Oliver’s brows drew together. “Stay close to the house and in the light. I heard howling out there.”
“Coyotes.” Her tone was matter-of-fact. The animals were a fact of life in the area. “They normally don’t venture close to the house, especially when the floodlights are on.
“C’mon, Barnaby.” She started toward the door, the dog padding behind her.
“Shannon.”
She turned, raised a brow.
“Wait a minute. Once I get Ollie settled, we can take Barnaby out together.”
“Sure. That’ll work.” Shannon didn’t mind waiting.
Not because she was some wussy who couldn’t stand being in the dark by herself, or because she was fearful of a few coyotes. But because it’d be nice to have the company. Especially on such a beautiful night when the moon was full and a plethora of stars filled the clear night sky.
Instead of remaining in the living room, Shannon followed Oliver into Ollie’s room. She turned on the Mickey Mouse night-light and removed the stuffed animals from the crib.
Oliver laid the boy down, removing his jeans, shoes and socks with now well-practiced movements, leaving the child clad only in a T-shirt and diaper.
After checking the diaper, Oliver looked up. “Dry.”
“Good. I know my mom said she’d changed him right before we got there, but still—”
“A soggy nappy would have awakened him for sure.”
“Right. And what he needs right now is uninterrupted rest.” After checking his temperature one last time, Oliver motioned Shannon out of the room.
“It’s down another degree,” Oliver confided, relief etched on his face.
“Good.” Shannon squeezed his hand.
After they were a safe distance down the hall, Shannon turned to the dog. “It’s time, Barnaby. Let’s go outside.”
The dog emitted a low woof and sped to the back door, his short legs moving surprisingly fast.
But speed disappeared once Barnaby was outside. The corgi took his time sniffing every bush and tree in the area. Though the night air had a bit of a bite, Shannon wasn’t cold. Oliver stood beside her on the bricked patio and heat rolled off him in waves.
“I want to kiss you,” he surprised her by saying as the silence lengthened.
Her stomach felt as if it had dropped three feet straight down.
“Then why don’t you?” Even though her heart raced wildly, she spoke in the same matter-of-fact tone he’d used.
Oliver studied her for several seconds before he spoke, his steady gaze shooting tingles down her spine. “We have an agreement.”
“I release you from that agreement,” she said in a solemn tone. If she’d had a magic wand, she’d have tapped his shoulder for good measure.
Oliver shook his head. “You’re still my employee.”
Her heartbeat hitched. “I’m not.”
“Unfortunately you are.” He expelled a heavy breath but didn’t take a step away. Instead Oliver moved closer.
Shannon recognized the signs. He was waiting, hoping, for her to convince him. Lifting her chin, she shook her head slowly from side to side, a tiny smile lifting the corners of
her mouth. “You may be the one who signs my paycheck, but actually I work for Ollie.”
For a second those blue eyes were simply astonished. “Ollie is a child. You can’t work for him.”
“I beg to differ.” Her voice had taken on a playful edge. “He’s my focus. So, technically I work for him.”
“Let’s say I accept that premise, which by the way is quite a stretch of logic. It doesn’t negate the fact that if we begin an affair...”
Shannon held herself very still, firmly ignoring the unsettling flutter his words caused in her midsection.
“I thought we were talking about a kiss,” she said with a studied nonchalance that deserved an acting award.
The look he shot her fried every brain cell she possessed, and then some. “We both know where one kiss will lead.”
Yes, and Shannon wanted him so desperately it was a wonder she hadn’t ripped his clothes off before now.
Not sure of the steadiness of her voice, Shannon settled for a jerky nod.
“This—” He paused, as if searching for the words. “Whatever happens would be a temporary thing.”
Her heart performed another series of flutters. When she opened her mouth to say she didn’t care, to say—
“I’m not looking for a relationship.” She saw a flicker of challenge in his eyes. “And I won’t be in Horseback Hollow that much longer.”
Even with shadows playing in his eyes, making them difficult to read, she swore she saw regret lurking there. Nonetheless, his words were clear. He’d spelled it out, leaving no room for fanciful thoughts of happily-ever-after.
Though Shannon had grown up in a traditional home and had been taught intimacy was only coupled with love, and then only after marriage, this was her life and her decision.
She cared deeply for Oliver, she respected him and she was physically attracted to him in a major way. What would be the harm in stealing some moments of pleasure? Especially if they both went into an affair with eyes wide open.
Apparently misunderstanding her hesitation, Oliver reached over and squeezed her hand. His voice was soft, reaching inside her to a raw, tender place. “Refraining is the wisest course of action.”
Yet, at his simple touch, sensation licked up her arm, down her breasts and on down to pool between her thighs. Heat simmered in the night air.
