Truth was he wanted to be the delivery boy. He wanted to see her.
She was digging in the flower bed while Joey played with a small tractor in the grass nearby. He spotted the small folding crib on the front porch.
Dalton’s spirits lifted just seeing her.
“Dalt!” Joey yelled and raced toward him as he got out of the truck.
“Hey, buddy. How’s it going?” Joey put both his fist on his hips and tilted his head back to look up at Dalton. “I got a tractor.”
Dalton chuckled. “That is great. All men need a tractor.”
“Come see.” He grabbed Dalton’s hand and started dragging him toward the yellow tractor sitting in the grass.
“Hi,” he called to Rae Anne as her son pulled him past her.
“Hello.” She smiled and Dalton almost tripped. “Careful. He’s a little forceful sometimes.”
“I can see that.” Dalton was lost on that smile, and the twinkle in her eyes. He’d thought about her for days and realized he’d missed her. Joey tugged hard to try and get him to crouch down forcing Dalton to put his attention on the boy and his tractor and not Rae Anne. Joey snuggled up close to him.
“See. It digs holes. Mama says no holes but it does it anyway.”
Dalton could see Rae Anne biting her lip and his gaze snagged on those lips for a second longer than he had a right to. He yanked his gaze back to Joey. “The tractor digs the holes all by itself?
The boy nodded solemnly. “Mmm-huh. It does.”
“No fibbing, Joey,” Rae Anne called softly and Dalton heard the smile in her admonishment.
Dalton bit back a smile this time and his gaze met the laughter filled eyes of Rae Anne. She stood up and dusted her knees off then her hands. She was getting around a lot better these days. And she looked great. She had curves that he wondered were normal for her or due to just having a baby. Was she normally really thin or was she normally curvy? The fact that he was curious about that was making staying disconnected hard. But he was curious. He liked her curves but then, he figured he’d like Rae Anne any size or shape. And that troubled him even more than anything…because that meant he’d crossed some kind of invisible line. This attraction he felt toward her was getting more and more personal every day.
It didn’t matter if he’d tried his hardest to stay away over the last two weeks and let others step in and help her out. Nope, distance hadn’t dampened his desire to see her in the least.
If anything, absence had made him more attracted to her. He suddenly found himself wanting to tell her what he’d never told anyone, about his past, the pain of feeling responsible for the deaths of a mother and child. The guilt that he’d lived and they hadn’t.
The knowledge that he had a life to live and they no longer did…but why would he tell her? Not for pity, or for sympathy. It was what it was and he had no idea how to cope with it other than as he was. Day by day…in silence.
The best thing he could do for Rae Anne and her family was help them out when he was needed but not let himself get attached. Staying away from them would be preferable but impossible.
“I brought you a crib.” He was thankful that he’d blurted that statement out instead of what he was thinking…that she was about the prettiest woman he’d ever seen.
“Really?” She glanced toward his truck.
“Yeah. Brady is the sheriff in town and he and his wife Dottie run a women’s shelter on their property. They had extras and Dottie heard through the ladies about you and wanted to send it over.”
Her smile faltered. “Oh, I’ll have to thank them. Did you say he’s the sheriff?”
“Yeah, Mule Hollow is really lucky to have the law enforcement we have. There’s not a lot that goes on here but he and his deputies could handle anything that came their way.” He found himself watching her closely on that bit of information–since he’d thrown it out there acting on his hunch that Rae Anne was in trouble.
She nodded. “That’s always a reassuring thing.”
“I think so.” He lowered his tailgate so she could see the brown crib that lay in pieces in the bed of the truck and the small mattress underneath it. “I’ll have to move it inside and put it up in the room. Will that be alright to do now?”
“Yes. Any time that’s good for you.”
She seemed distracted and that made him all the more curious. Had he hit on something?
“Can I help?” Joey asked tugging on Dalton’s jeans leg.
“Sure you can.” Dalton pulled a bag of bolts from the bed. “Carry this inside for me.”
“Sure,” Joey quipped and took the bag.
“Lead the way, buddy,” Dalton said as he picked up the headboard piece of the crib. Rae Anne took the lead and hurrying to the porch she reached down into the crib and picked up Grace and tucked her in the crook of one arm then opened the front door. She stepped back while Joey tromped inside.
“Just put it in the front room. I want her in the same room with me.”
“Sounds good.” He walked past her and followed Joey into the first room down the hallway. The bed was made and though the crib would take up more room than the portable crib had there was going to be plenty of room for it. He made several trips out to his truck for the rest of the pieces of the crib and then brought in the tools he would need. Joey trailed him every step. At three the kid had a determination about him that could mean Rae Anne was going to have her hands full as he grew. But then, just because Dalton had pushed his parents limits didn’t mean this cute little kid was going to do the same to Rae Anne.
“So you want to help me?” he asked as he crouched down and surveyed the different parts of the crib.
“Yes.”
“Yes, sir,” Rae Anne said from the doorway.
“Yes, sir,” Joey repeated in that little voice of his.
Dalton smiled. “Good job, big guy, minding your mama is good.”
“I know.”
At the boys quick response Dalton found his gaze swinging up to Rae Anne’s laughing gaze. She shook her head and mouthed the words, “I’m in trouble.”
Dalton laughed. “We’ve got this if you need to do something else.” The suggestion was as much for himself as for her benefit. With her in the room he was having a hard time keeping his gaze off of her and his thoughts on anything other than her.
“I’ll start supper. And thank you.”
With a mixture of relief and regret he watched her go and then turned his attention back to Joey and the crib.
Later, they surveyed their handy work. The crib was set up and all it needed was sheets and it would be ready for the baby. Joey yawned. The little boy had been a good helper, determined to help until they were almost done and then he’d crawled up onto the regular bed in the room and lay on his stomach and propped his chin in his hands and watched Dalton finish. Now his eyes were heavy and sleep was about to claim him.
Sure enough in the next instant Joey’s head tipped and he was out.
Moving quietly, Dalton gathered up his tools and eased out of the room. He found Rae Anne working in the kitchen. She’d moved the small crib into the living room and he saw the baby was sleeping too.
He stood beside the breakfast bar at the edge of the kitchen. “I’m done and the little cowboy is passed out in there.”
She looked up from where she was mixing up what looked like cornbread. “That’s how he is, goes and goes and then finally just passes out.”
He knew he should leave but his boots weren’t moving.
“Would you like some coffee or tea? Or water? That’s all I have to offer at the moment.”
He saw the clear coffee carafe was half full. “I’d love a cup of coffee.”
She poured the mixture she’d been mixing up into a pan. “Coming right up.” She opened the oven and placed the pan inside then pulled a cup from the cupboard. He noticed there weren’t but a few dishes inside the cabinet.
“Do you want cream?”
“Black.”
&nb
sp; She poured coffee into the mug she’d gotten for him and also the one sitting beside the sink. He moved into the kitchen and his pulse was freaking out like a metal detector that had found gold. She turned unexpectedly and he was too close. The hot cup of coffee hit him square in the chest.
“Oh,” she gasped as her expression turned to one of horror.
He gasped himself as the wet heat seared through his shirt. He immediately grabbed the cloth and held it out from his skin preventing much of the heat to remain touching him.
“I’m so sorry—” Rae Anne dropped the cup in the sink and grabbed a towel from the counter. “Is it scalding you?”
“I’m fine,” he said, as she placed the dishtowel on his chest and began frantically trying to soak up the liquid. Her hands shook as she worked.
“Hey, it’s okay,” he said, closing his hands over hers. They were standing close and she looked up at him with fathomless blue eyes and he was feeling no pain. “The heats gone. I pulled the cloth from my skin.”
Her hands stilled beneath his and her mouth trembled. “Are you sure?”
Oh he was sure. Her hands were soft in his and she smelled faintly of sweet flowers…he started to dip his head, kissing her was suddenly about as essential as the air he breathed. But he caught himself almost the instant the thought hit him and he straightened. “I’m fine. How about we try for that cup of coffee again and I won’t come up behind you and startle you this time.”
Her brows crinkled. “Are you sure?”
“Positive.” He let go of her hands and took a step back–hoping she couldn’t hear the thundering of his heart.
“But your shirt—”
“Will dry.”
She picked the cup back up and rinsed it off then dried it and refilled it with coffee. Carefully she set it on the counter. “There you go. It’s safer that way.”
He chuckled and picked up the cup.
She led the way back out onto the front porch where there was one chair and an old porch swing. She took the swing and he took the chair. Though he wanted more than anything to sit in the swing beside her.
“How’s your car running?” He and Treb, one of the men who worked for the ranch and was good with engines, had gone over the car and fixed a few issues. Surprisingly the water hadn’t done too much damage. Dalton was still scratching his head on that one.
“It’s good, thanks to you.” She sipped her coffee and he did the same.
So many questions swirled in his head. He’d thought of her constantly and though he’d stayed away as much as possible he knew that he probably wasn’t going to be able to keep that up. She had been turning down offers of help since she was getting around better and he wondered how much sleep she was getting. She seemed okay right now but there were a few shadows under her eyes. How tired was she?
And more questions: Did she have any money? Was she hiding from someone?
That question alone had been keeping him up at night. He’d noticed a few things when he’d cleaned out her car and put things out to dry. There was only the bare necessities in that car. Clothes, a box of pictures that thankfully hadn’t gotten wet, and a few other items.
“So, what’s your story, Rae Anne?” he asked after taking a drink of his steaming coffee. It was time to press for answers.
She ran a finger around the lip of her cup and didn’t say anything for a few minutes. “What makes you think there’s a story?”
“I’m not blind and neither is anyone else in town. There’s no moving van bringing your things is there?”
She held his gaze and then, as if deciding it was time, she shook her head. “No. There is no moving van coming.”
Dalton thought he saw trust in her eyes and something told him that she didn’t trust easily.
“Are you in trouble?”
Indecision warred in her expression. “Not at the moment,” she said at last.
He’d known something was wrong. Dalton stood and set his coffee on the small table beside the chair then he moved to lean against the porch railing. “Care to elaborate? I’d like to help.”
She moistened her lips and his gaze shifted there again. Thinking about what kissing Rae Anne would feel like was completely inappropriate at this moment–he yanked his gaze up and found her watching him. What was wrong with him?
“I needed a change.” She looked worried.
“I want to know why a woman who was expecting a baby at any moment loaded up her little boy and whatever her car could carry and headed out to a new town? One she’d never been to and a house she knew very little about? What made you make a decision like that?”
She stood up and walked off the porch. Her shoulders were stiff as she moved away from him. Dalton followed her, worry driving him. “Tell me, Rae Anne? What’s going on? Were you being abused by your husband? Stalked? What are you running from? Tell me and I’ll help you.” “You’ve done enough. I came here to stand on my own two feet and I will.”
Did she think he could walk away and ignore that she was in trouble? He stepped up closer. “Did someone hurt you, Rae Anne?” A ball of anger burned in the pit of his stomach and he found himself wanting to break in half any man who would hurt her.
She swiped fingertips across her forehead. “No. Not like that. Not by lifting a hand to me.”
Relief washed through him like the aftermath of a dissipating tornado. “Then how?”
“Look I need to check on the babies.” She started around him but he grabbed her arm and held firm.
“Rae Anne. You came here to hide. I know it and the only way I can make sure you and the kids are safe is to know what to expect.”
She gaped at him, then jerked her arm. “You can’t protect me from this. No one can. I need to check on my children.”
Too stunned by her refusal and her answer, he let go of her and watched her walk away.
“Wait,” he said at last, stalking after her. “That doesn’t make sense. You’re telling me that something is putting your kids in danger and you won’t confide in me so that I might be able to help you?”
She stopped on the porch. “I’ve already taken up too much of your time. You are not my keeper. You did not make a mess of your life and do not deserve to have to deal with the mess I’ve made of mine. Besides, I think I’m fine here. I really do. So, just let me be your neighbor and stop feeling responsible for me because you rescued me from that flood.”
“I’m not—”
“Yes you are and you know it. You did your amazing and wonderful deed and I appreciate it. But you don’t owe me anything else.”
She turned and hurried into the house and closed the door behind her.
“You have got to be kidding me,” he muttered. He didn’t understand her train of thought at all. Spinning on his boot heals he stalked to his truck and yanked open the door. Slamming himself into the seat he hung a wrist over the steering wheel and stared at her house.
Great. Sure. It was none of his business…that’s what she’d basically told him.
Got it.
He cranked the engine and revved the motor then backed around and headed out the way he’d come.
Message received loud and clear.
Chapter Nine
Rae Anne was shaking when she closed the door. She’d upset him and she knew it. The man had been offering her help and she’d turned him down. Despite the fact that she needed all the help she could get.
He deserved better from her. But…when he’d taken her arm and looked into her eyes her pulse had skyrocketed and her knees had gone weak. And then she’d caught him staring at her lips as if he were thinking about or wanting to kiss her.
Butterflies fluttered and swooped inside her remembering.
She groaned. She could not afford to have that kind of reaction to him. To any man. She had made such bad choices in her life. And despite believing with her whole heart that Dalton Borne was nothing like the other men she’d let into her life, she could not let herself fall into a relationship a
gain. She had two babies and bless poor Joey’s heart he’d already had to live through two mistakes. She couldn’t put him through another one.
But…goodness, she’d never been as drawn to a man as she was to Dalton.
Still, she had two babies and her future would forever be devoted to them from here on forward.
She heard Dalton’s engine roar to life and she moved to the window where she could watch him leave as he pressed the gas and in a cloud of dust headed away from her.
Her heart raced. He had helped her. He didn’t deserve to be treated so badly when all he’d been trying to do was help her.
Did he deserve to know what was going on in her life? Did he deserve to know how foolish she’d been?
She closed her eyes and then hung her head. It still was so embarrassing that she could have fallen for the lies…
Grace started crying as she woke from her nap and Rae Anne jerked her head up, feeling as if somehow she’d been caught letting her guard down.
Hurrying over to her, Rae Anne scooped her baby from the portable crib and she hugged her close.
“It’s going to be okay, little one. It is. Don’t you worry,” she said softly as she paced slowly around the dreary room. Rae Anne knew she was speaking to herself.
Now if she could just believe the words.
Dalton watched the calf run from the herd and with the flick of his wrist he sent the rope flying. It sailed through the air, and looped over the calf’s head. Dalton’s horse planted his feet and started backing up while he wrapped his end of the rope on the saddle horn. The grandstands full of people erupted with applause and shouts of excitement as he catapulted from the saddle, raced to the calf and in a few swift movements had the calf on its side with three legs tied. He lifted his hands in the air, signaling the time’s final count and then he stood. More cheers erupted from the stands and he realized he’d won the event.
Dalton: Contemporary Western Romance (New Horizon Ranch: Mule Hollow Book 5) Page 6
