Aaron dismounted at the foot of the steps before answering. He folded his arms over the saddle to stare up at her from under the rim of his cowboy hat. “Nah. My great-granddad built it and brought his bride here until he could build her the hacienda.”
Trish looked at the ramshackle shack with new eyes. A gift for a bride. Suddenly, the one-room building took on the aspects of a romantic haven. She could picture Aaron carrying her across the threshold to their bed. He would spend hours re-learning her body and she… had no business fantasizing about something better left in the past. She shook her head, cheeks heating. “It must have been hard back then, a young bride in the back of beyond.”
He straightened, an indefinable look passing between them. “Too much for you, princess?”
She frowned. “This isn’t about me, but if you must know, yes. I would find it difficult to live as they did.” Her horse sidestepped, picking up on the increased tension, and Aaron ducked under his horse’s neck to grasp the bridle. He probably didn’t want to rescue her again. “I like my amenities.”
He took his time tying the reins to the porch railing before turning to help her from the saddle. The moment his hands clasped her waist, air filled her lungs like twin balloons, not releasing until she had her feet on the ground and could take some much-needed steps away. “Th… thank you,” she stuttered, suddenly realizing just how alone they were. “Are you going to show me the inside?” She nodded toward the house, though the thought of entering the cabin and maybe seeing the bed made her stomach flutter.
Then he shook his head and she had to deal with the disappointment. “No time today—the dance, remember? Besides, it’s tradition to bring Shaughnessy brides here and that’s not going to be you, is it?”
The bitterness in his voice reminded her of all that had gone wrong in their relationship. A series of misunderstandings she could never rectify—didn’t even know how to start. It was too late for them. All she could do was some damage control in the form of curtailing her father’s activities and introducing Aaron to his daughter. The reason they were here today.
She drew her phone from her pocket and was dismayed to see only one bar. “Is there a place I can get better reception?” She glanced up in time to register the disgust on Aaron’s face. “I need to make this call.” He’d understand in a moment—if she could gain a connection.
“Yeah, sure, whatever. Try from up on the porch. Matt installed some new signal towers after he and Cassandra got stranded here, but it’s still tough because of the canyon walls.”
He started to walk away—to give her privacy, presumably—and she called him back. “Don’t go; this concerns you as well.” He hesitated, then climbed the stairs to wait near the door. Now that she was about to take this first step, her heart raced, and her palms were so clammy she could barely hang onto the phone. Aaron’s presence hung over her, casting a pall on what was normally an uplifting call. Then Sarah answered on video call and she thrust him to the back of her mind, excited to see her baby.
“Hi, I thought I’d miss you today. Sorry I’m late,” she said. “How is everything going?”
Sarah turned the camera to span the disaster zone that was her living room. “Good. I think we have the next generation of designers here. They’ve totally redecorated the house.” She laughed in good humor. “And what about you? Did you mend any bridges with that cowboy of yours?”
“Shh,” Trish whispered, throwing an embarrassed glance over her shoulder. Aaron cocked an eyebrow. Damn, he looked fine in jeans. She turned her back on him. “Umm, that’s sort of why I’m calling. Is Madeline awake?”
The sparkle faded from Sarah’s eyes. “Are you sure about this?”
Surprisingly, she was. “It’s time,” she said.
Sarah nodded. “For what it’s worth, I think you’re making the right decision. Hang on, I’ll go track down your bundle of joy.”
Trish swallowed over the lump in her throat and turned to Aaron. “Ready to meet your daughter?”
Aaron’s thoughts scattered. He’d been leaning against the wall, enjoying the view of Trish’s butt in a pair of skintight blue jeans, her long blond hair damn near reaching the small of her back, when she spoke the words he’d dreamed of hearing. Meet your daughter. For a moment he couldn’t move for fear of his legs giving out, but anticipation gave him the strength to join Trish and accept the cell phone with a view of… the ceiling?
“Sarah will be right back,” she said from the region of his elbow. “She just went to track the monkey down.”
The love in her voice brought an ache to his chest. Did he have the right to disrupt their lives this way? Maybe it would be better if he stayed in the shadows—the father who never shows up for recitals or birthdays, but always sends a gift. Yeah, he could do that. It would break his heart, but he could do it. He would.
He tried to hand Trish the phone. “I can’t,” he said. “You talk to her. She’ll want to see her mother.”
She cocked her head and stared at him until he could practically feel her burrowing into his psyche. “What?” he snapped. “I’m not ready, okay?” He couldn’t help it, his gaze kept returning to the phone as though his daughter was stretching through the air waves to reach him.
“You never asked why I had Madeline early,” Trish said softly. Everything inside of him tightened at the bleak look that came into her eyes. “I was having bad headaches and abdominal pain, so I made an appointment with the prenatal doctor. After some tests they found I had developed a condition called Preeclampsia. I had to rest, drink water, see the doctor more often.” Her smile was heartbreaking. “None of it helped. The placenta wasn’t getting enough blood. I was basically starving our child.”
Aaron couldn’t bear the pain she carried like a lead weight on her shoulders. He should have been there. It stung that he hadn’t, but now was not the time for recriminations. He set the phone on the railing and gathered her into his arms, ignoring how right it felt. “What happened? I mean she’s here, so you obviously came through it without any ill effects, right?” Please God, and all that is holy.
She gazed up at him with moist eyes. “The doctor decided it would be best to induce labor. Madeline was born at thirty-six weeks. She was diagnosed with RDS—respiratory distress syndrome—and admitted into NICU for a couple of weeks. I was so scared, Aaron. I wanted to call you every day.”
He stared down at the woman he’d thought he knew better than himself at one time and tried not to lose his shit. They could have died. While he’d been home licking his wounds and acting like a spoiled kid who’d had his favorite toy taken away, she’d been fighting for the life of her child. It was hard to compute. Why hadn’t she phoned him? She must know he would have followed her to the ends of the earth, he’d been that far gone on her.
“Why didn’t you call me?” he asked, his voice hoarse.
Her lashes dropped, creating an impregnable wall between them. “I’d ended our relationship so abruptly; I didn’t think you’d ever want to see me again.”
He hadn’t, not at first. But then the questions started; why did she leave without explanation? Was it something he’d done wrong? He’d been too angry and proud to go after her—and now he wished with all his heart he had. He tipped her chin so he could look at her precious features. “Babe, whatever else that happens between us, I will always… always be there if you or Madeline needs me. Okay?”
Her beautiful sea-green eyes opened and her lips parted on an answering okay, and he was lost. Swooping, his mouth closed over hers. The taste and feel made him weak and superhero strong all at the same time. He cradled her face, angling his head for a deeper connection. Hunger and need competed with longing and the urge to protect this woman from anyone who threatened her—even himself. Mine. He had no right to feel this way, but there it was; all the days and months without her dissolving under the tsunami of sensations she’d released in his chest. Life-changing. A groan escaped, maybe hers, maybe his. Her hands were everywhere, cl
utching his hair, clenching his shoulders, clawing his back. Claiming him even as he sought to brand her with his kisses.
He leaned back to admire her heaving breasts, the dark tumult of her eyes—emerald deep now and swimming with desire—the lush pink fullness of her lips. He’d done that. His chest swelled even as his body hardened. He ached to walk her through the door to the cabin and take her on the deep feather mattress covering the double bed his grandfather had built.
And that drew him up short.
They’d been down this road before—had a child to prove it. If there was the smallest chance of starting over with Trish, he had to do it right this time. Prove there was more to this relationship than sex, though that was off the charts good. Great even.
He grinned and Trish lost some of her glow. “What’s so funny?”
“Can’t a guy smile while he’s holding a pretty gal?” He shouldn’t tease her, but damn she was cute when she was annoyed.
“Aaron…”
Before she could tear a strip off of his hide, a faint “Hello?” turned their gazes to the cell phone resting on the aged wood of the railing. Tension raced up his spine and froze his breath as Trish reached for the device. Her eyes asked if he was going to step up to the plate or run for the hills. He replied by stepping closer and wrapping an arm around her waist, hoping he was the only one who knew how much he needed her strength for this all-important first meeting.
She gave him an encouraging smile before focusing on the caller. “Let me guess; they were playing hide and seek, right?”
Her friend Sarah, a pretty brunette, laughed. “She was hiding in the closet with Dan’s shirt on her head.” She lifted a chubby little bundle of arms and legs, resting the little girl on her hip. “Maddie, look who’s on the phone; it’s Mommy.”
Trish blew Madeline a kiss. “Hi, Maddie. How’s Mommy’s girl?”
When she heard her mother’s voice, Madeline quit trying to wriggle free and turned. “Mommy?” She pulled the phone in Sarah’s hand closer until the screen filled with big blue eyes. “Mommy, home,” followed by a bunch of unintelligible mumbling while she ground the cell into her cheek.
Sarah managed to loosen her grip and held the instrument out so they both could see. “Like this, Maddie. There’s Mommy, and…?” Her brow rose as she took in Aaron’s arm holding Trish close.
Trish blushed a becoming pink but held her place, which he was immensely grateful for. Words hardly ever failed him—ask his siblings—but in this moment, when it mattered the most, he came up tongue-tied. Lovely.
Thankfully, Trish filled the gap. “Maddie, Mommy will be home soon. But first, I want you to meet someone.” She turned the silent, judgmental eye of the camera in his direction. “This is your daddy.”
Sarah sucked in an audible breath. He could relate, if only he could breathe. Say something, idiot. “I like hide and seek, too. Maybe we can play one day.” Trish squeezed his waist, so he kept talking. “I live on a big farm. We have horses and cows and dogs and cats. Do you like kitties, Madeline?” He wanted to buy her the moon and stars but was willing to start with a house pet, if Trish would allow it.
“Kitty, kitty,” his daughter chanted. “Kitty, Daddy.”
Aaron’s eyes filled with tears. Two little words and his heart threatened to burst. He was a father. Lord knows, the road ahead wouldn’t be easy, but by damn, this little blue-eyed, blond-haired child had just shown his cynical soul that miracles can occur.
As he listened to Trish finish up the call with Sarah and reassure Maddie she wouldn’t be gone much longer, he made plans. It was time to win the hearts of his girls.
15
Five hours later, Trish arrived at the barn dance with her parents and Kyle, who seemed sober for once. They’d ridden on a hay wagon, and while she’d enjoyed the experience, her mother complained the entire trip.
“Why in the world would they expect us to dress up for this… this affair, and then make us smell like horses?”
Kyle laughed. “It’s better than cow sh—”
“Kyle, please.” Trish had seen a side to her fiancé this trip that she would never have accredited to the polished city businessman she’d planned to wed. Not anymore. The moment she had a chance to speak with him privately, she’d end the engagement. It would be impossible to marry him with all these feelings for Aaron raging under her skin. She didn’t even know if he was willing to give her a second chance—they hadn’t talked about it—but she had to try. The heart wanted what the heart wanted, and Aaron Shaughnessy was her destiny. She’d been fooling herself into believing she could move on without him all these months. It was time to fight for her man. And that began with her father.
“Daddy…”
“Not now,” he said irritably. “Can’t you see your mother is in distress?”
When wasn’t her mother in distress? That was a better question. She accepted the hand of a waiting cowboy and used the steps he’d moved into place at the back of the wagon. After thanking him, she took in the splendor of the evening. The velvet sky made a beautiful background for the barn, dressed like a grand old dame with a multitude of lanterns and fairy lights spilling from the open doors and windows to light their way. Wide streamers hung from the rafters and guests wandered from table to table chatting while a country-western band, hired from the city, warmed up on a raised stage at the back of the hall.
So different from the sullen silence of her family.
Just for a moment, she imagined arriving at the party with the Shaughnessys and Aaron as her fiancé. She caught sight of him by the entrance greeting new arrivals and her pulse stuttered. She’d never seen him in a suit before. The charcoal gray jacket highlighted the width of his shoulders, while a crisp white shirt deepened the dark tan from hours spent in the Texas sun. A warm smile changed his face from handsome to breath-stealing. And then he noticed her standing by the wagon and it was as though everyone else faded away.
He broke from the group he’d been talking to and strode down the path, his long legs eating the distance between them. Trish met him halfway, his eyes a magnetic forcefield drawing her to his side.
“Hi,” she murmured, suddenly shy.
He took her hand. “You look… beautiful.”
The admiration in his expression made up for her indecision on what to wear for this all-important event. She’d only brought a few formal outfits, and none seemed to fit the occasion. She’d planned to wear a sleek black slip dress and asked Sophia for her opinion—thank goodness, because the frilly, fun concoction she’d come up with was perfect for a country farm dance.
“You don’t look so bad yourself,” she said. But then, Aaron was a man that women took notice of, no matter what he wore. It made her wonder if he had someone in his life now. Her stomach cramped at the thought.
“What’s with the frown lines?” he asked, dropping her hand to run a gentle finger across her brow.
She closed her eyes for a moment to absorb his touch. His skin was calloused. She shivered in reaction, imagining his hands on other parts of her body.
“Chilly?” he asked, a dark smile in his voice. He knew what he did to her, damn him.
She opened her eyes and was immediately swept into the fire of his gaze. “Aaron…”
“There you are.” Kyle’s arm snaked around her waist, dragging her roughly against his side. “Did you forget who you arrived with?”
He said it as a joke, but the feel of his fingers digging into her side told her he was furious. Instead of accepting the abuse, she pried herself free and took a couple of steps away from both men. “I’m well aware of my responsibilities, Kyle. If you’ll excuse me, I must see to my parents.” Aware she was leaving her past and present on a collision course, she fled. Not so brave after all.
Aaron watched as Trish hurried down the trail to where her father was helping her mom alight from the hayride. It was almost as though she was running away—from him or the idiot boyfriend?
“You need to back o
ff,” Kyle said, a smile on his face and anger brewing in his eyes.
Aaron’s spine stiffened. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. Mind your own business.”
Kyle leaned closer. “You Shaughnessys think you’re so smart. Too bad this time you’re doomed to fail.” He shoved his hands into his pockets and whistled as he casually walked up the path and entered the barn without bothering to check on his fiancée.
What the hell was that supposed to mean? Aaron stared after the creep until he disappeared from view. What Trish saw in that guy he couldn’t imagine. But then again, she’d given him a chance too, and look how that turned out.
He searched for her at the bottom of the hill. Her pretty white dress with sprigs of flowers glowed under the light of a full harvest moon. His pulse had jumped like that of a teenage kid’s when she’d arrived. The dress left her shoulders bare and all he’d been able to think about was kissing her there to see if her skin was smooth as it looked. It had only been a few short days, but all the old feelings had come rushing back and he didn’t know if he could box them up again—or if he even wanted to.
Trish was holding her mom’s arm while her father seemed to be arguing with Rico who’d driven the wagon. Sighing, Aaron started down the hill to join them, his grandma Maddie’s words ringing in his ears, “You are a gentleman, make sure you act like one.” It would be easier if he didn’t have to face the man he’d reneged on a multi-million dollar deal with, but such was life.
“Mr. and Mrs. Sylvester, Trish. Could I accompany you inside?” He held out his elbow for the elderly woman to grasp, conscious of Trish’s grateful glance.
Mrs. Sylvester smiled from watery blue-green eyes like her daughter’s. “Why, thank y—”
Dave Sylvester pushed between them, his discord with the farmhand forgotten. “I can handle my wife, Shaughnessy. I believe you’ve done enough to ruin this family, don’t you?” He roughly yanked his wife forward, ignoring her pained gasp.
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