by Marin Thomas
He must have sensed her scrutiny, because he froze, his arms above his head, a board balanced in his hands. His gaze collided with hers and no matter how she tried to shift her attention to his face, her eyeballs remained glued to his dark nipples and hairless chest.
Too bad rodeo cowboys didn’t ride without their shirts on—she just might give up nursing and become a buckle bunny.
Someone had to speak. “What are you doing?” she asked.
“Sorting through the wood pile.” He dropped the piece in his hands, then removed his work gloves and wiped his sweaty brow. He stared at his T-shirt a few feet away but made no move to put it on.
“I thought you were rodeoing today.” She lifted the cup. “I made your coffee to go.”
“I decided not to.” He stepped forward and took the drink. “Thanks.”
“Why the change of heart?”
He ignored her question and waved at the wood pile. “I noticed the boards earlier in the week. Most of them are in decent shape. You should be able to get some money for them.”
“I appreciate the thought, but...”
“If you want, I can leave.”
She didn’t want him to leave. The thought of never seeing him again had kept her up all night. Her mind scrambled for a way to keep him with her a little while longer. “I’m driving into Las Cruces later to meet with a Realtor.” She shrugged. “I didn’t want to do it yesterday because it would have only upset José. You’re welcome to come with me and while we’re in town we could check into selling that wood at the lumberyard.”
“Sure. I’ll load the boards in my truck.”
“How long do you need?”
“An hour.”
“Okay.” She left the barn and rushed back to the house, where she fussed with her hair and makeup, then spent the next few minutes staring at the clothes in her closet. She needed to look respectable and business-like for her appointment with the Realtor, but today’s temperature would be in the nineties. She settled on a pair of khaki linen pants and a colorful tank top. Maybe after the appointment she could convince Cruz to stop for lunch before they returned to Papago Springs.
“Where are you going dressed like that?” José asked when he almost plowed Sara over in the hallway.
“I have a few errands to run in Las Cruces.”
“We were just there. How come you didn’t pick up what you needed then?”
“I forgot.” She hoped her father-in-law couldn’t tell she was lying. “Cruz is going with me and we’re taking the old wood in the barn along to see if we can sell it at the lumberyard.”
“What if I need the wood to fix something?”
He hadn’t fixed anything on the property in eons.
“Can you think of any groceries that you need?”
“Milk for Dani.”
“I’ll take the cooler, then.” She retrieved the ice chest from the porch and set it outside by Cruz’s truck. “If Dani gives you any trouble today, she can do her work sheets.”
“You make her study too much. Let her enjoy her childhood.” José was stuck in a time warp in Papago Springs. He had no clue what went on in the world and how important it was for children to be prepared before they entered kindergarten.
“The work sheets are fun and keep her busy. There’s nothing wrong with exercising the brain.”
José made a growling sound in his throat and walked into the kitchen.
“I’ll call if we won’t be home for supper.” She hurried outside before José protested. She understood that he was suspicious of Cruz because they knew so little about him. But from the moment Sara had looked into his brown eyes, instinct had kicked in and she knew he was trustworthy and meant them no harm. Years of being a nurse and questioning parents when they brought their sick or injured children to the clinic had taught her to read between the lines and decipher facial expressions and body language. She could spot a liar before they opened their mouth to speak.
Too bad Antonio hadn’t listened to her when she’d insisted he quit working at the clinic in the barrio because it wasn’t safe. The night he’d been killed he’d called her before leaving the hospital to head to the clinic and she’d asked him not to go. She’d had a bad feeling that something would happen. And it had—Antonio had ended up dead.
She always trusted her gut—it had never let her down. By the end of the day she’d know a lot more about Cruz and could put José’s worries to rest.
Chapter Four
“I’ll wait here,” Cruz said when he parked outside the realty office located in a strip mall in Las Cruces.
“Are you sure? I wouldn’t mind having someone else listen to the Realtor in case I forget what he says.”
Cruz nodded to the pay phone outside the grocery store across the lot. “I need to make a call.”
She frowned. “You don’t have a cell phone?”
“Nope.” And he doubted he’d be able to afford one anytime soon.
“I admire you for snubbing your nose at technology. I’d give anything to fall off the grid for a month or two—” if Sara knew just how far he’d fallen off the grid in the past twelve years, she’d be shocked “—but I’m required to carry a phone with me at all times in case there’s an emergency at the clinic.” She hopped out of the truck. “I won’t be too long.”
Cruz weaved between the parked cars and entered the grocery store, where he purchased a calling card with sixty minutes of talk time. He returned outside and retrieved his parole officer’s contact information from his pocket, then swiped the calling card and entered the number.
“Ed Kline.”
“Cruz Rivera.”
“You were supposed to call four days ago. Where are you?”
The sound of shuffling papers echoed in Cruz’s ear.
“Papago Springs.”
“I’ve heard of it. Not much of a town.”
“I landed a temporary job there.”
“Doing what?”
“Handyman work.”
“I’ll need the name of your employer and a contact number.”
“Sure.” Cruz would be long gone by the time the parole officer got around to phoning José. “Sofia’s Mexican Cantina. Highway 26, Papago Springs. José Mendez owns the restaurant.”
“Phone number?”
Cruz rattled off the number.
“How long do you plan to work there?”
“Not sure.”
“Do you have a place to live?”
“The restaurant owner is letting me bunk down in a trailer on the property.”
“Are you paying rent?”
“No.”
Silence followed the inquisition. “Look, Rivera. It’s my job to see that you integrate back into society the right way. That means finding a job where you fill out employment forms, pay taxes and a place to live where you pay rent. You also need to sign up for health care.”
“I don’t need health insurance.” After being told what to do 24/7 for so long, Cruz didn’t care to play by someone else’s rules.
“What about rodeo? You plan to do any of that in the future?”
The parole officer was aware of Cruz’s prison rodeo career and before he’d been released, Kline had encouraged Cruz to continue to compete. Everyone assumed he was full of rage and anger and that busting broncs would help keep his violent emotions in check. But twelve years was a long time to hold on to one’s anger and any wrath he’d felt when he’d been handed down his sentence had been sucked out of him long ago. He was too tired and too hollow inside to care about getting even or seeking revenge.
Being around Sara, Dani and José had reinforced his desire to put the past behind him and move forward one step at a time. “I might rodeo.”
“Let me know if you do. Have yo
u contacted anyone in your family?”
“No.” A year ago he’d received the news that his mother had passed away after a sudden heart attack. With his father still in prison, the only family he had left was a sister and a brother a few years younger than him—both sired by different men. He’d lost contact with his siblings after he’d entered prison and he doubted they cared one way or the other that he was a free man.
“If and when you purchase a vehicle I’ll need the VIN number, make and model and your driver’s license.”
His fingers clamped tighter on the receiver. “Yeah, sure.”
“And I need to know when you leave Papago Springs.”
“I understand.”
“You haven’t purchased a firearm, have you?”
“No.”
“No drug use and go easy on the alcohol.”
Cruz clenched his teeth together, hating that Kline spoke to him like a child.
“That’s it for now. Keep your nose clean. I’ll try to pay you a visit in the next month.”
“Sure.” Cruz wasn’t worried. Parole officers were overworked. As soon as he hung up, Kline would forget him. He disconnected the call and returned to the truck. A short while later Sara emerged from the realty office. She didn’t look happy.
“Everything okay?” he asked when she slid onto the passenger seat.
“José’s restaurant is worth just about nothing. The Realtor said we’ll be lucky if we sell the property in the next five years.”
That didn’t sound good. He started the engine and flipped on the air.
“The land is worth more than the restaurant business and for the right price, he said, we might be able to lease the property to someone looking for a place to board horses.”
“What does that mean for convincing José to move to Albuquerque with you?” Cruz asked.
“Not sure, but closing the restaurant, then leasing the land and barn might be our best option. If things work out and José doesn’t mind living with Dani and me, then he can sell the place if and when a buyer comes along.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“There’s only one problem,” she said.
“What’s that?”
“Would you be willing to stick around and make the necessary repairs to the barn?”
Panic shot through Cruz and he squeezed the steering wheel.
“I trust you to do a good job and even if we need to hire a professional construction company to help you, I’d like you to supervise the work to make sure José isn’t overcharged.”
The word trust echoed in Cruz’s ear. If he stayed in Papago Springs, his parole officer would eventually call José and then his secret would be no longer. A part of him wanted to leave before Sara found out about his past. He’d rather have her remember him as a good man and not a down-on-his-luck parolee. But what kind of man would leave a woman in a lurch—not a man he wanted to be.
“I can pay you more,” she said. “I’ve managed to put aside some savings for a rainy day.”
Depleting her rainy-day fund didn’t sit well with Cruz. He’d work for free—it was the least he could do since Tony had been shot by the gang he’d once wanted to be a part of.
“I’ll work on the barn in exchange for room and board.” It would cost her plenty just to feed him and purchase supplies.
“Fine.” Her chin jutted. “But I’m paying for your gas each time you make a trip to the lumberyard in Las Cruces.”
He didn’t want her filling his tank, but he admired her pride. If Sara was determined to coax José to leave Papago Springs, he’d do what he could to help the family remain together. “I’ll stay.”
Sara’s eyes flashed with gratitude and a caution flag waved inside his brain, warning him to keep his distance. It would be too easy to mistake gratitude for attraction. “While we grab lunch, we can compile a list of supplies before we stop at the lumberyard on the way out of town,” she said.
“Name the restaurant.”
“There’s a diner that serves great malts. The burgers are decent, too.”
He shifted into Drive and left the shopping center. Worry gnawed at his gut. The last occasion that he’d tried to help someone out, he’d ended up in jail. He sure in hell hoped this time would be different.
* * *
“YOU’RE WASTING GOOD money, daughter.”
José peered over Sara’s shoulder as she stood in the kitchen looking out the sliding glass door at the barn. Almost a week had passed since she and Cruz had returned from their trip into Las Cruces. She’d informed José about her chat with the Realtor, then laid out in detail her idea to repair the barn and lease the property, hoping that leasing and not selling would put her father-in-law at ease. He’d agreed with the plan—thank goodness—insisting he’d move in with her and Dani for a year before deciding to remain in Albuquerque or return to Papago Springs. After the improvements Cruz had made to the property, she sensed José was getting cold feet even though no customers—zero—had stopped at the restaurant the past few days.
“Once the place is fixed up, we’ll advertise in the Las Cruces paper and post flyers around the town. Horse owners will jump at the opportunity to lease the barn and the twenty-five acres behind it.” She hoped. José opened his mouth to object but she cut him off. “Would you check on Dani?”
After he left the room, she grabbed a cold jug of water from the fridge and crossed the yard to where Cruz hammered boards over a gaping hole in the side of the barn. The temperature hovered near ninety and his T-shirt was soaked with sweat. He should shuck the shirt and be done with it.
You’d like that, wouldn’t you?
Yes, she would. She hadn’t thought about her sex life in a very long time but when she stared at Cruz’s handsome face, a tingling sensation spread through her body, making her yearn for that special intimacy between a man and a woman—not that sex with Tony had been special after Dani had been born. Her husband had thrown himself into his job and volunteer work—if he’d gotten five hours of sleep a night he’d been lucky. When they did set aside time for each other in the bedroom, the experience was short-lived. Tony used up all his energy doctoring others and there had been little left over for her.
Cruz must have sensed her presence because he glanced over his shoulder, then stiffened when he spotted her. She wasn’t all that experienced with men—there had only been one other before Tony. Still, she didn’t need experience to read between the lines. She and Cruz were attracted to each other. He was a man of few words and probably a whole lot of secrets. But that was okay with her, because he wasn’t hanging around forever—so what could it hurt if they stole a few moments of excitement for themselves?
He broke eye contact and walked into the barn. She smiled at the thought that she unnerved him. She was feeling brazen today, so she followed him. When she entered the barn she found Cruz struggling to nail a two-by-four in place across the door of a stall. She set down the water and rushed to help.
“Thanks,” he grunted, the protruding nails in his mouth wiggling. He secured one end of the board, then inched toward her. She caught a whiff of soap and hard-working male. “I’ve got it now.” His brown eyes bored into hers and she froze, hypnotized by the shimmering color.
She stepped out of the way.
He wiped a damp sleeve across his face. “How does José feel about you helping me?”
“I don’t know. And I don’t care.” She tore her gaze from his sweaty face and nodded to the jug. “I brought cold water.”
“Thanks.” He stepped past her and reached for the jug. He guzzled the water, the liquid spilling from his mouth and running down his chin. When he finished he said, “It’s been quiet around here. Who else lives in town?”
“Charlie DuPont owns the empty strip mall across the street. He lives in an apartment above
the beauty shop. Charlie’s a recluse. Every morning he signals that he’s okay by raising the window shade.”
“Who owns the empty gas station?”
“Leroy Hansen. He lives in a mobile home two miles west of here. Brings his wife, Betty, in for dinner at the restaurant once a month. And the Conrads live next door, but they separated a year ago and Sheila moved out. Mike comes around to check on the place once in a while, but he’s got a girlfriend in Las Cruces and stays with her.”
“It’s just José and Charlie that live in town, then?” Cruz asked.
“Doug Andrews owns the bar but it’s only open during the winter months. He spends the rest of the year at his cabin in Colorado.” She shrugged. “That’s why I want José to leave. If he ever gets injured or suffers a stroke or something, there’d be no one to help him.”
“What happens to Charlie if José leaves?”
Sara wondered why Cruz was so talkative today but she wasn’t about to question his chattiness for fear he’d clam up. “I have Charlie’s daughter’s phone number. If José leaves, Jill and her husband will come get Charlie.” She nodded to the wood pile behind him. “I’m free to help you this afternoon.” Was it her imagination or did Cruz’s eyes darken as he stared at her? Her gaze dropped to his chest where she swore his pounding heart made the damp cotton move in rhythm to her own thudding heart. “I think we should just get it over with,” she blurted.
“Get what over with?”
She inched closer and the distance between them vanished. Then she rose on tiptoe and pressed her mouth to his. She felt his quick intake of breath and expected him to pull away. He didn’t. Her senses went on high alert and she closed her eyes, absorbing the feel of his lips beneath hers. The breath he’d sucked in moments before puffed against her face in a gentle whisper of air.
“Mama?”
Sara jumped. Cruz spun so fast she teetered sideways and he grabbed her arm to keep her from stumbling. “In here, Dani!” she called out.
