“You’re getting sappy. Get a grip.” She gave herself a pep talk.
Duke was here and he didn’t want her. Those were the simple facts. And as much as she loved him, she wasn’t quite sure she wanted him at the moment. He did need to find himself again and she couldn’t force him in any direction.
The soft twinkling of Ava’s rattle sounded from where she sat in the highchair. Lila turned her attention to her daughter’s wide, toothless smile, which could light Lila’s day.
“How could anyone resist a bundle of angel dust?” Lila said. Ava was heaven sent. Miracles happen at the very right time and Lila wasn’t ready to give up on her hope for a family. Whether she and Duke were together, they had a sacred bond—a child. “Sometimes a woman must overlook a man’s stubborn ways, Ava dear,” Lila said. Ava responded with a giggle. “In the meantime, a cure for a bad mood is chocolate.”
A knock came on the back door. Through the screen, Lila saw the ranch supervisor waiting on the step. ”Hi, Dillon,” Lila said as she opened the door and held it with her foot. Dillon smiled and tipped his worn hat. If Lila wasn’t already smitten with another cowboy, she may have taken
pleasure in Dillon’s wide grin, bright blue eyes and charm. She guessed he was about her age, maybe a few years younger, and single. He’d once told her he’d worked all of his life on a ranch and had never met anyone that interested him more than the horses he cared for.
He slid his Stetson off and held it against his chest. “I’m sorry to bother you, ma’am, but I’ve got a shipment of rock for the driveway. I need a signature for payment.”
Lila had little to do with, or knowledge of, the business part of the ranch. “Did Chance approve the order?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Then you should be able to sign as supervisor,” she said.
He blinked and swept a hand through his thick hair. “Well, I thought it’d be best if I asked Duke to sign, considering he’s the one running the show now.”
If only that were true. Lila sighed. “That’s very respectful of you. You should continue with your duties until Duke speaks to you personally about his expectations.”
He nodded. “Okay. Again, I’m sorry I bothered you, Ms. Sinclaire.”
“No worries. For the record, please call me Lila. We’re all on a first name basis around here.”
“Sure thing, Ms.—I mean, Lila.” One last smile and he was gone.
Lila moved her foot and the door swung shut. She glanced down at the thin dough in the bowl and shook her head in frustration. The mix had been whipped into submission and she doubted it’d make a moist, tender brownie. She poured the contents into an oiled pan and stuck it into the oven just as her cell rang. Grabbing the towel from the counter top, she wiped her hands as she rushed to grab the call.
“Hello?”
“Hello, hun. I see you’re still alive. Question though, is Duke?”
Hearing Carly’s friendly voice, Lila smiled. “I’ll never tell.”
“That bad?”
Carly of all people understood, Lila knew. Friends since childhood, they were more like sisters instead of best friends. “That bad you ask? Worse. He’s been holed up in his bedroom since he arrived. He refused to take the master bedroom, although I offered to move out into another bedroom. He even had the audacity to tell me it was fitting since I was master minding his life.”
Carly chuckled. “That’s Duke. Sarcasm is his middle name, but try to remember his side in this.”
“Yes, I know. The scars, the sudden responsibility of being a father, the reality life has moved on…”
“And losing a woman he loved dearly,” Carly added.
“He hasn’t lost me.”
“Yeah?” Doubt corroded Carly’s voice. “You told me yourself you weren’t sure how to speak to him when you saw him awake.”
“True, but how does one speak to a man who had been in a coma for eighteen months?”
“Good question. No one is saying you should have jumped right back into the saddle, but I’m pointing out that for Duke it must be as awkward. I don’t need to remind you he has more pride than anyone I know, even more than Chance. Duke doesn’t want you with him for pity’s sake.”
“Is that what Duke told Chance?” she asked.
“In a roundabout way. By the way, Chance said he was sorry for telling Duke about the engagement. Chance heard our conversation and assumed, and he thought he was helping out his friend, not make him pissed off at the world.”
Lila tightened her grip on the plastic. “You tell Chance I owe him one.”
Carly’s exhale of breath rattled on the other end. “You tell him yourself. How about over dinner tomorrow night?”
Lila scrunched her eyebrows together. “How am I supposed to convince Duke to leave his man cave, let alone the house?”
“That’s why we will come there. You like to cook, and you know I hate even the thought. It’ll be like old times.” Carly laughed.
“Yeah.” She took a minute to think and then sighed. “You’re right. I think having you, Chance, and the baby here will be good. Not only for Duke, but for me as well. And Ava has missed Chancelor. They are after all future husband and wife.”
“He’s growing like a weed and he’s all over the place. Once my stomach gets bigger with baby I don’t think I’ll be able to keep up. Anyway, I’m looking forward to seeing y’all.”
“How is the pregnancy coming? Anymore trouble with your blood pressure being high?” Lila asked.
“Bp is back to normal, but I’ve dilated another centimeter. Doctor Harrington wants this baby to cook a few more weeks before she can induce me.”
Lila heard the worry in her friend’s voice. “And she also told you to get lots of rest, right?”
“Yes, she did. And I’m trying, I really am,” Carly said.
“Any chance Thelma will be back soon to help out?”
“I’m afraid not. I spoke to her yesterday and it seems her doctor has confined her to bed rest for another month because her broken bone isn’t healing as fast as he’d like.”
“Have you spoken to Chance about hiring another housekeeper, at least for the time being?”
“It’s very hard, Lila. Thelma has been in this family for years. She changed Chance’s diapers when he was a baby. I can’t suggest we hire someone else. After all, a lot of women have to take care of a child and household without a housekeeper.”
Lila groaned. She knew it wouldn’t do any good to argue with Carly. “If you need anything, I’m only a phone call away.”
“I know you are, but it seems you have your work cut out for you, too.”
“I will make time. And we’ll talk more during dinner, okay?” Lila said. “Be here at seven then?”
“See you then, hun.”
They clicked off the phone and Lila put a sleepy Ava down for a nap in her crib. She was asleep the minute her head hit the pillow. Lila closed the door on her way out.
Lila took several deep breaths as she headed down the hallway to the closed door of Duke’s bedroom. She pressed her ear close and listened. It was quiet. She tapped her knuckles lightly. No answer.
“Duke?” She called. Still nothing. Worry nestled its way into the pit of her stomach. She knocked again, louder.
Turning the knob, it was unlocked. Pushing aside the uncertainty of entering uninvited, she continued into the room. After all, she was in charge of his care. “Duke?”
The door to the bathroom was closed and she could hear the shower running. Inhaling deeply, she caught a scent of coconut and leather. Duke’s smell. She laid a hand on her belly, hoping to silence the butterflies.
Dirty dishes and soda bottles littered the nightstand. The bed was unmade and his sheets were wrinkled. An impression of his head still marked the pillow. She turned and on the dresser she spotted the silver horse belt buckle he’d won in the rodeo rough stock division. She ran the tip of her finger along the shiny metal, remembering the story he’d told her.
He’d started in the rodeo in his early twenties, roping and riding had been his profession. He’d been brave and known for his riding skills. During one event, he was thrown from a bull into a fence, sending
him to the hospital where he’d stayed for a week. He’d said those were the longest days of his life and he’d done a lot of soul searching, eventually deciding to hang up his lasso. From there, he’d come home to Shelby. Chance’s father offered him a job. Duke had said it wasn’t the accident that had made him turn his cheek on the rodeo, but destiny had caught up to him.
In his words…
“Riding a wild animal weighing ten times a human’s weight, and the only thing between the two is a leather strap, is like asking to be speared.”
All of his cattleman trophies and awards were spread across the top of the dresser.
Boxes of his things scattered the floor where Chance had brought them in. It looked like he hadn’t gone through anything but his medals.
The water stopped. Heading toward the door to leave, she paused mid-stride, holding her breath. The door was now open to the bathroom. Through the steam, she saw Duke standing in front of the mirror—naked and wet.
Stunned into paralysis, she stared. The only thing she managed to move was her gaze as she dragged it downward across his bare chest, past flat stomach and long legs. Seeing him nude brought back the memory of a time when she’d known every inch of his body.
A shaky movement in his legs made her jump, but she didn’t run to him. He steadied himself by holding the edge of the sink. Droplets of water from his damp hair splashed onto his broad shoulders. Bits of toilet paper scattered the curve of his jaw where he’d cut himself with a razor or a hacksaw, it could go either way. She remembered he’d always shaved in the shower. The situation would have made her laugh if she wasn’t so overwhelmed with desire. The man dripped of raw masculinity and she wasn’t immune.
“Don’t you knock?”
Lila jerked. Busted! His gaze held her in the mirror. Time ticked and he made no effort to cover himself and she didn’t bother leaving. He stood there proud as one corner of his mouth lifted.
The audacity of the man.
Her exit from the situation would only take four, maybe five steps and through the door to salvation from the torment. So why wouldn’t her feet move? He grew hard and his cock pointed at the ceiling. She swallowed the tightness in her throat. Talk about a power high. Her face flooded with warmth and the heat spread downward until it curled deliciously around every nerve ending between her thighs. All she wanted to do was slide her fingers along every contour, every solid muscle of his body, following with her mouth. She hadn’t felt so out of control since the accident and guessed this could be considered the affects from a dry spell. Duke had been the last man she’d had sex with, and she knew she’d been his. Did he miss it as much as she did? Of course, she knew the answer.
Her gaze locked on the hard proof saluting her. He was the perfect height that if she bent over the sink, he’d have entrance into…
Oh hell!
Clearing her throat, she forced her focus on a safer region of his body, yet she couldn’t pinpoint which part wouldn’t provoke some naughty thought. Doing her best, she studied the area between his brows. “I did knock,” she finally said.
He reached to his left and retrieved a towel, wrapping the material around his waist. Her libido whimpered in disappointment. What had she expected? That he’d devour her like he had many times before? A woman could hope. She wouldn’t have turned him away, even if her life had depended on it.
“Is this your habit? Invading someone’s privacy?” Duke removed the pieces of TP and closed the distance between them, and just when she thought he was coming to her, he moved past to the dresser, leaving a fresh soap scent in his trail. “I thought we agreed you’d stay in your own part of the house. Unless you just wanted to check out the goods.”
She saw his ego hadn’t suffered any trauma. Rolling her eyes, she shook her head in disbelief. “Don’t flatter yourself. Although, I must say, one muscle in your body has no problem standing. I guess some things never change.”
He was smiling when he turned to look at her. “And don’t flatter yourself, darlin’. The libido isn’t dead, just too bad we are. Blame the erection on lack of entertainment. It’d happen to anyone.”
“Is that right?” Before she debated the consequences, she took several steps until she stood in front of him and brought her hand up to his chest, sliding one finger along the taut, moist skin. His sex grew past the edge of the towel.
He blinked and his mouth thinned. “What the hell are you doing?”
Standing on tiptoes, her face inches from his, she said, “Don’t worry. I won’t flatter myself into believing this is for me.” She ran the pads of her fingers across the tip of his cock. He sucked in a breath and his eyes widened. “Or that I’d be able to satisfy like I once had. Enjoy taking care of that issue.” She winked and headed to the door. One foot into the hallway, she turned and nailed him with what she hoped was a kiss-my-ass expression. “By the way, your physical therapist should be here soon. I’d handle the “goods” carefully if I was you, otherwise you may just embarrass yourself.”
“Never know, she might appreciate the compliment.”
She slammed the door behind her. The bang echoed down the hall. “Damn!” In her anger, she’d forgotten Ava was asleep. Stopping outside her door, Lila peered in, but the baby slept soundly.
Lila made it downstairs just as a knock came. Standing at the door was a twenty-something, tall, blonde-haired woman. “Can I help you?” Lila asked.
“Hi there, I’m Candy. I’m scheduled for therapy.”
“Of course you’re Candy.” It was more of an accusation than a question. The medical bag and large, purple ball should have given away the other woman’s identity, that is, if Lila could have gotten past her double D’s hanging out of the too-tight tank top. “Hi, Candy.” Lila did her best keeping her tone even. She’d never been the jealous type, so what was the sharp feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach? It shouldn’t matter if the sexy blonde therapist would be
touching her ex-lover-baby-dad all over his sensitive, deprived body. The groping would be for therapeutic purposes only. What difference did it make that she looked like she’d walked out of a modeling studio?
Lila almost smiled at the silliness until she got a glimpse of herself in the decorative mirror hanging in the foyer. Batter covered clothes, messy hair and jean cut offs probably wouldn’t have been her first choice in how she’d presented herself when she’d answered the door to Candy-in-yoga-pants. Self-consciously, Lila brought her hand up to push back the loose tendrils of hair around her face and something hard fell to the floor. A piece of cereal. Oh hell! Ava’s breakfast had found its way everywhere but in the bowl.
“You were expecting me at ten, right?” Candy glanced down at her thin gold watch.
Lila chastised herself for being ridiculous. “Yes, yes, I’m sorry. You’re right on time.” Without another moment’s hesitation, Lila welcomed the girl in.
“I love your place. I don’t think I’d be cut out for farm life,” Candy said as she popped her gum loudly.
“This is a ranch,” Lila corrected her.
“Is there a difference?”
“I’ll run and get Duke. You can ask him that question. That’ll give you something to discuss during therapy.” Any sliver of jealousy Lila had felt disappeared. She only wished she could be a fly on the wall when Candy-pants asked Duke how farms and ranches were different.
Lila didn’t make it to the stairs. Duke rounded the corner and almost ran into her. “Excuse me,” he said.
“I haven’t seen you walk that fast in a while. I see the leg isn’t as stiff.” Lila stifled a laugh.
“Good one, sweetheart,” he said with a narrowed expression.
He was dressed in a black T-shirt and worn jeans. The outfit wasn’t fancy, but it endorsed the fact he was a six-feet-thr
ee, broad-shouldered, slender-hipped cowboy with a tough masculinity that could make a woman collapse into a puddle of appreciation. Not to mention, he had a nice ass. He moved slow and with a limp, but his energy was returning. “You came down at the right time, Duke. This is Candy, your physical therapist.”
Smelling the ooey-gooeyness of chocolate brownies, Lila left them alone, but not without one last glance at Candy’s effervescent smile and Duke’s roguish grin. I don’t care. I don’t care. I don’t care. No matter how many times she repeated the words, she still cared.
In the kitchen, she let off steam by mixing up the ingredients for a peach pie and kneaded the dough for the crust until her fingers ached.
It was going to be a long month. Lila was going to have to hit the gym and the only candy it had anything to do with was the eye candy dressed in jeans with eyes the color of the sky.
CHAPTER SEVEN
DUKE FELT A little out of character sitting atop the beach ball, after all, it wasn’t a horse, but the therapist assured him it was a great way to get the balance back in his limbs. He’d probably care if his mind was on the task at hand instead of one sexy, naughty female.
An image of Lila as she’d looked standing in his bedroom developed in his mind. She hadn’t even pretended embarrassment as she’d stared at him with beautiful, wide eyes and pouty bottom lip.
Damned woman! It wasn’t enough he’d locked himself in his bedroom and now he couldn’t have refuge in his own space.
His first instinct when seeing Lila’s reflection in the mirror was to grab a towel and cover his body but a thought had crossed his mind, or rather two thoughts. One, he’d wanted to deny her the pleasure of forcing him to cover himself. Second, seeing her watching him had been a rise to the ego—and other things. He was thinner and disfigured on areas of his body, but truth was, he’d noticed the blatant appreciation in her expression. He felt a twitch behind his zipper with the mere thought.
Second Ride Cowboy (Second Chance Series) Page 5
