Boone’s Bounty

by Vicki Lewis Thompson

  It was nothing he couldn’t get around. His crummy part-time job selling home-security systems had come in handy, after all. He might not have sold anything, but he’d learned a hell of a lot about how most systems worked.

  He was good at this kind of mission, though, damn good. He’d have made a fine Navy SEAL, too, if the brass hadn’t had it in for him. Once he got his hands on the kid and he was assured of a steady supply of money, he’d give up the security-systems racket and see what he could find that would make better use of his skills, something that would be fun.

  There had to be people out there who would pay for his natural talent in espionage, people with deep pockets who didn’t care to advertise in the Help Wanted section of the newspaper. A couple of his buddies had hinted they had contacts, but he’d never felt he had the financial freedom to try a risky new venture like that. But now—now anything was possible.

  LATE THE FOLLOWING afternoon Shelby stirred a pot of beef stew in between setting the table for dinner and glancing out the window to catch a glimpse of Boone. He was doing the evening chores with Elizabeth in a carrier strapped to his back. Josh and both dogs stayed right at his heels.

  Matty and Sebastian had left about lunchtime for Denver, and Boone had started immediately on the long-overdue job of shoeing Sebastian and Matty’s horses. Shelby had kept Elizabeth and Josh up at the house, figuring they shouldn’t be underfoot while Boone was working.

  As dinnertime approached, though, Boone had returned from the barn and volunteered to take both kids so she could fix the meal without being constantly interrupted. It was a kind gesture, but Shelby could tell from the way he was interacting with both Elizabeth and Josh that he relished being with them.

  She watched him now as he crouched down to look at some treasure Josh had found. It was probably only a stone that had caught the little boy’s eye, but Boone examined it as if Josh had discovered the Hope diamond. Both dogs came over to look, too, wagging their tails and trying to lick Josh’s face.

  Then from her perch in the carrier Elizabeth made a grab for Boone’s hat. He ended up taking it off and putting it on Josh, who wore it as if he’d been crowned King of England, even though it came down over his ears and he could barely see out from under the brim.

  The faint scent of scorched stew pulled Shelby away from the window. She turned down the flame under the burner and vowed to pay more attention to her job, but her mind was filled with images of Boone, Elizabeth and Josh. Her own experience didn’t give her much of a yardstick concerning family men, but even she could see that Boone would make a wonderful husband and father.

  Minutes later Boone, Josh and Elizabeth came through the back door, followed by Fleafarm and Sadie. Once Boone was inside, he turned and set the security alarm. Shelby didn’t know much about alarms, but this seemed like a good one. She doubted it was necessary, though. It was hard to believe Mason had tracked her to this remote ranch, but with the alarm, the dogs and Boone, she felt quite safe.

  “Look, Shebby!” Josh held out his treasure, a baseball-sized rock flecked with bits of gold. “Iron pie-bite!”

  “Pyrite,” Boone corrected gently.

  “Yep,” Josh said happily. “Looks like gold, huh? Me and Bob found it. Maybe they really gots gold around here!”

  Shelby admired the sparkling rock. “You never know. It sure is pretty, though. Better go put it in a safe place in your room. Then go wash your hands. We’re ready to eat.”

  “’Kay!” Josh started out of the kitchen, his free hand clapped over Boone’s hat to keep it from falling off.

  “And maybe you’d better give that hat back,” Shelby said.

  Josh turned and peered up from under the wide brim. “Do I hafta?”

  “Tell you what, Josh,” Boone said. “You can wear it until you go to bed tonight. Then tomorrow we’ll take a run into town and find one that fits you a little better.”

  “This one fits real good,” Josh insisted.

  “It’s not bad,” Boone said, obviously trying not to smile, “but I think we can do better. And besides, you need boots. We’ll pick those up tomorrow, too.”

  Josh grinned. “Okay!” He started to run out of the room.

  “Walk,” Shelby called after him. Then she turned to Boone. “Let me take that little papoose so you can go wash up, too.”

  “Thanks.” He turned his back and hunkered down slightly so she could lift the baby out of the carrier. “Dinner smells good.”

  “It’s a pretty simple meal—one of Josh’s favorites.” She tried to ignore the excitement that always stirred in her when he stood this close.

  “I like simple food the best.” Boone moved his arm back right at the moment Shelby leaned forward to lift Elizabeth out, and he nudged her breast. “Sorry.”

  “No problem.” Her breast tingled, and the feeling began to spread.

  Boone moved away the minute she had Elizabeth free. He took off the carrier and propped it in the corner. He made a good show of looking nonchalant as he walked to the stove and lifted the lid on the beef stew. “Yum. I was practically raised on this stuff.”

  Then what this world needs is more beef stew, if it produces hunks like you, she thought. “I sure wasn’t raised on it,” she said. She propped Elizabeth in her high chair. “We had a cook who fixed nothing but gourmet, and I used to dread meals as a kid. I faked stomach flu whenever we had escargots. I don’t want to put Josh through that.” She fastened the high-chair tray securely in place.

  When she looked up she caught Boone silently watching her, his gaze on the top button of her blouse. His glance moved to her face, and his green eyes were hot. The tension crackling between them nearly made her forget what else he’d been doing when she’d looked up. Then she realized he’d been massaging his shoulder, as if he had an injury of some kind.

  “Are you okay?” she asked.

  He broke eye contact. “Sure. Fine. Listen, why don’t I check on Josh?” He left the room before she could question him further.

  As she spooned up cereal and scooped it into Elizabeth’s rosebud mouth, Shelby could hear Josh and Boone laughing and talking in the bathroom. She wondered how Josh would ever manage when he had to leave Boone.

  The two of them apparently found a lot to talk about, and Shelby was nearly finished feeding Elizabeth when Boone returned carrying Josh piggyback.

  “Boone telled me about hats.” Josh bounced along happily. “They gots beaver hats, and straw hats, but when you buy one, you gots to fix it so it gots style. Right, Boone?”

  “Right.”

  Elizabeth chortled and held out her cereal-smeared hands toward Boone.

  “My turn, Lizzie,” Josh said, with a trace of possessiveness. “You gots your turn. Put me up higher, Boone! On your shoulders, okay?”

  “Sure.” Boone lifted Josh up and settled him over his shoulders.

  If Shelby hadn’t been watching so closely, she might have missed Boone’s wince of pain. “You’re hurt,” she said.

  “Nah. How do you like it up there, pardner?”

  “I’m king of the whole wide world!” Josh said.

  Shelby gave Elizabeth’s face and hands a quick wipe and glanced back at Josh. “Time to get down, buckaroo,” she said with a smile. “Dinner’s ready.”

  “Aww.” Josh stuck out his lower lip.

  “Better listen to the lady,” Boone said. “When it comes to chow-time, she’s the boss.” He set Josh back on his feet and repositioned the oversized hat. “Take a seat, cowboy. I’ll help Shelby dish up.”

  “We’ll see about that, Boone.” Shelby stood, determined to find out if Boone was injured. “First, I want you to take off your shirt.”

  “What?” He stared at her.

  “Go on, take it off. You said you’re not hurt. Prove it to me.”

  He looked uncomfortable. “It’s nothing. A little kick, is all. Then the carrier rubbed on the spot. But I’ll be fine.”

  “I’m sure you will. Let me see.”

&nb
sp; Josh scrambled off his chair. “I wanna see.”

  “Hey, it’s really nothing,” Boone said. “Let’s forget it.”

  She folded her arms and waited.

  His green eyes grew soft and smoky. “Please.”

  She was no match for a look like that. When he gave her that kind of look she wanted to wrap her arms around him and lift her mouth for his kiss. She unfolded her arms and blew out a breath. “Okay, you win. Let’s eat.”

  BOONE HOPED Shelby had forgotten about his shoulder in all the hubbub of dinner and starting the kids toward bed. While she read Josh a story, Boone let the dogs out for one last run. Standing on the porch waiting for them to come back, he assessed his shoulder by prodding it with the tips of his fingers.

  He had a good-sized bruise there, and if he’d been alone, he would have taken time to put some ice on it. But doing that would bring attention to his injury. The bruise might upset Josh, for one thing. But the real danger was in letting Shelby get involved in nursing him.

  The dogs loped back up to the porch and he went inside. The little kick of excitement in his stomach had to be ignored, he told himself. Nothing would happen between him and Shelby tonight. Absolutely nothing.

  She didn’t mention his shoulder again as they finished putting the kids to bed. He couldn’t believe how much he loved taking care of Josh and Elizabeth, and how natural it seemed to be doing these chores with Shelby. The four of them were a great fit, with Josh taking the role of Elizabeth’s older brother, and Elizabeth apparently happy to have Josh sleeping in the same room with her.

  Josh needed a little calming down, but he agreed to go to bed once Boone reminded him that the sooner he went to sleep, the sooner morning would come and they could drive into town to shop for his hat and boots. Boone thought he was probably as excited about the prospect as Josh.

  As a reminder of coming attractions, Boone left his hat on Josh’s bedpost. After collecting good-night kisses from Boone and Shelby, Josh finally went to sleep clutching his “gold” rock in his hand.

  Boone went out into the hallway and Shelby followed, closing the door partway after her.

  “He’s been in seventh heaven the past few days,” she murmured. “Thank you for all the time you’ve given him.”

  “I’ve had fun.” Boone glanced back at her. “He’s a great kid.” And he’s the perfect chaperone. Boone felt the privacy of the narrow hallway closing in on him, creating feelings he had no business having about the woman so temptingly near. He wanted to push her against the wall, kiss her senseless, unbutton her blouse, her jeans….

  This was the moment he’d been dreading, when the two of them had no distractions. The light in the hallway was dim, but he could still see her expression far too well. She was looking at him with way too much tenderness.

  “I wonder what’s on the tube tonight?” he said abruptly. He hardly ever watched TV, but suddenly it seemed like the best idea going. “Let’s go see.” He started down the hall toward the living room.

  She caught his arm. “Boone, let me look at your shoulder.”

  He tensed as the pressure of her fingers sizzled along his nerve endings. He squelched the urge to jerk his arm away, although that might be the safest move. Trying for a cool attitude in spite of his blazing hormones, he looked down at her. “Never mind about the shoulder,” he said. “I’m fine.”

  Her gaze was soft. The rest of her would be, too. So very, very soft. “I don’t believe you,” she said.

  “You have to.” His voice sounded like tires on gravel.

  “Why?” She left her hand right where it was, lightly holding on to his arm.

  Her touch felt like a branding iron, burning through the cotton of his shirt to singe the hair on his arms. He gritted his teeth against the urges washing over him, the need to once again explore her mouth, her breasts, the warm, moist place between her thighs. “Because I’m not taking off my shirt.”

  She swallowed. “If you think I’m trying to seduce you, I’m not. I’m just worried that you’re hurt and you won’t take care of yourself properly. I checked and there’s a first-aid kit in the bathroom. I could—”

  “I don’t think so.”

  She gulped, but her chin lifted with determination and that crazy little ponytail she liked to wear on top of her head wiggled. “Boone, don’t be stubborn. I wouldn’t—”

  “No, but I would.” In a heartbeat. He could have her clothes off in ten seconds flat.

  Wordlessly she gazed at him, a pulse beating in her throat.

  His chest tightened with the effort not to pull her into his arms. “Move…move your hand. Please.”

  Her eyes still locked with his, she released her grip on his arm.

  “Thank you.” Summoning all his strength, he turned toward the living room.

  “Are you in love with her?”

  He paused. She must mean Jessica. He sensed that if he lied and said he was, that she would back off and they’d both be saved.

  “It’s okay if you are,” she said in a small voice. “And I don’t think any less of you for what happened in the barn. I’m sure when a man is…frustrated, his control can snap. I was available. And you’re only human.”

  He groaned and leaned a hand against the wall. He didn’t want her thinking he’d only used her as a sexual outlet.

  “I wonder if she realizes how lucky she is,” Shelby whispered. “Well, good night, Boone. And please put something on that shoulder before you go to bed.”

  “I don’t love Jessica.” The words just came out. He hadn’t even realized what he’d been about to say, only that he couldn’t let her believe herself only a handy convenience for him.

  “You…don’t?”

  He shook his head, still not trusting himself to look at her. “That’s why what I did, getting her pregnant, was so wrong.”

  “You really don’t love her?” Shelby’s voice came from right beside him. “Or are you just saying that because she doesn’t love you back?”

  He straightened and faced her. If only he had the strength to let her believe all the hogwash she’d made up about his situation, he’d spare himself and her a lot of grief. But then she’d think that whole episode in the barn had nothing to do with her, and everything to do with him missing the lady in his life. He couldn’t have Shelby, who meant so much to him, thinking something like that.

  Shelby’s eyes glowed with feeling. “I can’t imagine why she wouldn’t love you back. You’re everything any woman could want.”

  He wished he could be worthy of her high opinion. Looking at her angel’s face, he could barely breathe, let along talk. But he had to try. “Jessica and I are just friends. We’ve never been more than friends.”

  “But…Matty said…” She hesitated.

  His face grew hot at the idea Matty had been talking about him to Shelby. Still, he had to know. “Matty said what?”

  “That there was someone, someone you cared about, and it didn’t turn out well.”

  “There was.” And at the moment he couldn’t imagine why he’d ever pined away for Darlene. She didn’t hold a candle to Shelby.

  “So are you still in love with her?”

  “No.” Amazingly, it was true. And he’d be happier about it if he hadn’t jumped from the frying pan into the fire.

  “Then you’re not in love with anybody?”

  He gazed down at her, his heart pounding. “I didn’t say that.”

  14

  SHELBY FELT UNSTEADY and shivery. A surge of heat followed, then shivers shook her again as Boone’s reply echoed in her head. He was looking at her now with the same intensity he had during the wedding ceremony. Possibilities she’d never allowed herself to dream of seemed suddenly within reach.

  But this wasn’t the most forthcoming man in the world. She had to be courageous and risk rejection in order to make sure she understood him. “What are you saying, Boone?”

  “I don’t have a damn right to say anything.” But his eyes still blazed wit
h green fire.

  The message in those eyes seemed blatantly clear. She began to quiver with anticipation. Embarrassed by how shaky she felt, she put both hands behind her back and leaned her shoulders against the wall, pretending to be casual but desperately needing the wall for support. “I’m not sure I understand what you mean.”

  “Shelby.” His voice sounded strained. “Don’t do that.”

  “Do what?”

  “Lean like that.” His gaze lingered on her breasts, and his breathing grew ragged.

  She realized that her attempt to be casual had resulted in her breasts thrusting out and up in what looked like an invitation to touch. She hadn’t done it deliberately, but as she noticed his agitation and the bulge in his jeans, her shakes began to disappear.

  In the process she discovered something very wicked about herself. Now that he’d said he wasn’t in love with someone else and had come close to admitting he might be in love with her, she was ready to play on his weakness for her body.

  Her careful, deep breath strained the buttons on her blouse. “Why, does it bother you?”

  He looked like a man about to break. “You know it does. And I can’t—I have nothing to offer you.”

  “Except what you gave me the other night in the barn?”

  The heat in his eyes increased by several degrees. “Damn it. Don’t remind me of that.”

  “Do I have to remind you?” she asked in a low voice. “Or is it what you think about constantly?”

  He stepped closer. “I think about it constantly,” he said. Flattening his palms against the wall, he stared down at her. His warm breath feathered her face. “Constantly.”

  Her heartbeat sounded a deep and frantic rhythm in her ears. “Me, too,” she whispered.

  “Tell me to go away, Shelby.” His attention became fixed on her mouth. “For God’s sake, don’t look so ready to be kissed. You’re driving me crazy, you know that?”

  “I know.” Meeting the challenge in his eyes, she moistened her lips, parted them, teased him with a sultry look. “Drive me crazy, too, Boone. One more time.”