by Leigh Duncan
The fact was, she had been. And if he had his way, they would never be apart again.
Across the yard, Noelle led Lady to the barn while the woman who’d captured his heart headed his way. He tracked the sway of her hips, the sweet rise and fall of her breasts. Desire, hot and strong, lanced through him, and he swallowed. They were taking things slow and had shied away from sleeping together. Watching her approach, though, he wasn’t sure how much longer he could wait to hold her in his arms at night.
It was time, he thought, to take things to the next level. But this time around, he’d do it right. First, he’d put a ring on her finger. He’d make it clear that he meant to spend the rest of his life with Kelly...even if they hadn’t quite figured out all the logistics.
“Hey, cowboy.” Kelly took the stairs two at a time. “What’d you think of your daughter?”
“She’s lookin’ good,” Hank answered, trying hard to shake his pensive mood. He let his smile widen. “Her coach is looking even better.” He stood to greet her properly by pulling her close. The situation called for a kiss, and he bent willingly to the task. When one wasn’t enough, he stole a second. Both tasted of mint.
Getting lost in Kelly’s arms would be easy to do, but he had things on his mind. When they both came up for air a few minutes later, he settled for holding her close enough to feel the rapid beat of her heart against his chest.
“You know I love you, don’t you?” Now that they’d been given a second chance, he repeated the words as often as he could.
Kelly tipped her face to his. Her soft “I love you, too” poured into all his empty spaces, filling them completely.
“The rodeo is coming up this Saturday.” Resting his chin on the crown of her head, he drank in air scented with things he’d always associated with the slender blonde—flowers and horses and sunshine. He wanted to wake up to that smell every morning and go to bed with it every night.
“Yeah, cowboy. Why do you think we’ve been training so hard?”
He brushed a finger along her cheek, tracing the fine outline of her jaw. “Noelle’s got that sleepover at Riley’s after.” Which would provide just the chance he needed to put his plans in motion.
“Tell me something I don’t already know.” Kelly nestled closer. “Rodeo and Riley. Riley and rodeo. It’s all she talks about these days.”
“Do you, um, do you have any plans afterward?” Now that the moment was upon him, an unexpected nervousness swept through him.
“Are you asking me out on a date?” Kelly’s green eyes searched his.
“I could be.” He brushed a strand of silky hair from her face. “Are you saying yes?” Ty had offered to take their horse and gear to the Circle P for the night. His son, Jimmy, had entered the goat-tying event.
“Hmm.” Kelly frowned. “That still leaves the little matter of Noelle’s trophy. She’ll want to see it the minute she gets home from Riley’s.”
The conversation had deviated from the script he’d worked out in his head, but Hank caught the teasing glint in Kelly’s eyes. She was stringing him along. Making him ask, thinking he’d chicken out. But he was determined not to. Once, she had been his past. Now, she was his future. He was ready for the house with the white picket fence. He’d even trade his truck for a minivan. All she had to do was say the word.
“You’re sure she’s gonna win, aren’t you, Coach? I might not bet the ranch on that.” Though, having seen his daughter race, he wouldn’t bet against her.
When Kelly shoved her shoulder into his, he surrendered. “Heck, she’ll probably sleep with the darn thing.” He had, with his first trophy. He was pretty sure Kelly had done the same.
“I thought maybe we’d head up to Orlando. Spend the night at one of those fancy resorts. Just you and me. What do you say?”
Kelly nestled deeper into his arms. “I’d like that.”
He’d intended to ask her about selling the ranch, but her happy sigh put an end to the conversation. They could talk any time—over the phone, across the yard—but kissing? That required proximity. Besides, he admitted as he leaned to press his lips against hers, he was much better at kissing than he was at talking.
For a while they indulged themselves. Eventually, though, a loud squeak made them pull apart.
“We should oil those hinges.” Kelly tugged her rumpled shirt into place.
“Nah, that’s my Noelle-warning system.” Grinning, he feathered a final series of kisses across Kelly’s crown. “It’ll be the last thing I fix before John Jacobs gets here.”
Hank frowned as the soft, willing figure in his arms stilled. He didn’t get it. Kelly should be over the moon about the businessman’s visit, especially since he’d surprised them both by making a verbal offer on the ranch, sight unseen.
“Second thoughts?” he whispered, praying he was wrong.
“About you? Not one. Why, are you in a hurry for me to leave, cowboy?”
The smile Kelly beamed up at him chased away the worrisome feeling that there was something she wasn’t telling him. But her home, her career, was in Houston. And though he hated to see her go, he couldn’t ask her to give up her life there, any more than she could demand he quit real estate.
“Not on your life,” he murmured, before stealing a last mind-numbing kiss while he chalked her sudden quiet up to the new challenges they’d soon face.
He made it back to the Circle P before he realized he’d never gotten answers to his questions. He shrugged them aside. There’d be plenty of time for that later. For now, he had reservations for a weekend getaway to make.
* * *
KELLY LOADED THE last box of macaroni and cheese onto the conveyor belt.
“Stocking up?” The friendly cashier ran a carton of strawberries over the scanner.
“Thought it was about time I stopped living on takeout.” Since her arrival at the Bar X three weeks earlier, she hadn’t seen the point of filling the pantry of her temporary home. But now that she had decided to stay...
“Will that be cash or credit?”
Kelly slipped a plastic card from her wallet and handed it across. She was staying, wasn’t she? The choice was up to her. She could probably still get her old job back. While it was true she’d burned the bridge to her big promotion, an abject apology would go a long way toward getting her back in Palmetto’s good graces.
But was that really what she wanted?
She waited while the bagger settled bulging plastic bags in her grocery cart. She couldn’t picture herself leaving. Not now. Not with Noelle’s first rodeo competition a few days away. But later wouldn’t be any better. There’d be other rodeos, other competitions. She wanted to help Noelle through her first crush, first kiss, first breakup. To take her shopping for her prom dress, and to eventually help plan her wedding.
No, she told herself, stuffing the card and receipt in her purse. Going back to Houston wasn’t nearly as important as it had once seemed. Repairing the Bar X’s broken-down fences with Hank, riding beside him as they rounded up strays, sitting beside him at the campfire—she’d fallen in love all over again. And not just with the rancher. Through him, she’d rediscovered a love for wide open spaces, for watching the sun rise over a flat horizon. Life would never be the same without the nuzzle of a horse softly lipping carrots from her open palm, the honest burn that came from mucking stalls or toting feed buckets.
One of the front wheels on her cart wobbled as she pushed it across the parking lot. It took money to keep a spread like the Bar X afloat, but in a matter of weeks, she’d taken a child who’d never raced barrels before and turned her into a master of the sport. Working with Noelle had given her a sense of purpose she’d never gotten from her job with Palmetto Boots. So, she’d put her business experience to work on the problem and come up with a solution that would let her keep the ranch and do work she enjo
yed. Within a month, she could open a training camp for rodeo riders. She’d offer classes in barrel racing and pole bending, and by the end of the year she could board her students’ horses, too. If things went as well as she thought they would, she’d owe Hank a huge debt of gratitude for helping her turn the ranch into her home again.
Not that a mere “thank you” would do. No matter how much they loved each other, business was business, and she’d promised him the commission when she sold the ranch. Now that she planned to hold on to the Bar X, she couldn’t renege on their deal. Luckily, the proceeds from the cattle sale would more than reimburse him for his time and materials.
Reaching for her keys, she brushed her fingers over a check with Hank’s name on it. She’d thought about giving it to him in person, but was afraid he might refuse to accept the money. Lifting her phone, she punched the number for Information, certain the receptionist in Hank’s real estate office could provide her with his business address. She’d put the check in the mail to him before she headed home to the Bar X.
Suddenly, she couldn’t wait another day to tell Hank about her change of plans. A warm glow spread upward from her midsection as she imagined the look on his face when he realized she was staying put. Sure, they’d still have the hurdles of a long-distance relationship to jump over once he returned to Tallahassee, but that wouldn’t be for a while. Until then, she’d only be as far away as the ranch next door. Drinking in a breath of sun-kissed air, she decided to head for the Circle P as soon as she unloaded the last of her groceries.
* * *
“HANK.” TY’S VOICE caught him in the hall. “Just the man I wanted to see.” His boss and longtime friend clapped a hand on his shoulder. “You missed supper again tonight. Chris tried out a new recipe. I swear if that boy keeps cooking the way he does, my wife’s gonna put me on a diet.” Ty patted a flat belly.
“Sorry I missed it.” To get to Kelly’s on time, he’d grabbed a PB&J on his way out the door.
Ty beckoned him into the office. “I spotted Noelle running up the stairs a minute ago. Didn’t I tell ya once you pried her loose from her cell phone and MP3 player, she’d enjoy herself here?”
“Yeah. She’s a different girl. It’s hard to believe she was so aggravating at first.” Hank raked a hand through his hair. “In fact, we’re getting along so well I’ve decided to talk to Amy about changing our custody agreement.” Now that he’d had a taste of fatherhood, he couldn’t imagine going months without seeing his daughter again.
Ty shot him a questioning look. “You think she’ll let Noelle stay on?”
“Noelle’s not a baby anymore. She’s certainly old enough to know her own mind. And she doesn’t seem to have any problem voicing her opinions.” That drew a laugh from the man seated behind the desk, and Hank chuckled. “I’m pretty sure, given the chance, she’d choose to stay through the end of the school year.” He grinned. “As long as I have Lady.” He waited a beat. “And Kelly.”
“Oh?” Ty’s brows rose so high a body would need climbing gear to get over them. “You’ve fallen for her again?”
“Hard,” he admitted. Harder than he’d ever thought possible. He let the seconds tick by. He’d kept too much bottled up for too long. He needed to talk things out. His eldest brother, Garrett, was his usual sounding board. But Garrett had his own worries—a troubled pregnancy, a wife on bed rest.
“She broke your heart once, man. I’d hate to see you get hurt like that again. You sure you don’t want to slow down, take things easy?”
“Too late. I’m already gone.” Hank gave his friend a sheepish smile. Yes, he’d loved Kelly when they were young and reckless. When he couldn’t think straight enough to separate making love from being in love. It hadn’t worked out then, but things were different now. And not just because they’d decided to wait until they were sure before they took the next step.
Ty’s brows lost their mountainous quality. He drummed his fingers against the desk. “Have you thought all this through? You’re talking about getting custody of Noelle. But isn’t Kelly headed back to Texas? What will you do then?”
“After I finish out my stint at the Circle P, I’ll follow her there.” Hank stretched his legs as he tried the idea on for size. It wasn’t a perfect fit. Going back to real estate, even for a little while, had put a nasty taste in his mouth. But to earn enough to buy his own ranch, that’s what he’d have to do. Florida, Texas—where he was wouldn’t matter, so long as he and Kelly and Noelle were together.
Which brought him right back to where the conversation had started—with Noelle.
“I have to work things out with Amy before I can do anything else.” He meant to ask if Ty thought Sarah could help him. As a former social worker, he figured she might have a suggestion or two about the best way to approach his ex-wife.
“I think you’re forgetting something.” Ty traded his fingers for a pencil and continued drumming. “You have a home and a business in Tallahassee. You can’t walk away from all you’ve built there.”
“Yeah, well, about that...” Hank’s shoulders bent under a weight he’d carried for too long. “To tell you the honest truth, I kinda fell on hard times in North Florida.” At Ty’s puzzled look, he hurried to explain. “I didn’t want to say anything, but when the bottom fell out of the real estate market two years ago, people stopped buying. I kept things going as long as I could, tried my best to keep my head above water. In the end, there was nothing I could do. I had to close up shop. What you saw in my car when I got here, that’s all I have left.” Hank brushed his hair off his face. His friend would understand. Not so long ago, Ty had faced his own problems in holding on to the Circle P.
Ty whistled, long and low. “Man, that’s rough.”
“Yeah, well.” Hank cleared his throat. “I’ll be back on top again soon.” Now that the market was on the rebound, an infusion of cash was all he needed to get started again. His share of the Bar X would do all that and more.
He paused. To excel, a broker had to be available for his clients 24/7. Which meant working nights and weekends. The very hours he had hoped to spend with Kelly and Noelle. Was that what he wanted?
He swallowed a bitter taste. He had to make the best hand he could out of the cards he’d been dealt. And it was only for a little while. Just until he saved up enough to buy a spread of his own. A ranch Kelly could come home to each night. A permanent home for Noelle. A place where he’d raise and train horses—barrel racers and cutters for the rodeo. He pushed back the uncomfortable feeling that his idea had some serious flaws, and concentrated on how to make it work.
But Ty’s interest had drifted to something behind the chair where Hank was sitting. He turned slowly, expecting to see one of the ranch hands or Jimmy in the doorway. The sudden appearance of Kelly startled him.
“Kel, what’re you—” The smile he wore whenever she was around faltered as she sliced a hand through the air. Hank blinked at the hurt look on her face.
“I thought I could do this,” she whispered. “I can’t. Not now.” She darted out of sight.
Feeling like he was missing a key piece in a puzzle, Hank listened to Kelly’s boots echo down the hall. He swung to Ty. “How long was she standing there?” he demanded.
“Not long,” Ty sighed.
Hank hit the rewind button, replaying the last part of their discussion. “Damn,” he said softly. His stomach sank. Without bothering to say goodbye, he hustled out the door after the only woman he’d ever loved.
* * *
KELLY STOMPED TOWARD the front door, her boot heels sounding in sharp counterpoint to the painful ache in her heart.
“I should never have come here,” she muttered. “Should never have thought...”
She cringed at her own stupidity. She’d been on the verge of making the second biggest mistake of her life. The first being that she’d given h
er heart to a man she couldn’t trust...again. Stumbling onto Hank’s conversation with Ty had only confirmed what she’d already discovered—that Hank had been lying to her all along. He wasn’t a successful real estate mogul in Tallahassee. She’d come to Ty’s office determined to ferret out the truth. But one look at Hank and she’d known she wasn’t ready to hear any more of his lies.
Why had she given him her heart again? She’d thought he’d been falling in love with her. But his focus hadn’t waivered from the big commission he’d earn by selling her ranch, the land that had been in her family for generations. When she thought they were building a future together, he’d been planning to restart his real estate business, one she hadn’t even known was in trouble. The whole time she’d spent confessing her deepest secrets to him, he’d been hiding his own.
A sob worked its way up from somewhere deep inside. She covered her mouth to muffle it. From behind her, she heard a familiar voice.
“Kelly. Kel, wait up.”
Run! Run!
Twelve years ago she’d run far, run hard. She’d made it as far as Houston but, no matter how far she went, she hadn’t been able to escape her past. Instead, she’d carried the pain of her broken heart, of their lost child, with her. Much as she wanted to put a thousand miles behind her tonight, she knew running away wasn’t the answer now any more than it had been then. Summoning a strength she didn’t realize she had, she swung around to face Hank.
She spun without warning and so fast she nearly collided with the big man. The hands she’d dreamed of holding for the rest of her life landed on her shoulders. She flinched away.
“Don’t touch me,” she hissed, knowing her resolve would crumble if he held her. “I tried calling your office this afternoon. They said you’d gone out of business six months ago.” His old offices now housed a dog grooming parlor. His phone number had been reassigned to a thrift shop. “Why’d you let me think you ran some hot-shot real estate agency in Tallahassee?”
