by Leah Brooke
Sam gave Carson a knowing smile, his eyes flaring with satisfaction and relief when Casey went readily to him. “Of course.”
“Pancakes!”
Sam smiled at Casey’s demand. “Yes, ma’am. Let’s go get you some pancakes.”
Deanna stared after them. “I can’t believe she went with him.”
Closing his hands on her upper arms, Carson turned her to face him. “Children and animals have better instincts than most adults. She knows that we won’t hurt her. Is she this way with her father?”
Embarrassed at the life she’d led and her inability to get away, Deanna shook her head. “No. He only paid attention to her when he had an audience. She always cried when he picked her up so he stopped doing it a long time ago.”
Deanna had been grateful for that, fearing that Casey’s reaction to him would anger him into hurting her.
Relief at being away from such fear brought tears to her eyes, making them burn. Hurriedly turning away, she started for the restaurant door. “We’d better go in.”
Carson held on to her upper arm and, with a finger under her chin, lifted her face to his. “No more tears. You’re safe now, and so is Casey.”
Bending, he touched his lips to hers, the hand on her arm tightening.
Deanna gasped when he ran his tongue over her bottom lip, instinctively parting her lips, a moan escaping when he took advantage, sliding his tongue inside to caress hers.
Her head spun at the sexuality in his kiss, her knees weakening.
As if knowing his effect on her, he caught her against him, somehow holding her securely without hurting her ribs.
Lifting his head, he groaned and touched his forehead to hers. “What the hell is it about you that’s making me crazy?”
Stiffening, Deanna stepped back, immediately missing his warmth. “Nothing. I’m sorry. We’d better get inside.”
With a hand at her back, Carson led her to the door. “Oh? What are you sorry for?”
“For kissing you. I shouldn’t have done that.”
“Why not?” Carson opened the door, raising a brow as he met her gaze.
Deanna’s face burned. “Because I kissed Sam.”
“I know. I saw you. Sam and I both seem to want you.”
Pausing just inside the restaurant, Deanna glanced around to make sure no one could overhear them. “Look. I don’t know you, and I don’t know Sam. I just got divorced, and Jimmy’s the only man I’ve ever been with. If you and your friend think that seducing the boss is going to get you somewhere, you’re sadly mistaken.”
Chapter Three
Sam gave Deanna a pain pill with her breakfast and was pleased to see that she moved more easily when they left the restaurant and when he helped her into the front passenger seat.
Turning in her seat, she pointed to her duffel bag. “There’s a coloring book and some crayons in my bag.”
Sam’s hands were gentle as he fastened her seat belt, not wanting to hurt her ribs. “Just relax and go to sleep. I hate that you’re taking these pills, but you’d be damned uncomfortable sitting in the car for another twelve hours without one.”
Carson lifted Casey into her car seat and fastened her. “She needs to soak in a hot bath as soon as we get her home.”
Sam took the shearling jacket he’d left on his seat and covered her with it. “Lie back and close your eyes. I want to get back to the ranch before the storm hits.”
He’d checked the weather on his phone again while in the restaurant and knew that he and Carson would be busy as hell during what threatened to be a crippling storm.
He wanted to get Deanna and Casey settled in before it hit and already dreaded the time he’d have to be away from them.
He listened with half an ear to Casey’s conversation with Carson or, more accurately, Casey’s running monologue with an occasional comment from Carson, relieved that she seemed to be increasingly comfortable around them.
He had always been one to plan ahead, and he had an uneasy feeling that they hadn’t heard the last of Jimmy.
It would be easier for him to protect them if he earned their trust.
He glanced over at Deanna, pleased to see that she finally slept.
Lifting his gaze to meet Carson’s in the rearview mirror, Sam listened while Carson spoke on his cell phone, rambling off a list of orders to Al Mosley.
They trusted their foreman to do what needed to be done, but Sam and Carson had always been more comfortable when they’d been in control, especially concerning the ranch.
He glanced at Deanna again when she shifted restlessly, reaching out to cover her shoulder again when his coat slipped.
His need for control seemed to have strengthened since meeting her and Casey, the fear that not having that control could put them in danger.
Even though Don’s house stood only about a hundred yards from the main house, he wanted her and Casey at the main house with them.
Not wanting to panic her, he’d given in to her demand to stay at Don’s house instead of staying with him and Carson.
For now.
He wouldn’t be comfortable until Deanna and Casey were safely under their roof.
He was already protective of them.
Possessive.
In need of the control and trust that would help him keep them safe.
But it was more.
Much more.
She pulled at him in a way no woman ever had, and he owed it to both of them to figure out why.
* * * *
Deanna woke slowly, smiling at the excitement in Casey’s voice.
“Is it really real?”
From the back seat, Carson chuckled. ‘It sure is, Lil’ bit.”
Feeling Sam’s gaze, she opened her eyes, her pulse tripping when she found him watching her, his intimate smile doing strange things to her stomach. “Well, hello beautiful.”
Sitting up, Deanna snorted inelegantly. “Yeah, right.” Pushing her hair back, she folded his huge jacket over her lap and looked out the window to see that they were only a few miles from the ranch.
Several inches of snow covered the ground, and snow continued to fall. “It’s so beautiful.”
As they drove through the main street in town, Deanna found herself assailed by memories of a much happier time in her life.
She’d never seen the town with snow on the ground and found it even more enchanting.
She’d spent several weeks every summer at her uncle’s ranch in her youth and regretted that circumstances and life had made it impossible to visit him once she’d finished high school.
She’d kept in contact with him, mostly through letters, because he didn’t like talking on the phone much, especially when Jimmy insisted on eavesdropping, and she’d never owned a computer.
She already missed him.
“Mommy! It’s snowing!”
Blinking back tears, Deanna smiled and turned to smile at her daughter, wincing at the sharp tug to her cheek and eye. “Yes, sweetie. It is.”
“It’s just like on TV!”
The small amount of snow wouldn’t even phase anyone who lived in North Dakota, but to a little girl who’d never been out of Sunrise, Mississippi, it must have seemed like magic.
With a sigh, she sat back in her seat again.
“Problem?”
Deanna shrugged, wincing again. “Damn it. I didn’t realize how often I do that. It’s tight every time I shrug my shoulders.” Leaning her head back, she stared out the window. “I can’t wait to meet with that attorney. I have to see if there’s enough in the ranch account to buy Casey some warm clothes.” Smiling, she kept her head back against the headrest and turned her head toward him. “Something tells me that she’s going to want to go play in this stuff.”
Sam inclined his head. “You need some warmer clothes, too.”
The light denim jacket she wore had seen better days but would have to do. “Casey needs them more. I won’t know anything until I speak to the attorney. At least with t
he cuff unfastened, it fits around my cast.”
A muscle worked in Sam’s jaw. “Not amusing.”
“I wasn’t trying to be amusing.”
“How are your ribs?”
Aware that Carson had shifted in his seat and leaned forward, listening to their conversation, Deanna smiled. “My ribs are fine. I’m fine.”
Carson ran his fingers over the top of her hair. “Lying isn’t one of your strong suits.” Using his fingertips, he turned her toward him to meet his searching gaze. “There’s no need to lie to us about your pain. We can help you if you let us.”
Unused to such tenderness, Deanna swallowed the lump in her throat. “I appreciate that, but I’m used to dealing with it on my own. Besides, we’re strangers.”
Sam turned to frown at her. “We might have just met. But we’re not strangers. The three of all know there’s something more, so don’t try to pretend it’s not there.”
Deanna stiffened, her face flushing with an excitement she hoped they mistook for embarrassment. “Did you hear yourself? The three of us? I’m sure the two of you have to beat women off with a stick, but don’t assume that because I’m alone and divorced that I’m going to add to the notches on your headboards.”
Turning in her seat, she eyed both of them, knowing that she’d need to count on her uncle’s foremen even more than he had. “Don’t look so shocked. As tempting as it might be to have my two strong foremen take turns in my bed, I’m not stupid enough to sleep with my employees.”
The way they’d spoken to her, watched her, and touched her convinced her that they would both be energetic and attentive lovers and give her the pleasure she’d heard about but had never experienced herself.
Sam reached over, running the backs of his fingers over her jaw. “Nothing between us has anything to do with the ranch.”
Feeling more confident after her refreshing nap and approaching the ranch she loved, Deanna smiled, breathing a sigh of relief as the road to the ranch came into sight. “I’m grateful to both of you for coming to get us, but there can’t be anything between us. I have a ranch to run and a daughter to raise. I don’t have time for fun and games.”
As they made the turn onto ranch property, Deanna was surprised to see that the narrow dirt road she remembered had been widened and paved and appeared to have been recently plowed.
Sitting up, she looked around.
The driveway to her uncle’s house was on the left and appeared to have also been paved.
The dirt road that circled the ranch had also been paved. It led in different directions and forked onto two other widened paved roads, one leading to a large one-story house that had never been there before.
Deanna turned to look at Sam. “The main house, I presume?”
Sam inclined his head and turned to the left to pull into her uncle’s driveway. “Yes, ma’am. Right next door and walking distance.”
“Are we there, Mommy?”
Overcome with emotion, Deanna unfastened her seatbelt and turned to smile at her daughter. “Yes, sweetie. We’re here.”
She laid a hand on Sam’s forearm, sucking in a breath when he whipped his head around, his gaze piercing. “I hate to be a bother, but I doubt very much that there’s a lot of groceries in Uncle Don’s house. I should have said something when we drove through town, but—”
“Don’t worry about it.” He covered her hand with his, holding on to it when she would have pulled her hand away. “We planned to do a little shopping in town anyway. You two need some things that can’t wait, and it’ll be good to stretch our legs a bit. If you don’t want to go, you can just make a list for us.”
Deanna involuntarily clenched her hand, the feel of solid muscle against her palm a sharp reminder of the kind of strength of such a big man.
Jerking her hand away, she reached for the handle of her door, remembering a time when she believed that Jimmy would never have used his strength against her. “No. I’d like to go. I need some food and milk for Casey’s breakfast.”
She opened the car door and stepped out, sucking in a breath when the cold wind hit her.
She hurriedly got out, anxious to get Casey inside, her sneakers wet and ice cold in an instant.
Shutting the door on Sam’s low curse, she hitched her purse higher on her shoulder, shivering as she started around to get Casey, only to be stopped when Carson stepped out and wrapped his black shearling coat around her.
“Jesus, your feet are already soaked. Let’s get you inside.”
Sam had already unfastened Casey from her car seat and now held her securely in his arms, holding his thick, light-colored jacket around her to protect her from the wind.
Casey bounced excitedly in Sam’s arms, doing her best to shove the coat aside. “Mommy! Look at all the snow! Can we make a snowman?”
Amused at her daughter’s enthusiasm, Deanna laughed softly, adding to the ache in her ribs. “There’s not enough snow for that, honey. Besides, Mommy needs to do some things. Are you going to help me?”
“Yes, Mommy. I’m a good helper.”
Shivering and grateful for Carson’s steadying arm around her, Deanna followed Sam over the snow-covered sidewalk and up the porch steps, each step agony. “I know you are, honey. You always are a big help.”
Sam opened the door and carried Casey inside, moving aside and reaching for Deanna, scowling at her wet sneakers.
“We really have to get you some things.”
Deanna stepped inside, grateful to get out of the wind, her eyes filling with tears at the sight in front of her.
Uncle Don’s recliner was even more worn than she remembered it.
Stacks of magazines about horses and tack surrounded it, and behind it, mysteries and stories about the Old West filled his bookshelf.
In contrast, a large screen television stood on a large stand on the opposite side of the room.
Casey, of course, focused on the television. “Mommy, yook! It’s so big.”
“It sure is.” Closing the door against the cold air, Carson dropped the duffel bag she hadn’t even realized he carried in front of the sofa and went to the thermostat to turn the heat up. “Uncle Don had trouble seeing. He told me that he bought a new television so he could see it better, but it’s a lot bigger than I thought it would be.”
“Can I watch it?”
“Sure, honey. Give Mommy a minute. I want to look around first and make a grocery list.”
Carson returned, leading her to the sofa. “First, we’re going to get you out of these wet shoes and socks.”
Sam shrugged into his tan coat. “I’ll bring in some firewood.”
Carson quickly rid Deanna of her wet shoes and socks, taking one foot in his warm hands. “Jesus, your foot is like ice.”
Lifting her foot, he pressed a hot kiss against her toes, sending another kind of shiver—this one hot—up her leg to her slit. “I can’t wait to use my mouth on you.”
“Carson!” With a gasp, Deanna hurriedly looked toward Casey, who stood at the window, looking out at the snow.
“I made sure she couldn’t hear me. Give me your other foot.” He took her other foot between his hands, rubbing them gently and sending sharp sexual awareness racing through her.
Holding her other foot in his hands, he let his gaze rake over her breasts. “I can’t wait to have the chance to hear moans of pleasure pass those sweet lips instead of moans of pain.”
He smiled when Casey came to join Deanna on the sofa. “But that’s going to have to wait. We have a big storm coming in overnight, and Sam and I have a lot to do to get ready.”
“You should have been here instead of coming for me.”
Carson lifted her foot, kissing her toes. “Going to get you and Lil’ bit was our priority. I hope you have some dry shoes and socks in there.”
“I do.”
The sound of Sam coming in through the back door had Casey yelping and jumping onto Deanna’s lap. “Mommy! Did Daddy find us?”
Deann
a ran a hand over Casey’s soft hair, her heart clenching at her daughter’s fear. “No, sweetie. It’s Sam.”
Sam came through the kitchen doorway with his arms loaded with firewood. Setting it in the large wooden bin next to the fireplace, he removed his hat and tossed it into her uncle’s recliner. He knelt to Casey’s level, his tender smile transforming his features from hard and formidable to breathtakingly handsome. “Hey, Lil’ bit. Sorry I scared you. It’s just me. I wanted to bring in some firewood in case the electricity goes out during the storm.”
Sam could see Deanna’s weariness and wariness and could only imagine the wounds that he couldn’t see—both physical and emotional wounds that would compel her to keep her distance. “I checked when I went through the kitchen on my way out. The only things Don has here is an assortment of the canned soup he always kept around and some beer in the refrigerator. He didn’t eat here much. Let’s go to the grocery store in town. They built a bigger one just outside of town to the west, but I’m sure you’re both tired. We can get what you need here and get you both back here and settled for the night. We’ll grab some dinner while we’re out.”
“It sounds like a lot of fuss. I can fix some soup for us when we get back.”
Carson took the socks she dug out of her bag and slid them on her feet. “We need to eat, too. You need thicker socks.”
She slumped slightly, placing a hand on her daughter’s head. “Thank you. I know you have your own work to do.” She bent to kiss Casey’s head. “When we come back, I’ll give you your bath and we’ll have a snack.”
“Cookies?”
Deanna smiled at that. “I think I might be able to get a package of cookies.”
Seeing the tension she tried to hide, Sam held out a hand. “Stop worrying about the money. Come on. We can stop at the diner and get you and Lil’ bit something to eat before we go to the store.”
She lifted a hand to her cheek as if remembering the way people had stared when they’d stopped for breakfast. “Let me just get my purse and put my shoes on. Hopefully, the house will be warm by the time we get back.”
Sam held his arms to Casey, his heart constricting when she readily came to him. “You don’t need to lock the house. It’s being watched, and no one will come inside.”
