“Sounds like you had a productive morning with Ryan.”
“Yes, we had a good time.” He shook his head. “I had no idea how much a kid could talk. Is that normal?”
She smiled. “It’s not usual for him, but he’s excited. And not everyone is quiet and brooding like you.”
“I don’t brood. And I just don’t talk unless I have something to say.” His dark gaze met hers. “Besides, when we were together, we weren’t too interested in talking.”
Mallory glanced away, unable to stop the flood of memories. They’d been so hungry for each other, there hadn’t been much reason for conversation, unless it was to let each other know their desires. “We never talked. Maybe that was the problem.”
He studied her for a moment. “No, Mallory, you keeping Ryan a secret is the problem,” he said, then stalked off.
Okay, so this wasn’t going to be easy. She was willing to do more penance for her sin, but it was going to be on her terms.
She wasn’t that young, naïve girl Chase once knew and left without a second glance. She’d survived far too much to let another man dictate to her.
Mallory walked to the deck and stationed herself behind the table and the group of people lined up for the meal. She put on a smile and took over scooping up rice and beans.
“Well, don’t you look pretty today, Ms. Mallory,” Lee Preston told her as he held his plate.
She’d known the local rancher all her life. “Why thank you, Lee. I’m glad you could join us today. Dad sure appreciates it.”
“He had a rough couple of days. I’m just being neighborly. I don’t doubt he’d do the same for me.”
She served several other ranchers and Mallory came to realize how lucky she’d been in her life. West Texas neighbors were the best. Her son and Chase were next in the line.
“Rice and beans?” she asked.
“Yes, please, ma’am,” Chase said as he nodded his head.
“What about you, Ryan?”
“I’ll have the same, Mom,” he said as he mimicked Chase. She scooped up their helpings, feeling a little jealous that she’d been excluded.
They started to walk off, then Chase turned back to her. “Will you be able to join us?”
“Yeah, Mom. Come eat with us.”
She nodded. “Okay, save me a place and I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
Chase walked away, knowing he didn’t need the distraction of Mallory. But he had no choice. They all needed to get along for Ryan’s sake. He sat down at the end of the table and Ryan took the chair beside him.
“It was fun today,” Ryan said.
“Yes, it was. It’s been a long time since I’ve herded cattle.”
“You’re gonna stay for the branding, aren’t you, Chase?” Ryan asked.
“Sure,” he told him. “I was hoping to team up with you.”
The boy pumped his fist in the air. “All right!”
“Your grandpa asked if I wanted to be a heeler. Want to help?”
“That’s cool.”
“What’s cool?”
Mallory arrived at the table and took the empty seat across from them. Today, she was wearing a pair of worn jeans that hugged those mile-long legs of hers. Her hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, and some strands had worked free. Her eyes locked with his and suddenly memories of their summer together came rushing back. How easily he’d gotten lost in their green depths, the husky sound of her voice….
He quickly pushed the memories aside and said, “Buck asked me to help with the branding.”
“I’m going to help him, too,” Ryan said. “Chase asked me.” The boy took a big forkful of beans and ate them.
That got a raised eyebrow from Mallory. “I’m not sure if that’s a good idea, Ryan.”
“Aw, Mom. Grandpa said I could help him this year, but because he got hurt he can’t do it.” He put down his fork. “P-please, I want to help Chase.”
“I’ll watch him closely,” Chase assured her. He wouldn’t let anything happen to his child. “He’ll be the third man on the team so that should make it safe enough.” They both knew frightened calves could be unpredictable.
Still she hesitated. “Okay, but don’t get too carried away.” She turned to Ryan. “And you do exactly what you’re told.”
The boy bobbed his head up and down. “I will. Oh, boy.” A big grin appeared. “Can I go tell Joe?”
His mother looked down at his nearly clean plate. “Finish eating first.”
The boy gobbled down the last few bites, then stood up. “I’m done.”
“That was fast. But haven’t you forgotten something?”
His eyes widened. “Oh, Rosalie’s pie. I can bring you back some, Mom.” He smiled sweetly. The kid could be a charmer. With her nod, he turned to Chase. “You want some pie?”
“I wouldn’t turn a piece down. Any kind is fine.”
The boy shot off, leaving the two alone at the table.
Chase could see Mallory was upset. “You think I should have consulted with you before I asked Ryan?”
“I am his mother. It would have been nice. You know the dangers of a roundup.”
It made him angry Mallory thought he couldn’t keep their son safe. “So it was okay that for two days I tracked down the boy, then rescued him from criminals, but you don’t think I’m capable of keeping him safe during branding.”
She blinked. “Of course, I know you will. It’s just—”
“It’s just that you don’t want to share your son.” He stood, then leaned down and lowered his voice. “You better get used to it, Mallory, because I’m here and I plan to be a part of Ryan’s life. A big part.
“I have a lot of years to make up for.”
CHAPTER FOUR
WOULD THE WEEKEND ever end?
Mallory walked toward the branding chute and pens just in time to see Chase and Ryan share a high five after they released the calf’s hind legs and the animal scurried away. Another hand opened the gate and sent the steer back to its mama.
“Good job,” Chase cheered his son. Ryan smiled, puffing out his chest.
This was the second day of the roundup, and the third day Ryan and Chase had spent together. It was easy to see how attached her son was getting to Chase. She didn’t believe it was all hero worship, either. Mallory felt her stomach tighten with guilt. For eight years, she’d denied her son a real father and still all she could think about was keeping Ryan to herself. Old habits died hard. She was overly protective for a good reason.
Mallory shivered, recalling Alan’s constant anger. The frequent fights…the rages that would eventually turn physical. Her own pride kept her from leaving for a long time, but then she had to survive…and most of all, she had to protect Ryan.
She recalled the last time Alan had taken his brutality out on her. Afterward, he’d left the house, and she’d taken her chance, maybe her last. She’d managed to gather her frightened son and together they’d hiked across their property to find safety at her neighbor Liz Mooney’s place.
She’d called her father and he brought her back to Midland. Buck had wanted her stay at the Lazy K but she needed her independence, to make it on her own. In the end, she’d accepted Liz’s invitation to become business partners. It still hadn’t stopped Alan’s threats on her and her son. Her ex-husband had even mentioned Chase.
One thing Mallory knew for sure, no other man would control her or her life ever again. She looked toward Chase. Not even a good-looking Texas Ranger.
She stepped closer to the edge of the pen. The amazing father-and-son team was tackling yet another calf. She smiled, feeling the years of regrets that she hadn’t given Ryan this relationship sooner. Of course that posed another question she knew she had to face, telling Ryan of her secret.
“Hey, Mom, did you see us?”
She smiled. “Yes, I’ve been watching you. You’re a great team.”
Buck stood in the background, giving praise, too. Even Chase gave his son a rare g
rin. She studied the man she had tried to put out of her mind over the years. It never worked. Just seeing Ryan grow and look more like his father daily didn’t help, either.
She had been so much in love with Chase back then. Now, he was back in her life, hating her for keeping Ryan from him. Would he ever forgive her for being young and foolish?
She put on a smile as the dynamic duo came out of the pen. Both were dressed in jeans, Western shirts, and white straw hats; their leather chaps flapped as they strolled toward her. Good heavens, they even walked alike.
“Grandpa said we should take a break ’cause we’ve been working so hard.”
She held out two bottles of water. “I bet you can use these.”
“Sure can. Thanks, Mom.”
“Thanks, Mallory,” Chase said as he took the chilled bottle. He didn’t take his eyes off her as he twisted off the lid and placed the bottle against his mouth. Then he tossed his head back and drank half the bottle.
Mesmerized, she watched the sweat roll down his face and had to stop herself from wiping it away. She quickly glanced away. What was wrong with her? She didn’t need any thoughts like that. It would only lead to trouble. She stole a glance at Chase. He was watching her with those dark eyes. A warm shiver slid down her spine. Definitely big trouble.
“Hey, Mom, can we go swimming?”
She turned her attention to her son. “Had enough branding?”
Ryan pushed his hat back off his face. “I’m kinda tired.”
“Me, too,” Chase admitted. “I’ll probably have some mighty sore muscles tomorrow.” He rotated those broad shoulders. “It’s been awhile since I’ve branded a steer.”
“You looked pretty good to me,” she said, then realized how that sounded and quickly added, “but if you’d rather swim…”
Ryan looked up at Chase. “I want to swim, don’t you? Grandpa’s pool is really neat. It’s got a slide and a diving board.”
“Man, that’s a hard choice. Do I want to wrestle smelly calves, or float around in cool water? What should I choose?”
Ryan started to giggle. “The pool. I’ll go get my trunks on. Come on, Grandpa’s got a lot of extra suits for people.”
“Okay, I’ll meet you there,” Chase called, then looked at Mallory. “Are you going with us?”
She shook her head. “No, but I’ll probably hang around to make sure you kids don’t do anything stupid.”
He smiled. “So you’re going to spoil all the fun.”
“It comes with the territory of being a parent. Someone has to act like an adult.”
“Mallory…”
“Chase…” They both spoke at the same time.
“You go first,” he prompted.
She sighed. “I was going to say that we haven’t had much of a chance to talk. And since Ryan and I will be leaving tomorrow—”
He frowned. “Whoa…back up. You better change those plans,” he insisted. “You’re not taking my son anywhere, not until we have this straightened out.”
Later that evening, Chase walked out to the Kendricks’ backyard. The pool was empty now, and the wrought-iron gate locked for safety. In another section a large manicured lawn was trimmed with yard lights and colorful flowers. The crickets chirped, keeping him company as he waited for Mallory. She was putting Ryan to bed.
Chase paced the terra-cotta-tiled patio. He was anxious and a little angry. No, a lot angry. It happened every time he thought about the eight years he’d missed with his son. Now, Mallory said, “Here are your two days, sorry but I have to leave and take our son.”
No, he wasn’t going to let that happen. That meant he needed to do something to stop it…legally. He wanted a life with the boy. He knew what life was like without a father. There was no way he’d allow that to happen to his son. He wanted more. The boy was his only family.
Years ago he’d thought Mallory would be his family. As it turned out, she didn’t love him, and he’d been quickly replaced by another man. Worse, she walked away with his son. No more. No matter how much she could still get to him, he wasn’t going to let her have her way on this.
He’d contact a lawyer tomorrow.
The French doors opened and Mallory stepped outside. She’d changed out of her jeans before supper into a yellow sundress that exposed her delicate shoulders and the golden hue to her skin. Her hair was down, dancing around her face.
“Sorry it took so long,” she said. “I helped Rosalie put some things away.” She directed him to a grouping of teak chairs around a table.
He waited for her to sit first, then took the chair across from her. It seemed strange that they’d once been lovers, and had made a child together, yet this felt more like a formal business meeting. Maybe that was a good thing.
“I guess what you want is to discuss how we’re going to tell Ryan you’re his father.”
“How generous of you,” he growled, but immediately regretted his words.
“Look, Chase. I’ve already admitted I was wrong not to tell you. I can’t change the past. At least believe me when I say I’m not going to stop you from being in your son’s life.”
“And you need to understand that I can’t fully trust you, Mallory.”
She looked hurt. “I accept that. But it’s Ryan who’s my big concern. I don’t want him hurt.”
Chase cursed, stood and began to pace. “You don’t think he’s going to be hurt when he learns you kept him from his father?”
Mallory rose, too. She knew she’d be paying for her mistakes the rest of her life. “Yes, he will be. Alan wasn’t the father he should have been.”
Chase raised a hand. “I don’t want to hear about your dead husband. And don’t compare me to him. Ryan is my son.”
She sighed. “Yes, he is. But tell me, Chase, how active are you planning to be in his life?”
“Very active. I plan to go to court and get partial custody.”
Mallory didn’t like to be threatened, but she also knew Chase had the right to do this. She didn’t like that, either. “Please don’t, Chase. Can’t we work something out between us?”
He frowned. “It’s a little late, don’t you think? You’ve kept Ryan from me for so long.”
She went to him. “If you want to hurt me, fine. But a court battle would hurt Ryan, too.”
How different things would have been if Chase had been around to raise his son. It had been something she’d wished for every day in the last nearly nine years…every day she’d looked at Ryan, saw the likeness and remembered how much she’d loved his father.
Would Chase remember what it had been like, too? Although he’d never said the words to her, she always knew he cared for her.
Mallory studied his rigid jaw and knew how stubborn Chase could be. He wasn’t going to give in easily, but she had to try. “You and I can work out visitation,” she continued. “And I promise, I’ll let you see him whenever you want.”
He stared at her for a long time. “My, aren’t we suddenly eager to cooperate.”
“Yes, I am. I love my son. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep him from getting caught in our battle.”
His gaze bore into hers; then came the smirk. “If I remember, Mal, you enjoyed those battles between us. You had quite a temper when you didn’t get your way. We used to get into some pretty heated…arguments.”
She had been spoiled back then. She’d grown up fast after marrying Alan. “I’ve matured a lot since then. Things are different now.”
He glanced over her body and she saw a flicker of awareness in his eyes. “Oh, I don’t know, you seemed pretty grown up back then, too.”
Mallory couldn’t stop the blood from rushing to her face. “I was eager to please. I would have done anything for you.”
His gaze lingered on her. “And I would have for you. You could turn me inside out with a look. You had a power over me…” He closed his eyes. “Damn. Why did it have to happen like this…” he said, his breath caressing her face. “I would have dropped every
thing for you…for my child….”
Move away, she warned herself, but couldn’t seem to gather up the resolve.
He leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers. She sucked in air as he eased away. “Damn, you could turn me every way but loose.”
She bit her lip to keep from begging him for more, told herself she was just curious, but knew it was more. It had always been more with Chase.
He didn’t disappoint her and dipped his head toward her. His mouth captured hers. This time there was no doubt about his intentions as he quickly deepened the kiss. He wanted her. Drawing her to him, he moved his legs apart, fitting her intimately against his body. She was just as eager for him as his tongue slipped in and out of her mouth, tasting her, caressing her.
She whimpered, feeling his hands run over her back, searing her skin. He had her unable to think beyond that wonderful hunger he’d always caused deep inside her. Suddenly he released her. In the dim light she could see a mixture of raw desire and anger in his gaze.
“I guess we never had a problem in that department.”
She stiffened. “Well, I’m happy you got to test your theory. But in the future please refrain.”
“You’re right.” He walked away, then back again. “I want time with my son.”
“I agree, but I live outside of Lubbock, over a hundred miles away from where you live. It’s not like you can drive across town.”
“Maybe one of us should relocate.”
She stared at him for a long time. “I take it, you mean me.”
He shrugged. “You were raised here in Midland and your father lives here.”
“I’ve lived outside of Lubbock for years. Ryan was born there…my business is there. I can’t leave.”
Chase couldn’t leave the rangers, either. A transfer was possible, but it could take years.
He caught a glimpse of the woman he’d kissed senseless. That wasn’t wise. It also wasn’t wise to learn that he was still drawn to her. Maybe it was good she lived in another town, except he wanted to be close to his son.
“I don’t like the idea of being a weekend dad.”
“I have room at the ranch. You could stay there when you visit…for Ryan, of course.”
Texas Ranger Takes a Bride Page 5
