That Night With the Rich Rancher (10 page)

Dimly the thought nagged at her that it had been a mistake to come here, but she wanted to see if he had been truthful with her.

She couldn’t step away or protest. She saw the desire in the blue-green depths of his eyes and her mouth went dry. She wanted his kiss just one more time.

He leaned down to kiss her, a hot, possessive kiss that made her feel he wanted her with all his being. Her heart pounded as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back, once again trying to make him remember this moment and be as conflicted as she was.

Her world spun away, lost in Tony’s kisses that set her ablaze. She felt his hands drifting up her back, then moving forward to lightly caress her breasts.

“Tony,” she whispered, unable to tell him to stop, yet knowing they should.

She caught his wrists and leaned back. “This isn’t why I came,” she whispered, and then stepped away. “Water well pump, remember?” she asked, unable to get any firmness in her voice.

“When you’re ready, we’ll go,” he said. He stood so close that her heart pounded and it took all the willpower she had to move away.

“We both have to do better than this tonight.”

“I intend to do a lot better,” he said, teasing and leering at her, causing her to laugh.

“You’re hopeless and headed for trouble, and you’re taking me with you.” She smoothed down her shirt and stood tall. “I’m ready to look at that pump now.”

“One thing—in case you think I might have one old pump for moments like this and the rest are new, I’ll let you select which one we go see,” he said. She went with him to his desk, a massive cherry table. He opened a drawer and pulled out a map, which he unfolded. “This is a map of the ranch with the water wells circled in yellow. You can select one. If you want to look at all of them, we can.”

She gave him a searching look. “I’m beginning to believe you and feel really foolish.”

“This is why you came. Pick the wells, Lindsay,” he instructed.

She looked again and pointed to one the shortest distance from the house.

“Is that all? I want you totally satisfied when you go home.” He said the last words in the tone of voice he used when he was flirting with her. He was back to sexy innuendos, which kept her thinking about his kisses and lovemaking.

“Tony, you’ve got to stop that,” she said, unable to suppress another laugh. He grinned and took her arm.

“I don’t think you really want me to. You say those words, but your body, your eyes, your voice are giving you away, darlin’.”

“Time to go, Tony,” she said, trying to resist him, the sensible thing to do.

They drove to the well and she could see the rust on the pump from yards away. She turned to place her hand on his arm. “Tony, I’m sorry. I’ve misjudged you and accused you of things you didn’t do.”

He turned to face her. “You don’t want to see another well?”

She shook her head, “No. I apologize.”

“Apology accepted.”

“I’ve already taken your advice and called to see about digging my wells deeper.”

“Good. C’mon, let’s go home and have some juicy steaks.”

She knew she should say no, but she couldn’t. She had been wrong about him—he had been telling her the truth all along.

She thought of all the times she had been told not to trust a Milan. Her grandmother had practically drummed it into her head. But her brother had married Tony’s sister and trusted her fully. Shouldn’t she have learned anything from Jake?

They rode back in silence, but when they stepped into his kitchen, she had to apologize again. She felt that bad.

“Tony, again, I’m so sorry. I—”

He turned to her and put his hands on her waist. “Don’t worry about it, it doesn’t matter now. This is all that matters.”

He tilted her chin up, and she saw the flicker in his eyes and knew when the moment changed. He drew her into his embrace and kissed her, holding her tightly and kissing her thoroughly until she was breathless. With a moan of pleasure, she slipped her arm around his neck and another around his waist to hold him tightly, wanting his kiss in spite of all her intentions of resisting him.

When he released her, he smiled. “That’s better,” he said. “Let’s have a drink and I’ll start the steaks.”

Though she knew she should go home for a quiet dinner alone, she nodded instead. She tingled from his kiss and wanted more. Each kiss was a threat to her heart and she promised herself she would stop seeing him after this evening. It was just one more night.

She drew a deep breath as her throat went dry. “We weren’t going to do this.”

“So we’re together three times instead of two. Seeing each other will end and we both know it, so what does tonight hurt?” he asked.

“You make it sound like something silly for me to protest.”

“You know I want you to stay. It won’t be a big deal, Lindsay.”

With her heart drumming, she watched him walk to a bar. Who would have thought it? A cowboy who could turn her world upside down, who had become the sexiest, most handsome man she had ever known. How could Tony have become important to her, able to set her heart pounding just by walking into a room where she was?

What seemed worse, the more she knew him, the better she liked him and the more she thought of him. That realization scared her. She didn’t want to respect him, admire him and like him. He was still Tony, who had to run everything all the time. Physically, she was intensely attracted to him, but it was beginning to spill over into other aspects of their lives and that scared her.

Never in her life had she been attracted to someone who could put her way of life at risk—until now.

To protect her own lifestyle, she had to make tonight the last time she would socialize with him. She had to break off seeing him before her life was in shambles and her heart broken.

Could she adhere to that...or was it too late?

Six

H
e wasn’t in the kitchen when she came back from freshening up in the powder room. Where had he gone?

She saw a column of gray smoke spiraling skyward and followed it to the glassed-in sitting room where she saw him outside at a grill. When she went out, he turned to smile at her. Tall, lean and strong, he kept her heart racing. His blue-eyed gaze drifted over her and she could see his approval.

“The steak smells wonderful,” she said.

“Thanks. We have tossed salad and twice-baked potatoes, too.”

“When did you fix all that? Twice-baked potatoes? You planned this?”

“No. I have Gwynne, a cook who has gone home now. She fixes dinners and leaves them for me. The potatoes were frozen and easy to thaw and heat. She lives in her own place here on the ranch and cooks five days a week.”

“And what do you do the other two days?”

“Eat alone,” he said.

“I can imagine,” she remarked, thinking of women she knew he had taken out.

He chuckled as he turned to look at the steaks.

The terrace was broad, running across the back of the house and along the bright blue swimming pool that looked so inviting.

“What do you want to drink? Iced tea, wine, cold beer, martini—you name what you’d like.”

“With a drive home tonight, I think iced tea is a good choice.”

“I’ll get you that, but I’d be happy to drive you home tonight.”

“I’ll take the tea,” she answered, smiling at him, wanting to accept his offer, wanting to stay all night, but determined to do what she should.

In minutes he brought her a tall glass of tea and he held a cold beer. “Shall we sit where I can keep an eye on the steaks?”

All the time they talked, she was aware of him sitting close. His hand rested on her shoulder, rubbing it lightly, or on her nape, his warm fingers drifting in feathery caresses, all small touches that were heightening desire. Was it going to be easy to forget the times spent with him? Was she going to miss him or think about him when they parted for good? She knew the answers to both questions. What she was uncertain about was whether she could resist him.

Soon they sat down to eat in his cool, informal dining area.

“Once again, I’m surprised and impressed. You’re quite a cook, Tony. The steaks are delicious.”

“Thank you. Our own beef and my own cooking. Ta-da.”

When she laughed, he shook his head.

“I need to make an improvement,” he said, reaching out to unfasten one more button of her shirt and push it open to reveal her lush curves. His warm fingers brushed her lightly and she drew a sharp breath, longing for his touch.

She hoped what she wanted didn’t show. She could barely eat. All she wanted was to be in his arms. In some part of her mind she wondered if he had an ulterior motive for inviting her to see the pumps.

He turned on the charm during dinner, smiling and telling her stories about his family and funny incidents when he started as a rancher. They sat for hours after they finished their steaks, laughing and talking over coffee, until she realized the sun had gone down a long time ago. She stood. “It’s getting late, Tony. I should go home.” She picked up her plate. Instantly Tony took her dish from her hands.

“None of that. Gwynne will be here in the morning and will take care of it.”

“So then I should be going,” she said, trying to stick to what she felt she should do.

Placing his hands on her shoulders, making her tingle in anticipation, he turned her to face him.

“Don’t go home tonight, Lindsay. You have choices—you can sleep downstairs alone or upstairs with me, but stay. I don’t want you to drive back tonight.”

“Tony,” she said, her heart drumming as she looked into his blue-green eyes, “you know I should go. We’ve talked about this.”

He stepped closer to wrap his arms around her and kiss her. When she knew she was on the verge of agreeing to stay, she stepped out of his embrace.

“I have to go home,” she said breathlessly.

He nodded and watched as she straightened her blouse and turned for the door.

Draping his arm across her shoulders, he walked her to her pickup.

“I know you’re doing what’s sensible. We have different lifestyles. Even so, I don’t want you to go.”

“I have to,” she said and turned to climb into her pickup.

She smiled at him. “Thanks for dinner and for showing me your water pump.”

“Sure. I’ll call you,” he said, and closed the pickup door.

He stood on the driveway watching her as she drove away. She glanced several times at the rearview mirror and he still stood watching. Then she rounded a curve and he was gone from view.

She trembled with longing, wanting to stay, telling herself over and over that she was doing the right thing and the smart thing. She had no future with Tony. Far from it, he would be a threat to her and her ranch. Why didn’t that knowledge make her feel better?

She tried to stop thinking about his kisses, the laughs they had shared. What she was doing was for the best. She missed him, but she was not brokenhearted after an affair that Tony had ended, something she wanted to avoid with all her being.

The auction had been worth the money if she got friendliness and cooperation from him. She knew he would never stop telling her what she should do, but they could have a more neighborly relationship. In a week she would probably feel differently about him if she stopped seeing him and talking to him.

* * *

Tony stood a few minutes after Lindsay drove out of sight. Longing for her tore at him and was impossible for him to ignore.

How could he have so much fun with her now, find her so desirable when not long ago they were at each other’s throats over every issue?

He knew the answer to his question. She was the sexiest, best-looking, most fun woman he had ever known. The realization still shook him.

Feeling empty, he stared at the road, wishing she would turn around and come back. Back into his arms and into his bed tonight.

He shouldn’t miss her—he had never missed a woman this much or given one this much thought when he wasn’t with her.

Of all the women in Texas, why did it have to be Lindsay who had turned his life topsy-turvy?

With a long sigh, he turned to go inside, knowing he wouldn’t be able to stop thinking about her or sleep peacefully tonight.

As he walked back to his house, he saw a light in one of the barns. On impulse, to avoid being alone, he changed direction and strolled to the barn, where he found Keane nailing up more shelves in the tack room.

“I wondered who was working. Need help?”

“Yep. In a minute. I need a break. If you have time, four hands will be better than two trying to get these shelves in place,” Keane said as he sat on a crate.

Tony sat on a bale of hay and stretched out his legs. “Lindsay just left and she’s happy about my water pumps. She is going to look into doing the same, as we have to get water.”

“She can be a nice lady. Good for neighbors to get along.”

“It should be more peaceful. I hope it lasts, because she still can be her stubborn self.”

“She’s not so bad, but you know that now. The people who work for her like her.”

“For a time it will probably be better between us.”

“I’d bet money on that one,” Keane remarked drily. “She’s a strong woman who knows what she wants.”

“Amen to that. Actually, I don’t think we’ll see any more of each other in the future.”

“Maybe so. You’ll work it out, I’m sure.”

Tony focused on his foreman because it sounded as if Keane was trying to hold back laughter. “Ready to get back to work?” Tony asked, standing because he wanted to end the conversation about his private life.

“Sure. You can hold one of these boards in place for me.”

Silently, Tony followed directions from Keane, but his thoughts drifted to Lindsay. He didn’t want to go back to his empty house. He missed her and didn’t want to think about her staying or having her in his arms in his bed tonight.

Once Keane stopped to look at him.

“What?”

“You’re getting ready to hammer that board in and it’s in the wrong place.”

Startled, Tony looked at the narrow board he held in his hands. “Sorry,” he said, adjusting it as he felt his face heat. He had been lost in thoughts about Lindsay. He made an effort to stop thinking about her and focus on the job at hand.

Tony managed to keep his thoughts on the task and, in minutes, Keane stepped back to look at his completed shelves.

“With your help, we’re through,” Keane said. “Thanks, boss. That went quickly. I’ll put away the tools.”

“I’ll help,” Tony stated, acting quickly. In minutes they parted, Keane for his house and Tony walking back to his, which was dark and empty.

He stepped inside, locked the door and went to the kitchen to get a beer. He carried it out to the patio to sit and gaze at the pool, gardens and fountain while he thought about Lindsay.

He had to get her out of his thoughts. They had no future together and neither one wanted a future together. It still amazed him how much she was in his thoughts.

“Goodbye, Lindsay,” he said aloud, as if he could get her out of his thoughts that way. He didn’t expect to see her again soon. He tried to ignore the pang that caused.

* * *

Lindsay stood in front of the calendar the next morning counting the days. Once and again. No matter how many times she counted it, the results were the same. She had missed her period by almost a couple of weeks now, and that had never happened before. Common sense said there could be a host of reasons and she should give it more time. But could she be pregnant? Tony had taken precautions, but there was always a chance. She knew the statistics.

Anxiety washed over her with the force of a tidal wave, and she pulled out her desk chair to sit down.

After a few minutes, she reminded herself that women were late all the time without it meaning they were pregnant and she should give it a few more days. No sense worrying needlessly. She simply put it out of her mind and got ready for work.

But when the next two days passed with no change, she had to get a home pregnancy test. She couldn’t get it in Verity or any town in the surrounding counties where she knew nearly everyone.

She was having Tony’s baby. She knew it. Shock buffeted her. How could she deal with it?

She was going to have to figure out how to deal with it. She picked up her phone to send a text to her foreman.
Something’s come up. I’ll call later.

In a minute she received a reply:
Okay
. She put her head in her hands. If only she could undo everything and go back to the way she and Tony had been before the auction. She didn’t want to be pregnant with Tony’s baby. She’d always thought someday she would marry and have a family. Now she was going to have the family without the marriage.

She didn’t want Tony to know yet. She had to have plans in place so he couldn’t take over.

She ran her hands through her hair. She wasn’t ready for this. Tony would want to be part of his child’s life, and he would take charge and tell her what to do the moment he learned she was carrying his baby.

Telling her how to run her ranch would be nothing compared to telling her how to raise a baby.

Their
baby
.

A Milan baby.

A Milan baby fathered by a man she could never marry.

But their families would want them to marry. Hers would pressure her, just as his would pressure him. She knew he was the family type who would think they should marry for this baby’s sake. She would have a bigger fight with Tony than she had ever had before. Running two big ranches and raising a baby together. They wouldn’t have a battle—they’d have a war! She put her head in her hands to cry, something she rarely did. How would she cope with this? For once in her life she felt overwhelmed.

For a few minutes as she cried, she let go, swamped by a looming disaster. She raised her head and her gaze fell on a picture of her nephew she had taken when Scotty was two. He was laughing, sitting astride a big horse and holding the reins. She loved the picture and she loved Scotty with all her heart and had always hoped she would have a little boy just like him.

She sat up, dried her eyes and stared at Scotty’s picture, pulling it close. She was going to have a baby and maybe her child would be as wonderful as Scotty. And her family would stand by her. She had no doubts about that.

She had always avoided dating ranchers until Tony. When she bought a night with him at the auction, she had not expected to fall into bed with him or to even want to see him again.

She should have stuck to her rule of not dating a rancher, no matter the circumstances. But it had never once occurred to her that she could be attracted to Tony, not until she had seen him in that tux, looking so sexy, those eyes that could convey enough desire to melt her.

Logic said to make a doctor’s appointment and have her pregnancy verified by a lab and a professional. She could get a home kit, but she wanted a doctor’s results to be certain. That was step one. Telling Tony would be step two and the one that she could not cope with thinking about now.

Why had she ever bid for him in the damn auction? No undoing that night now, but it was coming back to haunt her. She needed to plan and to find a good doctor. She couldn’t go to a doctor in Verity or anywhere around the area. Texas might not even be big enough. She didn’t want word getting to Tony until she was ready to tell him herself. She should fly to a big city, like Tulsa or Albuquerque, but she didn’t know any doctors there. She thought about Savannah, Mike’s pregnant wife who was from Arkansas.

If Savannah gave her an Arkansas doctor’s name, she could drive to Dallas and then fly to Arkansas without anyone else in the family knowing where she had gone or why. As she thought about her older brother, Mike, she wanted to talk to him and to Savannah. Because of Scotty, she had gotten where she felt close to Mike, and now that he had married Savannah, they would be the ones to talk to about her situation. Savannah had never intended to become pregnant and when her ex-fiancé in Arkansas found out, he had been hateful and hadn’t wanted his baby. Lindsay sighed. At least she would never have to worry about that with Tony. It would be just the opposite with Tony. He would want this baby in his life all the time.