“I like dogs,” Caro shouted over her own laughter when Abbey sprang up to lick the girl’s face.
“She likes you, too,” Wes said, then as an older woman approached, said, “I’m home, Bobbi.”
“So I see.” Bobbi had long, gray-streaked black hair, currently in a thick braid that hung over one shoulder. She wore jeans, a long-sleeved blue T-shirt and dark red cowboy boots. “You brought me a little girl to spoil, too, I see.”
“Hi,” the girl announced. “I’m Caroline.”
“Nice to meet you,” Bobbi said. Then, holding out a hand, she said, “You must be Isabelle.”
“I am, it’s nice to meet you, too.” Isabelle looked around, then back to the woman who was so clearly in charge. “It’s a gorgeous house.”
“Needs some life in it,” Bobbi pointed out with a slanted look at Wes. “But looks like it’ll be a little livelier for a while anyway.”
“All right,” Wes said, tossing a knowing look at the older woman. “Caro, you want to see your room? It’s upstairs.”
Bobbi’s eyebrows lifted at the sign language he used, but then she nodded as if pleased to see it.
“I do! Come on, Abbey!” Caroline headed for the stairs at a run, and the dog was only a pace behind her.
Isabelle and Wes followed, and when he took her hand, she held on, pleased at the warmth. The connection. This was a big step for her. Coming back to Royal with the man she had once run from. Odd that she’d never planned on it, but she’d ended up coming full circle. If it all worked out somehow, great. If it didn’t, would she pay for this decision for the rest of her life? For her own sake, as well as Caroline’s, she hoped not.
At the top of the stairs, they turned left and Wes led the way to a door halfway down the hall. When he threw it open, Caroline raced inside, then stopped dead and sighed, “Oh, boy.”
Isabelle had to agree. Wes had gone all out. The room was a pale, dreamy blue, with white curtains at the windows and a blue-and-white coverlet on the bed. There was a table and chairs in one corner, bookshelves filled with books and a child-size blue couch covered in white pillows, just made for curling up and daydreaming. There was a mural on the wall of butterflies, fairies and storybook castles and a thick blue rug spread across the wood floors.
How he’d managed all of this in just a couple of days was amazing. Unless, Isabelle thought with a sideways glance at him, he’d been planning to get her and Caro to Texas all along. Good thing? Bad? She couldn’t be sure yet.
Caroline whipped around, still clutching her doll in the crook of one arm, and threw her free arm around Wes’s knees. Tipping her head back, she said, softly, “Thank you, Wes.”
He cupped the back of her head and smiled down at her with a gentleness that touched Isabelle’s heart. There were so many layers to the man that she doubted she would ever learn them all. But this man, the gentle, loving man, was the one she’d fallen so deeply in love with years ago. It was a side of him she’d rarely seen, and it was all the more beautiful now because of it.
And Isabelle was forced to admit, at least to herself, that she still loved him. Watching him with their daughter had only solidified the feelings that had never faded away. She’d known five years ago, even when she left him, that she wouldn’t be able to run far enough to outdistance what she felt for him. She’d tried. She’d buried herself in work she believed in, in caring for her daughter and in being a part of her town and her family.
But in spite of everything, for five long years, Wes had remained in the back of her mind, in a corner of her heart. And even as she tried to fool herself, she’d known somehow that what she felt for him was still alive and well. Today just proved that.
As her heart ached and her throat tightened, he lifted his head, catching her eye, and everything inside her melted. Isabelle had risked a lot by coming here with him, staying with him. But it was too late to back out now. She had to see this through. See where it would take her. Love didn’t disappear just because it was inconvenient. But if she walked away a second time with a broken heart, Isabelle wasn’t sure she’d survive it.
“You’re welcome,” he said to the little girl still beaming at him as if he were a superhero.
Caroline gave him another quick grin, then climbed onto her couch to try it out and Abbey crawled up right beside her, laying her big head in the little girl’s lap. Clearly, a mutual adoration society had been born.
“Now,” Wes said to Isabelle, “I’ll show you your room.” He took her hand again to lead her directly across the hall.
The moment he opened the door, she knew it was the master bedroom. It was massive. Far bigger than her own bedroom at home, this one boasted a stone fireplace on one wall, with a flat-screen TV mounted over the mantel. There were two comfy high-back chairs and a small table in front of the hearth, and on either side of the fireplace, floor-to-ceiling bookcases. A bank of windows on the far wall was bare of curtains and displayed a view of the trees, grass, a swimming pool and those hills she’d spotted before, off in the distance. There was also what looked like a barn. Or a stable.
She wondered idly how many acres he owned, but then her thoughts were scattered by a glance at his bed. It was huge. A dark blue duvet lay atop the mattress, and the head and footboard were heavy golden oak. Dark red rugs were tossed across the shining floor, and all in all, it was a beautiful, masculine space. But it was the bed that kept drawing her gaze. Finally she forced herself to look away, to meet Wes’s gaze.
In his eyes, she saw the glint of desire and the determination of a man who knew what he wanted and had no trouble going after it. “You don’t have another guest room?”
He gave her a half smile, reached out and stroked one hand down her back. Isabelle took a breath, then steeled herself against her reaction. The ripple of goose bumps along her arms, mixed with the heat building at her core, was enough to shatter any woman’s defenses.
“Sure,” he said, voice a low rumble of need, “but we can’t pretend we didn’t sleep together. Can’t go back, Belle.” His gaze locked on hers. “And I wouldn’t even if we could. Don’t think you would, either.”
She shook her head. No point in denying it.
“Do you really want us to be sneaking up and down the hallway in the middle of the night?”
The image his words painted was both pitiful and funny. She sighed. “With Caro right across the hall...”
Wes chuckled. “She won’t think anything of it, Belle. Heck, with Abbey around, she probably won’t notice.” He moved in and wrapped both arms around her. “We already crossed this bridge back in Colorado, you know. You’re not going to try to tell me you’re sorry about it, are you?”
No, she really wasn’t. Maybe she should have been, but she wasn’t. Five years without him had been long and lonely. Having him back in her life might be dangerous to her heart, but Isabelle knew that loving him was no longer a choice for her. It just was.
As for sharing his bed here... Isabelle would be going to bed long after Caro. And she’d be up before her daughter in the morning, so her little girl would probably never realize where her mother was spending the night. And honestly, Isabelle admitted silently, she wanted to stay with Wes. She was here for a week. Why not enjoy what she had while she had it? Risk be damned. If this time with him was destined to end, Isabelle at least wanted now.
“No,” she said, “I’m not sorry.” She watched pleasure dart across his eyes, then she lifted one hand and cupped his cheek, just because she wanted to. “I’ll stay here. With you.”
“Good.” He caught her hand and held onto it. “Now that we’ve got that settled...come on.”
Frowning at his abrupt shift, she asked, “Where are we going?”
“Outside. Let’s find out if Caro likes her pony.”
“What?” She laughed as he pulled her along behind him and won
dered how she’d ever made it through the last five years without him.
Eight
“Boss?” Robin’s voice was a little loud, which made Wes think this wasn’t the first time she’d spoken to him.
Whatever the situation going on at home, he had to focus here at work. “Sorry. Yeah. What were you saying?”
She frowned at him. “Everything all right?”
“Sure.” He pushed up from his desk, stood straight and shoved his hands into his pockets. “So what’s going on?”
She didn’t look like she believed him, but since he was the boss, she went with it. “Okay, the news from Texas Tech is good,” she said. “They’ve got the next line of tablets ready to roll before summer, with the new bells and whistles you ordered.”
“Good.” He moved out from behind his desk and walked to the window overlooking the city of Houston. While the PR and IT teams were still working on uncovering the mysterious Maverick, Wes was concentrating on the other arms of Jackson Inc. He had majority interest in Texas Tech; Texas Jets, a charter jet service; and a few other smaller yet growing companies. He’d been building his empire for decades, and getting to the bottom of Maverick’s deliberate sabotage of Texas Toy Goods was important. He couldn’t risk the man going after any of his other companies as well.
“I want to talk to Sam Holloway at Texas Jets sometime today,” he said, never taking his gaze from the cityscape sprawled out below him. “And then get me Andy at Texas Tech. I want to hear details on those bells and whistles.”
“Got it.”
He half turned from the window. “Are Belle and Caroline still in the PR department?”
“Isabelle is, yes,” Robin told him. “But Maggie from PR took Caroline down to the cafeteria for a chocolate shake.” She sighed and smiled. “That little girl is just adorable, boss. I gotta say, makes me miss my own kids’ younger days.”
“Yeah, she’s pretty great,” he said, thinking, as he had been for days now, about how Caroline had wormed her way straight into his heart, and no matter what happened between him and Isabelle, nothing for him would ever be the same again.
“She showed me how to say hello in sign language.” Robin shook her head. “Smart kid. Just like her daddy.”
His eyebrows lifted.
“Please.” Robin waved one hand at him. “No, you didn’t make some grand announcement, but I’d have to be blind to not notice the child has your eyes. Right down to the unusual color.”
“It’s not a secret,” he said, then half laughed at himself. “At least, not since Maverick blasted it all over the internet. But I haven’t told Caro who I am yet.”
“For heaven’s sake, why?” Robin asked.
She sounded completely exasperated, and Wes realized that for some reason, his assistant and his housekeeper shared the same attitude. Neither of them was intimidated by him and both of them continually seemed to forget just who was really in charge. “You know, I could fire you,” he pointed out wryly.
She waved that away with a flick of her hand. “That’ll never happen and we both know it. So why haven’t you told that child you’re her father?”
“Because I want her to know me. To—” it was humiliating to admit “—like me.”
Robin gave him an understanding smile. “She already does, boss. You can see it in the way her face lights up when you walk into the room.”
He pushed his hand through his hair. Robin was right. He’d seen that look. It had made him feel ten feet tall. So why then was he waiting to tell his daughter who he really was? He hated to think it was fear. Hell, nothing had scared Wes in...well, ever. But the thought of that little girl turning from him could bring him to his knees.
“Robin,” he said abruptly, “I’m taking the rest of the day off.”
“I’m sorry. I think I must have had a stroke. What was that?”
“Surrounded by sarcasm,” he said with a nod. “I’m taking the day off.”
“Yesterday, you took Caroline to the aquarium, the day before it was ice-skating and the day before that you and Isabelle had her riding roller coasters.” Robin tipped her head to one side and looked at him. “I’m beginning to think you might be looking for a life, boss.”
“I’m beginning to think you may be right.” He grinned and shrugged into his jacket. “Just forward my calls to my cell. I’ll check messages later.”
* * *
He caught up to Isabelle in PR. The room was bustling, people typing on keyboards, sketching on whiteboards and huddled around desks, arguing and discussing. The noise level was high, so Wes decided to try out some sign language. He caught her eye and from across the room, she smiled at him. Then she flushed and chuckled when he started signing.
At another desk, a guy named Drake laughed, too, then ducked his head and pretended he hadn’t.
“Something funny?” Wes asked him.
“Um, no, sir,” the kid answered quickly, his gaze darting from side to side to avoid making direct contact with Wes’s. “It’s just that, um, my mother’s deaf. I speak sign language, and, well...”
“Perfect.” Wes sighed and shook his head. “What were the odds,” he muttered. Then he bent low and whispered, “I expect you to forget everything you just saw.”
“Didn’t see a thing,” Drake assured him and deliberately went back to work with a frenzied attack on his keyboard.
Nodding, Wes was satisfied that the kid wouldn’t be telling anyone that the boss had just signed, You look incredible. I want you in bed. Now.
Isabelle walked toward him, still smiling. He took her hand and led her from the room. Out in the hall, he said, “Well, that was unexpected. I didn’t think there’d be someone here who understands sign language.”
She squeezed his hand and let him see her smile grow. “It’s okay. I don’t think he’s going to be telling anyone that you want me in bad.”
He stopped. “Bad?”
Laughing, she nodded. “You’re getting better at signing every day, but it’s pretty tricky.”
No wonder the kid had laughed. “Still, having you wrapped up in bed and bad on top of it isn’t a bad idea, either. I could eat my way down to you and then just keep going.”
Her eyes flashed and she licked her lips, sending a jolt of heat straight down to the one area of his body that hadn’t relaxed since he’d first seen her. Shaking his head, he murmured, “I came to get you so we could take Caro to the zoo. But now...”
She tipped her head to his shoulder briefly, then looked up at him. “Zoo first. Bad later.”
“Deal.”
* * *
They must have walked for miles, Isabelle thought. She and Wes and Caroline had spent hours at the zoo, and she wouldn’t have thought that Wes would enjoy it. But he had. Just as much as he’d enjoyed the amusement park and the ice-skating. Maybe it was the magic of seeing things through the eyes of a child, but he’d been more relaxed and happy in the last few days than she’d ever seen him. In a gray suit, now minus the red power tie, he should have looked out of place at the zoo. But she’d learned that Wes wasn’t a man easily defined. Despite the suit, he carried Caro on his shoulders and didn’t seem to mind when her ice cream cone dripped all over him. On the ride home to Royal, it took only seconds for Caro to be sound asleep in her car seat. After checking on her, Isabelle sat back and turned her head to look at Wes. Her heart did a quick tumble as she stared at his profile. “Caro had a wonderful time today.”
He glanced at her and gave her a half smile. “So did I. Until this week, I hadn’t taken a day off in years. I think Robin is shell-shocked.”
Isabelle laughed. She’d always liked Wes’s no-nonsense assistant. “She’ll recover.”
“How did it go in the PR department?” He paused. “You know, before I got there. You get anything you can use?”
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“Absolutely.” In the couple of hours she’d been with PR that morning, Isabelle had found new and clever ways to hit people up for donations. “Mike actually suggested that I sort of adopt out hospitals.”
“You lost me.” He steered the car into the passing lane to go around a truck.
“Well—” she turned in her seat to face him even though he had to keep his eyes on the road “—it’s like, I print up information on specific hospitals. The kids—first names only—their health issues, how long they’ll be there in that sterile environment. Let potential donors see these kids as real people rather than just another random charity.”
“Good idea.” He nodded. “And you’d send these flyers or newsletters or whatever out to your mailing list?”
“To start, yes, but I could also make more of a splash on my Facebook page. And get more involved in social media. Honestly, I get so busy with the actual work that I forget I also have to get out there and promote what the charity does, too. Social media is so hot right now—”
“Believe me,” Wes said with a tight groan, “I know.”
“Right.” She winced, remembering suddenly that it had been a Twitter attack that had brought them back together. “Sorry. Sore spot.”
“It’s okay,” he said, shaking his head. “Go ahead.”
“All right. So Mike suggested I start a public Facebook page detailing what the nonprofit is about. Pictures of the toys we give to these kids. Maybe pictures of the toy closets in the hospitals themselves. I’d like to add pictures of the kids with their toys, but I’d have to get their parents to sign releases...”
“They probably would,” he said.
“You think so?”
“You should know better than me what a parent of a sick kid would be feeling. What would you have done if someone had given Caro a brand-new doll or stuffed animal when she was miserable in the hospital?” He looked at her briefly.
“I’d have kissed them,” she admitted. “So, okay, maybe you’re right about that. I can check with some of the parents at the hospital when we go home next week and—”
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