by Tina Leonard
“I heard that,” Navarro said. “Honesty is the best policy.”
“He likes you, too,” Valentine said. “Men don’t grin like that unless they’re interested.”
“Or unless they’re working an angle.” Nina shook her head. “Hit the road, cowboy. We’ve got to go, and you’re messing up the benefits of our exercise.”
“I’ve been working on a list of suggestions.”
Nina raised a brow. “Suggestions? Did we ask for any? This should be new and different,” she said to Valentine.
“Roll with it,” her sister said. “I like the way he looks at you.”
“Repeat after me. Nina is not looking for a one-night stand…Nina is not looking for a one-night stand.”
“What if he’s more than that?” Valentine asked. “What if he’s the hearth-and-home kind?”
Nina shook her head. “No. He’s not.”
“There are a few thoughts on my mind,” Navarro said, ignoring their fast and furious whispering. “Pardon me for saying so, Miss Valentine, but I think the first thing that needs to happen is that you find a job here in Union Junction. The Union Junction Stylists are one option, as well as Lampy’s, if you know your way around a bar. The owner has a good heart.”
Nina handed Valentine the door keys to house number three. “You go on,” she told her. “I’m going to slap this cowboy.”
“But—”
“No buts. He’s so pigheaded and bossy that he thinks he can make decisions for you.”
“So do you!”
Nina looked at her sister. “What do you mean? Oh.” Nina let out a deep sigh of tired tension. “We did talk about this earlier. Sorry.”
Navarro cleared his throat to get their attention. “Hello?”
“You go on back to the ranch, cowboy,” Nina said. “Thank you for your input.”
“Things have to be discussed, Nina.”
“Obviously. But not in the order in which any of us thought they would be discussed, probably.” She patted Valentine’s hand.
“Ride back with me, Nina,” Navarro said. “We need to talk.”
She looked at him, surprised. “I need to be with my sister.”
“And I really need to be alone,” Valentine said. “Truly, Nina, I don’t want to have a heart-to-heart now. Coming out here was the best thing I could have done. It’s cleared my mind about a lot of things. Now I want to think about what’s best for me and my child.”
Nina hesitated. “What are you saying?”
“You go with Navarro. That horse will hold two.”
“No,” Nina said, “sisters stay together.” In a low aside to Valentine, she said, “I know what you’re doing. Quit playing matchmaker!”
“I’m not! But there’s no reason for you to baby-sit me.”
Navarro backed the horse up a few steps, then brought it alongside the women again. “Valentine, you’re part of our family now.”
Valentine looked worried.
“There are plenty of nice places in town. We could help you find a duplex or something where you and the baby could live.”
Nina stared at him. “I don’t know if I’m angry or grateful that you’re trying to be nice.”
“I’m not really trying to be nice. I’m trying to find a solution that works for everybody, and most especially, the baby.”
“It’s for me and my sister to decide what will be best for her and the baby. Goodbye, Navarro,” Nina said. She took the keys from Valentine, walked up the driveway and opened the front door. “He has lost his mind.”
Valentine shook her head. “Don’t you like him just a little?”
Nina looked behind her, seeing the cowboy on his horse in the center of the road, watching them leave him alone. She sighed. “Navarro and my heart are going to have to decide that I only feel sisterly toward him. I can’t survive this much passion.”
“Sisterly?”
“The kiss you interrupted earlier was good. Think Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton rolling around in the sand.”
“Yikes! Did you like it?”
“Curiously, yes. I liked the whole bad cowboy fantasy. Now I’ve got it out of my system.” She glanced at Valentine. “All I can tell you is that everything I thought was true when I came here a few hours ago has now changed. It’s time to regroup.”
Valentine glanced over her shoulder. “Regroup quickly.”
“Why?”
“Because Dark Rider’s coming after you and the only thing he’s missing is a cape.”
“Oh, for pity’s sake!” Nina stopped. “Now what?” she said to him, appreciating the view of sweaty male and strong thighs gripping the saddle as he aligned the horse beside the porch. “We’re never going to get any sleep at this rate.”
“You wanted to kiss my twin brother,” Navarro said. “So, I want you to know that, even though he has his good sides, he’s my evil twin. We went to Lonely Hearts Station to keep an eye on Valentine. Between the two of us, we figured it would be an easy job.” He stared down at Nina. “The truth is, it wasn’t. Now, you and I are on the same team, and I never want you to think we aren’t. Of course, that doesn’t include kissing Crockett.”
Nina blinked, her breath stolen by his emotional comment.
“I was the man under the Playboy. You kissed me, and I’d like clarity on what you think about my brother. Because you’re only going to kiss me from now on.”
Chapter Six
“Go talk to him, Nina,” Valentine said. “I could use a few minutes to myself, anyway.”
“I’ll take good care of her,” Navarro said. “Come on, Nina. Let’s see how you ride.”
“Not very well,” she muttered, which made him laugh. “Not at all, in fact.”
“Okay.” He didn’t care how poorly she rode, just so long as she gave him some time. “Not back there, up front, where I can keep an eye on you,” he said, helping her into the saddle.
The instant she slid between his thighs, he felt better. “Agreeable little thing you are.”
“Hush. This makes me very nervous.”
She clutched at the reins. Putting his hands over hers, he said, “Relax.”
“With you? Not likely.”
Valentine laughed. “See you later, Nina. Good night, Navarro.”
He wheeled the horse around and headed toward the road. She was stiff and anxious, so he slid an arm around her waist. “See? Good horsie. Nothing to be afraid of.”
“How does it see in the dark?”
“Ah, Librarian Lady. Have you spent all your life in your ivory tower of books and dreams?”
“Yes,” Nina said curtly, “and I liked it there very well.”
“Safe and snug.”
She tried not to lean back against his chest. “If you wish to define it that way.”
“Did you know that a horse can tell whether a woman is honest?”
“Ugh. No teasing and word games right now, Navarro. I have to focus on praying that the horse doesn’t decide to run.”
He laughed, then clicked to the horse. As the horse began to canter and then to gallop, he held Nina tighter to him.
“Stop, Navarro! Stop! Oh, my God, stop!” she shrieked.
Chuckling, he slowed the horse to a canter and then a walk again.
“Let me down,” she said through teeth that sounded clenched. “You’re despicable.”
“Just making sure you get that blood flowing. Next time you read a romance novel where the hero snatched the woman away on his charger, you’ll remember me.” He smiled as he blocked her from trying to slide from the horse. “Be a good sport, Nina. Fire Demon tells me you’re honest and therefore you pass his test and may ride him.”
“Is that really his name? Fire Demon?”
He laughed. “Nah. I just thought it would pique your story-loving heart. His name is George. Curious George.”
“Does it seem wrong to name your horse after a monkey?”
“Ah,” Navarro said, happy that she hadn’t noticed he
was still holding her against him tightly. He could feel the stiffness in her body relaying her fear. Taking advantage of a librarian’s fear of runaway horses might be dirty pool, but the rewards were definitely in the pocket. “I am more well read than you think, as I’ve illustrated. My dad read us those books. I loved the man in the yellow hat. Hats make the man, and his was large and yellow.”
“Was there a visual connection for you?”
“Yes. I always wanted my hat to be big. And I wanted to have a monkey to pal around with. Other than Crockett, of course.”
She giggled and he felt a little of the tension leave her body.
“Wanna make out?” he asked.
“No!”
He laughed and dropped kisses along the curve of her shoulder. “Methinks you doth protest too much. Name the author.”
“I—”
“Shh,” Navarro said. A strange sound came to him. “Do you hear that?”
“No,” she said sternly.
“Okay. It was probably the wind.” He focused on Nina again, happy that he had her right where he wanted her—practically in his lap. “Nina, there’s something I have to ask you, and there’s no easy way to do this, but Last says that he doesn’t remember being alone with your sister.”
“So he’s claiming he’s not the father?” Nina’s tone was outraged.
“Hang on, peach,” Navarro said. “A paternity test after the baby is born will answer that question, and then I’ll beat Last myself if he’s lying.” Navarro hesitated. “Did you hear that? I know I heard something.”
“It sounded like a bush coughing,” Nina whispered. “But I don’t think that’s possible.”
“Bushes only cough in fantasy novels. I’d better go see what needs to clear its throat. Care to investigate with me?”
“Sure. I’m already in this adventure up to my eyeballs.”
“You have no idea.” He pulled the horse alongside a row of possibly guilty bushes, giving each of them a strong kick with his boot.
“Do you think that’s a good idea?” Nina asked. “What if something reaches out and grabs you?”
“I’ll expect you to rescue me.” He slid off the horse and peered into the bushes.
“What are you doing?”
“Just taking a breather. In fact, I need to take a leak. I think I’ll just unzip my jeans and take a leak into these coughing bushes—”
“No!” Last called from the ground. He tried to rise and fell over. “Oh, God,” he moaned. “I’m seeing stars. And maybe angel’s wings.”
“You’re not seeing stars,” Navarro said, reaching through the scratchy bushes to haul his brother to his feet. “Possibly litter. And more likely cobwebs than angel wings. What the hell are you doing?”
Last squinted, trying to focus on Nina. “Where’s your shishter?”
“Last,” Navarro said, “this has got to stop.”
“Nothing’s got to stop,” Last replied. “Nothing at all.” He leaned to the right, tried to pull himself up and fell forward suddenly, spooking the horse. Nina yelped when the horse jumped and she clutched at the horse’s mane wildly, which made it take off at a dead run. She hung on for dear life, trapped in a nightmare she couldn’t stop. “Whoa!” she yelled. “Whoa, damn it!”
Maybe a mile later, gasping, realizing she had no idea how to stop the horse, she squeezed her eyes shut and pulled back on the horse’s head with all her strength.
The horse responded by stopping so fast she vaulted over its head. “Aieee!” she cried, landing on the ground to peer up at the sky overhead. Tears streamed from the sides of her eyes as she took stock of her body. “Ankles move, legs move, arms move, head is a bit dizzy but still attached to neck. Blasted beast,” she told the horse, which couldn’t have cared less about her as it wandered away.
“Carcass of doom,” she told it as she struggled to sit up. “And curses on the cowboy who talked me into getting up on your sloping back.”
Nina looked around her, fairly convinced that she was in better shape than she’d expected. “And luck is with me,” she said. “Here is my house, and I am going inside,” she told her nemesis. “Possibly I should call your owner, but this is your ranch, and I think you’ll be fine. I could whack you on the rear and tell you to go home, but I don’t like having my rear slapped, so I’ll assume you don’t, either. Good night,” she finished, her pride more wounded than anything as she ungraciously got to her feet and headed inside to her sister.
“I just had some sense knocked into me,” Nina said to Valentine when she entered the house. Her sister had on a nice comfy robe, she’d showered and her hair was up in a floppy bun. She was the picture of happiness.
“We have choices,” Nina continued. “I’m not sure ranch life suits me.” Nina picked leaves from her hair. It was nice of the boys to vacate one of their ranch houses for them, but still, it wasn’t home. “We do not have to stay here.”
“I know.” Valentine nodded and went to put a teakettle on the stove. “And I know you’re not keen on staying. I’ll consider whatever suggestion you make.” She glanced at her sister. “I’m sorry you’re having to worry about me so much.”
Nina shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. Everything’s going to work out.” She seated herself on a plaid sofa, under a pair of deer antlers. “What does one call those?” she asked Valentine. “A pair? A bunch? Just antlers?”
“I don’t know,” Valentine said, shaking her head. “I try not to look at them. Ranch life is something I’m going to have to learn.”
“Does that mean you would consider staying here permanently?” Nina asked.
Her sister came to sit beside her, setting each of them a teacup on the coffee table. “I’m still trying to figure out the pregnancy cycle. Having a baby scares me. Tonight I’m enjoying not living with Marvella. She got scary there at the end.” Taking a deep breath, she said, “Nina, I’m sorry we had to leave the bed behind. I should never have brought it here. It should have stayed with you. You’re so much more stable than I am. But, crazily, now that I’m here I feel like I’ve found a home.”
“I’m going to bed,” Nina said crossly. “And if the cowboy comes looking for me, tell him I wouldn’t have his stupid horse if he paid me. Good might.”
Valentine laughed. “Good night.”
IN THE MORNING, a knock at the door startled the sisters as they fixed breakfast in the sunny kitchen.
“Visitors,” Nina said, patting her sister’s hand as she left the room. “I think the menfolk would call before they showed up, so I guess we should answer it and let whoever it is know that the menfolk are at the other house.”
“You sound just like Mrs. Cartwright,” Valentine called after her. “Menfolk.”
“I’m trying to fit in here.” Nina opened the door. “Hello,” she said to the attractive blonde on the porch, trying not to have a huge leap of jealousy since this was Navarro’s house and clearly the blonde knew where he lived. “The menfolk are up at the main house.” She eyed the small baby in the blonde’s arms. “Pretty baby.”
“Thank you.” The blonde smiled at her and Nina tried not to like her. “The menfolk sent me here to see you and your sister. By the way, nobody really refers to the Jefferson brothers as ‘menfolk.’ We’d more likely call them mentalfolk.” She laughed. “My name is Mimi. I’m the next-door neighbor. And this,” she said, holding up the baby, “is Nanette.”
“I’m Nina Cakes, and this is my sister, Valentine. Come on in.”
“Hi, Mimi,” Valentine said, rising. “Can I get you a cup of tea?”
“I’d love one.” Mimi sat in the chair opposite the sofa, cradling her sleeping baby.
Nina couldn’t help smiling at the motherly love on Mimi’s face. “Is she your only child?”
“Yes. Thank you,” she said as Valentine put a teacup on the table in front of her. “I hear you’re expecting one of these angels.”
Valentine nodded. “How did you hear?”
“Navarro c
alled. He told me I might want to come over and meet you.” Mimi smiled. “Just in case you wanted to talk ‘baby stuff’ or ‘woman stuff’ or any other ‘stuff’ ladies liked to talk about. ‘Stuff’ was the main word he seemed comfortable using.”
“That was kind of sweet of him,” Valentine said. “Don’t you think that was thoughtful, Nina?”
“Yes,” she said reluctantly, “very much so, actually.” It was surprising that Navarro would think to send a woman over to greet them and to offer Valentine the opportunity to talk “baby stuff” with a new mother. “Thank you for coming over, Mimi. We may not stay at the ranch long, but it’s nice to have another woman to talk to.”
“He also mentioned that you had a horse disaster last night. He said he was sorry he couldn’t come make sure you were all right, but he had to get Last home.” She smiled. “Actually he said you were a common-sense girl and would call the ranch if you needed him. Were you hurt?”
“Not by the horse,” Nina said. “Mostly, it was just injured pride.”
Mimi raised a brow. “Navarro seems to think you’re staying for a long time. He talked about getting Valentine in with my doctor for prenatal care. You’d like her,” Mimi continued. “She’s very smart, Valentine, and young, but sharp—”
“Hold on,” Nina said. “Did he really say that?”
“Yes.” Mimi nodded. “Are you upset?”
“I believe so,” Nina said. “He’s managing my sister’s life.”
“No, he’s not,” Valentine said. “Just a minute ago you said he was being thoughtful.”
“Yes, but it is thoughtful to send a friend over. It is managing to arrange for prenatal care.” Nina sighed. “He’s possessed by the baby, I swear.”
Mimi laughed. “It’s a family trait.”
“Really?” Nina sat up. “It’s going to get old fast.”
“I’d like to make my own decisions,” Valentine said. “I would love to begin prenatal care with your doctor, Mimi. Thank you.”
“Oh, rats,” Nina said. “Why is it I’m supposed to butt out but Navarro the Nice is not?”
“Because he’s making sense and you’re not,” Valentine said. “My sister’s having a bit of a block toward that man.”