Winning Over the Rancher

by Mary Brady

  He whisked her jeans down and swept her off her feet in almost one motion. Then he tugged down the sheet with her in his arms as if she weighed nothing.

  KayLee enjoyed the struggle for control and she didn’t particularly care who was alpha at any given moment. It was all good.

  As he placed her gently on the bed, the cools sheets were a shock, but she scooted over quickly so he could crawl in beside her and take her past warm—way past.

  But he didn’t crawl. He left.

  He went into the bathroom and came out a few minutes later drying his hands.

  He grinned at her. “Habit.”

  She smiled as he edged in and pressed the length of his body to hers.

  Sigh, and sigh again. She had never felt anything so right.

  He leaned his taut body over hers and kissed her deeply, took her with his tongue. When she was completely breathless, he spoke. “KayLee, you are so beautiful.”

  She looked down at herself. “You’re right. I have loved every change my body has gone through.”

  He grinned and lowered his mouth to her breasts and then to her belly.

  “There is one very lucky person in there.”

  “Or a very brave one.”

  He chuckled. “The babe’s mother is brave to the point of foolhardy at times.”

  “I can’t disagree with that.”

  “She is happy in the body she has.”

  “Or that.”

  “She doesn’t make excuses for things.”

  She thought for a moment. “I guess. It’s not something I’ve really considered much.”

  “Trust me.”

  “I do trust you, Baylor.”

  He kissed her mouth and this time he drew up the sheet and blanket and then reached his hand under and gently caressed her breasts, massaging one nipple between his fingertips and thumb, and then the other. By the time he lowered his hand to explore between her legs, she was aching for his intimate touch.

  She pressed her body rhythmically into his hand, until his fingers went deeper and deeper with every thrust.

  “Now, Baylor, please. I want you inside me now.”

  She had heard of wild abandon. It was a movie thing…a myth…up until now.

  Her brain was already there and her body was a willing companion. She wanted him with all the yearning and need she could ever imagine.

  “Turn on your side,” he said and when she did, she heard the rustle of a plastic wrapper.

  She waited for what seemed like an eternity until every inch of her throbbed with anticipation.

  When she thought she’d explode, he moved in behind her and pressed gently between her legs, where he was welcomed. He dipped inside her and pulled out, and she wanted to yell, “Unfair! Unfair!” She wanted all of him now, but she found she had no voice, only need.

  She reached behind to press him deeply inside her. His every forward stroke brought her higher, drawing a soft groan from her lips.

  The world could have ended at that moment and she wouldn’t have known.

  Ecstasy exploded inside her—body and mind—and she frantically searched for every nuance, extracting every sensation.

  Wave after wave crashed over her and she savored each wash of golden pleasure until she was left with completion.

  She lay quiet, gripping Baylor’s hand against her chest as he held her close.

  When she got her breath back and found her voice, she whispered, “Your turn.”

  A deep chuckle and slow rhythmic movement answered her. Then he reached down and pressed his fingers between her legs, framing her, exciting her again.

  They moved together, rocking and riding the rising surge.

  She never expected to become completely aroused again, but it happened so quickly she cried out, and as she did, he stiffened and ground out a low primal sound.

  Soon the sound of nothing except their breathing surrounded them, bathed them in the opulence of great sex.

  She smiled, gratified to know he felt as strongly as she did. “How much longer do you think we could have ignored this?”

  “I can’t say I’ve ever been so grateful for a snowstorm.” He stroked inside her and she could feel him hard again, pressing her for what she wanted so much to give.

  Soon they were moving again…and then again. When they eventually drifted into fatigued sleepiness the room was dark, and when she closed her eyes, KayLee was sure she had found some little part of heaven.

  The next thing she knew, daylight was streaming into the room from the crack between the curtains. Before she opened her eyes, she knew she was alone. When her exploring fingers found only cold bed, she smiled and sighed. She had expected Baylor to leave before the town woke up. She wondered if he was successful in slipping out unnoticed.

  On the bed beside her she found a note on bound tablet of Easy Breezy Inn paper.

  Good morning. You haven’t been deserted. Call me at the ranch. Baylor.

  She smiled at the sentiment. He wanted her to have options. She already knew this town well enough to know it would be a short leap between seeing the Shadow Range vehicle parked next to hers, to Baylor and her having sex.

  He probably didn’t just get up and leave. He most likely went down to his room and mussed up the bed, even took a shower there before he headed out. She didn’t have to look out the window to know the big SUV would be gone.

  She sat back against the headboard and smiled. If they hadn’t shoveled and salted the sidewalks, his boot tracks would give them away anyway.

  She called the ranch and left a message with Evvy to have Baylor call to talk about a trip to Kalispell to check out the availability of building supplies.

  She stretched and yawned. Regrets? She had a billion but not about spending the storm with Baylor Doyle.

  She had loved Chad, but she never had feelings of total consumption even in the very beginning when they couldn’t seem to get enough of each other. What she had with Baylor was wild, and pregnancy aside, she couldn’t imagine anyone stirring such feelings in her.

  She hugged the pillow to her naked body and wondered how long she could stay in bed without feeling guilty. If she stayed here she could smell Baylor, close her eyes and imagine he was still sleeping beside her.

  Was he really planning on leaving town as the man at the diner had said?

  Didn’t matter. She had no strings on him, nor he on her. Last night might have been the only time they would get that close. She wanted more and hoped he did, too, but things could get very complicated, very fast. He lived on the ranch with his extended family, and she would be living with the women who professed to be the eternal spring that gave life to the grapevine of gossip in this town. She and Baylor would have few secrets.

  Besides, she needed to settle down and provide a safe, stable environment for her child. If Baylor planned on leaving the valley, well…she’d make no judgments based on the ranting of someone who might well be the town drunk.

  Showered and dressed, KayLee let herself out of the room and into the crisp air. The sun shined brightly and the reflection off the snow had her quickly putting on her sunglasses.

  “It’s very bright out here, baby.”

  At least a foot of snow had fallen and it was already piled everywhere. Main Street was passable, but the sidewalks were a patchwork of cleared and snow-covered. That settled whether she’d walk down to the diner or stay and get food from the breakfast room at the motel.

  She dined on oatmeal from the microwave, a hardboiled egg and an apple, but the sun streaming in the window onto the table in her room let her believe she was on the veranda of her oceanfront home feasting on ambrosia.

  Of course, last night may have influenced her outlook a bit.

  When she finished breakfast, she found the information sheet from Cora and Ethel and dialed their number.

  “This is Cora, is this KayLee?”

  Either the woman was psychic or she had caller ID and picked up on the California area code.


  “Yes, it’s KayLee. I wondered if I could still come over before dinnertime tonight to see the apartment.”

  “You sure could.” Cora muffled the phone as she called to Ethel. KayLee’s still coming today. “We thought you might have gotten stuck out at the ranch.”

  KayLee smiled. The grapevine must have trouble working in the snow, or the pair hadn’t been to the diner today, and not the grocery store, either, if they hadn’t seen her car in the motel’s lot.

  “It was an adventure getting back, but I bought a car I thought could do a decent job in the snow.”

  Good. They wouldn’t know Baylor had been there, either. Good. Good. Good.

  “I told Ethel we should have warned you about the snow coming.”

  “Thank you, I already knew about it. Baylor mentioned it the day before.”

  “That Baylor, he’s quite a catch.”

  Ethel’s voice came from the background. “Cora, now don’t you go pestering her.”

  “He’s a very nice man. All the Doyles are.” Bringing up Baylor was a mistake and she needed to extricate herself quickly. “I have work to get to, so I’ll see you about six o’clock for dinner.”

  “That would be lovely, dear. Are there any things you can’t eat?”

  A twinge of discomfort squeezed low in the front of KayLee’s belly and grew as the seconds ticked by. “KayLee?”

  “I’m…um…pretty much an omnivore,” she said, trying not to feel alarm or to cause Cora to think something was wrong. “I eat almost anything.”

  “We thought a nice roast chicken.” This was Ethel. She must have picked up an extension.

  KayLee decided to pace the room while she talked and the squeezing seemed to ease.

  “That would—” Suddenly the squeezing grew intense and her footsteps faltered. She stopped and put her hand on her abdomen. Her belly felt more like a basketball than usual “Oh, my.”

  “What is it, dear?” Cora asked.

  “It’s the baby. What else could it be?” Ethel answered.

  “Oh, how would the two of us know?” Cora asked and then said to KayLee, “Do you need us to call an ambulance for you?”

  KayLee lowered herself into the straight-backed chair near the table and tried to relax, but the squeezing continued. “I think I’m okay.” It wasn’t really painful, not really, but she found she couldn’t sit still and heaved up from the chair.

  “Tell us what’s happening, dear. What can we do?”

  “Wow, that was interesting.” KayLee expelled a breath of relief. “It’s gone now. I feel fine.”

  “Are you sure? We could send the EMTs.”

  “It’s gone, Cora, Ethel. I’ll rest and if I have any more problems, I’ll call someone.”

  “If you’re sure, dear.”

  “I’m sure.”

  “Call us if you need anything.”

  “Thank you, I will.”

  One question kept going through her head as she closed her phone and slipped it into her leather bag. What if having sex with Baylor had caused some harm to her baby? Sex over and over? The books had said it wouldn’t cause a problem.

  She sat on the edge of the bed. She hadn’t done much yet today and she was already tired.

  She thought of Baylor’s smirk and his bright blue eyes.

  An ache squeezed in the middle of her lower abdomen and intensified until a dull pain spread down the front of her belly.

  BAYLOR WHISTLED AS HE and Blue nudged the cow in labor toward the chute leading to the calving shed. Sometimes for the rancher’s peace of mind, a cow was better off if she birthed her calf indoors. A foot of snow made muddy by too many hooves was one of those times. But that didn’t make the cow grateful for the interference.

  As the cantankerous cow waddled into the chute a grinning Lance appeared in the shed doorway. And the cow, well, she had confirmed her second thoughts about going inside and tried to bolt for the open field.

  “Thanks a lot, bro,” Baylor called to Lance, who ducked out of sight.

  Blue was too smart for the cow, and with hardly any guidance from Baylor, quickly cut off her retreat. This time man and horse followed her up the chute and into the building.

  “You look pleased,” he said to Lance as he dismounted.

  “Seth called. They did Trey’s surgery early this morning and he’s in recovery. The doctor says he’s going to do well.”

  “Were they able to fix the problem this time?”

  “Seth said they got it all done. Closed the hole in his heart completely. He might have to have a new valve some day, but right now everything looks good.”

  “Hallelujah.”

  Between him and Lance and Blue, they got three more dams into the birthing shed.

  Baylor had left Lance behind and was cleaning up in the barn when Holly came rushing in.

  “They took KayLee in to see Dr. DeVane about a half hour ago. Cora called. Said she thought we ought to know.”

  Baylor leaned over and braced both palms on the edge of the sink. He might as well have been kicked in the gut by a mad bull.

  “I’m sure she’ll be fine,” Holly hurried to say. “Things happen a lot toward the end of pregnancy and most of the time it’s nothing. I’m sure she’ll be able to do the job.”

  Baylor shook his head and faced his sister-in-law. “I’m not worried about the job, Holly.”

  “So she got to you, too, huh?” Holly sighed and her shoulders slumped. “It’s like this is happening to one of us.”

  “I’m sure you’re right. She’ll be fine.” He gave Holly a reassuring smile he didn’t really feel. “You have more experience with such things than I do.”

  “Cora said they called the EMTs and they took her to the clinic in the ambulance. I feel—” she paused and raised one shoulder “—helpless. She has no one in town, no one for a thousand miles.”

  Baylor dried his hands while he studied his sister-in-law. Her features were drawn with worry. It didn’t seem fair that the good news about Trey was followed so soon with another baby in jeopardy and a woman this family already thought of as a friend.

  Baylor hung the towel on the hook. “I’ll go tell Mom we’re leaving, and you go tell your husband I’m taking you to town.” If he took Holly with him they couldn’t wag their tongues as fast. After last night, if he didn’t know that KayLee and her baby were fine, he’d be a rampaging bull. “Lance can see to the ones in the birthing shed and Dad can help if he needs it.”

  The roads had been barely passable this morning and weren’t much better now.

  He and Holly rode mostly in silence, while music about heartbreak and hope played softly as the truck’s big tires hummed out of tune.

  Forty-five minutes later, Baylor stopped the SUV in the parking lot of the clinic and Holly leaped out before he had shifted into Park. He let her go first, selfishly, it would make him seem less eager even though he doubted he was.

  The waiting room was a flurry of activity. Many of the doctor’s appointments would have been rescheduled, but the snow seemed to have raised the number of injuries. Dr. Daley was in the waiting room speaking to the parents of a teenager with a bandage on his head.

  He didn’t see Dr. DeVane.

  He did see a pair of feet of some unknown patient reclined on a cart in one of the treatment rooms, and Arlene, the clinic’s secretary, was already speaking with someone who apparently had a hand injury and she had two others waiting to sign in.

  A curtain popped open and Abby Fairbanks, one of the nurses, strode out of the treatment room and crossed over to see them.

  “Hi, Holly. Hi, Baylor.” She smiled broadly at them and gave them each a friendly hug, her dark curly hair its usual unruly self. “Not you guys, too! Seems no one remembers how to use snow removal equipment today.”

  “We’re fine,” Holly assured her. “We heard KayLee Morgan was brought in.”

  “She’s here.” Abby’s smile was encouraging but Baylor knew they’d get scant information about a clinic patie
nt. “She’s being seen right now.”

  “Would you tell her we’re here,” Holly said and Baylor could tell she wanted to demand information. He wanted to do the same thing.

  “I’m sure she’d like to know someone is here for her,” Abby replied very noncommittally. Abby was good people. No friend was happier for another than Baylor was the day Abby married the out-of-towner Reed Maxwell. Abby would give them information if she could, and she would certainly deliver their message.

  “Thanks, Abby.”

  Baylor paced at Holly’s side as they waited. Dr. De Vane was tops and her backup—her husband, Dr. Daley—was equally qualified. The town of St. Adelbert had lucked out when they got that pair.

  “Whatever is happening with KayLee, she’s in good hands,” Holly said as they waited.

  Baylor thought of how breathtaking KayLee looked last night, of how eager she was to have him. How much he’d learned to respect her courage in the last forty-eight hours. “Doesn’t help much.”

  Holly gave him one of those don’t-I-know-it smiles.

  Dr. DeVane came out of the room at the end of the hallway and ducked into another room to see her next patient.

  Holly sighed. They couldn’t expect the busy doctor to give them time when there were injured people.

  A couple of minutes later, Abby came out of a room at the end of the hallway, smiling, and when she spotted them huddled near the office, she strode right up to them.

  “You can go in and see her now.”

  Baylor would have worried about knocking somebody down if Holly hadn’t already blazed a trail for the two of them.

  As they entered the room he took in a pale and resting KayLee on the exam table.

  “How are you, sweetie?” Holly asked as she took KayLee’s hand.

  “Feeling silly.” Her face held an apology and relief. That was good at least. The gown she wore and the blankets that covered her made her chaste looking. But he knew better—much better—and wondered if their lovemaking had caused this problem.

  “Braxton Hicks?” Holly asked.

  KayLee nodded.

  “Well, that’s okay then.”

  “Anybody want to tell me what you’re both so happy about?” Baylor asked.