“They auction the tack first,” he said as they approached Crossbow Ranch where the auction would take place. “So we’ll be there in plenty of time for the horses.”
“I’m surprised you brought the trailer when you don’t know if you’re going to buy a horse.”
“Oh, I’m going to buy a horse. It’s just a matter of which one or ones. I saw the list and there are several possibilities.”
“So this isn’t like a horse rescue auction?”
“No. But there is one of those farther north, and I might consider it in the spring. This is a private consignment auction. The horses have already been quarantined and vetted by a vet so I won’t have to keep them separated from the others for three weeks, though I will for a little while to give them a chance to get adjusted.”
Marissa glanced over her shoulder into the backseat at Jordan. He was awake again and seemed happy enough to be riding along, playing with the keys attached to his car seat. Without ketchup on his face or shirt, and in a more placid mood, he was a congenial baby once more. She just hoped that lasted throughout the day.
After they parked, Ty put Jordan in his stroller and started pushing him toward an outbuilding.
“We have to check in at the office to get a bidding number,” he explained.
“Do they take credit cards?” she joked.
“They do. They even do phone sales. If you’re interested in a horse and can’t be here, you can get in on the bidding by phone. Even horse auctions are high-tech now. Crossbow Ranch even streams the auction on its website.”
After they checked in, they headed toward an indoor arena.
“Do you get to ride a horse before you buy it?”
“You can during the presale. That’s what the morning hours are for.”
She eyed him quizzically. “But you’re not.”
“I saw a video sent from the owners on the horses I’m interested in. Their teenagers were riding the two I’ll bid on. There are pens inside where I can check them out, too. I don’t need to ride a horse to get a good idea of its constitution or behavior.”
Was that it? Or did he not want to use a mounting block in a public place such as this? Did he not want to admit he maybe couldn’t do some of the things he once did?
She wasn’t sure if that was the reason, but she trusted Ty had been around horses long enough to know what he wanted.
She wheeled Jordan in and out of groups of people—men in boots and Stetsons, women in jeans and just as sturdy boots. When they stopped at one of the pens, Ty took out his smartphone and checked something on it. Then he studied a bay gelding with a black forelock. The horse had a number on its flank—fifty-three. Ty’s gaze seemed to study every bit of the horse’s constitution.
When he clicked his tongue against his teeth and the horse trotted over, Ty ran his hand down the horse’s neck.
Jordan burbled from his stroller seat and Ty cast a glance down at him. “Do you like this one?”
When Jordan answered with a toothy grin, Ty bent down to him. “Even if your mom makes us wait until you’re three, you’re going to be a great rider.”
Just then an older man, possibly Eli’s age, came up beside Ty. “Didn’t know you had a young’un,” the older man said.
Ty rose to his feet. “Hi, Bart. Yes, I do. This is Jordan.”
But before Bart could make another comment, Ty nodded to another pen. “You know Whitmore Stables. What do you think about that pregnant mare?”
All of their gazes swung to a pretty gray who was obviously pregnant.
Bart studied the horse for a few moments. “Whitmore has a good reputation. I’d go for it. You’ll get two for one.”
Bart took another look at Jordan, then at Marissa, as he walked away but didn’t say anything else.
“You didn’t introduce me,” Marissa said. She wasn’t offended; she just wondered why.
“I didn’t want any more questions. Bart can be kind of nosy—and a gossip. The fact that I’m a dad will get around to all these folks pretty quickly.”
Marissa nodded to the horse. “I’m surprised you’d want the additional care of a pregnant mare, especially right now.”
“I have choices,” he said. “I can either sell the foal or keep it and train it. I figure if the Cozy C is going to be a vacation ranch, that experience isn’t just about trail rides and staying overnight in the cabins. It’s about the whole ranch life experience. A foal can add to that spirit.”
“You’ve really put a lot of thought into this,” she acknowledged.
“Wouldn’t you?”
If it was going to be her future, she would. If it was more than a passing fancy, she would.
As Ty gazed into her eyes, everybody and everything around them seemed to drop away. Could he be a solid, stable family man? And even if he was, and even if she was attracted to him, and she was, could they have a future?
He leaned closer to her and murmured in her ear, “Stop thinking so much, Marissa. Too much thinking and you’ll lose what’s going on right now.” He nodded to Jordan, who seemed entranced by the line at the food cart, the horses in the pens, the people milling around.
“He doesn’t seem intimidated by any of it.”
“That’s because he’s my son.”
She noticed how Ty always said those words with pride—and maybe even with love.
When the tack portion of the auction began, Ty bid on several saddles and won two bids. He seemed to know when to stop and when to push higher. At one point he asked if she’d be okay while he went to discuss one of the horses with the owner.
“Of course I’ll be okay.”
“New place, new situation,” he said with a quirk of his brow.
“I’ve learned to be adaptable,” she quipped.
He gave her one of those long probing looks and she wondered what he saw. The girl he’d made love with, or the woman and mom she’d become?
She took in the sights and sounds, every once in a while glancing at Ty’s broad back, his tall stature, his serious expression as he spoke to a small wiry man who looked as if he could have been a jockey. Ty was in his element here—at home.
However, after he came back to stand with her, to watch more horses paraded before them, a balding, paunchy man approached them. “When are you going back to rodeoing?” the man asked Ty. “I haven’t seen you on the cowboy channel.”
A stoic expression crossed Ty’s face. “Mr. Carrington, meet Marissa Lopez. And this is my son, Jordan.”
“So you’re a family man now? Isn’t that kind of tough when you’re never home? But it looks like you were home at some point for some R & R.” He nodded to Jordan.
Marissa felt her cheeks grow red. “It’s good to meet you, Mr. Carrington,” she said with a bit of wryness to her tone.
“It’s good to meet you, too.”
So there was no misunderstanding, Ty said tersely, “I won’t to be returning to the rodeo circuit.”
Carrington asked, “So that accident you had was worse than everybody thought?”
“Knee replacement,” Ty answered, as if he didn’t even want to think about it.
Carrington nodded. “That doesn’t mean you have to be out of the rodeo business, though.”
Marissa wondered what that meant.
When Ty didn’t comment, the older man went on to say, “I suppose it’s better to quit than to end up as your father did. That night you took a spill, it could have been fatal.”
“Yes, it could have,” Ty agreed. Even though Ty had always known the danger, she was certain that if he hadn’t taken that spill, he’d still be bull riding.
When the man walked away, Ty’s attention returned to the auction, but Marissa wondered what he was thinking. Did regret lurk behind those eyes?
After Ty bid and won his second horse, the pregnant gray, he made arrangements to have both horses transferred to his trailer so they could drive home.
Taking a few minutes while all the paperwork was handled and the horses readied, they bought fries and burgers and barbecued beans and carried them to a picnic table under a live oak. They were later than most having their lunch, and not many folks lingered there.
Marissa took Jordan’s lunch from an insulated pouch inside the diaper bag. She fed him that but she also dipped a fry in ketchup and gave him a little bite. He grinned at her and clapped his hands.
“I’m glad to see you’re not an all-organic parent,” Ty said with a grin. “He’d miss out on fun foods.”
“I want him to eat healthy, but a treat now and then doesn’t hurt. I guess parenting is all about knowing when to draw the line and when not to.”
Since they were fairly alone and Jordan was occupied with the spinning beads on his stroller, and since she and Ty had been getting along fairly well, she let her arm rest against his as she asked, “What was it like growing up with your uncle?”
Ty was quiet for a long moment. Then he asked, “Do you mean before or after my dad was killed?”
“Before,” she said.
“It was fine,” he responded as if that was enough of an explanation.
But she gently clasped his forearm, seeing that his life hadn’t been fine.
“Tell me about it,” she suggested. “You were living with your uncle before your dad died?”
“We were living in Texas when my mom left my dad and me, when his rodeo winnings were practically nonexistent. After she left, Dad moved us to live with Uncle Eli. For a while he worked on the ranch beside Unc, but then the circuit called him again. He just couldn’t leave it, couldn’t get the taste for sawdust out of his head. Once he was back to bull riding, he hardly ever came home. I guess if he did, he’d be reminded he had a son and responsibility. He’d never been good at responsibility. So I had two parents who didn’t think a kid was so important. They didn’t understand that everything they did mattered.”
Ty turned toward Marissa, his knee bumping hers, his body sliding closer to hers, his blue eyes mesmerizing her. “I know what it’s like not to have parents who care. I know what it’s like to think I was the one who did something wrong, and that’s why they left. So believe me, I understand what I need to do with Jordan. I understand that every decision I make affects him.”
Ty seemed so passionate about that, just as passionate as he was about other things. Just like his kisses. Each of his kisses burned passion into her. Each of his touches reminded her what bliss could be.
He leaned even closer. “I’d kiss you right now if I didn’t want to start another chain of gossip around here.”
“I think they’re already gossiping,” Marissa said. “After all, you told everyone you have a son.”
Ty smiled. “Yes, I did, didn’t I? Well, then, I guess everyone already knows I’m attracted to the little boy’s mother.”
With that, he leaned in. The brim of his Stetson gave them an iota of privacy. Enough privacy that he took a deep, long, fervent kiss. When it was over, she felt practically dizzy. He looked a little dazed himself.
He bumped his Stetson up higher. “More than that and we’ll end up in a stall in the barn.”
She gave a shaky laugh. “We’d have to find a sitter for Jordan first.”
He looked at her as if he was wondering if that was a possibility.
But she gave a little shake of her head. “Just kidding,” she teased.
But his heated glance told her he knew she hadn’t been kidding. He knew this passion between them was going to explode eventually.
She just hoped they didn’t all get hurt in its shock waves.
* * *
After Marissa put Jordan to bed that night, she found Eli in the living room watching a Western series on one of the cable channels.
He looked up at her from the recliner. “Ty’s in the barn with the new horses if you’re looking for him.”
“He’s been down there awhile,” she said.
“He’s settling them in, making them feel at home. I’ll listen to that monitor thing if you want to go talk to him.” Eli nodded to the baby monitor on the end table. They could move it around to whatever room they were in and see Jordan in his crib.
“You sure you don’t mind?”
“I don’t mind. I’ll just give you a call on that fancy phone of yours if I hear him.”
She smiled at Eli. “Thank you. I won’t be long.”
She grabbed a jacket from the clothes tree in the kitchen before going outside. The November night air was cool, and she couldn’t believe Christmas was as close as it was. She thought about everything Ty had told her today and understood better why he put so much store in her and Jordan being here for the holidays. She imagined the boy he’d been, missing both of his parents, trying to make the best of a life he didn’t understand.
The scent of pine filled the night air as she walked toward the barn, her path well lit by a large floodlight. She zippered her jacket against the evening breeze. Her hair flew along her cheek as she gazed up at the thousand brilliant stars in the inky dark sky. There was only a sliver of moon peeking from behind a tall blue spruce.
She went in the side door. It creaked as it opened.
Immediately she heard the low rumble of Ty’s voice. His tone was soothing and low as he spoke to one of the horses. The pregnant gray mare was a beauty with a white star on her forehead. Her mane and tail were darker than the rest of her coat. Ty was grooming her, running his hand over her flank before he used the brush. The sight of his fingers captivated Marissa. She knew those hands were callused and rough, but their touch was so sensual, taunting and gentle at times, utterly desire-filled at others.
She didn’t think he knew she was there, until he asked, “Jordan all tuckered out?”
“He sure was. All that stimulation, riding in the truck, eating French fries. What more could a fourteen-month-old ask for?”
“Isn’t that a good question?” Ty asked, as if he’d done a lot of thinking about it.
“He’s bonding with you,” she noted, watching Ty’s expression.
“You mean he’s starting to count on me.”
“Yes. He smiles when he sees your face. He misses you when you’re not in the room.”
“It doesn’t take much to make kids happy, does it?”
“It shouldn’t,” she offered. Then she said, “Thanks for telling me what you did today, about how you came to be with Eli.”
“I just wanted you to know how I felt about responsibility and Jordan.”
He put the grooming brush on the top rung of the stall and gave the horse a pat. Then he exited the enclosure.
“This mare—her name is Gray Lady—will be great with kids. I can tell. If we get any kids as guests, imagine that sparkle in their eyes as they watch us handle her foal.”
“This is a whole side of you I’ve never seen,” Marissa said. “Granted, I didn’t know you well in high school. I just saw the wrestling star who had a crowd of friends. But at the wedding, I simply saw the charming cowboy who swept me away for a night.”
“Don’t start glamorizing me, Marissa. I’m just doing the best I can with what I’ve got.”
“You have a lot.”
“You mean the Cozy C?”
She didn’t know what impulse came over her, but she reached up and touched the lines along his eyes. “You have character, Ty.”
“Unc would say I am a character.”
“He’d be right,” she agreed with a small laugh that quickly died as his arms went around her.
“Marissa,” he whispered right before he kissed her.
Her name had never sounded so be
autiful. She knew she shouldn’t give in to the excitement or anticipation. And she wouldn’t think about what could happen next. She was totally engrossed in Ty’s scent, the feel of his beard stubble as she caressed his face. She wanted to touch him in ways no woman ever had.
His mouth was greedy. There was a wildness to the kiss that hadn’t been there in the others. He slid his hands into her hair. His fingertips gently tugged on her curls. When she moved her hands from his face and wrapped her arms around him, they were as tight together as two people could be.
Feeling his arousal, she knew she was just as aroused as he was. She hadn’t unleashed these feelings since the night Jordan was conceived. She’d forgotten how good desire could feel. Since the day she’d spotted Ty at the physical therapy center, they’d both been keeping a lid on their attraction, but now it burst free. Her heart thudded so hard it was the only sound she could hear. Their passion flared hotter and hotter as their tongues stroked against each other.
Ty broke the kiss. “There’s an empty stall and a blanket to cover the hay with.”
As she gazed into his eyes, she saw what he wanted. It was exactly what her body was telling her she wanted, as well. But all the wanting in the world couldn’t douse the fear that making love with Ty could be an even bigger mistake now than it was the first time.
“Not a good idea,” she responded softly, her throat tight, making it hard to get the words out.
Instead of asking why, he said, “One of these days you’re going to forget you’re Jordan’s mom and remember you’re a woman with desires that need to be filled.”
“Never at Jordan’s expense,” she protested.
“I didn’t say it would be. But denying the chemistry between us isn’t an answer, either.”
“I’m not denying it. I’m just not giving in to it.”
She backed away from him and realized she could be putting a wedge between them. Was that what she wanted? So she didn’t have to get too close? So she didn’t have to put her trust in him? So she didn’t have to make any decisions about a relationship with him?
The Cowboy's Secret Baby (The Mommy Club Book 3) Page 10