Daughter on His Doorstep

by Janis Reams Hudson

  Trey hooked his thumbs in his front jeans pockets and kicked at the ground in his best “aw, shucks” imitation. “Reckon so, little lady,” he drawled.

  Both girls squealed with delight. Even Laurie laughed, although she came no closer.

  To his credit, Soldier didn’t flinch from the high-pitched squeals.

  “Aunt Donna says they have horses over at the…at the…whadayacallit,” Amy said. “Where she lives.”

  “Headquarters?”

  “Yeah. That place. She said we could see their horses.”

  “She did, huh?”

  “Uh-huh.” Amy nodded her head vigorously.

  Trey was puzzled. As excited as both girls obviously were, they hadn’t made a move to touch the horse. That could be because the animal was so big and they were so small. But they hadn’t asked to touch him. And the really odd part, to him, was that they hadn’t asked if they could ride him. What kid worth his or her salt didn’t want to ride a horse?

  The thing was, they did want to ride Soldier, Trey was sure of it. He could see the fierce longing in their eyes. But neither of them asked.

  He was hesitant to offer without talking to their mother about it first, though, so maybe he could lead them to ask.

  “Do you want to pet him?” A glance at Laurie told him she wasn’t averse to that idea.

  Amy and Carrie each sucked in a huge breath. “Would it be all right, do you think?” Carrie looked over at her mother.

  “Can we really pet him?” Amy was practically jumping up and down.

  “Well.” Trey dragged the word out. “I guess you can, but we have to make a deal first.”

  Laurie stood nearby watching with a small smile.

  Okay, Trey thought. That was good. No objections from Mama.

  “What kind of deal?” Carrie wanted to know.

  “You can pet him when I’m with you, and you can never, ever go into the corral when any animal bigger than a kitty is in there. Do I have your word?”

  “Yes, sir,” they said in unison.

  “Fair enough.”

  One by one he lifted each girl and showed her how to stroke the horse’s nose and jaw, the two places he liked best.

  Trey was sorely tempted to simply swing each girl up onto Soldier’s bare back and lead the animal around the yard. Before Katy, he would have done it without a thought. On the Flying Ace, kids rode horses.

  But these girls were not his children. He had no right to make a decision such as allowing them to ride a horse.

  Not wanting to get too close while she had the baby with her, Laurie watched from a few yards away. Her daughters were in heaven. Trey could have no idea how much this meant to them.

  Nor, she thought with a silent, good-natured groan, could he have any idea of the time she was going to be in for, now that they’d been up close and personal with a real, live horse.

  To forestall the inevitable questions about getting a horse of their own, as soon as each girl had petted the horse, Laurie called them to go inside and wash up so they could help her set the table.

  She turned to follow them, but Trey called to her.

  “Laurie, hold up a minute.” He tied the horse’s lead to a rail on the corral fence, then crossed the dusty ground to her side.

  “What is it?” she asked.

  “Why didn’t they ask if they could ride him?”

  Laurie frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “The girls. It was all over their faces how bad they wanted to ride, but they didn’t ask.”

  “You didn’t offer.”

  “I didn’t know if you’d already told them they weren’t allowed to. So what’s the deal?”

  Laurie glanced down at Katy, the better to hide should her emotions show in her face as her heart sank. She hadn’t realized it herself, perhaps because she hadn’t wanted to, but Trey was right. Both girls had been dying to get up on the horse’s back.

  Oh, they’d been doing so much better lately, despite the tension in their grandparents’ house. Looking back on those weeks at her parents’, Laurie realized that the constant little battles with their uncle Billy over volume control had helped make the girls a little more assertive. Carrie in particular.

  Yet Laurie recalled that, even then, Carrie had never asked her grandfather for anything.

  It was the rule. The girls had made a rule that they thought she didn’t know about. It stipulated that if you had to ask a man for it—whatever it was—and it was important to you, the answer was going to be no. Or if it was yes, the promised toy or television show or outing would never come to be. If you asked a man for anything, you were probably going to be disappointed.

  Thanks, Jimmy, you jerk.

  But Laurie bore plenty of blame on her own. She should have filed for divorce years ago, when she first realized Jimmy was never going to grow up. That had been shortly after Amy’s birth.

  If only. If Laurie had divorced Jimmy then, her babies would have grown-up happier. She would have seen to it.

  Oh, God, her heart would be in her throat the entire time they were on horseback. But that was her problem, not theirs. She wanted them to ride a horse, because they wanted it so desperately.

  “Laurie?” Trey prodded.

  “No.” She looked up and met his gaze. “No, I’ve never told them they’re not allowed. You’re right, I know they would love it. But I’ve never ridden, so I don’t know what to do.”

  “As long as you’re okay with it, I’ll handle it. I’ll just lead them around in the corral for a few minutes.”

  Laurie let out a breath. “Thank you, Trey. This is going to mean the world to them.”

  “How about we do it after supper? We’ll still have plenty of light.”

  Laurie swallowed. Maybe somewhere in the back of her mind she’d thought she would have a day or two to get used to the idea of her babies riding a horse. But it was better this way. Less time to fret. Even if it did mean they would be so excited afterward that she’d probably never get them to sleep tonight.

  “We could do it now if you’d rather,” Trey offered.

  “Oh.” She thought a moment, then took a deep breath and nodded. “Yes. If you don’t mind, let’s do it now. I’ll go get them.”

  And what, Trey wondered as she turned away and went into the house, was that all about?

  He might never know what had been going through Laurie’s mind while she’d thought about her girls riding horseback. But he knew how the girls felt about the results of all that heavy thinking. He could hear their shrieks of delight clear out in the yard.

  Chapter Five

  To make it official, and to give the girls something to hold on to besides Soldier’s mane, which would be hard to reach for their short arms, Trey saddled the horse.

  Of course, it was his saddle, so it was nearly as big as an armchair, but they loved it.

  First he put them up together and led the horse around the corral. Pretty tame stuff, but the girls loved it.

  He kept one eye on them and their mount, and the other on their mother. She was handling herself, Laurie was. She was as nervous as a hen with one chick, but she was smiling.

  Even Katy seemed to enjoy the show, although Trey didn’t figure she could see it well enough to make out anything.

  Suddenly Laurie sucked in a sharp breath. “The camera. Oh. Trey, don’t let them get down. I have to get the camera.”

  Cradling Katy in her arms, she rushed toward the house. When she came back out a few minutes later she had a camera slung around her neck and was wheeling Katy in the carriage.

  By the time Laurie got Katy’s carriage situated and was ready to take pictures, Carrie and Amy were feeling confident enough up there on Soldier’s back to mug for the camera.

  After a while Trey had them each ride alone for several minutes. When Laurie told them they’d done enough riding for one day, they reluctantly prepared to go back inside.

  But Trey wasn’t finished. He took the camera from her and handed it
to Carrie. “Do you know how to work this?”

  “Sure.”

  “Good.”

  “What am I supposed to take pictures of?”

  Trey winked. “You’ll figure it out.”

  Then he turned, grabbed Laurie around the waist and swung her up into the saddle.

  Laurie shrieked, then grabbed on to the saddle horn with both hands, as she’d seen her daughters do.

  “Trey, what are you doing?”

  “Giving Mama a ride.”

  “Smile, Mama,” Carrie called.

  Laurie smiled.

  Carrie snapped a picture, then another.

  Laurie glanced down at Trey, her smile taking on a feral appearance. “I’ll get you for this, Mr. Trey.”

  Trey grinned. “Promises, promises. Come on, Soldier, let’s give the lady a ride.” With a small tug on the reins from Trey, the horse started walking.

  At the sudden movement beneath her, Laurie shrieked in earnest and hung on for dear life.

  At the corral fence, Carrie and Amy cheered. Amy clapped while Carrie took pictures.

  “Okay,” Laurie called down from what seemed like her mile-high perch. “This is plenty, Trey. We can stop now.”

  “Stop?” He halted the animal.

  Thank God, Laurie thought. At least she hadn’t fallen off and made a fool of herself in front of her girls. And Trey.

  Just when she thought he was going to help her down, he instead swung up behind her.

  “Trey,” she cried. Now not only did she have to worry about falling on her head—or her butt—she had to worry about melting into a pool right there in the saddle. She was surrounded by him. His arms curved around hers, his chest pressed flush against her back. His warmth—heat—enveloped her.

  Then he removed his left hand from the reins and placed it, fingers splayed, across her abdomen. “What are you doing?” she managed.

  “Taking you for a ride.”

  No kidding.

  “Amy,” he called, “can you open the gate?”

  “Oh, Trey, no, that’s not necessary. You don’t have to—”

  Amy opened the gate.

  “Hold on,” Trey said.

  “To what?” Laurie cried.

  “To the saddle horn. Or my arms. Or my legs. Whatever you can reach.”

  Well, now. Just how was she supposed to take that comment?

  “Girls, keep an eye on Katy. We’ll keep it nice and slow,” he added to Laurie.

  Oh, she thought. Oh. He was seducing her without even trying. His lips were next to her ear, and his voice sent shivers down her spine that had nothing to do with her fear of falling off a horse.

  He took the horse at a slow walk around the house.

  The advantages of riding double were many. Trey was so taken with the sweet smell of Laurie’s hair, and the sweeter feel of her in his arms, that the slow walk around the house seemed to last only seconds. When they returned to the corral he was loath to dismount. He wanted to turn the horse away and take off across the fields, ride over the far ridge down to the creek.

  There he would dismount amid the willows and soft summer grass, beside the water trickling down from the mountains. He would lay her down on the grass and—

  “Was it fun, Mama?”

  Trey reluctantly pulled himself back from the brink of bliss and drew the horse to a halt in the center of the corral.

  It was Amy, still bouncing with excitement, who had spoken, but Laurie had not answered.

  Trey dipped his head until his lips brushed her ear. “Was it, Mama?”

  She turned her head slightly toward him and, with narrowed eyes, asked, “Are you doing that on purpose?”

  Trey blinked and grinned. “Doing what?”

  The girls were so wound up about getting to ride a horse that it was all they could do to stay in their seats long enough to eat supper. Afterward, a family sitcom on television finally held their attention, but Laurie had little hope that she would be able to get them to sleep at their regular time that night.

  When she finished cleaning up the kitchen after supper, she smoothed lotion on her hands and made her way to the living room, where the girls were sprawled on the floor. Trey was in his recliner, chuckling along with them, Katy held securely and lovingly in his arms.

  Laurie took a seat on the sofa and waited until the program ended. “Anybody want ice cream?”

  “Yeah!” Amy and Carrie scrambled up.

  “Sounds good to me.” Trey narrowed his eyes and smiled. “Are you serving?”

  “I’m serving the children, in the kitchen. If you want any you’ll have to come with us.”

  He laughed. “I was afraid you’d say that. Okay, sweet pea, let’s get up and put you in your playpen while your old man makes a pig of himself.”

  Laurie dished up a bowl of chocolate for each of the girls, then took pity on Trey and got his, too, then served herself.

  “You’re a gem,” Trey told her.

  “I’ll bet you say that to all your housekeepers.”

  “Since you’re the only one I’ve ever had, I guess you’re right. Speaking of which, did anyone call about the ad today?”

  She shook her head. “No. I’m sorry. Where is it running?”

  “I started out in the Wyatt County Gazette, but now it’s running in Rock Springs, Pinedale and Jackson Hole. If I don’t get any results soon, I guess I’ll try Cheyenne, although I doubt anyone would want to move this far.”

  “They would if they could see it,” Laurie said.

  “Really?”

  “It’s heaven out here,” she said. “All that wide-open space, the mountains in the background. Fresh air. Quiet.”

  “You like it here, then?”

  “What’s not to like? It’s wonderful. And the girls love it, don’t you, girls?”

  “Yeah, it’s cool,” Amy said. “Kitties and horses and a yard and everything.”

  Trey smiled. He was glad they liked it here. It made him feel good to know Laurie and her daughters enjoyed the land he loved. “Maybe I’ll let you guys write the next ad. One woman called the week before you came. She sounded perfect for the job, but when she realized how isolated we are out here she couldn’t hang up fast enough.”

  “Her loss,” Laurie told him.

  Not mine, he thought. If he’d hired that woman, he might never have met this woman who, with her laughter and her daughters, had somehow turned his house into a home.

  “I’m through.” Carrie let her spoon clink against the bowl.

  “Me, too,” said Amy. “Can we watch more TV now?”

  “For a little while. Carry your bowls to the counter.”

  Carefully, using both hands, each girl carried her bowl to the counter and placed it next to the sink.

  Carrie snuggled up against her mother and put an arm around her neck. “Thank you for the ice cream, Mama.” She kissed Laurie on the cheek.

  “Me, too.” Amy angled in and placed a kiss on Laurie’s other cheek.

  “You’re welcome, both of you.” Before she turned them loose, Laurie kissed the tip of each little nose.

  Watching the girls’ open affection for their mother had Trey wondering, hoping Katy would love him that much. Would she mind not having a mother? Or would he meet a woman someday who would become her mother?

  It was too much to think about. Too far in the future. For now he was simply grateful to be allowed to watch the interaction between a mother and her daughters.

  He finished his ice cream, then waited for Laurie to finish hers before he took her bowl and his to the sink. There he rinsed them all and stacked them, as she already had the dishwasher running.

  When he turned from the sink, she was there. Close. He didn’t think; he placed one hand on the side of her neck and kissed her cheek. “Thanks for the ice cream.”

  Laurie couldn’t move. She hadn’t seen that maneuver coming. How could she have? One minute they were talking about his ad and eating ice cream, and the next he was imitatin
g her girls and giving her a thank-you kiss.

  But he should have backed away then. Laughed at the silly joke. But he didn’t. She stared up at him, mesmerized, unable to think straight and watched the laughter in his bright-blue eyes turn to heat.

  Oh, God, he was going to kiss her again. For real this time. What was she going to do? How had they ended up alone together? She wanted to run. She wanted to hide.

  She wanted…to kiss him.

  Trey could feel her breath puffing soft and warm against his chin. Beneath his hand he felt her tremble. “Laurie?”

  She swallowed hard. “What?”

  He gazed down into her eyes and wanted to fall in and never come out. “I want to kiss you.” He was stunned at just how badly he wanted it.

  “You just did,” she whispered.

  With the tip of his nose, he nuzzled her cheek. It was silky soft. “Not the way I want to.”

  Laurie felt her knees threaten to buckle. His voice had always gotten to her, but when he whispered low and soft against her skin this way, she had no defense at all.

  But she would try. She had to try, didn’t she? Although why escaped her at that moment. Still… “We shouldn’t,” she managed.

  “You’re right. We shouldn’t.” He smoothed his lips along her cheekbone. “But I still want to.” He trailed his mouth down to her jaw. “So do you.”

  She did. Heaven help her, she wanted his mouth on hers, his hands on her body. Anywhere. Everywhere. The strength of the wanting shocked her. “Trey.”

  “Say yes, Laurie,” he whispered.

  With a low moan she did.

  Cupping her face in both hands, Trey moved that final fraction of an inch and kissed her.

  Her mouth was cool from the ice cream, and sweet from her. Her taste was dark and rich. The hands that grasped his wrists were delicate yet strong. He nipped and tasted and dove in for more.

  Laurie let him pull her closer, until their bodies were flush against each other. His was all firm, hard muscle—and warm…so warm. His touch on her face was gentle, in sharp contrast with the suddenly ravenous way he took her mouth. He quite simply overwhelmed her senses. From his hot, secret taste to the clean smell of soap on his skin to the firmness of his body. She savored all of him and let her mind go blank.