What about her? Did he like how she smelled? Did he ever look at her like a woman and not his housemate? They’d kissed once. Briefly. He’d kept his distance after that. She’d agreed it was for the best. That hadn’t stopped her from remembering. And daydreaming.
She reached into the crib and pulled the blanket up to Cody’s neck, then tucked it in, forming a snug cocoon in which he slept. “’Night, handsome.”
Jacob moved aside. She waited at the door to her room, unsure of what to do next. It wasn’t exactly late, and there was plenty of work waiting for her. Documents to review. Correspondence to write. Emails to answer. Only she wasn’t in the mood. She was still worried about her precarious place in Cody’s life, pleased by Jacob’s willingness to include her family at Thanksgiving and still a little mesmerized by how nice he smelled. Especially the latter.
“See you in the morning?” He paused, his broad shoulders all but filling the doorway and edging her out.
“Not unless you’re going in late.” She smiled. “Five is just too early for me.”
“I had a nice time tonight.” His tone was that of a man saying good-night to the woman he’d just brought home from a date.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Yet Mariana felt a familiar tingle. The one that preceded a kiss.
“Me, too,” she whispered.
He nodded, and she waited for him to walk across the hall to his room. Except he didn’t.
“Mariana...” He said her name soft and low.
The tingle was followed by another. Sensing what was coming, what he wanted, she tilted her face up to meet his mouth, already descending to claim hers.
The kiss was hot. Burning. Nothing at all like their previous, nearly chaste one. It threatened to consume her. After a token resistance, she let it.
He swept her into his arms. Hers circled his neck, drawing him even closer. She couldn’t get enough of him. His taste. His touch. His very evident need for her. They all fed the fire intensifying between them. A groan emanated from deep inside his chest. It echoed the sound of contentment escaping her.
This was madness. Tomorrow, five minutes from now, she would regret their impulsiveness and lack of judgment. Now, however, she embraced the moment and Jacob. Arching into him, she urged him to deepen the kiss. He responded by taking bolder liberties with his tongue and letting his hands wander the length of her back.
After a moment, he settled them on her hips and fitted her more snugly to him. She almost gasped aloud. She was in heaven and didn’t want to return to earth. Not yet.
When the need to draw a decent breath overwhelmed them, they broke apart. Common sense returned and, darn it all, prevailed.
“We should probably stop now while we still can.” Did that ragged voice belong to her?
“Yeah.” Jacob stepped back, but he didn’t release her. Instead, he moved his hands to her waist, a place slightly safer than her hips.
They felt nice. Firm and strong and not too possessive. She’d have liked them to remain where they were for a while. It wasn’t to be.
“We can’t keep doing this,” she said. “The situation is complicated.”
“Not that complicated.”
“I’m here, with you, only because you need my help with Cody.”
He drew back as if offended, his hands falling from her waist. “That’s not why I kissed you.”
“I’m glad.” She had to smile at that. It faded quickly. “I’m not sure of my place in Cody’s life anymore.”
“You’re his aunt. The only mother he’ll ever know.”
“Yes, and you’re his father. Would we be kissing if his custody hadn’t brought us together?”
“Trust me, I’d find you attractive and want to kiss you regardless of how we met.”
“Want to. But not necessarily do it. Face it, we aren’t exactly each other’s type.”
“And clearly I’ve been wrong all these years to limit myself.”
He touched the side of her face. The gesture was achingly sweet. She almost forgot the point she was trying to make.
“I think it’s best for all of us, you, me and Cody, if we didn’t get involved. Not now. Maybe later.”
“Maybe?”
“You’re rodeoing and will be at least until the end of the year. Not only do I think you should give that up for Cody, I...hesitate getting involved with a cowboy. Not after the hell my father put my mother through. I need someone more steady and more reliable. Cody, too.”
“I’m those things. I promise.”
“You can be.”
“I will be. Give me a chance.”
“We’ll see.”
When she averted her gaze, he captured her chin with his fingers and turned her face back to his. “Okay. We wait. I understand your reservations and respect them. But rest assured, once I win a title at Nationals, I’ll be coming around again, Mariana Snow, to pick up where we left off.”
He returned to his room then. Mariana leaned against the closed door and counted to ten, willing her heart rate to return to normal. She didn’t quit until she reached a hundred.
*
NEXT TO RIDING a horse, hard work provided the best outlet for stress. Jacob had spent all day with his nose to the grindstone, first at the drill site and now here at home. Amigo was reaping the benefits. Another thirty minutes of shoveling manure into a wheelbarrow, and the horse’s stall and paddock would be spotless.
Jacob doubled his efforts. Still, the knot of tension residing in the back of his neck didn’t loosen. It had been there since last night when he’d kissed Mariana. Again.
Okay, any red-blooded man wouldn’t blame him. She’d tempt a saint. Standing in the half-light of the bedroom, putting Cody to bed, their bodies had been close enough to share heat. Then, there was the look in her eyes when they said good-night. He’d been tempted, all right. To do a lot more than just kiss her over and over.
Had she not put the brakes on, he’d have suggested they go out on a date. Or walk across the hall to his room. In hindsight, she was right in stopping him. Her voice had changed when she’d started talking about them kissing only because of their current living situation and not being each other’s type.
She had doubts, about him and his attraction to her. Also about his ability to be the kind of man she wanted and needed. He believed he was. All that was left was to prove it. He would. After Nationals in December and after he was promoted from the drill site to Baron Energies’ corporate offices.
“Cody, come back here.”
“Wanna dig.”
“Not there.” The lights in the paddock weren’t nearly as good as those at the Roughneck. Cody could easily disappear into one of the many dark corners. “Stay by me.”
Cody came, dragging a spade Jacob had found in the storage room.
The boy was playing more than helping. Mostly, he was stirring up dust. Buster lay nearby, mindless of the cloud wafting over him as Cody banged the spade into the ground.
Jacob shook his head and dumped another shovel load into the wheelbarrow. Mariana would probably go crazy if she knew Cody was playing in dirt. Dirt and manure. Jacob was doing his best to keep the boy clean. Only problem, his best wasn’t very good.
Luckily, Mariana wasn’t home to see how dirty Cody had gotten. She was working late at the office, something to do with the firm’s case against Paulo Molinas and Medallion Investments. Jacob planned to have Cody bathed and in his pajamas long before she got home.
He’d let her put Cody to bed alone tonight, however. No way was he risking a repeat of last night. It was just as well he and Daniel were leaving tomorrow morning for the Verde Valley Pro Rodeo. He had to get his head in the game between now and then if he expected to bring home a win in at least two events.
“Hello!” Mariana’s voice carried across the yard from the back door.
She was home early.
“Swell,” Jacob muttered and dropped his shovel. “Cody, quick. Come here.” He snatched up the boy, rem
oved the spade from his grasp and brushed off his jacket, for all the good it did.
“Jacob, where are you?”
“Let me do all the talking, got it?” He set Cody on his feet. “We’re here. In the paddock.”
“Mama!” Cody ran toward the railing.
“Wow. You’re filthy.” Mariana stopped at the railing to gape at him. “What in the world did you get into?”
“Digging!” Cody proclaimed gleefully. “Help Daddy.”
“I see.” She cast Jacob a stern look.
Jacob sauntered over, his gait nonchalant. “It’s nothing that won’t wash off.”
“Thank goodness for that.”
Cody returned to where Jacob had dropped the spade and resumed digging.
“Shouldn’t you stop him?” she asked.
“At this point, I think it’s a waste of time and energy.” He grinned, hoping to win her over. “Lighten up, Mariana. Boys get dirty. It’s a rite of passage.”
She grimaced and held her nose. “There’s more than dirt on him.”
“That washes off, too. I should know, I’ve fallen in plenty during my life.”
“I guess you’re right.” She visibly relaxed.
He was glad. “Tough day at the office?”
“Molinas’s attorneys are putting up a fight. They’ve requested a third extension, citing that they need more time to locate a witness. It’s all smoke and mirrors. In the meantime, our clients are suffering. Doing without the money he stole from them. As much as I believe in the justice system, sometimes the way it operates frustrates me.”
There it was again, that passion she had for her work. She cared less about her potential promotion than the people she represented.
“You’ll win,” he said. “You have to.”
“Getting there’s the hard part.” Finally, she smiled.
It was enough to make him forgot how cold it was outside. And here she was wearing only a thin nylon coat.
“It’s chilly. You should go inside.”
She hugged herself. “I’ll take Cody. Give him that bath.”
“You take a break. I’ll do it. I’m the one who got him dirty. We’re almost done here, anyway.”
“We?” She raised her brows.
“You heard him, he’s helping.”
“If you say so.” She peered around Jacob, suddenly frowning. “Where is he?”
“Right there.” Jacob turned—and also frowned.
Cody was nowhere to be seen. Buster still lay by the wheelbarrow, his head resting on his paws.
“Cody,” Jacob called. “Where are you?”
Silence answered him.
“Cody. Cody!” Mariana started for the paddock gate.
“I’ll find him.”
Panic coursed through Jacob, building with each thrum of his pulse. Following his gut, he headed for the dark corners. But his gut failed him. Cody wasn’t in any of them.
By now, Mariana was in the paddock. Mindless of her clothes and high heels, she cupped her hands to her mouth and called repeatedly for Cody. “Honey bun, please answer me.”
Where did he go? The question resounded inside Jacob’s head like an angry tirade. How could he have been so stupid as to forget about his son? Even for a few minutes. There was danger everywhere. Sharp tools in the storage room. Deadly insects like scorpions and bees. He’d seen a rattlesnake in the tack room just last week. Hooves that could trample a small boy.
Hooves!
Jacob ran straight for Amigo’s stall. The old horse was gentle, but he weighed fifty times what Cody did. And accidents happened...
“Mariana, hurry!” Jacob stood outside the stall, his chest tight to the point of pain. “I found Cody.”
“Daddy!”
“Hey, partner. You scared me.” With shaking hands, Jacob pushed the open stall door wider and went inside. How had Cody reached the latch? He’d need to put a lock on that. “What are you doing?”
“Ride Migo.”
“It’s kind of late for that. How ’bout tomorrow, okay?”
“Okay, Daddy.” Cody stood by Amigo’s chest, his arms wrapped around the horse’s front leg.
Amigo lowered his large head and nuzzled Cody’s ski cap. Encountering the fuzzy ball sewn on top, he jerked back and snorted in disgust.
“Come here.” Without thinking, Jacob knelt and opened his arms.
Cody let go of Amigo and tumbled into Jacob’s embrace. Hugging the boy tight, he rose. An emotion the likes of which he’d never felt before came over him, covering him like a warm blanket. Comforting. Secure. Safe. This emotion, Jacob knew with absolute certainty, would stay with him always, a part of him now. Growing bigger and stronger.
“I love you, son,” he said into Cody’s ear. “Don’t run off again.”
Cody drew back to study Jacob’s face. With his two small hands, he patted Jacob’s cheeks. “Wuv you.”
He didn’t know how it was possible, but the entire world changed then. Became a different, brighter, better place. And the empty hole in his heart that had been there since his mother’s death shrank.
“Come on, son.” He gave Amigo’s neck a pat. “Thanks for taking care of him, old boy.”
At the door to the stall, he and Cody ran into Mariana. He wasn’t feeling himself yet and dreaded the chewing-out she was bound to give him.
She didn’t. Not one word. And when he finally found the courage to look her in the eyes, he saw that hers were wet with tears.
Chapter Nine Jacob wasn’t used to being off on a weekday. But Darius had called and requested a personal day to attend college orientation with his youngest son. Since he’d recently used all his vacation time, Jacob agreed to switch days with him.
As a result, he’d been puttering around the house all morning. Almost unheard of for him.
Mariana had offered to drop Cody off at day care; they paid by the week whether he went or not. Jacob said no, wanting to spend the day with his son. At the look of concern crossing her face, he’d assured her there would be no repeat of the previous night’s near disaster. Cody wouldn’t leave his sight for a second.
Jacob occupied a good part of his free time with chores and a few minor repairs. Cody was his constant shadow. At the moment, they were having lunch. Just two guys sitting around the table eating and talking, albeit Jacob did most of the talking.
“What’s on your schedule this afternoon?”
“Juice.” Cody banged his empty sippy cup on his high chair tray.
Jacob reached over and took the cup, refilling it from the bottle of apple juice. “I was thinking of maybe building a sandbox. Your aunt Mariana probably wouldn’t like that. She doesn’t understand the relationship a man has with his tools. It’s part of our genetic makeup.”
“Want cookie.”
“Finish your macaroni and cheese first.”
Cody banged his tray again, this time with his palm. “Cookie.”
Where had this sudden outburst come from? It was still too early for nap time. Was he having one of those terrible twos tantrums Mariana had warned Jacob about?
His cell phone rang. Jacob retrieved it from the counter, noting Carly’s number on the display.
“What are you doing?” he asked, one eye on his temperamental son.
“I heard through the grapevine you were off work today.”
“Yeah, a schedule change.”
“As it happens, I’m off, too. You available for a playdate?”
Jacob tried to recall the last time Carly had spontaneously invited him to do something with her and drew a blank.
The changes he’d felt the past few months with both Carly and Lizzie were continuing. Growing. Becoming commonplace.
Playdate? Sure, why not?
“Count me in. Except no trail riding or going out for a beer. I have Cody with me.”
She laughed, an easy, pleasant sound. As if they had always laughed together. Or would from now on.
“Silly. I meant the kids. Long story short, I�
��m watching Rosie today. I thought maybe you could bring Cody to the Roughneck. Brock had one of those trampolines installed in the backyard.”
“Trampoline? Aren’t Rosie and Cody too little for that?” Jacob pictured Cody tripping over the chair leg the other day at breakfast. His son was nothing if not a born klutz. He’d break his neck on a trampoline.
“No, no. It’s smaller than a regular trampoline and built into the ground so kids can’t fall. Well, they can still fall, but they’re a lot less likely to get hurt. Really, it’s pretty cool. You should see it.”
A playdate with Cody and Carly’s soon-to-be stepdaughter. Jacob chuckled to himself. His life was changing by the minute.
“Cody usually takes a nap around two.”
“So does Rosie. Wait till then, throw him in the car and come over. If he’s still asleep when you get here, we’ll lay him on the couch.”
Jacob had one last question. “Is Brock there?”
“Nope. He’s at the office today. A board meeting or something. Thank goodness. He’s been such a grump lately.”
She’d get no argument from Jacob.
“Savannah’s handling the store,” Carly continued. “Which frees me to watch Rosie. Come on, Jacob. It’ll be fun.”
“All right, all right.”
He filled the time until two by choosing a location for the sandbox, taking measurements, staking out the area and making a list of materials. They brought Buster along with them. The dog loved visiting the ranch, and Cody was thrilled to have someone sharing the backseat with him. For all of three minutes, which was how long it took for him to fall asleep. Buster, too.
Jacob called Mariana during the drive, telling her about the playdate. He didn’t mention the trampoline. If it looked too dangerous, he wouldn’t let Cody near it. Period. On impulse—Carly’s spontaneity must be contagious—he invited Mariana to the Roughneck after work.
“It’ll be fun,” he said, echoing Carly.
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