by Mindy Neff
An odd sensation fluttered in her stomach. They were acting an awful lot like a family, coordinating who got the car, what to do with the kid and where everyone would be.
If she were eighteen again, with her dreams and future plans still wrapped up in Jack, she could imagine fast-forwarding ten years and picturing this exact scenario.
Donetta made a shooing motion with her hand. “They’ll be safe, Jack. Tracy Lynn’s only a terror when we egg her on.”
“Donetta, you’re not helping,” Becca said, frowning. “Tracy Lynn’s a good driver, Jack. Go on, now.”
“Jack?” Storm called from the doorway. “We gotta roll.”
“I’m right behind you.” He kissed Tori again, started to reach out to Sunny, then dropped his hand. “Thanks for watching her for me.”
“No problem. We’ll have a great time.”
Anna shoved containers of food at the men as they left. “You call, now, if any of our people are involved in the wreck.”
Both Storm and Jack nodded. Sunny figured that if they’d known anyone in the accident, word would have already reached them. Hope Valley’s information line was faster than God’s.
Tori kept her eyes on her father until she could no longer see him.
Sunny fiddled with her silverware. Lord, that had felt weird. The men going off to work, the women staying behind—and she was in charge of Jack’s daughter.
Handing over that responsibility hadn’t been easy for him. She’d seen his reluctance, his worry. He was very protective of his little girl.
And right now, his daughter was looking terribly lost.
Can’t have that on my watch, Sunny thought.
When the front door closed behind the men, she slapped her palms on the table, causing the silverware, dishes and everyone there to jump.
“Hot dog, let’s have a girl party!”
Tracy Lynn, Donetta and Becca sprang from their seats without a second’s hesitation. Time and distance hadn’t weakened the bonds of the Texas Sweethearts, or their ability to react as one. The immediate, laughter-filled scramble altered the atmosphere in the dining room in less time than it took to flip a light switch.
Sunny scooted her chair back and plucked Tori out of hers. “Follow me, sugar.”
“Girls,” Anna started to admonish, but Donetta pulled her up, as well, while Becca punched the Play button on the stereo tucked discreetly between the bookshelf and china display.
Anna had the stereo tuned to an oldies station, and a silly song about a purple people eater blared out. Tracy Lynn squealed and started a conga line.
After grabbing two chicken drumsticks off the platter, Sunny handed one to Tori and bit into the other, chewing and singing along with the song at the same time. Her leg protested, but she ignored it.
Tori didn’t seem too sure about the sudden craziness. Reserved and wary, she followed Becca, with Sunny, Anna and Donetta completing the line.
Putting her hands on Tori’s shoulders, Sunny gave a wiggle, encouraging the little girl to pick up the rhythm. The fried chicken leg in her hand poked against Tori’s cheek. Simba darted forward, quickly lapped Tori’s face and kept right on going, turning in circles and barking at the fun.
Sunny burst out laughing and Tori’s own small giggle soon became a genuine belly laugh.
As they danced around the table, Anna smiled at the sight of Tori relaxing and joining in the silliness. “Oh, what the heck.” She gave a chortle of delight and took a piece of chicken off the platter herself, then waved her arms in the air and swished her hips as she bobbed and sang about purple people eaters.
Donetta pitched a biscuit to Becca. Seeing grown women tossing food and dancing around the dining-room table like fools seemed to unlock something in Tori.
The little girl slipped two spoons from the table and used them as batons while she dipped, hopped and swayed behind Becca.
Sunny’s heart melted. Now, this was how a nine-year-old should act.
Never let it be said that the Texas Sweethearts couldn’t show a person how a cow should eat his cabbage!
Too bad Jack wasn’t here to see his little girl cut loose.
A part of Sunny wanted him to remember, when she was back home in California, that she’d accomplished this turnaround.
No sooner did that thought surface than her heart thudded and her breath lodged in her lungs, making her feel as though she was having a full-blown panic attack. She shouldn’t be imagining Jack thinking about her at all.
From the moment she’d received her mother’s phone call, she promised herself she would stay strong, keep her emotional distance. She’d been confident that after ten years, she could face her past and do what she had to do.
The problem was, the more tangled up she got in Jack’s and Tori’s lives, the more difficult it would be for her to leave.
She’d left Hope Valley once before with her heart aching, feeling as if a rug had been snatched from beneath her feet. She’d stumbled through her days in a fog and sobbed her soul dry at nights, the agony inside her never letting go.
It had nearly shattered her.
That was one of the reasons she’d stayed away so long.
At this moment, she feared it hadn’t been long enough.
Chapter Ten
It was late when Jack got back from the accident scene, but Sunny was still awake. She saw the flash of his headlights outside, heard the tired scuff of his boots on the stairs, listened to the rush of water through the pipes as he showered.
Knowing that he was in the house, right across the hall, sent her nerves skittering. She’d be lucky if she got any sleep at all.
As it was, she’d been lying in bed beneath the sheet, going over the evening, trying to get a grip on her emotions—emotions churned up by Jackson Slade and his daughter.
Once Tori had loosened up, her energy hadn’t flagged. She’d still been wound up when they’d come home, and had danced, and sung and shaken her bottom as she’d climbed the stairs to bed, an entirely different child.
It had taken a cup of sweetened herbal tea, sipped while they’d sat in the middle of Tori’s bed, reading aloud a chapter of one of her Nancy Drew books, before Sunny had gotten the child settled and tucked in, with Simba and Twinkie snuggled beside her.
Of course, Sunny had had to play referee with the animals before peace and quiet had been established. The cat had been put out that Simba was in her spot, but Simba, with his everybody-loves-me personality, didn’t notice. That trait could wear down even the strongest foe, and Twinkie finally acknowledged that she’d lost the battle. She’d curled up inches away, glaring at the dog, who was entirely too big to sleep on the bed in any case.
The heart clincher, Sunny thought now, had been when Tori had wrapped her small arms around Sunny’s neck and whispered, “Thank you for letting me be a Sweetheart. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had.”
The adoration in the child’s eyes had melted Sunny’s heart. The realization that came had nearly buckled her knees.
She’d fallen in love with that little girl.
And darn it all, she could deny it until the cows came home, but she was still in love with Jack Slade.
What a mess. She pulled the sheet over her head, but hiding didn’t banish the swirl of unwanted emotions. It only added to the mix.
Folding the sheet back to her waist, she stared at the crib-size quilt that hung on the wall as decoration, wondering if Doris Slade had stitched it for Jack or his brother, Linc.
The floorboards in the hallway creaked, and Sunny froze. Adrenaline shot through her when her bedroom door opened quietly, the light from the hall slicing across the wooden floor.
Jack.
She held her breath for a moment, wondered what he would do. He stood in the doorway for a long time, watching her—though she knew he couldn’t see her clearly in the dark. When he gave no indication whether he intended to come or go, Sunny decided to help him out.
“I’m awake.” She sat up to tu
rn on the lamp, but when she flicked the switch, nothing happened. It was controlled by the one near the door.
“Do you want the light on?” Jack asked.
“I’ll get it in a minute.” The answer was automatic, and silly, she realized, since he was standing right next to the switch. She was used to doing things for herself, rarely asked others for help. “I’m still wound up from dinner, I suppose. I thought I might read awhile.”
He hit the light switch and the lamp glowed softly. “Did everything go all right?”
“Yes. Tori had a good time.” Now that Sunny could see him clearly, she noticed that he looked tired—emotionally tired.
“I just checked on her. She’s out like a bear in hibernation. She has fried-chicken grease in her hair. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?”
“Nope, not a thing.” The droll fib tripped right off her tongue. The Texas Sweethearts maintained loyalty at all times. “I imagine it’ll wash out.”
“I imagine.” He moved across the room and stood by the side of the bed. “Thanks for taking care of her for me.”
“She’s a wonderful girl, Jack. We all enjoyed her company.”
“I was surprised she stayed. She doesn’t usually go with strangers.”
“I’m not exactly a stranger.” He was standing so close she could smell the aroma of soap on his skin.
“It’s…I don’t know. Her social world is pretty much narrowed to Cora, Beau and me—at least when school’s out for the summer. She’s not comfortable with the men on the ranch.”
“I noticed that when Duane came over before we left.”
“He’s tried several times to get her to warm up to him. I feel bad. He lost his wife and daughter a while back, and he misses having a family.”
“Oh, that’s awful. What happened?”
“He didn’t say and I didn’t ask. I hadn’t even known he was married.”
“Has he worked for you long?”
“Two or three months, but I’ve known him a long time. His daddy and mine were drinking buddies. When George Keegan went off with another woman, my father roped Duane in as his replacement. After that, Duane took up rodeo and traveled the circuit until a bull got him and put him out of commission for that kind of work.”
“So you gave him a job.” She’d heard that about Jack—that he’d lend a hand to anyone in need. In a way it was surprising. This town hadn’t always been nice to him, had judged him by his father’s actions. Here he was, though, a successful rancher, a reserve deputy, a man who looked like a handsome hellion, yet took care of his family and the families of others, as well.
He shrugged. “He’s a friend. Besides, there’s always plenty of work on the ranch. How’s your leg?” He started to draw back the sheet covering her.
She slapped a hand down, stopping him. “What’s with this doctoring obsession all of a sudden?”
“No obsession. You were injured on my property. It’s in my best interests to follow up.”
“For pity’s sake, I’m not going to sue.”
“Good. Now, can I look?”
The patient determination in his gaze never wavered, and she didn’t have to be hit over the head with a plucked chicken to figure out his intent. If she didn’t let him have his way, he’d stand there all night.
Hissing out a breath, she swished aside the sheet. She wore an oversize T-shirt that was plenty modest, so exposing herself wasn’t a worry.
“There’s nothing to see. The wound’s covered.” Sort of. Humidity and adhesive weren’t a good match. The corners of the square patch had curled and lifted.
He shook his head. “What’d you do with the stuff I set out for you to use after your shower?”
“I decided to go with something smaller.”
“Obviously, smaller isn’t working. Stay right there.”
Her jaw dropped, a smart remark on the tip of her tongue, but she was left staring at his back as he walked away, the untucked hem of his shirt drawing her eyes to his excellent backside. Where in the world did he think she would go in the middle of the night? She was in her assigned bed in his guest room.
And when, she’d like to know, had he become such a nag? That wasn’t a trait she would usually put up with.
Well, hell. If it would make him happy, she’d wrap the damn scrape.
She waited impatiently while he gathered supplies from his bathroom. Yet when he walked back into the room, instead of handing her the first-aid kit, he sat on the edge of the mattress.
Before she could object, he ripped off the flimsy bandage.
“Ouch!” She glared at him. “See? It was sticking just fine.”
“On one side.” He applied more salve and a fresh gauze pad. “If this is how you dress wounds on animals, I hope you have good insurance.”
That got her back up. “I’m an excellent vet.”
“I know. But you’re a lousy patient. Lift up.” With his palm cupping the underside of her leg, he encouraged her to bend her knee to give him access, then began winding the soft bandage around her thigh, smoothing it with his fingers as he went.
Chills prickled her skin—from his touch and from two words. I know. The compliment had been simple and straightforward. A matter-of-fact confirmation that he sincerely respected her skills.
She stared at the top of his head as he bent over his task. His dark hair, fresh-smelling from his shower, beckoned her to reach out and touch.
And she might have done just that if an onslaught of spine-tingling desire hadn’t paralyzed her.
After three loops with the bandage, his fingers grazing her inner thigh on each revolution, Sunny was ready to combust.
“That’s good enough,” she mumbled, surprised her vocal cords even worked. Her heart drummed in her ears and acute awareness shivered beneath her skin. If he didn’t take his hands off her in the next two seconds, she might do or say something that wouldn’t be good for either one of them.
The stretch bandage clung on its own, but he fastened a piece of tape at the edges. Then he simply sat there, his hands resting gently atop the newly bandaged wound, his long fingers lying idle on her inner thigh.
His stillness was more erotic than a full-out seduction.
Longing built inside her, from a whisper to a roaring scream. Memory flashed in her mind—of another time, another place, with Jack’s fingers touching her softly…inching upward by exquisitely electrifying degrees.
As she recalled the vivid moment, Jack looked up. And caught her staring.
There was no way to hide the pulse beating frantically in her neck, or the flush that heated her skin. So she simply indulged herself and held his gaze.
His eyes shimmered in a way she remembered well, the eyes of a man who knew how to read a woman’s desire, who had the confidence and skill to gift her—brand her—with the kind of touching that would spoil her for every other relationship.
She should know.
His hands moved to her hips. Slowly, oh, so slowly, he leaned toward her.
Her heart sang out, Yes. Please kiss me. It’s been so long. But at the last crucial second, her mind shouted, No.
She brought her hand up between them, placed it in the center of his chest. “Jack. I don’t want this.”
He stopped immediately, his gaze holding hers. “Your eyes say different.”
“I know.” There was too much between them to deny it. “What I should say is that it isn’t good for me.”
“Why?”
She looked away, unresolved emotions dousing the flames of desire.
He put a finger under her chin, turned her face back to his. “Why?”
“Because you broke my heart.” The words had simply spilled out. Damn it. She hadn’t wanted to admit that to him. Not after all this time.
It was as though she’d thrown a bucket of ice water on him. He drew in a breath and pulled back, his eyes sad.
“I know, Sunny. And I’m sorry.”
The immediate, utterly
sincere apology surprised her. “No excuses or explanations?”
“There aren’t any.” He ran a hand through his hair, the action both agitated and weary. “And I shouldn’t have gotten out of line here.”
Technically, she had started it with her I-want-your-body gaze, but encouraging that particular debate didn’t seem like a good idea.
He looked like a man shouldering a heavy weight that at any minute might shift and tumble, leaving his world in ruins. How did he bear up under it all—the worry over his daughter, his beef operation, the lives and livelihoods of his employees, the hours he gave to the community?
A reserve deputy, she thought in wonder. Ten years ago, most folks in town would have expected him to break the law, not uphold it. But most people hadn’t bothered to know the real Jackson Slade.
Reaching out, she touched his arm. They both needed a distraction. “How did the tanker spill go?”
He accepted the change of subject with barely a blink. “Messy. We had to call out a medevac helicopter to take the truck driver to the hospital. I’ll be surprised if he pulls through.”
Sunny knew she should tell Jack good-night and not tempt fate, but the rough emotion in his voice had her mind and her heart warring once more.
This time, her heart won.
She had never been able to resist anyone who needed to be fixed.
Patting the mattress beside her, she said, “Since I’m not sleepy and you look pretty keyed up, why don’t you prop yourself up here and tell me about it.”
“That might not be a good idea in light of what nearly happened just now.”
The kiss. She gave a flippant shrug. “‘Nearly’ doesn’t count. Chalk it up to curiosity. Who knows, tomorrow I might be kicking myself for stopping you.”
He blinked. She’d clearly caught him off guard. Then his lips slowly canted in an innocently sexy smile that Red Riding Hood would have recognized in an instant.
“No reason to resort to violence, sugar bear. I’ll be happy to oblige that curiosity.”
“I was talking about your curiosity, cowboy.” Fibber. “Besides, you look like you could really use a friend.” She flicked her hair behind her ear, tried to keep her tone light. “Someone once told me I’m a pretty good one.”