The Lonesome Rancher

by Patricia Thayer

  “But that’s his choice,” Jade said boldly. “Not yours.”

  Alisa smiled. “I knew I liked you.”

  “I like you, too.” And she did, but she also knew her own news might put a damper on this. “How soon before your father returns home?”

  “In a few days.”

  Hearing the news, Jade tried to stay relaxed. Things were happening too quickly. Maybe it would be best to leave and not say anything at all. Then she wouldn’t disrupt so many lives.

  At three o’clock in the morning, Jade stood just inside Sloan’s bedroom. She waited for her eyes to adjust to the moonlight coming through the window before making her way to her destination.

  Seeing the figure in the large bed, she walked toward him, and then leaned down. “Sloan.” She touched his shoulder causing him to roll over onto his back, exposing his bare chest. The blanket was twisted at his waist, and she wasn’t even going to guess what he wasn’t wearing under the covers.

  He groaned and blinked open his eyes.

  “I need to check your pupils,” she said.

  He rose up on an elbow and nearly collided with her leaning down. “Make it quick.”

  She held up her penlight, and found their closeness was unnerving her. As hard as she tried to concentrate on the job, this man distracted her in so many ways. Her hand trembled as she tried to hold the light to his face. She was so close she could feel his warm breath against her cheek. Memories flooded back to the day they’d been caught in the storm.

  Sloan took her hand in his. “What’s the matter, Jade?” He moved his thumb over her palm. “Do I make you nervous?”

  His husky voice was doing things to her. She finished the task and clicked off the light. “No, just tired.”

  “Then go back to bed.” His voice lowered as he moved closer. “I have the alarm set and I can come to your room and wake you up.” He kept staring at her. “Dammit, Jade, stop looking at me like that.”

  Even though it was dangerous to be so close, she couldn’t seem to move.

  Sloan knew he was playing with fire, but when it came to Jade, he couldn’t seem to stop himself. He brushed his lips over hers. When she sucked in a sharp breath, he forgot everything, his headache and aching back, mostly his caution to stay away from her. When she responded willingly he captured her mouth. His need quickly intensified and he deepened the kiss, pushing his tongue into her mouth hungry for the taste of her.

  She whimpered and wrapped her arms around his neck and touched her tongue to his. He groaned and pulled her down on top of him.

  “This is crazy.” He kissed her again and again until his need came pretty close to reaching the boiling point. “But I can’t get you out of my head.”

  “Sloan…” She looked at him. “We shouldn’t be doing this.”

  His hands moved over her back, then down to her bottom, pressing her against him. “Yet, we’re here.”

  She closed her eyes. “Sloan,” she breathed.

  His mouth took hers again, drinking her in like a starving man. He couldn’t get enough. He rolled over, pulling her under him. He looked down at her. “I want you, Jade,” he breathed, and then kissed her mouth as his hand moved under her shirt. He touched the bare skin at her waist, then moved upward to cup her breast.

  She gasped and suddenly jerked away. “I can’t, Sloan,” she whispered as she sat up and refastened her clothes.

  She knew he was angry and had every right to be. “We seemed to be doing a pretty good job.”

  “Well, it’s a good thing one of us came to our senses.” She stood. “See you in a few hours.”

  “Don’t bother,” Sloan called to her as she walked out the door. He didn’t need her to tie him into knots. No woman would do that to him again. He rolled over and winced at the pain in his head, but it wasn’t enough to distract him from the woman who just left him.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  JADE had no sooner closed Sloan’s door and tried to make her escape when she bumped right into a tall, solid figure in the hall.

  “Whoa there, miss,” a deep voice said as he gripped her arms to steady her.

  Jade glanced up and gasped as she caught sight of the older man. There was no doubt who he was, her father. “Oh, Senator Merrick,” she managed to say.

  Clay Merrick gave her an easy smile, and her heart pounded in her chest. “Guilty. You must be Nurse Jade Hamilton.”

  Jade swallowed the sudden dryness in her throat. “Yes…yes, I am. I didn’t expect you home. Of course you’ve come home because of your son.” She pointed to the door. “I was just checking on Sloan. He received a slight concussion when he was bucked off his horse today.”

  She finally stole a glance at his hazel eyes then shut her mouth realizing she was rambling.

  “I just flew in tonight. And I appreciate that you’re here to take care of him. I know how stubborn he can be about taking help.”

  “Yes, he is. But I can be pretty tough, too.” She couldn’t stop looking at him. She saw the lines around his eyes, the creases on either side of his mouth. His hair might be gray, but it was thick and well kept. He looked distinguished, yet he wore the clothes of a rancher.

  Clay said something she didn’t hear, bringing her out of her reverie.

  “Excuse me, did you say something?”

  “Would it be all right if I went in to see my son?”

  She managed a smile. “I’m sure he’d like that.”

  He nodded. “I won’t stay long. I hope we can visit at a more civilized time. I’d like to hear about Louisa’s progress.”

  “Of course. At your convenience, Senator.”

  He paused at the door. “Since you’re pulling double duty right now, we’ll do it at your convenience.” He smiled again. “Now get some rest, Miss Hamilton.”

  “Please, call me, Jade.”

  “Good night, Jade.”

  Somehow Jade’s legs managed to take her down the hall and into her room. After closing the door, she sagged against it. “I met Clay Merrick. My father.”

  The unexpected feelings caused a tightness around her heart. She’d never had a male figure in her life. No one to look up to. No one to protect her from bad things. Now, her own flesh and blood was right here. But was he hers?

  Insecurity and doubt crept in. Had Clay Merrick known about her all these years? Had he just ignored her, not wanting the complication. Tears she didn’t expect began to fall, as she thought the worst.

  Maybe he would never want her.

  A few hours later, the sun had come up and Jade was still trying to decide whether to pack her bags and leave the ranch, or go and face the senator.

  That was another problem to confront. How could she just blurt out, “Good morning, Senator. Oh, by the way, I’m your long-lost daughter. Don’t worry I’m not going to wreck your home or career.”

  She paced back and forth in front of the windows and caught sight of two men walking toward the barn. Looking closer, she figured one to be the senator, the other Sloan. She noticed that he was holding his lower back. How had he managed to get out of bed, and get dressed?

  She thought back to last night and being in his arms. His touch. A warm rush went through her, heating her insides. She covered her face with her hands. How had she made such a mess of everything? Why hadn’t she approached the senator at his Washington office? Now everything had gotten personal. She’d gotten involved with the family. She glanced again at Sloan as he talked to a few of the ranch hands.

  It was worse. Her heart was involved now.

  Sloan felt like hell today, but he wasn’t going to stay in bed any longer. It was nearly the roundup. He wasn’t about to postpone that, either.

  “Son, are you sure you’re all right? Bud said you took quite a spill yesterday.”

  “He reports to you now?”

  “No, he just told me in passing, as did your mother when I got in last night.”

  His father always seemed younger than his nearly sixty years. He had an easy s
mile that all the ladies liked, and the men trusted. The perfect politician. In Sloan’s mind, Clay had been a little neglectful of his wife lately.

  “Maybe that’s where you should be right now, with Mom. She’s been working hard on her recovery. I think she’d appreciate your concern.”

  Sloan pulled open the barn door and walked inside, but stopped when he heard his father call him.

  Clay caught up. “Is there something you’re not telling me? Is it your mother’s health? Although I met Jade last night, we haven’t had a chance to talk yet.”

  “No, she’s fine physically.” He placed his hands on his hips. “It would have been nice if you’d been home a little more, though.”

  Clay straightened as they moved down the center aisle. “I told you why—”

  “And I don’t believe it. I’ve seen you fly home for less. Why not for Mom?”

  His dad looked frustrated. “Because Louisa hasn’t exactly wanted me around, okay? I know the stroke has been difficult, but she’s pushed me away whenever I tried to help her.”

  “So you took the easy way out, and just stayed away.”

  Clay started to answer. Instead he took off his hat and ran a hand over his hair. “Yeah, I guess I did, but a man can only take so much rejection. Dammit, son, she’s moved out of our bedroom.”

  This was getting a little too uncomfortable for Sloan. “Do I need to tell you what to do about that?”

  “No.” His dad finally smiled. “Maybe we should change the subject. Okay fill me in on her nurse, Jade Hamilton. I can see she’s been working wonders.”

  This time it was Sloan’s turn to look away. “Not much else to tell. She came about two weeks ago and she’s gotten Mom to do more than everyone else has.”

  “She’s taking care of you, too.”

  Sloan shrugged, not wanting to explain it. “Jade was checking on me like the doctor ordered.”

  His father let it drop. “And did the doctor order you to stay off your feet today?”

  “He said to rest. I rested, and now I need to get things done. I have a ranch to run, and a roundup to get ready for.”

  “I’m sure Bud can handle things for one more day. You should go back to bed. You could get some special treatment from that pretty nurse. It might help improve your disposition.”

  After lunch, Jade was happy about Louisa’s request to drive into town, though she was a little surprised that she wanted to leave the ranch so soon after her husband arrived home.

  The ride into town was quiet. Louisa seemed distracted and Jade hoped that a visit with her friends would change that.

  They walked into the Blind Stitch and quickly the older woman’s demeanor changed. Maybe because these ladies had been friends of Louisa’s for years. They’d shared good and bad times. Soon she sat down and the group began to work.

  Jenny came up behind Jade. “It’s nice to see, isn’t it? Old friends together. Most of them grew up here. Louisa came here after marrying the senator, but fit in right away.”

  “You know about everyone in town.” Jade envied the closeness with everyone. “Did you grow up here, too?”

  Jenny smiled. “No, in San Antonio. I came to a quilting retreat a few years back. That’s where I met the owner of the shop, Allison Cole Casali. She taught me to quilt. I ended up managing the shop so Allison could be a full-time wife and mother. And I continued to work here because I recently got married to a wonderful guy, Evan Rafferty.”

  “Matt’s brother, Sean’s other son.”

  Jenny nodded. “Of course, Evan is the most handsome.”

  Jade was quickly discovering how much she liked this little town.

  “There are a lot of good people here. Everyone I’ve met seems nice.”

  “None better.” Jenny smiled. “Hey, you could join my beginner’s class. I bet I could get you hooked on quilting.”

  “I’m not sure…” She looked at the group of ladies, knowing it was a pipe dream to think she could live here. “Besides, my job with Louisa is about to come to an end. She’s so healthy and her mobility is improving each day. She really doesn’t need me.”

  “That doesn’t mean you can’t stay in town,” Jenny argued. “You just need another job. And I hear good nurses are in demand.”

  She would love that, too. But getting her hopes up would be hurtful. “We’ll see.”

  Suddenly the door opened and Jade nearly gasped when Clay Merrick walked into the shop. Removing his hat, he squared his jaw and looked as if he belonged there. He came toward them as if he was on a mission.

  “Hi, Jenny,” he said.

  “Hello, Senator.”

  He then turned to Jade. “Hello, Jade. I know we haven’t had a chance to talk yet, and I’d like to very much. My wife’s health is very important to me.” He gave her a broad grin. “Maybe you can give me some insight into how you’ve helped her.”

  She swallowed trying to find her voice. “Certainly. Whenever you want.”

  He nodded toward the ladies at the table. “Right now, I’d like to take my wife off to lunch. Do you have any objections?”

  Jade shook her head.

  “Good.” He nodded. “If you’ll excuse me, ladies, I’ve sorely missed my wife these past few weeks. If you don’t mind, Jade, I’m taking the town car, but I’ve arranged a ride for you.”

  When he walked off, Jade couldn’t take her eyes off Clay as he spoke, then reached out a hand to his wife.

  From across the room Jade could see Louisa’s blush as her husband helped her stand. Moments later, the couple walked out of the shop.

  “Oh, my, that’s so romantic!” Jenny said, releasing a sigh. “Married all those years and he’s still courting her. What a man.”

  “Yeah, what a man,” Jade said, knowing her time here was coming to an end. “I better head back.”

  “Don’t be a stranger,” Jenny called as she walked out. Once outside in the warm sun she looked where the town car had been parked and found a truck. Sloan Merrick was leaning against the fender.

  Oh, great. She didn’t need this today.

  He didn’t look happy, either. “Seems I’m your ride home.”

  On the trip back to the ranch Sloan wasn’t sure what to say to Jade. All he knew was he couldn’t leave things the way they were between them. Not after last night and her visit to his room…and their problem of keeping their hands off each other.

  He drove through the front gate, stopped and shifted into four-wheel drive before he veered off to the side road toward the south.

  “Where are we going?” she asked.

  “Just a short detour. Since Dad had me take him into town, I’m late for my meeting with a contractor. He’s going to do some work on Otis’s place.”

  “Really?”

  He saw a spark of enthusiasm. “Why would I lie?”

  She glanced away. “I didn’t say you would. I’m just surprised that you’re working on the place so soon.”

  He turned off onto a gravel road, and downshifted. He winced as he hit a bump.

  “I’ll admit the house has been neglected, but now that I’ve seen the run-down condition, I want to restore it. Do you mind going?”

  Her beautiful cat eyes narrowed. “Of course not. My afternoon seems to be free.”

  “Good, then maybe you also wouldn’t mind giving some input. I’m willing to bet you could pick colors better than I would. I’d paint everything white.”

  “Wait, isn’t this something that Alisa would want to do?”

  He shook his head. “I tried to feel her out but she didn’t seem interested.” He drove over the rise and the old house came into view. “Besides, this is your fault.”

  “Me? What did I do?”

  “You were the one who got me thinking about family roots. What better way than to restore the homestead?”

  Jade wasn’t sure what to say. Since learning the truth about her biological parents, she’d realized many things. Although her mother showered her with love and attention, th
e lack of a father in her life had left a large void. But did she belong with the Merricks? Did DNA give her the right to barge into their family? And if the senator didn’t want her…

  Sloan parked next to another truck and got out. Jade wondered if she should stay put, then Sloan poked his head in the open window. “Hey, come on, I am still disabled here. And this contractor was hard to get. So it’s now, or I’ll have to wait another six months.”

  “I still think your sister or mother should be the one to make these decisions.”

  He opened the door and held out his hand. “I talked to Mom. She thinks it’s a great idea, but she’s not up to it right now. That’s why I could use your help, Jade.”

  She couldn’t say no to this man. “Okay.” She climbed out of the cab by herself without his help. The less contact with him the better.

  In the bright light of day, Sloan could really see everything: the rotting floorboards, the peeling paint and sagging roof. The place looked even worse.

  He sighed. “It’s going to take some work.”

  A man came around the side of the house. “Mr. Merrick,” he called.

  “Yes, you must be Ben Kennedy.”

  A man looking to be in his middle forties walked up to them. His company logo, Kennedy Construction, was stitched above his shirt pocket. He shook Sloan’s hand. “Yes, it’s nice to meet you, too.” He turned to Jade. “Mrs. Merrick.”

  Sloan watched a blush cover her face. “Oh, no, I’m just a family friend,” she corrected.

  Kennedy quickly changed the subject. “Well, I’d love to get the opportunity to restore this place.”

  “Well, you come highly recommended, Mr. Kennedy.” Sloan turned toward the structure. “So is it worth saving?”

  “Of course. The house is well built and solid. I haven’t seen the inside, but you definitely need to replace the roof and porch, and of course, paint.”

  “Not any more than I expected,” Sloan said. “I’m happy about that.”

  They walked up to the porch. Opening the door, he allowed Jade to go first, and then followed after her. He was immediately hit with a rush of memories. That stormy afternoon and evening he’d spent here with her. The warm fire, the sharing of personal things, and then the kiss.