Bound by an Angel

by Mackenzie McKade

  He jutted his hand out to the strapping young fellow standing protectively beside his sister. “Clancy.”

  The boy’s glare slid thoroughly over Clancy, head to toe, before he joined his hand with Clancy’s. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Wiseman.”

  Rose rolled her eyes. “Here we go again.” Rachel elbowed her twin in the side. “I’m just saying—” Rose was cut short when all the Gilmore siblings nailed her with a joined scowl.

  Clancy grinned. “Hey, Rose. Rachel.”

  “Hi, Clancy,” the girls chimed in unison.

  “Your home is beautiful,” Rachel cooed in awe. A dreamy expression overtook her as she scanned the rustic room, complete with large, brown leather furniture, western artwork and pine columns.

  Rose knelt down, a finger tracing a miniature horseshoe embedded into a three-by-three patch of grout that broke up the light burnt-orange Mexican tile flowing from one room to the next.

  “These are adorable.” She gazed up at him with large doe eyes.

  So young and innocent, something he had never been.

  “Can’t take all the credit. Shelby’s sister helped with the decorating.” He glanced at the child who was the spittin’ image of Jessie. “Make our guests comfortable, get them a soda from the bar, then set the table, while I check on dinner. I hope you like veal parmesan.” His eyes met Tess’s again.

  Before he turned to leave, Rose sprang up beside her twin. “Do you need help?” they asked as if they were one.

  Levi stepped between his sisters and Clancy. “I’ll help him.” All three of his sisters’ jaws dropped at the same time. “What?” he growled. A furrowing frown pulled his eyebrows together.

  Clancy could see Tess fighting a smirk.

  “Nothing,” she choked, while the girls weren’t as discreet and giggled.

  “Then it’s settled. You girls enjoy yourself. Levi, it looks like it’s just you and me.”

  The strapping boy followed, looking about at ease in the kitchen as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. Clancy struggled not to chuckle, but his respect for the young man moved up a notch. He was protecting his sisters from the big bad wolf who lived next door.

  Levi pushed his hands into his pockets. His shoulders rose, revealing his first sign of insecurity. “Uh. What would you like me to do?”

  “I pretty much have things handled here.” Clancy forked a cutlet and then another, setting them in a baking pan, before pouring the tomato sauce and sprinkling a generous portion of mozzarella atop them and placing them in the oven. “Why don’t you pull up a seat and tell me about your plans for your ranch.”

  Relief filtered across the boy’s face as he eased his palms from his pockets and took a seat at the large pine table. “I want to build my herd like yours and the Petersons’.” He glanced at the bowl of salad and bread sitting before him.

  Clancy released a low whistle. “That’s quite an endeavor. You have what—about seven hundred acres?” Ribbons of steam curled off the pot of boiling water. Capturing a noodle with a spoon, Clancy tested its firmness. “Even though hill country is a beautiful location to live, the cattle ratio to acre is lower than other parts of Texas. It’s a trade off, Levi.” Using two potholders, he extracted the pot from the stove and walked toward the sink where a strainer awaited. As he strained the spaghetti, he spoke. “Most of us who run large ranches and live here also supplement our feed by owning separate farming operations in other areas known for their rich soil, production capabilities and cost of land. My land is in hay and wheat.”

  “Really?” Tess’s smoky voice turned both Clancy’s and Levi’s heads around. Her eyes burned with an intensity that made Clancy’s pulse race. “So we can’t accomplish what you want to do?” She directed her question to her brother.

  “I…well…” Levi stumbled for words, as his face began to flame with color.

  “As Levi knows, there’s a lot you can do with seven hundred acres.” Clancy rushed in to help the floundering young man, while he placed the noodles on a large platter.

  “So how many head of cattle can you raise on seven hundred acres?” This time she turned, making it clear her inquiry was meant for Clancy.

  “You’re looking at six-hundred pounds of live weight per acre. Any more and you’ll need to supplement feed.” Judging by the way her pretty features tightened, her mind was going a mile a minute. “So we would have to buy or raise additional feed—”

  “Looks like it’s time to eat.” Levi jumped up from the table. “What can I do to help?” Tess narrowed her steely gaze on him. Even though he had stifled his sister’s curiosity for the moment, frustration thinned his lips.

  Clancy had no doubt this conversation would continue later between the siblings, but for now the boy needed his help. “Tess, how about you grab the salad. Levi if you get the bread, butter and grated cheese, I’ll follow you with the main course.”

  A light glimmered in the dark depths of her eyes, but she remained silent. Instead, she retrieved the large bowl of antipasto salad and turned to leave. Levi heaved the large cutting board with Italian bread on the slab onto one arm, before he gathered the remaining items.

  “Something tells me this isn’t over,” he whispered. As he watched the swagger leave the browbeaten young man as he followed his sister out of the kitchen, Clancy smiled.

  No. Tess Gilmore wasn’t the type of woman who left things unspoken. He liked that in a woman. It meant he’d always know where he stood with her. Not that he expected their relationship to evolve into anything more than friends—neighbors. Still he had to admit there was something about her that called to him on a different level. Or maybe, it was that he wanted someone he couldn’t have.

  “Yeah. That must be it,” he muttered to himself.

  Candles flickered against the subtle lighting in the dining room. Rose and Rachel stood beside a large oak table. Next to them Shelby grinned ear to ear, mischief glimmering in her eyes. Yet Tess knew the warm, sensual ambience had her sisters’ special touch tattooed all over it. Thankfully, Clancy had maintained proper decorum with the two impertinent teenagers, not encouraging their childish crushes. Later tonight she’d have a talk with both of them.

  As she placed the salad in the middle of the lace-covered table, she had to admit it was beautiful. “Girls, you have outdone yourselves.”

  Crystal stemware twinkled beneath the lights, while elegant china and polished silverware adorned each place setting. She picked up a delicate, gold-trimmed plate with a spectacular, multicolor scroll design around the rim, interspersed with scenes of two colorful ming birds. The center design showcased an exotic flowering tree and flitting butterflies.

  “Oriental?” Tess didn’t realize she’d spoken aloud, until Clancy said, “It was my mother’s.” He glanced toward the china hutch against the wall where matching pieces were arranged, as his voice softened. “She enjoyed all things oriental.”

  Tess didn’t miss the hint of sadness, not only in his words, but also in his expression when their gazes met. Forcing a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, he eased out her chair, the legs scrapping against the tile.

  The warmth of his fingers whispered across her shoulder as she sat, sending a shiver through her.

  “Would you care for wine?”

  For a moment, she couldn’t respond. She swallowed hard, fighting the flutters in her stomach, knowing she needed to gain her control back and soon.

  “Yes. Please,” she finally managed to utter, as she heard the others take their seats.

  As he moved toward an antique wine cart with mirrored top, she grabbed her napkin, snapping and unfolding it, before she laid it gently in her lap. One, to keep her mind occupied. And two, to steady her trembling hands.

  Sheesh. What was it about this cowboy that tongue-tied her and made her body long for his touch?

  When Tess decided it was simply because she hadn’t been with a man in some time, it was too late. Four pairs of curious eyes were pinned on her.
Heat flared across her cheeks. She shot an anxious glance in Clancy’s direction only to find the scoundrel unsuccessfully stifling a smile of amusement.

  Damn, the man.

  “So how was school today?” tumbled from her mouth. When no one answered, she quickly added, “Rose, did you get your math class changed?”

  “Yes.” Her sister’s eyes twinkled.

  “Rachel—”

  “Yes, Tess, I turned my request in too.”

  When Clancy moved toward Tess, so close his spicy cologne wrapped around her like a blanket, she completely forgot to ask about the girls’ schoolwork. Instead, she gazed into his eyes and inadvertently leaned into him, but quickly righted herself.

  He laid a warm hand on her shoulder. “Wine?”

  “Wine?” She eased back. “Yes. Please.”

  The space between them felt charged with electricity. It raised the small hairs across her arms. Awoke every one of her nerve endings. She prayed no one noticed as he filled her glass with the lush, red Merlot. A roguish wink revealed he knew exactly what his presence was doing to her, before he stepped back and moved down the table.

  Taking a seat across from her at the head of the table, he unfolded his napkin and set it in his lap. “Dig in.”

  As the food was passed around, an easy camaraderie fell into place. The twins thanked Clancy for setting their garden to right. He, in return, offered to show Levi how to mend a barbed-wire fence.

  Slicing a thin piece of veal smothered in cheese and sauce, Tess placed it in her mouth and closed her eyes. “Mmmm. This is delicious.” When her eyelids rose, she could have sworn a blush brightened Clancy’s face.

  “Thank you. When you live on a cattle ranch you have to find all kinds of way to cook beef.”

  He spoke so matter-of-factly, but there was so much more to what he had prepared. If she didn’t know better, Tess would have sworn she was dining at that exquisite Italian restaurant on the Riverwalk downtown. Not to mention, the wine was perfect, enhancing the flavor with each sip she took.

  “Jessie says his stuffed beef tenderloin with mushroom gravy is to die for, but I like his macaroni and cheese.” Pinching a noodle between her fingers, Shelby let it drop into her mouth.

  Clancy shook his head.

  “Where did you learn to cook?” Rachel asked.

  His gaze dropped to his plate. The veins in his neck protruded. “My mother.” Seconds ticked by before he raised his eyes and reached for his glass of wine. He took a long drink. “The recipe is from my mother’s cookbook.”

  “Does she live in San Antonio?” Rose asked.

  “No.” Clancy didn’t offer more.

  Tess was thankful that Rose didn’t pursue the subject, because a blind man could see that the issue of his mother was uncomfortable. “So, do you think it would be possible for Levi and me to tour your ranch? Perhaps you could also introduce us to the Petersons. Levi has a million questions and I have more to learn.”

  Clancy eased back in his chair, clearly relieved for the change in subject. “Tonight?”

  “Of course not. Perhaps this weekend, I mean, if it’s not inconvenient.”

  “Saturday would be great. Ty and Wade should be over around eight in the morning. You could kill two birds with one stone.”

  “I heard the Petersons purchased a new bull out of Denver. Angus?” Levi slipped another bite of veal into his already full mouth.

  Clancy slid his gaze from Tess to her brother. “Yes. From his lines it sounds like a good addition to their breeding program.”

  From that point onward, Levi captured Clancy’s attention and their discussion surrounded cattle, land and artificial insemination. Topics that soon bored the girls, except for Tess. She marveled at the cowboy’s knowledge. Overwhelmed and slightly disturbed, she wondered if they had bitten off more than they could chew with their ranch.

  “I would have prepared a dessert if I’d had the time.” Clancy rose and began to stack the plates, while the others followed suit.

  “Thank goodness you didn’t. I couldn’t eat another bite.” Shamelessly, Tess had eaten everything on her plate, but it had been so good.

  He glanced at Shelby and winked. “I do have homemade ice cream and fresh strawberries.”

  “Ice cream!” Shelby chirped.

  With a nod toward the kitchen, he said, “Go on.”

  She didn’t need encouragement. Shelby was off her feet in seconds and disappeared into the kitchen. When Tess entered, Shelby already had several bowls atop the table and her hand buried deep in a five-gallon tub.

  “None for me,” Tess said.

  After setting the plates on the counter, Clancy opened the empty dishwasher. “It’s a nice evening. Why don’t you take your bowls on the porch? Tess and I can clean up.”

  “I’ll help,” Rose and Rachel chimed together as if they had rehearsed the response.

  Tess almost blurted, “What?” The girls hated to do the dishes. As much as she didn’t look forward to being alone with Clancy, she thought it better that her starry-eyed sisters keep their distances. “I think we can handle it.”

  Levi hesitated as if he was considering offering to help, but looked at the baking pan crusted with tomato sauce and cheese and frowned. Cleaning up had never been his favorite either, so Tess wasn’t surprised when he picked up his ice cream and followed the girls outside.

  Scraping leftover food into the sink, she paused to start the water and flip the switch on the wall. The garbage disposal ground softly, gobbling everything down the drain before she shut it off and reached for a glass.

  When she had rinsed the wine from the goblet, she glanced toward Clancy. “Thank you for having us over.”

  He moved to her side, his shoulder touching hers. “It was our pleasure.”

  As butterflies flittered in her stomach, she handed him the glass, their fingers brushed. The touch was so innocent, but the power behind it forced their eyes to meet. For a brief moment neither spoke, and then she retrieved another glass. But the casual meeting of their hands, the closeness of their bodies as they stood side by side was more than Tess had bargained for.

  This man made her body burn. Every one of her cells sparked with attraction. While her breasts grew heavy, the tingle in her nipples tightened to an almost painful state. And Lord have mercy, between her thighs she felt moist and achy like some horny teenager. It didn’t help when he slid his sensual gaze over her. Hell. She could have sworn flames flickered in his eyes.

  Needing a break from the sexual tension arcing between them, she stepped away. “I’ll gather the kids’ bowls.” When she pivoted to leave, she could feel his heated stare follow her.

  The cool night air was a shock against her flesh. But the carefree laughter she heard warmed her. It had been a while since her sisters and brother had had something to laugh about. She stood for a second listening to Shelby tell about Wade and Clancy’s attempts to ride mini-ponies, only to be left in the chute on their butts each time. Just the image of such an impressive man on a pony brought a smile to her face.

  “You little rat.” The deep baritone voice behind Tess sent a shiver up her back. “That wasn’t a story that needed told.”

  “Oh, Clancy.” Shelby jumped up from the porch swing and ran to him, throwing her arms around his waist. “You know it was funny.”

  He arched a brow. “Not according to my backside.” The ringing of his cell phone stole his attention. He reached into his pocket to retrieve the cell and flipped it open to answer it. “Wiseman. Yeah. Sure. Bye.” He closed the phone, returning it to his jeans. “Well, you little hellion, it looks like Jessie is heading home.”

  Just the opportunity Tess had been looking for. “And so are we.”

  Clancy jerked his attention back to her. “No need to rush. You don’t mind hanging out a little longer, do you, Shelby?” he said, without looking at the child.

  “Heck no.” She beamed up at Levi. When he blushed, Tess fought the urge to chuckle.

  “
Tomorrow is a school day. The kids have homework, and I need to work on my schedule for tomorrow. Thank you again for dinner.” She extended her hand. Clancy’s fingers folded around hers and his presence surrounded her, taking her breath away. Shadowed in moonlight he was tall, dark, sexy and way too tempting.

  He pulled her closer so their bodies almost touched. Then he leaned in and pressed his lips to her ear. “Are you sure you want to leave?” he murmured.

  What a strange question? Of course she was sure, but the warmth of his breath against her skin started her heart hammering. She found herself almost whispering No, but choked on the word when Levi moved to her side and Clancy released her.

  Stepping away, she watched the cowboy and her family. Tess couldn’t help thinking if only it was a different time—a different place.

  Chapter Six

  Air.

  Gasping, Clancy shot upright into a sitting position. Covered in a light sheen of perspiration, he gulped down several breaths. White-hot adrenaline coursed through his veins, feeding his racing pulse as he desperately reached for composure. He’d almost succeeded when he attempted to move his feet and they wouldn’t budge.

  His heart stuttered, threatening to stop.

  As irrational fear gripped him in its tight fist, he kicked his powerful legs and flailed his arms. Only when moonlight sliced through an open window, bringing his surroundings into view, did he begin to cease his struggle.

  His bedroom. His home.

  The twisted sheets wound around his ankles would have been laughable if not for the shadows that continued to slip in and out of his foggy head. Blinking hard he caught a glimpse of his naked image in a large mirror that hung above his oak dresser across the room.

  “Fucking nightmares.” It was the same old dream where his mother died at his father’s hands.

  Exhausted, he plopped backward into the downy softness. But before he could free his legs, more childhood memories rose so quickly he squeezed his eyes closed. A man of twenty-six should be able to admit his mother abandoned him, instead of dreaming that his father had killed her, but bad dreams didn’t appear to care about one’s age.