"But what's the point?"
He shook his head. "I'm not sure. I was having problems long before you made the unfortunate choice of my truck."
"I didn't have any options," she snapped.
And he knew she'd taken his words wrong. Before he could apologize her expression changed.
"You don't think it's Zed anymore, do you?"
"Not unless he's got an accomplice. He couldn't be in two places at once. Don't worry. Nothing's going to happen to you and Heather. Zed and Rio and I will take turns keeping watch tonight. In the morning we'll take the SUV into town and get you some medical attention. I'll turn the situation over to the local sheriff and let him deal with this. Now let's get that shirt off so you can get some sleep."
When he sat on the bed beside her the air seemed to infuse with sensual awareness. She watched him from under a fringe of dark eyelashes that didn't quite veil her instant reaction to his hands on her. Well, he'd known she felt the same attraction he did. It was up to him to ignore that attraction and keep everything impersonal.
"I wish I could tell you to go away," she said quietly, "but I appreciate your help. I feel as rocky and uncoordinated as a foal. I couldn't make my fingers work. You gave me another one of those pain pills didn't you?"
"You needed it."
"I must have. I didn't even notice."
He unfastened the last button and worked her arms free of the material. He tried to pretend that he didn't notice the way her bra had slipped low enough to reveal most of one sweetly curved breast and the puckered nipple that drew his gaze like a magnet.
"Sure you don't want me to take a look at the shoulder?"
"No. I'm so tired I can't keep my eyes open. It's too hot in here."
"Part of that's the fever talking, but I'll turn on the ceiling fan. Can you stand up? I'll help you slide your pants down."
No doubt about it, he was a glutton for punishment. Touching her like this was half killing him. His body all but vibrated with a longing to touch her very differently.
She stood unsteadily and so did he. He reached for the button on her pants, but her fingers were already there. The shaft of desire caught him off guard. He'd thought he was under control, but touching her bare skin was pushing that control to its limits. She wasn't trying to be the least bit provocative, just the opposite, in fact. This was his libido working overtime.
"I can do this part," she said. Her long blond hair fell over her good shoulder giving her a sexy, abandoned air that was highly erotic. Being this close to her was playing havoc with his common sense.
"I'd better do it," he said gruffly. "Pulling them down will hurt your arm. Don't worry. I won't attack you." . "I didn't think you would."
She was too trusting. She didn't know him. And she hadn't noticed what being this close to her was doing to certain parts of his anatomy or she wouldn't be so complacent, fever or no fever.
Her cheeks flamed as his fingers brushed the soft bare skin at her waist. The touch was electrifying. Their eyes met and held.
"I don't think this is a good idea," she said breathlessly.
"Yeah. Me, either."
With a deep breath, he stilled his racing pulse and quickly undid the button and the zipper. In one fast motion he slid the pants down her legs, trying not to notice their shape or her low-riding panties. She certainly didn't look like a woman who had just given birth. She looked young and sexy with a tight firm body he longed to explore. If he'd ever given it any thought he would have figured it took weeks for a woman to get her shape back. Must be the incredible resiliency of youth.
"Sit back on the bed," he ordered roughly.
She complied without a sound. He knelt to remove her pants as fast as he could. He was even noticing that she had nice feet, delicately formed like the rest of her. This was no good. No good at all. He had no business wanting her like this.
But he did.
Cade stood quickly. "I'll, uh, go find you a clean shirt you can use for a nightgown."
"I don't wear a nightgown to bed."
Hell!
There was such an air of innocence about her he couldn't believe she was deliberately baiting him.
He stood and yanked the sheet up over her, nearly falling over his own two feet in his hurry to get away from the powerful attraction he felt toward her.
"I'll wake you when dinner is ready."
Her eyes closed before her head settled against the pillow. "Thank you," she whispered.
"No problem."
Hah! Big problem. He was in lust with another man's wife. Okay, so the man should be hanged on sight, but that didn't give Cade any right to be thinking what he was thinking about Jayne. She was a kid. Off-limits!
He closed the door as he left the room and went out to the kitchen where he stood gripping the counter and trying not to picture her slim young body.
Eventually he got himself under control and put a pot of chili on to cook. He made biscuits and even threw together some brownies from a mix. And all the while he thought about Jayne. Was she really twenty-four? That still made her ten years his junior. And it didn't matter either way!
The men returned with a negative report. If someone had been lurking about, the person had gotten away clean. It was nothing less than he'd expected.
"I don't think we'll have any more problems tonight, but just to be safe, bring your gear over here tonight. There's another bed and the couch. I want us all together."
"Standin' watch might not be a bad idea," Zed suggested. "Especially if there is any chance that her husband could have tracked her here."
"I'd planned on that." But he'd forgotten all about her husband.
"Is it possible he's the one who cut your phone lines?" Zed asked.
The question seared his brain. "I assumed that was connected to the other incidents that have been happening around here, but it's possible."
"Maybe he thought Jayne was inside and wanted to keep her from calling for help."
Cade rubbed his jaw trying to think. He realized that he was nearly as tired and spent as Jayne. God knew he hadn't slept much since finding Jayne and Heather in his truck.
"Anything's possible at this point. Dinner will be ready in about thirty minutes. Go get your gear and I'll wake Jayne."
He entered the room and his heart came to a complete stop.
She'd removed her bra and kicked off the covers. His groin immediately tightened at the sight. Her features were relaxed in sleep. Unfortunately, her body beckoned with the promise of a woman.
Cade cursed under his breath. He wasn't about to wake her now. If he touched her, he was afraid he'd say or do something really stupid. Fortunately, her daughter made a terrific distraction. Heather was awake and staring around.
"Come on, little one. Let's get you in the other room before you start crying and wake your mother," he whispered. "She needs sleep more than food, though I'm sure you won't agree with that sentiment, greedy little thing that you are."
He carefully kept his eyes averted, picked up the baby and brought her out to the kitchen where he could set up her car seat. He couldn't get over this tiny human being. He was as captivated by her as he was by her mother—in an entirely different way.
Cade had never given infants or children more than a vague thought. Not even when he'd gotten married— which probably should have told him something right there. The truth was, he'd never been around children, let alone babies. Even when he lived in foster homes before his grandfather claimed him, there'd never been any little kids around.
Staring at Heather, he could see why women were so fascinated by the little tykes. Heather was incredibly sweet—perfect. No wonder her father wanted her back.
Cade changed her and got a bottle ready, but she seemed content to sit in her carrier on the kitchen table and watch. "Cute kid," Zed said coming in the back door.
Rio stared. "She sure is awful small."
"Messy divorce?" Zed asked.
"I don't know," Cade responded t
ruthfully. "I didn't ask." The truth was, he hadn't planned on Jayne sticking around long enough for it to matter. Now, he'd give a lot to know what he was up against where her husband was concerned. Was the man even her husband, or just a lover?
After they ate and cleaned up the kitchen Zed offered to take the first watch.
"Okay with me," Rio agreed. "I'm gonna go lie down and watch some TV in the spare room if that's okay."
''Cade nodded. "Just keep the sound down so you don't wake Jayne."
"How's she doin'?" Zed asked as Cade changed Heather's diaper and picked up a baby bottle before settling down in his favorite recliner.
"Her fever was up. I gave her a couple more antibiotics and another pain pill. Are you sure you can spare them?"
"I haven't needed either in a while now, but I'm glad I still had 'em with me. She needs a doctor."
"I know."
"You look good like that," Zed said. "Kinda natural."
"Beat it, Zed."
But it did feel natural. Cade stroked the baby's soft cheek, watching as she smiled up at him, her wide blue eyes only slightly unfocused. He wondered if this was what it would be like to have a child of his own. Not that he ever would. Women and kids weren't for a loner like him. But if he did have a child, he'd want a little girl just like Heather.
And a wife like Jayne.
That thought paralyzed him. He pushed it aside, but it kept creeping back.
"She's pretty young to have a baby," Zed commented.
"Jayne claims she's twenty-four." A kid compared to his thirty-four hard years. She was soft and fragile. He was anything but.
"Still pretty young to be raisin' a kid by herself."
"Are you volunteering to take her husband's place?"
Zed raised his hands. "Not me. But I did wonder about you."
"Forget it. Once was more than enough."
The air grew silent with expectancy. Cade knew Zed was thinking about Bonita, same as he was. Jayne was different, but she'd probably be just as horrified at the idea of spending her life out here in the middle of nowhere. And why was he even thinking about this? What did it matter? Tomorrow he'd take them both into town and he'd never see either one of them again.
The thought made him restless and angry.
Zed cleared his throat. "I'm gonna go outside and have a look around."
"Good idea." Cade closed his eyes, listening to the drone of some news show. He awoke to something warm and wet saturating his shirt and the smell of baby formula in his nose. Heather gurgled and smiled up at him.
"You threw up on me! You little monster, you," he said affectionately. "This is how you pay me back for feeding you?"
And he froze when he suddenly realized they weren't alone.
Jayne stood in the darkened hall watching him. Half her face was in deep shadows, but the part that reflected light from the kitchen was smiling. He had a feeling she'd been standing there for several minutes.
She was dressed in an old flannel shirt of his, the sleeves rolled up her arms. And from what he could see, that was the only thing she wore.
Polarized, he could only stare. The shirt hung down to midthigh. He couldn't tell if she still wore her panties or not. What he could see of her legs were bare. They were very sexy legs.
"I fell asleep," he said, oddly embarrassed at having been caught napping.
"For several hours," she agreed.
"Hours? What time is it?"
"After midnight."
No wonder he felt so stiff. "It can't be."
"Okay, then someone snuck in here and changed all your clocks."
"Not funny. Where's Zed?"
"He went outside a few seconds ago. It started raining and he wanted to have a look around."
"You must be starving." He got to his feet feeling every one of his thirty-four years.
"No. We took liberties with your kitchen. The chili was a little spicy, but good."
Zed had seen her dressed like that? "I like my chili spicy," he said gruffly.
Her eyes gleamed. "I'll remember that."
The sultry promise in her voice had nothing to do with the discussion under way. They seemed to be holding two conversations at once. Was she trying to seduce him? Was she just like Bonita?
"You won't need to remember, will you?" he asked harshly.
Her face fell. Immediately, he wished he could call the words back.
"No. I guess not. Want me to change her while you change shirts?"
"What about your shoulder?"
"My shoulder will hurt whether I change her or not. The fever's down again."
"Maybe so, but you look like you should be in bed."
She nodded seriously. "I've slept for hours, yet I feel like I could sleep for days."
"That's the body's way of healing. Want me to look at your shoulder?"
"No. It'll be okay until I can get to a doctor. Go get changed. I'll take care of her diaper. I hope you don't mind that I borrowed this from your closet. You did say—"
"That I'd get you a shirt and I forgot."
He set the baby on the couch so he wouldn't have to touch Jayne. Touching her was dangerous. It led to all sorts of crazy thoughts and ideas, like how her lips would taste, crushed beneath his own or how it would feel to have those silky legs wrapped around his body.
"You're welcome to borrow whatever you need," he said quickly. "I'll be right back." In the bedroom he snatched up a clean shirt and pants before entering the bathroom for a quick shower. When he came out, the physical fire was doused, but mentally, he was still strongly attracted to Jayne.
Muttering an oath, he walked out into the living room only to find it still dark. No Jayne. No baby. Then he saw that her bedroom door was closed again.
He rapped lightly. "Jayne?"
"Come in."
She was sitting on the bed feeding the baby yet another bottle.
"Does she do anything besides eat and pee and throw up on unsuspecting cowboys?"
"I believe you've changed the other thing she does."
"Very funny."
Her smile tugged at his insides.
"That's what babies do. They eat, sleep and go to the bathroom. Can I ask you something, Cade?"
He inclined his head, thinking it was probably risky to let her ask anything.
"I know it's none of my business, but how come you aren't married?"
He'd been right. He should have said no.
"In case you haven't noticed, this is the middle of nowhere."
"So?"
"So women don't like living in the middle of nowhere."
"That isn't true. It's beautiful here."
"Yeah. That's what I tried to tell my wife."
Chapter Seven
So he had been married. Hadn't Jayne wondered why he wasn't? And hadn't Zed told her over dinner that he and Cade had had a falling out over a woman?
Of course, that was all Zed had said on the subject, which was a point in his favor. She wasn't really comfortable around the handsome cowboy, but his flirting seemed a matter of routine, something she could comfortably ignore, and after talking with him, she was fairly certain he had nothing to do with the black-market baby ring.
"Are you still married?" she asked Cade.
"She's dead." The lack of emotion in his voice was practically a shout.
"Oh, God. I'm sorry."
"So am I. She died in a car crash with her boyfriend after she walked out on me. He wanted to be a rodeo star. My wife was real big on rodeo stars. She didn't like ranch life."
"Oh."
That explained so many things. Zed had talked a little about their days together in the rodeo. From what he'd told her, Cade had been better than average. Well on his way toward another championship, in fact.
"That reminds me," Cade said, running a knuckle across the stubble on his chin. "I have a box of Bonita's old stuff around here somewhere. In the morning I'll dig it out. She was taller and…built differently, but there might be something in
there you could use. You'd probably be more comfortable going into town in something better than one of my shirts."
Jayne wasn't sure what to say. She liked wearing his shirts, knowing he'd worn them too. Juvenile, yes, but there it was. She kept getting such mixed messages from him. His stare dared her to ask questions. And apparently he still couldn't wait to be rid of her.
"For now, you should go back to bed, Jayne. We're going to get an early start in the morning."
"You're right."
"Holler if you need anything. I'll be right next door."
Now there was a disturbing thought. "Thank you."
He let the door close quietly behind him and she settled the baby on the bed beside her. "What do you think, Heather?"
The infant gurgled up at her.
"I agree. His wife was a complete idiot."
If it had stormed during the night, Jayne hadn't heard a thing. What she did hear was the commotion out in the hall the next morning and the less than gentle closing of the front door.
Heather lay beside her gurgling happily. Jayne had a vague memory of Cade coming in and taking the baby when she started crying, but Jayne hadn't been able to force her eyes open past her drug-aided sleep.
Any commotion around here was not a good thing. She sat up too quickly and the room canted. Her shoulder reminded her that quick actions had a penalty, but after a few moments she was able to take in the large cardboard box on the floor near the closet. Bonita's clothing.
Letting Cade see her in something his ex-wife had worn was far from her liking, but Jayne's options were severely limited. She couldn't bear to put her stained slacks back on. She rooted in the box and held up one of Bonita's bras.
No wonder Cade wasn't enamored of Jayne's charms. Jayne would need more than tissue paper to fill that cup size. Considering her shoulder, she should be grateful she was small enough and firm enough to go without a bra for now.
Cade hadn't lied about his wife's love for the rodeo. The few articles of clothing catered to that theme. All were either stained, ripped, or damaged in some way. Jayne settled on a fancy long-sleeved blouse in pale blue, trimmed in beaded fringe. But even though she rolled up the sleeves the blouse was too big.
"But not nearly as big as one of Cade's shirts."
Someone's Baby Page 10