by Lauren Canan
“You’re gonna need to pat him a little harder if you want to get that bubble out.” The look Jace gave her was something close to panic. Some tabloid would pay big bucks for a picture of this. “It’s okay, Jace. He won’t break.”
Jace nodded and tried again. After considerable time had passed, Henry turned his head toward his father and appeared to nuzzle his neck. Seconds later, Kelly heard the burp. It was followed by a small stream of milk. Completely missing the cloth, it trickled down Jace’s thick neck and into his shirt.
He looked up at Kelly, and the expression on his face was priceless. She hurried to take the baby.
“He’s been a little fussy today. Teething. Sorry about that.”
Jace cleared his throat and stood up. “No problem.”
“He’s ready for his bath and then bed.”
“I think I know the feeling.” He stood and reached for his shirt, pulling the wet material away from his neck.
Kelly bit her lip to keep from laughing. “Bath time can be fun.”
“I couldn’t agree more with you there,” he said, his eyes glinting wickedly. “Baths and showers can be an amazingly good time.”
Heat rushed up her neck. He was not talking about bathing a baby. She knew only too well what Jace could do with a bar of soap and a little warm water.
“But this time I think I’ll pass.” Jace stopped before he stepped outside, still holding his collar away from his skin. “Thanks for...this, Kelly.”
“Sure.” She covered her mouth with her hand in an effort to hold back a giggle. From smiles to tears and back to laughter. Such was a day spent in the presence of Jace Compton.
* * *
Jace followed the path back to the main house, his mind spinning, his gut churning. He and Kelly had been together only weeks before her grandfather died. At a time when she needed him the most, he was twelve hundred miles away listening to Bret tell him lies about her, insisting Jace not call her as he’d promised. By the day of the funeral, he’d been on his way to South America for a film shoot.
He rubbed the back of his neck, a sinking feeling in his gut. A man couldn’t get a whole lot lower. He hadn’t known her circumstances, but he should have called her before he ever boarded that plane. It explained so much: why she’d left school, why she worked two jobs, why she had to support Matt and her baby. Why, when he’d come to his senses and tried to call, the phone had been disconnected. No wonder she resented him. Hell. She had every right. It was a miracle she didn’t hate him.
Did she think he was just like her father?
The thought sent a sickening surge through his body. His actions toward her so far, combined with the bullshit facade he had to perpetuate for the public... Yeah. He could see how she would. And there was not one damn thing he could do to change it.
He respected Kelly for her strength and tenacity. But he knew firsthand how fast that strength could fly out the window when facing down a cruel, vicious adversary twice your size: an intoxicated man determined to hurt you and your child. That his mother had survived and managed to hide them and keep them safe when his father got out of prison was nothing short of a miracle.
Not for the first time, Jace cursed his fate. Having Kelly and Henry here, seeing them, interacting with them, was everything he’d ever longed for. A perfect family. One he could never have. He’d been serious the day he’d told Kelly if she was concerned about public speculation to marry him. But she’d been right when she called him on it. A marriage between them could never last. But not for the reasons she thought. It had nothing to do with Henry. It was because there was a monster inside him, a monster that could hurt Kelly and the baby. Marriage would work fine on paper. Put the gossips to rest. But a real marriage and family, for him, could never happen.
Kelly was a temptation to which he’d become addicted. He wanted her until it hurt; it was almost unbearable torment every time she came near.
He had to get a handle on it.
Kelly deserved a man who could give her forever. A guy who would pamper her and protect her, not turn on her someday. Not only had his old man convinced Jace he was worthless and then died before Jace could prove him wrong, he’d ensured, even after he was dead and buried, that his son’s life was on a direct downhill course to hell.
Eleven
“I’ll be damned,” Jace muttered under his breath as he leaned out over the railing. They were grilling something. One of the cowboys had rolled in an outdoor grill from God knows where and they were actually grilling food—maybe hot dogs?—just outside of Kelly’s cabin. Jace squinted to get a better look. There were binoculars in the study downstairs, but he refused to stoop to that level. Yet.
From the balcony outside his bedroom, he had a fairly clear view of the front of her little house. He’d first noticed the Friday night gathering three weeks ago. He’d heard laughter coming from that direction and stepped outside, wondering who it was and what could be so damned funny.
At first he’d seen old Sam, the ranch foreman, Decker and another trainer sitting out on the tiny porch with Kelly. The next weekend, he’d given into curiosity and looked again. This time they’d been joined by at least a half dozen cowboys, sitting on crates, laughing the night away. Even Matt later joined the party. The little group had grown until now almost every unmarried hand working on the ranch sat circled around that porch. And in the middle of all those lonesome, lusting, hungry men sat the princess bee herself. Kelly drew them like a budding flower, and every drone in the county wanted to get close in spite of the fact that some nights she bounced the baby on her lap. His baby. She’d invited him to stop by but he had no wish to join the crowd while they sat and ogled Kelly. It was none of his concern, but at the same time he fought the overwhelming urge to go down there and beat the living crap out of any one of the bastards who tried to put the moves on her.
Adding to his frustration was the knowledge that he’d been the one who had convinced her to move to the little house. He’d wanted her to be close. He’d never considered he wouldn’t be the only one she would be close to.
And now they were cooking for her. Dammit to hell.
“Jace?” his mother called from inside his room. He turned and headed in that direction. If she caught a glimpse of the goings-on at the little cottage and him leaning over the balcony railing, she might get the wrong idea.
“What are you doing?”
Why did he suddenly feel like a ten-year-old who’d gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar? He stepped inside and closed the door behind him. “Just getting some fresh air. What’s up? Are you okay?”
“Oh, I’m fine. I was just curious if you’d gone to the party.”
He couldn’t miss the mischievous light dancing in her eyes. “Party?”
“The one at Kelly’s cabin.”
Damn. “I didn’t know about any party.”
“Uh-huh. Well, I’m sure you’d be welcome. Why don’t you go down and join them?”
The last thing he wanted to do was be yet another bee blazing a trail to Kelly’s sweet nectar. “I’m really kinda busy. Need to read the new script. I don’t have time to go to a party.”
“Right.” Turning, she walked toward the door. “Whatever you say. Just wanted to let you know I’m going out this evening.”
“Out? Where? With who?”
“Thomas—Dr. Sullivan—invited me to have dinner. He should be here anytime.”
“Oh.” Jace felt a twinge of uneasiness mixed with surprise. Granted, Sullivan was the town doctor who commanded a certain amount of respect, but what did they really know about him? Jace couldn’t prevent visions of his father’s fist slamming into her delicate jaw time after time from flashing through his mind. His instinct to protect her was strong. He supposed he should try to remember his mother was, after all, an adult. And the doctor wasn’t his father. Still, Jace gritted his teeth. “I don’t suppose you’d consider letting one of the security team—”
“Absolutely not.”
“I intend to.” She winked and turned toward the door to his suite. “Oh,” she said over her shoulder, “the binoculars are in the desk in your office downstairs if they would help with your...work. Bye-bye.”
Jace pulled both hands through his hair. Dammit to hell. He had to get a grip on this Kelly thing. He’d become like a daytime barn owl, practically living in the office in the main stable in an attempt to stay away from the house as much as possible. When he did give it up and return to the house, it was straight to the gym or his office to check emails. The new script had arrived, but it sat unread on his desk; Jace had found neither the concentration nor the motivation to even open the mailing envelope. Something had to change or he could plan on spending the rest of his nights pacing the balcony like some seriously messed-up loser.
It was impossible to treat Kelly as just a friend. He refused to be just another of the drooling, lusting men clustering around her. His body knew she was his and responded accordingly regardless of the time and place.
Kelly was the only one who ever came close to being the woman in his life. He’d been with beautiful women. He’d known women with kindness in their hearts. But Kelly had that unique something, that special quality that brought it all together. She was in a league of her own. A treasure that remained out of reach.
Jace suspected part of what had kept him from coming back sooner was a deep-seated fear he was getting too involved with her. He’d begun picturing them together. Forever. He hadn’t been prepared for that. And in light of the monster he might someday become, it had frightened him.
But now, over a year later, things had changed. He had a son. And he was still as infatuated with Kelly as he’d ever been. What would happen if he risked it? Kept her in his life? The idea was making him crazy.
Sleeping with another woman was not appealing. But if he persisted and seduced Kelly, he might hurt her someday. It was a hell of a dilemma.
A wave of laughter from outside drifted into the room.
Dammit to hell.
* * *
“C Bar Ranch,” Kelly said into the phone.
On Monday Jace asked her to take on the additional duty of answering his private line. Lee arrived with new horses and everyone was running in high gear. At least that was the excuse. Whether Kelly believed it was still open to speculation. Initially the calls went to his voice mail, but by Monday afternoon, that was full. Now, three days later, the calls were coming in fast and furious and Jace had yet to clear them from his phone. No surprise there.
“Just see if you can help them,” he’d instructed. “Take their names and numbers. I’ll call them back later. If it sounds urgent, try to page me.”
They all sounded urgent. Kelly didn’t like it. She didn’t want to know who called him, hated talking to the smug-sounding women, but she hadn’t come up with an acceptable reason to refuse. Yet.
“I have Joanna Reed calling for Jace Compton.” The woman’s voice was pleasant and professional. A nice change from most of the other callers.
“I’m sorry. Mr. Compton is not currently available. Perhaps I can help you?”
“No. Thank you. Miss Reed must speak directly with Mr. Compton. It’s urgent she reach him as soon as possible.”
Of course it was. “One moment, please. I’ll try and page him.” Urgent was the magic word. Kelly placed the call on hold and punched the intercom for the barn office. “Jace, you have a call on line one,” she said, using their code for his private phone.
There was no answer. Surprise. Surprise.
“Jace, if you’re there, please pick up.”
“Kelly, this is Lee. Jace headed back to the house an hour ago. Don’t know what to tell you past that.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
She punched the button for the house intercom. “Jace, a Miss Joanna Reed is holding on your private line.” After waiting several seconds, Kelly returned to the caller. “I’m sorry. Mr. Compton isn’t answering the page. Would you care to leave a message?”
She heard voices in the background, and then another voice came on the line.
“This is Joanna Reed. What is the problem?”
“As I’ve explained to your secretary, Mr. Compton is not near a phone. I’ll be happy to take a—”
Her end of the conversation had caught Mona’s attention. The older woman stood and walked toward Kelly’s desk. Kelly put the call on speaker. Might as well share the wealth.
“Then find him. This is outrageous.”
“I’m sorry, Ms. Reed. I seem to have lost the ability to make someone appear by snapping my fingers or twitching my nose. I’ll be sure to get that checked. Again, I’ll be glad to take your number.”
“Do you honestly think he doesn’t have it?”
“I really wouldn’t know.”
Kelly looked at Mona. This was ridiculous. Mona put her slender hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh as her shoulders began to shake.
“Will there be anything else?”
“Just one thing. I will reach Jace eventually and you might as well start packing up your things. You are gone.”
“I appreciate the early notification.”
“You can also tell Jace the next time he...needs me... I’ll be busy. And the fault will be yours.”
“Have a nice day.”
Kelly terminated the call. Mona and Jace paid her well, but not nearly enough to take that crap.
“I’m not doing this,” she said to Mona with as much calm as she could muster. It was the hundredth such call in the past three days, each one progressively worse than the last. Crazy women. Acting as if they owned Jace Compton.
“You might try the gym,” Mona said, an impish twinkle in her eyes.
“Thanks.” Kelly stomped out of the room and headed for the first-floor gym.
When she rounded the corner, sure enough, Jace was lying on a bench, his hands gripping a barbell with several weights on either end, straining to push it up and down. Beads of sweat ran down his face and neck, his biceps ballooning to an enormous size. She didn’t want to startle him and cause an accident, so she stood next to the wall and waited. The man who usually flew in and trained with him every few days was not here. Should Jace be doing this alone?
Finally, he set the heavy bar on the rack and sat up. Grabbing a towel hanging nearby, he wiped his face and neck.
She cleared her throat. Jace saw her for the first time and tilted his head with a surprised look.
“Kelly?”
“I refuse to answer your phone. I refuse,” she repeated, leaning forward, her hands perched at her waist.
His eyebrows rose. “Okay. Mind telling me why?”
“Like you don’t know.” She couldn’t hold back a sarcastic laugh. “Do you have any idea how many lunatics call you in a day? Never mind. Of course you do. That’s why you stuck me with the job. Then you refuse to answer my page and I’m the one who gets attacked.”
“Attacked?” He stood up from the bench. His ragged cutoffs rode low on his waist and molded to the muscular hips and thighs. That’s all he was wearing. The tanned flesh of his muscled chest and flat stomach glistened with perspiration.
Good Lord. Couldn’t the man put on some clothes?
“They think I’m lying to them. Cherry Newton has called four times. Today. Do people make up these names? That sounds like a sandwich cookie you’d pull off a tree. She’s threatening to have me arrested, insinuating I must have done something to you to keep you from talking to her. Cora Spager—Stagler —has called ten times. Ten. The last call, I had to sit and listen to her alternately rage and cry for almost an hour. I just got off the phone with the Wicked Witch of the West, who said I should tell you the next time you needed her—” Kelly made a snorting sound “—she wouldn’t be available and it was entirely my fault. How exactly is it my fault? Oh, she also said that I should be forewarned—this is my last day of employment. Finally, some good news.”
Kelly noted the grin he was trying to hide, and her irritation doubled. “This is not funny, Jace. Your idiotic calls are taking my time away from Mona and making me crazy.”
“I’m sorry.” The wicked glitter in his eyes told her he was not sorry at all. His spicy male scent was strong from his workout, and her body responded to the sight of his sculpted chest, sweaty and gleaming. She tried to swallow but her mouth had gone dry.
“Then hire an agency. Use a call center,” she said in a ragged voice, then tried to clear her throat, fighting the response of her traitorous body. “But don’t expect me to bite my lip while those ladies, and I use the term loosely, call me every name in the book.”
As soon as she said the word lip, his eyes focused on that part of her face.
“Say no more.” He moved closer. “Because no one is going to bite those lips but me.”
“Jace.” She began to back out of the room, shaking her head. “I’m serious.”
“So am I.”
“Don’t do this.”
“You feel it, too.”
The husky timbre of his voice told her he sensed the change in her. She’d made a huge mistake coming to the gym. She fought to maintain her poise, taking calm, steady breaths. Just get out of here.
A smile played at the corners of his full lips. “I think you want me...to kiss you again.”
Yes. “No.” She again cleared her throat. “No, I don’t.” It was almost a whisper. Another step away from him and she felt the wall against her back. A heady sexual tension mixed with a touch of panic enveloped her.
“I damn sure want to kiss you. Hell, I want to do a lot more than that.”
“Jace...”
He looped the small towel around his neck and placed his hands against the wall on either side of her head, his huge biceps bulging. She felt the coolness against her back, a vivid contrast to the smoldering heat radiating from him.