Darla waved her over. “Come to the table. We can keep our eyes on Candy from here.”
Maddie glanced at the laboring Labrador and shook her head. “I think I’ll stay by her side for now. She’s a little unsure of things. You and Trey take a break. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
“Are you sure?” Darla asked, biting her lip. “Is everything okay with her?”
“Everything’s fine, really. It’s just a precaution. Go on, you two and don’t worry about us. We’ll be fine.”
Darla turned to Trey. “Coffee?”
“I’d love a cup.”
“Cream, no sugar, right?” Darla asked.
Trey nodded. “You have a good memory.”
Darla chuckled as they walked over to the table. “Sometimes I wish it wasn’t so good.”
Maddie concentrated on Candy, stroking her head and massaging her abdomen, but every once in a while she’d catch a bit of Darla and Trey’s conversation. They’d laugh over something, then whisper softly. Maddie presumed by the way they spoke to each other that they’d known each other a long time, but she also got the impression something more had gone on between the two of them.
She told herself it was none of her business, but a niggling thought had stuck in her mind. Had Trey insisted he bring her here tonight so that he could see Darla? She glanced up just in time to witness Darla lay her hand on Trey’s cheek. She couldn’t hear their words, but their soft, quiet tone spoke volumes.
Candy made a whimpering noise and Maddie directed her attention back to the laboring dog. A minute later, the second pup was delivered.
“Hey, this one’s a little bigger.” Trey bent down and handed Maddie a cup of steaming hot coffee. “Here you go. I figured you could use this right about now.”
Maddie leaned back against tile wall, now that she was sure Candy and the pups were all right, and sipped the coffee, “Mmmm, this is good.”
“Hits the spot, doesn’t it?” Trey smiled.
“Yeah, it does.”
“You know, just in case I haven’t told you this before, you’re darn good at what you do.”
She smiled. If there was one thing in her life that she could take pride in, it was her profession. She loved being a veterinarian. She couldn’t think of a time when she wouldn’t be working with animals. “Thanks.”
Trey nodded and studied her face. “Why don’t you get up for a while, stretch out. I’ll watch Candy for a few minutes. Besides, I think Darla needs some encouragement. She’s acting like a worried mother hen over there, but she doesn’t want to get in your way.”
“She really adores this dog.”
Trey slid a quick glance Darla’s way. “She’s got a good heart.”
Maddie spoke ever so quietly, the whisper barely audible. “And did you break it, Trey?”
Trey looked into Maddie’s eyes, hesitating with his answer. When he finally responded, his reply wasn’t what she’d expected. “For years, I thought I had but that doesn’t seem to be the case after all.”
This wasn’t the time or place to discuss his past loves, although Maddie couldn’t deny that Trey’s comment intrigued the heck out of her. Maddie rose and stretched, working the kinks out of her back and then walked over to Darla to reassure her that Candy was doing fine. She still had three or four more puppies to deliver.
If all went well, they’d be back at 2 Hope Ranch before sunup.
*
Trey stomped dirt off his boots, hung up his hat on a peg by the back door and entered the kitchen. Maddie stood waiting for him by the kitchen table, fidgeting with a linen napkin she was about to set down. She’d been halfway through cooking this meal when she began to have second thoughts. Maybe Trey didn’t like surprises. Maybe all he wanted to do was fall into bed after a hard day’s work.
But Maddie owed him. He hadn’t gotten a wink of sleep last night. It had been nearly dawn when they’d finally retired to their bedrooms this morning and just two hours later, Maddie heard Trey get up. She’d looked out the window to find Trey riding out into the rain-soaked, dreary morning.
Even though he’d insisted on driving her to Darla’s house, Maddie still felt a pang of guilt at keeping him up all night. Exhausted and beat, she’d thanked him again when they’d arrived home, but it hadn’t been enough. And while her culinary talents weren’t top-notch, Maddie knew how to make killer tamales and Spanish rice, a Texas staple and something she’d learned from her friend, Caroline. Maddie had called her three times this afternoon, double-checking the recipe, making sure she hadn’t forgotten anything.
“Hi.” Maddie greeted Trey with trepidation and a big smile.
Trey glanced at the table she’d set with a pretty blue lace tablecloth she’d found in the linen closet along with mismatched napkins. Two tall tapered candles cast the room in mellow soothing light. “What’s this?”
“Dinner and thank-you.”
He lifted his nose in the air. “Smells delicious.”
“Tamales and rice. Are you hungry?”
Trey grinned. “Is that a trick question?”
Maddie stumbled with her words. “Uh, well, I wasn’t sure if you’d want to get right to bed, or, uh—”
Trey’s eyes went wide, then a playful smile emerged. “That’s the best offer I’ve had all day.”
Maddie tossed the napkin at him, but he caught it before it struck his grinning face.
“It’s an offer for dinner, you dopey cowboy.”
With a teasing light still in his eyes, Trey admitted, “I know, but a man can dream, can’t he?”
Maddie shook her head, ignoring his teasing comment, because she knew there was no real substance there. She knew Trey wasn’t dreaming about her in or out of bed. “Dinner will be ready in ten minutes.”
Trey walked up to her, coming extremely close and looked into her eyes. “You look real pretty tonight, Maddie.”
Maddie blushed. She’d purposely dressed up, wanting to erase the horrible drowned-rat image from last night, when she’d gotten caught in the thunderstorm. Tonight, she wore a simple black dress, nothing too fancy, but a dress that made her feel womanly. “Thank you.”
“Seems you’re forever thanking me.”
He slid the napkin back into her palm, and the slight brush of his hand was enough to warm her up all over. Then she stared deeply at him, really looking beyond his handsome features, noting that he didn’t look tired at all. How can a man work and work and work, and not look like something the cat dragged in? “I thought you’d be exhausted by now. I felt bad all day, knowing you didn’t get any sleep because of me.”
“I slept.”
“Yes, for about an hour early this morning.”
Trey brushed his mouth to her ear, creating tingles Maddie struggled to conceal—tingles that made her knees go weak. He whispered his secret. “I slept today. Found me a nice dry patch of pasture and took a little nap. Didn’t think I’d be able to keep my eyes open the rest of the day, otherwise.”
“Oh.”
Trey stepped back to gaze into her eyes. “Did you think I was Superman or something?”
“Maybe or something,” she admitted.
The twinkle in his eyes, the smile on his lips did something wonderful to her. She’d never known anyone like Trey Walker before. She’d fallen in love with him almost from the first moment she’d met him, but she realized now, that she really hadn’t loved Trey back then. She’d been fascinated by him and attracted by the gentle way he had with his animals. She’d been captivated by his good looks and intrigued by his polite yet distant demeanor. No, she hadn’t loved him then, she knew that for fact.
Because she loved him now.
So much . . . so unnervingly much that she ached deep in her heart. This love was real. This love was pure. It struck her like a knife, sharp and swift.
She had come to know the real Trey Walker and had fallen head over heels.
Maddie turned away from Trey then, unwilling to show him the face of that realiza
tion. She couldn’t let him see her devastation. She walked over to the kitchen table and set his napkin in place. “W-we have lemon cake for dessert,” she said quietly.
“Maddie?” he asked, clearly puzzled by her sudden change in demeanor. “Honey, are you okay?”
His sweet tone tore at her heart. Maddie wasn’t good at subterfuge. She’d always been the what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of girl. Afraid her voice would tremble when she spoke, she bobbed her head up and down.
“Okay,” he said, unsure. “I’ll catch a quick shower and be back in ten minutes.”
She nodded again.
Once he exited the room, Maddie sighed with relief. She realized she had ten minutes to pull herself together. She couldn’t let her feelings for Trey be known. It was imperative that, for however long she’d be living at 2 Hope Ranch she maintain the budding friendship she’d developed with Trey and keep it simple.
She’d fought a long hard battle and had lost.
She’d fallen in love with a man who couldn’t love her back.
*
Trey forked his first bite of lemon cake and guided it into his mouth, savoring the pungent lemony flavor as it slid down his throat. He didn’t know if it was the cake or the fact that Maddie had baked for him, but he’d never tasted anything better.
The best he’d ever had.
Trey stared at Maddie across the table, taking a bite of cake, chewing thoughtfully and realized how much he’d enjoyed walking into his kitchen after a day’s work to find her there, waiting for him. She’d cast him a small timid smile, looking apprehensive and so pretty in her black dress with the table set and dinner cooking.
Good God, if he wasn’t careful, he’d do something stupid, like ask her to stay on at Hope Wells, ask her to stay with him at the ranch.
An instant recollection came to mind of another “best” he’d ever had—the night they’d made love. He’d never wanted a woman more or experienced such intense lack of willpower. He’d lost all rational thought that night, allowing his natural instincts and raw desire to take over. He and Maddie had shared an incredible night, one he’d never forget.
Day in and day out, he fought his feelings for her, but still, he wanted her. Little Maddie Brooks, the animal doc, the petite, wholesome redhead who had knocked his world off-kilter.
He figured once she left Hope Wells, he could forget all about her. He figured with miles distancing them, he’d move on and so would she. She’d settle in at the new clinic in Denver, dive into her work, and most likely hook up with that Nick character.
Trey frowned, his lips pulling down the corners of his mouth.
“Don’t you like the cake?” Maddie asked.
She had misinterpreted his sour mood. Trey sent her a reassuring smile. “I was just thinking that you’re spoiling me. Nobody’s ever baked a better cake than this, Maddie.”
“Really?” Her pensive mood lightened.
“It’s the best I’ve—” he began, but halted immediately, noting Maddie’s sharp gaze on him. He couldn’t repeat the vow he’d spoken when they’d made love. The reminder would be too painful to both of them. “It’s delicious.”
He took another big bite, taking immense pleasure as he chewed.
Maddie played with a bit of frosting on her fork. “You could always ask Darla to bake you one.”
Surprised, Trey nearly choked on a mouthful of food. “Darla?”
Maddie looked at him directly and nodded, her green eyes bright with curiosity. “Yes, Darla.”
Trey laid his fork down and leaned back in his chair. “There’s nothing between Darla and me anymore.”
Maddie continued to look at him, waiting for more. Silently, Trey sighed, realizing that Maddie expected more of an explanation. He didn’t like dredging up the past. Whenever he did, his recollections always proved what he knew in his heart to be true, that he wasn’t cut out for relationships.
“We dated for a short time.”
Maddie remained silent.
“Darla went through a pretty messy divorce. I think I was the first man she dated after her breakup. And well, in the beginning it was nice. We had a good time together. But then, Darla got serious about us and I started feeling closed in—like a vise grip crushing my neck. I felt lousy about doing so, but I broke it off.”
“How did she take it?” Maddie asked.
“She wasn’t happy, and I’d hurt yet another woman. I’d made another mistake. For the longest time I felt guilty about that. But last night, she cleared all that up for me.”
“How?”
“She told me, plain as day, she hadn’t been ready for a relationship. She’d admitted that our breakup was the best thing that could’ve happened to her. She’d needed time to straighten out her life. She’s happier now than she’s ever been. She has a long distance relationship with a man living in Dallas and that suits her just fine.”
A small smile graced her lips. “And she’s got five healthy pups and a new mama to keep her busy, too.”
“Yeah, that, too.”
“You must feel relieved. All this time you thought you’d hurt her and she came out better for it.”
Trey couldn’t agree. He’d entered into that relationship blindly, not realizing how vulnerable Darla would be after a terrible divorce. The potential for causing her pain had been there all along, but Darla had made her way through despite Trey’s disregard for her feelings. “I bolted the minute things got too close for comfort, Maddie. There’s no denying that.”
Maddie’s expression changed. She lost the beam in her eyes, the smile on her face. “Is that what happened between you and me? You got that closed-in feeling?”
“Hell, no.” Trey shook his head and made a wide sweeping gesture with his arms. “With you, it was as if the whole world opened up, and I was right smack in the middle of it.”
Maddie blinked.
“Damn it.” He never wanted to admit that to her. He never wanted to give her reason to hope. Yet, something deep inside couldn’t allow Maddie to think he’d used her that night. He couldn’t allow her to think she’d suffocated him. Just the opposite was true. She’d made him feel alive and vital and open to all good things.
“I felt that way, too,” she whispered.
Trey stood then and reached for her, guiding her up until she stood facing him. She looked so beautiful tonight, her sad green eyes catching the pale light. Trey couldn’t resist holding her once more. He took her in his arms, splaying his hands around her tiny waist and spoke softly. “You’re a dangerous woman, Maddie Brooks.”
She stared at the collar of his shirt. “Do I scare you, Trey?”
Trey tipped her chin up with a finger and their eyes met. “More than you’ll ever know.” He bent down and kissed her on the lips. “So sweet.”
“It’s the frosting,” she said softly.
He kissed her once again. “It’s you, Maddie.”
Maddie reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, tugging him closer. The kiss went deeper this time and longer until the sugary sweet taste of Maddie was etched in his head for eternity.
In harmony, they both moaned, a quiet little plea that spoke of untold pleasure. Trey deepened the kiss further, driving his tongue in her mouth, mating with her in the most elemental way. Their bodies brushed once, then melded together perfectly as Maddie’s soft supple form crushed against Trey’s granite hard body.
Trey was at a loss to stop, his need for Maddie too great. He held her tight and kissed her passionately, igniting a spark that would surely burst into flames. He moved his hands to cup her bottom, molding her cheeks in his palms feeling the soft firm skin hidden under her dress. Spurred on by her tiny little whimpers, he caressed the delicate small of her back, making tiny circles and gliding his hands over her. He slid them up to stroke her shoulders, until finally his hands found the back of her head. He wove his fingers into the silky copper strands, aching for all of her, wanting to take her to bed and make love to her throughout the ni
ght. And just as he began to speak those words, she pulled away with a shake of her head. She broke off their connection.
Her eyes closed briefly and when she opened them her voice was soft, filled with sobering pain. “You’re a better man than you think you are, Trey. I wish you could see that you have more staying power than most men I know.”
He blinked his eyes.
Maddie didn’t give him a chance to explain. She spun away and headed out of the room. He watched her go and each step she took to distance herself from him was a blunt rap to his gut.
Bereft, Trey didn’t blame her for walking away. It was the right thing to do.
A man shouldn’t dally with a woman like Maddie Brooks, yet that didn’t stop his gut from spitting fire or his own heart from sorely aching.
Chapter Ten
“That’s a good wild stallion.” Maddie held a lead rope and walked with Storm along a path behind the ranch house. She’d finished work early and decided that a pleasant afternoon walk would do them both a world of good.
Maddie had made mistakes while living at 2 Hope Ranch, but she planned to rectify what she could. And Storm had been high on her list. She’d never come up against an animal with so much resistance. Normally Maddie could coax a horse to do her bidding, but not Storm. He was definitely and infinitely a stallion with his own obstinate mind.
While she thought she’d gained the horse’s trust, she really hadn’t. She’d rushed him, thinking the little leeway he’d given her had been enough. So now, Maddie used a different tactic. She didn’t want to destroy the animal’s spirit, only settle him somewhat.
“You’re not so different than Trey, you know,” she said, speaking freely along the path, with no worry of being overheard. “You’re headstrong and feisty as all get out.” Maddie quietly chuckled, a good release for her pent-up frustration. Last night, she’d wanted Trey as much as he’d wanted her. But Maddie was a realist and understood that until Trey came to grips with his heritage and his past, she’d only be opening herself up to more heartache. As difficult as it was, she’d pushed Trey away last night for both of their sakes.
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