by Brenda Mott
Tess stared after him, frustration and anger churning her gut. What the hell was wrong with him? Couldn’t he see beyond his own stubborn pride? Maybe she’d stepped out of line, but why couldn’t he understand she was only trying to help? Damn it! He went from flirting with her one minute, to pushing her away the next as though she had some sort of social disease or something.
Determined not to let Wade spoil her party, Tess stroked the filly’s velvety nose, then headed toward the house. Damned if she’d let him spoil her mood, either.
She knew how to have fun, with or without Wade Darland.
CHAPTER SEVEN
FOR WADE’S ANGER to cool didn’t take long. Tess’s laughter had a way of getting to him, and tonight was no exception. He had been surprised to learn she’d be twenty-seven on her birthday, Tuesday. He supposed that her kidlike pigtails and way of dressing had made him think she was younger. But now, as he observed her entertaining her guests out on the back porch, he had to admit there was nothing at all childlike about Tess.
She’d blown his mind when he’d walked into the living room and seen her with her hair down, wearing just enough makeup to bring out the green in her eyes and the pink in her cheeks. Not to mention that she had curves in all the right places. She really ought to ditch those bulky overalls and dress up more often.
Wade licked his lips and told himself he should still be angry at her. She’d stuck her nose in his business—something he simply didn’t tolerate from anyone. And yet, if he was totally honest with himself, he had to admit she’d meant well. He watched how she tilted her head back and laughed, completely carefree, the center of attention without even trying to be. The front of her blouse dipped in a V shape to expose just enough cleavage to make him crazy with longing. And her hair, long and thick, spilled across her shoulders and down her back.
A vision of Tess lying naked on cool crisp sheets, her hair draped across her creamy breasts, entered his mind and refused to leave. He knew better than to dwell on such a thought. It could lead nowhere, because he’d already made up his mind to raise his kids alone. How many times did he need to remind himself of this? Something about Tess kept making him forget lately what was best. She was driving him nuts, sending his emotions into a whirlpool of confusion that he seemed to have absolutely no control over.
If Tess was aware of the mixed feelings that ravaged him, she gave no indication. Her sole purpose at the moment was to have fun. She laughed and joked with her friends and family while opening her gifts. So many well-wishers had come. The porch and yard were crowded with people, and cars and pickup trucks lined the driveway on both sides all the way from the road to the house. The only one missing was Tess’s mom, and as he watched Tess, Wade realized something.
She was right. She and Macy had a lot in common. Tess knew what it was like to have her mother taken from her, albeit not at the tender age Macy had experienced such a loss. Still, he supposed it was only natural for her, therefore, to sympathize with his daughter and try to reach out to her. Yet he couldn’t help the irritation he felt deep down inside at the thought of her interference. He didn’t want anyone trying to tell him how to raise his kids. He was a good dad. Even Tess had admitted as much.
So she could just keep her pretty little nose out of his business.
Feeling better, he moved away from the porch a short time later as Lloyd called out for everyone to “Come and get it.” Wade helped himself to a plateful of food from the buffet table that stood near the barbecue pit while Lloyd piled hamburgers and hot dogs from the grill onto an oversize platter. There was enough to feed a Third World country, and Jason and some of the other boys his age appeared determined to do their part in chowing down a good portion of it. They heaped corn on the cob, potato salad and baked beans onto their plates, as well as hot dogs and hamburgers with all the fixins.
“You boys must have hollow legs,” Wade said. He bit into his own burger and casually looked over to see where Tess had gone. She’d filled her plate with coleslaw, corn and the vegetable shish kababs Lloyd had grilled, and now sat at one of the picnic tables, next to Joy Isley. Macy slid in on the other side of her, across from Becky.
It figured. Even with her newfound friend, Macy continued to stick to Tess like dust to superglue. What on earth was he going to do with his daughter?
Telling himself he was being unreasonable, Wade turned away, determined to put Tess out of his mind and to simply enjoy the party. He didn’t get out much, what with working the ranch and taking care of the kids. Plate in hand, he headed for a group of chairs where Lloyd Vega and some other cowboys sat. But he couldn’t shake thoughts of Tess that lingered in his head.
By the time the party began to wind down, Wade realized he couldn’t leave without making things right with her. He still felt she’d overstepped her boundaries, but for Macy’s sake, he needed to keep things civil between them. After all, Tess was her 4-H leader. Scanning the area beneath the yard lights, he noticed some of the women cleaning up the picnic tables, but he saw no sign of Tess. Maybe she was in the house.
Wade walked over to the open front door and went inside. As he was making his way through the living room toward the adjoining dining area, the sound of Tess’s angry voice, coming from the kitchen, halted him in his tracks.
“How can you say that? She’s your mother, damn it!”
“She doesn’t know that anymore. Hell, Tess, she doesn’t even recognize us.” Zach Vega’s familiar drawl carried easily through the room, and Wade knew he should turn and leave.
But Tess’s tear-choked words stopped him. “You can’t be sure of that. Do you realize how much it would hurt Mom if she thought you’d stopped caring?”
“I do care. Damn it, you’re not listening to me!”
Feeling like a heel, Wade forced himself to make his way back through the living room and out onto the front porch. Tess’s crying had upset him more than he’d realized, and he stood, hands shaking, wondering what he could do to help. Probably nothing. From the bits of conversation he’d overheard, the family conflict was none of his business. Still, he couldn’t help but be concerned.
Minutes later, Zach stormed outside and down the porch steps without so much as noting his presence. Wade hesitated, then retraced his steps through the living room. While the Vegases’ family matters were none of his business, he couldn’t very well leave Tess alone without at least being sure she was all right. Besides, he’d vowed to make amends with her before he took Macy and Jason home, and now was as good a time as any. Maybe he could take her mind off whatever was troubling her.
He reached the kitchen, only to find it empty. Through the open sliding doors, he heard the noise of a porch swing creaking and, beneath that, a barely muffled sound. Crying. His stomach turned to jelly.
Wade hurried to the doorway and looked out. Tess sat in the swing, elbows on her knees, hands covering her nose and mouth. Her eyes were closed, and even in the near darkness he could tell she was doing her best to fight the tears that squeezed from the corners of them. A part of him wanted to turn away and simply leave her to grieve privately. But another part drew him to her in a way he couldn’t resist. His heart went out to her for what she must be going through, and quietly he slid the screen door open and stepped outside.
“Hey, spitfire.” He reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle rub. “What’s wrong? Did someone put meatballs in your spaghetti?”
Tess gave a half laugh, looking up at him as she wiped the tears from her cheeks with the palms of her hands. “Nothing so horrible as that.” She bit her lip, embarrassed. “I thought you’d gone home.”
“Not yet. I figured I’d better come find you first and tell you I didn’t mean to bite your head off over the filly.” He sat down beside her, his hand still on her shoulder. “You okay?”
She nodded. “Yeah. It’s nothing, really. Just a family disagreement between me and Zach.”
“Wanna talk about it?”
She hesita
ted. “I don’t know.” She remained quiet and Wade decided he’d pushed too far.
“Hey, I’m not trying to be nosy.” He moved his hand and let it fall to his lap. “It’s just that no one should have to cry on her birthday.”
“Who said I was crying?” Tess sniffed, her tears gone. But not forgotten, he was certain.
“I guess you got a bug in your eye, then.” Wade swiped at the air. “Gotta watch them little hummers. They’re everywhere this time of year. Especially the zucchini-eating mamba-beetle.” He reached up with every intention of giving her hair a playful tug, but instead found himself twining a lock around his thumb and finger. Slowly, he rubbed it back and forth, loving the texture, the smell of apple shampoo that he’d previously been aware of only in the back of his mind. “Why, they might even think this red hair of yours is a carrot. Or maybe a hunk of corn silk.”
Indeed, her hair felt silky and soft beneath his touch, and was nowhere near the shade of a carrot. Light from the kitchen spilled on the deep, rich strands of red laced with gold. The shimmering color made him want to move his hand up beneath the curtain of hair and pull her toward him. Pull her into a kiss as hot as the one he’d imagined the other night.
He saw Tess staring at his hand. Surprise and something akin to desire filled her expression. Or was it only his wishful thinking? She met his gaze and Wade froze, his fingers still tangled in her hair, his breath caught somewhere in his chest.
“No bugs,” she said. “Just one big, pesky cowboy who keeps getting under my skin.”
“Yeah?” He let go of her hair and touched her cheek, wiping away the last trace of tears with his thumb. “You’re pretty good at that yourself.” He was a millisecond away from kissing her. A gnat’s toenail from losing his resolve. He leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers, testing.
Tess seemed to hold her breath. She gave in to the featherlight touch of his mouth just enough to let him know she, too, was having difficulty containing her feelings. For what seemed endless seconds, their lips met in a kiss so sweet and gentle it did more for Wade than if he’d plunged his tongue into her mouth. Then suddenly Tess drew back and leaned against the corner of the swing. She let her hand wrap around the chain and gave the glider a push with one foot, setting it in motion. “Careful, cattleman. You’re about to get us in trouble.”
“Think so?” He ached to touch her once more, no matter what his more reasonable thoughts told him. To explore the kiss that had ended before it had barely begun.
“I know so, and I’m afraid what you’re offering is a little too inviting right now.” She looked at him from the corner of her eye. “I was crying.”
Her abrupt admission took him by surprise, more so than if she’d admitted she wanted to kiss him, too. He said nothing, waiting for her to open up, if that was what she wanted to do.
“It’s my mom.” She gazed off into the distance, her voice soft and low. “She’s been sick a long time. I guess you know that.”
He nodded. “I’ve heard. But like I said, I never really knew what caused her illness until you told me.”
“It’s gotten harder on the family as time passes, and Zach…he’s not coping well. He and I had a fight over it.” She pressed her mouth into a line. “My temper gets the best of me sometimes, and I hate when that happens.”
“You don’t say?” He wanted her to smile again. Her sorrow bothered him more than he would have imagined. “Red hair and all, huh?”
“Yeah. I suppose.”
She grew silent, and Wade told himself to let things be. Talking them through was something women did. Lord knows he’d never been much good at it with Deidra. But for some reason, he wanted to draw Tess away from whatever was troubling her. Maybe he could at least lend an ear if she needed one.
Or a shoulder.
“So, what happened?”
Tess stopped pushing the swing. She stared down at her feet. “Zach hasn’t been going to see Mom lately. I didn’t know until today. Dad thought maybe her condition has gotten to be too much for Zach to cope with, so I confronted him.”
“And?”
“Since Zach married Donna, he’s realized the importance of putting the past behind him and moving forward.” She waved her hand in the air. “He had a bad run with women before Donna, but that’s neither here nor there. The point is, he wants to move on with his new life and forget about the negative.”
“What’s wrong with that?”
She glared at him. “Nothing. Except that he looks at Mom’s illness as a bad thing he wants to move past, and that just isn’t right. He thinks she doesn’t recognize us anymore, and that there’s no point in going to visit her.”
“That’s a tough one,” Wade said, genuinely at a loss for words. Seeing your mother in such a state of mind had to be hard. He had no idea how he’d react if he were in Zach’s shoes, or Tess’s. He didn’t get along real well with his own mother. Still…
“Yes, it is.” Tess leaned forward in the swing, gesturing emphatically. “It’s not easy for me, either, to see Mom like she is. But that’s no reason to abandon her.”
“No, it’s not. But maybe Zach just needs time to adjust to his new life with Donna and Becky. I bet he’ll come around.”
“I certainly hope so.” She looked at him, anger sparking her eyes. “I’m just so mad at him right now. I felt like throwing something—or strangling my brother. One of the two.” She shook her head. “But instead, I came out here on the porch, and I guess I let off a little steam by crying, which I also hate.”
“Hey.” Wade spoke softly, sliding close to her once more. He gave in to the urge to touch her, raking his fingers through the hair at her temples. He let the strands fall in a gentle cascade, then repeated the gesture. “It’s okay to cry, you know. It’s not a crime.”
“No,” Tess said. “But it doesn’t do much good, either.”
“You mean, it’s a waste of energy?”
She nodded. “Yeah. I’d say so.”
“Really?” Wade eased his hand around to clasp the back of her neck. “And you’d rather put your energy to better use?”
She laughed. “If that’s a come-on, cattleman, you can forget it.”
Wade froze just short of reaching to pull her into his arms. His face heated, and he felt ridiculous. She was right. His words rang like those of a teenager out to score in the back of his truck. Damn, but he was out of practice with this sort of thing.
“Sorry, Tess. I—”
“You can forget your sappy come-ons,” she repeated, “and just shut up and kiss me.”
Her pointed statement took a full ten seconds to register. Then his embarrassment turned to desire once more, and he slipped his arms around her. “I like a woman who doesn’t mince words.” And with that he did exactly what she’d said.
The touch of their lips made everything melt into the background. The sound of crickets, the surrounding darkness, the stars up above in a sky so clear it looked like black water. All of it faded away as Wade closed his mouth over Tess’s and wrapped his tongue around hers. The gentle kiss they’d shared minutes before had been nice. This one rattled his brains.
She slid her hands around the back of his neck, tipping his hat out of place. He didn’t care. He focused only on the fire of her mouth against his, kissing, seeking, again and again. He nibbled her neck, her ear. His heart began to pound and her breath came in gasps as he ran his hands up and down her shoulders, across her back, aching to feel her skin beneath the blouse that clung hotly to it. She seemed to burn beneath his touch, and it took a long moment for a sound to register. The sound of a voice, calling in the background.
“Dad! Dad, where are you?”
Jason.
Wade pulled back, his senses reeling, the swing tipping beneath him as his surroundings flew back into focus. He looked at Tess, and in the dim light he could see her eyes sparkling, her mouth moist and flushed. He wanted her more right then than he’d wanted anything in a very long time. His groin thro
bbed painfully and he shifted, grateful for the cover of near darkness.
From around the corner of the house, Jason appeared. “There you are. I couldn’t find you.”
Hastily, Wade righted his cowboy hat and scooted across the swing away from Tess, feeling as though they’d just been caught naked. He cleared his throat and noticed Tess smoothing her hair into place with one hand. Looking so much the guilty lover that he wanted to laugh with pure joy. She was sweet. Sweeter than he’d ever realized. He couldn’t think, could barely breathe.
“What’s up, son?” He hoped his voice sounded more normal to Jason than it did to his own ears.
Jason gave him an odd look, then a crooked grin. “I don’t know, Dad. You tell me.”
Wade felt his face color to the roots of his hair. “Nothing. Tess and I were just—talking.”
“Uh-huh.” Jason’s grin widened. “I thought I’d better tell you that Macy fell asleep on a hay bale. I figured you’d want to get her home.”
Wade stood up, tucking his shirt into his jeans. How had it come loose from his belt? “She did, huh? In the barn?”
“Nah, on the roping dummy we were using earlier. I think she’s had too much excitement for one day.”
And apparently, so had he, Wade thought as he glanced away from Tess. “Probably so. I guess we’d better get her home, then.”
“I’ll walk with you,” Tess said, rising to her feet. She quirked her mouth and raised her eyebrows at him in a cute “Oops—we’ve been caught” gesture that had his heart racing all over again.
Together with Jason, they walked to the hay bale where Macy lay sleeping, mouth open, her ball cap tipped at an angle and her arms and legs sprawled in what appeared to be totally uncomfortable angles.