“He’s watching a movie, Abby.”
“I—”
When she stood, so did he.
Before she realized what was happening, he’d slid his hand to her back, and his mouth brushed hers. Her hand fluttered, touched his waist. Her heart pounding, she knew she was close to forgetting what mattered most. She’d loved before and he’d left her. He hadn’t cared about her, not really. But there was no denying what she felt, wanted. On a sigh, she slowly snaked her hand up his back, then drew him closer.
As she felt his hand moving over her, an ache rose within her. It was as if it were years of yesterdays ago. She yearned to be as one with him again, to feel the slick dampness of his flesh beneath her fingertips. She was weak, so weak. He could have her. She knew it, and with the kiss, so did he. But she couldn’t go with emotions, couldn’t let the kiss warm her, excite her too much.
Before her mouth grew hungrier, she broke the kiss. With effort, not feeling too wise or sensible, she pulled back from him. “I won’t lie to you. I might always want you,” she murmured, still breathless. “But what I want doesn’t matter.”
Breathing hard, too, Jack stared at her as she went into the house. Like hell it didn’t For a full moment, he simply stared. Then on a laugh, he went down the stairs, to head home. How in the devil could she say that and walk away?
Chapter Seven
She shouldn’t have said that to him, Abby decided. By seven the next evening, she was still fretting about how to act when she saw Jack, and planned to pretend she hadn’t said anything.
Fortunately he would be busy at a ranchers’ meeting in the living room at Sam’s home. While he and Sam were there, Abby sent Austin off to a kids’ swimming party, and she joined a room full of neighbors and friends for Laura’s lingerie shower. Listening to her aunt’s girlish giggle, Abby fought a wave of melancholy. She truly believed if Jack hadn’t left, then they would have been married by now.
“Oh, my,” Laura said, drawing Abby’s attention back to her. Abby’s aunt held up another gift, a black teddy. “This is going to supercharge Sam’s engine.”
“No, I think that red number will,” Wendy said about a nightgown that was paper thin.
Laura cast an appreciative look at her opened presents. “All of the lingerie is so beautiful.”
Conversation and lighthearted banter went on for another hour. With dinner almost ready, and the ranchers’ meeting over, Laura said her thank-yous again, and Abby helped her carry the gifts to her room. When she returned, the shower guests were wandering outside where the others had gathered. Though her help was no longer needed in the kitchen, Abby joined Wendy in the kitchen several minutes later.
Wendy pointed toward the refrigerator. “Would you bring the cake?”
Abby moved around several of the kitchen staff, who were carting out bowls of food, and opened the refrigerator. Inside was an exquisitely decorated, two-layer chocolate cake. “Oh, this looks delicious, Wendy.”
Her friend beamed. “I’d hoped to make use of a cake-decorating class I took. This is sort of a dress rehearsal for the wedding cake.”
Carefully Abby lifted the cake plate from the shelf. “I bet it will be beautiful.”
“I hope so. Anyway, I made this for dessert after the barbecue tonight,” she said before leading the way from the kitchen to everyone gathered poolside.
Lanterns and fiery torches illuminated the dining area. Strumming guitarists entertained guests. The dark water of the pool glimmered beneath the moonlight. The aroma of smoke from the mesquite-wood fire and the spicy tang of barbecue sauce permeated the night
From several feet away, Orlon Phillips, editor of the local newspaper, yelled a hello and wound his way around some of the guests to reach Abby. “I heard that you work for a big-city newspaper now,” he said. “Too bad you’re all set there. Your aunt sent Sam that article you wrote for the Houston paper about ranchers’ grazing rights. Damn fine article, Abigail. Sure could use someone like you.” He tipped his gray head toward hers. “I’ll be retiring soon, you know. Need someone to take over my position.”
Abby was flattered that he’d even considered her for the editorial job.
Showing the good manners she’d taught him, Austin sidled close and remained silent at her side until Orlon finished talking to her and was whisked away by one of the town’s eligible ladies.
Briefly her son talked with excitement about an upcoming rodeo, then pointed to a boy on the other side of the buffet tables. “Mom, I’m going to sit by Chris and eat. Is that okay?”
Abby noticed Chris perched on a log bench. “Go ahead, honey.”
“Abby.” Wendy was suddenly on the other side of her. “Look over there.”
Ever gracious, Abby’s Aunt Laura had been caught in a dance with one of the ranch hands. His arm was pumping hers as he led her in a two-step.
“She’ll need to soak her feet tomorrow. He’s got a reputation for stepping on them,” Wendy added with a laugh.
From the edge of the party, Jack made eye contact with Abby. Until that moment, he’d felt alone, he realized. He’d been waiting, watching for her. A hot evening breeze fluttered the soft material of her green print dress as she moved around the pool, nodding hello to guests who were mingling near the refreshment table. He soaked up the way she looked with her hair loose, her face slightly pink from her time in the sun.
“I think Laura and I should elope.”
Jack dragged his gaze from her to give Sam his attention.
“I haven’t spent more than fifteen minutes with her,” Sam mumbled. “Every time I try to dance with her, one of our local fellows cuts in.”
Jack grinned in response to Sam’s good-natured complaints. “Competition?”
“Don’t get me wrong. I can handle it,” Sam said with confidence.
Jack laughed with him. A first, he realized. So did Sam. Uncertainty crept into the older man’s eyes. Jack couldn’t blame him for wondering what the hell had just happened. He was as confused as Sam, who sent him another hesitant grin. How much of what Abby was making him feel had gentled his anger? For nearly a decade he and Sam had shared polite conversation, especially in public. But never a laugh.
“Guess I’ll go dance with my love.” Sam took a step, then swiveled a look over his shoulder. “What about you?”
His love? Both amused and amazed, Jack stared at his father’s back. He hadn’t known Sam possessed a romantic bone in his body. Regardless, the idea of a dance worked for him.
He closed the distance to Abby, and noticed that once more she was glancing in her son’s direction. Austin had wandered only feet from where a mule for the kids to pet was tied to a railing. “I’ve never seen a kid who likes animals as much as he does.”
She’d known he was near before he’d spoken, before his hand warmed her waist. “Every free moment he has he hangs around the stables,” she said with a smile. She saw Austin and Chris talking to another boy, who Abby thought was called Kevin.
“Come on.” Jack took her hand and drew her with him toward the dancers. “Dance with me.”
It occurred to her that she probably looked calm, but she was suddenly a bundle of nerves as he brought her into his arms. Romantic music, soft lights, bodies intimate. A dangerous combination, Abby thought. “It’s been a long time since I’ve danced.”
His eyes never leaving hers, Jack slid his hand from her back to the curve of her waist. She felt wonderful. Smelled wonderful. Her eyes looked darker, shining in the dim light. He wanted to feel the velvety softness of her flesh, taste her sweetness. He wanted this woman in his life again.
Abby tilted her head back, stared at his smiling lips. “I’ve heard people never forget how to ride bikes.” With his mouth so close, memories of hot kisses closed in on her. “Or horses?”
He would have liked to bring her tighter against him, feel the softness that had been so familiar to him years ago. “Or how to dance?”
There was such a temptation to close her eye
s. “Or how to dance,” she repeated. Relaxing with him, her cheek pressed to his, she let the soft music lull her and concentrated on the steady beat of his heart against her. She was aching for another kiss, for his touch, for another night, another memory.
Lost in her thoughts, it took a second for her mind to register that the music had changed to a more upbeat tempo. She started to pull away.
Jack let her get an arm’s length from him, then he twirled her around. Laughing, they danced to the quick-paced number the way they’d done so often years ago. When the music slowed again, he didn’t let go, and they were close once more, swaying to the lulling, romantic tune.
Time seemed to stop. Abby could have been that young girl again full of dreams, believing the handsome cowboy holding her would never let her go. But she couldn’t go back, she tried to remind herself. She’d changed.
As a reminder of all that was different, she looked over Jack’s shoulder in Austin’s direction. A second passed, then another while she scanned the area for him. “Jack?”
In less time than it took to grab a breath, he heard panic rise in her voice and pulled back to look at her.
Her heart picking up speed, Abby broke from him and rushed around people to reach the boy she’d seen Austin talking to. “Kevin, where’s Austin?” she asked.
“Easy, Abby.” Jack was right beside her.
“Him and Chris went out there,” the boy said.
Abby’s heart hammered as Kevin pointed behind him at the darkness of the desert.
“Why would they go out there?” she asked, looking into the inky blackness.
“Austin said he saw a dog.”
No dog would be wandering in the desert. “A coyote?” She shot a look at Jack. “That’s what he saw, isn’t it?”
Jack placed an arm around her shoulder, tried to keep her panic at bay. “We don’t know that. It might have been a neighbor’s dog. They can’t have gone far, Abby.”
Nearby, Chris’s mother appeared to sway back against her husband as she death-gripped his arm. Jack noticed Sam offering them reassuring words about the boys’ safety.
“What if the coyote—” Abby couldn’t utter the words. “He’s fine. You’re right. They’re both fine.”
Jack kept her tight to him for a long moment. “I’ll find them.” He turned to Guy, who’d joined them. “You go out that way,” he said, motioning. “I doubt that they’ve wandered far from the lights.”
Sam touched Abby’s arm. “We’ll spread out. We’ll find them.”
“He wants a dog so badly,” she said to her aunt who had taken Jack’s position beside Abby.
“Let’s sit over there,” Laura urged, indicating a bench nearby.
“I can’t sit. I have to go with them. I have to look for Austin,” she insisted as she watched the lights of lanterns and flashlights brightening the darkness of the desert, as she heard voices calling out the boys’ names.
“Abby, they couldn’t have gone far,” Laura insisted.
Lantern lights swayed with movement, growing smaller while the men searching distanced themselves from the ranch.
Ray stood near, holding Jodi tightly in his arms. “Don’t be fretting too much, Abby. They left only a few minutes ago.”
Abby knew he was offering her words to comfort. He was right, she reminded herself. It wasn’t as if the boys had been gone for hours. But only feet away, they could find danger. Don’t do this to yourself, she insisted. Austin knew the rules, he wouldn’t wander far away. He’d stay close enough to see the lights of the buildings. That sounded logical, but he was seven, and if he believed an animal needed him, he’d be thinking with his heart, not his head.
“Found them,” someone yelled from far off.
Abby pulled away from Laura, then froze as she heard more shouts, alarmed ones, a few curses, people bellowing, “Don’t move.”
Unable to stand by and do nothing, she rushed forward, only to have Sam stop her from running into the darkness.
A masculine voice, Jack’s, Abby thought, yelled. “Austin, stand still.”
The command slithered a chill of fear down her spine. Abby gripped Sam’s arm. “Oh my God, Sam.” She knew without an explanation. Snakes surfaced during the cool of night.
“Guy, get a stick,” Jack called out.
A few more curses, and then, “Are you ready?”
She heard someone yell, “Look out.”
“Got it.” Again the voice sounded like Jack’s.
Even as her legs went weak with relief, Abby broke free from Sam. Running forward, she hurried toward the voice, toward the flashlights. “Oh, Austin.”
She saw Jack had him in his arms. He was safe. Though her arms weren’t around him, Jack’s were. In that instant, a realization floated over her. No one else holding her son would have given her such peace of mind. Her heart pounding, she ran to them.
He probably was holding the boy too tightly, Jack guessed. But when he’d seen the snake in striking distance of the boy’s foot, he’d felt a fear rise within him that he’d never known before. He pressed his face close to Austin’s for a second, then, seeing Abby, he set the boy down.
“Mom, Mom!” The threat of tears cracked his young voice.
Abby dropped to her knees and caught him to her. “Oh, Austin.”
He wrapped his arms around her neck in a stranglehold. “Mom, there was a snake.”
“I know.” She felt him tremble. “I know.” She kissed his cheek, his forehead, his cheek again. She could barely contain the need to squeeze him. “Austin, what were you doing out here?”
“I’m sorry, Mom.” His arms loosened their grip slightly. “We didn’t mean to go out so far.” Drawing back, she saw frown lines, so unnatural on his face, marring his forehead. “Are you mad?”
“I wasn’t mad, I was worried.” She kissed his cheek, pressed her temple to his.
“I wanted to get the dog,” he said as an explanation. “I thought he was lost.”
Beside her, she heard Chris gulping words. “Then it howled,” he said in a voice edged by fright.
Abby clung to Austin beyond what he was probably comfortable with, but she needed to hold him close. “It was a coyote, not a dog.”
“We know.” Austin’s eyes appeared wider suddenly. “But I thought it was a dog. We turned around to go back, then we saw the snake.”
Abby checked her imagination, not allowing herself to visualize what might have happened if Jack hadn’t found the boys in time. Still, tears smarted her eyes.
Standing nearby, Jack saw her release a shaky breath, one that indicated she was on the edge of tears. “Hey, Austin.” He looked for a way to distract the boy. “Hop aboard. I’ll give you a ride back to the lodge.”
Tears of relief smarting her eyes, Abby averted her face from her son’s stare before Jack lifted him to his shoulders. “You go ahead,” she urged so Austin wouldn’t see her cry. “I need to talk to Chris’s mother.”
“Mom’s crying,” Austin said low in Jack’s ear.
The shakiness in her voice had given her away. Jack figured the truth was the best way to handle the moment. “Moms get scared, too.”
“I didn’t mean to scare her.”
“She knows that,” he reassured him. “But don’t do that again.”
“No, sir.”
Through sheer willpower, Abby kept the tears from flowing. But even though more in control, she felt a knot constrict her throat and grabbed several calming breaths before she caught up with them. “I want you to rest now,” she said to Austin.
“Aw, Mom, I’m okay.”
Jack thought a little levity might help. “He’s okay, Mom.”
Abby knew that teasing tone and played along. “Don’t be helpful,” she said in a pseudochiding tone. Austin giggled that Jack was getting reprimanded instead of him. “You two think this is funny?” she asked, playing the stern adult to the hilt.
His eyes dancing with amusement, Austin muffled another giggle against the top o
f Jack’s head.
“Not us,” Jack answered for both of them.
“And then the emperor from Xania zapped Captain Cosmo,” Austin was telling Jack while Abby unlocked the door to their rooms.
“I saw that one,” Jack said about the television program meant for ten-year-olds. He’d watched it. He’d had nothing else to do. It had been nine in the morning. He’d been stuck in a hotel room in a strange city with nowhere to go, and his television choices had been limited. From the corner of his eye, he caught Abby’s I-don’t-believe-this expression. “I was in San Antonio, waiting to leave for a date with a mean-spirited bull,” he said as a reason. “It was watch that or a cooking show.”
“And Captain Cosmo won?”
“Only because the cooking show was a rerun, and I’d learned how to cook Cajun chicken three weeks earlier when I was in Sioux Falls.”
“I got Captain Cosmo pj’s,” Austin said proudly. “Want to see them?”
Jack went along. The pajamas didn’t interest him, but for that smile on Austin’s face, he would agree to anything. It occurred to him that he was as much a sucker for the boy as he was for his mother.
“You don’t have to,” Abby said, to let him off the hook.
“He wants to see them, Mom,” Austin insisted. “Don’t you?”
“That’s right.” Jack said easily.
Whether he really wanted to or not, clearly he did want to please Austin. Abby moved into the adjoining room and started to pick up one of Austin’s puzzles near the sofa. Unexpectedly, the laughter of father and son resounded on the air. Oh, God. She sank to a cushion as pressure filled her chest. She hadn’t lied to Jack. She’d done worse. She’d stolen years of moments like that from him.
“He’s getting into his pajamas,” Jack said from the doorway.
“Thank you.” Get a grip, Abby, she chided herself. “That was nice of you.”
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