Daddy with a Deadline

by Marilyn Shank

  With effort he pushed that image aside. He’d nearly fulfilled Brad’s request. Annie would deliver the babies, and after he drove them home he’d return to his life as it was, pre-Annie.

  The trouble was Trent could barely remember his pre-Annie life. And wasn’t sure he wanted to.

  The clouds darkened and the wind picked up. A streak of lightning split the sky, followed by booming thunder. Annie cringed. Threatening weather always made her nervous.

  “Wow!” Trent exclaimed. “Did you see that? We’re in for one gigantic thunderstorm.” He seemed thrilled by the possibility.

  “Doesn’t that noise hurt your head?”

  “Nah. My head’s just fine.”

  Annie knew that wasn’t true. Trent’s furrowed brow and his shifting on the glider meant serious discomfort. Because of his pain, she’d pushed aside her reason for coming here. Breaking off their relationship was essential, but she couldn’t tell him till he felt better.

  “It’s almost time for your pain pill. I’ll fix dinner and...”

  Trent reached for her arm, and his touch stopped her cold. Stopped her from standing. Almost stopped her from breathing.

  “You will not. Tonight I’m treating you to dinner and a movie.”

  Annie’s mouth dropped open and she stared daggers at the man. “Forget it, buddy. We’re not going anywhere. And that’s final.”

  Trent smiled a lazy smile. The one that made Annie’s heart race and set off an emotional landslide. “You’ll make a great mom, Annie. Your twins won’t get away with a thing. And you can stop stewing. I didn’t say we were leaving the ranch.”

  “Then how can we...”

  “Be patient, woman. You’ll find out soon enough. Now sit back and enjoy the storm.”

  While Annie didn’t say so, she figured enjoying a storm was like loving a toothache or rejoicing in a flat tire.

  Three flashes of lightning were followed by thunder as loud as cannon fire. The twins kicked like punters at an NFL game. Obviously her children didn’t like storms either.

  Trent perched on the edge of the glider like a fan at a wrestling match. She’d love to go inside but needed to stay here and watch him.

  Boom!!! A slight squeal escaped Annie’s lips. Not flying off in all directions took great effort. When the next boom hit, her squeal became a scream.

  “You aren’t enjoying this, are you?” Trent eyed her incredulously, as if she’d said she hated butterflies and newborn puppies.

  “I’m trying to. But it’s so...so...”

  “So what?”

  “So loud,” she shouted as another boom made her teeth rattle.

  “Sorry. I’ve always loved storms. We can watch from inside.”

  Annie gritted her teeth. She wanted to be a good sport, since the storm took Trent’s mind off his pain. “Maybe if I keep trying I can watch without—” Another boom was followed by another scream.

  “Screaming,” Trent said. “The word is screaming. He reached for her hand. “Let’s go inside. The rain will start soon.”

  At that moment, a truck swung into the driveway and a lady jumped out. A terrific-looking lady wearing tight jeans and a red blouse. Her glossy black hair swished around her shoulders as she walked toward them. She carried a large bag in her arms.

  “Who’s that?” Annie asked.

  “My neighbor Angela.”

  The woman moved with the grace of a model. And when she smiled she looked positively stunning. “She’s lovely.”

  “Yeah. And an amazing horsewoman too.”

  A zing of jealousy shot through Annie. She suddenly felt like an intruder here. Like she’d been caught trespassing on Trent’s property.

  “Listen, why don’t you spend tonight with Angela? I’m sure you’ll be in good hands.”

  As the woman joined them, Annie couldn’t help ogling that hourglass figure. Her own figure looked more like a haystack than an hourglass.

  The neighbor smiled. “Hi, I’m Angela Langford. I own the ranch next to Trent’s.”

  “Nice to meet you, Angela. I’m Annie Samuels.”

  “Guess you’re due any minute, huh?” The amazing horsewoman had analyzed Annie’s figure as well.

  Annie patted her tummy. “Three more days before the twins arrive.”

  “I wish you the best.” Angela handed Trent the bag and then leaned forward and brushed a kiss on his cheek. “Take care of yourself, big boy. Don’t fall off any more horses.”

  “Thanks, neighbor. I owe you for this.”

  “Got to run,” Angela said as the raindrops started coming. “I want to check my animals before this storm gets serious.” As she strode toward her pickup, the rain began in earnest.

  “Come on, Annie. Let’s go inside before we drown.” Trent took her hand and led her to the security of his kitchen.

  Annie felt more out of place than a teenager in kindergarten. No doubt Trent would rather spend the evening with the lovely Angela, a gorgeous lady of normal proportions.

  She folded her arms and sighed. “If you made a date with that woman, just say so, for goodness’ sake.”

  Trent’s intense expression shocked Annie. When he pulled her into his arms, that shocked her even more. But the granddaddy of all shocks came when Trent kissed her.

  This wasn’t a brush-on-the-cheek, casual kiss like Angela gave Trent. This was the knock-your-socks-off variety. As it intensified, building more steam than a locomotive, Annie tried not to swoon.

  This shouldn’t be happening, her conscience cautioned. You came here to break it off with Trent, not kiss him. But Annie ignored her conscience and leaned into the handsome cowboy as much as the twins would allow. Then she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. With fervor.

  A moan escaped his lips. Was it passion? Or pain from his head injury? Judging from the way he held her, and the way his fingers caressed her neck, she’d bet on passion. When Trent finally stepped back, Annie gasped for air. Late-stage pregnancy made her breathless, and kissing Trent took the little dab of energy she had left!

  He leveled a stern glance her way. “I want to spend tonight with you, Annie,” he said. “Is that so hard to understand?”

  She shook her head. “No, it’s not. You cleared things up nicely.”

  He listed slightly to the left. “Good. Because I need to sit down now. Before my head explodes.”

  “Oh, Trent. I’m so sorry.” Annie pulled out a kitchen chair, and he dropped into it. “Would you rather stretch out on the couch?”

  “Nope. I’m treating you to dinner and a movie, if you recall.”

  “I’m still trying to figure out how. Since we’re not going anywhere.”

  “Grab the bag and you’ll see.”

  Annie reached for the bag and pulled out an insulated case.

  “Unzip it,” Trent instructed.

  As she did, the heavenly aroma of a pepperoni pizza permeated the air. “Oh, goody!” she cried. “Comfort food.”

  “Yeah. I figured we could both use some. There’s something else in the bag.”

  As Annie dug deeper, her fingers curled around several DVDs. While You Were Sleeping. You’ve Got Mail. Sleepless in Seattle. She beamed at Trent. “I’m so impressed.”

  “Don’t be. I wouldn’t know a chick flick from a documentary. I asked Angela to bring some over.”

  Annie stared at him in wonder. “How thoughtful of you. You’re an amazing man.”

  And he was, too. Totally amazing. Brad had made countless mistakes during their marriage: small, medium, and huge. But he’d done one thing right. He’d picked the perfect man to send.

  “That’s high praise coming from you, Annie. It’s not pity praise, is it? Because I hurt my head?”

  “Pity has nothing to do with it. Oh, Trent, you’ve taken such great care of me these past weeks. And I’m thoroughly spoiled as a result.” Her eyes welled with tears as she gazed at him. In spite of her efforts to resist the man, this cowboy had claimed her heart.

 
Which meant trouble. While she hadn’t had a chance to talk to Trent, she fully intended to end their relationship once and for all. And she would—just as soon as the time was right. But the thought of losing him brought tears to her eyes.

  “Oh no, you’re crying already. And the movie hasn’t even started.”

  Annie swiped at a tear. “Don’t panic. I’m just practicing.”

  Trent looked slightly loopy from the meds and totally bewildered. How could she blame him? Thanks to Brad, his life had spiraled out of control. The last thing he needed was to be saddled with a pregnant woman. To his credit, he’d accepted the challenge. And pretended Annie wasn’t a royal pain in the neck and didn’t drive him crazy. Trent had fulfilled his obligation tenfold.

  The amazing kiss they’d just shared made Annie wonder if Trent had feelings for her as well. Could a man kiss a woman like that if he wasn’t falling in love with her?

  Don’t be a fool, she told herself. Trent had honored Brad’s request and would be more than ready to get his life back. She’d release him so that he could.

  “I’ll serve the pizza,” Annie said. “And I choose While You Were Sleeping. Do you feel like setting up the movie?”

  “Can’t wait,” Trent said as he headed for the den.

  Chick flicks proved to be torture of the worst kind. Trent yawned as he stared at the screen. So far he hadn’t seen one fistfight, car chase, or shooting. And the movie was almost over!

  He rubbed his temples, trying to reduce the throbbing in his head. Annie reached for the remote and put the movie on pause. “Have you had enough? We can stop if you like.”

  “Stop? We’ve invested two hours watching these people suffer. First the guy gets mugged, then he ends up on the train tracks. And when he wakes up, he’s got a fiancée he knows nothing about. A fiancée who falls in love with his own brother.”

  “Yup. This story is well plotted. Plenty of conflict.”

  “If we quit now, we won’t know if they end up together or not.”

  “Of course they’ll end up together.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “Because it’s a romance.”

  “So? Lots of romances end badly.”

  “No, they don’t.” Annie shook her head, making all those delicious curls dance. Annie’s curls had a life of their own.

  “They do in real life. I’ve seen many relationships turn sour.”

  She smiled patronizingly at him. “You’re right. But that’s called a love story. A romance is different. In a romance, the couple always ends up together.” Apparently the woman was a chick-flick connoisseur.

  Trent wanted to kiss the condescending smile off Annie’s lips. When he’d kissed her in the kitchen, he thought he might disintegrate from sheer pleasure. He’d considered himself a happy man before he met Annie. But he now knew his life was bland and boring.

  “How did you learn this high-tech stuff?”

  “I’m addicted to romantic comedies. Watch a few and the rules get clear.”

  Trent hoped he could avoid that particular form of agony. “Well, let’s finish it. We can’t leave them in this predicament.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yeah, but sit next to me. So you can explain the finer points of girly films without shouting.”

  When the movie began, Annie had settled into his recliner and put her feet up. Maybe his kiss had scared her off. Or maybe she didn’t feel the same fireworks he did. Trent sighed. He barely knew what to do with the feelings Annie stirred. In the past few weeks, the woman had turned his emotions inside out.

  Trent couldn’t stand the distance between them a moment longer. He needed Annie closer. Much closer.

  “Come and sit by me,” he said.

  “I can’t.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because I’m stuck in your recliner.”

  “Just push on the arms.”

  “I am pushing. I’ve tried to get out for an hour, but the chair won’t budge.”

  “Why didn’t you say something sooner?”

  “Because you shouldn’t be exerting any pressure. Like fussing with the recliner.”

  “Don’t be silly.” Trent got up from the couch and helped dethrone Annie. “There,” he said. Then he took her hand and led her to the couch. Maybe if she sat beside him he could endure the rest of this movie. Maybe even make it to The End.

  “Closer,” he said, as she nestled into his couch.

  Annie eyed him cautiously but inched closer. Trent slipped his arm around her shoulders and sighed. “That’s better. Way better.”

  As the movie played on, Trent thought about the definition of a romance as opposed to a love story. He and Annie were living a love story. No happy ending. When the twins came, she would leave. She wouldn’t need him anymore. He felt a stab of pain. Not being with Annie was unthinkable. How could he function without her?

  His charge now held his heart in her hands. But he couldn’t tell Annie that. So he inhaled her sweet-scented hair and tried to savor these moments. He would delight in Annie while she was with him. And try not to think about how dismal life would be without her.

  Trent yawned. “It’s late. Time to turn in.”

  Annie’s heart clenched. How could she stay close enough to this appealing cowboy to watch him—yet far enough away not to be tempted by him? Trent Madison was temptation! With a capital T!

  “You can sleep in the guest room if you like.”

  “How can I watch you from the guest room?” she snapped. “I can’t see around corners, now can I?”

  “Wouldn’t surprise me if you could. You can do everything else.”

  She ignored him. “There’s a recliner in your room. I’ll sleep there.”

  “Recliners aren’t a good option for you. What if you get stuck again?”

  “Then you’ll eject me. Like before.”

  He nodded. “Fair enough.”

  Since she didn’t plan to stay overnight, Annie hadn’t brought pajamas. But sleeping in her sundress sounded uncomfortable.

  “Um, Trent?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Do you have an extra-large T-shirt I can sleep in? Or maybe a pup tent?”

  His laughter rumbled through her like a freight train. “Let’s go find you some sleepwear. And I have extra toothbrushes.”

  Trent seemed more like himself tonight. Even with a head injury, the cowboy was amazing. And he could out-kiss any man alive. Was he well enough to stay by himself?

  Forget that, Annie told herself. If anything happened to Trent, she’d never forgive herself.

  As they entered his bedroom, Annie’s anxiety mounted. “I’ll go change,” he said. “The third drawer down is loaded with T-shirts. Pick whatever you like.”

  When he entered the bathroom, Annie breathed a relieved sigh. She was strung tighter than a violin string ready to snap. How could she help it? Her babies could come any minute, and the man she was falling for had gotten hurt. Worst of all, their time together was almost over.

  “Think about it tomorrow, Scarlett,” she said as she opened Trent’s drawer and rifled through his T-shirts. She chose a black one with a silver saddle on the front. For a moment she buried her face in the shirt and inhaled. It smelled like Trent: clean, woodsy, and far too sexy.

  After slipping out of her sundress, she donned his shirt. It wasn’t terribly modest, since it stopped well above her knees. But it would have to do. She curled up in the recliner and waited.

  “Are you decent?” Trent called from the bathroom.

  “As decent as possible in my condition.”

  “Coming out, then.”

  Trent came out, all right. He came out wearing bottoms but no top! One look at his amazing chest nearly put Annie in a coma. He had rippling muscles that wouldn’t quit. “You forgot the top half,” she said.

  “This is how I sleep. But if you prefer, I’ll find a hooded sweatshirt and cover up real good.”

  She sniffed. “That’s not necessary. As l
ong as you’re comfortable.”

  “I’m comfortable.”

  Trent sat on the edge of his bed just inches away. Well within touching range. “How are you feeling now?” she asked.

  “Not bad.” He stretched. “I’ll sleep good tonight. Hope you will too, Annie. I’d feel better if you took the bed...”

  “No way.” As Annie shifted her position, she realized that nine-month-pregnant women should boycott recliners. “I’m perfectly comfortable,” she lied. “And I’m staying right here.”

  When Trent’s eyes surveyed her body and lingered on her legs, Annie felt a tingle. A serious tingle. “You chose my favorite T-shirt. And you gave it a new identity.” His grin was wicked and his gray eyes sparked with mischief.

  Annie ignored him. “Do you have a night-light?”

  “What’s a night-light? A special bulb? A lantern? What?”

  He knew so much about training horses and so little about practical things. “It’s a very small light you use in children’s rooms. So they aren’t afraid of the dark.”

  “I’m not afraid of the dark, so I don’t own a night-light. The darker the room, the better I sleep.”

  “Not tonight, cowboy. Tonight we’ll use a night-light.”

  “What’s wrong, Annie? Are you afraid of the dark?”

  “Of course not,” she huffed. “But how can I keep an eye on you in a pitch-black room? And make a thousand trips to the bathroom?”

  “Point taken. How about that lamp on my desk?” He walked over and pulled the chain. Then he flipped off the overhead light, creating a soft glow in the room. “Does this work for you?”

  Boy, did it ever. Trent’s muscular torso bathed in the subdued light made Annie suppress a gasp. And the tingling in her body advanced to a new level.

  The dim light created a dreamy atmosphere. A lump rose in Annie’s throat, and her palms turned sweaty. “Time to turn in,” she said sternly. “And remember, I’m watching you.”

  Trent climbed into bed and covered himself with the sheet. He lifted his head to gaze at Annie. “There’s tons of room in here. That’s why they call it a king-size bed. We could share it and you’d still be half an acre away.”

  “Good night, Mr. Madison,” Annie said curtly. “Pleasant dreams.”