Claimed by the Rancher--A scandalous story of passion and romance

by Jules Bennett

  He’d literally given up everything to be where he was today. There was no looking back, no time to dwell on the regrets that always seemed to be just below the surface.

  “Congratulations,” he said, offering her a tense smile.

  For a fraction of a second, her eyes narrowed. But then she nodded. “Thank you.”

  Those memories might be from another chapter in their lives, but they’d left so much unresolved. He’d gotten angry, broken things off, she’d left town...and that was pretty much the end of it.

  Stubborn male pride had kept him from searching for her, and with his money he could’ve hired anyone and found her in record time. But he hadn’t. She’d left to get as far away from him as possible, and like a fool, he’d let her go.

  They’d said some hurtful things after the miscarriage, things he continued to cringe over when he thought about them. But the damage had been done; they’d strayed too far from the blissfully in-love couple they’d once been.

  Nolan didn’t see a ring on her finger, but that didn’t mean anything. Regardless of the fact he shouldn’t care, he wanted to know more. He was just getting reacquainted with an old friend...that was all, he reassured himself.

  Though at one time they’d been so much more.

  “Where are you living now?” he asked casually.

  “Upstairs, actually. It’s a small apartment, but perfect for me, and it saves money.”

  Perfect for me. That told him all he needed to know about a man in her life. There wasn’t one. Instant relief swept through him, which was hypocritical considering he was here to buy a gift for another woman.

  Still, Pepper had a story and he wanted to know every detail.

  No! No, he didn’t. He was here to get flowers for his date and that was all. Then he would head home and catch some sleep. After a traumatic night in the OR, he needed to regroup. Maybe he’d take his favorite stallion out later for a ride so he could unwind and think.

  His dinner date would certainly revive him. Nolan had asked this particular nurse out months ago, but their schedules had just now lined up.

  “How far along are—”

  “This bouquet would be perfect.” She cut him off. Clearly, he was not welcome in her personal space. “There’s a few peonies, roses and lisianthuses.”

  “I’ll take it. Go ahead and pick out another bouquet.”

  Her dark brow quirked as she shot him a side glance. “For tomorrow’s date?”

  He bit back an oath. This unexpected reunion needed to come to an end. No good could possibly come of it, no matter how irresistibly drawn he still was to this woman. Need he remind himself that he was the one who’d let her go? He’d thought at first that might have been a mistake, but over time, as he grew up, he’d realized it had been the right thing to do.

  They had been ripped apart by grief and they wanted different things. He had no right to be carrying a torch for her after so long. Even if, in all honesty, seeing her pregnant hit him in a way he couldn’t quite explain.

  “Actually, Colt’s fiancée’s birthday is in two days.”

  Pepper’s features softened at the mention of his baby brother. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean—”

  “It’s fine.” He reached forward, taking a premade pink vase with blooms of all sizes and colors. “She’d love this one.”

  Silence settled between them and Nolan couldn’t pull his gaze away from hers. They were practically strangers now, but he knew those eyes. They’d always been so expressive and now was no different. He’d never met anyone else with eyes such a mesmerizing shade of dark gray. Pepper was definitely one of a kind.

  Weariness reflected back at him now, though, and he couldn’t help wondering what she was facing right now. She was alone, and that tidbit of information didn’t sit well with him.

  There were too many parallels to the last time he’d seen her, so it was impossible not to be swept up in nostalgia and bittersweet memories.

  Pepper was all woman now, however. There was a level of maturity, almost an underlying stubbornness, that hadn’t been there before. The defiant tilt of her chin, the rigid shoulders, as if she dared him to bring up the past. Fine by him. He was all for living in the here and now... He just hadn’t expected to do it with her back in Stone River.

  “I honestly didn’t expect to see you this soon,” she muttered. “It’s harder than I thought.”

  Nolan swallowed...that guilt he’d been so good at tamping down suddenly threatening to overcome him.

  “If this is too difficult—”

  “No.” She shook her head. “We’ve moved on. It’s fine, just...different.”

  She pushed her dark, satiny hair back with her hand, those bangles jingling again as she pasted on a smile. “Is this all you need? Two bouquets?”

  “Give me your favorite painting,” he added impulsively. “It will be the perfect gift for Annabelle.”

  “Colt’s fiancée?”

  Nolan nodded. “She’s quite the cook and she has twin daughters, Emily and Lucy.”

  Just as he’d hoped, Pepper’s smile widened. He hadn’t anticipated the punch of lust to his gut, though. What the hell?

  This smoldering attraction was not welcome. Not. At. All. Memories were one thing, but layering in this fierce, unwanted need was simply not smart. Damn his libido.

  “Sounds like Colt is a lucky man.”

  If a man wanted a family, sure. Colt and Annabelle were perfect together and had found solace in each other during a tough time. When Annabelle’s father had literally gambled away their home to Colt, the two had sparred for a while before realizing they were crazy in love.

  Love worked for some people, not for Nolan. Saving lives and being his own boss were more than rewarding as far as he was concerned. He’d tried the whole relationship thing with Pepper...and look where that had gotten him.

  All he needed to do was continue on the way he had: dating, working, living day to day...ignoring that niggle of emptiness that crept up and choked him on occasion.

  Nolan was more eager than ever to get to his date. He’d booked reservations at the classiest restaurant about an hour away and if things went as planned, he’d have no trouble taking her back to her place after. Because no woman ever went to his home. Ever. That was his sanctuary, a space he’d built on the back of Pebblebrook for privacy. That house held a special place in his heart and the reason why was standing right in front of him carrying another man’s baby.

  After glancing at his purchases spread out on the counter, Nolan pulled out his credit card. Once he had the items paid for, he slid the painting beneath his arm and grabbed the two vases. “Thanks, Pepper.”

  She folded her hands on the counter and nodded. “You’re welcome. Be sure to tell your friends where to get gifts for their ladies.”

  “I definitely will.” He swallowed hard, deciding to go ahead and tell her what was weighing on his mind. “I’m sorry. I know I said that a long time ago, but...”

  Her lids lowered for a second. Then she blew out a breath and met his gaze again. “It’s over, Nolan. I’m focusing on my baby, this new life I’m rebuilding. I can’t look back.”

  Rebuilding. How many times had she done that since he’d left her? Pepper had always been such a vibrant woman, always happy and smiling. The loss of their child had dimmed her spark, and the way he broke things off had doused what little flicker of light had remained. He’d often wondered over the years if she’d ever found joy again...or who she’d found it with.

  More potential heartbreak was definitely something he couldn’t and didn’t want to deal with. The risk was too great to even entertain such thoughts.

  They’d both done exactly what they’d set out to do. He was damn happy being a doctor and a rancher. And his bachelor status would remain intact. He was getting rea
dy to help Colt gear up to open Pebblebrook as a dude ranch, so any spare time he had was taken.

  “I wish you the best,” he stated, the blasted guilt settling heavy in his chest. “See you around.”

  “Yeah, see you,” she said softly.

  With one final nod, Nolan headed out the door. He couldn’t get out of Painted Pansies fast enough. Sleep deprivation could cause a man to start thinking about things, decisions he’d made and everything he’d given up to seek success.

  But Nolan didn’t have regrets on the path he’d taken. He did regret hurting Pepper, though, so much it cut him to the core. At one time he would’ve done anything for her, but in the end, they’d wanted different things and he couldn’t be what she wanted.

  Nothing had changed since then, either. He’d opted not to have a family after they lost their child. He wouldn’t say he shut down exactly, but he’d certainly reevaluated what he desired in life and he knew for certain he wished never to go through that kind of anguish again.

  Nolan carefully set the arrangements on the back floorboard of his SUV. This quaint shop Pepper had was perfect for her. For as long as he’d known her, she’d had a flare for art and creativity. She’d been a dreamer, one of the things he’d loved most about her.

  Without looking back to see inside the wide storefront window, Nolan forced himself to move forward. Wasn’t that what he’d always done? Pushed onward, no matter what was going on internally. That was what made him one of the best doctors around. He could compartmentalize his feelings and turn them off when needed.

  The jumbled emotions he had after seeing Pepper were absolutely not something he was ready to face...no matter how attractive she still was. So he’d shut those feelings down, just like he had the last time he saw her.

  Two

  The aftermath of this date was quite the opposite of what Nolan had initially planned. But cutting the evening short had been his idea...and he was still second-guessing his decision.

  He’d taken his date home and dropped her off with a lackluster kiss good-night. In hindsight, he could’ve put more enthusiasm into the kiss and should’ve been whisking her off her feet and to the nearest bed. Unfortunately, he hadn’t been in the right frame of mind for a sexual romp or even dessert. He’d feigned not feeling well, when the reality was, he’d spent his entire night envisioning another woman.

  Damn it. Pepper had barely stepped back into town and now he was totally off his game. Well, technically, she’d told him she’d been back a month, but he’d only seen her this morning. Bottom line...he’d not had any heads-up on her return. Clearly he’d been too busy working to familiarize himself with the latest gossip running amok in Stone River.

  But deep down, he knew nothing could’ve mentally prepared him for how he’d feel when he saw Pepper after ten long years. Hell, he wasn’t sure he could even put a name to it.

  Nolan found himself heading toward Painted Pansies before he recognized what he was doing. Why was he even on this road? This was quite a bit out of the way of his home on Pebblebrook Ranch.

  Thankfully, he was off tomorrow, because he knew he’d be up all night trying to figure out why in tarnation he was getting so—

  What the hell?

  Nolan saw the flames in the distance, but as he got closer, he realized they were shooting out the top-floor window of Pepper’s building. They were small and only in the front, but nonetheless, fear gripped him like nothing he’d ever known.

  In his line of work, Nolan was used to making life-and-death decisions under pressure. But this felt different, like a vise around his chest. With adrenaline pumping, he quickly dialed 911. Then he pulled off the road, rattled off the address, and raced from his SUV toward the back of Painted Pansies.

  As he rounded the corner, he saw Pepper attempting to crawl out the window and onto the roof of the back porch.

  “Pepper!” he shouted. “The fire department is on the way. Climb onto the roof and I’ll help you from there.”

  She threw a look over her shoulder, and Nolan’s heart clenched. Pepper’s face was filled with pure terror and she held one hand protectively over her abdomen. He couldn’t think about that right now; he couldn’t focus on the fact she’d lost one baby already and was most likely petrified as she tried to get out of this situation without causing harm to her unborn child.

  All that mattered right now was getting her away from this fire. Nolan heard the approaching sirens and relief trickled through him.

  “Come on,” he urged. “You’re almost to the roof.”

  Cautiously, she let go of the window ledge and crawled on her hands and knees over the roof until she reached the edge. She stared down at him as if she was afraid to jump.

  “I’ll catch you,” he told her as he extended his arms. When she hesitated, he felt that adrenaline surge. “Pepper, come on.”

  “I can’t fall,” she cried.

  “You won’t,” he assured her, knowing he’d never let her get hurt. “I promise.”

  And now was not the time to analyze the fact he’d hurt her immensely once before.

  Sirens grew louder, but Nolan didn’t take his eyes off her. She eased closer to the edge and gave him another look, and he nodded, silently pleading for her to trust him.

  It seemed like slow motion, but Nolan knew the time it took her to let go and fall into his arms was only a mere couple of seconds. He cradled her against his chest and ran back to his SUV. His pulse continued to pound fast, but not from carrying her. Pepper didn’t weigh much; she’d always been petite. His work as a part-time rancher demanded he be physically fit, so even pregnant, she wasn’t putting a strain on his muscles.

  “I can walk,” she told him breathlessly, but her arms encircled his neck as he crossed the street.

  “And I can carry you. Did you get hurt? Inhale too much smoke?”

  Pepper shook her head. “No. I was getting ready for bed when I smelled smoke and came out of the bathroom to see the front curtains in flames.”

  A chill coursed through his veins. What if she’d been asleep? What if she hadn’t gotten out in time? What would she have done had he not been driving by? Would anyone have been around to help?

  She trembled against him, and he instantly recognized the shock. The fire truck pulled up and in an instant the firefighters were working on the flames, which still seemed to be only in the front of the second story. An ambulance arrived right after, and Nolan swiftly carried her over.

  “I’m Dr. Nolan Elliott.” He addressed the two EMTs who came around to open the back of the ambulance. “I don’t believe she was inside long, but I want her to have oxygen and be taken in immediately. I’ll follow and get her admitted.”

  “I don’t need to be admitted,” she argued, but Nolan ignored her protest. She wasn’t in charge here.

  “She’s pregnant,” Nolan went on as he stepped up into the back, still holding her in his arms. He lowered her down onto the cot. “How far along?”

  Her dark eyes met his and he had to ignore everything that had happened between them up until now. She was a patient. He had to compartmentalize.

  “Pepper?”

  “Seventeen weeks. Nolan, I don’t think—”

  “Oxygen,” he said as one of the medics climbed in on the other side. “I’ll meet you at the ER entrance.”

  Pepper gripped his arm as the oxygen mask was placed over her nose and mouth. She pulled it aside and shook her head.

  “I don’t need you there and I don’t need to be admitted,” she insisted. “I wasn’t in the apartment that long. I’m not coughing and I’m not light-headed. I’m fine.”

  “And you’re positive your baby is?” he retorted.

  Her eyes narrowed but he didn’t care if he angered her. In his years at Mercy, he’d seen it all and he wasn’t taking a chance with Pepp
er and a baby...not again. Even though this wasn’t his child, he wouldn’t risk it.

  Damn his desire to protect her.

  “I’ll go get checked out, only for the baby.” Her hold tightened on his arm. “But you’re not coming. I don’t need you there.”

  Nolan stared at her another minute but didn’t say a word. Finally, he met the gaze of the medic and nodded. No way was Nolan going to let her go alone. No matter what Pepper wanted, right now someone was going to look out for her and her child.

  And it seemed he was the chosen one.

  * * *

  “This is ridiculous.”

  Pepper realized her argument was in vain. But as she sat in the passenger seat of Nolan’s extremely flashy SUV heading up the drive to Pebblebrook, she also knew she had little choice but to go along with his plan.

  Well, actually, he hadn’t planned, more like steamrolled. After he’d shown up at the hospital, despite her repeated requests that he stay away, he’d informed her he’d be taking her to his house to rest because it was nearly two in the morning and she couldn’t go back to her apartment.

  Her apartment. The one place she was going to try to set down roots, to build a life for her baby.

  Yet here she was pregnant and temporarily homeless until she found out what damage had been done by the fire. Oh, and she was back with the one man who’d crushed her heart and her spirit and turned his back on her when she needed him most.

  It went without saying that she’d had better days. Like the day she’d broken her arm in two places after she’d gone hiking and attempted to climb a vine over a ravine. Even then she was having a better time than she was now.

  “I don’t want to stay with you.”

  Nolan grunted and continued up the drive. Pebblebrook was exactly like she remembered. Magnificent, with rolling white fencing flanking the drive, the three-story main house was adorned with porches extending across the top two floors. The stables, which were nicer than most homes, brought back memories. Memories of spending evenings in the hayloft, riding horses over the acreage, sharing hopes and dreams.