The Best Catch in Texas

by Stella Bagwell

  “Ridge, don’t—do this,” she choked out desperately.

  His face dipped closer and he whispered against her lips, “Do what? Show you how attracted I am to you? What’s wrong with that?”

  A tiny, helpless groan sounded in the back of her throat. “You’re—wasting your time.”

  “Let me judge that for myself,” he told her, then promptly proceeded to fasten his lips over hers.

  Even in her dazed state, Nicci realized he wasn’t holding her captive. At any time, she could pull away and end the kiss. That is, if she had the strength to resist. But his touch left her as weak as a puppy. She couldn’t think of ending anything when everything about his hard lips was drawing her closer, reminding her just how hungry she was for this contact with him.

  As the search of his lips deepened, he removed the hat from her head. Somewhere in the back of Nicci’s mind, she sensed him tossing the crumpled straw to one side. Then his arms came around her and he was dragging her against the hard length of his body.

  Nicci didn’t try to stop the forward motion that had her falling into the seductive circle of his arms. Being this close to him was like getting a peek into heaven. She couldn’t refuse the incredible pleasure his mouth was giving hers. She couldn’t deny her body the sweetness of having Ridge’s hard muscles next to it.

  As soon as the first kiss ended another one began. Before either of them realized what was happening, he was kissing her over and over, and Nicci was responding, clinging to him out of pure need.

  The fire that had started out as a flicker in her lower belly was rapidly growing to an all-consuming flame, and she couldn’t resist when his hand delved beneath the hem of her blouse and cupped one breast.

  A soft sigh escaped her as his plundering mouth moved downward to the tender slope of her neck and on to the delicate skin exposed by the opening of her blouse. Her fingers clamped into the muscles of his shoulders and her head fell invitingly back against his arm.

  Sometime during the embrace her hair had come loose from its braid. Ridge ran his fingers through the silky brown waves as he lifted his head and smiled at her with his lips and his eyes.

  “Sweetheart, that didn’t feel like I was wasting my time at all,” he said, his voice husky with desire.

  His observation was a jarring reminder to Nicci that she’d fallen under his spell and in doing so had given him all the wrong signals.

  Quickly, before this thing between them got totally out of hand, she scrambled out of his arms and shot to her feet.

  Dazed by the abrupt separation, Ridge watched her turn her back and walk to the far edge of the live oak’s shade. Once she stopped, she tossed her head and her long brown hair rippled like a piece of satin against her back. Her stance was rigid, her hands clenched at her sides. Even from this distance he could feel the tension in her body, and the knowledge that she regretted kissing him tore a hole right through the center of his chest.

  Slowly he rose to his feet and walked up behind her. The contact of his hands on her shoulders caused her to flinch, but rather than turn and face him, she continued to stare out at the open range sweeping miles toward the western horizon.

  Bringing his cheek to rest against the side of her head, Ridge murmured, “I’m sorry if I’ve upset you, Nicci. That wasn’t my intention.”

  That brought her whole body around. She looked at him with woeful gray eyes. “It doesn’t matter what your intentions were, Ridge. I’m not interested. And that—what just happened a moment ago—can’t be repeated. We’re either going to be friends or—nothing at all.”

  His mouth a grim line, he studied her bitter face.

  “Is that the way you kiss all your friends, Nicci? Or am I the only privileged one?”

  Bright pink color washed up her throat and covered her face. “You—you caught me off guard. So don’t start feeling proud of yourself, Dr. Garroway.”

  The corners of his lips lifted in a faint, perceptive smile. “You wanted those kisses, Nicci. Maybe you can make yourself believe otherwise. But you won’t make me believe anything else. I felt the need in your hands. The hunger on your lips.”

  “Shut up,” she muttered fiercely.

  “Why? Because you can’t bear to think that you might need a man, that you might actually be human?”

  Her eyes clouded over and her head swung slowly back and forth. “Why are you trying to hurt me like this, Ridge?”

  Groaning with disbelief, he cradled her face in his hands. “Oh, Nicci, I’m not trying to hurt you. I’m trying to make you see that there’s something special between us. I felt it the first moment I saw you. And I think you feel it, too. You just don’t want to admit it. Why don’t you want to give us a chance?”

  The earnest light in his eyes was like a beacon, tempting her to reach out, to let herself feel the pleasure of being in his arms, to think of a future with him at her side. But she was wise enough to know she couldn’t give in to the allure of his charms. Jumping into a relationship with Ridge would ultimately be more painful than jumping into a pit of fire. Even if she did survive the flames, she’d be scarred for life.

  In a plaintive voice she said, “Because it would be all wrong, Ridge. That’s why. It would never work.”

  Before he could utter a protest, she pulled away and walked back to the tree trunk where they’d been sitting.

  With quick, deliberate movements, she gathered the remains of their lunch.

  Ridge walked to where she stood. “What are you doing? I wasn’t finished with lunch.”

  “You are now,” she quipped.

  Not about to be deterred, he took the saddlebag from her and sat back down at the base of the tree trunk.

  With her hands jammed on either side of her hips, she watched him pull out another sandwich and begin to eat as though he had the whole day to waste.

  “We need to go,” she said. “It’s a long ride back to the ranch yard. And I—”

  “We’re not going anywhere, Nicci,” he interrupted. “Until you sit down here beside me and give me a good reason why the two of us can’t be…more than friends.”

  His casual attitude infuriated her. It also made her see that she might as well get the issue over and done with. Otherwise, he might sit there till nightfall, and she couldn’t go back to the ranch without him. For one thing, the trail they’d followed branched off in many directions. He might not know the way back. Secondly, if she showed up at the Saddler house without Ridge, it would be worse than embarrassing for both of them.

  With a sigh of surrender, she took a seat on the ground, but made sure she was safely out of his reach.

  “I don’t know why I need to spell this out to you, Ridge. You’re an intelligent man. The reasons ought to be clear.”

  He looked at her squarely, and the touch of his gaze on her face only reminded her of her loose hair and bare lips and the reckless way she’d behaved in his arms.

  “Indulge me,” he said simply.

  Damn it, why did he have to look so young, so good, she wondered. Up until now, keeping men out of her life had been easy. Ridge was changing all that.

  Licking her lips, she turned her head to one side and focused her gaze on a honeybee buzzing around a thicket of wild roses. Probably one of those male drones whose only job was to keep his queen happy, she thought dryly.

  “I’m nine years older than you, Ridge. That might not seem like a great distance to you. But it is. In a few years I’ll be an old woman, while you’ll still be a young, virile man.”

  Amusement dimpled his cheeks as he shook his head. “You’re gonna have to do better than that, Nicci.”

  Her lips clamped together as she drew in a deep, bracing breath. “Have you always wanted to date a grandmother?” she asked tartly.

  Laughter rumbled from deep in his chest and she couldn’t miss the twinkle in his eyes.

  “One that looks like you.”

  Rolling her eyes toward the heavy swag of limbs just above their heads, she said, “I w
on’t always look this way.”

  “Beauty isn’t youth or the number on a calendar, Nicci.”

  His remark caught her off guard and she realized yet again that he was definitely not the man she’d first thought him to be. He was far more dangerous, because he was beginning to touch her on the inside where she was most vulnerable.

  “Okay,” she said, trying to cling to her practical side. “I’ll give you more to think about than our age difference. I’ve gone through the dating game. I’ve been through a marriage. I don’t want any part of either of them again. Is that plain enough?”

  Ridge started to tell her that her kisses had contradicted her words, but he kept the remark to himself. Now wasn’t the time to push her. Not when he could see shadows of sadness in her eyes. The last thing he wanted was to anger or hurt her. He wanted to take those shadows away. He wanted to hear her laugh, see her smile. Most of all, he wanted her to reach out to him because her heart compelled her to.

  Smiling gently, he said, “All right, Nicci. I won’t push you anymore about the matter. At least, not today.”

  But he would later. The unspoken words hung between them, and for a moment Nicci was tempted to tell him about her marriage to Bill, how he’d lied about wanting children, how he’d continued to deceive her for years with empty promises, and how in the end he’d turned to other women and taken pleasure in flaunting them in her face. Maybe if she told him all of that, he would understand her fears, her reluctance to feel anything toward a man again.

  But she couldn’t tell him those things. The past was still too painful for her heart to confess. And she didn’t want him to know that a man had so easily duped her, that she’d blindly loved and trusted instead of seeing reality. After all, she was supposed to be a smart woman and that’s how she wanted Ridge to think of her.

  “Here,” he said, as he took the cup from a metal thermos and poured a small amount of coffee into it. “I promise to be your obedient slave for the rest of the day. So let’s have dessert and enjoy the rest of our ride. Okay?”

  Just seeing the dimples on his face was enough to melt Nicci like butter on a hot biscuit. After a moment’s consideration she decided there couldn’t be any harm in being with him for the remainder of the day. As long as she remembered their time together was temporary, it wouldn’t hurt to let herself dream a little.

  He handed her the coffee, and as she sipped, she smiled at him over the rim. “Sure, Ridge.”

  Chapter Seven

  Three days later, Nicci was sitting in her office, preparing to deal with an afternoon barrage of patients. Several medical charts lay on her desktop, but she’d not yet read over the details of any of them. Instead she was gazing out the window overlooking the city park that ran adjacent to the clinic’s parking lot.

  The day was hot, with only a few harmless puffs of clouds to mar the bright-blue sky. Young children were running and playing on the green grass, swinging on the swing sets and sliding down a tall, curved slide. Mothers were among them, guiding, soothing and watching over their young sons and daughters.

  Her eyes wistful, Nicci remembered back to when she’d first told her parents she was getting married. She’d happily promised to give them a houseful of grandchildren and she’d walked down the church aisle believing she was stepping toward the family of her dreams. Instead, each year had passed with her parents wishing and hoping and wondering when their daughter would become pregnant. Nicolette had also hoped and prayed for even one child to come into her life.

  At that time she’d not known it was medically impossible for Bill to have children. His surgery to become sterilized had been just another one of his cruel deceptions and one she’d not discovered until the end of their bitter marriage. By then her father had died and she was almost glad he’d not been around to see her utter failure.

  Sighing at the heaviness in her heart, she turned away from the window and picked up the chart lying atop the tall stack in front of her. Now wasn’t the time to be wallowing in disappointment, she fiercely told herself. Maybe it wasn’t meant for her to be a mother, but she still had a rich life with her job and her friends. She was blessed. She shouldn’t be wishing for more.

  Nicci opened the chart and began to scan a battery of test results. She’d hardly reached the bottom of the page when Jacki, her assistant, walked through the door carrying a massive bouquet of yellow roses interspersed with delicate baby’s breath.

  Staring with surprise, Nicci asked, “Where did those come from?”

  The nurse placed the vase on a bare spot of Nicci’s desk, then with a sly smile, pointed to the card pinned to a blue ribbon. “I don’t know. You tell me.”

  Nicci’s brows shot up. “You mean the roses are for me?”

  Jacki laughed with disbelief. “Well surely you know they’re not for me. I don’t know anybody who could afford two dozen roses like these. Besides, that’s your name on the front of the card.”

  Nicci couldn’t remember the last time she’d gotten roses. Years ago, she supposed, before Bill had quit being her husband.

  She stared at the flowers, her mind spinning to the doctor at the opposite end of the building. The bouquet had to be from Ridge. But why? Even though they’d had a nice ride over the ranch last Saturday, and a lovely dinner later that evening, she’d made it clear to him that she didn’t want to become romantically involved. And he’d accepted her feelings on the matter. At least, she’d thought he’d accepted them. She’d not heard from him or seen him since his visit to the Sandbur.

  Standing near the corner of the desk, Jacki impatiently tapped her foot. “Well, aren’t you going to look? Or is this a secret or something?”

  Not wanting her assistant to think she was hiding anything, Nicolette unpinned the card with fumbling fingers and opened the envelope. After she read the short message, she folded it and glanced at Jacki.

  “The roses are to thank me for dinner last Saturday night. And he wants to return the favor by cooking dinner for me at his place.”

  “The good doctor.” Jacki’s blue eyes suddenly gleamed with excitement. “You’re going to accept his invitation, aren’t you?”

  Releasing a long breath, Nicolette thrust the small square of paper back into the envelope. “I really shouldn’t, Jacki. It would only encourage him.”

  Jacki rolled her eyes. “Duh! Isn’t that what any normal, hot-blooded woman would do? Nicolette, the man is sexy as sin and on top of that he seems nice. What more do you want?”

  Rising from her desk, Nicolette adjusted her lab coat, then picked up the patient chart she’d been reading. She couldn’t let herself think about what she wanted. At one time in her life she’d wanted a lot of things, desperately, but in the end, all she’d gotten for it were bitter memories.

  “I don’t want anything, Jacki. Except my work. That’s enough for me. More than enough.”

  “You’re lying.”

  If Jacki hadn’t been a friend, Nicci would have reprimanded her. But instead Nicci simply scowled at her.

  “I’m not lying. And I’m not hot-blooded. Believe me, Jacki, Bill turned my blood to chunks of ice.”

  Grimacing, Jacki said, “Yeah, but I’m betting Dr. Garroway can melt it.”

  He could melt it all right, Nicolette thought. Just the memory of his kisses was enough to turn her face scarlet. For the past three days she’d been trying to forget those moments in the shade of the live oak tree. But try as she might, she couldn’t push away the excitement Ridge’s kisses had shot through her that afternoon. The memories wedged their way into her thoughts, and though she knew spending that time in his arms had been reckless, she didn’t regret it.

  For the first time in years, the future had begun to sneak into Nicci’s thoughts and in it she was thinking of herself as a woman again, imagining herself with a second chance at love. Dreaming those sorts of dreams was probably leading her toward heartache. But Ridge had scrambled her senses.

  Sighing, she glanced back at the beautiful roses
on her desk. Just what was he trying to say and should she even care?

  Biting down on her lower lip, she turned her gaze back to Jacki. “I do enjoy being with the man. He’s nice and fun. But I’m afraid he has more than friendship on his mind.”

  A giggle erupted from the red-haired nurse. “Nicci, look at yourself! Of course he has more than friendship on his mind. The man would be crazy if he didn’t!”

  Shaking her head, Nicolette said, “Jacki, Dr. Garroway is a young, good-looking man. He could have his pick of women. And frankly, I can’t understand his attraction to me.”

  “You always underestimate yourself, Nicci. And you always just think of yourself as a…doctor,” she finished with a frustrated groan.

  “That’s what I am, Jacki,” Nicolette retorted. “And I’m not in the market for a brief affair with Dr. Garroway.”

  She marched toward the door with the intention of heading to one of the examining rooms. Jacki followed quickly on her heels.

  “Maybe the doctor doesn’t want an affair, Nicci. Maybe he’s thinking in longer terms.”

  Jacki’s comments had Nicolette pausing at the door and turning her head back to her friend.

  “Are you suggesting that Ridge might be thinking of marriage?”

  With a totally innocent smile, Jacki nodded. “It’s possible, isn’t it?”

  A disbelieving laugh rolled past Nicolette’s lips. “Never.”

  Impatient now, Jacki shook a finger at her. “Are you certain? I dare you to prove me wrong.”

  Nicolette shot her a droll look. “And how do you expect me to do that? Ask him his intentions? Not in a million years.”

  Jacki scowled at her. “You can start by accepting his invitation to dinner. Instead of running like a scared rabbit.”

  Did she really want to find out what he wanted, Nicolette asked herself. She wasn’t sure. However, she was certain she needed to see him again. Good or bad, she didn’t want to end everything between them.

  She turned toward examining room three with Jacki at her side. “All right. All right,” she muttered under her breath. “When we finish with Mr. Pendleton, I’ll walk down to Ridge’s office and tell him to put the skillet on. I wouldn’t want you thinking I’m a chicken or anything like that.”