The Best Catch in Texas

by Stella Bagwell

  Money. It wasn’t right that a human life had to depend on it for survival. As far as Ridge was concerned, having the stuff was more of an albatross than anything else. But then he’d never been like Meghan Delaney. Neither had Nicolette. And he wondered if either of them could really understand what it would be like to be in the poor woman’s shoes.

  Smiling gently at her, he shook his head. “Don’t worry about the expense. We’ll make sure that everything is taken care of and that David gets the care he needs.”

  He twisted his head around in search of the red-headed nurse and noticed for the first time the name pin on her uniform. Jacki. Apparently she was the nurse who’d talked Nicolette into having dinner with him last night. He needed to remember to thank the woman.

  “Jacki, would you show Ms. Delaney and her son down to my office and tell the receptionist to make space for David this morning.”

  “Of course, Dr. Garroway,” Jacki told him, then with a kindly smile ushered the woman and child toward the door.

  As the three of them were about to exit the small examining room, Jacki realized the baby was still chewing happily on Ridge’s cell phone. “Oh here, you’re going to need your phone back, Dr. Garroway.”

  “Let him have it for a toy,” Ridge spoke up. “I have another in my office. I’ll just activate it.”

  Meghan Delaney looked over her shoulder, her gaze encompassing both Ridge and Nicolette. “Thank you,” she said in a strained but grateful voice. “Thank you both.”

  Jacki shut the door firmly behind them and Ridge turned to Nicolette. “So Dr. Saddler sees patients for free.” He clucked his tongue in teasing disapproval. “How do you expect the rest of us to compete with that?”

  Shrugging, she gave him a sheepish smile. “I’m not here for the money. And apparently you aren’t, either. Since when did doctors go around giving his cell phones to patients as toys? You know that woman can use up all your minutes.”

  “I hope she does.” His expression sobered as he closed the short distance between them. “I’m glad you called me down here, Nicci. The baby needs attention.”

  “The moment I examined him, I knew he needed you.” She looked at him earnestly. “Will he get well? I suppose I should have asked that question before I reassured the mother. But I happen to have unbounded faith in you.”

  The corners of his mouth curved ever so slightly upward as dimples came and went in his cheeks. “Really?”

  Seeing the sudden gleam in his eye, she began to stutter, “Uh, as a doctor—that’s what I’m talking about.”

  “Little David is going to be fine.” Moving even closer, he placed his hands on either side of her waist and rested his forehead against hers. “What about you having faith in me as a man?” he murmured.

  Being this close to him in a private place was one thing, but here in the clinic where anyone might walk in was something else. Yet she couldn’t even glance at the door to make sure they were still alone, her gaze was too enthralled with his rugged face. So much for her resistance, she thought wryly.

  “I do.”

  “You left this morning and I wanted you to stay.”

  Heat filled her cheeks as her heart thudded with excitement. “Just because I left doesn’t mean I didn’t want to stay,” she admitted.

  “Oh, Nicci, Nicci,” he said with a groan. “Do you know what you do to me? How much I want you?”

  He didn’t give her time to answer. Instead his lips gathered hers up in a hot frantic union that brought Nicolette’s blood to an immediate boil.

  Even knowing that they could be interrupted at any moment wasn’t enough to quell her desire for him. Her hands clung to his shoulders while her knees turned to mush. She’d just made love to the man only hours before, yet she wanted him again with a force that stunned her.

  Both of them were breathing hard when he finally lifted his mouth away from hers and whispered, “I’ve got to be with you again, Nicci. Will you come to the house tonight?”

  “I…I suppose. But Ridge, we can’t go on like this.” She attempted a protest, but she sounded lame, even to her own ears. Already her thoughts had leaped forward to the moment they could be together again.

  “Why can’t we?” he asked with a wicked grin, then, pulling away from her, he sauntered out the door before she could collect herself enough to answer.

  Later that evening, Nicolette was sitting at her desk, attempting to finish the last of a pile of paper work when her private cell phone rang.

  Expecting it to be her mother or someone from the ranch, she was more than surprised when Ridge’s voice sounded in her ear. Since she’d only given him the number this morning, she hadn’t expected him to use it so soon.

  “Ridge. What are you doing? Are you already home?”

  He sighed. “No. I’m at the hospital. I’m in an emergency situation with a patient, and there’s no way of telling how soon I’ll be finished,” he answered.

  Her spirits plummeted, even though common sense told her that she needed to cool things between them. “So, there’s no need for me to come by your place tonight?”

  “I’m sorry, Nicci. I don’t want you to have to sit and wait for what could turn out to be hours. The patient is critical right now and I don’t want to be too far away. I hope you understand.”

  Of course she understood, but that didn’t make her feel any better. All day she’d dreamed about seeing him again. Her heart had been planning on it. Now she had to go home and deal with her own lonely company, something she’d been doing for years but which tonight seemed unappealing.

  “I do, Ridge. I wouldn’t want you to leave the patient—especially not for me. We, uh, we’ll get together later.”

  His voice lowered. “I hate this, Nicci. I want to see you so badly. You know that, don’t you?”

  Her gaze fastened on the yellow roses on her desk. She’d take the bouquet home with her tonight and maybe they’d give her a measure of comfort. But nothing would take the place of having his arms around her. The realization frightened her. She couldn’t let Ridge become the most important thing in her life. That would mean she loved him. And she couldn’t let herself make that mistake again.

  “Yes.”

  “We’ll try again tomorrow night. Okay?”

  Her sigh was so soft it was inaudible to his ears.

  “All right, Ridge. If things are quiet after work tomorrow evening, I’ll see you then.”

  “Great! I gotta go now. Bye, my sweet girl.”

  He quickly cut the connection and Nicolette slowly shut off her phone and tossed it into her purse.

  Barely able to suppress her disappointment, she finished off the last of the paperwork. She was stuffing reports to read at home into her briefcase when Jacki entered the office.

  “All done out here,” she announced cheerfully. “Ready to lock up?”

  Nodding, Nicolette jammed the briefcase under one arm, then reached for the roses with both hands.

  “I’m ready. Would you hold the door open for me?” she asked.

  “You’re taking the roses home with you? Why? I thought you liked having them on your desk,” Jacki reasoned.

  “I do. But I…well, I just thought it would be nice to have them at home with me before they wilt.”

  “Speaking of wilting, you look like you’ve just lost your best friend,” Jacki remarked with a thoughtful glance at her. “But since I’m still here, that can’t be your problem. Has something happened at the ranch?”

  “No.” Nicolette started to give her friend a half-baked excuse for her mood, then decided at the last minute to tell the truth. “Actually, Jacki, I had plans again with Ridge tonight. But they just fell through. He has an emergency going on over at the hospital.”

  “Oh. I’m sorry.” She looked at Nicolette with faint surprise. “I didn’t realize you were planning on seeing him again this soon. Are things getting serious between you?”

  Nicolette’s gaze fell to the graceful yellow rosebuds gathered agai
nst her chest. For the past few days she’d felt like a young woman being courted, and maybe she’d let the excitement of being wooed by a handsome man like Ridge skew the reality of the situation. Maybe she wasn’t nearly as important to him as he was becoming to her.

  Sighing, Nicolette started walking toward the door. “I don’t know how to answer that, Jacki. A part of me wants to get serious about Ridge. But then the practical part of me—” she paused and shrugged, while behind her, Jacki opened the door so that Nicolette could maneuver through the opening with the huge bouquet.

  “Worries,” Jacki finished for her. “Nicci, you’ll never find true love if you don’t let yourself look for it.”

  Groaning, Nicci stepped through the door and waited in the hallway while Jacki made sure the lock was secured. “And make another huge mistake?” she asked bitterly.

  Jacki gave her a pointed look. “Dear Nicci, mistakes aren’t the end of things. They’re just opportunities to learn.”

  Thirty minutes later, when Nicolette arrived home, she was still thinking about Jacki’s sage remark. What had she learned from her mistakes with Bill? That all men were not to be trusted? That most of them should be slinking through the woods on their bellies? No. Her ruined marriage had taught her that she’d given her love to a man without really knowing him. True, Bill had deliberately lied, but she should have looked closer. She should have been perceptive enough to pick up on the clues of his dark side. Instead she’d been blinded by love.

  Dear God, don’t let Ridge blind me all over again, she prayed.

  Later that evening she was sitting down to a solitary supper when her mother burst into the kitchen. Her face was full of excitement as she hurried over to where her daughter sat at the pine table.

  “Nicci, just wait until you see what I got at the sale today! They’re adorable! Hurry up and finish your plate. I want you to come down to the barn with me.”

  Geraldine’s eyes were sparkling and there was a glow to her face that Nicci hadn’t seen in years.

  “Don’t tell me you bought more horses,” she said with amazement.

  Geraldine smiled impishly. “Two colts. Two paints! They’re not a year old yet and they’re half brothers from the same father.”

  Since she’d only been going through the motions of eating, anyway, Nicolette put down her fork and rose from the table. “All right. Let’s go see these darlings of yours.”

  “Well, you don’t have to get in that big a hurry. Finish your supper first. Cordero is just now getting them settled anyway.”

  Nicolette shook her head. “I’m finished with supper. I wasn’t very hungry.” She looped her arm through Geraldine’s and headed them both out the back door of the kitchen. “Now tell me about your day,” she said. “Did you have a good time with the senator?”

  As the two women walked across the patio, Geraldine sighed dreamily. “Nicci, I truly enjoyed every minute of today. Wolfe was a complete gentleman. And best of all, he made me laugh.”

  Nicolette glanced over at her. “Sounds like you had a good time. I’m glad.” Her eyes narrowed keenly as she studied her mother’s face. “Could this be the start of something serious?”

  For the first time in Nicolette’s memory, her mother blushed. “Oh, Nicci, I honestly can’t say where this might lead. I need to know him better and he’s such a busy man. Being out like this for a whole day is something he rarely gets to do.”

  The two of them had crossed the back lawn and were now walking on the beaten trail that led down to the same large barn where Nicolette and Ridge had gotten their mounts.

  “I’m sure,” Nicolette replied. “Politicians are on call just like doctors. Their schedules are demanding.”

  “But worthwhile,” Geraldine added, then reaching over, she patted Nicci’s arm. “Even though I wish you had a houseful of kids needing you, rather than a waiting room full of patients.”

  Nicolette didn’t reply. The mention of children had her thoughts turning to little David Delaney. Seeing Ridge handling the baby with such loving hands had struck her deeply. There was no doubt in her mind that he’d be a wonderful father. But to her children? She was kidding herself to think he might ever want to take their relationship that far. She was thirty-eight years old. Even if she did look good enough to turn his head for a brief affair, that was a far cry from viewing her as a potential mother for his children.

  They found Cordero and the two yearlings in a pen connected to the back of the barn. The small area was shaded by a huge live oak tree and equipped with an automatic watering trough. As Nicolette and her mother approached the fence, the two colts left Cordero’s side and trotted over to them with eager whinnies.

  “That’s about right,” Cordero spoke up with a grin. “I always lose my buddies when good-looking women show up.”

  Nicolette’s younger cousin, Cordero Sanchez, had been in charge of the horse management of the Sandbur for several years now. He was a tall, lean guy with wavy black hair and a face as handsome as all get-out. But in spite of his good looks, Nicolette knew it was his teasing charm that made him a hit with the ladies. So far he’d been gun-shy about walking down the aisle, even though his older brother, Matt, had married only a few months ago.

  “I wanted Nicci to take a look at my babies,” Geraldine told him, then asked, “What do you think about them, Cordero?”

  All three of them knew it didn’t matter what he thought about the colts. Geraldine was set on having them. But she obviously valued her nephew’s opinion. Otherwise Cordero wouldn’t be managing the multi-million-dollar horse sales the ranch yielded every year.

  He chuckled. “Not bad for grade horses. They’ve got nice big bones. They’ll be good for using at roundup when rough riding is needed.”

  Stunned, Nicolette looked at her mother. “You bought grade horses? I’ve never known you to do something like this.”

  The older woman frowned at her daughter. “Not every good horse is a registered animal, Nicci. Besides, these two had already been weaned from their mamas and they had to have a good home.”

  The two colts were handsome, their coats splotched with white and dark brown. Both were extremely endearing, but without having registered papers they would never be worth a whole lot monetarily.

  “Why, Mother, I think the senator must have softened your heart today,” Nicci teased.

  “That’s what I was thinking,” Cordero added with an impish grin. “Aunt Geraldine goes off on a date and comes back with two orphan colts. Next time it might be a husband.”

  Enjoying the banter, Geraldine laughed. “Speak for yourself, Cordero. One of these days you’re going to go off on a horse buying trip and come back with a wife.”

  Slapping a hand across his heart, he staggered backward. “Nicci, hurry and give your mother a pill from your little black bag. My aunt is obviously sick.”

  Nicolette tried to laugh with her cousin, but the most she could do was give him a wry smile. “A pill won’t cure love, Cordero.”

  Otherwise she would have taken one after the very first kiss Ridge Garroway had planted on her lips.

  Chapter Eleven

  Late the next evening, Ridge was sitting at the kitchen table, helping Corey with algebra homework, when the sound of a car engine and Enoch’s barking interrupted their work.

  “That’s probably Nicci. I’ll go see.” As Ridge rose from his seat at the table, he pointed to the paper lying in front of the teenager. “You finish the equation.”

  By the time he stepped onto the verandah, Nicolette had parked her car by the yard fence and was passing through the gate. With a wide smile on his face, he trotted out to meet her.

  “You’re here. Finally,” he said as he swooped her up in a tight hug that lifted her completely off her feet.

  By the time he’d set her back down she was laughing. “I think I’m all here,” she told him as she smoothed down the skirt of her pale-pink sheathe.

  Grabbing both of her hands, he walked backward while leadi
ng her toward the house. “I tried to call you this evening to make sure you were still coming. Your receptionist said you’d already gone for the day.”

  “I had several chores to do away from the clinic,” she explained.

  By now they’d reached the steps to the verandah, and he paused before leading her the rest of the way. “I was afraid that maybe you wouldn’t show up,” he confessed.

  Surprised by the serious look on his face, she asked, “Why? I told you I would.”

  He shrugged. “Yes. But after I had to cancel because of work, I figured you might be…well, peeved with me.”

  She squeezed his hands. “Ridge, how could I be peeved with you for doing your job? You’re a doctor. You’re supposed to be committed to saving lives.”

  “Yes, but I don’t want to disappoint you.”

  A sense of déjà vu suddenly crept over her. Many times she’d said those very words to Bill. She’d felt guilty about being away from him while she cared for the sick. As a result she’d bent over backward in other ways to make up for their lost time together. But in the end she’d been wasting her effort and her love. He’d used her busy work schedule as a reason to have affairs.

  Turning her mind away from that dark memory, she quickly assured him, “You didn’t disappointment me. But I did miss you.”

  With a little groan he tugged her forward and placed a quick but hungry kiss on her lips. “Corey is inside finishing up his homework,” he said. “Let’s go in.”

  Moments later, as the two adults entered the kitchen, Corey looked up from his Algebra book. The moment he spotted Nicolette he politely rose to his feet.

  “Evening, Miss Nicci,” he greeted.

  “Good evening to you, Corey,” she replied. “How is the homework coming?”

  With a lopsided grin, he scratched the top of his head in contemplation. “Mr. Ridge says I’m getting better. But I’m not so sure about that. Guess I’ll find out when the teacher gives us another test.”