His Texas Baby

by Stella Bagwell

  Walking over to the cabinet, he took down a cup and filled it with coffee. “Did you find everything here in the kitchen? If there’s anything else you want or need I’ll send the girls out for it.”

  “I woke a little later than usual this morning. Other than make a pot of this decaf coffee and a piece of toast, I’ve not had time to really look things over.” She looked at him, her expression curious. “Do you normally eat breakfast? I didn’t think to ask. If you’d like to eat now, I could try to fix something.”

  He chuckled. “Kitty, I don’t expect you to act like a proper little wife with an apron wrapped around your waist and a spoon and spatula in your hands.”

  She looked away from him but not before he saw a slight frown crease her forehead. As he sipped the strong coffee, he wondered what could be going through her head. Last night she’d been so giving, so loving in his arms. Now she seemed more like an acquaintance than his wife.

  “I didn’t plan on becoming a ‘proper’ little wife,” she said flatly. “I was trying to be gracious.”

  It was clear he’d said the wrong thing. But damn it, he didn’t want her thinking she’d suddenly become his slave just because they’d signed a marriage certificate.

  Biting back a sigh, he walked over to where she was standing. “Sorry, Kitty. I just wanted you to understand that I’m used to doing for myself. But I do thank you for the offer anyway. It was nice of you.”

  In other words he didn’t need or want a wife fussing over his personal needs, Kitty thought. The fact should have filled her with relief. She didn’t have time to coddle a demanding husband. But it would be nice to think she was needed for more than sex and a bearer of his baby.

  Quickly, before he could spot her disappointment, she walked around him and plucked up a shoulder bag from the kitchen table. “I’ve got to be going.”

  She was almost out the door when he caught her arm from behind. Her brows arched in question, she turned back to him.

  “If you’ll give me five minutes I’ll drive the both of us to the track,” he offered.

  “That isn’t necessary. I’m used to doing for myself,” she stiffly repeated the words he’d given her.

  Shaking his head with frustration, he said, “I think we should start this morning over again, Kit.”

  His low, rough voice pulled on her senses and before she could stop them, memories of the night before began to swamp her thoughts. The touch of his hands and taste of his lips had worked magic on her senses. His body had driven her to paradise and back again. And with each minute that had passed in his arms, she’d fallen in love just that much more.

  But once their bodies had parted and cooled, she’d felt an invisible something creep between them. Instead of cradling her in his arms and telling her what their lovemaking had meant to him, he’d suggested she go to sleep and rest, then swiftly turned away from her.

  “Why should we do that?” she asked.

  With a wry smile, he gathered her into his arms and pulled her close. “This is our first full day of being husband and wife. We don’t want to start it out with a quarrel.”

  “We’re not quarreling,” she said breathlessly as her heart drummed against his hard chest. “We’re learning about each other.”

  “Hmm. Well, I think there’s a much more pleasant way to learn about each other, don’t you?”

  Mesmerized, she watched his face dip closer and then his lips were moving against hers, creating a heaven she couldn’t resist.

  She shouldn’t be so weak, she thought, so pitifully attracted to him. But she couldn’t stop the thrill rushing through her body any more than she could push aside the love he instilled in her heart.

  Easing his lips slightly back from hers, he murmured, “You could call Clayton and tell him you’ll be a little late, couldn’t you?”

  To do such a thing would wreck her morning schedule, she realized desperately. But to turn away from her husband would wreck it even more.

  After a moment’s hesitation, she eased out of his arms and pulled her phone from her bag. Once she’d exchanged a few brief words with her assistant, she turned back to Liam, and as he led her down the hallway to their bedroom, she wondered how long it would be before she woke up from this fog of desire? How long would it be before she realized that loving this man was going to take away everything she’d ever wanted in her life?

  Chapter Seven

  Later that morning, behind the training barn, Kitty stood watching the groom wash down Black Dahlia, a three-year-old filly that she and her father had coddled since she was a baby. Will had predicted big things from the horse and Kitty had sworn to do her damnedest to make sure Dahlia excelled to the winner’s circle. Everything Kitty had ever wanted depended on the filly’s success.

  But the hot steam rising from Dahlia’s back couldn’t begin to compare with the heated fury Kitty was lashing on her assistant.

  “I don’t know what in hell you thought you were doing, Clayton! I told you to work this filly for no more than four furlongs. And I damned well didn’t want her opened up at this late stage of the game! She runs in seven days! Or have you forgotten that, too?”

  Clayton stared at her, his expression stiff. “I don’t know why you’re raking me over the coals about this. Rodrigo is the one who worked her. And I’d assumed you’d already given him orders for this morning.”

  Kitty heaved out a heavy breath as she tried to compose herself. It wasn’t like her to lose her temper. In fact, she couldn’t remember a time she’d ever yelled at Clayton or any of her staff. But this was a whopping mistake, one that might cost them all dearly.

  “I did give him orders. But his English is sometimes spotty. That’s why I wanted you to go over everything with him in Spanish this morning!”

  A muscle jumped in Clayton’s tight jaw. “I did. I told him to follow your instructions. Besides, I had other things to do. It’s not like I was sitting around on my hands waiting for you to get here.”

  His comment hit home and her cheeks burned as she looked away from him. Instead of taking care of business, she’d been making love to Liam. Clayton didn’t know that, but he was probably thinking it and that was just as bad. To him it didn’t matter that she’d only gotten married yesterday. Being late this morning made her look indifferent and irresponsible, especially since a training mistake had been made.

  “Don’t worry. It won’t happen again,” she said tightly.

  Muttering a curse, Clayton lifted his cowboy hat from his head and slammed fingers through his thick hair. “Damn it, Kitty, I don’t know why you’re so fired up about this. Dahlia worked a bullet! You should be happy to learn she has that much speed.”

  A bullet meant the fastest workout for any horse of the morning going at the same distance. That was impressive. But it was also worrisome to Kitty. “Look, Clayton, I don’t have the advantage of years of training experience like my father had. And you have even more to learn than I do,” she said tersely. “Each horse is different and they have to be trained accordingly.”

  “I know that,” he shot back at her. “This isn’t my first day at the track. So don’t start treating me like it is!”

  “Dahlia is small and delicate. God only knows what this work is going to take out of her. I can only hope and pray she’ll recuperate before she runs next week.” Turning, she started to head back to the barn, but stopped to fling one last thing at him. “Do not put this filly back into her stall until she’s completely dry and cool to the touch! Think you can handle that?”

  “Yes, ma’am!”

  He gave her a mocking salute and Kitty swiveled on the heel of her boot and stalked into the barn. She was striding quickly down the shed row toward her office when her cell rang. Once she’d arrived at the track this morning, the calls had been practically incessant. She’d answered only the most urgent ones and let her voice mail pick up the rest. Since she was in no mood to talk to anyone at the moment, she didn’t bother to pull the instrument from her jeans po
cket and glance at the caller ID number.

  By the time she was seated behind her desk, the alert of an incoming message sounded on her phone, so she swiped it on and quickly listened to the voice at the other end. Even if she wasn’t in the mood for conversation, she didn’t want to irk an owner. The last thing she needed was for the barn to lose horses just because she didn’t make herself available.

  But to her surprise it wasn’t an owner. The caller had been a sportswriter for the DRF, who was interested in doing an article on her. The focus of the story would be on Kitty becoming the main trainer for Desert End and how she was coping on her own now that Will was gone.

  Once the message ended, Kitty put the phone aside and with a heavy sigh, dropped her head in her hands. What would her father be thinking of her now? she wondered miserably. He was a man who’d wanted and expected his orders to be followed to the letter. Yet if someone made a mistake he hadn’t lost his cool as she’d just done with Clayton.

  Her father had never been nearly seven months pregnant, either, she thought crossly. But that was no excuse. He’d had his share of problems and for the most part he’d dealt with them in a dignified manner. She had to do the same.

  Trying to push the whole episode out of her mind, she plucked up a workout sheet from her desktop and tried to focus on the fraction splits and track conditions. But her mind continued to jump in all directions. It was almost a relief when a knock sounded on the door and Clayton stuck his head around the edge of the wooden panel.

  “May I come in?”

  Leaning back in her chair, she motioned for him to enter the office. “I’m glad you’re here,” she said dully. “I need to apologize to you.”

  He stepped into the room and shut the door behind him. “There’s no need for that. I’m the one who was out of line. I should have made sure Rodrigo understood exactly what to do with Dahlia. When you’re not here, I’m in charge, so it was my responsibility and I let you down.”

  Shaking her head, she said, “Forget it.” She blew out a long breath and glanced away from him. “I should have been here.”

  His features taut with concern, he moved to the front of Kitty’s desk and stared down at her. “No. You shouldn’t be here at all, Kitty. And frankly, I don’t get it. You just got married yesterday. When you told me you’d be here this morning, I was shocked. I thought newlyweds wanted to be alone. If I had a wife who looked like you I damned sure wouldn’t be at the track the day after my wedding.”

  No. She supposed Clayton would treat a new wife differently. But then she seriously doubted he would ever marry, unless he was head over heels in love. He was the romantic sort. Not a practical man like Liam.

  Blushing, she looked at him. “You like the way a pregnant woman looks?”

  His gaze didn’t waver. “It looks good on you.”

  Feeling uncomfortable now, she said, “Well, there’s more to things than what you see, Clayton. Liam and I will take a honeymoon when the time is right.”

  Jamming his hands in the front pockets of his jeans, he looked down at the floor. “You know, when I first learned you were going to have a baby I tried to guess who the father might be. Liam Donovan never came into the picture, Kitty. Not even once.”

  He obviously has a thing for you. At the time Liam had made the remark about Clayton, she’d totally dismissed it. But now she wondered if her assistant had harbored feelings about her at one time or another. Dear God, she hoped not. She knew firsthand how terrible it was to love someone and not have that person love you in return.

  Clearing her throat, she said, “I imagine there’re plenty of people around here who were just as surprised as you. Liam was a widower for a long time.”

  He lifted his head and for a moment he looked as though he was going to say more on the matter, but he must have decided he’d said enough because he gave her a wan grin. “I’d better get back to work. The blacksmith is coming in a few minutes to reset Mr. Marvel’s shoes. I want to be there.”

  She nodded, and he headed for the door. As he started to leave, he glanced over his shoulder at her. “I’m sorry about Dahlia.”

  Kitty bit back a sigh. “And I’m sorry I lost my temper. So let’s just call it even, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  Clayton shut the door behind him and Kitty had to fight to keep a wall of tears from clouding her eyes.

  Pretend. Make believe. Sham. That’s all her life seemed to be now. One act rolling into another. First their families and friends, now the people she worked with. They all needed to believe that she was happy, her marriage perfect.

  When Liam had first suggested they put on an act, something deep and instinctive had told her it would be a mistake…that problems would surely arise from trying to create a false illusion. But in the end she’d agreed with him because he was a very persuasive man and because it was much, much easier on her pride to let people believe that Liam loved her, that they conceived this baby out of that passionate love.

  She’d never dreamed that all the pretending would leave her feeling so drained and empty. She was beginning to feel like a habitual liar and she wondered how much longer she could continue to convincingly play the part.

  *

  Later that afternoon, after a lunch of chicken salad and a carton of milk, Kitty left the confines of her office carrying a manila envelope full of important papers she needed to present to the secretary in the racing office, which was located in a separate building at the far end of the stable area.

  Since they’d parted early this morning, she’d not seen Liam. But he’d informed her that he’d be tied up with workouts and later, meetings with a blood stock buyer and a couple of jockey agents. Now, as she passed the stalls where his horses were housed, she could see his staff was still very busy walking, grooming and generally making sure that each animal was happy.

  “Oh, that feels good doesn’t it, sweetheart? Yes, I can see just how beautiful you are, but I can’t keep doing this forever. No matter how much you like it.”

  The sound of Liam’s voice suddenly caught her attention and she glanced to her left and the stall where it seemed to have originated. From where she stood, she couldn’t see around the filled hay bag hanging at the side of the door, so she walked over to the half gate and peered inside.

  What she saw brought an immediate smile to her face. Liam and a chestnut filly were having a playful interaction as he made a game of massaging her gums.

  “If my teeth were that beautiful I’d be laughing all the time,” he told the horse as his fingers caught the horse’s lips and jiggled them up and down in the simulation of a laugh.

  Kitty chuckled. “She’s saying she does laugh. She just doesn’t let you know when she’s doing it.”

  At the sound of her voice, Liam instantly looked over his shoulder to see her stepping into the stall.

  “Kitty. I didn’t know you were there.”

  The smile remained on her face as she went to stand beside him and the filly. “And I didn’t know I had female competition. Who is this beautiful young lady, anyway? Aren’t you going to introduce us?”

  “This is Royal Daisy,” he said proudly. “She’s two years old and I’m heading her toward the Del Mar Futurity later this year.”

  “Oh. Well, it sounds like you have royal ambitions for this classy lady.”

  Easing up to the filly, Kitty ran a hand over Daisy’s back and onto her hips. Beneath the shiny red coat was a faint pattern of dapples, a certain sign of her excellent health. Liam was known for being a trainer who built his horses from the inside out and she’d always admired him greatly for not only winning races, but also for the infinite care he gave each runner.

  “So you plan on racing at Del Mar, too?” she asked offhandedly, even though she was anxious to learn his intentions. The Del Mar meet would begin shortly after the baby was due. At that time, she wanted to be back in Texas, where Coral, the longtime Desert End housekeeper, would be ready to help her. The woman had raised seven ch
ildren in her lifetime. If anyone knew about babies and their needs, it was her.

  He looked at her keenly. “That’s been my plan all along. Why? Are you going to ship your horses down there, too?”

  What was the man thinking, besides the next race he was going to enter? she wondered, as she tried not to become vexed with him. “I’ve not planned that far ahead yet. Besides, the first few weeks of Del Mar will be up to Clayton. Since I’ll be indisposed at that time.”

  A puzzled frown marred his forehead. “Indisposed? What—” His gaze fell to her belly. “Oh. The baby will be coming in the first week or so of July. Well, that alters things a bit.”

  “Just a bit,” she said drily, then stepping around him, she started out of the stall.

  He turned away from the filly and started after her. “Kitty, wait! Are you leaving angry?”

  Angry? After this morning and the round she’d had with Clayton, she was going to try to keep anger off the radar of her emotions. But that still left disappointment and right at this moment she was feeling the weight of it.

  “No.” Trying her best to smile, she held up the manila envelope she was carrying. “I need to go to the racing office with these papers.”

  His hand rested on her shoulder and suddenly her mind was swamped with memories of this morning when he’d carried her back to bed, the way he’d gently undressed her, the way his eyes had closed when he’d sought her lips and how his hands had skimmed over her skin, leaving goose bumps in their wake.

  “You’re thinking I’m a selfish bastard. I can see it on your face.”

  No, she thought, he was seeing a woman that was swiftly losing her grip. “That’s an awful thing to say,” she said.

  His nostrils flared slightly as his fingers moved away from her shoulder to curve against her neck. “If I sound like a jerk it’s because it’s been a long time since I’ve had anyone other than myself to consider. Give me a chance, Kit, and I promise to do better.”