Clearing his throat, he reached for his coffee and she pulled her hand back and rested it on her mound of a stomach. As he darted a glance at her, he realized that the baby growing inside her made her just that much more womanly to him.
“Have you been feeling well?” he asked.
She smiled. “I feel like I weigh a ton. But other than that, I’m fine. I see the doctor in three days. He’ll let me know if something isn’t right. But the baby is playing circus, so he or she must be happy.”
“That’s good. Quint would have my hide if anything happened to his sister.”
Her blue eyes leveled on his face. “Is that the only reason for your concern?”
He’d not expected her to pose such a blunt question, and for a moment it took him aback. He could feel a flush of heat crawling up his neck as he said, “I’m not made of steel, Alexa. I want you and the baby to be safe, too.”
“Thank you,” she said softly.
A quirk of a smile touched his mouth, and then he turned his attention to eating the last of his pie. A few minutes later he suggested they go, and Alexa agreed. However, once they were off the restaurant deck, she asked if he’d like to walk down to the stream to see if they might spot some trout.
Not wanting to disappoint her, Jonas agreed, and with his hand firmly ensconced around her arm, they walked down a beaten dirt path until they reached the little stream shaded by pines and blue spruce.
“Oh! There goes a trout! See!” She pointed to the small fish darting among the boulders. “Do you fish, Jonas?”
“No. Never got into the sport.”
Her arm was so soft and warm, and standing next to her so inexplicably sweet, that Jonas kept his hold on her, in spite of the fact that she no longer needed his support.
“I’m not surprised,” she replied. “Cowboys are rarely fishermen. They think the sport is for geeks.”
Jonas chuckled. “Oh, I don’t know about that. We don’t have to be macho men all the time.”
She glanced up at him just as he gazed off at the tall mountain rising up in the near distance.
“That’s Sierra Blanca Peak,” she explained. “The Ski Apache resort is up there. Do you ski?”
“No. Never had the opportunity to learn. Do you?”
Her smile was tinged with a mixture of affection and sadness. “Yes. Mitch and I used to go skiing quite often. But that was before he died.”
Startled by her words, Jonas glanced at her. “Who was Mitch? A relative?”
Shaking her head, she said, “No. He was a young cowboy who worked on the Chaparral. In fact, in many ways you remind me of him.”
Interest peaked his brows. “Hmm. I hope that’s a compliment.”
Her gaze on the mountain, she allowed a wry smile to slant her lips. “I guess it is,” she murmured. “You see, I was in love with him.”
Chapter Four
For a moment Jonas was too stunned to say anything. Comparing him to a man she’d once loved was not anything he’d ever expected to hear from Alexa Cantrell.
“What happened to Mitch?” he finally managed to ask.
A soft sigh escaped her lips, and then she turned a smile on him that was both sad and sweet. “Forgive me, Jonas. The day is so beautiful, and it depresses me to talk about Mitch. I don’t want to ruin our outing. But I’ll tell you about it someday—when the time is right. Okay?”
“Sure.”
With his hand on her arm he guided her away from the stream and back to the truck. As they walked, he felt as though the ground was tilting beneath his feet. She’d spoken of the man called Mitch with such affection and longing. Much more so than the father of her baby. Clearly the young cowboy had meant a great deal to her. What had she meant when she’d compared him to her lost love? Jonas wondered shakily. Was she trying to tell him that she was attracted to him, maybe even falling in love with him?
Hell, Jonas, that’s about the stupidest thing that’s ever crossed your mind. You only met the woman a week ago, and the time you’ve spent with her wouldn’t fill up one whole day on the calendar. Besides, why would she want a man like you? She’s a rich ranching heiress, and she thinks you’re a nobody. Compared to her, you are a nobody.
“Is there any other place you’d like to stop by before we leave town?” he asked as he helped her into the cab of the truck.
“Thanks for asking, Jonas. But I have everything I need.”
He paused at the open door and watched her buckle the seat belt and adjust the strap beneath the mound of baby.
“Then I guess we’ll head home,” he said.
Nodding, she smiled. “Yes. That’s a nice sound, isn’t it? Home. I hope you’re beginning to think of the Chaparral as your home, Jonas.”
“Of course I am. You’re making it easy to do that, Alexa.”
As her eyes connected with his, the smile fell from her face. For a split second Jonas forgot that they were parked along a busy street and that a few feet away people were strolling up and down the sidewalk. Something about the look on her face made him want to lean his head in to hers, made him want to kiss her plush lips.
The happy shriek of a nearby child suddenly broke his trance, and Jonas awkwardly cleared his throat as he shut the door, then walked around to the driver’s side.
Their trip home seemed to pass more quickly. Maybe that was because Jonas was enjoying listening to her chatter about the ranch and a few of the horses she’d owned and ridden in her younger days.
By the time they reached the Chaparral, Jonas was beginning to see that she was far from the woman he’d first imagined her to be. She was warmer, sweeter, stronger. And he was far too charmed for his own good.
“Thank you for the outing, Jonas. It was very enjoyable,” she told him once he’d parked in front of the ranch house and helped her to the ground.
“I enjoyed it, too,” he admitted. He took her bags from the backseat of the truck. “I’ll carry these in for you.”
“There’s no need. They weigh practically nothing.”
“I’ll carry them just the same,” he told her.
They entered the house and Alexa was showing him where to put the bags when Sassy came bounding into the living room.
“Alexa? Where have you been? Frankie’s been calling from Texas and she—” The young woman broke off in midsentence, a look of surprise on her face as she spotted Jonas standing a few feet away. “Oh—I’m sorry! I didn’t know you had company. I mean—I thought you were alone.”
“It’s all right, Sassy. Jonas and I just got back from town,” Alexa explained. “Has something happened with my mother?”
“No. She was all excited about something. Maybe you should call her,” Sassy suggested, then glanced again at Jonas. “Er—whenever you have a chance.”
“I will,” Alexa told the maid.
Jonas quickly stepped up to them. “Don’t let me interrupt, Alexa. I’ve got to get back to the men.”
Alexa nodded at him. “I’ll see you later tonight, Jonas.”
Jonas hurried out of the house and didn’t stop moving until he’d crossed the ranch yard and entered his office.
Inside the stark, dusty room he quickly plucked his cell phone from his shirt pocket, while telling himself he was getting too familiar with Alexa. All that talk about home and seeing him later. He’d heard those words before. They’d seemed nice and cozy and comfortable for a while. But it hadn’t taken long for all that to change. No woman, not even one as special as Alexa, should make him forget that. Though he thought about a family, he wasn’t ready to settle down now—or maybe ever.
He punched in the number that rang straight through to his captain and waited for the man to answer. Five minutes later, after he’d related Picken’s tale about the cut fence, he ended the call. At that very moment, the door to his office opened, and the foreman over the ranch’s remuda walked in.
Laramie Jones was nearing thirty, a quiet man who was wise beyond his years. The story went that he’d been a foster
child, raised by an old ranch hand who’d worked on a spread in the Hondo Valley. He’d died when Laramie was only seventeen. That was when Lewis Cantrell had hired the young man on as a day hand. Thirteen years later Laramie made every important decision there was to be made about each and every horse on the Chaparral.
When Jonas’s captain had approached Quint about hiring a Texas Ranger, Quint had already been planning to give the general manager position to Laramie. So Jonas had taken the job knowing that once the rustling case was wrapped up, he’d hand the reins of the ranch over to Laramie. And as far as Jonas could see, the other man clearly deserved the job.
“Am I interrupting?” Laramie asked.
Jonas motioned for him to take a seat. “Not in the least. What’s going on? Trouble I need to know about?”
Laramie shook his head. “Nothing serious. One of the men took a spill this afternoon while they were moving cattle. He’s okay, but one of my best geldings is now lame. I’ve called the vet, and he should be here shortly.”
“Sometimes these things can’t be helped. Let’s hope the vet can take care of it,” Jonas told the younger man. “Actually, I’m glad you stopped by. Two ton of new horse feed is going to be delivered later this afternoon. We’ll talk about that stuff later and whether you think it will work out. Right now I wanted to ask you if you happen to be acquainted with Tyler Pickens?” He moved to sit down.
A slight grimace touched the other man’s face. “Not well. He’s not too friendly a character.”
Leaning forward, Jonas propped his elbows on the desk. “I’ve already gathered that much. What I want to know is, is he an honest man?”
Laramie shrugged. “Never known him to get involved in double dealings or anything like that. Why?”
Jonas stroked his chin with his thumb and forefinger. “Nothing really. I met him today and we didn’t exactly hit it off.”
Laramie gave him a lopsided grin. “I’d be worried if you’d made fast friends with the man.” He rose to his feet. “I really came by to say I’ve taken inventory, and we’re going to need at least thirty more ton of alfalfa for the horses. I’ve put in a few calls to see where we might find the best price.”
With a shake of his head, Jonas said, “Forget the price. I’m hearing the drought has cut the crop in half this year. Get it wherever you can find it. Quint won’t quibble about the cost.”
Laramie lifted the felt hat from his head and ran a hand through his dark hair. “You’re right. I just like to cut corners if I can.”
A truck and trailer rattled past the office, and the foreman glanced out one of the grimy windows. “There’s the vet. I’d better go.”
Jonas watched the man go out the door, then rose from his desk and walked over to the nearest window. But instead of peering down the ranch yard at the cattle pens and the never-ending activity around the barns, he gazed at the house.
From this angle he could see the long balcony attached to the upstairs bedrooms. Huge pots of red and fuchsia geraniums sat at intervals along the balustrade, while bent willow furniture with plush cushions was carefully grouped for relaxation.
The door to Alexa’s bedroom was open, but she wasn’t on the balcony. He wondered if after he’d left the house, she’d gone upstairs to lie down or speak to her mother in private.
Damn it. It wasn’t enough that he spent most of his nights lying awake, imagining her in the room next to his, he thought with a bit of self-disgust. Now he was taken to wondering about her in the light of day.
He’d definitely made a mistake by asking her to join him on the trip into town today, he decided. Still, he wouldn’t take it back or change it, even if he could. He’d enjoyed the time with her too much. And a man had to derive some joy out of life. Especially when he’d gone for so long with so little.
Even so, just to be on the safe side, he wasn’t going to see her tonight. He was going to make sure she was tucked safely away in her bedroom before he ever stepped foot in the house.
Much later that night Jonas was back in Ruidoso, sitting on a bar stool pretending to drink, while the men around him tossed down alcohol and talked about their day’s work.
Since taking on the rustling case, Jonas had hit at least five different bars plus a nightclub over at Ruidoso Downs. The drinking spots were the perfect place to pick up information. But so far he’d not heard anything that might be connected to the Corriente cattle or to those who might be unlawfully hauling the coveted bulls and heifers into the country.
Tonight he was batting another zero. For the past two hours he’d sat munching pretzels, sipping warm beer and eavesdropping on stories about unruly kids, cheating wives, arrogant bosses and overly dramatized hunting expeditions.
Deciding he’d heard enough, he paid his tab and left the drinking establishment, all the while asking himself if he should make a call to Tyler Pickens tomorrow. The man had said he’d contact Jonas about showing him where the fence had been downed, but Jonas knew he might have to wait for days for the other man to get back to him. As Pickens had said, ranchers were busy men, and he didn’t view the incident as a major crime. No doubt the rancher would shove the whole thing to the back burner.
The idea brought a tired sigh from Jonas as he climbed into his truck and started the engine. Presently the case was at a standstill. He needed to make things happen. Otherwise, it was going to be weeks before he saw Texas again. Weeks of dealing with Alexa Cantrell and the strange feelings she evoked in him.
The hands on his watch were nearing eleven-thirty by the time he returned to the ranch. As he parked in the back and made his way through the yard, he could see one dim light was burning in the kitchen. Alexa or the maid had probably left it on for him, and he was grateful for the gesture. Especially since he was still learning the layout of the house.
He was thinking he might slap some cold cuts between two slices of bread and eat the sandwich on his way up to bed as he stepped onto the back patio, but then he halted in his tracks.
There, lying on one of the cushioned loungers, was Alexa sound asleep. Her head was tilted to one side; her black hair spilled about her shoulders. A paperback book had slipped from her hand and fallen onto the concrete patio.
Jonas stooped and picked it up, then stared down at the sleeping goddess. What was she doing out here at such a late hour? Waiting on him? Oh God, he couldn’t think that. No. He didn’t want that from this woman. He’d had that from Celia, and he’d disappointed her time after time. The last thing he wanted to do was disappoint Alexa.
And yet to think that she might have been waiting to see him, speak with him, left his throat tight and a strange sensation swelling within his chest.
Trying his best to swallow the emotions, he bent down and softly touched a finger to her cheek. “Alexa. Wake up.”
She stirred slowly, and then her blue eyes focused on his face. “Jonas! Where—” She broke off as she glanced around her. “Oh—I must have fallen asleep.”
“It’s going on midnight. You should be in bed.”
She pushed herself into a sitting position, and Jonas straightened away from her.
“I—yes, I should. I was waiting on you to show up for supper.” Her sleepy gaze slanted up at him. “What happened?”
He felt awful and guilty. Just like a thousand times before. “I had to go into town again for something.”
He should have told her he’d be gone this evening. But he’d deliberately avoided doing that, too. Letting her in on his personal comings and goings would make it seem like she was important to him. Like they were a couple. He didn’t want to give her the wrong idea. And yet he didn’t want to hurt her. He wanted to scoop her up in his arms and kiss her. He wanted to tell her exactly what she was doing to him and show her exactly what he wanted to do with her. Lord was he confused!
She started to rise from the lounger, and Jonas reached a hand down to help her.
As she curled her fingers around his, she said, “You could have warned me you’d be gon
e.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t think it mattered.”
Standing next to him, she glanced up at his face, and for a moment Jonas thought he saw a flash of disappointment in her eyes. But he could have been wrong. Hell, he hoped he was wrong. Didn’t he?
“Forget it,” she said softly. Then, with her fingers still curled around his, she urged him toward the house. “Come on. There’s food waiting for you on the stove.”
As they entered the atrium and then the kitchen, Jonas told himself he should plead lack of hunger. He should say good-night and head straight up to his room. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t even find the strength to pull his hand away from hers.
Thankfully, she did that for him as she motioned for him to take a seat at the table, then stepped away to the cookstove.
“It’s actually too late to eat,” he said belatedly as he eased onto one of the dining chairs.
“You can’t go to bed hungry, and we only had casserole tonight. This is no problem,” she assured him.
While she waited for the food to heat up in the microwave, she placed a glass of tea on the table in front of him. Jonas couldn’t help but notice she’d changed into a soft blue dress that pleated above her breast and draped demurely over her belly. As she moved about the kitchen, the fabric caressed her hips the same way his hands wanted to, and he wondered if he was becoming a pervert. Was it right to want a pregnant woman this much? he wondered with self-disgust.
The food turned out to be something with lots of green chilies and longhorn cheese. She’d placed a small basket of corn tortilla chips next to his plate, and he used the crispy chips to scoop up the meat concoction. Going to bed after eating such spicy food would probably keep him awake, but that wouldn’t matter, he thought wryly. He’d hardly slept since moving into the house. Because Alexa was in the room next to his.
“Was everything okay with your mother?” he asked as she settled into a chair across from him.
Lone Star Daddy Page 6