Lone Star Daddy

by Stella Bagwell

  Abe smoothed his thumb and forefinger over the ends of his mustache. “Not always. I thought it was high time the boy had other interests on his mind. Hell, the Chaparral has developed into a huge business. Now that you’ve taken over, he’s not needed there.”

  Jonas wouldn’t say that. Most days he was up to his neck in work. “So you plan to run cattle on this new ranch you’re building?”

  “Cattle and horses,” Abe said with a confident nod. “I want to see it thrive before I die.”

  “Gramps! Don’t talk that way. You’re not going to die!” said Alexa.

  With a dry look at his granddaughter, Abe shook his head. “Is that so? Well, that’s news to me. I thought everyone died. Didn’t know I was gonna escape that event.”

  “Gramps, you know what I mean,” Alexa scolded him. “You’re not going to die anytime soon. You’re just like an old mule. Life doesn’t wear you down.”

  Abe reached across the small table and patted her cheek. “Just the same, I want things like I want them before I meet my Maker. And I’m trying like hell to talk Quint into reopening the Golden Spur.”

  Alexa gasped so loudly that Jonas first thought a labor pain had struck her. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “What’s the Golden Spur?”

  Her eyes were wide as they swung from Abe over to him. “It’s an old mine that’s sits on part of the property. A gold mine. It closed way back in the late eighteen hundreds.”

  “I didn’t know there was ever gold in this area,” said Jonas.

  “Sure, boy,” Abe asserted. “At one time, lots of it. Even had a railroad over by White Oaks. But when the gold dried up, it all became a ghost town. But some folks are still digging around these parts, and bits and pieces are being found.”

  There was a passion in the old man’s voice, which told Jonas this was a subject that fascinated him. And not for the money that might be involved, but simply because of the adventure of it.

  Alexa added, “There was even a mine called Old Abe in the area that Gramps is talking about. But it wasn’t named for him. That was long before the turn of the last century.”

  “Hmm. That’s interesting. So you think there might still be gold on your property?” Jonas asked Abe.

  “I’m as sure of that as I am that the sun will rise in the east. ‘Course, Quint ain’t as confident as me. He thinks I’m frittering away a fortune. But hell, that’s not the point. It’s the idea of a man bein’ productive, of makin’ use of what God gave us.”

  “I didn’t realize you’d been discussing such things,” Alexa interjected. “Quint’s not mentioned anything about the mine to me.”

  Abe settled a pointed look at her. “You’ve been gone. You ain’t been a part of things for a long time.”

  For a moment she looked hurt, and Jonas instantly wanted to scold the old man for speaking to her in such a way, but then he saw a spark of anger light Alexa’s eyes, and he realized she could defend herself.

  “Well, you can forget that!” Alexa tossed hotly back at her grandfather. “I’m back now, and you’re going to have to deal with me, too. And I’ll tell you another thing, Gramps. I’m not nearly the pushover that Quint is!”

  Abe appeared stunned for a moment, and then he began to cackle with joy and slap his hand down so hard on the table that the plates bounced. “Now, that’s the girl I wanted to see come to my supper table! It’s about time she showed up, instead of that whimpering little city girl you tried to be!” He rose from his chair and went around the table to kiss her cheek. “Welcome home, darlin’.”

  She looked at Jonas and smiled, and this time the tears he saw in her eyes were tears of pride and joy. The sight made him feel far happier than he ever should. This woman and her family had nothing to do with him. He was here on a job. Nothing more. Nothing less.

  Now make yourself remember that, Jonas.

  Chapter Six

  Long after the meal was eaten and the coffee drank, Alexa informed her grandfather that she was taking Jonas to see the springs. Jonas didn’t know what she meant, and he didn’t ask until she led him outside, beneath the pines.

  “Just what are these springs? And are they close enough for you to walk?” he asked.

  “The springs,” she told him as she wrapped both hands around his left arm, “are natural springs of water that flow from a small mountain just over the rise that way. Not far.” She pointed in a northerly direction. “That’s where the ranch got its name. Legend goes that the Mescalero Apaches used to dwell here because of the abundance of water.”

  “Is that where the ranch gets its water today?”

  She urged him forward. “Probably from the same vein. But these springs aren’t piped. It’s all natural. And very pretty there. I always like to hike up there whenever I come to see Gramps.”

  The walk to the springs didn’t require any exertion on Jonas’s part, but he worried about Alexa, and he made sure to keep his arm at the back of her waist at all times. By the time they’d wound their way through the pines and over the rocky trail that climbed to the springs, he could see she was winded, and he quickly made her sit on one of the flat rocks that surrounded a beautiful blue pool of water situated beneath the ledge of mountain.

  “Wow! This is a special place,” Jonas exclaimed as he eased down next to her. “I wasn’t expecting anything like this.”

  “I’m sure this little oasis would surprise most people who aren’t familiar with this part of the state. When Gramps first bought the property, he realized he had a gold mine right here in the water. That was way back in nineteen fifty-six. He came here from Texas, you know, when he was a very young man. So you two have something in common.”

  “You mean, besides you?”

  She looked at him, and the soft smile tilting the corner of her lips made him groan inside. All the while they’d been walking, he’d been touching her, breathing in her sweet scent as the warmth of her body seeped into the palm of his hand and spread through his body like a rivulet of slowly inching lava. Now all he could think about was holding her close, feeling her lips pressed against his.

  “Do you have me, Jonas?” she asked demurely.

  “Not really. But I’d like to.”

  His words were all it took to draw her head toward his, and then everything exploded as Jonas’s hand curved against the back of her neck and their mouths met.

  The sound of the trickling water, the birds twittering in the limbs of the pines, the insects buzzing in nearby bushes couldn’t drown out the sound of his heartbeat pounding loudly in his ears or the undoing moan coming from deep in her throat.

  Fire seemed to lick between their lips, turning that slowmoving lava into raging flames racing straight to his loins.

  With a needy groan, he pulled her closer, angling the top of her body across his lap and against his chest. At the same time his fingers dove into her thick hair and scrunched the soft black waves.

  At some point he recognized her arms slipping around his neck, her breasts smashing against his chest. Beneath his elbow he could feel the mound of her belly, her baby. Logic tried to push into his brain, yet it couldn’t break through the foggy desire swirling around him. In spite of everything, he found himself thinking of the child as his. His and hers. Theirs. The idea was euphoric to him, and it fueled his want for her even more.

  Just as he deepened the kiss, she opened her mouth, pushing her tongue between his lips until the tip of it touched his teeth. He groaned deep in his throat as urgent need seemed to pluck up his insides and twist them into agonizing knots.

  His tongue thrust forward to meet hers as his lips rocked back and forth, searching every curve and crevice, searching for the relief he needed. Unwittingly his hands slipped to the mounds of her breasts, while his heart pounded like an engine on the verge of exploding.

  He didn’t know which one of them finally broke the contact between their lips. Nor did it matter. As soon as they both gulped in several raspy breaths of air, their mouths were back together. Cli
nging, tasting, worshiping.

  Her hands began to roam over his chest and back, scalding him with trails of excitement, and when he sensed her fingers fumbling with the buttons on his shirt, all he could think about was having her naked in his arms, of kissing every inch of her, of making long, hot love to her.

  The drops of rain came slowly at first. Spattering here and there like birds hopping from one worm to the next. Jonas did his best to ignore them. He didn’t want to relinquish the heaven in his arms. But after a few more moments, the drops began to gather into full-fledged rainfall, forcing them to rise to their feet and hurry away from the springs.

  By the time they reached the shelter of the house, they were both soaked, and Alexa was laughing about her plastered hair and shirt. As for Jonas, even the cold raindrops had done little to put out the fire she’d started in him, and he wondered how long it would be before he slipped up and made love to her.

  If Leo, his captain, knew what was going on, he’d jerk Jonas out of New Mexico so fast, it would create a whirlwind large enough to tear up this whole ranch. But Alexa wasn’t a part of the smuggling case, he reasoned. Being with her wasn’t going to jeopardize his mission. Especially since she knew absolutely nothing about illegal cattle coming into the state, he continued to argue in his mind.

  But she was going to have to be told. Of that much Jonas was certain. He couldn’t go on like this. She deserved to know the real reason he was here in New Mexico and working on her ranch as much as he deserved the right to be honest with her.

  If learning he was a Ranger ended their fledging relationship, then he’d know he’d done the right thing. No matter how much it hurt.

  Chapter Seven

  Inside Abe’s cozy log house, the three of them watched the television screen with dismay. Not only was the local weatherman warning that a line of heavy rain was coming, but he was reporting widespread flooding just to the north of Lincoln County and moving south toward the Chaparral area.

  Rising urgently to her feet, Alexa turned to her grandfather. “We’d better leave, Gramps. Or Jonas and I might not be able to cross the river.”

  Abe’s concerned gaze included both of them. “Why don’t you two stay here with me tonight?” he suggested. “I’d feel better knowing you’re not drivin’ through the mountains in this frog floater.”

  Alexa glanced at Jonas, and he could tell by the faint nuances of her expression that she preferred to be home in her own bed. Whether she wanted Jonas in that bed with her was a question he tried to push out of his mind.

  “Jonas is a very good driver,” she assured Abe. “Besides, I have all kinds of book work to catch up on tomorrow.”

  Jonas added, “And I have several things scheduled to do. I really need to get back to the Chaparral tonight.”

  The old man waved a dismissive hand at them. “Fine. Go ahead. You young people don’t know how to use much common sense anyway,” he muttered.

  Alexa fetched her purse and the light jacket she’d brought with her, and they quickly said their goodbyes to Abe and left the house.

  Even as they walked to the truck, the steady rain was growing harder, and by the time they drove off the Cantrell property and reached the main highway, it was pouring.

  Nightfall had also come upon them, and the wet asphalt made seeing through the downpour even more tricky. Jonas adjusted the speed of the truck to a very slow pace and carefully guided the tires away from the deep puddles collecting on the rutted roadway.

  They’d traveled only a few miles when Alexa’s cell phone rang. The voice on the other end of the crackling connection was so dim, she could barely make it out.

  “Sassy? Is that you?”

  “Alexa!” Sassy shouted back at her. “I’m here—at my friend’s house. The streets are flooding! I don’t think I’d better try to drive home in this—-tonight.”

  “No—no. I don’t want you out in this,” Alexa assured her. “Stay there and stay safe. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “What about you? Are—things okay—? Where—?”

  The phone went dead before Sassy could finish her questions. Alexa snapped the phone shut and glanced over at Jonas, who was keeping his gaze fastened on the wet highway in front of them.

  “The weather must be doing something to the phone signal. Everything went dead. I guess it’s just as well. I didn’t want to tell Sassy we’re on the highway. She would worry.”

  “Well, at this speed, it might take a while to get home,” he told her. “But we’ll get there. I promise. Just lean back and try to relax.”

  More than an hour and a half later they were on Chaparral land, and Jonas braked the truck to a halt at the edge of the low water bridge that crossed the Bonito. Water was already running over the planked boards.

  His expression was grim when he glanced over at her. “I don’t like the idea of driving across this bridge. Not with you in the truck,” he said.

  She peered out at the wooden structure spanning the river. Rarely did the river spill out of its banks, but there had been a few times in the past when it had flooded. Before he died, Lewis had erected a safety gauge so that travelers could make out the depth of the water.

  The beam of their headlights illuminated the railings that served as guard rails on each side of the wooden span. Leaning forward, Alexa strained to see the water markers.

  “It’s okay, Jonas,” she finally said with relief. “Can you see the white lines painted on the left side of the bridge banister? Right now the water is only touching the bottom line. That means it’s still safe to cross. Let’s go!”

  Jonas didn’t argue with her. Being caught on this side of the river in the middle of a fierce rainstorm was the last thing they needed. But thankfully the bridge was solidly intact, and the water was not yet high enough for the swift current to sweep them downriver.

  A few minutes later they finally arrived at the house. Jonas parked the truck near the front steps and quickly helped Alexa into the living room.

  A lamp was burning in a far corner of the room, and in the dim glow he glanced over to see her struggling to peel off the damp jacket she was wearing. There was a strained look of fatigue on her face, and he realized the harrowing trip back home had taken a toll on her.

  “Let me help you with that,” he murmured. “You look exhausted.”

  Standing behind her, he pulled the jacket from her shoulders, then tossed it over the back of a nearby chair.

  “I am really tired,” she admitted as she shoved strands of wet hair off her face. “I guess I’ve done too much today.”

  Back beside her, he rested his hands on her shoulders. “You shouldn’t have taken me on that hike to the springs,” he gently admonished.

  A weary smile touched her lips, and he felt his heart turn over with concern and love. Love? No. Not that kind of love, he quickly corrected himself. He cared about her. Yes. Cared. That was the right word.

  “I wanted you to see it. It’s one of my favorite places in the world, and you’re the first person I’ve ever taken there.”

  Jonas tried to downplay the significance of her words. But that was hard to do when everything inside of him wanted this woman to admire him, want him.

  He brushed his fingertips against her cheek. “Alexa, at the springs—when we kissed. I—hadn’t planned on things getting so out of hand.” Shaking his head, he searched for the right way to explain his torn emotions. “I want you to know that I—not for anything would I have hurt you. I mean, I wanted you—a lot. But you’re going to have a baby and—”

  Before he could say more, she touched her fingertips to his lips, and her eyes sparkled with moisture as they glided over his face. “Jonas,” she whispered, “just because I’m pregnant doesn’t mean I can’t make love. At the springs—I wanted you, too. A lot. But now—” her lips curved into a regretful smile “—I’m afraid I’m a bit too tired to invite you into my bed tonight.”

  She’d barely gotten the words past her lips when she began to weave on
her feet, then topple toward him.

  “Dear God, Alexa!”

  Catching her before she fell, Jonas lifted her into his arms and quickly carried her up the stairs and into her bedroom.

  After he’d placed her on the bed, he helped her out of her rain-soaked shirt and jeans.

  “Where’s a nightgown?” he demanded. “I don’t want you getting off that bed for any reason.”

  She told him where to find the garment, and once he returned to her with the piece of flimsy blue fabric, he helped her peel away her undergarments.

  “I didn’t want you to see me like this,” she said with embarrassment as he lowered the nightgown over her head.

  “Don’t be silly,” he said gently. “You look beautiful. Tired. But beautiful.”

  Glancing up at him, she tried to laugh. “You have the tired part right.” Reaching for his hand, she clasped her fingers around his. “And I’m sorry, but I do have to leave the bed for one thing. The bathroom. If you’ll just help me, I promise I’ll get right back in bed.”

  “I’m here to help,” he softly assured her.

  “No. You’re here to manage the ranch. You didn’t know you were going to become my nursemaid.” She glanced at him with a bit of wry regret as he helped her back to her feet. “I’m so sorry I said that to you, Jonas. I was such a crab to you that day. You must have been thinking awful things about me. And I wouldn’t have blamed you.”

  He’d been thinking a lot of things that day, Jonas thought. But none of them could compare to the thoughts running through his head right now. The feel of this woman he held in the circle of his arms was far more precious than he’d ever expected it to be.

  “We all have our days, Alexa. And I forgot all that a long time ago.”

  She was in the bathroom only a few short minutes. Jonas helped her back to the bed; then, because the air had grown chilly, he pulled the covers up to her chin.

  Outside the rain was still pouring down, and every now and then bolts of lightning streaked across the sky and flashed in the bedroom. By the time he switched off the lamp at the head of the bed and leaned down to kiss her forehead, her eyes had already drifted shut.