by Judy Duarte
“You’re too good to me, Miguel.”
“No. You’re the one who’s been too good.”
The conversation lagged for a beat, then Mike said, “I’ll be back in Philadelphia before you know it.”
“That’s good to know. I’ve missed you. Well, I’d better let you go. I’ve got to get to the post office before it closes. Mr. Ballard is expecting a package.”
“All right, Mom. I’ll talk to you soon.”
When the call ended, he focused on the road ahead, on the jackrabbit that dashed across the street. On the cows that grazed in the grassy field to his right, the cornstalks growing to his left and on the black crows that roosted on the telephone wires overhead.
No, Buckshot Hills was nothing like Philly, which was alive with culture and history. All things considered, he ought to be looking forward to returning home for good.
And he was.
But when it came to counting the days, he couldn’t seem to get past one—tomorrow.
When he’d spend the evening with Tammy.
Chapter Ten
Tammy had darn near worn a path through the hardwood floor in the living room, as she paced in front of the window, waiting for Mike to drive up.
Yesterday he’d said that he didn’t want to stay while everyone was still reeling from the meeting, and she hoped that he’d feel differently today, especially since the family had already begun to disperse.
Nathan and Aidan, whose construction company had been invited to bid on a big project in Dallas, had left early this morning, saying they needed to submit their proposal.
And as far as her father and uncle went, they’d each taken off, too, but in different directions. No surprise there. But at least they weren’t fighting.
Tammy hadn’t told anyone about the receipt yet, other than Jenna, who was going to tell Donna. But with Tex coming to the end of his days, there was a lot of emotional stuff to deal with. And Tammy suspected that Savannah’s possible pregnancy was the least of their problems. In fact, a revelation like that might prove to make things worse between her father and uncle. So she’d kept quiet about the receipt and spent the bulk of her day getting ready for Mike’s arrival, which included a trip into town for propane.
She’d found an old barbecue in one of the outbuildings yesterday and had taken it to the dream cabin and cleaned it up. If her luck held out, the old thing would light right up and she’d grill chicken that had been prepared with her special marinade.
Today, when she’d prepared a salad and rice pilaf, she’d set the table for two. Then she’d returned to the main house and took a second shower of the day. Then she’d put on a skimpy little pair of silky white undies, as well as the matching bra, and slipped into the snug jeans Jenna had insisted she buy—a fancy pair she’d never wear while riding or working on the ranch.
She chose a turquoise top with a scooped neckline to round off her outfit. After brushing her hair, she applied a bit of makeup—some mascara and lipstick. Of course, by now, she’d probably chewed all the color from her lips.
When she finally heard Mike’s truck pull into the yard, she did her best to act cool, calm and collected, even though her pulse rate spiked.
Yet in spite of her best intentions, she opened the door before he had the chance to knock.
She greeted him and let him inside, yet she couldn’t help allowing her gaze to linger on him.
He wore a pair of black slacks this afternoon and a pale blue dress shirt, reminding her more of a city doctor and not the kind of man who dedicated his life to treating small-town folk. Yet his dark hair, which was stylishly mussed, whiskey-colored eyes and easy grin suggested he was as down-to-earth as any ol’ Buckshot Hills cowboy.
Well, not just any cowboy. One who was as tall, dark and sexy as the good Lord made ’em.
“How’s your grandpa doing today?” he asked.
“He’s been sleeping a lot the past few hours, but that’s probably due to him having quite a few visitors this morning. My brothers each talked to him before they left. And so did my dad and my uncle, which must have taken a lot out of him.”
“I’m sure it did.” Mike’s gaze locked on hers, and her tummy turned inside out. “How about you, Tammy? How are you holding up?”
In truth? She was torn between nagging grief at losing her grandfather before ever having a chance to really get to know him and the thrill of seeing Mike again. But she couldn’t very well admit that to him, so she gave a little shrug. “I’m all right. But it’s not easy watching him grow weaker each day.”
Mike placed his hand on her shoulder in a sympathetic gesture, yet the heat of his touch shot clean through her, warming her to the bone.
The emotion in his eyes, the compassion in his touch, changed something deep inside of her, setting her whole life on hold—and on edge.
Sure, her father and brothers had always been good to her—understanding, too. But never like this.
As a result, whatever feelings she’d thought that she had for Dr. Mike Sanchez deepened now, shifting from sexual attraction and respect to something more. Something she could pin her heart and dreams on for the rest of her natural born days.
For that reason, she felt as if she could tell him anything, ask him anything. And the whole idea was both comforting and scary at the same time.
After all, she’d never let anyone see the real Tammy before—the heart of the woman she’d kept hidden behind oversize flannel shirts.
Shaking off the momentary vulnerability, she turned her thoughts back on Tex.
“How much longer do you think he has?” she asked.
“My best guess is just days.”
Tammy glanced down at her feet and bit her bottom lip, then looked back up at Mike. As she did so, tears filled her eyes and slipped down her cheeks.
For as long as she could remember, she’d done her darnedest not to ever cry in front of anyone, especially those of the male gender. So she swiped at the moisture with the back of her hand, fighting the emotional weakness.
Mike reached out and cupped her cheek, his thumb caressing her skin, his gaze laden with compassion. “I’m sorry you have to go through this.”
She wasn’t sure how to respond. A thank-you didn’t seem to work—to be enough. Instead, she just stood there, her eyes locked on his, as some kind of invisible bond formed between them. Something tangible. Something...promising.
Mike’s fingers trailed down her cheek as he lowered his arm. “I’d better go check on him.”
Yes, he should. Yet neither of them moved for the longest moment, as if he was as reluctant to let go and step away as she was.
“I have dinner cooked,” she said. “If you’re hungry.”
“In the cabin?”
Where else could she have him all to herself? She nodded, her heart rate pounding to beat the band.
“All right. I’ll meet you there.”
Perfect. Just as she’d hoped. Just as she’d dreamed, just as she’d planned.
As Mike headed for the hallway that led to Tex’s bedroom, Tammy left the house through the kitchen, taking time to snatch one of the peanut butter cookies Barbara had baked to eat on the run.
At one time, she thought she was destined to live on her daddy’s ranch the rest of her life—an old maid, a quirky aunt to her brothers’ children.
But now, some big changes were on the horizon.
Yet the future never looked brighter.
* * *
Mike took one last look at Tex, who was resting easy in spite of the trying day. He hoped the old man had been able to talk to his sons, and that some sort of healing had begun, because he’d grown to care about the dying rancher and his family.
Okay, so the family member Mike cared most about was Tammy. What was he going to do ab
out her?
He wasn’t sure if he should put her on a stage and enjoy her unpredictable antics, store her on a shelf so he could step back and admire her from afar, or draw her close and enjoy the ride of his life.
After taking a moment to talk to Tina and give her instructions to call him on his cell if Tex should take a turn for the worse, Mike left the house and headed toward the cabin. He found himself looking forward to seeing what Tammy had fixed for him tonight, and he kicked up his pace a notch.
By the time he reached the knoll, the sun had slipped low in the west Texas sky, streaking the horizon in shades of pink, orange and gray. Up ahead sat the cabin.
Tammy hadn’t set a table on the porch, like she’d done the last time he’d come. He wondered what she had in mind this time. Dinner in the house, he supposed.
He climbed the steps, crossed the small porch then knocked.
When Tammy opened the door, the aroma of whatever she’d cooked snaked around him, taunting him. Yet it was the scent of her spring-fresh perfume and the warmth of her breezy smile that sent his senses reeling. And for the briefest moment he wondered what it might be like to set down roots in Buckshot Hills.
But Mike couldn’t do that. He’d worked too hard to give up his dream of practicing cutting-edge medicine.
“Come in,” Tammy said, stepping aside. “Dinner’s just about ready.”
“It sure smells good.”
“Thanks. That’s just the rice pilaf. I’d planned to grill chicken on the back patio. Why don’t you come outside? You can handle the barbecue—if you’d like to. Or I’ll do it. No biggie.”
He followed her outdoors, where she’d set up the table, along with a candle, a small glass vase of wildflowers and an uncorked bottle of white wine.
“I’ll do the grilling,” he said. “Why don’t you sit down and relax?”
“All right, you’ve got a deal. The rice is finished. And I have a salad in the fridge. As soon as the chicken is ready, we can eat.”
“Next time, I owe you dinner,” he said.
“I’d like that.”
He realized that implied they were dating. But what would that hurt?
She pointed to a tired old barbecue that had seen better days. “If you want to light the grill, I’ll go into the kitchen and bring out the marinated meat.”
“Does this thing even work?” he asked.
“I tried it out earlier, and it does. I left the matches on top.”
Ten minutes later, as Mike turned the sizzling chicken that cooked on the grill, Tammy poured them each a glass of wine, handed him one then took a seat at the table.
“Do you miss Philadelphia?” she asked.
Not at the moment. And certainly not as much as he had on the day he’d first arrived in Buckshot Hills and studied the small clinic out of which he was supposed to practice medicine.
“I grew up in Philly, so it’s been quite an adjustment to live in Buckshot Hills.”
“I imagine it is.”
Mike turned back to the grill, making sure that the flame wasn’t too hot, that the chicken wasn’t burning.
“But you do like it here, don’t you?”
“Sure.” There was plenty to like about Buckshot Hills, if a person was into a slower pace. But Mike was used to a big city, to the cultural opportunities. Not to mention the career opportunities when it came to practicing medicine. But since Tammy was a small-town girl herself, he didn’t want her to think he didn’t appreciate her way of life.
When the chicken was finished, Mike placed it on a serving dish, while Tammy went into the cabin to bring out the salad and rice. Then they each took a seat at the table.
While the candle burned bright, a lonely cricket chirped. Somewhere a horse whinnied. Overhead, the moon, while not quite full, shone bright.
Mike had to admit that sitting outside on a summer night, with Tammy seated across from him, was an opportunity and a pleasure he wasn’t likely to get in the city. Any city.
It almost made a man wish he’d been made for a simpler lifestyle. And it almost caused him to question the belief that he hadn’t been.
Tammy lifted her napkin and blotted her lips. “My grandfather is leaving the Flying B to me and my cousins, Jenna and Donna.”
“How do you feel about that?”
“I’m honored, actually. And I’m looking forward to working with my cousins. I may have just met them, but I like them. Of course, I don’t know Donna nearly as well as I do Jenna, but she seems nice.” Tammy took a sip of her wine. “Of course, she’s the city-girl type, if you know what I mean. So I’m not sure how she’ll feel about settling in Buckshot Hills.”
Mike had noticed that about Donna, too. And Tammy was a country girl, through and through.
“Jenna had the idea of turning it into a B and B,” Tammy added, “but we haven’t really had a chance to talk about it. I mean, it feels weird making plans for the house and property, when Tex isn’t even gone yet.”
“I can understand that.” Mike set his fork down and pushed his plate aside. “You know, Tammy, I have to tell you. A man could get used to having dinner with you every night. You’re one heck of a cook.”
She damn near beamed at the compliment, those blue eyes sparking in the candlelight. “Thanks.”
A beat later, she asked, “How about some ice cream? I thought something simple and light would make a nice ending to a barbecue meal.”
“You thought right.” Mike stood and gathered the plates. “Come on. I’ll help you carry these inside.”
Moments later, the table was cleared, and the dishes had been placed on the counter.
“I’ll fill the sink with soapy water,” Tammy said. “We can let everything soak while we have dessert.”
As Mike lifted the plates he’d stacked, a fork fell onto the floor. He bent and reached for it, then placed it into the warm water. As he did so, his hand brushed Tammy’s, their fingers touching. Lingering.
Their gazes met and held.
He had no idea what she was feeling, but his breath damn near stopped, his heartbeat, too.
What was it about her that he found so damn appealing, so attractive, so...
So worth pursuing?
He’d be damned if he knew. But nothing seemed to matter, especially the fact that a sexual relationship would only be temporary.
To hell with the dishes.
And with the ice cream.
He didn’t even care about any reason he should avoid getting in too deep with one of the locals. Because if Tammy was willing, then he was, too.
He lifted his hand from the sink and turned to face her. As if their bodies were already connected, she turned, too.
They stood like that for a moment, then in spite of having a wet, soapy hand, he reached for her face.
Ignoring the suds on his knuckles, he brushed his thumb across her cheek, making wet, circular motions.
If the dampness bothered her, she didn’t let on. Instead, her head tilted and her lips parted, as if she knew how sorely tempted he was to kiss her senseless.
* * *
As Mike’s gaze searched Tammy’s face, as he cupped her jaw, as his wet thumb caressed her skin in a sensuous way, her heart rate slipped into overdrive.
Who would have guessed that warm dishwater could be so darned sexy?
Desire shadowed his eyes, and she sensed he was going to kiss her again. Yet even if he didn’t, she would take the bull by the horns and make the first move herself.
“You’re not making this easy,” he said.
“I’m not the one fighting it.”
A grin tugged at his lips. “Then I surrender.”
As he lowered his mouth to hers, her heart scampered through her chest, as if looking for a way out. Or maybe it was
trying to find a way to let his heart in.
Either way, it didn’t matter. And neither did the fact that her hands were still wet.
She slipped her arms around his neck and leaned in for the kiss. Her lips parted, and her tongue sought his, finding it.
As their bodies pressed together, their hands stroked, caressed, explored. All the while, the kiss deepened, intensifying to the point where she could hardly catch her breath. But if truth be told, she’d just as soon turn blue and die in his arms, if she had to.
About the time she thought her knees might turn to mush, he placed his hands on her hips and pulled her flush against his erection.
A surge of desire shot clean through her, creating an ache in her very core, and she nearly cried out with the strength of it all. Somehow catching her breath, she arched forward, revealing her own need, her own arousal.
When he finally drew his mouth from hers, his breathing as ragged as hers, he whispered against her hair. “What do you say? Should we take this into the bedroom?”
For a woman who’d only experienced her first real kiss just days ago, she didn’t have a single qualm about taking the next step—as long as it was with Mike. She’d take all he offered her this evening, a single kiss or a whole lot more.
“I’m game if you are,” she said.
And she was. Her womanly self-confidence was soaring at an all-time high. And it didn’t matter one bit that there wasn’t a single tutor in sight. She wouldn’t need any coaching from here. Her body responded to Mike’s, as if she’d made love with him a hundred times before.
He brushed his lips against hers one last time, then slipped his hand into hers and led her to the living room. But they barely made a step toward the bedroom when his cell phone rang.
His movements froze, and he swore under his breath.
“Do you have to take that call?” she asked.
“I don’t have an answering service, so I have to see who it is. If it’s a patient, I’ll need to take the call.”
Tammy waited for him to answer, watched his brow furrow.
“Is there anyone who can drive you to the hospital in Granite Falls?” Mike asked the caller. Then he nodded, listening to the response. “Okay. Good. I’ll meet you there. And don’t worry. Everything is going to be fine.”