by Helen Lacey
Cassie’s skin tingled from his touch and she pulled away fractionally. “I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine. You have a fever.”
She shook her head and pushed the chair back. “I’ll be okay. I only need some rest,” she insisted and stood. But her legs wavered and she gripped the edge of the table for support.
“Like hell. You’re sick.”
And without another word Tanner scooped her up into his arms.
By the time she had the strength to protest he was down the hallway and had shouldered her bedroom door open and placed her gently on the edge of her bed. “Now get some rest.”
“You didn’t have to pick me up,” she protested feebly, pushing back her embarrassment and trying not to think about how it felt to be held against his broad chest. He was still recovering from an injury and the last thing he needed was to damage his leg again. “I could have walked.”
“And fallen over most likely,” he said. “You need to take care of yourself, Cassie.”
“I will. I do. I have a headache, that’s all. It’ll pass once I get some rest.”
“You have a fever,” he insisted as he strode toward the bed and pulled the comforter back. “I’ll bring you some water. Where do you keep your aspirin?”
She rolled her eyes. “In the pantry, top shelf, but I really think I—”
“Be back in a minute.”
She watched him leave the room and then rounded out her shoulders. The man certainly was stubborn. She flipped off her shoes and shimmied farther onto the mattress.
When Tanner returned she pasted on a grateful smile. He passed her a glass of water and a couple of painkillers. “Thank you. I appreciate your concern,” she said and looked at him over the rim of the glass. “Even if you are being bossy.”
“If it gets you into bed, then I’ll do what I have to.”
Cassie was sure he didn’t mean to sound so suggestive, but once the words were out the air in the room seemed thicker, hotter, as if a seductive wind had blown through the opened doorway. She looked at him, felt the heat rising between them and desperately willed it to go away. But no. It stayed. And grew. And made her mounting awareness of him bloom into a heady, full-blown attraction. It’s because he’s handsome and sexy and friendly, that’s all. She’d have to be a rock not to notice, right?
She said his name and waited for several seconds while he continued to watch her and the heat in Cassie’s blood intensified and her cheeks burned. Her skin was on fire and she wondered how much it had to do with her fever, and how much had to do with the man standing beside her bed. She’d never experienced anything quite like it before and despite the headache, sore throat and fever, Cassie knew that whatever she was feeling, he was feeling it, too.
But how? Why? Cassie didn’t have any illusions about herself. She wasn’t beautiful or glamorous or overly smart. She was pretty at best. The same ordinary girl she’d been all her life. A single mother. The mother of his brother’s child. The very reason they shouldn’t be looking at one another with such scorching desire.
Finally, he spoke. “I should go. Get some rest, Cassie.”
“Oliver will—”
“I’ll take care of the baby. Just rest.”
He left the room quickly and Cassie stared after him.
Okay...so they had...chemistry.
It didn’t have to go anywhere. It wouldn’t. It couldn’t. She was Oliver’s mother. She had a child to think about and fantasizing about a man like Tanner wasn’t going to do anyone any good. She dropped back onto the bed and pulled the covers up. Her head hurt, her throat hurt, even her bones ached. Maybe he was right about getting some rest.
I just need to sleep and clear my head.
By tomorrow she’d be over it. And over her attraction for Tanner.
There was no other option.
*
Around ten the following morning Tanner found Cassie’s cell phone and called her friend Lauren. Within an hour she and her doctor fiancé were on the doorstep. Cassie’s fever had become progressively worse overnight and by morning she was burning up and clearly unwell. He managed to get her to take some more aspirin and drink a little water just before midnight and she woke again after seven, coughing and shaking from the chills.
“You were right to call us,” Lauren said when she came from Cassie’s room and met him in the nursery. “Gabe said she has a mild flu. I’ll arrange for some medicine to be delivered as soon as possible. That and a few days’ rest and she should be fine.” She looked at him and smiled. “You don’t seem surprised by the diagnosis.”
“I’m not,” he replied and held Oliver against his chest. He wasn’t about to explain he’d spent most of the night alternating between the chair in Cassie’s room to make sure he was close by if she needed anything, and the sofa in the living room. If he’d thought it was something more serious than mild influenza he would have bundled her in the car and taken her to hospital. “But I’m pleased she’ll be okay.”
Lauren gently touched the baby’s head. “You stayed last night?”
“Of course.”
She nodded slowly. “Well, I’m glad that you’re here to look after...things. However, we can take Oliver home with us if you—”
“No,” he said quickly. “That’s not necessary. I’ll stay until Cassie’s feeling better. And I’m sure she’d prefer that Oliver remain here.”
He thought she might insist, but Lauren only nodded. “You’re probably right. Let me know if you need anything. You have my number.”
They left a few minutes later and Tanner quickly checked on a restlessly sleeping Cassie before he headed for the kitchen to feed Oliver. He’d become quickly attached to the little guy and was enjoying the time he got to spend with his nephew. Oliver was a placid baby and caring for him made Tanner think about the prospect of having children of his own. One day. He was surprised how much he liked the idea. The ranch could be a lonely place and more so than ever before, he let himself imagine a couple of kids running across the yard to the house and then along the wide verandah. And a woman...a wife. Someone to talk to. Someone with soft skin and warm hands to curl up with at night. Tanner liked that idea, too.
He’d spent so many years pouring all his energy in his horses, building the ranch and trying to live in the present and forget the past he’d somehow ignored the future. But being with Cassie made him think about it.
No, he corrected immediately. It was Oliver who got him thinking. Cassie was just... She was just the girl who’d sparked his interest all those years ago on the beach. Being around her brought back those memories, that’s all. He had a handle on his attraction for her. And he’d forget all about it once he went home.
Only, last night he could have sworn he saw something in her eyes...a look...a connection...and it was something he hadn’t expected. Because she’d loved Doug.
Which means she can never be mine.
He shook the feeling off. The less he thought about Cassie being his or anyone else’s, the better. Tanner put the baby down for a nap and then took a quick shower. He dressed back into his jeans and padded barefoot down the hall toward the spare room. He rummaged around and found some of Doug’s clothes hanging in the wardrobe. He pulled out a shirt and slipped it on. It was a little tight in the shoulders and baggy around the waist, but it would do. He stayed in the room for a while and flipped through a few of the boxes. He found his brother’s uniforms neatly packed inside one box and another smaller carton held his medals. Tanner sat for a while, looking at the collection of memories. What would Doug make of him being with Cassie and Oliver? Would his brother be angry? Resentful? Would he eventually have come around to the idea of being a father to Oliver?
Tanner didn’t think so. Doug liked his freedom. Strange, then, that he’d joined the military. But Tanner understood why. His brother needed the army to give him companionship. And to give him solitude. Within the corridors of discipline and routine he found the family he’d needed. He’d
bonded with people who understood him, who were like him, who had his back. Tanner knew his brother had never felt that with his real family. When their parents were killed Doug was already estranged from them. He’d never fit into the life on the farm. He’d never wanted to work the sugarcane and small herd of cattle. Doug had bailed at eighteen and headed for the city, where he worked a succession of transient jobs. After their parents’ accident he returned and reclaimed what he believed was his...and promptly sold off Tanner’s legacy.
Then came Tanner’s years at boarding school. During that time he learned to despise his brother...and yet still love him. He was family. And family was everything. Despite the repeated betrayals. Despite Doug’s behavior with Leah. Despite the mishandled inheritance. Despite all of it, a part of him still wanted to believe in the idea of brotherhood.
Tanner ignored the heavy feeling in his chest, folded the box shut and got to his feet. He headed to the kitchen, heated up some soup he found in the pantry and carried a tray into Cassie’s room.
She was sleeping and he was pleased that the racking cough that had kept her awake for most of the morning had abated for a while. Tanner slipped the tray onto the bedside table and watched her for a moment. She stirred and let out a soft moan. The soft hum of the humidifier he’d found in the nursery cupboard and set up by the bed was the only other sound in the room. He noticed she’d pushed the blanket aside and moved closer to pull the cover back up. She looked peaceful in sleep and as he watched her a strange sensation knocked behind his ribs. For years he’d put her out of his thoughts and programmed himself to not think of her. But when Doug died that changed. He had a blood tie and a responsibility to Oliver. His nephew would never feel what he had when he was a child—alone, abandoned, discarded. He’d always be there for his brother’s son regardless of where he was or what he was doing. Oliver was his only family and family was all that mattered.
And Cassie?
She was Oliver’s mother and that was all she could ever be.
She’d loved Doug. Wanted Doug. Borne his child. Which meant she was off-limits. Despite how being around her messed with his head, his libido and his heart. His attraction to Cassie would fade once he returned to South Dakota and got back to his regular life. He’d put her from his mind before. He could do it again.
One thing he knew for sure...he wasn’t about to fall in love with her.
Not a chance.
Chapter Five
When Cassie awoke it was dark outside. She knew she’d been drifting in and out from sleep and wakefulness for several hours. Or was it days? Her head and throat still hurt but she sensed the fever that had taken hold so quickly had mostly left her body.
She pushed back the covers and eased herself into a sitting position. The bedside lamp was on and she heard the gentle hum of the humidifier from somewhere in the room. The digital clock read 6:45 p.m. but she had no idea what day it was. She looked down and noticed the cotton pajamas she wore. They were pale lemon and had silly-looking cats on them. Cassie didn’t remember changing her clothes. Didn’t remember much of anything, really. Only a deep voice that had given her an easy comfort as she’d shifted in and out of sleep, and then someone pressing a glass to her lips so she could have some water. Then she remembered another voice, female and familiar. Lauren. Her friend had been looking after her. Of course, it could only have been Lauren.
Cassie swung her legs off the bed. The house was quiet. Too quiet.
Oliver...
Where was her baby? Panic crept over her skin for a second, and then she realized he must be with her friend. Cassie forced herself to stand, and when her knees wobbled she clutched the bed to get her bearings. Once she had her balance she grabbed her robe from the foot of the bed and pushed her arms into it and tightened the belt. She made a quick bathroom stop and then moved back into the bedroom. The door was open and she made her way across the room as steadily as she could. A light illuminated down the hall and she followed it to the nursery. But the room was empty. The panic returned and quickly seeped deep into her bones. Where were they?
She turned on her bare heels and hurried back down the hall to the kitchen.
Still nothing.
When she reached the living room Cassie came to an abrupt halt in the doorway as relief flooded every pore. Oliver was safe. But he wasn’t with her friend. He was lying blissfully asleep against his uncle’s strong chest.
Tanner was in the recliner, legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles, both hands cradling her sleeping son. He wore jeans and a white tank shirt and his feet were bare. His eyes were closed and his hair flopped over his forehead a little.
Cassie’s belly rolled over as she watched them. In a matter of days she’d witnessed him form a bond with her son that touched her to her very core. It was the bond she’d dreamed Doug would have had with his son. But it wasn’t Doug cradling her child so gently. It wasn’t Doug who’d been so kind to her over the past few days.
Doug was gone.
And Tanner was now in her life. Until he left. Until the house sold and Doug’s estate was sorted. She needed to remember that he was passing through. He was temporary. And once he was gone her life could return to normal. She’d find somewhere to live, go back to work and raise her son...and forget all about Tanner McCord and his sexy smile and broad shoulders.
She looked at him again. His eyes were now open and he was smiling.
“Hey there,” he said softly. “How are you feeling?”
Cassie nodded. Her arms were aching to hold her son, but the thought she might be contagious stopped her from rushing forward. And Oliver looked so peaceful and content resting against Tanner’s chest.
“Okay,” she replied and stepped a little farther into the room. “Weak. I guess I’ve been out of it since yesterday?”
“Pretty much,” he said and pushed up from the chair effortlessly. Oliver didn’t protest, but instead seemed to snuggle closer to his uncle. “He was restless,” Tanner explained and gently touched the baby’s head. “And he seems to like this.”
She smiled warmly. “Thank you for taking care of him.”
Tanner met her gaze. “That’s what family is for, Cassie.”
Her throat tightened. Family. It had been so long since she’d thought she had anyone to call family. With her grandfather’s slide into dementia and Doug’s continued absence from her life even though she’d considered them a couple, Cassie had felt very alone for the past few years. Oliver’s arrival had changed that of course, but he was a baby and needed her 24/7. To have someone to rely upon, to need someone herself, was a different kind of feeling. Not that she needed Tanner. Not at all. But he’d said they were family...and for the moment, while she was feeling so weak and weary, it made her feel a little less alone.
“How about I put him in his crib and then make you some herbal tea?” Tanner suggested quietly.
Cassie nodded. “That would be good.”
Careful not to wake the baby, he slowly got out of the chair and came to stand beside her. Cassie’s heart rolled over when she gazed into the face of her sleeping son and she touched Oliver’s head gently. Glancing up, she saw Tanner watching her with a kind of blistering intensity and the look made her insides quiver. His eyes were dark and hypnotic and she was quickly drawn into his stare. So close, with only Oliver between them, she was more conscious of him than she had ever been of any man in her life. There was a connection between them...a link that had developed over the past few days. And it wasn’t simply about Oliver.
This was something else.
This was physical attraction...pure and simple.
An attraction she’d always been able to ignore. Until now.
“Be back in a minute,” Tanner said, breaking the visual connection.
He left the room and Cassie let out a long breath. There was nothing right or reasonable about her feelings. Nothing she could say to herself that would assuage the heaviness in her heart. He was Doug’s brother so desiring Tanner
was out of the question.
He returned about ten minutes later and Cassie was sitting on the sofa, legs curled up, her chin resting in one hand. He came into the room with a tray and placed it on the small table beside the sofa.
“I heated some soup,” he explained and passed her a mug. “You should probably eat something.”
Cassie took the mug of warm broth and smiled. “Thank you. You’ve been very kind.”
He shrugged loosely, as though he was embarrassed by her words. “It’s nothing.”
That wasn’t even halfway to the truth. She managed a wry smile. “Ah...how did I get into these pajamas?”
“Lauren,” he explained. “She was here this morning.”
Cassie nodded a little. “Oh, I don’t remember much of today.”
“Her fiancé checked you out and she organized the medication you needed. She also suggested taking Oliver home with her for the night, but I thought you’d prefer he stay here.”
“I do,” she said quickly, hating the idea of being apart from her baby. “And you stayed?”
He shrugged again. “It seemed like the right thing to do. You were in no condition to look after Oliver last night and today.”
She was tempted to thank him again but sensed it wasn’t what he wanted to hear. Instead she sipped the broth and settled back into the sofa. It was strange, she mused, how comfortable she was being around him. She hadn’t expected it. On the two occasions they’d met before she’d always had her guard up, and always felt as though Tanner had, too. But this time was different. There was no one to hide behind. No one to whisper words about how unfriendly and indifferent he was. No one to tell her he was the kind of man who preferred his own company and his horses to having real relationships. Cassie was seeing him without Doug’s bias and prejudice for the first time...and she liked him. A lot.
“So, I guess you should stay tonight, too?”
The intense way he was watching her made it impossible to look anywhere but into his eyes.
“Do you want me to stay?”