At the Rancher's Request

by Sara Orwig

  “He is way too young to manage those. Won’t he just step on them?” Savannah asked.

  “We hope not. He’s sort of good with the remote-control toys and there is no stopping his uncles from giving them to him.”

  As they walked away, Mike moved closer to Savannah. “I thought maybe I needed to rescue you from my sister. She had an earnest look on her face and I know Lindsay. She has probably decided you’re good for Scotty and maybe for me, too, and was trying to prevail on you to stay longer, which I am all for, but I don’t want it to be because Lindsay pestered and pressured you into it. Lindsay worries about me, which I appreciate, but if I interfered in her life, I probably would regret it very quickly. Fortunately, she likes Mrs. Lewis and she likes Millie and both of them are around for Scotty, so most of the time Lindsay feels that he has two women who are good influences in his life. She tries to be, but she’s busy. She runs that big ranch and even though she has a good foreman, she’s active.”

  “It’s nice that she worries about you, and she isn’t going to pressure me.”

  “Good. Scotty is in the playroom. Follow the sound. Everyone else is in there.”

  “Scotty acts way older than he is. He’s an angel and he’s very smart. If you ever have just an ordinary kid, you’re going to be wild and not know what to do,” she said, staring at him and thinking about her own siblings and her nieces and nephews.

  He chuckled. “Maybe any more kids I have will be just as good and smart and capable and lovable as Scotty. After all, they will have me for their dad.”

  She laughed at his joke. “You laugh now, but you wait. Some little boy or girl is going to stand you on your head.”

  “I think it will be a big girl with big blue eyes. A blonde. And she has already turned me into a drooling wreck who can’t think about anything else.”

  “A ‘drooling wreck’? I’m not sure I want to get into bed with a drooling wreck,” she said, smiling at him.

  “You make me wish they would all go home now.”

  “Do I really? Whatever would you want to do?” she asked in great innocence, and then shook her head. “I’m teasing. I don’t really want to hear.”

  “Oh, I’m going to answer that one—later on tonight,” he said, his dark eyes filled with desire as he looked intently at her.

  They entered the downstairs playroom where the relatives were gathered in a semicircle around Scotty and his new helicopters. Wyatt had the controls of one and Scotty had the controls of the other with Jake’s help as they flew the choppers around the room.

  “Keep your eyes on the choppers and duck if they come your way,” Mike whispered. “As you pointed out, Scotty is way too young for this and they’ll crash somewhere in a few minutes.”

  “Stop worrying. He does have fun and so do his uncles. Just look.”

  She watched Wyatt and Jake work the remote controls. Jake was hunkered down behind Scotty. Jake’s long arms reached around Scotty to grab the controls if it looked as if disaster was about to happen.

  “This is how my brothers are with their kids. Sometimes you wonder who these toys are really for,” said Savannah.

  Mike grinned and crossed his arms, standing to watch the fun.

  She looked at Scotty’s happy smile and wished his mother was here with him and with Mike, yet Scotty’s laughter had to ease Mike’s pain. Thinking of her own situation, she realized for the past few days she hadn’t hurt as badly or thought about Kirk. She glanced again at Mike. Maybe Mike was helping her to get over her heartache. Or was she exchanging one hurt for another when she had to say goodbye?

  Lindsay yelled and Jake took the controls, but it was too late as a chopper crashed into the stone fireplace and everyone broke up while Jake and Wyatt tried to fix the smashed helicopter.

  “Scotty will expect them to put it back together and sometimes they manage to do so. I’ll go help.”

  She watched him walk away, tingling, thinking about later tonight. Just the sight of him had gotten to be enough to make her breathless. Each day he became more exciting to her and more important. She hoped he wasn’t becoming essential.

  “So will you stay another week?”

  Startled, Savannah glanced around to see Lindsay beside her.

  “You’re good for my brother and for Scotty,” Lindsay said. “And I apologize if I’m interfering, but I thought maybe you’d be uncertain about how much he would welcome you staying.”

  “Thank you. You’re not interfering. He’s already asked me to stay longer. When my car is ready, I should go to California. I have an aunt who is expecting me. Lindsay, did Mike tell you that I just broke an engagement? Or that I’m pregnant?”

  “Oh?” Lindsay’s eyes widened and surprise filled her expression. Her face flushed. “Savannah, I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I apologize. I just figured you were going to California to be a little more independent and on your own than staying at home in Arkansas.”

  When Savannah nodded, Lindsay continued. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know you had someone in your life. I apologize for inviting you to stay when I really didn’t know your circumstances. I was thinking of Mike.”

  “Don’t apologize. There are just complications. Lindsay—”

  “Forget it. I’m sorry. Both of you have enough troubles in your lives. You don’t need to take on each other’s problems, too. Let’s go look at Scotty’s birthday presents. He’ll be more than happy to show them to us, I know.”

  Savannah didn’t pursue the subject because she could see the regret, embarrassment and surprise in Lindsay’s expression and in her apology. For the rest of the evening Lindsay spent her time with the others and Savannah suspected Lindsay no longer wanted her to stay and complicate Mike’s life further.

  When they finally were all gone, Mike locked up. “I think Scotty may be asleep before I can carry him upstairs.”

  Mike carried Scotty and Savannah went along in case Scotty wanted a story, but by the time they reached the stairs, Scotty was asleep. “I’ll put him in bed and just take off his boots and jeans and let him sleep in the rest of his clothes.”

  Savannah stayed to pick up and switch off lights downstairs. When he reappeared, he crossed the room to drape his arm across her shoulders.

  “Since he’s so young, he probably won’t remember the party, but I’m glad he had a good time.”

  “I had a good time tonight,” he said. “The best part was knowing you would be here when the party was over.” Switching off lights, Mike turned on night-lights. “The monitors are on. Let’s go to my sitting room. It’s comfortable and I can build a fire.”

  “Sure,” she said. “That’s fine.”

  Upstairs, she watched him get the fire going. “Mike, your sister is a beautiful woman. Why hasn’t Lindsay married?”

  He glanced over his shoulder and then returned his attention to the fire. “Lindsay scares the hell out of men. Either that or they are more interested in her knowledge about a ranch and horses than they are in her. Some years she’s in a charity auction,” he said, standing as the logs began to blaze. He walked back to Savannah. “Guys from out of town bid on her, thinking the pretty blonde is something she’s not, and Lindsay won’t put up with any nonsense or passes if she doesn’t like the guy. Then if a local bids and wins her, he does it to talk about his horses. She’s damn good with animals. I hope she didn’t wear you down tonight about me.”

  “Actually, I told her that I’m pregnant and I just broke my engagement. I don’t think your sister wants me anywhere near you.”

  He grinned. “We won’t worry about Lindsay. Her intentions are good and usually she doesn’t meddle badly.” Motioning to a wet bar in a corner of the spacious room, Mike asked, “Want something to drink?”

  “Sure. Have milk in that bar of yours?”

  “Actually, I do. I have milk and
chocolate milk.”

  “Plain milk,” she said, walking across the room to join him and pour a glass.

  Opening a cold beer, he turned to hold it up. “Here’s to a big thank-you for the party tonight.”

  “I’ll drink to that,” she said, touching his bottle lightly with her glass of milk and taking a sip. Mike set down his bottle and took her milk from her hand to set it on the counter beside his beer.

  Her pulse drummed and she gazed up at him. The hungry look in his eyes made her tingle and feel wanted. She could not recall ever seeing so much desire in any man’s expression as she did now with Mike.

  “Come here, Savannah,” he whispered, drawing her to him. His arm slipped around her waist and he drew her tightly against him as he leaned down to cover her mouth with his.

  Wrapping her arms around him, she kissed him passionately, letting her feelings for him pour into her kiss. While the temperature in the room climbed, her heart pounded. She pressed against him, wanting his kisses and loving.

  Still kissing her, Mike picked her up, carrying her to his bedroom and closing the door, standing her on her feet while he kissed her and held her tightly in his arms.

  * * *

  They loved through the night. Afterward, Mike held her close against him, finally dozing. When Savannah pulled away, he drew her back to him.

  “Leaving me?”

  “It’s dawn out—the waking hour. It’s Saturday morning so soon the house will be busy because Millie will be in. Scotty will get up. You’ll go to work. It’s time for the world to get going so that means I should go to my room.”

  “We’re isolated up here and Scotty will run down to the kitchen because he loves to eat breakfast and he likes Millie.”

  “So he never gets up and comes in here?”

  “Yes, he does, but he’s barely three years old and he won’t think a thing of finding you in my bed.”

  “Ha. Like this? I think not,” she said and Mike couldn’t hold back a grin. As she started to move away, he tightened his arm around her to hold her and rolled over to kiss her, relishing her soft warmth beneath him and wanting to love her before he was gone for the day.

  It was another hour before she left, shutting the door quietly. With his thoughts on her, he shaved, showered and dressed, pulling on his jeans, boots and a red-and-blue sweater.

  Tonight he was taking Savannah out to dinner while Scotty stayed with Lindsay. He couldn’t wait to have an evening with her, just the two of them, and then come home and make love the rest of the night and part of the day tomorrow.

  Russ had called yesterday and said she could pick up her car on Monday afternoon, only a couple of days away. As soon as she had her car, she would be gone. Mike had never talked her into staying beyond Scotty’s party. Pain tugged on his heart. Another goodbye in his life, but this would be quick and soon forgotten. Not likely. He was certain he wouldn’t forget Savannah for a long time. In case he wanted to see her again, he would get her cell number and her parents’ names, although he didn’t think he would likely ever see her after she left Texas.

  He was going to miss her dreadfully at first. He expected that to pass swiftly because he was accustomed to living on the ranch with Scotty and with the people who worked for him.

  Savannah had temporarily filled a huge void in his life and in Scotty’s life, but they would go back to the way they were, maybe a little more healed from their loss.

  He picked up Elise’s picture. It would always hurt, but not like it had that first year. He didn’t want to think about that time or when Scotty had hurt and hadn’t even known why because he was just a baby.

  How Scotty had gone through that loss and come out with such a sunny disposition, Mike didn’t know. He had expected Scotty to have all sorts of problems, to cry easily and cling to him. Instead, he had a happy, cheerful, self-reliant for his age, little three-year-old who brought joy into Mike’s life. Maybe it was part of Elise shining through her son.

  He set down Elise’s picture and thought of Savannah. She had been wonderful, exciting, sexy, fun, and a temptation that he hadn’t been able to resist. At the same time, she had been so good with Scotty, something he would never forget. He was certain Scotty would adjust to saying goodbye just as he adjusted to everything else that had happened in his young life.

  Mike combed his hair, gave up controlling the curls and went downstairs.

  He wanted to stay all day with Savannah, but with the storms they still needed all hands at work on the ranch. Millie was cooking for the coming week and bustling all over the kitchen. Nadine had come to clean and Baxter was helping Millie in the kitchen.

  Savannah wanted to go into town to get something to wear because she hadn’t expected to go out any time in the foreseeable future and one bag of her things was still locked up and in the trunk of her car, so he agreed to take her into town later this afternoon.

  * * *

  That night, by the time six rolled around, Mike felt as if it had been days since the hour he left his room that morning. Now he was in the downstairs family room, gazing out the window and waiting for Savannah. Scotty was already at Lindsay’s house so he and Savannah were the only ones home now and he was tempted to skip their plans and stay at home and make love all through the night.

  He heard her heels on the marble floor in the hallway and looked up. She swept into the room and he couldn’t get his breath. Unable to avoid staring, he stood immobile. His gaze roamed over her as if he had never seen a woman before. Her red dress clung to her figure and ended with a flare just above her knees. Her blond hair was pinned up slightly on either side of her head by sparkling pins and then it fell in a blond cascade over her shoulders.

  Her wide, thickly-lashed blue eyes were as beautiful as her full red lips. His gaze ran swiftly down her figure. He crossed the room to her to stop only a foot away.

  “You’re gorgeous,” he said, his voice gravelly and barely audible.

  “Thank you. You look handsome yourself,” she said, her eyes twinkling as she smiled at him. “I suspect you’ve had women running after you since you were five years old.”

  Realizing what she said to him, he smiled. “I don’t think so unless they were chasing me down for something ornery my brothers and I had done. We could just stay home tonight. We have this whole place to ourselves.”

  “I’ve been looking forward to this all day. I have on my good dress and have worked on my hair, and now you want to cancel?”

  “When you put it that way, I suppose we’ll go. At least I get to look at you all evening. We’re flying to Dallas.”

  “I can’t wait,” she said.

  He took her arm, wanting to kiss her senseless and peel her out of that sexy dress. Inhaling deeply and trying to get his thoughts elsewhere, Mike led her outside where a limo waited and a chauffeur sat reading.

  “Glad to meet you, Ms. Grayson,” he said, opening the limo door and stepping back.

  In minutes they were headed to the airport and Mike wondered how soon he could talk her into coming home.

  * * *

  Mike’s handsome looks in his charcoal suit and black boots made her heart race. She could hardly eat and wanted to dance with him, to be alone with him, to kiss him—to spend the entire weekend with him. Excitement bubbled in her as she faced him across a table with candlelight, music from a band in another room carrying into the alcove Mike had reserved at a Dallas country club for them. The look in his eyes, holding promises of passion and desire, kept her pulse pounding.

  Moving the candle out of the way, Mike reached across the table to take her hand. He touched the gold ring lightly. The gold shimmered in the candlelight. “The ring looks pretty on you. I’m glad you found it and I hope you find true love and make the old legend come true.”

  I have found true love, was the first thought that
popped into her head as she looked into Mike’s dark eyes. She was in love with Mike. Was it infatuation? Lust? Or was it really love? A rebound from Kirk? Mike had become special and she wanted to be with him constantly. She admired him, trusted him, thought he was a great dad to his son—she was in love, something she had known she was risking.

  “Let’s dance, Savannah,” he said, looking at her mouth and making her think of his kisses.

  “Yes,” she whispered.

  She loved dancing with him whether the music was a fast beat or a slow ballad. Soon, after three lively dances, Mike shed his jacket and they danced to the fast music and pounding drums that ramped up the sensuality of the evening and being with him.

  Later, when she stepped into his arms to slow dance, she wanted to kiss him.

  “Mike, you rescued me from the storm and you’ve rescued me from my broken heart. Tonight has been sexy, fun, thrilling, and has made me forget the hurt and pain for now.”

  “Good.” He drew her closer and they danced in silence a few more minutes until she leaned away to look up at him.

  “It’s a long flight back to the ranch, isn’t it?” It actually was a short flight, but she wanted to be in his arms in his bed with him now.

  Something flickered in the depths of his brown eyes. “Are you ready to go home?” he asked. His voice was husky, deeper than most of the time.

  “Yes,” she whispered. “Oh, yes, let’s go home, Mike.”

  He took her hand and they left. As soon as they were in the hall he retrieved his cell phone to call his chauffeur and then his pilot.

  In less than an hour they were airborne, heading back to the ranch. As he looked out the window of the plane, she looked at his profile and his dark curls. There was no doubt in her mind—Savannah had fallen in love.