The Texas Rancher's Vow: The Texas Rancher's VowFound: One Baby

by Cathy Gillen Thacker

  Thad shook his head. “I remember what it was to have our mom cook for us, versus our dad, who never did. Her way left us feeling pampered and loved.”

  “And your dad’s way?”

  The expression in Thad’s eyes was bleak. “Russell and I felt like a burden to my dad. I’m going to make sure that William knows he is loved.”

  Michelle couldn’t help it. She reached out and touched Thad’s hand. “You feel a deep connection to him already, don’t you?”

  His fingers closed over hers. “It’s funny,” he confessed. “My whole life I’ve had trouble feeling as close to people as I’d like—it’s as though I can get so close and no closer. But it hasn’t been that way with William. From the first moment I held this little guy in my arms, there was something special. I know it sounds kind of corny…but I know I’m meant to be William’s father in the same way that I knew I was meant to be a doctor.”

  Michelle was impressed. Moved. “You’re very determined.”

  He shrugged. “I’m used to setting goals and getting things done.” Thad held out her chair for her. He paused to study her expression. “I can see you still have your doubts, but I’m going to be the perfect father to this baby.”

  Thad moved around to sit opposite her. “Everything is going to be so well organized and run so smoothly there is no way the court or children’s services can say I’m not qualified to be William’s dad.”

  Michelle spread her napkin across her lap. “I admire your determination. I really do. I can see how much you want this.”

  Thad’s glance narrowed. “I hear a but,” he said.

  Michelle instinctively reverted back to lawyer mode again. “But you need to prepare yourself for the fact that despite everything you’re doing, Judge Barnes and Tamara Kelly might not see things your way.”

  Thad didn’t speak, and Michelle went on, “I’ve had unforeseen events develop and seen clients disappointed before. When it comes to child-custody cases, anything can happen. Decisions are sometimes made by the court that don’t seem fair.”

  “Which is why, to do this, I’m going to need someone to stand beside me.” Thad leaned toward her. “You’ve already said you didn’t want do to it as my lawyer. Will you stand by me as my friend?”

  * * *

  THAD WAITED WHILE Michelle considered his request.

  “I’ll be happy to help you, one neighbor to another,” she said finally. “But I’d prefer not to get emotionally involved.”

  Thad dug into his eggs. “You really think my situation is that risky?”

  She swallowed and concentrated on her breakfast, too. “It’s not that.”

  “Then what is it?” he demanded.

  Michelle looked over at him. “Situations like this heighten the emotions of everyone involved.”

  Exactly, Thad thought, why he needed a friend and a sounding board more than ever. To see him through it.

  “We could become close to each other very quickly,” Michelle cautioned.

  Thad added salt and pepper to his eggs. “I can see you also have a problem with that.”

  She grimaced and tore off a small piece of toast. “It wouldn’t be genuine intimacy.”

  “Says who?”

  A pulse throbbed in the hollow of her throat, as she admitted in a low, hoarse voice, “Says someone like me, who’s been through it and made that mistake before.”

  Thad wasn’t surprised to learn she’d been hurt. He’d known something was responsible for her skittishness where he was concerned. He waited for her to go on. Eventually she did.

  “Four years ago I had a client, Jared, whose wife, Margarite, died in childbirth. His in-laws held Jared responsible for Margarite’s death because Jared had known about her heart condition when they married. The two of them had agreed they would not have children—too big a risk for Margarite—but she wanted a baby desperately and became pregnant, anyway. They all tried to talk her into terminating the pregnancy, but she wouldn’t listen, so Jared did the only thing he could do—he supported his wife.” A pensive look crossed Michelle’s pretty face. “Unfortunately the doctors were right—it was too much for her, and she died in childbirth. The baby survived. Margarite’s parents blamed Jared for their daughter’s death, and sued him for custody of their only grandchild.”

  “That must have been awful for everyone involved,” Thad said.

  Michelle put down her fork and clenched her hands together. “That’s an understatement. It turned into an ugly, protracted battle that went on for almost two years. I not only represented Jared and his son, Jimmy—I fell in love with both of them. The day the court battle ended, with a verdict in Jared’s favor, he asked me to marry him. I said yes. But as life returned to normal and the wedding day got closer, Jared realized that although I loved him…he did not love me. Not the way he’d loved Margarite,” she reflected sadly. “So we broke up. And I promised myself never again would I put myself in a situation where a man I was attracted to could mistake gratitude for love.”

  Thad took a moment to savor the fact she had just admitted she was attracted to him. “I can see how that must have been difficult for you,” he said after a moment.

  Remembered hurt shimmered in her eyes. “Try heartbreaking.”

  “Our situation is different.”

  She lifted her eyebrows and got up to pour them both more coffee from the carafe. “Is it? You have an adorable baby to whom I’m already feeling emotionally attached. I’m here having breakfast with you, when I should be home getting ready for work.”

  Thad studied the conflicted look on her face. “This is about the fact I’ve kissed you and you kissed me back, isn’t it?”

  A blush pinkened her cheeks. She stood, restless now. “It’s about the fact I can’t stop thinking about the two of you and your situation.”

  Thad shrugged and, finished with his breakfast, stood, too. “Then we’re even, because I can’t stop thinking about you, either, in ways that have nothing to do with your expertise in family law or the gentle way you handle William.”

  Michelle lifted both her hands before he could take her in his arms. “Look, I understand how much is at stake for you here. I wish you all the best. I really do. But beyond that,” she claimed, “I can’t put myself in that situation again—I’m too vulnerable. And you shouldn’t put yourself there, either, Thad. Not under these circumstances.”

  * * *

  MICHELLE WORKED LATE the next two days, not getting home until after nine. By then, Thad’s car was already in his driveway, the lights on inside. Even at that late hour, there was a steady stream of women driving up and dropping things off—everything from congratulatory balloons to casseroles to festively wrapped gifts.

  Often they were invited inside.

  More often, they did not stay long.

  Michelle figured that was not by the visitors’ choice.

  After all, who could resist sweet baby William? Or the handsome, eligible bachelor determined to adopt him?

  Only her, of course.

  Still applauding herself for her practical attitude, she headed to work Friday morning. Stayed unusually late at the office again that evening, not getting home until ten.

  Curiously, even though she’d seen Thad leave for work just before eight that morning with William in tow and knew he got off at eight that evening, there was no car in Thad’s driveway. No lights on. No sign of either Thad or William.

  Michelle told herself she shouldn’t be surprised. Friday was a date night, after all.

  Thad was single and had made it clear he did not want to go through the adoption process without a supportive woman by his side.

  He and William had probably accepted an invitation to dinner at someone’s home.

  It was none of her business where he was or with whom.

  That didn’t stop her from wondering—a little jealously, she admitted reluctantly—where Thad and William were as she took a long, luxurious bubble bath and changed into her favorite pair of whi
te satin pajamas.

  At midnight, when she finally slipped into bed, there was still no sign of them.

  Minutes ticked by. Then half an hour. Another hour.

  Michelle was no closer to sleep when finally, at one-thirty in the morning, she heard Thad’s car.

  Before she could stop herself, she had slipped from bed and moved to the window.

  She saw Thad get out of the SUV. Shoulders slumped, he trudged toward the house, unlocked the door and moved slowly inside.

  William was not with him.

  Or was he…?

  Without warning, Michelle recalled news stories of new parents who had become distracted and forgotten they had an infant in the safety seat in the rear of their vehicle.

  Surely Thad—an emergency-room physician and determined new father—would not have made a similar mistake, Michelle told herself. A shiver of unease slid down her spine.

  But what if he had?

  What if William were sleeping soundly in the car?

  What if he wasn’t?

  A raft of possible disaster scenarios filling her head, Michelle put on a pair of driving clogs, grabbed her raincoat out of the closet and ran outside.

  Shivering in the brisk air, she headed across the street.

  Chapter Seven

  Thad had just polished off a slice of cold pizza and uncapped a beer when he remembered he’d forgotten to bring in the day’s mail. Wearily he went out to the foyer, set his beer down on the table, looked outside, then stopped in astonishment.

  Michelle, hands cupped around her eyes, was peering into the back of his SUV.

  Curious now himself, he quietly eased the front door open.

  She was definitely snooping. Though what she could want with the back of his BMW, was anyone’s guess.

  “Can I help you with something?” he asked drily, trying not to notice how good it was to see her again after several days’ absence. He was fairly certain she’d been taking great pains to avoid running into him.

  Michelle jumped at the sound of his voice.

  Just for the hell of it, he reached inside and switched on the porch lights.

  Michelle stood there, looking ridiculously beautiful in the glow of soft yellow lamplight and backdrop of dark night sky. Her hair was delectably tousled, her lips soft and bare, her cheeks a becoming pink. She was clad in her raincoat, which fell only to mid-thigh and which was open to reveal a pair of white satin pajamas that elegantly draped her slender form. It was clear, from the imprint of nipple against the silky fabric, that she was cold.

  Desire sent an arrow of fire to his groin. Desire, he told himself, he did not want to feel.

  “Well?” He arched a brow, waiting. “For someone who eased so deliberately from my life three nights ago, you sure are nosy.”

  She flushed guiltily. “I’m sorry. I was worried. I was trying to see if by chance you’d accidentally left William in his car seat in the back. But—” she paused and wet her lips “—there’s no car seat.”

  “I leave it with Dotty when I drop him off in the mornings, in case she needs it.”

  “Oh.”

  Silence fell between them, more awkward than ever.

  Aware she wasn’t the only one getting chilled by the brisk mountain air, Thad said, “Anything else you want to know you’ll have to find out inside.”

  Too tired and cold to stand on ceremony, he walked past her to the mailbox, grabbed the few letters and magazines there, then headed back into the house. As he suspected—or was it hoped?—she followed moments later. The first thing he noticed was that she had buttoned—and belted—her raincoat.

  She wrung her hands. “I’m really sorry for snooping.”

  Thad set down the stack of mail. He picked up his beer and took another swallow. It had been a hell of day and appeared not to be over yet. “Are you finished?”

  Politeness would have dictated she murmur another apology and leave.

  The attorney in her continued with the investigation into what he figured was his overall fitness as a parent. The fact he had done nothing wrong prompted him to make her work like hell for any further information.

  “Is William all right?” she asked finally.

  Thad turned and headed for the kitchen.

  Deciding a second beer wouldn’t hurt, he went to the fridge and pulled out two icy bottles. He uncapped both and handed her one.

  After a moment’s hesitation, she took it.

  Eyes on his, she waited.

  “Why wouldn’t he be?” Thad said.

  Michelle sipped her beer. Still holding his gaze, she shrugged. “Because he’s not here with you.”

  “He’s still at the sitter’s.”

  “Oh.”

  Something dark and disapproving glimmered in her green eyes.

  Thad scowled, making no effort to hide the fact that he was disappointed—in the way the evening had gone, in her…. “I couldn’t pick him up at eight. I didn’t know when I would be done at the hospital, so I talked to Dotty and we decided it would be better for all concerned if William spent the night at her home. I’ll go get him first thing tomorrow morning, since I’m off tomorrow.”

  “Oh,” Michelle said again, but this time her expression was one of relief.

  Obviously, Thad realized, she had jumped to the conclusion that something dire had happened to William.

  Sighing, he carried his beer into the living room. She followed him and watched as he sat down on the center cushion of the sofa and worked off his boots. Slouching down until his shoulders were lined up with the back of the sofa, he stretched his legs out in front of him.

  Days and nights like this had him wishing he had someone to come home to, someone to unwind with.

  Because both club chairs were filled with neat stacks of baby gifts Thad still couldn’t figure out where to store, she took the only available other seat, one in the corner of the sofa next to him.

  “Must have been some night at the E.R.,” she murmured sympathetically.

  “Not the kind I ever want to have again, believe me,” Thad responded.

  “What happened?”

  He looked at the way her knee was bent between them. He wished he could go back and erase the whole day for all concerned.

  “There was a head-on collision on the highway outside of town. A drunk driver hit a family of six.” And that wasn’t the worst of it, not by a long shot. “None of them were wearing seat belts.”

  “Oh, God.”

  “Both parents and the drunk driver were killed instantly. The children, ranging from one to eight, were all seriously injured.”

  Her eyes instantly filled with tears, and her compassion reached out somehow to envelop him in a way that words could not. She covered his hand with hers and asked softly, “Are the kids going to make it?”

  “I don’t know.” Thad accepted the comfort of her hand even as he took another long pull on his beer. “We airlifted them to Children’s Hospital as soon as we got them stable, but it’s not looking good for any of them.”

  Michelle turned ashen. She tightened her fingers on his and edged closer to him. “I’m so sorry,” she choked out.

  Thad ran a hand over his face. “If they do make it, at least they’ve got family in Houston, already on their way to the hospital.” Which wasn’t, Thad knew, always the case.

  Michelle continued staring at Thad. She shook her head, seemingly at a loss as to what to say or do to make things better.

  Experience had taught Thad there was no way to do that. “I shouldn’t have laid all this on you,” he said gruffly. He shook his head, turned away.

  “I don’t know how you stand it,” she blurted. “It breaks my heart when I see a kid that’s hurt or sick.”

  Mine, too, Thad thought.

  “You must be exhausted,” Michelle said finally.

  He was. “That doesn’t mean I’ll sleep. Too much adrenaline.”

  Michelle paused, then asked, “How do you usually work it out of your system?�
�

  Thad knew how he wanted to work it off—tonight. He looked at her and said nothing.

  She blushed. “Oh.”

  “Which is why,” he told her candidly, wishing he could just haul her into his arms and kiss her, “maybe, you should head on home.”

  * * *

  YES, SHE SHOULD, Michelle knew, as they both stood. If she stayed, she would end up in Thad’s arms again.

  But maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing. Just for this one night. Maybe if they made love once, she would be able to get him out of her system. Stop obsessing over his comings and goings, stop thinking of him day and night. Maybe, if they explored the attraction between them, she would be able to walk away. And so could he. Maybe. She hoped so.

  “I’m up for it,” she said quietly.

  He stared at her, as if not sure he’d heard her correctly. “Up for what?”

  “You.” Her heart racing, Michelle stepped closer. “Me.” She wrapped one arm around his neck, threaded the other hand through the hair on the nape of his neck. “This.”

  Their lips met halfway in a searing connection of heat and need. Wonder swept through Michelle, along with the knowledge that chemistry like this was something to be savored. So what if this pleasure was going to be meaningless and short-lived, she thought, as he swept a hand down her spine, urging her closer. Her breasts were crushed against the hardness of his chest. Lower still, she felt the depth of his need for her.

  Thad kissed her like a man who’d been as starved for intimacy as she. He held her as if he never wanted to let her go. And the truth was, she didn’t want their passion to end, either. Not without seeing where it led.

  Sifting his hands through her hair, he kissed her temple, her cheek, the corner of her mouth. “I want to take you to bed,” he said softly.

  Feelings ran riot inside her. “Just this one time,” she whispered against the encroaching pressure of his mouth.

  His eyes darkened with an emotion she couldn’t identify, then he was taking her by the hand, leading her up the stairs. They paused on the landing to kiss, and then again as they made their way down the hall. When at last they ended up in his bedroom, he slowly untied and unbuttoned her coat, kissing her slowly all the while. She trembled as he took it off. He paused, then moved to turn on the bedside lamp.