Lonetree Ranchers: Colt

She heard him rummage through the shopping bag and, when she turned around, watched him struggle to pull out a large rag doll. Unable to use both of his hands, he’d gotten the doll tangled in the bag handles.

“Let me,” she said, walking over to help him. Reaching to work the doll’s leg free, his hand touched hers. Kaylee jerked back from the scorching contact and handed the doll to him. “A-Amber will like this.”

He stared at her for several long seconds before he cleared his throat and asked, “Do you think it would frighten her if I gave it to her now?”

The look on his handsome face took Kaylee by surprise. It was the first time she ever remembered seeing Colt look uncertain.

“Maybe in a few minutes. She’s just getting adjusted to you being here.” Kaylee’s heart went out to him even if she wasn’t particularly comfortable with the feeling. It was clear Colt wanted to get to know Amber, but didn’t want to do anything that would upset her. “Let’s sit in the living room. You’ll be close to her, but not so much that she’ll feel threatened.”

“Okay. We can talk while Amber gets used to me.” He followed her over to sit on the couch, and she could feel his gaze on her backside just as surely as if he touched her.

When they were settled on the sagging blue cushions, Kaylee found it hard to breathe. Glancing at her daughter to keep from looking at Colt, she noticed Amber looking at them curiously.

“It’s all right, sweetie. Colt is a friend.”

“I’m your daddy,” he said, his voice gentle. Turning to Kaylee, he firmly added, “I don’t want her to ever doubt that.”

Amber didn’t seem to pick up on the sudden tension between the two adults as she turned her attention back to the television.

But Kaylee did, and it only served to increase her apprehension. Hoping to take the lead in what she knew would be a difficult conversation, she said, “Colt, I’ve done a lot of thinking about our situation—”

“I haven’t been able to think of anything else,” he said, nodding. “And this isn’t something that can be resolved overnight.”

“No, it’s not. It’s going to take time for us—”

“I’m glad you agree,” he said, smiling. “It will make everything a lot easier on all concerned.”

Where was he going with this? And why did he keep interrupting her?

“What’s going on, Colt?” she asked, not at all sure she wanted to know.

“I doubt that you’re going to like what I’m going to suggest.”

She doubted that she would, either. His tone was relaxed, but from the serious look on his face, she could tell he was anything but nonchalant about what he was going to say.

“Tell me what you have in mind and we’ll see,” she said cautiously.

“I want you and Amber to come back to the Lonetree with me.”

She couldn’t believe he’d come up with something so outlandish. “You can’t be serious.”

“I’m very serious, Kaylee.” The determination in his brilliant blue eyes startled her. “I intend to get to know my daughter.”

“You can get to know Amber right here,” she argued. There was no way she would agree to go to his ranch in Wyoming.

“No, I can’t.” He turned his gaze to watch Amber play quietly with some of her toys. “If I tried to get to know her here, I’d just end up being some guy who stopped by once in a while and who she’d end up forgetting between visits.”

“It works for other fathers,” Kaylee insisted, feeling desperate. She had to make him see reason. “It would work for you and Amber.”

Colt shook his head. “Maybe if I’d been part of her life from the beginning, but not now.” He glanced back at Amber. “I’m going to be her daddy, not just a man who claims to be her father.”

Kaylee shook her head. “I can’t take time off at the hospital. I’d lose my job.”

“No, you won’t.” His knowing grin sent a chill slithering up her spine. “I’ve already talked to your superior.”

“You did what?” Her temper flared and she had to concentrate hard on keeping her voice even so as not to upset Amber. “You couldn’t possibly have talked to anyone about my taking time off. It’s Sunday. The physical therapy unit is closed.”

“I have my ways,” he said, sounding so darned smug that she was sorely tempted to belt him one.

But thinking about what he said, Kaylee suddenly felt cold all over. “What did you do?”

He casually rested his right arm along the back of the couch. “I got in touch with Dr. Carson and had him find out which hospital sent you over to work the PBR event last month. He also gave me the name and phone number of your boss.”

Kaylee couldn’t believe Colt’s arrogance. “You called Brad at home?”

Grinning, Colt nodded. “Once I explained the situation—”

She felt the blood drain from her face. She’d made it a point not to discuss anything about her private life with her co-workers. “Please, tell me you didn’t—”

He shook his head as he played with a lock of her hair. “No, honey, I didn’t tell him the whole story. That’s nobody’s business but ours. But I did tell him there was a family crisis that needed your attention and asked if you could get a couple of months off.” He smiled. “All you’ll have to do is stop by the office tomorrow to sign the papers for your leave of absence.”

Anger so intense that she actually started shaking ran through her. “How dare you?” Unable to sit still, Kaylee rose to pace the length of the small living room. “It’s one thing for you to walk in and start telling me you want to be a part of my daughter’s life, but—”

“Our daughter,” he corrected.

Upset by the angry voices, Amber started to cry. She crawled over to Kaylee and wrapped her arms around her mother’s leg. “M-mommy!”

Ignoring Colt, Kaylee picked up the baby and held her close as she continued. “You can’t take matters into your own hands and make a decision like that for me.” She stopped to glare at him. “I can’t afford to take time off. I have rent, a car payment and—”

“I’ll take care of it.”

“Oh, no, you won’t.” She clutched Amber. “I don’t want anything from you.”

Standing, he walked over to her. “Be reasonable, Kaylee. The way I see it, I owe you a little over two years of back child support, and besides, I’d like to hire you to help me get back in shape for the PBR finals the first part of November. You can return here after we get back from Vegas.”

“I don’t want your money,” she said stubbornly. “And I won’t help you regain your strength just so you can go back into an arena and risk your life riding a bull for eight seconds’ worth of thrills.”

“When I come to pick up you and Amber tomorrow morning, I’ll stop by the manager’s office and take care of the rent, as well as having him see that the utilities are shut off,” Colt went on as if he hadn’t listened to a word she’d said. “Besides, Kaylee, you owe me.”

“Oh, really? How do you figure that?” she asked hotly.

His intense blue gaze held hers captive. “You deprived me of Amber’s first two years. You owe me the right to get to know her now.”

Kaylee felt her life spinning out of control with no way to stop it. She had a frightened baby screaming in her ear and an infuriating, sexy-as-sin cowboy standing over her, telling her that he was taking over her life. It was enough to wear the Rock of Gibraltar down to an insignificant pebble.

“Please, don’t do this to me, Colt,” she whispered, feeling more trapped than she’d ever felt in her entire life.

He reached out to cup her cheek. “I love Amber, and I want her to love me. Please give us the chance to develop a relationship, Kaylee.”