Rancher to the Rescue

“Let’s get you settled,” he said, coming to a stop in the hallway. “Then we’ll see about grabbing some chow…if you’re up to it?”

“Actually, I’m feeling better now. And something to eat does sound good.”

He opened the door and stepped back to let her pass.

“Is this your room?” she asked. “I don’t want to put you out.”

“No. Mine’s at the other end of the hallway. This happens to be the only other bedroom I’ve gotten around to furnishing.”

“You decorated this?” Her eyes opened wide as she began inspecting the green walls with the white crown molding.

“It isn’t anything great, but I figured if I was going to have a shot at talking Gram into moving in here she might be persuaded by a cheerful room.”

“It’s definitely cheerful. You did a great job. And I just love the sleigh bed. It’s so big you could get lost in it.”

He nearly offered to come find her, but he caught himself in time. Apparently Meg’s thoughts had roamed in the same direction as color flared in her cheeks and she refused to meet his gaze.

He smiled and propped his shoulder against the doorjamb. “This room has its own bathroom, so feel free to get cleaned up. I’ll go find you something to change into. I’ll be back.”

“Thanks. Seems like I’ve been saying that a lot. But I mean it. I don’t know what I’d have done if you hadn’t been at the church.”

One minute she was strong and standing her ground and the next she was sweet and vulnerable. She left his head spinning.

“I’ll get those clothes.”

He slipped into the hallway and strode to his bedroom. What in the world was he supposed to give her to wear? there really wasn’t that much to her. She was quite a few inches shorter than him. And he recalled spying high heels when she lifted her dress.

Then there was her waist. She wasn’t skinny, but still none of his pants would even come close to fitting. Not even if they were cinched up with a belt. No, he’d have to think of something else.

Cash rummaged through his closet but found nothing suitable. Then he started sorting through his chest of drawers. He made sure to dig to the bottom, hoping to find something he’d forgotten about. He couldn’t believe he was doing all of this for a woman who was obviously still in love with what’s-his-face. Cash’s hands clenched tight around the T-shirt he’d been holding.

So, if she still loved this guy, why had she run out of the church? He was tired of contemplating that question—he resolved to try again and ask her straight up what had happened. Get it out in the open. Once he understood he’d…he’d give her advice—you know, from a guy’s perspective.

With a plan in mind, he grabbed a pair of drawstring shorts and a T-shirt. He knew she’d swim in them but it was the best he could do.

He returned to the guestroom and found the door shut. he rapped his knuckles against the wood. “Meg?” He waited a few seconds. Nothing. “Meg? It’s me.”

He didn’t hear anything. Guessing she’d opted for a shower, he decided to leave the clothes on the bed before heading down to the kitchen to scrounge up some food.

With a twist of the doorknob he swung the door open and stepped inside. His gaze landed on Meg sprawled over the bed and he came to an abrupt halt. What in the world?

She was lying on her stomach in nothing more than white thigh-high stockings, a garter belt and lacy bikini panties that barely covered her creamy backside…

He swallowed hard and blinked. The sexy vision was still there. He shouldn’t be here, but his feet refused to cooperate.

A soft sigh escaped her lips, snapping him from the trance. He dropped the clothes on the cedar chest at the end of the bed and hightailed it out of the room. The image of her draped over the bed would forever be tattooed on his memory.

CHAPTER FOUR

MEGHAN SHOT UPRIGHT in bed. Something had startled her out of sleep. Her heart pounded in her chest. She shoved the flyaway strands back from her face and looked around. Where was she? Her gaze skimmed over the unfamiliar surroundings.

A knock sounded at the door. “Meg, it’s dinnertime. Gram’s expecting us.”

The male voice was familiar. Cash. Flashes of the day’s events came rushing back to her.

The wedding that would never be.

The narrow escape from the press.

Being sick on the side of the road.

And, lastly, her ride home with Cash and his grandmother.

Thanks to him she was safe. Her breath settled as the beating of her heart eased to a steady rhythm.

An insistent pounding on the door ensued. “Meg? Are you okay? If you don’t answer me I’m coming in.”

She glanced down at her scant bra and white lace panties. “I’m fine.”

“You sure?”

“I fell asleep.” She leaned over and grabbed the quilt she’d turned down earlier. With it snug over her shoulders, she was prepared in case Cash charged into the room.

“It’s getting late.” His deep voice rumbled through the door. “We should get moving.”

Her bedraggled wedding dress lay in a heap on the floor. She never wanted to put that dress back on, but she couldn’t go around wrapped in this quilt either, no matter how pretty she found the mosaic of pastel colors.

She worried at her bottom lip. Her gaze slipped to the window, where the sinking sun’s rays glimmered. “But I don’t have anything to wear.”

“I left a few things on the cedar chest.”

Relief eased the tension in her body. “Thanks. Give me five minutes to get changed.”

She waited for his retreating footsteps before scrambling out from beneath the quilt. She couldn’t believe she’d fallen asleep for—what? The whole afternoon? For the past couple of weeks if she hadn’t been sick, she’d been tired. she wondered if it was the stress of the wedding or the baby. She pressed her hand protectively to her abdomen.

She rushed into the bathroom to wash up. When she’d finished, she stared in the mirror at her fresh-faced reflection. She had a rule about never going in public without her make-up—but that was before her life ran straight off the rails. The time had come to rethink some of those rules.

Back in the bedroom, she found the clothes where Cash had said he’d left them. Her face warmed as it dawned on her that he would have had to enter the bedroom—while she was sprawled across the bed in the lingerie she’d planned to wear on her wedding night.

The thought of the sexy giant checking her out sent a tingle of excitement zinging through her chest. A part of her wondered what he had been thinking when he realized she’d stripped down to her skivvies before sleep claimed her. Yet in the very next second a blaze of embarrassment rushed up from her chest and singed the roots of her hair—he’d seen her practically naked. Could this day get any worse?

She gave herself a mental shake and gathered the borrowed clothes. His earthy scent clung to the shirt. Her mind conjured up thoughts of the tall, muscular cowboy. If circumstances were different—if her plans were different—she wouldn’t mind moving in for an up close and personal whiff of the man.

As quickly as the notion occurred to her she dismissed it. She didn’t have room in her messed-up life to entertain thoughts about men. Right now she should be concentrating on more important matters, like trying to figure out her future. She had to make careful plans for the little baby growing inside her.

Not wanting to keep Cash waiting longer than necessary, she slipped on the clothes. Though the shorts and T-shirt were about five sizes too big for her, they were at least clean, and much cooler than the tattered dress she’d attempted to shove in the wastebasket.

In the bathroom, she gave her appearance a quick once-over, knowing there was no way she could make herself look good—presentable would have to do. She rushed to the top of the stairs and glanced down to where Cash was pacing in the foyer. His handsome face was creased as though he were deep in thought—probably about how soon she’d be gone from his life.