Cowboy's Special Woman

Maggie knew she wouldn’t be needed at the hospital. For the past two years, Imogene Randle had wanted to marry her father. Now, here at the hospital, Imogene had him in her clutches, and Maggie was sure Imogene would be in his room constantly. The past twenty minutes were the longest she had been out of his room since Maggie arrived. Maggie looked at Jake again and met another curious stare. She was going to have to take him home with her and let him stay there.

Her stomach fluttered at the thought. He disturbed her and he was a stranger even though her father knew him from rodeos. Just because the guy won big belt buckles and had lots of money didn’t make him safe to take into their house.

She rubbed her earlobe nervously and tried to think what she could do to change the situation. She looked at her father who was breathing deeply with his eyes closed.

“He’s asleep. And he’s right about Imogene. She’ll check on him constantly so I guess we might as well go.” Dazed by the swift turn of events, Maggie picked up her purse. “Are you ready to go home?”

The words had a strange ring to them. She knew this wasn’t an ordinary man and taking him home with her was not like taking the next half dozen strangers home.

Was she really scared of him or was she scared of her own reactions to him? she wondered.

He nodded and turned to hold the door for her. Neither of them said a word as they rode down in the elevator and headed for her pickup. All the time in her mind, she kept running through the names of every hired hand they’d had or anyone else she could think of she could hire in place of Jake. Surely there was someone, and Jake had looked as if he would jump at the chance to go. Why had he let her father talk him into this?

“I know you don’t want to do this. I’m sure I can find someone else,” she said as she drove out of the hospital lot.

He twisted in the seat to look at her. They were still in the glow of town lights and she could see him well enough to see the flare of amusement in his eyes.

“You don’t want me to work for you, do you?”

“I don’t know you.”

“Look, if you don’t want me there, I’ll go.”

She shot him a look and then thought about her father. “Let me see if I can hire someone else. You really don’t want to work for us, do you?”

“No. It’s nothing personal. I had planned to take off work for a short time and travel, but your father needs help. More than you can give him if you’re doing the cooking and taking care of your little girl. You see who you can hire. In the meantime, don’t worry. I’m a safe, trustworthy person. If you’d like, you can call Jeb Stuart and get references. When we get to your house, I’ll give you his number.”

“Thanks. It just makes me nervous for you to move into our house when I don’t know you,” she admitted.

He shrugged. “It’s summer. I saw a hammock in your yard—I can sleep there.”

“You don’t mind?”

“Nope.”

She nodded and was silent and wondered what was running through his mind and if he thought that she was the silliest female he had ever encountered. He hadn’t wanted to stay and work for them, yet why was he so reluctant to stay? She would call Jeb Stuart when they got home.

“When will your daughter come home?”

“I’ll pick her up in the morning. I have two married sisters who live in town. They have kids, too, and all the little cousins are close.”

“Nice big family,” he said glancing around. “Are there any restaurants between here and your house? It just dawned on me and my stomach that I haven’t eaten since last night.”

“Sorry. There isn’t anything unless we turn around and go back to town, but I have leftovers at home.”

“That’s good enough. I’d like to take a shower.”

“Of course. I’m sorry about your staying in our house—”

“Forget it,” he said.

They lapsed into silence again with the rumble of the pickup’s engine the only noise. Jake stared into the dark night and felt caught in a trap. The father wanted him to stay, the daughter wanted him to go. And he wanted to go, dammit! Yet when he looked into the old man’s eyes and then into hers, out had come an acceptance. He was getting himself tied down when he didn’t want to be, in a place he didn’t want to be. He was drawn to Maggie Langford and that alone made him uneasy. Most women he met were like the nurse in the emergency—flirtatious, fun and someone he could take or leave. And he always left them.

A broken leg took weeks to mend. Jake had had enough breaks to know. He didn’t want to work at Maggie’s ranch for weeks. And she sure as hell didn’t want him to. If looks could send him flying to Mars, he would be on his way now.

He didn’t mind sleeping out in the yard in the hammock. It would probably be cool and comfortable, but it was ridiculous. If he intended to harm her, staying in the yard wouldn’t stop him. He was going home to eat with her and shower in her house. He glanced at her again. She was definitely easy to look at. He liked her better in shorts and a T-shirt.

They drove up to the darkened house, and she cut the engine. When he started to get out, he saw her staring at their burned field and the ruins of the garage and the barn.

“Sorry,” he said, understanding too well her sense of loss and sobered by the sight of the blackened land that brought back ugly memories for him.

“It happened so fast and took so much. It’ll take a long time to get things back to the way they were. Dad was after a trunk of old things that had been his father’s.”

“That’s not as important as his life.”

“I know, but he was upset and wanted to save it. I should have had you help me get those trunks out before I ever left the house the first time.”

“You did the best you could.”

She turned to look at him. “It’s been a long day. Sorry if I’m less than hospitable. You’ve been good to us.”

He shrugged. “Forget it.” He stepped out and came around to open her door as she opened it. He held it for her and closed it. Getting some fresh clothes from his bike, he caught up with her and walked with her through the gate where she stopped abruptly.

“Oh, my!” Following her gaze, he looked at her family belongings that he had helped her move out of the house earlier. “Our friends must have moved everything back up here in front of the house.”

“Where’d you put all this when you left here?”

“Across the road from the fire and friends saw me and helped unload the pickup each time. I thought I’d go back and get it tomorrow.”

“I’ll move it inside for you.”

“Thanks, but not now. I’m exhausted and no rain is predicted for the rest of the week. We’ll do that tomorrow.”

“Sure,” he said easily as they went inside. She switched on lights in a kitchen that had high ceilings and glass-fronted cabinets. Some appliances were new, and the place looked comfortable with plants, a large walnut table and yellow chintz-covered cushions.

“Do you mind giving me Jeb Stuart’s phone number?” she asked. His gaze drifted down to her full lips and he wondered what it would be like to kiss her. Forget it, he told himself. The lady is definitely off-limits. Yet what was it about her that made him think of long, wet kisses and hot nights? She was Mom and apple pie, wholesome, uninterested in men at this point in her life. He shouldn’t give her a second glance or thought. But something happened every time he was around her or she looked at him, something that started his pulse racing. He wondered if the smoke and fire had done something to his senses. If it had, it would be a far less disturbing discovery than to know she could have that effect on him by doing nothing more than looking up at him with those big blue eyes.

When she handed him a pen and a tablet, his fingers brushed hers. He was instantly aware of their fingers touching. Fingers. Nothing except the most casual contact. Except there was nothing casual about the effect on his system. What was it about her?

At the hospital the nurse had blatantly rubbed against him, hip against leg, her body against his shoulder, her soft breast pressing against his back and none of her contacts had done to him what the slightest brush of his fingers against Maggie’s did. Amazement warred with fear in him. No woman had ever caused such an intense reaction. He didn’t want this one to.

He scribbled Jeb’s number and gave the pen and tablet back.

“C’mon. I’ll show you where the bathroom is and where the towels are.”

Entranced by the slight sway of her hips and the faint scent of her perfume, he walked behind her through a wide hallway. Large, high-ceilinged rooms were on either side of the hallway. With paneling and beams and mahogany trim, the rooms looked livable and comfortable. The decor was chintz, patterned material and lace. Antiques sat on shelves and tables while pictures decorated the walls. The house held a cozy charm, and he could easily imagine her living in it.

“Your home is nice. This was built by your grandfather?”