CHAPTER TEN
ROMAN HELD THE hose over his head again and let the cold water cool him off. Or at least that was the plan. But even the water wasn’t helping much.
It was Texas hot, way too humid, and his body was aching. When he’d agreed to help Garrett move the horses from the corral to the back pasture, he’d forgotten how much work it could be. He wasn’t out of shape, but ranching required a different set of muscles than the ones needed for the gym or for testing out a new bronco for the rodeo. Still, it was satisfying.
Something he wouldn’t mention to Garrett.
His brother might use that satisfying feeling to try to lure Roman back here for good. It wouldn’t work. Roman couldn’t live in the same house with his mother. But that wouldn’t stop Garrett from trying.
Roman glanced up from his hose-dousing and spotted Mila in the window of Sophie’s office. It’d been over a week since he’d walked out of her bookstore and left her with that letter and her tears. If it’d only been those two things, he would have stayed, but he’d seen that look in her eyes. Had known what she wanted from him.
And what she wanted was something he couldn’t give her.
Even if his body disagreed.
He’d always been well aware that Mila was attracted to him. He wasn’t stupid. But Roman had also known she’d held back. Maybe because she was Valerie’s cousin. Maybe because he scared her. She wasn’t the sort to want to play with fire. But that look in her eyes had told him that she might want to sample a little fire, after all. That’s why he’d left. That’s why he hadn’t gone back to the bookstore. However, he had listened to make sure there wasn’t any gossip about her falling apart or anything.
There wasn’t.
In fact, the only gossip was that several people had spotted him limping out of her bookstore and that maybe she’d kicked him in the balls when he’d tried to rid her of her virginity.
Mila glanced in his direction, looked away and then she disappeared. Not out the front door, which meant she was probably going out back. Roman turned off the hose and headed there, too. Not for more of those lustful looks or hard-ons, but because he wanted to find out how she was doing.
When he made it to the side of the guesthouse, he still couldn’t see Mila, but he certainly could hear her. She was talking on the phone to someone, and her tone let him know that the conversation wasn’t going well.
“Come to Wrangler’s Creek ASAP to help your son, or I will find you and drag you back here myself,” she snarled to the person on the other end of the line.
Valerie.
He hurried to the back porch just as Mila was hurrying in his direction, and they darn near collided. Roman had to catch her by the shoulders to stop them from doing a full body slam.
Just like the day at the bookstore, there were tears in her eyes again, but this time he didn’t have to guess the source of them. She also didn’t have to guess that he’d heard what she said because he saw the realization in her expression.
“I’m so sorry,” she said, and despite the fact he was trying to hold her at bay, he ended up just plain holding her instead. “I shouldn’t have threatened her. I kept it together until she started talking about your dick.”
Roman felt his muscles tense. “That must have been some conversation.”
She huffed, wiped away her tears and stepped out of his arms. “It was Valerie being Valerie.” And that said it all.
His ex had a way of riling people even from hundreds of miles away. Apparently, that’s exactly what she’d done, since Mila’s warning had been about Valerie coming here to help Tate. He wasn’t sure how his dick fit into that, because Valerie hadn’t been near that part of him since she’d been pregnant with Tate.
“Valerie accused me of using Tate to get close to you,” Mila went on. “I’m not. I’ve always loved Tate.”
“I know.” No argument from him on that, but he did have some questions. “Is she coming and why didn’t she call Tate or me?”
“She probably thought I’d be the easiest of the three to roll over. She’d actually have to be a mother if she talked to Tate, and you would have threatened her with more than butt-kicking.”
Yeah, he would have. “Valerie knows exactly where my hot buttons are and how hard to push them. And no, that wasn’t a dick reference.”
Mila didn’t smile, but the corner of her mouth lifted a little. “She pushed my buttons, too.” The sadness returned to her eyes, making them even darker than they already were.
Exotic eyes. Dark brown but with flecks of gold in them. Though Roman wasn’t sure why he was noticing that at a time like this.
“If Valerie comes, she comes,” he said to try to chase away some of that sadness. “Nothing you said to her would make her stay away if she truly wants to be here.” That worked the other way, too. Roman did want to talk to her, but that was only so he could say he tried. Valerie would do what she wanted, and to hell with anyone else.
Including their son.
“Did she say anything about calling me?” Roman asked.
“No. But she pretty much blew off what Tate did. She suggested yoga or meditation.”
Definitely a good thing he hadn’t talked to her. He wouldn’t have made things better. “You probably think I’m stupid to have gotten involved with her,” he said.
Mila immediately shook her head. “No. I remember her in those days. She was fun. Alive. Outgoing. Everything that I was too afraid to be.”
He couldn’t argue with any of that, either, but he’d never understood the last part. “Why were you afraid?”
Another head shake, followed by a shrug. “I just didn’t fit in. I thought perhaps because of my mother and because I didn’t have a dad, but now I wonder if I sensed that I wasn’t who my mom was telling me I was.”
“Maybe.” He paused. “You think it’ll help if you find out who your father is?”
“Maybe,” she repeated. “I have a list.” She pulled out her phone from the back pocket of her jeans and showed him the file she’d placed in her notes.
Roman did more than just glance at it. He took her phone and scrolled through the names.
“Yes, Billy Lee is on there,” she volunteered. “And the minister. Along with Waylon Beaumont.”
The man who owned the grocery store and pharmacy. He was on his second family since he and his first wife had divorced, and he’d remarried a woman a lot younger than he was. If memory served, they had daughters about Tate’s age. That probably wasn’t someone Mila wanted to go up to and ask if he was her biological father. But there was someone on the list she could tackle first.
“Billy Lee will be here soon,” he told her. “Why don’t you talk to him about this?”
She was shaking her head before he even finished. “No. Didn’t you remember that part about my mother’s letter saying it would mess up my birth father’s life if he knew?”
“I remember. But that doesn’t apply to Billy Lee. He’s not married, never has been. He’s not dating anyone, either, so there’s no relationship to mess up if he finds out he has a daughter.”
“His reputation,” Mila quickly supplied. “Granger Western does business with a lot of people, and some of them might not appreciate that the CFO fathered a child out of wedlock.” She winced. “Sorry.”
Mila was probably referring to the fact that he’d done the whole fathering out of wedlock thing, and he had, but the difference was Roman had nothing to do with Granger Western except occasionally signing some paperwork. He certainly wasn’t a “face” of the company the way Sophie and Billy Lee were.
“Is that what you were talking to Sophie about—Billy Lee?” he asked.
“No. In fact, I didn’t mention it to her yet. I showed Sophie the letter, though. We also talked about your mother...and some other things.”
Since she didn’t volunteer what those things were, Roman didn’t ask. Though he was curious. Lately he was a lot more curious about anything that involved Mila.
Damn.
It was this attraction again. It was sliding right through and undoing the slight cooling off he’d gotten from the hose. Best to say something instead of just standing there simmering.
“I can talk to Billy Lee for you,” he suggested. “I won’t come out and ask unless that’s what you want me to do.”
“I don’t.”
That’s what he’d figured. “I can just ask in a roundabout way.” After all, Billy Lee always asked Roman about his love life, in a roundabout way, too, so the subject was bound to come up. Roman would just turn the tables on him.
Mila motioned toward her car that was in the side driveway, and it looked as if she was ready to leave. She didn’t move, though. She stayed put and looked at him. Well, she looked at his clothes, anyway.
“Ranch work?” she asked. “It looks good on you.”
He shrugged. “It’s temporary. Hell, that describes a lot of things in my life right now. Tate seems to be settling into school all right, but in another few weeks, the term will end, and we’ll go back to San Antonio. I have to go sooner than that actually.”
Her forehead bunched up. “You’re leaving?”
“Again, just temporarily. I’ve got a meeting I can’t put off. I’m driving into San Antonio tomorrow and hope that Tate will be okay without me for a night or two.”
“I can check on him,” Mila volunteered. “Not sure he’ll need it, though, since Garrett will be around.”
Yeah, his brother had really stepped up with Tate, and Roman wasn’t going to forget that. It was one of the reasons he was doing ranch work today.
“Do you really have a rule about only having sex with a woman three times?” she asked.
Roman certainly hadn’t seen that question coming, and he scowled. “Who told you that?”
“Sophie.”
Great. So, that’s what Mila and she had been talking about. His dick was certainly the topic of conversation today.
“Well, do you?” she pressed.
Since this wasn’t an easy thing to explain, Roman considered lying, but it didn’t seem right to lie to a woman who was jacking up his testosterone. “Yes.”
Clearly, she wanted more than that because Mila just stared at him.
“It’s a rule that makes things simple,” he went on a few seconds later. “That way, a woman doesn’t think sex will lead to anything more. And even if you tell someone that it’s just sex, the longer you’re with that person, it might start to feel like, well, more.”
“Familiarity breeds commitment?” Her tongue wasn’t actually in her cheek, but it should have been. She glanced away, smiled. “It’s a good rule. It’s sort of like a genie giving you three wishes. I like it.”
Mila was certainly keeping him on his toes. “Most women hate it. Or they think it’s a rule I’ll break. I don’t.”
“Good.” She took in a quick breath. “Then this should make things easier for both of us. I want to have sex with you, Roman. Once is fine, but three times works, too.”
Mila brushed a kiss on his lips. Considering his mouth had dropped open, it nearly turned French.
“Think about it and let me know what you decide,” Mila added, and she walked away.
She left him there, in shock. Wondering.
Wanting the hell out of her.
Shit.
He was going to say yes.
* * *
MILA TRIED TO look confident as she strolled toward her car. If it was working, it was pure facade because she wasn’t confident about anything right now.
Well, nothing except that she really did want to have sex with Roman.
Three times was a bonus. She’d thought simply to ask him to be her first. With no strings attached, of course. But now, he could be her first, second and third. Most people didn’t count actual times, just lovers, but she liked the idea of Roman topping her lovers’ list.
If she ever got a list, that is.
But this was a start to getting one. Mila refused to dwell on the fact she might get a broken heart out of this because that was overdue, too. She was fed up with being Mila Banchini, and while she didn’t want to go full-Valerie, she at least wanted a taste of what others had.
She didn’t look back at Roman. In part, because she wanted to pretend that he was drooling over her and not standing there with a dumbfounded look on his face. Besides, she had no doubt thrown him for a loop, and he might need days or longer to come up with a decision. Best to leave and give him some time and space.
When Mila was still a few feet away from her car, she heard the giggling and at first thought it was Sophie. But it was Belle. She was in the sunroom just on the other side of the back porch of the main house. She wasn’t alone, either.
Billy Lee was with her.
They didn’t see Mila at first so she was able to notice the way they were standing. Close, for one thing. And Billy Lee was smiling at whatever had caused Belle to laugh.
“There you are,” Belle said when she spotted her. “I saw your car and figured you’d gone out to chat with Sophie. Come on in so we can talk, too.”
This would no doubt be about the fantasy dating, something Mila didn’t want to discuss, but she did want to get a better look at Billy Lee. She had gotten looks before, of course. Over the years, he’d dropped by dozens of times while she’d been visiting Sophie, and she had also seen him in the hospital a lot when Sophie’s dad was dying.
Billy Lee aimed a smile at her as she made her way up the steps, and Mila tried to study his face without drawing attention to what she was doing. She didn’t see anything that she hadn’t noticed about him before. She certainly didn’t see herself in him, but then most people said she looked like Vita when her mother was younger.
“I was just telling Billy Lee about how good it was to see Roman doing some real work for a change,” Belle remarked. “I hope it sticks and he doesn’t go back to that rodeo stuff.”
It hadn’t stuck and he was going back, but Mila kept that to herself. Easy to do since the house phone rang and Belle scurried off to answer it.
“I’m glad we’ve got a few minutes,” Billy Lee said, glancing back at Belle, who was now in the kitchen on the phone.
Her stomach sank a little. Oh, mercy. Had he heard about her daddy list?
“I wanted to thank you,” Billy Lee went on. “I don’t know what you said to Dylan, but it worked. Dylan was able to talk Lucian out of the lawsuit. Or rather, he was able to talk him into putting it on hold. That’s good enough for now.”
This was the first Mila was hearing of it, and it seemed as if Billy Lee was waiting for her to tell him how she’d managed it. She didn’t have a clue. “I just asked Dylan to consider it,” she settled for saying.
“Sometimes, a mention is all it takes.” He glanced back at Belle again.
Mila was probably reading way too much into this, but it seemed as if he was...cozier than usual. Maybe because of the relief he felt over the lawsuit. Maybe because he felt a genetic bond. Either way, he moved closer and lowered his head.
“Is Belle really going on a date?” he asked. “One where she dresses up and pretends to be someone else?”
Oh, so that’s why he was acting cozy. He was concerned, maybe even jealous. “Yes, it’s a fantasy date.”
Another glance at Belle. The woman was still on the phone. “I want to set up one for Belle and me. A surprise one. Do you think you could help me with that?”
“Sure.” Since Billy Lee could be her father, it was a little strange talking to him about dating, but Mila heartily approved. Billy Lee was someone Clay wouldn’t have to vet, and judging from the way Belle had giggled around him, she liked the man.
“Which fantasy do you think she’d like?” Billy Lee asked.
“Well, she likes the scene in Twilight where Bella tells Edward that she knows he’s a vampire.”
Mila had never seen a blanker stare in her entire life.
“It was a very popular movie and book,” Mila added. “But she also likes the pottery scene in Ghost. And the scene in Pretty Woman where she gets the necklace.”
Yet another blank stare.
“Tell you what,” Mila continued, “the Pretty Woman scene will be easier to set up, and I can maybe borrow a dress for Belle from the theater department at the high school. All you would need to wear is a tux and bring a necklace to give her. Just text me the date when you’d like to do this, and I can set up everything in my bookstore.”
“Drat,” Belle said, putting her hand over the receiver of the phone. “Mila, this call will take a few more minutes. Garden Club stuff. Can you wait for me in the family room? My costume is in there, and I want to show it to you. Billy Lee, you can see it, too, if you like.”
“No, thanks. I need to go have a word with Roman. Thank you,” he added in a whisper to Mila as he walked out toward Roman, who was near the barn now.
Billy Lee probably wanted to tell him about the lawsuit, and while Mila didn’t especially want to be in on that discussion, she didn’t want to talk antebellum dresses, either. Still, she’d see it, make a few minutes of polite conversation and then get back to the bookstore so she could help Janeen close up.
While Belle was still in the kitchen, Mila made her way to the family room and immediately spotted the dress. Hard to miss. It was huge, taking up nearly the whole sofa, and it wasn’t an especially nice shade of green. Obviously, Belle was going for the jail-visiting scene where Scarlett had worn a curtain.
Mila checked the time after a few minutes crawled by, and she was about to leave a note for Belle to let her know that she’d had to go. However, the sound of a vehicle stopped her, and she glanced out the front window and saw the school bus driving off. That meant she’d get to see Tate before she had to leave.
She heard voices. Except Tate wasn’t alone when he was coming up the porch steps to the house.
There was a girl with him.
A girl with purple and red hair.
“This way,” he whispered to her. “Keep quiet so they won’t hear us.”
And he led the girl in the direction of his bedroom.