Chapter Ten
BONES DROVE DOWN the long, lazy driveway toward Nick Braden’s ranch Saturday morning, wondering if there was any sound better than the laughter of children. He had experienced many great moments in his life. The day when his parents got the all clear about his father’s stroke and times when his family was together and he could feel love all around him. But if he had to pick one day, one single moment of complete happiness, he was currently in the thick of it—surrounded by gorgeous maple trees kissing the sky with vibrant red and orange leaves, his girl’s hand in his, and the two children who had stolen his heart giggling in the back seat as horses frolicked in the nearby pasture.
He parked in front of one of the cream-colored barns and spotted Nick in the distance, coming up from another barn. A cowboy hat sat low on his brow as he lifted a hand in greeting.
“Horsies, Mommy!” Bradley yelled. “I smell them!”
Lila squealed, arms flailing and legs kicking in excitement. “Moos!”
“No, Lila,” Bradley corrected her. “They’re horses, not cows.”
Lila giggled. “Moos!”
Bones squeezed Sarah’s hand, bringing her eyes to his as Bradley corrected his sister again. He’d never seen a woman look so beautiful in a simple long-sleeved white shirt, a thick cardigan, and jeans. Sarah had tied a pink sash just above her baby bump. Her boots had seen better days, but they looked like a million bucks on her.
“How do you stand it day after day?” he asked with a smile.
“I’m sorry. I know they’re noisy.”
“No, darlin’. They’re incredible, and so are you.” He pressed a kiss to the back of her hand and said, “Don’t look so shocked. You know just how amazing your children are.” He knew the look of disbelief was probably because of what he’d said about her and not her children, but he wasn’t going to give it credence. She looked radiant, and he hoped that soon she’d trust him enough not to doubt his words.
He climbed from the car and walked around to Sarah’s door as Nick approached.
“How’s it going?” Nick pulled him into a quick, manly embrace.
“Couldn’t be better.” Bones opened Sarah’s door and helped her out. “Sarah, this is my buddy Nick Braden. Nick, my girlfriend, Sarah.” Another flicker of shock appeared in her expression. Get used to it, darlin’. He went to help Bradley out of his car seat.
Nick tipped his hat. “Nice to meet you, sweetheart.”
“Nice to meet you, too. Thank you for letting us come out today,” she said.
“My pleasure,” Nick said. “Kids and animals go together like peanut butter and jelly.”
“Or in our case, Wowbutter and jelly,” Bones said, earning another hint of surprise from Sarah. “Nick, this is Bradley. You’ve got to watch him. He’s been studying farm animals, and his knowledge puts me to shame.”
Bradley tipped his face up toward Nick, squinting into the sun, and said, “Are you a real cowboy?”
Bones grabbed his backpack, in which he’d stowed all of the paraphernalia Sarah usually brought in her baby bag. The backpack was easier to sling over both shoulders if need be. He picked up Lila and joined the others, catching the tail end of Nick’s answer.
“Lila! He’s a real cowboy!” Bradley gushed, earning excited sounds and hand clapping from his baby sister.
“I think we might have to keep her away from ranches when she’s a teenager.” Bones pressed a kiss to Lila’s cheek.
“The little one’s got good taste,” Nick said. “She could end up with a doctor.” He shuddered dramatically, making Sarah laugh.
Nick gave Bradley a quick, kid-friendly safety lesson about the animals, and Bradley listened like a pro, nodding and repeating the important points to Lila. It was just about the cutest thing Bones had ever seen.
“What do you say, partner?” Nick said to Bradley. “Think you’re ready to say hello to the horses? I have some that are just your size.”
Bradley nodded and took Nick’s outstretched hand.
“Should we get the stroller?” Sarah asked.
“No. I’ve got her,” Bones said as they followed Nick and Bradley around the barn to another pasture. He took Sarah’s hand, enjoying her shy smile, and said, “But if you get tired, just say the word and we’ll sit down and rest.”
“Don’t be silly,” she said. “I’m like the Pregnant Woman of Steel. I’m faster than a speeding three-year-old, able to step over Lego buildings in a single bound.”
Bones chuckled. “Then what’s your kryptonite?”
She smiled up at him, heat emanating from her eyes as she said, “You are.”
Man, he loved that. He leaned in for a kiss, then thought better of it with the kids around. A kiss on her hand or a quick peck on the cheek was one thing. But something told him even a child would feel his emotions toward her if he kissed her on the lips now. Instead, he whispered, “Careful using your heat vision in front of the kids. You don’t want me to combust.”
She laughed and quickly covered her mouth. “Sorry, but does that line ever work?”
“Apparently not,” he mumbled.
“It’s a little horse!” Bradley hollered, pulling them from their secrets and sending Lila into a wiggling, squealing bundle of excitement.
“Moo!” Lila called out, pushing to get out of Bones’s arms. “Moo!”
“Horse,” Bradley said, as if his sister should know this by now.
“It’ll take her some time to learn, B-boy.” Bones set Lila on her feet, holding tightly to her hand as they approached the fenced area where a miniature horse was grazing.
“Look how sweet it is,” Sarah said. “Go slow, Bradley. Remember what Nick told you.”
Bradley squinted up at Nick. “Hand up?”
“Palm up,” Nick said, showing him the proper way to hold out his hand. “Let her smell your hand and get used to you.”
Bones crouched beside the kids, one arm around each child’s waist in case the horse acted out.
“She’s the tamest old girl I’ve got,” Nick reassured him. “She grew up around kids, and we’ve never had an incident. Littler ones than Lila have petted her.”
Good to know, but I’m not taking any chances.
Bradley let the horse sniff his hand, then pulled it back quickly, giggling. “It tickles!”
Lila squealed, reaching for the horse’s nose as Bradley did it again. The horse nudged Bradley’s palm, and they both stumbled backward, giggling. Bones pulled Lila against his side to keep her from plopping onto her bottom.
“Gentle,” Sarah reminded them, moving to Bradley’s other side. She pulled her phone from her back pocket and took a few pictures.
“Try it, Mommy!” Bradley urged.
Nick held his hand out. “Why don’t I take a few pictures of your family?”
“Thank you.” Sarah gave him the phone and put her hand out toward the horse, who pushed her lips along it. “She’s so soft. What’s her name?”
“Snickers,” Nick said. “But I call her Charmer, because she can charm the heck out of the crankiest people.”
Sarah glanced at Bones. “Seems you two have something in common.”
Bones winked, keeping his arm around Lila as she toddled forward. “Slow, sweetie. Careful.”
Lila poked a finger toward Snickers, and the horse touched it with her nose. Lila squealed, her little legs backpedaling as her giggles consumed her. She immediately did it again, and more squeals and giggles rang out.
SARAH COULD WATCH Bones with her children all day long. He was as patient as he was sexy, and he was beyond attentive, asking if she needed a drink, to rest, or to use the ladies’ room. She wasn’t used to being looked after, and she was surprised at how much she enjoyed knowing he cared enough about her and her children to do so.
Nick took them to play with the pygmy goats, which were the perfect size for Bradley to chase around and feed from his hand. Lila toddled after them, falling on her bottom so many times, eventually she just sat there letting the goats come to her. Bradley asked so many questions, Nick told him he should write them down so he could create an answer sheet, which sent her inquisitive little boy into a litany of other questions. Starting with, What’s an answer sheet?
Nick was the perfect host, teaching the kids and never rushing them along. He took them to see baby chicks, and by the time they were finally ready to see the puppies, the kids were filthy, hungry, and tired.
“Why don’t we wash up, give the kids a break to eat lunch, and then see the p-u-p-p-i-e-s,” Bones suggested.
She wondered how he knew to spell it out rather than deal with begging from Bradley. “Sounds perfect.”
After washing up, Nick got called away to check on a horse. Bones, Sarah, and the kids sat beneath a big oak tree to eat the lunch they’d packed. Bradley ate and chatted about the animals, but Lila sat in the cradle of Bones’s lap, nibbling on only a few crackers. Bones urged her to drink some juice, but after a tiny sip, she refused.
“Come on, sweet girl,” Bones coaxed. “How about one bite of fruit?”
Lila shook her head, pushing his hand away.
“It’s just the excitement of the day,” Sarah reassured him.
“I love this day,” Bradley said between bites. “Lila falled a lot, but I didn’t.”
“That’s because your sister is still learning to walk,” Bones said as Lila cuddled against his chest. He brushed his hand gently down her back. “It takes all of her energy to keep up with her big brother.”
Bradley seemed to think about that as he took another bite. “I teached her how to walk.”
Bones tousled his hair. “You sure did. She watches everything you do. You know, Dixie’s my little sister.”
“Dixie’s big,” Bradley pointed out.
“You’re right, but she’s still my younger sister, like Lila is to you, and she wanted to keep up with her big brothers. She’d follow us everywhere, chase us around the yard.”
“Did she fall on her butt?” Bradley asked.
Bones smiled and said, “She did, but you know what falling down did to her?”
“Gave her an ouchie?” he asked.
“Maybe, but it also made her stronger, more determined to keep up. So, you keep learning and growing, and the more you accomplish, the more Lila will, too. Because she’s going to want to be just as cool as her older brother.”
A glimmer of pride shone in Bradley’s eyes. “I’m cool?”
“The coolest,” Bones said. “And Lila will be, too.”
Sarah’s insides turned to mush. “You’re pretty cool, too, Dr. Whiskey.”
He touched her hand, but his gaze dropped to Lila and he brushed a kiss to the top of her head.
Bradley popped up to his feet. “I’m done! Can we see more animals now?”
Lila sat up straighter, then slumped against Bones again.
Bones touched her cheek. “She’s a bit warm.”
Sarah began collecting their trash. “Probably from running around so much.”
Bones didn’t look convinced as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.
They made their way over to the barn to see the puppies. As they approached, the pungent scent of leather and horses drifted out the open doors. Sarah had never seen such a big, beautiful two-story barn. The entire barn was painted cream, though around the stalls it was dusty and stained. Two gorgeous horses, one tan, the other dark, peered curiously out of their stalls.
“All fed?” Nick asked as he came out of a room on the other side of the barn. The tan horse nickered, bobbing its head as Nick approached. The horse pressed its head against his sternum, and Nick planted a kiss on its forehead.
“Most of us,” Bones said, glancing at Lila, who was almost asleep on his shoulder.
An old pug waddled out of the room from which Nick had come, making grunting noises.
Lila lifted her head, then settled against his shoulder again.
“Come on, Pugsly.” Nick crouched to love up the dog.
“Can I pet it?” Bradley asked.
“Sure can, but be extra gentle,” Nick warned. “Pugsly is old, and he’s blind in one eye.”
“Da.” Lila reached out, opening and closing her hand.
Bones knelt beside Bradley. “That’s right, baby. Dog.”
“He can’t see?” Bradley got down on his hands and knees beside Nick and peered at the dog’s face.
Nick smoothed his hand down the dog’s back. “He can see, just not so well.”
“Close one eye, B-boy.” Bones waited until Bradley closed his eye, then said, “That’s how Pugsly sees.”
Lila began closing and opening her eyes, moving her face in front of his. “Babababa.”
“I think you’re Ba,” Sarah said, in awe over her little girl trying to say Bones.
The pride in Bones’s eyes couldn’t be missed. Neither could the smirk on his lips when he said, “Better than most things I’m called.”
“I hear ya, man.” Nick pushed to his feet.
“Is Pugsly the father of the litter?” Sarah asked.
Nick shook his head. “Good old Pugs is lucky he can still chase a few butterflies. My neighbor’s Australian shepherd got too frisky with my golden retriever. Now I’ve got six pups to care for. Who wants to see puppies?”
“Me!” Bradley sprang to his feet, snatched Nick’s hand, and went with him toward the other end of the barn.
“Ba, huh?” Bones draped an arm around Sarah, and Lila rested her head on his shoulder.
“It kind of made me all warm and tingly inside,” she admitted.
A slow grin spread across his lips.
Sarah poked him in the side. “Don’t get all cocky. It was probably just the baby moving around. You might be hot and you might be sweeter than sugar to my kids, but you’re still a man. And in my experience, that never ends well for me.”
He glanced at Lila, whose eyes were closed, and then he glanced at Bradley, who was skipping happily along next to Nick. His eyes went dark and lustful as he said, “Wanna bet?”
Before she could respond, he pressed his lips to hers. His tongue slid deliciously over hers in a quick and thoroughly thrilling kiss, leaving her breathless. With a cocky expression that made her body heat up even more, he nudged her forward, as if he hadn’t just taken advantage of the thirty seconds they had without the scrutiny of little eyes.
“That was sneaky,” she whispered.
“It was smart. We’re just getting started, darlin’. How about you stop anticipating an end and start counting on my not disappointing you?”
That sounded good to her. If only she could figure out how to do it.
She heard Bradley giggling and puppies yapping before they stepped into the room.
Bradley was sitting in the middle of the floor surrounded by five, adorably fluffy puppies. He giggled as they crawled all over him, yapping and licking, tugging on his T-shirt with their tiny teeth. Nick sat beside him, snagging the pups when they got too nippy. A beautiful golden retriever lay in the corner of the room, watching the chaos unfold.
“No bite,” Bradley said between giggles. A puppy climbed up his chest and licked his cheek. “Tickles!”
Lila woke with a whimper, and then her eyes widened with glee.
“Look at the puppies, Lila boo,” Sarah exclaimed.
Bones knelt and tried to reposition Lila on his knee so she could see the puppies better, but she lifted her legs against his chest, clinging to him.
“It’s okay, sweetheart. I won’t let them hurt you.” Bones tried again, but Lila cried. He rose to his feet, pressing his lips to her forehead. “She’s pretty warm, Sarah. I don’t think this is exhaustion.”
Sarah stepped around two puppies tumbling at her feet and pressed her hand to Lila’s forehead. She was definitely too warm. Lila buried her face in Bones’s neck, crying louder.
“We should go,” Bones said. “One more minute, B-boy, and then we need to get your sister home.”
“No!” Bradley rolled onto his stomach, letting the puppies climb over his back.
Sarah crouched beside him and felt Bradley’s head, relieved that he wasn’t warm, too. After letting him play for a minute, she said, “Lila’s not feeling well, Bradley. Thank Nick and let’s go.”
“The baby’s sick?” Nick picked up a puppy in each hand and set them into a gated area. “Come on, buddy,” he said to Bradley. “Maybe you can come back another day.”
“No!” Bradley sat on his butt and grabbed a puppy. “I want to play!”
“We did play, but Lila’s got a fever,” she said more sternly. “We have to go now, Bradley.”
Tears sprang from his eyes. “I don’t want to leave!” Using his heels for leverage and clinging to a puppy, he scooted backward. “I’m staying. Let her leave!”
Nick got busy corralling puppies, and Sarah went to pick up Bradley.
Bones put his arm between them. “Take the baby. You shouldn’t carry him.”
He tried to peel Lila off, but she clung to him for dear life, screeching at the top of her lungs, which sent Bradley into a crying, kicking tantrum.
“Bradley, that’s enough,” Sarah said sharply, both embarrassed by her child and brokenhearted for him. She grabbed his hand and hauled him to his feet. “Your sister is sick. We have to go.”
Bradley tugged in the opposite direction, screaming and crying hysterically, causing Lila to cry even harder. Nick said something about giving them privacy and left them alone to deal with her out-of-control children.
Bones looked from Bradley to Lila with an overwhelmed expression.
This was it. The end.
Why had she even thought she had a chance with him? Kids were fun when they were sweet and compliant, but what man in his right mind would want to be in the thick of it with children who were not his own?
Bradley plopped down on his bottom, with Sarah clinging to his hand as he kicked and cried. It was all she could do to look at Bones and say, “Welcome to the darker side of my life.”
Bones gritted his teeth. His eyes narrowed, as if he were mentally preparing to settle world peace—or maybe tell her off. A few seconds later that look became clear determination. He shifted Lila to one arm as she bawled her little eyes out, arms strung so tight around his neck his skin was red. Then he crouched beside Bradley, speaking calm as the day was long—and she had a feeling it was going to be a very long day.
“B-boy, I know you’re disappointed. I’m sure Lila is, too. But your baby sister is sick, and we need to take care of her, which means getting her home so we can help her feel better.”
Bradley cried louder. “I want to stay!”
Bones scooped up her angry, out-of-control boy, tucked him against his side, and said, “Let’s go, darlin’.”
She hurried to keep up with his fast pace.
“You got this, Daddy Whiskey?” Nick asked as they passed him near the horses.
Oh boy. If today doesn’t send him running for the hills, nothing will.
Bones didn’t slow down as he said, “Damn right I do. Thanks, man. I’ll call you.”
When they stepped into the afternoon sun and made their way toward the car, the kids’ hysterics settled to whimpers and hitching gulps.
“Give me one of them,” Sarah pleaded. “I’m used to this.”
Bones nodded toward Lila without missing a step and said, “This one takes after me. She’s stuck like glue.” Then he lifted his chin in Bradley’s direction and said, “And this one needs to be stuck like glue. How about you reach into my pocket and pull out the keys?”
Even amid the craziness, his eyes darkened, and that coy grin that made her heart flutter appeared.
He stopped walking when they reached the car and said, “Might want to get a move on, darlin’, before their alarms go off again.”
The desirous look in his eyes clashed with the scene that was finally calming down. Didn’t anything make him lose his cool? She carefully reached into his pocket, feeling for the keys.
“A little lower,” he urged, and she pushed her fingers deeper. “To the left. Don’t be shy,” he whispered sinfully.
She gave him her best deadpan look, feeling her cheeks burn. She couldn’t believe he wasn’t running the other way. “You’re so bad.” She pushed her fingers deeper into his pocket. “I can’t—”
“You have no idea how good bad can be.” His gaze turned hungrier despite the children in his arms, and he said, “The keys are in the backpack.”
She scoffed and yanked her hand from his pocket, unable to stop a half-laugh, half-shocked sound from escaping. “You are unbelievable.”
“Someday, darlin’, you’ll have no doubts about me.” He leaned over as if to kiss her and stopped short, as he’d done earlier.
She knew he’d hesitated because of the kids again. She was thankful for him letting her make the decision about when and if they saw them kissing. With her frazzled nerves on fire and hoping harder than life itself that she wasn’t making a mistake, she went up on her toes and said, “I have a feeling you enjoy trying to convince me.” Then she pressed a kiss to his lips—just as Lila lifted her head and threw up all over his chest.