Chapter 2

Leah kept stealing glances at Ty during the meal. He had removed his Stetson the minute he came inside the house, and he was polite to Gran. That was what she cared about most.

She had been shocked by how run-down the whole place appeared. It’s all my fault. I should have come home sooner. Poor Grandpa must not have been able to keep up with things the last few years, and with all her troubles, Leah hadn’t been thinking of her grandparents so much.

But this Ty wasn’t treating Gran like some poor little lady living out a threadbare existence. He listened to her politely and laughed when she made a joke.

Leah wasn’t willing to call him a nice guy, but she was coming around. Not every man was a complete jerk like Caine. Not every man was quick-tempered and brutal. Just her luck, she had been taken in by a handsome face without knowing what lay behind the mask. But she had been so very young…too young for sure.

She pressed her lips together and reached to help Gracie cut her food.

“How do you like the chicken, Gracie?” Gran asked. “She was one of my young’uns, so she’s nice and tender.”

Gracie’s eyes grew round, and she set her fork down by her plate.

Leah sent her grandmother a frown. “Gran’s kidding, aren’t you? Go ahead and eat up.”

Gracie glanced from her mother to Gran and back again.

“Oh, uh—” Gran stared at Gracie. “That’s right. I was just kidding.”

Reluctantly, Gracie picked up her fork and poked at the lima beans.

Ty smiled at her encouragingly. “This is life on a farm, Gracie. We raise what we eat, and we provide food for others too. That’s our job.” He gestured to her plate. “So eat up, and after dinner, maybe I can take you for a ride.”

Gracie’s eyes lit up, and she leaned toward him. “Really?”

“Sure,” he said. “I’ll have time before I hit the road.”

Leah was relieved to see her daughter pick up her fork and dig right into her food.

“What do you do for a living, young man?” Gran asked.

Ty grinned. “Well, ma’am, I guess you could say I’m unemployed at the moment…but I’m expecting to get something going once I get to Dallas.”

“Just passing through, then?” Gran cocked her head to one side. “I was thinking maybe I could hire you to do a couple of chores for me before you take off, maybe give you a little pocket money?”

Ty’s grin widened. “That’s mighty nice, ma’am, but I better be heading on to the city.”

Gran shrugged. “Well, I had to ask.”

Leah saw her grandmother’s disappointment. “What is it you need done, Gran? I’m pretty sure I can help you.”

Gran smiled and patted her on the arm. “A skinny little thing like you? Not hardly. Maybe I can find someone around here willing to do a little work.”

Ty gave her a long gaze and heaved a sigh. “Well, maybe I can stay until tomorrow. I saw a few things that needed mending when I was exercising my horse.”

Gran looked as excited as Gracie at this announcement. “Oh, that would be grand!”

They finished the meal, and Leah helped clear the table. She put the dishes to soak before slipping out to see what Ty and Gracie were up to. Thinking it would make her spy mission less obvious, she fastened the leash to Eddie’s collar. When she stepped off the porch, she saw Ty saddling his beautiful black horse.

A whisper of fear kissed her neck as she watched the interaction between her child and this stranger.

Gracie stroked the horse’s nose and seemed to be confident around the big animal…and the big, gentle man.

Leah approached timidly. “Hey, you two. What are you doing?”

Ty turned to her, a wide grin on his face. “I’m pretty sure we’re going to take a little ride around the property.”

Leah glanced at the stallion. He snorted and danced sideways as far as his tether would allow. She swallowed hard and shook her head. “Really? Is it safe for her to be on such a…a big horse?”

Ty seemed to be appraising her reaction. “Sure. Prince is a registered quarter horse. He’s a complete gentleman.”

She nodded. “I just came out to give Eddie a walk…and to see Gracie.”

He flashed another killer grin. “Well, let’s get after it, then.” Holding his arms out to Gracie, he lifted her onto the saddle. He placed her hands on the saddle horn and adjusted the length of the stirrups to fit her. “Ready?”

A wave of fear washed over Leah. The sight of her small daughter sitting atop such a large animal constricted her breathing. She watched as Ty set off walking toward the barns, leading the horse by the reins. She fell into step beside him, hurrying to match his long stride.

“Glad you decided to join us,” he said.

“I—I want to make sure Gracie doesn’t fall off.”

“That’s not going to happen,” Ty said. “It’s not a good idea to plant ideas of failure in her head.”

She let out a breath. “No, I suppose not.”

“How did she break her arm?” he asked.

A vision of Caine’s angry face flashed through her brain, and she winced. “Um…it was…” She bit her lip. “It’s her wrist. She fell.”

“I see,” he said. “Well, she’s not going to fall today.”

They walked in silence, rounding toward the barn. Leah was aware of how bad the ranch looked. So much had fallen into disrepair since the last time she had visited. Her grandfather’s passing had taken a huge toll on the property. She didn’t know if her grandmother had the money to pay for the repairs. But she had offered to pay Ty for his services. Maybe she had some savings, because it didn’t look like there had been a recent crop in the fields that surrounded them.

“I’ll try to repair the barn door tomorrow,” he said, as if reading her mind. “You should be able to secure it. What else do you think is most important?”

“I don’t know.” She hesitated. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been here.”

“Not a problem.” His voice rolled out smooth as warm syrup, comforting her in ways she hadn’t known needed comforting. “I’m pretty sure your grandma has a list for me.” He gave her a wink, which also sent messages to parts of her anatomy that hadn’t been visited in a while.

* * *

Ty could almost feel the fear radiating from Leah, like barbed wire setting her perimeter. He had no idea what caused this woman to be so terrified, but he was pretty sure it had nothing to do with him. Something bad had happened to her in the past…something really bad.

The little girl too. But Gracie was more open to him. She was looking for something good to happen.

He checked her expression, and she was relaxed in the saddle. She held on to the saddle horn with her good hand but wasn’t gripping it in a panic.

“You doing okay, Gracie?”

She flashed a big smile that warmed his heart. “I like to ride this horse. He’s nice.”

He was glad this little ride was giving her so much pleasure. “I think you have the makings of a great rider,” he told her.

Leah flashed a dark look in his direction.

He raised his brows, sending a silent question, but she shook her head. Obviously not something she wished to share in front of her daughter. He shrugged and cast about for another topic of conversation. “Were you raised around here?”

Leah shook her head. “No, but we visited quite often. I spent many summers here with Gran and Grandpa. The ranch was so much greener then. It seemed as if everything was growing, and there were animals…all kinds of them.” She glanced up at him. “How about you?”

He hesitated. “Um, yeah. I was raised here in Dimsdale County.”

She shrugged. “I didn’t even know that’s where we are.”

“West of here. The other side of Langston.”

Leah surprised him with a genuine smile. “What’s west of here?”

“My dad’s ranch.”

She digested this fact. “Is it a place like this?” She spread her hands to include their surroundings.

“Yeah,” he said. About a thousand times bigger and more productive.

“That’s nice. I’m glad to know you grew up on a working ranch.”

He chuckled. “Does that make me not as scary?” There, I said it. Maybe I’ll get a straight answer. He watched as a series of emotions played out on her face.

“I don’t know what you mean.” She pressed her lips together in a firm line.

“If you say so, but I promise you, I’m not a bad guy.” He tried to give her a reassuring smile, but she wouldn’t even look at him. It was as though she had closed down completely. None of my business. I get the message.

She turned her attention to Gracie, falling back to walk beside her. Leah remained wrapped in her silent prison, sheltered from his prying questions.

With the setting sun behind it, the barn loomed ahead, large and gloomy like a hulking giant with a gaping maw. Ty resolved to repair the barn door first thing in the morning. After that, he could have a look around to see what else he could do in the short amount of time he had to spare.

Frowning, Leah stopped walking. “Am I crazy, or does it look like that back corner of the barn is charred? It looks like there was a fire.”

“You’re not crazy.” He pointed to the wooden pen situated behind the barn. “It looks like the fence back there has also burned.” He wondered how a fire started in an area that didn’t have much to sustain a fire. The fenced-in area may have been a pen for small livestock, such as pigs or goats. Ty took a few steps toward the barn, making a mental note to ask Fern about it.

Lucky ran ahead to check out the cavernous space. Ty whistled for him, and he made a U-turn to come right back by Ty’s side. “Good boy!”

“Lucky sure is a good dog,” Gracie called.

Ty grinned at her. “He knows it.” He caught sight of Leah’s face, and it was still troubled. “What kind of stock does your grandma have now? She mentioned chickens.”

“I—I’m not sure. When my grandpa was alive, there were cattle and horses…maybe a few goats.” She paused, gazing around. “Now, I don’t know.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll figure it out.”

Leah gnawed her lip as she walked along beside Gracie.

He hadn’t meant to cause her more worry. She looked so troubled he wanted to take her in his arms to comfort her, but he figured that wouldn’t go over well. He blew out a frustrated breath. “Look, I just wanted to make sure any stock was taken care of for the night.”

He heard the sound of a strangled sob, and when he got closer, he saw tears rolling down her cheeks. “Aww, come here.” He opened his arms and almost fell over in surprise when she collapsed against his chest.

“I don’t know what I was thinking,” she gasped. “I wanted to help Gran, but I have no idea what to do. She’s probably going to have to take care of me too.” Her last words morphed into an elongated moan.

“Mommy?” Gracie asked, her concern evident.

Ty placed a gentle hand on Leah’s shoulder as she leaned against his chest. He reached up to Gracie, laying his other hand atop hers as she gripped the saddle horn, offering what comfort he could to these two very unhappy females.

Leah raised her head, fixing her sorrowful gaze on her daughter. “I’m just—” She seemed to gather her courage, visibly straightening her spine.

Ty swallowed hard. “Don’t worry. Everything’s going to be okay.”

Gracie gripped his hand, her eyes wide with fear.

“Your mom’s going to be fine. She’s just…stressed.”

Leah drew back. “I’m so sorry.” She shook her head. “I didn’t mean to do that. I don’t know what’s the matter with me.” She tried to pull away, but Ty held her firmly in the protective circle of his arm.

“Hey, it’s all right.” He felt her relax against him, some of the tension evaporating at his words. “Look, I don’t know what’s going on, but if it would help, I can stay a couple of days to help you get things squared away. I can spare that much.”

She sniffled. “Really?”

He gazed down into her beautiful whiskey-colored eyes. It was as though he stood at the edge of a deep gorge, contemplating the leap. His music career was going to take off once he hit Dallas, but Will wasn’t expecting him until next week. He could afford to lend a hand to these three females in need.

Her lower lip trembled. “That would be so kind of you. I—I can’t tell you how much it would mean to me.”

And he jumped headfirst into the deep, stormy depths of her need. “Well, a couple of days won’t make a difference. Maybe I can get a few things repaired around here.”

* * *

Leah had no idea why, but standing in her grandmother’s weed-infested backyard, with Ty’s arm wrapped around her, was the first time she had felt safe in… Oh hell. I can’t even remember safe. Her heart beat out a rhythm like a bass drum, and her stomach felt queasy, but even lower in her anatomy, something was stirring big time. Oh, those killer blue eyes. Damn! I could believe anything he says when he looks at me like that.

It wasn’t as though he was going to be around long enough to break her heart. He said he would be leaving in a couple of days. She pressed her face against his western shirt. It was the expensive kind and had been starched and ironed, nice as anything.

He smelled great too. Not anything girly. Sort of like fresh citrus and something spicy mixed in. She wondered if he knew the effect he was having on her. Yeah, it’s a good thing he’s going to be moving on.

Eddie put a paw against her calf. His too-long toenails made her wince. Something else that needed doing, but she had left the clippers behind when she had departed in such haste. No time to think things through.

She wondered what would happen to the rest of their belongings. The landlady would probably take what she wanted and haul the rest to the trash bin. Maybe she would donate it. Probably not.

Sad to think everything of value was still crammed into her old beater of a car. Not much to show for her life. Maybe I can make a fresh start. Lord knows I can’t do much worse than the first time out. She glanced up at Gracie, sitting so proudly in the saddle. At least I did one thing well.

“You ready?” Ty asked Gracie. When she nodded, he continued his walk around the property. They passed the barns and outbuildings.

“The chicken coop needs to be closed up for the night,” Ty said, indicating the sad-looking structure.

“I can do that.” Leah handed Eddie’s leash to Ty. She unlatched the gate and stepped through to the wire-enclosed yard. It hadn’t been cleaned in a while. That was something she could do to help Gran. Taking a quick head count, she could locate nine hens inside the coop. Not enough. And Gran harvested one of the girls for dinner. Can’t afford to do that again.

Leah latched the door to the coop and stepped out of the run. The gate was flimsy, but she secured it as best she could. At least this was a small task she could do for Gran.

When Leah turned around, her heart did a flip-flop in her chest. The last rays of the sun cast a golden glow on the scene, illuminating Gracie atop the black stallion, a wide grin on her face; Ty standing beside her, holding the reins; Eddie on his leash, waggling his tail furiously; and Lucky, the beautiful golden retriever that sat patiently beside Ty.

It was one of those Hallmark moments that made her ache all over. Everything looked so beautiful. She wanted it to last forever.

She gave herself a mental head slap. Not forever. Ty is just passing through. But, she admitted to herself, deep in her heart of hearts, she wanted something that made her feel this same way. Happy…secure…a part of something, even though it was just a moment in this case.

They continued their stroll around Gran’s big yard, most of the time in silence. The clip-clop of the horse’s hooves seemed to give cadence to their steps.

Gracie sat atop the horse, looking like a small princess. Leah realized Gracie was proud of the fact she was staying in the saddle. Leah hoped there would be more satisfying moments for this little one. Those moments had been few and far between up until now.

“What crops did your grandpa usually grow in these fields?” Ty asked.

Leah shrugged. “Mostly wheat, some cotton. I seem to remember rye grass in the winter.”

Ty frowned as he gazed out at the barren fields. “It’s not too late to get a crop in.”

“Sorry,” she said. “I know nothing about farming. I’m not even sure why I’m here. I thought I could help my grandma, but now it seems I’m going to be more of a burden for her.”

He frowned again, giving her a sideways glance under the brim of his hat. “I’m pretty certain she’s really happy to have you.”

Leah swallowed, willing herself not to give way to another emotional break. She drew a deep breath. “I hope so. She always told me, when times get tough, that’s when families pull together.”

* * *

Ty felt a whisper of doubt kiss the back of his neck. Families? He thought of his own family, or what was left of it after his mother’s death.

Big Jim’s scowling face came to mind. Although he knew his dad would help him out in an emergency, he couldn’t imagine any circumstances under which he would go running home with his tail tucked between his legs. If he were starving, he would play guitar and sing on the sidewalk for spare change rather than going home in defeat. It was not an option.

Ty’s brothers were following the right path, according to Big Jim. Ty was going to miss them all right, but they couldn’t understand his need to express himself through music. They didn’t understand his “special gift,” or so his mother had called it. Whatever it was that drove him, he’d come this far, and he couldn’t back down now.

He gazed around the mangy-looking spread. Leah’s family seemed to be barely scraping by, yet she was glad to be here. Whatever she was running away from, this place appeared to be her safe haven. There was no doubt the old woman adored Leah and Gracie. He hoped they could survive here. Sucking in a deep breath, he made a silent vow to do all he could the next day to give them a head start.

Her hand on his sleeve pulled him back to reality.

“What are you thinking?” she asked.

Still frowning, he gazed down into her big, dark eyes. “I was just thinking about things I need to do for your grandma tomorrow.” He shrugged. “Making a list.”

She smiled, like the sun peeking through the clouds. “You looked so intense. I thought maybe you were mad at me.”

“No, nothing like that.”

“Good. I would hate that.” She ducked her head.

He reached out to lift her chin. “Leah, I don’t know what’s going on with you, but whatever it is…I’m not that guy.”

“Um. I—I…” She faltered. “I know.”

“Okay, just so you know.” He gave her a wink and moved on in his trek, leading Prince by the reins with Gracie astride. He hooked an arm around Leah’s neck and brought her with him. She laced her fingers with his and kept in step. The two dogs trotted along beside him. Something about this parade gave him a sense of well-being. Leah looked as content as he felt. I know this is only for now, but maybe I can do some good here. He glanced down at her again. I think I’m going to miss her a lot when I leave.

* * *

Fern Davis put away the leftovers and did her best to tidy up her house. She had been thrilled when her granddaughter called to ask if she could move in. Leah hadn’t spelled out what the problem was, but it couldn’t be as bad as the events Fern had been experiencing.

If only her husband, Albert, were still alive. She knew he would have put his foot down and gotten to the bottom of all the devilment going on.

She didn’t want to put Leah and Gracie in danger, but she also knew for sure she would die to protect them. Fern dried her hands on a dish towel and peeked behind the sofa where she had stashed her fully loaded shotgun. Just let them Carter boys show their smarmy faces around here. I’ll put ’em in the ground.

She glanced out the front and smiled when she saw the big cowboy walking along with Leah and Gracie up on the horse. What a purty picture.

* * *

They made a bed for Ty on the lumpy sofa. He’d insisted he could sleep in the truck but gave in when Gran insisted.

“In the old days, the hands used to stay in the bunkhouse,” Gran said. “There are beds and a kitchen. It used to be real comfortable.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Ty said dutifully.

“But it’s not clean out there. You just make yourself comfy right here.” She patted the sofa invitingly.

Leah cast a last glance at Ty and headed for Gran’s spare room, Gracie in tow. She found their nightclothes among the hurriedly packed bags and dressed Gracie for bed. Tucking her in, Leah gave her a kiss on the forehead. Eddie jumped on the foot of the bed and curled up too.

Gracie mumbled a hurried prayer, ending with “an’ God bless Mommy, an’ Gran, an’ Ty. Amen.”

Leah’s breath caught in her throat. How could this big cowboy come to mean so much to them both in so few hours? How is Gracie going to feel when he’s gone? She swallowed hard. How am I going to feel?

She leaned down to brush a kiss on her daughter’s forehead and pulled the covers up under her chin. “You go to sleep now.”

Dutifully, Gracie snuggled down beneath the quilt and closed her eyes, her angelic expression the picture of peace and contentment.

Gazing at her child’s sweet face, a knot formed in Leah’s chest. This is the best place for us. I haven’t been able to give Gracie much up until now, but that will change. Things will get better.

Leah thought about her options. Maybe she could get a job back in Langston. It was the closest town and where Gracie would be enrolled in school come September. She wasn’t quite sure what she might be able to do, but she was used to hard work, so surely someone would give her a chance.

The house was quiet. Tiptoeing out of their room, Leah padded down the hall toward the kitchen in her bare feet. Silently, she took a glass out of the cupboard and filled it with water from the tap. Moonlight spilled in through the window, bathing her in a soft glow as she lifted the glass to her lips. When she’d finished, she set the empty glass in the sink.

Turning, she almost stumbled over Lucky. The dog had been so quiet she hadn’t heard him approach. Leaning down, she stroked his head. “Hey there, stealth doggy. You snuck up on me.” She spoke in hushed tones, barely above a whisper.

The dog swished his tail from side to side.

“Do you need some water too? I put a big bowl right over here.” She checked the corner of the kitchen where she had left one of Gran’s mixing bowls earlier but found it empty. “Oh, thirsty doggy. Let me give you a refill.” She held the bowl under the tap and set it on the floor, tucked in the corner so no one would run into it. “There you go.”

The dog began to lap noisily. Leah knelt down beside him to run her hand over the silky fur. “Good boy,” she whispered and rose from her crouch. When she turned, she ran smack into a brick wall. A warm, muscled brick wall with arms. She stifled a scream as she pushed off the wall and was gathered into a rough embrace.

“Easy, Leah.”

“Oh, Ty! You scared me.” Swallowing hard, she braced her hands against his powerful bare chest. The sensation sent her heart into a flutter. Longing surged through her. Longing for what, she wasn’t quite certain, but longing nonetheless.

“Sorry,” he murmured, his voice deep and raspy. “I thought Lucky was getting into something.” He held her firmly against his warm torso.

She swallowed again. “N-no. I’m sorry I woke you.” Gazing up, she couldn’t read his expression in the darkness.

He expelled a breath, staring down at her moon-washed face. “You are just too pretty for my own good.”

A rage of desire swirled low in her belly. Her pulse pounded in her ears. With no direction, she rose on her tiptoes and lifted her chin.

He made a sort of growl back in his throat before his arms tightened around her and he lowered his head. His kiss was soft, tentative at first, and then deepened. Lifting her off her feet, he devoured her mouth with hungry kisses. Heat from his bare flesh infiltrated her thin gown, setting fire to her desire.

His hunger seemed to fuel hers as the kiss continued to escalate.

Passion bloomed in her chest, sending a flush of pleasure throughout her being. When she came up for air, she had wrapped both arms around his neck. Gasping, she shivered. Everything was happening too fast. The room seemed to be spinning, or was it just her head? Heat emanating from his warm skin sent a spiral of lust to her core. She stroked her fingertips against the side of his face. The rough stubble of his beard rasped against her cheek, her neck, her shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. Holding her tight, he gave her a squeeze before setting her on her feet. “I had no business doing that.”

Stunned, Leah stepped back, “No, I…I mean…”

Ty rubbed her cheek with the back of his fingers. “I’m sorry.” He stepped away, and giving one rueful glance at her, he strode from the kitchen, leaving Leah leaning against the cabinet, tingling in the aftermath of their encounter.

* * *

Ty watched Leah glide silently to the back of the house. He stared after her for a moment, then threw himself down on the sofa and pulled the coverlet over his head. His heart pounded against his ribs like a wild animal straining to be freed from its cage.

He had never wanted a woman more than he wanted Leah. He could still taste her kisses. He could still feel her arms clinging to him. It was all he could do to keep from taking her right there on the countertop.

He swallowed hard and took a deep breath. If only he had met Leah under different circumstances, at a different time in his life, things might have been different. He felt a momentary pang of regret. But he couldn’t let anything stand in the way of his music career. This was his one chance to make it, a golden opportunity he would be a fool to pass up.

Heaving a sigh, he tossed back the cover and stood up. He strained to hear if anyone else was moving about in the darkness, but the only sound was that of his own pulse drumming in his ears.

Noiselessly, he twisted the knob on the front door. He stepped out on the front porch, allowing Lucky to slip out with him. The moon bathed everything in bright contrasts. It looked like an old black-and-white movie. The shadows were ebony-black, and all the other surfaces ranged from bright white through a full spectrum of grays.

Ty sucked in a deep breath. The air tasted of rain nearby. A clean, earthy scent. Rubbing his face with both hands, he tried to clear his head. Tried to erase the soft scent of Leah from his senses. He struggled to focus on what he needed to do.

Tomorrow, he would fulfill his promise to these unfortunate females and spend the day making as many repairs as he could around this godforsaken place. At most, he could give them two days, but that was absolutely all he could spare. Then, he would hightail it to Dallas. There was the gateway to his future. Not here on a broken-down ranch with a whisper-thin old lady, a young girl in a cast, and a beautiful, frightened woman with whiskey-colored eyes and lips that tasted like “stay.”

Ty listened to the night sounds. A cricket chirped. The breeze stirred the high grasses. The old house creaked. Just keep breathing in and out. Don’t try to be a savior. He raked his fingers through his dark, unruly hair. Gotta keep my focus.

* * *

Fern woke up before sunrise. She lay for a few moments, staring up into the darkness. Some sound…some infinitesimal noise outside. She forced herself to take a deep breath, letting it out silently. On alert, her hearing seemed to be heightened. A slight rustling sent spirals of fear fluttering through her chest.

She slipped out of bed. Without making a sound, she opened the drawer of her bedside table and withdrew the .45-caliber revolver that had been her husband’s. Fully loaded, it was heavy but comforting. “Don’t you worry, Albert,” she whispered. “I won’t let them weasels hurt our girls.” She held it close to her chest as she quietly twisted the knob on her bedroom door.

The whole house was sleeping. The door to the room where Leah and Gracie slept was closed as Fern crept down the hallway. Once in the front room, she saw the big lump of cowboy curled up on her sofa, the blanket pulled up almost over his head. Noiselessly, she slipped past him, glad he didn’t snore. Just the soft sound of his regular breathing.

Tyler’s dog, Lucky, stood by the door. It looked like he was on alert too. He glanced at her and then back to staring at the door, his tail wagging slightly as though eager to go outside.

Fern opened the front door a crack, peering out into the darkness. She heard nothing out of the ordinary and slipped through to stand on the porch, the dog coming with her.

The air was cool, whispering across her flesh like a spiderweb, setting all her senses into overdrive. The moon was just a sliver in the black sky.

She jumped at the sound of someone running across the dirt.

She heard a low growl from Lucky before he took off, racing toward the road.

Her throat closed up. She couldn’t breathe but stood clutching the gun, listening in the darkness. As she stood, on alert for the slightest sound, the silence was broken by the slam of a vehicle door and the roar of a badly tuned motor as it sped away.

Her jaw tight, she peered into the darkness, relaxing as Lucky came loping toward her, tail wagging. He looked satisfied with himself as though he knew he had chased the enemy from her door. “Good boy,” she whispered, stroking his head. “Let’s you an’ me git back inside.”

Turning, she stopped dead in her tracks. There was something dark stuck to the front door.

Her hand shook as she reached out to touch it. It was wet and cold with short fur. Shrinking backward, she stifled the scream raging in her throat.

A dead rat.

Swallowing hard, she gathered her courage and pulled the rodent off the door. She felt like screaming, not in fear, but in anger. How dare they come onto her property to leave this mess? If they thought they could frighten an old lady off her land, they had another think coming.

Outraged, Fern marched to the place behind the barn where she burned trash. She put the rat in the metal barrel, moving some trash to cover it.

Lucky sat waiting for her.

“No sense letting something like this scare the girls. They have enough problems without any of mine adding to them.”

She walked back to the house, entering and securing the door behind her. Lucky settled on the floor beside his sleeping master.

* * *

The next morning, Ty awoke with a start. He was disoriented at first, not remembering how he had come to be curled up on a lumpy sofa. He smelled bacon and heard kitchen sounds. He sat up, anxious to see Leah again. Then his resolutions from the night before hit him like a truck. Pressing his lips together, he exhaled. Distance. I have to keep my distance.

He groped in his duffel for a T-shirt and his worn jeans. These would do for working around this little ranch. He carried them in a bundle to the kitchen, where he found Fern Davis managing a stove and two cast-iron skillets. Bacon sizzled in one, and sliced potatoes were browning in the other. He felt a pang, recalling his mother preparing big breakfasts for her men.

She smiled when she saw him. “Howdy, young feller. I can’t tell you how glad I am you decided to stay for a while. We sure can use the help.”

“Uh…well, I’m glad to help out, ma’am.” He had wanted to clean up before putting on his clean but ragged-out jeans and faded tee, but at the moment, he felt the need to be wearing more clothes. Clutching his soon-to-be-donned garments to his bare chest, he backed toward the hallway. “Just heading to the bathroom.”

Fern nodded. “Second door on the left.”

Ty turned and made a break for it. When he put his hand on the doorknob, Leah was just coming out. He swallowed hard.

Looking as though she had just stepped out of the shower, she wore a terry bathrobe, and her hair was still damp. Glancing away, she ducked her head and whispered a greeting. “G’morning, Ty.”

“Ah, good morning, Leah.” The thought of her nakedness underneath the robe hit him like a freight train. He held up his bundle of clothing, plastering on a fake smile. “Getting ready to do some work.” Stupid, stupid, stupid.

She glanced up. “I see. I hope there’s some hot water left for you.” Her voice sounded soft and wistful.

He stared at her mouth, harnessing the desire to haul her closer for another taste of her kisses. “I…uh…I’ll make do.”

She nodded and turned away, padding down the hall in worn scuffs.

He watched her retreating backside as he tried to contain the ache in his chest. What’s wrong with me? I know what I have to do…so I better get after it. He stepped into the still-steamy bathroom and closed the door firmly behind himself.