Chapter One
“Wyoming bets twenty grand in peanuts. He’s all in. No, wait. He’s got a stash in his lap. He’s holding out on us, folks.” Shayne’s commentary roused a few chuckles from The Boot Knockers circling the poker table, but many remained stoic.
Wyoming gave him a crooked grin that could mean he was holding all the right cards or none of them.
“The man’s not raising his bet, folks. The poker faces are fierce tonight. We must have a lot of hungry guys here. They’re not giving up a single peanut. Didn’t any of you get dinner or what?”
Foster sat back in his seat, ending his game. “No dinner for me. But I’ve got a tasty morsel waiting for me in my cabin, so I’ll catch y’all tomorrow.” He was the only man among them who had a real relationship. He stood and swiped his peanuts off the table. He shoved them in his pockets and headed for the door.
A few comments like “pussy-whipped” followed him but Foster just gave them the finger before the door shut behind him.
Shayne, acting as dealer, stared between his buddies. The weekly poker game was a prelude to the upcoming week of fun when the new batch of women arrived at the ranch. Shayne was off this week, though, and that meant he’d be working double-time around the place.
He didn’t mind. It kept his mind off things.
He folded his arms on the table and stared down the others still in the game. “What’s it gonna be, Nolan? Rock?”
Nolan picked up the pile of peanuts in front of him and dropped them on the table in a repetitive noise that usually, by the end of the night, got on Shayne’s nerves. But he wasn’t all that eager to return to his bunk alone, so he ignored it for the time being.
Rock, the math nerd of the group, peered at them from under the brim of his cowboy hat and pushed up his glasses using a forefinger. The chicks fell all over him, and Shayne had been surprised at first to see how many preferred the smart type.
Rock was also a Dom on the ranch. His skill with ropes and whips surpassed his knowledge of numbers, and every woman left very, very satisfied.
Shayne had been on the receiving end of Rock’s paddle once, just to say he’d done it, and he’d never been the same since. He definitely had an appreciation for the art of BDSM, though he didn’t go nearly that far with his own ladies.
The ranch specialized in treating women with sexual hang-ups or body issues, but Shayne was paired with a lot of virgins. He knew how to put a woman at ease, work her up… and finally show her the real fireworks.
He was growing hard thinking about one particular virgin he’d bedded. Those sweet, raspy cries…
Damn, now he was going to have blue-balls for a solid seven days unless one of the other guys shared. His mind kept spinning back to that one sassy and sweet thing from his past.
He liked his women sharp like her. Since Jolie, he’d had a preference for smart girls.
He pushed out a sigh and snapped at the guys. “You gonna play this hand all day or make a damn move?”
Wyoming swung his gaze up to him and arched a brow. “You got somewhere better to be, Shayne?”
He filled his lungs to the fullest and held his breath for five heartbeats. When he released the air, he wasn’t any less jittery. Damn, why had he let his mind wander to Jolie? His last real relationship before coming to the ranch almost two years before kept surfacing like groundhog holes on a prairie. Hell, he even dreamed about her some nights.
He clenched his jaw and waited. Summoning the patience to finish the poker game and get out of here before anyone caught him sulking.
Or whatever he wanted to call it. He hated the dark weight he often felt when thinking of Jolie. She’d been too young, too committed to her nursing degree and her dreams for her future to mess around with a dumb cowboy like him.
Plus, he’d wanted out of that small town in Montana more than anything. He considered himself a mountain man, and he’d been born and raised in what was just about the only lowlands in the damn state. That was his luck.
Another reason he was dealing, not betting peanuts.
Wyoming pushed back from the table. “Take all I got, boys. I have the shittiest hand in the house.”
“Let’s see.” Nolan leaned close to Wyoming and licked his ear.
“Keep that up and you’ll see something besides cards, man.” Wyoming didn’t bother to swipe off the saliva. He just gave Nolan an appraising look. Wyoming was a kinky fuck. He liked men, women and all pairings in between. Shayne wouldn’t be surprised if the two disappeared after the game.
Wyoming looked between each of the guys. Only Rock didn’t look nervous. Then again, he never did.
“Show your hand,” Shayne said.
Wyoming flipped his cards to reveal a full house.
“Fuck.” Nolan tossed a peanut at Wyoming. It bounced off his pec and to the table. Wyoming plucked it up and crushed the shell with a pinch of thumb and forefinger. Then he tossed the little nuts into his mouth and chewed around a grin.
“Bag these all up for me, boys. I’ll be by to collect my winnings in the morning. Nolan? You comin’?”
Several whistles sounded as the pair left the barn. Shayne stood and stretched. His back creaked. He wasn’t used to sitting for so long. “I’m out too.”
The other Boot Knockers stood as well.
“Who’s bagging up Wyoming’s nuts?” Rock asked.
Shayne cocked a grin. “That would be Nolan.” The remaining guys laughed as they left the barn without a backward glance.
When Shayne inhaled the fresh Montana night air, he caught the hint of the mountains. People didn’t believe him when he swore he could smell the mountains, the earth and snow. Okay, maybe he was a little off his rocker. But the mountains called to him.
He faced the ridge that would take him up and over the mountains in the east. He could pack the saddlebags and set off on horseback. A week of solitude and living rough off the land appealed like nothing else did.
He couldn’t shirk his work, but he might get a day to head up into higher elevations and try to find some semblance of calm.
For months, he’d been thinking of doing this, just to see if he could lay Jolie’s ghost to rest. The woman shouldn’t have any hold on him at all. He hadn’t seen or heard from her since walking out. She’d told him she understood his need to pursue his own happiness, though her lower lip had quivered.
Dammit. He was doing it again.
He set off in search of his bunk. Sleep would end his thoughts—but then there were the dreams to contend with. As he passed a shadowed spot behind the barn, he heard a quiet grunt and rustle of clothing. He grinned. So Wyoming and Nolan hadn’t even made it as far as a cabin before seeking pleasure.
He could stick around and watch or join in. But it wouldn’t fight off his demons for long.
He needed the mountains. But what he thought about at night when he was loneliest was a pretty little woman, smart and as classy as Miss Montana, though she cussed a little.
He smiled wider at the echoes of her going off on a tangent. She’d been too good for him, deserved much more than he could give. Beyond being good in the sack, what did he have to offer?
* * * * *
Belle reached up one chubby baby hand and ripped the glasses off Jolie’s face. She opened her mouth on a gasp and stared with disbelief at her thirteen-month-old daughter, who’d been sitting next to her playing with some colorful toys and babbling to herself while Jolie finished up a paper for a class.
Surprised and too amused to correct the baby for touching something she wasn’t supposed to, she scooped her into her lap and carefully removed her glasses from her fist. With her lips hovering over Belle’s rounded tummy, she said, “I’m gonna get you. I’m gonna get Belle!”
The baby giggled and squirmed as Jolie pressed nibbling kisses to her bare belly. It was hot as hell in the house—her parents kept it that way. Even though it was October and snow was already dusting the ground overnight, Jolie kept Belle in only a diaper in the house. If she didn’t, the child would break into a sweat.
Living with her parents while raising a child wasn’t the easiest thing in the world. But Jolie appreciated having a roof over her head while she finished her degree. Unfortunately, things would only get harder. She hadn’t yet told her parents she was going on for more schooling so she could become a physician’s assistant.
More ability to help patients was what Jolie was aiming for. Not to mention the money so she could comfortably support her daughter on her own.
She didn’t have to do it alone. Her parents pushed her weekly to collect child support from Belle’s father. But how could she go after him for it when he didn’t even know Belle existed?
She blew a raspberry on the baby’s rounded belly and got a full laugh in return. She lifted her head, grinning. Her gaze met her laptop screen.
“Damn.” Somehow the screen had gone blank. She must have bumped something.
She set the baby to the side and punched some keys. Nothing happened. Wait—she had to have saved her paper. Hadn’t she?
“Noooooo. Please don’t be gone.” Hours of hard work, and the paper was due by 6:00 a.m. It was already quickly approaching ten. Belle would have been in bed already except it was Jolie’s long day of classes and she’d kept her up so she could spend time with her.
She searched for her document and came up with no results. Even a search of her recycle bin showed nothing.
It was gone.
Her heart plummeted and angry tears filled her eyes. Apparently she’d been so involved in writing it, she’d forgotten to hit save. Now she was forced to rush through rewriting it. And she was already exhausted. All week, Belle had been cutting teeth and hadn’t slept more than a few hours at a time.
Frustrated and sleep-deprived, she gathered the baby into her arms and stood. As she was walking out of the living room, the doorbell chimed.
“Damn,” she said softly. Only one person would be calling at this time of night. Her parents were off visiting her brother and his family in Utah and Owen had mentioned he might swing by after his shift at the hospital.
Juggling the baby to her hip, she went to the door. When she opened it, he was as bright-eyed as if he’d just climbed out of bed.
“How do you do that?” she snapped.
He blinked. “Hello to you too. And hello to you, Belle. How’re my girls?”
Jolie stepped back to allow Owen inside. He closed the door and stared at her with concern in his eyes. “Everything okay?”
“No. I lost my paper, and Belle’s cutting teeth and I haven’t gotten more than a few hours of sleep all week.”
“Ohh, my poor darling.” He leaned to kiss her between her brows. They didn’t smooth out at the touch, though. She was too irritated to be cajoled out of her frustrated mood.
He took Belle from her and tucked her into the crook of his arm. As a resident in pediatrics, he knew his way around a child.
“Let’s go into the kitchen and I’ll fix you some tea. How does that sound?”
She was grateful for his soothing tone even as it irritated her. She wanted to do things on her own, and he had this way of swooping in and saving the day. It happened all the time. If she had a bad day, he showed up with her favorite iced coffee and a frozen teething ring for Belle.
She went straight to the kitchen island and settled on a stool. He put Belle into her high chair and washed his hands. Then he came back to examine her mouth. Feeling along her gums. Belle chomped down on him hard, and he chuckled.
“Yep, teething for sure. Runny nose? Mild fever?”
“Both.” Her voice sounded with exhaustion and despair. “I can’t believe I lost my paper.”
He leaned on the counter and looked down at her. “You tried everything to get it back?”
“Yes. I didn’t save it.”
“Bad luck.” Why did he have to sound so chipper even when talking about something that upset her so much? His happy outlook on life could get on her nerves at times like these.
He went to the coffee system and stuck in a pod of tea. A minute later she had a steaming mug in hand along with the sugar bowl.
Owen leaned on the counter again, a small smile at the edges of his lips. He was a handsome guy, and all the nurses talked about the dreamy and amazing Dr. Gatesman. Top of his class, a bright future ahead of him. The physique of an athlete and charm for days.
And she was on the receiving end of it. She should be happy about that.
She sipped her tea. Belle cooed and banged on her high chair tray. Owen watched them both.
Finally, Jolie lifted her gaze to him. “Thank you. I’m feeling frazzled.”
“Understandable. Losing a paper is a big blow. Especially on little sleep. When’s it due?”
“6:00 a.m.” Panic was starting to set in again despite the calming effects of chamomile.
He threw a look at the clock shaped like a rooster. “Don’t have much time then. I won’t stick around, but I do feel now’s the time to talk to you about something that’s been on my mind.”
She straightened and stared at him. “What is it? Do you think Belle has something wrong and she isn’t just teething?”
“No, no. That’s not it at all.” He came around the island to put an arm around her shoulders. He smelled like aftershave and clean cotton. He lifted her chin so he could search her gaze.
Now he was worrying her. What was going on?
“Jolie, you know I’m crazy about you, right?”
She blinked. Crazy about her? No, she didn’t know. They’d dated but those nights were few and far between with their insane schedules. Actually, she thought he was seeing a few women at the same time. What they had was friendship and someone to talk to about the rat-race of the medical field.
He smoothed a thumb over the downturned corner of her mouth. “Well, I am. You’re incredible and beautiful and smart. And the best mommy I’ve ever seen.”
At that, she flushed with pleasure. “Thank you.”
“I see how hard you work and well, I don’t want you to work that hard anymore. I want to be a part of your life, yours and Belle’s. I want to be here for you during the hard times and laugh with you during the good. I want to help you with your daughter… and for her to grow up with a father in her life.”
Her heart pounded at the mention of Belle’s father. He’d never asked about Shayne and she hadn’t told him.
But he wasn’t talking about Shayne, was he? He was talking about… about…
“What are you saying?” Her voice came out as a whisper.
He cupped her cheeks in his large hands and stared into her eyes. “I want more between us, Jolie. And I want to be here for Belle as a daddy should. I’m asking you to marry me. I want to take care of you—both of you. Between us, we’ll have all we need and the world is ours.”
“I don’t…” She trailed off, confusion barreling through her system. This was unexpected. Shocking, really. Besides a few kisses, she’d never guessed at Owen’s feelings.
“I’m in love with you, Jolie. I want to marry you and be here for you and Belle through everything in your lives. And maybe down the road once you have your PA degree and I’ve got my own practice, we can have some little brothers and sisters for Belle to grow up with.”
Her breath trickled out. Was he seriously asking her to be his wife? To be Belle’s daddy?
“I can see you’re surprised by all this.” He ran his hands down her shoulders, kneading slightly and finding the knots of tension she’d worn all day. How did he know so much about taking care of her?
How could she not agree to marrying him? It solved all the problems in her life. Gave her stability for her and her child and got her out of her parents’ house at last. She was pretty sick of the country rooster motifs her mother favored.
They circled the room in a wallpaper border, filled every bookshelf in every room. There was even a large metal one that sat on the porch glaring at her with big red eyes when she came home after a long day.
Getting away from country décor was no good reason to marry someone.
But Owen was the real deal. He was a good man. A great doctor in the making. He’d make a good husband and father.
She swallowed hard. “Owen, it’s sudden.”
He squeezed her shoulders lightly. “I know. I’m not asking for an answer right away, just for you to think about it. Think of how good we’d be together, Jolie. You’re all I want in a woman and I adore Belle.” He turned to the high chair and the baby beat the tray with a fist, wet from sucking.
A soft smile crossed his face, and she could see he did hold a lot of affection for her daughter. Was there any better way into a woman’s heart than through her kids?
“I’ll adopt Belle and give her my name. I can’t tell you how much I’ve been thinking about this, sweetie. I can hardly concentrate on anything else. I wasn’t going to say anything until after your semester was finished, since I know how stretched you are with your time. I wanted you to have all the time in the world to think about it. But when I walked in tonight and saw how upset you are… Well, I couldn’t hold back anymore.”
She found herself rising from the stool and putting her arms around him. Her heart was full of some emotion she couldn’t name. Gratitude, yes. Relief on some levels. And pure nervousness.
Could she make the right decision for her and her daughter?
Belle would grow up knowing a father’s love.
But not her real father’s, a voice in the back of her mind said.
She hadn’t told Shayne about being pregnant. He knew nothing at all. She hadn’t given him the chance to make things right with her—with them. But he’d been so set against staying in their hometown and couldn’t wait to pursue the next chapter of his life that she hadn’t wanted to intrude.
She’d never intended to tell Shayne about his daughter, but more and more it was niggling at her. He had a right to know. Didn’t he?
Now another man was asking for Belle’s father to sign over parental rights to him. It definitely wasn’t fair that he didn’t know. In fact, it was impossible to complete the paperwork without Shayne’s signature. She’d named him as Belle’s father even without him knowing.
She let go of Owen and pushed away. “I need some time to think about it.”
“Take all the time you need.”
“I’m not sure what’s right for me or Belle.”
“But don’t forget I love both of you.”
How to argue with that? Her heart was warm at the mere thought of being wanted this way. Owen saw her for what she was—a hardworking student and single mom. She was about to begin her practical experience in the hospital in two weeks, which would spread her even thinner.
Having a strong, reliable man there to catch her during her worst times like tonight appealed more than she could ever say.
Or admit, for that matter. She was proud of doing this all on her own.
She nodded. “Thank you for telling me all this tonight, Owen. It’s made me believe something good can come out of a tough time.”
Belle squawked and he went to pick her up. The baby curled against him, gnawing her fist. Jolie couldn’t ignore how cute they were together. How natural.
“Want me to put her in bed for you and you can get to work on that paper?”
She shook her head. “I’ll take care of it. You’ve done enough and had a long day of your own. Thank you.” She took the baby and cuddled her against her chest. This choice wasn’t all Jolie’s and the other party who’d be affected wasn’t old enough to have a say. What if Jolie made a mistake?
She saw Owen to the door. There, he gave her a lingering kiss on the lips and a small peck on the cheek for Belle before leaving.
She leaned against the door and dropped her nose into Belle’s soft, fine brown hair. The same color as her daddy’s.
Someone else had a say in this matter too.