Ty’s day was spent in a battle with himself. While he’d been staring into her eyes, his cock recovering from fucking her senseless, he’d been convinced they should see each other, test where things might go. But once he’d gotten back to the ranch, gotten Katie up for school, listened to how excited she was to see her mother after school that day, watched as Cade and Nina quizzed her on her addition over breakfast, he’d realized what a huge risk he’d just taken.

What if he started seeing Jodi and it didn’t work out? What if she decided to retaliate by trying to take Katie? Or worse, she got hurt and took off again? Katie would be crushed either way. She needed her family like she always had, and now she needed her mother too. If she were to lose either, it would break her tiny heart.

“What’s eating you?” his brother Vaughn asked as they watched a long line of cattle being loaded up to ship.

“Nothing,” Ty responded absentmindedly.

“Oh good, so you won’t mind if I set Jodi up with Deke Warner this weekend? He’s been asking about her.”

Ty’s head whipped toward his little brother, his eyes narrowing when he saw Vaughn’s amused expression.

“Yeah, thought that would get a reaction,” Vaughn muttered.

Ty rolled his shoulders, trying to shake off the discomfort the idea of Jodi with Deke caused him.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked.

“That you still have a thing for her.”

Ty didn’t answer, just watched the big, soft-eyed cows making their way up the ramp to the truck. He leaned back against a fence and crossed his arms.

“What if I did?” he finally asked, not meeting Vaughn’s gaze.

Vaughn sighed. “I’d say you’re living pretty damn dangerously.”

He was right. Ty had no problem admitting when his younger brother was right—something that seemed to happen more and more these days. But dammit, this time it stung.

“Look, she’s done and said all the right things,” Vaughn continued. “And she’s great at the voodoo medicine stuff. My leg feels better than ever. But we’d all be fools if we ignored the history here. She was drifting around the country when you met her, she never once considered keeping Katie, and she took off without a single look back.”

Ty nodded. That was all true, but the way she looked at Katie now, the reverence in her voice when she talked about her—it was hard to reconcile the Jodi he saw today with the woman he’d known five years ago.

“You don’t think someone can change that much?” Ty asked.

Vaughn cleared his throat. “I’m not sure, and I guess I think Katie’s too important to take the risk.”

Fuck. Vaughn was echoing what Ty’s more rational parts were telling him. Keep it to business, be prepared for the other shoe to drop, don’t trust her any more than necessary. Then an image of her and Katie staring up at him at the beach flashed through his head, and everything inside him went to jelly again.

He ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

“Look,” he said, turning to face Vaughn. “I know rationally you’re right. And I know this is about Katie’s well-being, her future, her happiness. You know I’ve always put her first—in everything.”

Vaughn nodded solemnly. There was no question about Ty’s devotion to his daughter.

“But I’m struggling here. I’m having these…fantasies. About the three of us, about her and me—someone who loves Katie as much as I do. Something that’s like what we grew up with.”

“Fuck,” Vaughn said slowly. “Dude.” He shook his head, his eyes full of disapproval. “You need to get some distance from this before you make a mistake you can’t undo.”

Ty swallowed around the lump in his throat. “I think I already did.”

Vaughn’s gaze darted to his, and words went unspoken but were communicated all the same.

“When?” Vaughn asked.

“Couple of days ago. I went for an early surf and saw her out for a run on the beach.”

One of the ranch hands whooped as a cow reared up, trying to get out of the chute that led to the truck, and Ty saw Vaughn shift, ready to help if needed. The recalcitrant cow was subdued, and Vaughn relaxed back against the fence.

“You can’t tell Cade.”

Ty’s stomach clenched.

“What aren’t you telling me?” Ty asked.

“He’s hired a private investigator.”

Ty’s vision blurred for a moment, a haze of shifting images and a pain that throbbed behind his temple. His fists clenched and unclenched as he paced a couple of steps away, then back again.

“What the fuck?” he gritted out.

Vaughn’s eyes were sympathetic, but his words were blunt. “The attorney recommended it, and Cade’s not willing to leave this up to Jodi’s good will. Katie’s ours too. You’re too close to the whole thing. What you did the other day proves it.”

Ty’s lips were pressed against his teeth as his whole body tightened in pent-up anger. He felt suddenly impotent, unable to take a step in any direction for fear of making the wrong move.

“Do I dare ask what this investigator has found?”

Vaughn shrugged lightly. “Most of what she’s said seems to be true. But there was a man, a couple of years ago. She filed a restraining order against him. Domestic violence.”

If Ty thought his blood pressure had skyrocketed a few minutes ago, it went through the roof now. With a dozen of his employees standing nearby, he didn’t want to yell at Vaughn, and Cade wasn’t there to punch, so he did the next best thing, turning to the big round post that anchored the fence and hitting it with the flat of his hand as hard as he could.

“Son of a bitch!” he growled as pain shot up his arm. Then he kicked the fucking thing for good measure, hearing a cracking sound when he did.

“Good one,” Vaughn noted in a calm voice. “You want to go for three and see if you can knock it over?”

Ty put his hands up in surrender, breathing hard as he struggled to get his adrenaline under control.

“Some fucker put his hands on the mother of my child?” His voice was raspy, his throat coated in dust the nearby cows were kicking up.

“We don’t know the details,” Vaughn said. “But the investigator’s still digging.”

“I want a name,” Ty snarled. “And an address.”

“Seriously? That’s what you get out of this? Not the fact that this woman may have such poor taste in men she could put your daughter in danger?”

Now Ty finally snapped, jabbing a finger in his brother’s face. “Don’t you dare. Don’t you dare make this about her. Some son of a bitch lays hands on a woman and you make it into her bad judgment? Jesus.” His lip curled in disgust. “I thought Mom raised you better than that.”

Vaughn had the decency to look chagrined. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

“No? What exactly did you mean, then?”

“Only that when she spends time with Katie, you’re getting more than just her, you’re getting her baggage, anyone she’s friends with, the men she potentially dates.”

“She’s not dating,” Ty said decisively.

“Unless it’s you?” Vaughn’s eyebrow rose.

And that’s when Ty knew, when he realized no matter how many people said it was a bad decision, no matter how much of a risk it represented, no matter that it wasn’t rationally in Katie’s best interests, he wanted Jodi. Not just for Katie, not just for him. He wanted her for them. He wanted a family, something he hadn’t thought of with anyone else since the day Jodi left.

For five years, Ty had been perfectly happy devoting himself to his daughter, his business, and his brothers. He’d been fine with no-strings sex, a life of work, Vaughn, Cade, Lynn, and Katie. Having a girlfriend or wife hadn’t ever entered his thoughts, because he didn’t want to risk Katie’s heart along with his own.

But now? Now he found himself wanting something more. He found himself wanting to let his own heart go where Katie’s so obviously already had—straight to Jodi. It was as if he’d been saving that spot in their lives for her, and now she was here, he couldn’t turn her away, couldn’t pretend he didn’t want her nearly as much as Katie did. And he sure as hell couldn’t envision a world where Katie and Jodi spent time with another man—good guy or not.

So yeah, Jodi wasn’t dating unless it was him.

“Maybe,” Ty prevaricated.

Vaughn’s gaze narrowed, his mouth drawn tight. “You’ve never been the self-destructive type,” he said. “And Cade’s going to lose his shit over this.”

“Well, we both know he’ll get over it.”

“Will you at least let him keep the investigator on board? Get some more information about this domestic violence issue?”

“I’ll get back to you on that one,” he answered decisively. “I need to sort some things out with her first.”

Vaughn didn’t answer.

“I mean it,” Ty said, pointing at his baby brother, who sported a short beard and arms thicker than Ty’s. “Tell Cade no more investigations until I say so. It’s an invasion of her privacy, and she’s given us no reason to mistrust her.”

“Whatever you say.” Vaughn let out pained sigh.

The last of the cows shuffled up the ramp, and the gate was shut. As the ranch hands walked around the transport truck making all the closures secure for the ride, Ty pulled his truck keys out of his pocket. “I’m going to check the herd in the north acreage, then go to town for a few things.”

Vaughn snorted, but Ty elected to ignore him.

“Lynn’s picking up Katie to come help at the café after school. It’s Cade and Nina’s night to cook dinner. You and T.J. coming?”

Vaughn muttered a “yes,” and Ty gave him a sharp nod before striding to his truck.

As he drove away, his brother stood and watched him, and Ty fought the churning sensation in his gut. God help him, he hoped this was the right decision. Because if it wasn’t, Katie wasn’t the only one who’d end up hurt.

* * *

He hadn’t been to her house before, but luckily Lynn didn’t ask questions when he texted her for Jodi’s address. Now as he stood on her little front porch, looking at the pretty flowerpots that seemed to spring from every available surface, he wondered for the thousandth time if he was making the right choice.

He considered turning around and heading back to the truck, but before he could escape, the door swung open, and there she was. Every thought but want fled his head, and he took a shuddering breath to steady his buzzing nerves.

“Hi!” she said, looking surprised as her platinum hair fell in waves around her face.

He cleared his throat awkwardly. “Uh, hey. I probably should have called first…”

“No, it’s fine.” Then her eyes grew wide. “Oh my God, is Katie okay?”

“Oh yeah, she’s fine,” he confirmed.

She put a hand to her chest. “Whew. You scared me for a second.”

He scratched his head and felt a flush work its way up his neck. “Yeah, I didn’t really think this through very well. But now that I’m here, can we talk?”

“Sure. Come on in.”

She gestured for him to enter, and he took a few steps inside, looking around a small, but charming living and dining room. The colors were rich, the décor hippy chic, much like Jodi herself.

“Great place,” Ty said, stuffing his hands in his jeans pockets.

“Thank you. Do you want the tour?”

“Um, sure,” he acquiesced, trying to focus on the house and not her ass under a pair of denim cutoffs.

She showed him her cute vintage kitchen complete with 1950s diner table and chairs, then the patio and lush gardens. He had to admit he was impressed with how she’d set up her medical practice so that clients didn’t come through the house, but he couldn’t help but worry about her there alone with men she didn’t know, and he wondered if saying something would get him labeled an alpha asshole.

“There’s only one bathroom,” she said as she leaned into the small room and flicked on the light. He had to smile at the bright yellow daisies she’d used all over the bathroom to contrast the stark black-and-white tiles.

“And the bedrooms,” she finished, gesturing toward two doors across from each other at the end of the hall.

“Do you have friends or family to come use the guest room?” he asked, allowing himself a little prying because he really wanted to know more about her life the last five years.

“Um, I have a couple of girlfriends from San Luis who might come visit, and Darcy and I are still in touch. We Skype once a week. But she got married last year and has a new baby, so she’s not doing a lot of traveling right now.” She paused, her hand resting gently on the wood of the door to one of the bedrooms. “I know I’m jumping the gun a lot with this, but what I really hoped for this bedroom when I rented the house is that maybe—eventually—Katie might be able to spend the night?”

Ty fought the tightening sensation in his chest. He wanted Katie to be with her mom, but not like this. He didn’t want the two of them away from the ranch, having a life here in a house that didn’t include him. The idea of Jodi and Katie being their own family made something inside him hitch uncomfortably. No, that wasn’t what he was hoping for at all.

Jodi rushed on, obviously sensing his discomfort, but not the source of it.

“It was just an idea,” she said, turning and walking back toward him where he stood in the middle of the hall, not speaking because he didn’t know what to say or how to say it.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to overstep, I know her home is with you. Just forget I said anything—” She stopped, unable to go any farther because he was blocking her only escape.

“Ty?”

He looked down at her and took a shuddering breath as his hand moved of its own accord to smooth a strand of her silky hair away from her eyes.

“I don’t want the two of you here without me.” His voice was rough with emotion.

“I understand,” she said, her gaze darting away from his.

“I don’t think you do,” he answered, his hand cupping her chin and cheek so she was forced to look him in the eye. “It’s not because I don’t trust you with her.”

She swallowed, and he watched the movement like a hawk watching a bunny.

“I want it all—the three of us. I want to be with you both. I want you and I want her—the whole thing.”

Her breath caught. “What if it doesn’t work?”

“You’ll still be her mom. I’ll still be her dad, and we’ll still do what’s best for her.” He stepped back, running a hand through his hair. “I know it’s a big risk, but at some point, I have to decide to just trust. I have to trust that even if you and I don’t work in the long run, you won’t use that as an excuse to do things that aren’t in her best interests.”

“I would never,” she said solemnly, and he wanted to believe her.

“I don’t think you would either. And I want to follow my instincts here. I’ve always had pretty good ones when it comes to being a parent.” He didn’t admit that raging lust had never been a factor in those instincts before, but he didn’t want to acknowledge that difference even to himself.

He took her hand and pulled her against him as he leaned his back against the wall. “I want more—more than conversations once a week where we set her schedule and smile politely at one another. I don’t want to act like we’re the remnants of a divorce that never happened.” He took a deep breath, organizing his thoughts. “I feel like we made an investment five years ago, and because it didn’t pay off the way we wanted, we’re ignoring the fact that we still got a pretty damn great return.

“We got along, you and me. We may not have been serious after those few weeks, but I can tell you I was damn happy with you, and if Katie hadn’t happened, I can guarantee I would have been asking you to stay longer than that summer.”

She smiled softly, shaking her head. “And I would have said yes.”

He grinned. “Oh yeah?”

“Yes. Don’t let it go to your head.”

“We were good together.” He watched her with those lips parted, cheeks flushed. “We did something amazing together. Maybe it’s time to invest some more in the partnership.”

Then he lowered his head and touched his lips to hers. His heart raced, his pulse thrumming, blood like hot lava in his veins. His tongue slipped out, tasting her lip balm—sweet, minty perfection.

“Be with me,” he rasped as he skated his lips over her cheek. “See where this goes. Let’s at least try to give Katie what every kid deserves.”

She pulled back, looking him in the eye. “But careful.”

“Mm,” he murmured. His dick was so hard, he was having trouble listening to whatever she was saying.

“Some dates, maybe we can do some day trips just the three of us, but no talk about the future. We don’t want to confuse her.”

“Yes,” he whispered as he took her earlobe between his teeth and pulled lightly. She moaned in response.

“We probably shouldn’t be having sex either,” she gasped.

“Mm, I’m sure you’re right,” he growled, his hand finding its way under her little cropped peasant blouse. He quickly discovered she was braless beneath the flounces around the neckline. “Fuck,” he gritted out.

“Maybe just this once,” she whispered, her head falling back, exposing the long column of her throat.

“I think we need more data before we make the decision.”

“Okay,” she conceded on a whimper as he pinched her nipple between his thumb and forefinger.

He pushed off the wall and spun them so her back was to the end of the hall. “You didn’t show me the bedroom. I paid for the full tour.”

She laughed, shaking her head. “I’ve never had any willpower around you.”

“No need to start now.” He grinned, his cock pressing hard against the constraints of his jeans.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, standing on her tiptoes to bring her up to eye level with him. “Willpower’s overrated. Let me show you the bedroom.”