Baby, It's You (Uncharted SEALs Book 5) (5 page)

Tilda clucked her disapproval but retreated to the kitchen.

Emmy lifted a fork of plain scrambled eggs and flipped it at Lee’s son. The eggs landed on the tabletop, thank goodness.

Wayne glanced at the mess then gave Emmy a flat stare.

Emmy returned it with a wicked gleam in her eye. She’d never taken to the man, although he was a frequent visitor and often brought her gifts, trying to woo her friendship. But Emmy wasn’t having any of it. Maybe she sensed his interest in Melanie and was jealous.

“What brings you out this early in the morning?” Melanie asked.

Wayne’s smile seemed strained as he looked at Carter. “Heard you were back. Thought I’d come say hello.”

Carter’s gaze narrowed, but he gave the other man a nod. “You’re looking well.”

Wayne did. He was dressed in dark gray slacks, his silver and maroon tie loosened at the neck of his button-up white shirt. He shared the Vance men’s dark good looks.

“I have to be at the office at ten.” His gaze went to Melanie. “Wondered if I could have a minute of your time, Mel.”

Heat began to spill across her cheeks as both Wayne and Carter stared. “Sure. If you’re not going to eat, we could talk now.”

Wayne pushed up from his seat and quickly walked to hers, pulling back her chair as she stood. A gesture she didn’t expect, and which made her uncomfortable because he seemed to be making some point to the man watching quietly from across the table.

Melanie bent toward Emmy. “Finish your eggs. And no more flicking them with your fork. Tilda won’t be happy if you make a bigger mess.”

Emmy sat sullenly but gave a nod.

‡

W
ithout a glance
toward Carter, because she knew she’d find only a narrow glare, Melanie walked through the living room to the front porch. There, she took a seat in the middle of the porch swing to prevent Wayne from trying to sit next to her. Of late, he’d made his interest in her more obvious, and she wanted to keep things copasetic. He was Lee’s son. With more right to be here than she, but still…something about him made her feel…crowded.

“You said you wanted to talk,” she reminded him, getting straight to the point.

Wayne’s gaze went back to the door. “He mention how long he’s staying?”

She raised both brows. “You could have asked him that.”

He shrugged and sat in a glider—after examining it to make sure there wasn’t any dirt on it to transfer to his trousers, she was sure. Something else she didn’t like about him. Too fussy.

“Didn’t want to ask how his knee was doing, or whether he would be booted from the Navy. Thought maybe he’d be sensitive about the subject.”

She doubted seriously that he was overly concerned about offending Carter. “Why are you worried about his knee?”

“I’m not worried. Just wondering.”

“About how long he’s going to be here?” She drew a deep breath. “Are you worried he plans to stay?”

Wayne raked a hand through his hair. “He hasn’t wanted to be a part of the ranch in years.”

“And yet, he’s a Vance. Same as you. You don’t work the ranch.”

“But I’m here when shit goes south.” He frowned. “Sorry for the language. Carter always rubbed me the wrong way.”

“The three of you grew up here—you, Daniel, and Carter.”

“And all of us left. But I didn’t head to another continent.”

Melanie crossed her arms. “Look, I’m not going to talk about Carter’s plans. I don’t have a clue what they are.”

He gave her a thin smile. “That wasn’t the only reason I came. I wondered whether you’d given my invitation some more thought.” She began to shake her head, but he held up a hand. “Don’t say no. Just think about it. And I only asked for a date. We make sense, Melanie. You have to think about Emmy.”

That’s all she’d been doing—thinking about the little girl and her future. When her grandfather passed, Melanie didn’t know how things would settle, whether they’d still have a home, although Carter, Sr. had promised there’d always be a place here for both of them. In the end, Lee would be in charge of ranch business, not something he was fond of. But there wasn’t a younger man to pass the torch to. He was already hinting about finding a foreman who could manage the place.

And when Lee was gone, what then? Wayne had no interest, had already hinted broadly to his dad, to her, that they ought to sell up while they still could. While the ranch was successful.

“You keep saying we make sense. Why?” she asked, wanting him to be blunt, to lay it all out there, because she knew he wasn’t that interested in her. He hadn’t been all that happy when she’d first been installed at the ranch to care for Emmy. She’d never forgotten his initial coldness, although he’d warmed to her over time. Likely because he believed her malleable. Someone he could influence. He sold real estate for a living. Was successful at it. He believed in his own charm, but Melanie hated to admit it, she didn’t like him. Not one bit. Only she was older than Emmy, and knew her place—she couldn’t give him the stink-eye, although sometimes, she certainly wanted to.

Like now. Because his cheeks were flushed, and he looked frustrated that she wasn’t falling in with his plans, whatever they were. Did he think they should date? Marry? Did he think that because her face was scarred that she couldn’t possibly do any better? She still remembered the way he’d stared at it when she’d first come, looking fascinated and repelled. Surgery had taken care of its thick, jagged texture, but the scar was still there. An imperfection she guessed he couldn’t abide. And yet, he thought there should be a “we”…

Melanie suppressed a shiver.

His gaze rose and bored into hers. “Just be careful. Carter’s not the staying around kind. Don’t go thinking he will—for Emmy or for you.”

Fury blazed through her, making her back stiffen and her face freeze.

“Seems like you’re talking to the wrong person,” came Carter’s deep-timbered voice from the doorway. “Only person who knows my intentions is me, cuz.”

Wayne shot up from his seat. His ready smile seemed forced. “Melanie has to plan for the future. I just wanted to let her know, I’ll be there for her.”

“Funny way to show it,” Melanie muttered.

Wayne drew a deep breath then stepped toward her, reaching for her hand.

She wanted to snatch it away, but Carter was watching, and she didn’t want the men to come to blows, so she gave Wayne an equally insincere smile. “It warms my heart that you’re so concerned. Thanks for dropping by. Will you be seeing Papa before you go?”

He glanced at his watch and shook his head regretfully. “I have clients to meet. Give him my regards.”

“Certainly,” she said, with no intentions of doing so. Despite the fact Wayne was blood, Carter, Sr. had never appeared to like his nephew all that much.

“Well, think about my invitation,” Wayne said, giving her hand a squeeze. “Carter,” he said giving the other man a nod, and then he stepped off the porch.

Melanie trained her gaze straight ahead as he left.

Carter strode closer then went down on his haunches in front of her. “Was he bothering you?”

“I can take care of myself. Have been.”

His blue eyes, so alert and focused, studied her. “Not what I asked, but good to know.”

“He had a point to make. He made it.”

Carter’s mouth thinned. “Wayne and me, we’ve never been close.”

“Same could be said for you and the rest of the family as well.”

“You and me were close.”

“For a minute.” She met his gaze, and she hoped like hell he didn’t see the hurt inside her. He hadn’t lied to her. He’d told her they’d never be anything. The fact she’d held on to his memory was something she beat herself up about often enough. But every man paled in comparison. Why the hell had she ever sought him out? She’d have been better off not knowing how hot passion could flare. How long hope could survive. She’d been stupid.
Stupid. Stupid.

And yet…staring into his eyes, she felt as though she was ready to go
there
again. To taste forbidden fruit. She was older, but evidently no wiser. She’d subsisted on stories of his youth. Of his daring. Stories told by his father and Lee, told in poignant, disappointed tones, because Carter had left things so undone when he’d escaped the Rocking V.

“I don’t want to disappoint you again, Mel.”

Her breath caught. It was as though he’d read her mind. “How can you disappoint me when my expectations are so low?”

He drew a deep, sharp breath then stood.

Her cheeks flushed. She hadn’t intended to be mean-spirited. To hit him below the belt. She sounded like Wayne. But she needed armor against this awful, pointless attraction.

Her stomach sank as he turned on a heel and headed back into the house. Well, she’d gotten what she wanted—for him to leave her alone.

*

Melanie left the
corral where Lee was leading Punkin on a rope, Emmy clinging to her mane. The little girl’s laughter was a balm to her heavy heart.

She hadn’t seen Carter since that morning, and she hadn’t asked around to see where he’d gone, whether he was still there, because the last thing she wanted was anyone giving her a knowing glance. Wayne knew about her attraction. Did everyone? It had been five years since the wedding. How could he or anyone else know she still carried a torch? The thought deepened her broodiness.

The situation was ridiculous. She was ridiculous. Carter would be here for however long it took for him to remember how much he hated the place, and then he’d be gone. She only had to wait him out. Then things would settle into their old pattern.

And Carter couldn’t know how she felt, could he? She’d sent him letters over the past few years, but only to apprise him of Emmy’s progress. To remind him about her birthdays—although he’d never bothered sending her a gift—just money for her to purchase what Emmy might like. And never with a message addressed to her acknowledging she existed.

And yet, she’d continued sending photographs, pictures Emmy had drawn. Why? It was clear he wanted nothing to do with her. With either of them.

Hell, the attorney settling Daniel’s and Cassie’s affairs had had to contact his commander to get him to respond.

Carter wasn’t interested in anything to do with the ranch, his home, his dad, his niece. Certainly not some girl who’d invited herself to his bed. She glanced toward Lee, who gave her a smile to tell her he had everything well in hand, and she decided she needed a break from noise and responsibility. She headed to the barn. A ride would clear the cobwebs.

As she approached the open doors, Carter walked out, dressed in a cotton chambray shirt and jeans, a cowboy hat on his head. He looked good, natural, dressed as a cowboy, and he held the reins to two horses in his hands. He gave her a brief, crooked smile. “I saddled your horse,” he said, tilting his head toward the buckskin his father had given her the first month after she’d arrived.

“You didn’t have to. I can saddle my own.”

“So I hear.” He handed her the reins. “If you don’t mind company…”

She should say she’d changed her mind. But he was making an effort to be nice. She wasn’t certain why, but she was tired of being cynical about everyone’s motives. “Sure. Try to keep up.” He moved to her side. “I don’t need help getting up.”

One corner of his mouth kicked up. “And you know I don’t either,” he whispered.

Heat spread across her cheeks. “Don’t,” she whispered.

“I can’t tease you, Mel?”

“This is awkward enough.”

“Doesn’t have to be.”

She shook her head. “There you go again…”

He grimaced and stepped back. “It’s just a ride,” he growled, his blue eyes turning smoky.

“Stop!”

He laughed. The first she thought she’d ever seen. And her heart leapt. He held up his hands and walked backward, around his horse, then stepped up into his saddle. “See if you can keep up.” He gave a click of his tongue and pulled the reins to peel away. His horse was already galloping before they’d cleared the gate leading into the field.

She glanced to see whether anyone else had noted their exchange. Lee was smiling and gave her a little wave. Emmy laughed from atop Punkin. “Better hurry, Mama! He’s gettin’ away.”