LOVING ELLIE (22 page)

“They are,” Victoria said as she grabbed a handful of silverware from one of the drawers and handed it to Ellie.  “Better than I could have ever hoped they would.  Although we both have agreed to take things slow, get to know each other again.”

“I think that’s smart.  Especially since there are three of you in this new relationship.  Not just two.”

“What about you and Lucas?”

“What about us?”

Victoria rolled her eyes.  “How are things between the two of you?”

“I’m glad to have him home again,” Ellie admitted.  “But I can’t allow myself to dwell on my feelings for him.”

“Why not?” her fiend asked as she began cutting the lasagna into large, pieces.

“You know why,” Ellie replied as she stood clutching the silverware.

“You’re still considering adoption?” Victoria asked with a hint of disappointment.

“Nothing’s changed in that regard.”  But that wasn’t exactly true.  She was growing more and more attached to Lucas each passing day.  To his bossy ways and that sexy cowboy grin.  And she found herself spending more and more time imagining what her life might be like with a child in it.  But, having never experienced a real parent-child relationship, those imaginings always gave way to more painful memories of her past.  Because that was all she knew.

                                                        *              *              *

“Have a nice ride?”

Lucas pulled up on the reins and glanced back toward the house to see Ellie sitting on the front porch swing.

“Morning.”

“Morning,” she replied with a warm smile.  No hint of the turmoil that existed just under the surface of their relationship.

Ellie was still set on giving her baby up and he was bound and determined to convince her that she would be the best parent for her son.  But her resolve was weakening.  He felt it.  That alone was enough to give him hope. 

He drank in the sight of her as he rode up to the porch.  It was nearly noon, yet she was still wearing her nightgown and robe, her long hair mussed from sleep.  His gaze dropped down, a grin sliding across his face as he eyed the pink fuzzy slippers peeking out from beneath the robe’s hem. 

“Cute slippers.”

“Thanks.”  She extended a leg and turned her slippered foot from side to side.  “You wouldn’t believe how warm these things keep your feet.” 

He let his gaze run over her.  No makeup, oversized nightclothes, and wearing those gawd-awful pink slippers.  Yet, she was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on. 

“They look warm,” he noted, fighting a grin.  “And you look rested.  Glad to see it.” 

“I should have been up hours ago, but my alarm didn’t go off.”

“I know.”

“You...”  She stopped swinging, her green eyes narrowing in on him.  “You did it, didn’t you?  You shut off my alarm.” 

“Guilty as charged.”

“Why would you do that?” she demanded. 

“Because it’s Sunday.  You don’t have to go in to the coffee shop today,
and
you need to get more rest.”

She rolled her eyes.  “You’re driving me crazy with your bossiness.”

“If you want to debate who’s driving who crazier, I’d be more than happy to oblige.”  He’d begin with her constant need to push herself, working herself into near exhaustion day after day, and if she really got him going he’d make mention of the mental and physical strain her sexy little pout put on him as well.

“I’ll pass,” she said, pushing up off the swing.  “It’s too pretty a day to spend going at it with you.”  She walked to the edge of the porch and looked longingly out over the ranch.

Lucas sat back in the saddle and tipped his hat up as he too looked out over their property.  The afternoon sun glinted off the melting snow, warming the day.  “Spring isn’t too far off.”

“I can’t wait for the nice weather,” she admitted with a sigh. 

He smiled.  “Tell you what, you go put on your snow boots and we’ll take a walk.”

“Waddle would be more like it.”

Laughter shook his chest.  “If it’ll make you feel any better, I’ll waddle right alongside you.”

“Now that I’d like to see.”

“Give me ten minutes to get Cash settled back in his stall, and then we’ll go.”

“I’ll be ready.”

With a click of his tongue, he rode off toward the barn.

Ellie was still on the porch, waiting for him when he came back from the barn.

“All set?” he asked as he met her at the top of the steps.

“Yep.  Are you?  Ready to waddle, that is,” she said, a playful smile sliding across her face.

“I’d prefer to do a manly, cowboy swagger.”

“That wouldn’t be fair,” she protested as he walked her down the steps. 

“Why not?”

“Because a swagger is sexy,” she said as they started off across the yard.  “A waddle is not.”

He slowed until he was walking two steps behind her.  “Oh, I don’t know.  Looks pretty good from my point of view.”

Giggling, she covered her backside with her hands.  “Stop that.”

He caught back up to her and reached for her hand, threading his fingers through hers.  “So where would you like to walk to?”

“Anywhere as long as it’s out in the sunshine.”

Hand in hand, they crossed the pasture through the melting snow.

Lucas couldn’t take his eyes from her.  Ellie was getting prettier every day.  And he was feeling more and more drawn to her.  To the life he wanted them to have together.  All three of them. 

He nodded toward her stomach.  “Won’t be long before that little one there makes his grand entrance into the world.”

“He’s going to kick his way out.”

He slowed his step, slowing her with him.  “Is he kicking now?”

“Yes.”

Lucas stopped and turned to place his hands on the swell of her stomach.  Nothing. 

Ellie smiled.  “Your touch calms him.”

“If my touch is so calming, maybe I should use it on you.”

Her gaze snapped up to meet his.

He chuckled at her reaction, letting his hand fall away.  “All I’m saying is that if anyone needs to be less tense and more calm, cool and collected it’s you.” 

“That so?”

“That’s so.”

She looked past him.  “How did Flo get out of the barn?”

“What?” he turned, following her gaze to the distant barn.  A second later, something wet and cold exploded against the back of his neck and slid down inside his shirt.  He spun around, swatting at the chunks of snow still clinging to the collar of his jacket.  “Hey!  That’s cold.”

A mischievous grin stretched across Ellie’s beautiful face.  She walked past him, brushing the glistening evidence from her bare hands.  “Guess I’m not the only one who has trouble staying calm, cool and collected.”  She glanced back at him over her shoulder.  “Oh, wait, it appears you’ve got the ‘cool’ part down pat.”

He watched her go, that sexy little ‘waddle’ of hers leading her away.  She couldn’t be more wrong.  He was hot if anything – for her.

“You going to walk with me or stand there watching my ‘waddle’ all day?” she called back sassily.

Grinning, he picked up his pace to catch up to her.  “You sure are a feisty little thing today.”

“It’s the pregnancy.”

“Sorry, not buying it,” he said with a chuckle.  “Something tells me you can be pure sass whether you’re pregnant or not.”

She smiled.  “You think?” 

“I know.”

They stopped beneath an aging cottonwood and turned to face each other.  “Tell me something about yourself,” Lucas said, never having enjoyed a walk outdoors more.

She leaned back against the thick trunk and lifted her chin, letting the sun kiss her face.  “Like what?”

“I don’t know.  Something no one else around here knows about you.”

“You mean like how I’m really a magical fairy disguised as a human?”

He chuckled.  “You’re petite enough to be a fairy.”

She ran her hands over her stomach and shook her head.  “One who would never have enough wing power to get this belly off the ground if she tried.”

“I’m serious, Ellie.  What were you like as a little girl?”

“I’d rather talk about you.”

“I asked first.”  He crossed his arms.  “I’m waiting...”

She looked up at the sky with a sigh.  “The one time I remember really well, I was about nine or ten.  I climbed up a huge tree to rescue a stray kitten that had been chased high up into the branches by a couple of dogs.  Going up went really well.  Coming down was a different story.  I fell the last ten feet and broke my arm.”

He winced at the thought.  “And the kitten?”

“Was in my other arm.”

It didn’t surprise him that Ellie had risked her own neck to save a stray kitten.  That was the kind of person she was.  Only he wasn’t so sure she realized that about herself.

“So the kitten became your loyal and loving pet.”

“No,” she said, looking away.  “I wasn’t allowed any pets at any of the homes I was sent to.”

He frowned at her reply.  “That’s too bad.  Every child should experience having a pet of their own.”

“I think it was better that I wasn’t allowed to have a pet.  I couldn’t imagine loving an animal only to have to give it up when I was sent to live in a new foster home.”

“Did that happen often?”

“Often enough.”

Meeting someone like Ellie made him truly appreciate the life he’d been given growing up.  A secure home.  Two loving parents.  And a ranch filled with animals.

“What about you?”

“What about me?” he replied.

“Tell me one of your best kept secrets.”

“When I was younger I wanted to grow up to be a doctor like my father, but the desire to care for horses overtook my desire to follow in my father’s footsteps.  Or, wait...” he drew out playfully, “did you want to know about my
other
deep, dark secret? My lifelong fantasy of kissing a beautiful, green-eyed fairy?”

A second later, he was doing just that.

Ellie gave a soft little moan of protest when Lucas finally pulled away.

“We should probably head back now,” he said, his voice rough.  It appeared Lucas had been every bit as affected by that kiss as she had been.

She nodded, pushing away from the tree.  “You’re probably right.”

Slipping his arm around her expanded waist, he walked her back toward the house.

Her gaze moved past the house to the barn where Anna’s journal lay, along with the truth.  Thankfully, Mrs. Mulrooney had kept her promise not to say anything until she’d had a chance to talk to Lucas, because he’d been out to see Alice Mulrooney twice since returning from Brazil.

Ellie frowned at her cowardice.  It was almost impossible to gather up the nerve to approach the subject of his wife’s journal.  Not when Lucas held Anna up on such a pedestal.  Maybe it was better not to say anything. 

He opened the pasture gate to let them out and then muttered a curse.

She followed his gaze to the truck coming up the drive.  “Who is it?” 

“Dusty.”

“Oh,” she gasped, knowing that could only mean another emotional confrontation for Lucas.

“Go into the house, Ellie.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

He looked down at her with a frown.  “There’s no need for you to be involved in this.”

“I already am.  Besides, I’m not about to run out on you.”

“It’s not running out,” he said with another troubled glance toward the drive. 

“Yes, it would be.  Believe me I know all about being run out on.”

“Ellie,” he pleaded once more.

“I’m sorry, Lucas.  I can’t leave you. 
Won’t
leave you.  If Dusty has something to say, then he can say it to both of us.”

He opened his mouth to argue then cursed again as the old Ford pickup pulled up to the house.  A second later, Dusty Andrews stepped out and started for the porch.

“Looking for me?” Lucas called out as his lengthen strides carried him toward Anna’s father.

Ellie followed, falling quickly behind. 

The older man swung around, his face twisted with an emotion Ellie couldn’t quite read.  Anger?  Pain?  Frustration?  “Figured if you wouldn’t come to me, I’d come looking for you.”

“Well, you’ve found me.”

His gaze moved past Lucas to her as she closed the gap between herself and the two men.

“Miss Sanders,” he greeted stiffly.

“Mr. Andrews.”

“I’d appreciate a word alone with Lucas if you don’t mind.”

“Truth is, I do mind,” she replied. 

“Ellie...” Lucas pleaded.

Crossing her arms over her swollen belly, she stood her ground.