The Lionhearted Cowboy Returns (9 page)

She was shocked at his words, then suddenly realized she was only wearing a pair of boxer shorts and a tank top. “Sorry, I just ran in here when you called out.”

“No need to apologize.”

Jeff shifted in the bed, knowing he had to be crazy not to get her out of here. He’d been working so hard to resist her that he’d used up all his energy, and yet he still wanted her. And now he had no fight left.

“You should have gotten out of your clothes earlier,” she said, her voice a shaky whisper. “I mean, sleeping in jeans can’t be comfortable.”

“I didn’t need to take them off.”

Her hair caught against her cheek as she glanced away.

Jeff reached out and drew her back down on the bed.
His pulse raced out of control as he cupped the back of her neck. In the shadowed light he watched her eyes widen, but when she didn’t resist, he gave a gentle tug.

His lips brushed over hers and she gasped, but didn’t pull away. He took it as a go, and closed his mouth over hers. His lungs tightened as he fought to breathe, but who needed air anyway? He deepened the kiss as he pulled her close, crushing her against his chest. His long wait was finally over; Lacey was in his arms at last.

With soft whimpering sounds, her lips parted and he swept his tongue inside, tasting her sweetness. Her hands went around his neck and she clung to him as they drank from each other.

He broke off the kiss, but went to work on her neck, feeling her shivers. He raised his head and looked down at her. “Tell me to stop, Lace.”

She opened her mouth and hesitated, then finally said, “I can’t.” Her breath rushed out as she lifted up and placed her mouth against his.

He swiftly shifted the position as he rolled his body over hers. She moved under him, causing him to groan.

“Damn it, woman. You’re not making this easy.”

“Jeff,” she gasped as she pushed him onto his back and began kissing him. He enjoyed the assault until she started to unfasten his belt.

He finally came to his senses and broke off the kiss. He pressed his head against her forehead, feeling their hearts pounding in unison.

“We can’t do this again,” he said, somehow finding the breath to speak.

Jeff rolled away and sat up. What was he thinking? He couldn’t make love to Lacey. He couldn’t let her see him this way.

“Jeff.” She touched his back. “If it’s because of your leg…it doesn’t make any difference to me.”

He nearly jackknifed off the bed. “I don’t want to talk about this, Lace.”

She didn’t move. He had to get rid of her, whatever it took.

“Of course, what do you expect when you come into a man’s bedroom in the middle of the night?”

She blinked at his cruel words, but it worked. She got up. “Go to hell, Gentry.” The door slammed behind her as she left.

“I’m in it right now,” he whispered to the empty room.

T
HE
next morning, right after breakfast, Lacey gathered the kids and went to work in the barn. Colin and Emily cleaned out the stalls and fed the horses, with the promise that she’d take them riding later.

As hard and as long as she’d worked, it couldn’t erase what had happened with Jeff last night. Good Lord, what had possessed her? First of all, she had no business being in his room in the middle of the night. Definitely, she shouldn’t have gotten into the position of ending up in bed with him. She closed her eyes a moment, recalling years ago when Jeff had rejected her the first time.

You’d think she’d learn her lesson.

She straightened and began to smooth the straw. Well, it wasn’t going to happen again. Getting Gentry out of her house was going to be her main goal.

Coming out of Fancy’s stall, Lacey saw Hank Barrett walk down the aisle toward her. He was probably here to see his grandson. Good. Maybe he’d take Jeff home with him.

Hank smiled as he tipped his hat. “Mornin’, Lacey.”

“Hello, Hank.”

“I’m sorry to come calling so early, but I hear Jeff got a little too close to his new stallion yesterday.”

“He did, but he won’t be happy that you heard about the accident.”

Hank shook his head. “It’s amazing how much pride a man’s got, isn’t it? And the Randell men seem to have more than most.”

How true. “Would you believe he’s been the perfect houseguest?”

They both laughed and it felt good to Lacey.

“That’s not the intense young man I remember.” He sobered. “Years in the military have had a lot to do with that. It’s hard to accept change sometimes. I’m hoping I can help.”

“Well, you’re welcome to try. Jeff is upstairs in the room at the end of the hall.”

Hank started to walk off, then stopped. “If I haven’t said it before, thank you for all you’re doing for him.”

“We’re partners, and friends.” The last part was what she needed to concentrate on, and nothing more. It was getting harder and harder, not because she didn’t like him, but because she was beginning to care too much.

Jeff was tired of lying around, but he had to agree with the doctor, it had helped the swelling go down on his knee. It was feeling much better today, yet, he wasn’t sure he could handle even one more night here. Not with Lacey playing nurse. No matter what, he was headed back to the cabin tomorrow. At least there he would have some privacy.

Although no one had come to see him this morning. Only Colin, when he’d brought breakfast. Since he’d wakened, he managed to make it to the bathroom
for a shower, but on coming out he’d noticed the house was silent.

Good. Dressed in a pair of sweats, he’d removed his prosthesis and was able to relax on the bed. He leaned back and closed his eyes, but memories of last night came flooding back. Kissing Lacey, and feeling the softness of her body pressed against him. The way she’d put her hands on him, eager to please.

He shifted on the bed. What if he hadn’t stopped her? He didn’t want to see her reaction when she saw what was left of his leg. He didn’t know if he could handle that.

There was a knock on the door, and he tossed the sheet over his legs. “Come in.”

Hank peered in and smiled. “I hear you tangled with a stallion.”

“Hi, Granddad. Uncle Chance told you, didn’t he?”

Hank shook his head. “It was Nora. But you should have let your parents know.”

“It’s nothing. I got bruised.”

“That’s what Nora said. And that you needed to stay off of it for a few days.”

“Which means my time will be up tomorrow and I’ll be gone. So there isn’t anything to worry about.”

“Did I say I was worried? I needed to talk to you, that’s all.”

“Have a seat.”

Hank pulled a chair over to the bed. “I came to see if you’ve given any more thought to the cattle drive? I still want you to head it up.”

Jeff still had doubts. “Wouldn’t Jay or Drew be better?”

“With your background, I believe you can keep
everyone in line. And believe me, your cousins can get out of hand real fast. I want one person in charge. You.”

He felt honored. “I haven’t herded cattle in a long time.”

“So? You’ll have several men helping to do that. We already have twenty-six want-to-be-wranglers signed up and paying for this experience. I’ve assembled a team of the cousins. The next generation of Randells, including your brother, Drew, and your sister, Kelly. There’s at least a dozen.”

“It sounds tempting,” Jeff told him. “I haven’t spent any length of time in the saddle in years.”

“You have time to get in shape.”

“I’ll never be in perfect shape again, Hank.”

“Yes, you will. In fact, right now, you’re in better shape than most. Jeff, you’re the boy who overcame an abusive father. And the man who always strived for perfection. None of us are perfect, son. We’re only human.” Hank laid his hand on Jeff’s stump. “You have to accept this, but it’s not all that you are. If you believe anything, believe this. You are the man you always were, because that comes from within here. Your heart.” Hank’s work-roughened fingers touched his chest. “Please, don’t let what happened to you change that.”

Jeff swallowed. “I’ll try not to.”

Hank nodded. “Good. You’ll be my trail boss, then?”

It was hard to say no to this man. “Yes, sir.”

His grandfather grinned. “That’s what I like, a man who shows respect to his elders.”

There was a knock on the door, and Emily peeked inside and gave them her best smile. “Hi, Jeff. Hi, Mr.
Hank.” She strolled in. Today she was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt that looked pretty dirty. “Did you come over to see Jeff’s owie?” she asked Hank.

“Yes, I did, and to ask him to help with a cattle drive.”

Another head poked through the door. Colin. “A cattle drive! Who’s going on a cattle drive?”

Hank looked from the children to Jeff. “You know, Brandon is bringing Zach along. Colin’s about the same age.”

“Would you like to go?” Hank asked.

The boy’s eyes lit up. “Wow! A real cattle drive. Could I?”

“You need to ask your mother,” Jeff quickly added, not sure that Lacey wanted anything to do with him after last night.

The door opened wider and Lacey came in. “Ask me what?”

Jeff hadn’t seen her since the night before, and he found his hunger for her hadn’t diminished any. She had on her standard work jeans and an unbuttoned blouse over a tank top. Most of her hair had come loose from her ponytail, yet she looked sexy and capable.

Hank handled the explanation. “We’re talking about the cattle drive.”

Lacey didn’t know what was going on. She’d come up to invite Hank to stay for lunch, but she hadn’t expected to find a party going on in Jeff’s room. She couldn’t help but notice that, although Jeff had the sheet covering his legs, he wasn’t wearing his prosthesis. Trying not to seem too inquisitive, she saw that he still had a lot of his leg. She glanced at his face, their gazes held, and she tried to relay to him that she didn’t think of him any differently.

Hank once again broke into her thoughts. “I just had a thought,” he said. “Lacey, can you cook?”

“She’s great,” Colin chimed in. “She can cook everything. Beef stew is my favorite.”

She shook her head, coming back to the present. “Well, we’re not having stew for lunch,” she told her son. “But you’re welcome to stay, Hank.”

The older man’s face lit up in a big grin. “I’d love to, and we can discuss this idea I have.”

Lacey would have preferred it if Jeff had stayed up in his room, but with the aid of his crutches, he found his way down to the kitchen. That wasn’t so bad, until the kids stole Hank away to show him something and they were left alone.

She tried to stay busy putting together sandwiches from the cold cuts she had in the refrigerator. When she brought plates to the table, Jeff reached for her hand and she couldn’t move.

The sudden strength and heat of his touch startled her. She finally looked into his eyes. “What?”

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I was out of line last night. I had no right to treat you like I did.”

She took a ragged breath. She hadn’t expected this, or the feelings that still lingered between them. “I have to take some of the blame. I should have left sooner.”

He shook his head. “I took advantage of you, your vulnerability. It hasn’t been that long since Trevor died.”

She nodded, but inside she knew she hadn’t been thinking about her husband when she’d been in Jeff’s arms. “Sometimes it feels like he’s been gone a lifetime.” She nodded toward the door. “Then other times, I expect him to walk in the door any minute.”

With a nod, Jeff released her hand. “The last thing I want to do is tarnish his memory.” His gaze bored into hers. “We’re partners now. I don’t want to mess that up. So you don’t have to worry about me…overstepping again.”

Well, wasn’t that just like a man, making all the decisions, as if
her
feelings didn’t count. She leaned toward him. “In case you haven’t noticed, Jeff Gentry, I’m all grown up. I can make my own decisions whether I leave or I stay. Most of all, I don’t need to be protected from things. That was something Trevor never realized, and now, I’m getting the same from you. I also make my own choices.” She turned and went to the refrigerator.

Jeff was at a loss, but before he found his voice, Hank returned with the kids. His granddad was smiling as Emily tugged him into the room, but not before he caught Jeff looking at Lacey and sent him a wink.

Well, darn. How had his life gotten so complicated?

“Mom, did you know that Mr. Hank doesn’t have any little granddaughters my age?”

“No, I didn’t.” She looked at Hank. “I hear you’ve got a great-grandson. Zach, isn’t it?”

Hank nodded. “A nice boy. But my other grandchildren seem to be taking a long time to settle down and get married.”

Jeff wasn’t going to get involved in this conversation.

Emily climbed into the chair beside Hank. “How many grandkids do you have?”

“Sixteen at last count, but I got a suspicion there’s more coming soon.”

Those big blue eyes lit up. “That’s a lot. My grandpa only has two, and he lives far, far away in Flora.”

“Florida,” Lacey corrected.

“Florida,” Emily repeated. “Maybe you need a little girl for your family.”

“That’s not a bad idea.” Hank glanced at Lacey. “Would you and the kids be available around Labor Day? I’m in need of a cook for our cattle drive.”

Jeff bit back a groan, seeing the surprised look on Lacey’s face.

“Granddad, Lacey can’t want—”

“Excuse me,” Lacey interrupted as she came to the table. “I can answer for myself.” She sent him a warning look before turning to Hank. “Exactly what would this job entail?”

“Well, I’ve found a replica of a chuck wagon, but I decided it would be easier to switch to a truck and refrigerated trailer.” He held up a hand. “This is one of the areas we’re going to update with propane stoves and grills along with a motorized vehicle. I’ve also been informed that the addition of portable toilets along the trail would be appreciated by the women.”

“How many other women are going along?”

“There’s Jeff’s sister, Kelly, and you.” He smiled down at Emily. “This sweet one. And I’m hoping to get Nora to ride along in the wagon. It would be nice to have a nurse along to patch up any minor scratches and cuts. There will also be a generator to keep the food cold and plenty of fresh water. And the trail isn’t so far out in the wilderness that we can’t get to you within thirty minutes.”

Hank announced the pay for the job, and her eyes widened.

Jeff sat up straight. “I didn’t know we were getting paid for this.”

Hank shot him a smile. “You’re family, so you already get your share from the corporation. That’s the reason I came up with this, to promote more family income.” He turned back to Lacey. “What do you say, Lacey? Are you interested?”

“I’ll have horses to care for.”

“If that’s your only concern, I’ll have a couple of the ranch hands take care of them for the duration,” Hank countered.

Jeff watched as the kids got into the act. “Please, Mom, I want to go,” Colin said. “Can I ride with the herd?”

Emily joined in, too. “Mom, I want to ride with you in the wagon. Please, say we can we go.”

Lacey looked at Jeff. “I don’t think the question is whether I go. Hank needs a trail boss. And he hasn’t got an answer from you yet.”

All eyes turned to him. Great. If he didn’t know better, he’d swear this was a set-up.

Emily climbed down from her chair and came to him. “You got to go, Jeff. It’s no fun without you.” She climbed up onto his lap and sat there as if she belonged. “Your owie will be better, too.”

“Yeah, my owie is much better. And I’ve already told Hank that I’ll go.”

He was rewarded with a big smile from the little girl. He felt his heart swell, realizing what he’d missed being away. His friend had had the life he could only dream about. He stole a glance at Lacey, knowing he couldn’t have what was never his.

By week’s end, things had gotten back to normal—if normal was avoiding each other. Jeff had gotten what
he wanted and had moved back into the cabin. To be left alone. Funny thing was he missed the kids, but most of all, he missed Lacey.

Today though, they were together and on their way to Chance’s place to check on Rebel. The stallion had performed his task, but they were waiting to see if the mares were pregnant before the horse made the trip back home.

The kids climbed out of the back of his truck. They stayed with their mother, waiting for him. Jeff tried not to think about the idea of them as a family, but it was hard not to.

“Come on, Chance said he’d be in the corral.”

They all walked off toward the covered area. Although the late-afternoon Texas heat was stifling, once inside the temperature was much cooler. They went to the railing and saw two horses being ridden around the large arena.

You couldn’t help but be impressed by the beautiful quarter horses. A glistening black stallion pranced as if he already knew how special he was. The other was a smaller roan filly.