Lone Star Daddy
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Stella Bagwell
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Harlequin
HarlequinChapter One
The woman was definitely pregnant, Jonas Redman decided, and from the looks of her she could go into labor any day! Quint had told him that his sister, Alexa, was a young, single woman and that she was expecting. But the man hadn’t mentioned that the baby would be arriving so soon.
Jonas’s initial reaction was to turn tail and head straight back to Texas. Unfortunately, he wasn’t in a position to leave the Chaparral. The desert mountain ranch was going to be his home for as long as it took to complete the job. A job that had nothing to do with raising cattle and horses.
In a steady gait, he walked across the lawn to intercept her. “Ms. Cantrell?” he called out as she neared the front steps of the huge hacienda-style house. “Could I speak with you for a minute?”
Pausing on the neatly clipped grass, Alexa Cantrell turned toward the voice and watched with faint surprise as a tall man, wearing faded denim and a black cowboy hat, approached her. Normally, the working hands on the Chaparral Ranch didn’t need to come by the house. But then, she’d not been living here for the past five years, so maybe things had changed.
Or maybe this wasn’t an ordinary ranch hand, Alexa thought, as he came to a stop a few steps away. He certainly didn’t look ordinary. He was tall and lean, with sunbrowned skin, wide, strong shoulders and authority stamped all over his rugged features. The brim of his hat shaded his eyes, but she could see a pair of thick brown brows and sun lines fanning from the corners. Sandy-brown hair lay in unruly waves about his ears and the back of his neck.
“Yes. May I help you with something?” she asked politely.
Moving forward, he extended his hand to her. “I’m Jonas Redman, the ranch’s new general manager. I happened to see you waving your mother off a moment ago and thought I’d take the opportunity to introduce myself.”
So this was the man taking her brother’s place, Alexa thought. She clasped her hand around his and was instantly aware of rough, callused skin and warmth that radiated right through her palm.
“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Redman. Quint has spoken of you. He warned me that you’d be coming around if you ran into trouble.”
His eyes, which she could now see were a hazel green, narrowed a fraction more.
“Warned you? Sounds like he’s already expecting me to fall short.”
Alexa laughed softly. “I’m sorry. I guess I chose the wrong word. He only told me that you’d be coming to me if there was a decision you weren’t comfortable making on your own. Does that sound better?”
A corner of his chiseled mouth turned slightly upward, and Alexa was shocked to find herself mesmerized by his features. Somewhere between thirty-five and forty, he was not a pretty boy. In fact, his appearance couldn’t have been more opposite to that of the father of the baby growing inside her. Jonas Redman was the epitome of toughness. A man with muscles honed from working with his back and hands, a man who often lifted his face to the sun and wiped sweat from his brow.
Her comment eased the tense lines on his face. “Yes. That’ll do fine, ma’am.”
His voice was low and raspy, with a twang that told Alexa he wasn’t a New Mexican native. Interest about the man sparked within, shocking her with its appearance. She hadn’t looked twice at a man since—well, since Barry had charmed his way into her life.
Gesturing toward the porch, she said, “Would you like to have a cup of coffee or a glass of lemonade? Mother and I just had something before she left.”
He glanced over his shoulder, toward a portion of the working ranch yard. Even though the nearest barn was more than a hundred yards away, the few trees scattered between didn’t block the view.
“I suppose I could take five minutes,” he said. “It doesn’t appear the men have arrived back from the west pasture yet.”
Nodding, she started toward the house, and he fell into step beside her.
“You’re not from around here, are you?” she questioned as they climbed the two wide steps to the porch.
“Texas, ma’am. I used to live near San Antonio. But I decided to migrate west.”
“Oh? You didn’t like it there?”
“I must have liked it,” he answered. “Up until three weeks ago I’d always lived in Texas. But I guess I got the itch to see something new.”
By now they were on the long, concrete porch connected to a huge, cream-colored stucco house trimmed with dark wooden shutters and doors. Above their heads, a balcony served as a roof for the porch and a sunning spot for the rooms on the second floor of the structure.
Three weeks ago, when Jonas had first arrived, Quint had given him a brief tour of the house. The structure was big enough for a simple man like him to get lost in. Which was probably good, since it looked as though he was going to have to spend time in it with this woman.
“Well, I hope you like it here,” the young woman said. “Our grandfather has Quint so tied up developing land near Capitan that he hardly has time to telephone. I know my brother is very relieved to have you taking care of things now that he’s working on other projects.”
“Your brother is an easy man to please.”
She gestured for him to take a seat on one of the willow chairs grouped together at the east end of the porch. Jonas waited for her to ease onto one of the padded cushions before he seated himself. In front of her was a low table with a tray holding glasses, cups and two insulated thermoses.
Leaning forward, she asked, “Coffee or lemonade?”
“The coffee would be nice.”
He watched as she poured the hot brown liquid into a bright yellow mug. Her hands were long and slender, as were her arms and legs. Even with her very pregnant belly, Quint could see that normally she was a shapely woman. As for her facial features, she looked nothing like her brother. In fact, she didn’t resemble any woman he’d seen before. Her face was square shaped, her mouth wide. Eyes the color of a robin’s egg were set beneath a pair of winged black brows. Prominent cheekbones slanted upward toward her temples, giving her a regal, almost exotic appearance. In spite of himself, he felt his gaze drawn to her comely face.
“Cream or sugar?”
Jonas released a breath of air that had backed up in his throat. “No. Black is good.”
She handed him the mug and he murmured his thanks.
“So how are you settling in?” she asked. “Having any problems with the men?”
Jonas swallowed a sip of coffee before he answered. “No problems. I’ve had a bit of time to get to know all the hands, and they all seem to be well acquainted with their jobs. Quint tells me that most of them have worked here for years.”
“That’s right,” she agreed. “We don’t have much of a turnover. We try to keep the men’s salaries and benefits comparable to others in the area, and thankfully, most of them are content to stay.”
When Jonas had first approached Alexa Cantrell, he’d not intended for the meeting to turn into a friendly visit. He was on a mission, and normally it was his style to keep things on a business track. But this was a time when he couldn’t behave in his normal fashion. If he did, it would only raise this woman’s eyebrows, and the less he did that, the better off they’d all be.
Resting his mug on his knee, he darted a glance at her. She was a young and lovely woman. Why wasn’t there a wedding band on her finger? A man at her side, eager and waiting to become a father?
Maybe there is, Jonas. Maybe Alexa Cantrell is one of those progressive women who doesn’t necessarily want a traditional family. Maybe the baby’s father is still hanging close. Still her lover.
Clearing his throat, he said, “I hear Mrs. Cantrell is going to be gone for nearly a month.”
“That’s right. She just left to catch her plane. She’s visiting my half brothers in South Texas.”
Jonas forced himself to take another sip of coffee, as though he was enjoying the break, as though every nerve in his body wasn’t wound as tight as a cornered mustang.
“So that leaves you alone in the house.”
Her brow puckered with confusion and Jonas felt like kicking himself. He was going at this all wrong. But then, he’d never been known for finesse. When there was a job to be done he jumped in with both feet. With a fight to be fought, he leaped in with two fists.
“I don’t mean to sound rude, Mr. Redman, but what are you asking?”
“Uh—seems your brother has asked me to look out for you while your mother is away. He wants me to move into the house with you.”
She didn’t try to hide her shock as she stared at him. “What? Is this some sort of joke?”
Jonas wished it were. He had too much on his mind, too much to do in a short time without having to deal with a pregnant woman. But Quint had been understanding enough to permit him to take over the position of general manager of the Chaparral. And being on this huge ranch allowed him access to information he would otherwise have to spend days digging for.
“I’m sorry. This is not anything to joke about. Your brother was concerned about your safety. I promised him I would remain in the house at night—just to alleviate his fears.”
She drew her shoulders back and at the same time rested a hand on the upper part of her belly. Jonas couldn’t help but wonder if she’d already been told the sex of the baby. And when was it due? He didn’t know much at all about expecting women, but this one didn’t look that far away from giving birth, and that left him a little more than uneasy.
“I’m sorry, too. Because my brother doesn’t run my life. I do. And I hardly need a night nurse.”
Jonas couldn’t stop a wry smile from twisting his lips. “Maybe you’d better take another look at me, Ms. Cantrell. I’m about as far away from a nurse as you can get.”
Her square jaw tightened further, and Jonas got the impression that if pushed, she could be more than stubborn.
“All right,” she said curtly. “Let me phrase it this way. I don’t need a bodyguard.”
“I wouldn’t label me one of those either. I’m just a cowboy. And your brother is simply concerned.”
She breathed deeply, and Jonas watched her nostrils flare like those of a mare getting ready to kick with both hind feet.
“Overly so, it seems. And for your information, Sassy, our maid lives in the house. I won’t be alone.”
She’d not bothered to serve herself a drink, and Jonas decided this meeting had moved far beyond sharing refreshments. “From what Quint says, Sassy is young and always on the go. Especially at night. He wants a man in the house just in case there’s a problem.”
“I think the problem is him,” she muttered under her breath.
Jonas bit back his frustration. “I’m sorry the idea of me staying with you is so upsetting. Tell you what. You talk it over with your brother. As far as I’m concerned, I’m very comfortable in the bunkhouse. And maybe you have a male friend or relative that you’d rather have stay with you.” Rising to his feet, he placed the remainder of his coffee on the low table. “I’d better get back to work, Ms. Cantrell. It was nice meeting you. And thanks for the coffee.”
He was starting to walk off the porch when she suddenly called out to him. “Wait a minute, Mr. Redman. Please.”
Slowly she rose to her feet, and he paused near the steps as she walked over to him. As she did, a faint breeze ruffled her black hair and teased it around her shoulders. Earlier he’d caught the scent of honeysuckle emanating from her, and as she drew near, the sweet perfume intensified, reminding him of home.
He remained silent and simply waited for her to explain.
She shook her head slightly. “Look, I hope you won’t take this personally, but I’m perfectly capable of looking after myself.”
“You’re going to have a baby soon.”
“That doesn’t make me an invalid.”
He lifted the hat from his head and ran a hand through the flattened waves. “No. It makes you vulnerable,” he said as he settled the Stetson back into place.
She momentarily closed her eyes, and in that moment Jonas realized just how much her blue eyes dominated her features. They were as fresh and cool as the New Mexico sky and just as enchanting.
“I have a phone with me at all times,” she reasoned. “If I go into early labor, all I have to do is make a call.”
“That’s good. I’m glad you think I’m not needed. Because frankly, Ms. Cantrell, my hands are full with other duties right now. I’ve only been here three weeks, and your brother has big plans for this place—plans that I’m only starting to put into motion.”
In other words, he didn’t want to stay in the ranch house any more than she wanted him to, Alexa thought. That fact should have reassured her. Yet for some ridiculous reason she felt insulted. Men had never dismissed her. Even her failed relationship with Barry had ended because she’d chosen to end it. Not the other way around. The idea that Jonas Redman was simply going to walk away without a backward glance irked her in a way that took her by surprise.
Propping a hand on one hip, she cocked her head to one side. “So you’re not going to be moving into the house?”
He smiled a cool little smile, which prickled Alexa’s skin. The man was sexy and tough all rolled together. He was also just a tad too independent for her taste. What in the world had Quint been thinking when he’d hired this man; when he’d suggested this long, tall Texan move into the house with her? Had her brother gone crazy?
“No. Not unless you invite me to. Good day, Ms. Cantrell.”
Tipping his hat to her, he walked off the porch and toward the barn.
Feeling rather dazed, Alexa leaned against a wooden beam and watched as the man made his way across the ranch yard. The lack of rain had left the ground like powder, and dust rose in little puffs around his black boots. His strides were long and authoritative, their aim directed straight at the cattle barn.
She watched until he disappeared into an open door, while realizing with a sharp little sting that he’d never once looked back at her, the house or anything behind him.
Maybe he’s a man who never looks back, Alexa. Or maybe he considers you at the bottom of his important list.
Irked by the mocking voice in her head, she turned and hurried over to the chair where she’d been sitting. A cell phone was lying next to the tray of refreshments, and after quickly snatching it from the table, she sat down and punched in her brother’s number.
After several rings, the voice mail came on. Alexa snapped the phone shut and leaned her head against the back of the chair.
For one split second she felt like crying. But she bit her lip and pushed away the emotional storm. She’d never been a weak woman, and she wasn’t about to start just because her hormones were in overdrive.
Damn it. Things in her family had been in turmoil for the past several months. Why had Quint finally caved in to their grandfather and gone off to work on another section of Apache Wells? Now wasn’t a good time. Not with their mother gallivanting off to Texas and Alexa getting nearer and nearer to the birth of her baby!
Closing her eyes with shame, she pinched the bridge of her nose. What was the matter with her? This selfish attitude wasn’t really her. She was grateful that Frankie, their mother, was finally healthy and that she was going to spend time with Mac and Ripp, Alexa’s half brothers. After all these years her mother deserved this visit and more. As for Quint, he had his hands full. Especially this past year and a half, since their father, Lewis, had died and Abe, their grandfather, was placing more and more demands on him. Alexa didn’t need to be adding to her brother’s problems. She needed to be helping him in every way that she could. And she knew they wanted everything in order so they would be here to support her when the baby came.
That thought had just entered her head when the phone in her lap rang. Picking it up, she saw that it was Quint and she quickly answered. “Hello, big brother.”
“Just returning your call,” he replied. “Is everything okay there?”
She paused as she tried to decide exactly what to tell him. “Sure. Everything is fine. I was just touching base with you, that’s all. Did I catch you at a busy time?”
He sighed. “I’ve finally gotten the builders out here to start on the stables, but they’re missing some of the material they need. I’ll have to drive down to Ruidoso and put in an order.”
“You can’t do it over the phone?”
“No. It’s some things I need to look over and okay first.”
“Well, Mother got off a few minutes ago,” she informed him.
“Good. You can’t know how happy I am about this trip of hers. What about you?”
“Sure I’m happy for her. And she’s promised to be back at least two weeks before the baby is due.”
At first, when Alexa had learned that her mother had been keeping a past life secret from them and that Frankie also had two sons living in Texas, she’d been shocked and a little angry. All these years, Alexa had never imagined Frankie as anything more than a wife to Lewis, a mother to her and Quint. Learning that their mother had abandoned a family prior to theirs had shaken Alexa more than she’d ever wanted to admit to herself or anyone.
Quint said, “Getting her sons back in her life has changed Mom for the better.”
Alexa swallowed at the lump that had suddenly lodged in her throat. Barry had turned out to be someone very different than the man she’d initially believed him to be. And then she’d learned that her mother was someone different, too. All of it together had been difficult for Alexa to deal with. Yet Quint seemed to be taking everything in stride. He was excited at having two older brothers and couldn’t wait to get them out here for an extended visit.
“Seems that way,” Alexa murmured, then drawing in a breath, added, “I met the new manager, Mr. Redman, a few minutes ago.”
There was a long pause before Quint finally replied. “Oh. How did that go? Please don’t tell me you got crosswise with the man. I can’t deal with that, Alexa. Not right now.”
She stiffened her spine. Did everyone view her as difficult? Now that she was home again, was her brother expecting her to be a problem rather than a help? The idea cut right through her. True, she’d shown up here at the ranch unexpectedly, throwing kinks in the plans her mother and brother had already made. But she’d wanted to surprise them. She’d not stopped to think that they had lives and schedules that didn’t always include her.
“No. No problems. He seems competent enough.” Now where had that come from? she wondered with self-disgust. She and Jonas Redman hadn’t discussed anything about the ranch or how to run it. But then, was it really her place to say how the Chaparral should be operated? For the past five years she’d chosen to stay away from her home and live in Santa Fe. At that time, she’d believed that living in the city would bring the change she needed in her life. She’d thought being Senator Hutchins’s aide would be the beginning of a satisfying career that would keep her away from the ranch. She’d not counted on Barry or the baby happening. Now her life felt as though it had splintered in all directions, and not one was the right one for her.
She pushed back a sigh as her brother began to speak.
“Jonas is more than competent, Alexa. We’re very fortunate to get him.” The phone crackled, telling Alexa her brother must be driving through the mountains, causing the signal to break. “I—you were—with him staying in the house. He—but I—made him see how important it was—have you safe.”
Alexa wearily wiped a hand over her eyes. “Your phone is breaking up, Quint. Everything is fine here. I’ll talk to you later.”
After putting away the phone, she reached for the tray of refreshments and carried it into the house. The dimly lit interior was cool as Alexa made her way through rooms with low ceilings, whitewashed walls, and comfortable Western furnishings. A large kitchen was located on the bottom floor at the back of the house. When she stepped into the room, she found the ranch’s longtime cook watering potted succulents rowed along a windowsill.
The sound of Alexa’s footsteps tapping against the tile floor announced her arrival, and the woman turned just as Alexa placed the tray of refreshments down on the cabinet counter.
“Alexa! You shouldn’t have carried that heavy tray!” she scolded. “Why didn’t you call me?”
Alexa smiled at the woman. Reena Crow had been working for the Cantrells even before Alexa was born. She was now in her mid-fifties but looked at least ten years younger. She was petite and slender, and her shoulder-length hair was as straight as a stick and salt-and-pepper in color. Her brown skin implied a Native American ancestry, but her pale green eyes belied it.
At the age of eighteen, Reena had come to work on the Chaparral as a maid, but after a few years her culinary skills had pushed her to the position of cook. Now widowed and with a grown daughter living away, Reena spent her days on the ranch and her nights taking care of her ninety-year-old mother.
“It wasn’t that heavy, Reena. I think both thermoses are practically empty,” Alexa said as she began placing dirty glasses and mugs in the sink.
“So Frankie is already gone?”
Alexa bit back a sigh. She’d come home, eager to help with stacks of bookkeeping for the Chaparral while her mother was away. She’d not envisioned having to deal with a man like Jonas Redman in the house.
You can always tell him no thanks, Alexa. You can flatly refuse to allow him in the house.
Yes, she could refuse, Alexa thought glumly. But that would only throw more worry onto Quint. And she already felt guilty enough about the heavy load her brother carried. Besides, now that she thought about it, she’d overreacted to the whole thing. Jonas Redman wasn’t going to intrude on her life. Even if he was one of the sexiest men she’d ever laid eyes on, his interests obviously didn’t include a very pregnant single woman. And she’d be incredibly conceited to think otherwise.
“Yes. I waved her off a few minutes ago.”
“She’s very excited,” Reena said. “And happy. That’s so good to see. Earlier this winter I was afraid she was going to die.”
“So was I, Reena. But once she realized she had something to live for, she agreed to the heart operation, which she desperately needed. Thank God.”
Reena climbed down from the step chair and put her watering can to one side. “Well, you having this baby has also done wonders for her.” She slanted a concerned eye at Alexa. “Are you feeling okay? Your face is flushed.”
No doubt, Alexa thought wryly. Jonas Redman had stirred her blood. Although she wasn’t sure why. He’d simply been following orders. And he’d not given her one sly look, one suggestive word. Yet she’d found herself having thoughts about him that were disturbing. She’d never reacted to any other man like that before she was pregnant.
“I’m fine. It’s just a little warm out this afternoon.”
Alexa began to fill the sink with warm water, but Reena quickly elbowed her away.
“Go. Rest. Do something. I’ll tend to these.”
Knowing better than to argue with the woman, Alexa left the kitchen and climbed the stairs. Earlier this morning, before she’d left her bedroom, she’d opened the heavy wooden door that led onto the balcony, and now a cool breeze wafted through the large room and rustled the bed skirt on the dark oak four-poster.
These days she tired easily, and oftentimes her body begged for a nap. But this afternoon she was too wired to think about sleep and ignoring the bed, she walked out onto the balcony.
The ranch house sat in a valley that ran for several miles between pine-covered mountains. To the right she could see the Rio Bonito meandering through banks lined with willows and aspens. To the left, a massive ranch yard with barns, sheds, outbuildings and cattle pens spread across many acres.
In all her life and all her travels, Alexa had never seen a prettier place than the Chaparral. And from her father she’d inherited a deep love of the land. Yet at the moment she took no solace in the majestic landscape sweeping southwest toward Alto. No, her thoughts were on Jonas Redman and the fact that she was now going to have to go over to the ranch yard and tell him that she’d changed her mind about having him for a housemate.
Across from the house, at the end of a long line of horse stables, Jonas stood in his office with a cell phone jammed to his ear while Captain Leo Weaver with the Texas Rangers tossed questions at him.
“How much longer do you think this is going to take, Jonas?”
Frowning, Jonas peered out the dusty window as he watched a couple of cowboys attempt to repair a wooden feed trough with hammer and nails. “Right now it’s impossible to say, Captain. I’ve seen nothing moving on this property or the surrounding property. But these ranches around here are hardly small. I actually need another man here—an extra set of eyes and ears. As it stands, it’s going to take me days more riding to search out the backside of this ranch.”
Normally the Rangers didn’t go out of their jurisdiction, which was the state of Texas. But this was a bistate crime, and New Mexico had invited them and asked for their help. As a result, Jonas had been chosen for the job.
“What about using a four-wheeler? That ought to speed things up.”
“Most places are far too rough for an ATV. Horse or mule is the safest means of searching. That’s why another man would sure help.”
“Right now I don’t have a spare man to put on the case. Besides, two Rangers would be easier to spot than one. Another new hand coming onto the ranch—especially one that isn’t from the area—would make everyone suspicious. You’re gonna have to go this one alone, Jonas.”
Jonas bit back the frustration he was feeling. Leo was right; two new outsiders coming to work on the Chaparral at the same time could throw up red flags. His captain expected him to deal with the matter on his own, and Jonas would. It would just take him a lot longer. And he wanted to be gone from this place. He wanted to go home to Texas. And he damned sure didn’t want to babysit a pregnant woman.
“Yeah,” he muttered.
“The Cattlemen’s Association and the state livestock regulators are on me about this, Jonas. They’re worried about diseases being shipped in and spreading through healthy herds. We’re talking millions of dollars at stake. Not to mention the criminal aspect of it. Mexico does not want to give up its corner on the Corriente cattle market and Texas does not want Mexican cattle shipped illegally across its borders. Presently, all the information points to rustlers routing their stock through southern New Mexico. Particularly from your point through Portales and Clovis. And all of the areas—Texas, Mexico and New Mexico are working on it. But we think you are in the right area to uncover something. Have you picked up on anything at all?”
“Not much. Right now I’m just trying to look like a ranch manager and get a sense of the personal routines of the hands.”
“You think one of them is in on it?”
Jonas suddenly straightened his shoulder away from the window when he spotted Alexa Cantrell walking slowly across the dusty ground toward his office. She’d changed from the slacks and blouse she’d been wearing earlier into a blue-and-white flowered dress with a peasant neckline. The wind caused the hem to dance around her shapely calves and mold against her mounded stomach. He’d never realized a woman could be pregnant and sexy at the same time. Until now.
“Hard to say, Captain. Some people are more difficult to read than others. And some don’t talk about anything. I’m hoping something will break soon.”
“Let me know the minute it does.”
As Alexa neared the door of the office, Jonas lowered his voice. “Will do. Someone’s coming—I’d better get off.”
He snapped the phone together and dropped it into his shirt pocket just as the woman stepped through the door. She stared at the empty desk chair, then jerked her head sideways as she realized he was standing a few steps away from her.
“Oh. There you are.”
Jonas stepped away from the window to greet her. “This is a surprise. I wasn’t expecting to see you again today.”
Folding her hands in front of her, she turned to face him. There was a humble look to her face, which he’d not detected earlier, and he could only wonder what had brought about the change. But then, he knew from experience that it didn’t take much to swing a woman’s mood.
“Am I interrupting anything?”
Nothing that she could know about, he thought grimly. Only Quint knew he was a Texas Ranger, and only Quint knew his reason for being on the ranch. Perhaps things might reach a point in the future where he would be forced to reveal himself to Alexa. But for the present, the less she knew, the safer they would all be. Nothing he did should bring danger to the family. He’d continue to ensure that.
“No. I just stepped into the office to see about ordering a shipment of vaccines for the cattle. Quint says the herd in the west pasture is due to be worked.”
She held her palms up in a helpless gesture. “I wish I could tell you more of the ranch’s schedule. But I’ve not been living here for the past five years. In fact, my family wasn’t expecting me to move back. I surprised them.”
“Yes. Your brother mentioned last week that you suddenly decided to move back from Santa Fe,” Jonas informed her as he strode over to an old schoolteacher’s desk made of metal and Formica. Propping one hip on the corner, he gestured for her to take the chair in front of him. “Please sit. Hopefully the seat’s not too dusty.”
She eased gracefully onto the wooden chair, then carefully smoothed her dress over her knees. Without bothering to look at him, she said in a quiet voice, “Well, I’m sure you must have guessed why I’m here.”
Looking at her jolted him. Something about her reminded him of just how long he’d lived alone, of how long it had been since he’d imagined having children of his own.
Tucking away all emotion, he said, “Actually, I haven’t. Do you have a question for me? A problem?”
“No problem. Unless—” she lifted her face and looked at him “—you’ve changed your mind about staying in the house with me.”
Her voice was stiff and halting, telling Jonas it must have cost her to come to him like this. He almost felt sorry for her. But just almost. He couldn’t warm up to people with superior attitudes, and that included beautiful women.
“Why would I change my mind? When I’m given an order, I’m not in a position to change my mind.” He tried to smile, but his lips felt uncomfortable as they stretched against his teeth. Smiling was foreign to Jonas, and when he did smile it was usually for effect, not a reflexive action. “Look, Ms. Cantrell, I don’t know what’s going on in that pretty head of yours. Maybe you just don’t like cowhands like me. Maybe they’re just a bit beneath your style to have one sleeping in the same house with you. I don’t know—I’ve only met you. But you can rest assured that I consider you a job and nothing more. Now, if you want me to stay in the house, fine. If you don’t, that’s fine, too.”
She didn’t blink as he talked, but he did notice that her eyes darkened and her lips folded together.
“You don’t have to be insulting about it,” she said.
He shrugged. “You didn’t have to be, either. But you were.”
Her head dropped, and she absently plucked at the soft fabric covering her belly. “Yes, I suppose I was a bit rude,” she admitted lowly. “And I’m sorry for that. And I…want to say—my attitude had nothing to do with you personally. I’ve not been myself here lately. For obvious reasons.”
Jonas quietly studied her bent head as all sorts of questions drifted through his mind. The father. Her health. Her plans.
“When is your baby due?”
She lifted her head and looked at him with faint surprise. As though she’d not expected him to consider her personal plight.
“Six weeks from tomorrow.”
“Are you doing okay?”
A wry grimace twisted her lips. “You mean, as an unwed mother?”
He slanted an impatient look at her. “That’s not what I meant. I’m asking about your health.”
Pink color swept across her cheeks. “Sorry. I don’t know why I’m being so—defensive.”
She thrust a hand through her black hair, then pushed to her feet. Jonas watched curiously as she began to meander around the stark, dusty room while he waited for her to say more.
“My life has been uprooted, and now that my mother and brother are gone, I feel…sort of lost, I suppose. I can’t ever remember a time I was on the ranch without any family around. You mentioned that I might ask a male friend or relative to stay with me. Well, I don’t have any male friends—not around here. And the only relative is my grandfather Abe, and you’d have to place several sticks of dynamite beneath him to get him to leave his home for any reason.”
His gaze took in the proud angle of her head. “From what you say, you’ve been living away from your family for several years now. You should be used to not having them around.”
Pausing at one of the narrow windows, she glanced over her shoulder at him. “You don’t miss anything, do you?”
It was his job not to miss anything, he thought. But she couldn’t know that. “I’m an outsider, Ms. Cantrell. It’s easy for me to look at things logically.”
She sighed and turned her gaze back to the windowpane. “You’re right. I have lived for five years without seeing my family on a daily basis. But that was in Santa Fe. This is here and now. I’m not used to being on the ranch alone,” she reasoned. “I need time to reacquaint myself with everything.”
This time the smile on his face came easier. “Have you stopped to think that your brother already understood you might feel that way? Maybe that’s why he didn’t want you to be alone in that huge house while he and your mother are away.”
She reached up and passed a hand across her forehead, and Jonas thought he could see a tremble to her fingers. Clearly the woman wasn’t as independent as she’d first wanted him to believe, and the idea that she was willing to admit that she needed someone was all it took to soften him.
Smiling gently, she turned to face him. “Yes, I suppose he did.”
She strode over to where he sat propped on the edge of the desk and extended her hand. “Shall we start over? I’m Alexa Cantrell. Please call me Alexa.”
He enfolded her soft little hand in his and felt his heart thump in a way that practically startled him. “All right, Alexa,” he said huskily. “I’m Jonas Redman. Call me Jonas.”
Dimples bracketed her mouth as her smile deepened. “Thank you, Jonas. I’d be very grateful if you’d stay in the ranch house while my family is away.”
“No, problem, ma’am. No trouble at all.”
Yeah. Right. Who was he trying to kid? The woman was going to be trouble and then some.
