Marin Thomas - Twins For The Texas Rancher

Logan’s brother and sister-in-law wouldn’t appreciate him gifting them a dirty car seat, but faced with the prospect of Tommy’s chatter all the way back to the motel he decided to take his chances and keep the kid’s mouth busy chewing rather than talking. “Go ahead and have a doughnut.”

The only noise on the return ride was the country music playing on the radio. As the pickup approached the motel a few minutes later, Logan spotted Sadie standing outside her room, arms crossed, her flip-flop tapping the cement. As soon as she saw the pickup, she marched across the parking lot, her blond hair swaying in rhythm with her hips.

“I think we’re in trouble, buddy.” He glanced in the rearview mirror. Tommy’s cheeks were puffed out like a chipmunk’s.

“What happened?” he asked, giving Logan an eyeful of pulverized doughnut and raspberry filling.

“I don’t think your mother’s happy we took off without her.” Sadie wasn’t dressed to go anywhere in a nightshirt that ended just above her knees. The baggy material did nothing to conceal her figure and Logan couldn’t help appreciating her womanly curves.

Logan shifted into Park and pulled the key from the ignition, all the while keeping his gaze on Sadie. He doubted she had any idea that he could see the shadow of her bikini panties and the outline of her breasts beneath the blue shirt. He forced himself to look away from the bouncing temptation. “C’mon, kid. Time to face the music.” He hopped out and opened the back door, then helped Tommy to the ground.

“Thomas James McHenry.” Sadie cornered her son against the side of the truck. “You know you’re never supposed to wander off without telling me.”

Tommy’s eyes crossed as he watched his mother’s finger wag in front of his nose.

Then her finger pointed at the ground. “Where are your shoes?”

Tommy dropped his gaze and stared at his feet as if he expected his toes to answer his mother.

“And you—” Sadie glared at Logan. “How could you just take off with my son and not tell me first?”

“I left a note on the—”

“I don’t care about a note.” Sadie’s voice rose in pitch and Logan worried that she’d wake the guests in the other rooms. “We may be distantly related now, but I hardly know you and my sons don’t know you at all.”

“Mom.” Tommy tugged on Sadie’s shirt. “How come you’re yelling at Uncle Logan?”

Sadie ignored her son but lowered her voice. “It’s inexcusable that you drove Tommy somewhere without securing him in his booster seat.”

Logan doubted Sadie would allow him to get a word in edgewise if he tried to defend himself, so he reached behind Tommy and opened the pickup door.

Sadie’s eyes widened. “Where did—”

“I bought it for Gunner and Lydia’s baby. It’s top-of-the-line. Fits newborns and older kids.”

She rubbed her brow before looking him in the eye. “I’m sorry I yelled at you, but I panicked when I woke and Tommy wasn’t in bed with Tyler.” She ruffled Tommy’s hair. “This guy has wandered off before and each time I lose ten years off my life.”

“I’m sorry. I should have waited until you’d woken and asked permission to take him with me.” His apology earned him a half smile from Sadie.

“Mom?”

“What?”

“Can you write a note to the tooth fairy?”

The question caught Sadie off guard and she lowered her finger. “What?”

“Elmo lost his teeth, but he can’t find them and he needs a note so the tooth fairy can give him two dollars.”

“Elmer,” Logan corrected, keeping a straight face. “Not Elmo.”

“Mom?”

“What?”

“Uncle Logan bought us doughnuts.” Tommy held up the bag.

“I see that.” Her gaze shifted to Logan. “When did he leave the room this morning?”

“A little after five thirty, I found him playing on the swings.”

“I told Uncle Logan you said we could have doughnuts for breakfast,” Tommy said.

“There isn’t a doughnut shop in Stampede, so we drove down to the Valero. Elmer works in the convenience store.”

“Mom?”

“What?”

“I gotta pee.”

“Go!” Sadie pointed to their motel room and Tommy took off running. “That boy will be the death of me yet.”

“Where’s Tyler?”

“Still sleeping.” Her gaze followed Tommy across the lot. “Or he was.”

Tyler stood in the open doorway, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

Right then Gunner stepped from room 1, wearing only his boxers. “What’s all the commotion out here?” His gaze traveled over Sadie, then he looked at Logan and grinned. “You get lucky last night, big brother?”

* * *

OH. MY. GOD.

Sadie crossed her arms over her chest, hoping to hide her unharnessed boobs. She’d been in such a panic when she woke up, and after finding Logan’s note on the door, she’d forgotten she was wearing only a pair of panties and a flimsy nightshirt. This was not how she’d planned to dress when she saw Lydia and Gunner this morning. Before Sadie found her voice, squealing tires startled her. Logan grasped her arm and stepped in front of her, shielding her from view. An old pickup that looked like it had been unearthed from a junkyard turned into the motel and veered toward the office. A minute later, Aunt Amelia’s 1958 white Thunderbird convertible pulled alongside the clunker.

“We’ve got trouble,” Logan said.

“What’s going on?” she asked.

“Just watch. You’ll see.”

Aunt Amelia got out of her car and marched toward the jalopy, unaware of the onlookers. “Emmett Hardell, you are the orneriest man alive.”

Logan’s grandfather hitched his pants, then balled his hands into fists. “I let you run roughshod over me once, but I’m done playing party to your foolish ideas.”

Amelia spread her arms wide. “Look at this motel. There are five vehicles parked in the lot. If you believe making money is foolish, then maybe you should spend your final days hiding under a rock.”

“Oh, dear,” Sadie whispered.

“Wait. It’ll get better.” Logan reached behind him and brushed his fingers against the back of Sadie’s hand, his warm touch distracting her.

“If I could find a rock right now, I’d—”

“Grandpa.” Gunner approached the elderly couple. “I thought you two kissed and made up.”

Lydia had told Sadie and Scarlett that their wealthy aunt had been feuding with Emmett Hardell, the mayor of Stampede, over her desire to revitalize the town and she’d finally taken matters into her owns hands. Apparently Amelia had another idea up her sleeve after she’d convinced Emmett to spruce up his motel.

“If I didn’t know better,” Gunner said, strutting forward, “I’d think all this arguing is nothing more than foreplay.”

Sadie sucked in a quick breath.

“You watch your mouth, grandson.” Emmett glared at Gunner.

“Lydia said they dated in high school.” Sadie peered around Logan’s broad shoulder.

“We can’t figure it out,” Logan said. “One second they like each other and the next they’re scratching each other’s eyes out.”

Emmett pointed at Amelia. “She’s up to her old shenanigans again.”

Aunt Amelia raised her hands and lifted her face to the sky as if God would save her from the geezer. “I’m trying to better this town.”

“I let you talk me into fixing up a perfectly good motel and now you want me to put some stupid tourist attraction on my ranch.”

“People need something to do when they visit Stampede.”

Emmett jabbed his finger in the air. “We don’t need strangers running loose kicking up more dust in this town.”

Sadie was so focused on the arguing couple that she didn’t notice Tommy had walked up to the pair until her son patted Emmett’s leg.