Jade Taylor - Wild Cat And The Marine

Cat laughed. “I caught that sneaky little try. Maybe next week, but not for certain. It depends.”

“Sure…sure. I know you’ll let us. You know, too, don’t you, girl?” Joey leaned forward and pulled a hank of hair straight, flipping it back over the filly’s neck so it lay on the same side with the rest of the coarse mane.

“I’d place a small bet that says you will, too,” a husky voice near Cat’s ear agreed.

Cat jumped, so startled she knocked her coffee cup off the rail. Moonshot shied as the cup rolled near her and sprang sideways in a series of hopping jumps.

“Oops,” Jackson said. “I’m sorry, kid! Hang on!”

Joey gripped tighter with her knees, while going easy on the reins, and gently brought her mount back to a standstill.

“Are you okay, Joey?” Cat asked.

“Yes, Mom. Moonshot didn’t mean it. She was just playing.”

Cat glanced at the man beside her, her gaze skipping away before he could know how hungry she was for the sight of him. He wore faded jeans and a white T-shirt that contrasted sharply with the sun-reddened skin on his upper arms. A tinge of pink darkened his cheeks above the sandpaper shadow of freshly scraped beard. His hair gleamed in the morning sun.

Her stomach tightened with fierce desire. Damn him, anyway, for sneaking up on her before she had a chance to get her defenses in order. She looked at Joey, not at him. “Where did you come from?” she asked. “I didn’t hear a car.”

He looked guilty. “I walked over from the farm. I had a sudden impulse to talk to somebody besides Buddy and Pop. You don’t mind, do you?”

“Mind?” She struggled to speak, to sound normal, to cover up her shakiness, despite the rapid beat of her heart and the watery lack of strength in her legs. “Oh, no. Of course not, but if you insist on sneaking up like that, get ready to catch me.” Cat placed one shaky hand on the second rail of the fence and hastily combed back stray strands of hair with the other.

Jackson’s lopsided grin showed no remorse. “Sorry. Next time I’ll sing out. Is that pretty little girl yours?”

Unprepared for this first reference to Joey, she said, “Y-yes. My daughter, Johanna. Everybody calls her Joey.”

“Hi, Joey!” Jackson said, pitching his greeting in the direction of the girl.

She waved, but didn’t reply, ducking her head in sudden shyness.

Cat watched Jackson with complete attention, determined not to miss the slightest nuance of expression. Would he know immediately? And God help her, how would she explain? Despite his cheerful greeting to her daughter, different emotions flashed across his face. What did he think of Joey, and how could he not know?

“Is your husband around? Introduce me. I’d like to meet the guy who tamed Wild Cat Darnell.”

Relief ran through her. He hadn’t guessed. Cat hesitated a moment before she realized only the truth would do. The truth up to a point. “Uh, no, I mean…that is, I’m not married.”

“Mmh. Well, um, that’s too bad, I mean, actually, I’m kinda glad.”

Cat’s awareness of his every emotion didn’t miss his sudden cheer. The relaxing of facial muscles, the unguarded upturn of lips told her he’d meant his words. Her own heart lightened. “Glad?”

He hesitated before answering. His broad palm rubbed the weathered rail. “Well, yes. I was hoping you’d take me around town and maybe look up some of our old crowd with me.” His grin straightened itself out as another thought occurred to him. “Unless you have a boyfriend or…significant other who might object…. Do you?”

Cat resolved to get a grip on her volatile emotions. His question meant nothing, though just for a moment she saw something else in his face. He wanted a tour guide, not a girlfriend. He’d never wanted her except that one, single time. She pretended amusement. Her cheek muscles twitched in a beginning smile. “I’m a rancher, Jackson. I’m way too busy for the dating game.”

He cajoled. “You must have somebody, but probably not any of the guys I knew.”

“Why do you say that?”

“I can’t think of a guy in our class who’d be dumb enough to let two such beautiful women out of his sight.”

Joey giggled and covered her mouth with one hand, the other still holding carefully to Moonshot’s reins.

Jackson intended his remark to provoke Joey’s shy giggle, not her own speculation, Cat thought. She shot a look of reproach at Joey, glad she had that diversion. “Walk your horse, Joey. Moonshot is too warm to let her stand around.”

“Yes, Mom,” Joey answered, suddenly contrite. She touched the filly with her heels and the young mare stepped away.

Cat’s gaze followed her daughter. Joey sat straight, her slender body in the correct riding position as if by instinct.

“She’s a good rider,” Jackson remarked.

“I was just thinking that.”

Jackson’s voice softened. “I know.”

Cat raised an eyebrow. “You knew what I was thinking?”

Jackson grinned. “Your pride is obvious, Cat. And warranted. She is a good rider.”

He stood too close to her. It made thinking difficult. She stooped down, retrieved her cracked coffee cup and looked at it ruefully before speaking. “Jackson, you know how to warm a mother’s heart, but this was my first cup of coffee and my caffeine addiction needs feeding. Would you like a cup?”

“Will she be okay?” He nodded toward Joey.

“Moonshot is the gentlest of our horses. She has a wonderfully sweet nature and is the one Joey loves best. They’ll be okay.” Why get a silly warm spot in her stomach just because he showed concern for Joey? Cat knew she teetered on the edge of disclosing her secret and it scared her. She called out to her daughter, “Joey, we’re going to get some coffee. Put Moonshot in the barn when you’re through walking her. Okay?”

Her little girl, in a sweet, clear voice, answered, “Sure, Mom. I’ll curry her before I put her away. Tommy Karl is coming over later, so I might not have time this afternoon.”

“Good idea, honey. See you later.”

“Who’s Tommy Karl?”

“You remember Luke Anderson, don’t you?”

“Rebeka’s older brother? Of course.”

Of course, he remembered. “His wife left their boy with him when she took off a couple of years ago. Tommy Karl is Joey’s best friend.”

Jackson nodded. “That’s a shame. It can’t be easy raising a kid alone. You’re in the same boat, aren’t you?”

For a second, Cat knew this would be the perfect moment to tell him. Again, she realized she couldn’t. Fear of his reaction kept her silent. Forcing a smile, she said, “Joey is a gift. Nothing tough about raising her! How’s Cass managing with her baby? I saw her in town a couple of weeks ago, but didn’t have a chance to talk to her.”

Jackson looked at her. He couldn’t possibly guess the truth about Joey, and the sun would rise in the west before she’d tell him and force him to stay when he wanted to go.

IN THE KITCHEN, Cat watched as Jackson sat at the table, his long legs sprawled out in front of him. When she filled his cup, she had to stand close to him. It was sheer torture to look down at his hair without reaching toward those soft, beginning curls. Desire caught her unaware. Desperately, she fought to keep her attraction from showing. She chose the chair at the far end of the table.

Jackson studied her, his blue eyes steady and true. Which he was not, she reminded herself.

“Roy’s a reporter. Rebeka is living in Virginia. Who else is still around?”

Me, Jackson. I’m still here. “Let’s see…Sally, Roy’s youngest sister, married Allen Grinager, the preacher. You wouldn’t know him, though. He came here after Pastor Skadeland died. Heather and Holly Halvorson married the Solberg boys, Sammy and Paul. Let me think a moment. Who else in our crowd are you curious about?”