Allison Collins - A Family For The Rancher

“I had a husband, and he died. I don’t think...no, I know I’ll never love anyone that way again.”

“Who said anything about love? What about security? Having someone to turn to at night? Not being alone again.”

Kelsey slid her arm around her mother’s shoulder. “I know you miss Dad.”

“Nonsense. I was talking about you.”

Reaching deep for patience, Kelsey cut her words off when Nash’s father stopped in front of them.

“Kelsey, I’m glad you came tonight. I wanted to officially welcome you to the Sullivan Ranch.” His words were for Kelsey, but he hadn’t taken his eyes off her mother. “Who’s this lovely woman with you?” he asked, and took his Stetson off even as he sucked in his stomach.

Bunny preened and fluffed her blond hair. “Why, how kind of you, Mr. Sullivan. I’m Bunny Randolph, Kelsey’s mother.” She drew out all the syrupy sugar of her Southern upbringing as she spoke.

Mr. Sullivan took her hand in his and pressed a kiss to the back of it. “It’s a pleasure meetin’ you, ma’am. Just call me Angus. Both of you.”

Kelsey stood next to them, trying hard not to laugh. Bunny was pouring on the Southern charm, and Mr. Sullivan pulled out his inner cowboy.

He pressed her hand into the crook of his elbow just as the band slowed the tempo down into a Tennessee waltz. “May I have the pleasure of this dance?”

“I thought you’d never ask.” Her mother’s voice had gone breathless, and she put an extra swish into her skirts as they walked away, completely ignoring Kelsey.

“Seems I’m not the only one taken with your family.” Hunter joined her, carrying a sleepy Madison.

She took her daughter in her arms, and Maddy tucked her head against her shoulder. Her arms strained with the weight, and she tightened her grip, hating that her daughter was growing up so fast. And Rob wouldn’t be there to watch.

“I better get her home. Do you think someone could bring my mom home after the party?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll take her home. Although—” he broke off and glanced toward the dance floor “—my dad may beat me to it. They seem to be gettin’ along pretty good.”

Angus twirled her mom around the floor, then dipped her. Bunny squealed and laughed, beaming up at him.

There she goes, flirting again. On the one hand, she needed this job, but on the other, she needed to get Nash up to speed so they could move on before Bunny got too attached. Again. She drew men to her like bees to honeysuckle, and she loved it.

“You go on ahead and take your daughter home. I’ll make sure your mom is fine. Sleep tight.” He kissed her cheek, then smoothed a gentle hand down Maddy’s back.

“Thanks, Hunter. I appreciate you doing that. And for keeping Maddy entertained. She loved dancing with you. Good night.”

Once she had Maddy buckled into the car seat, she leaned against the driver door and looked up at the sky. There had to be more than a billion stars. She’d never seen so many, or so clearly. Montana could definitely grow on her. Not humid at all like back home in Florida. No lights, except from the ranch. Inhaling a deep breath, she smelled nothing but clean air, hay and wood smoke.

A cow mooed not too far away, followed by a coyote’s long undulating howl. Chills snaked down her back, and she climbed into the car quickly and started it, making a mental note to make sure Maddy never went outside alone.

Once she’d reached the cabin and gotten her daughter settled, she made a cup of tea and carried it to the porch. She sank into one of the rocking chairs and sipped. What a perfect night. Well, perfectly confusing. Memories of the episode with Nash crashed into her mind, and her blood ran hot. “Why the heck did I do that? He’s a grown-ass man, doesn’t need me to come to his rescue,” she muttered.

“So why did you?”

She shrieked and bolted from the chair, dropping the mug, and it smashed on the wooden floorboards. A shadow detached from the corner of her cabin, and Nash appeared in the dim light shining out the window.

“Don’t do that!” she snapped at him.

“Do what?”

“Sneak up on me and appear out of the darkness.”

“I figured you’d have heard me coming a mile away.”

“Well, I didn’t,” she griped, looking at the ruins of her favorite mug on the floorboards.

“I guess you were too busy castigating yourself to pay attention to the hitch in my gitalong.”

A laugh burst out before she could stop it. In fact, she couldn’t stop laughing and had to bend double to catch her breath.

“What in tarnation are you laughing about?”

She plopped down in the rocking chair and wiped her eyes. “I can’t quite figure you out. One minute you’re twanging up your speech with cowboyisms, then you go and use castigate.”

The light caught his face as he frowned. “I’m not a hick. I may not have graduated from college—”

“That’s not what I meant at all. Your dad came up to us at the party and he pretty much did the same thing when I introduced him to my mom.”

The scowl on his face deepened, and he muttered something under his breath.

“I didn’t hear you.”

“I said he’s always been a flirt, even before my mom died.”

She sobered instantly, uncomfortable. “I’m sorry.”

He shook his head. “Never mind. Forget I said anything.”

She picked at a loose thread on her shirt. “So why are you out here? Checking up on us?”

“Now why would I do that? You’re a grown-ass woman, ain’t ya?” The corner of his mouth lifted as he threw the words back at her.

“Ha ha. Why are you here?”

“Couldn’t sleep, needed some air. Forgot this was the cabin my dad put you in.” He pushed off from the post he’d been leaning against, looked around. “Y’all settle in okay?”

“We’re just fine. It’s a gorgeous cabin. Hard to believe something like this is out in the middle of nowhere. I’m surprised it was sitting empty and not snatched up by some tourist.”

“Plenty of cabins to go around.”

“It’s an amazing ranch. I’ve always thought dude ranches were small, with rickety, dusty cabins and city slickers wanting to experience a cattle roundup.”

“It used to be that way. But my mom was a dreamer, and she wanted to build this place up into a five-star guest ranch. So, here we are.”

“How come you left here, joined the Army?” His shoulders tightened, and she almost regretted asking him, but the question had been rolling around her head all evening.

He shrugged. “Restless, I guess.”

“I get restless, I take up a new hobby, or go on a trip. Joining the Army is pretty drastic.”

“College wasn’t doing it for me, and Dad and I kept butting heads, so, I left.” He shifted, leaning against the railing. “Did y’all have a good time tonight?”

“Yup. Maddy had a blast dancing with Hunter.”

He grinned. “He’s got a way with kids. Has three of his own.”

She laughed. “The triples. I got a kick out of Toby’s name for them.”

“They’re good kids. So’s Toby.” He looked up, and she followed his gaze to the stars.

The longer he stood there silent, the more she wondered why he seemed to be drawing out his visit. “Do you need anything? How’s your leg?”

He glared at her, the corner of his lip curling up. “I’m fine,” he said, his words clipped. “’Night.” He walked away, his limp more pronounced.

Instead of calling after him, she bit her tongue. He wouldn’t appreciate her treating him like an invalid. Best just to leave him alone.

But now she knew what he tasted like.

Felt like.

How could her body know his so quickly?

Crave it?

Chapter Four