THE MILLIONAIRES’ CLUB: DAVID, CLINT & TRAVIS

Entangled With a Texan

SARA ORWIG

Locked Up With a Lawman

LAURA WRIGHT

Remembering One Wild Night

KATHIE DENOSKY

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Entangled With a Texan

SARA ORWIG

“WHAT’S HAPPENING IN ROYAL?”

NEWS FLASH – Strange things are afoot in Royal this month! Seems a woman collapsed the other night at our very own Royal Diner. Rumours are circulating that she had a baby and quite a load of cash on her. Who is she? Just what kind of trouble is this mysterious woman in? Unfortunately, our Jane Doe has not yet regained consciousness and the citizens of Royal can only speculate on the answers…

And what’s going on at Royal’s Millionaires’ Club? Some of our sexy gents were on hand to help Royal’s Jane Doe and continue to keep a close eye on her. This reporter has tried to get a statement from recently returned member David Sorrenson, but he refused to comment on the proceedings except to say the Club was handling things…

Is David on baby-sitting detail? Reliable sources have spotted the notorious playboy shopping for baby clothes with an infant in tow. It’s a good thing David has hired Marissa Wilder as the little girl’s nanny. Marissa knows a thing or two about babies and is more than happy to help him out. Of course, what single girl in this town wouldn’t jump at the chance to live under the same roof as this drool-worthy bachelor? Could this arrangement lead to something a bit steamier? Only time will tell…

SARA ORWIG

lives in Oklahoma. She has a patient husband who will take her on research trips anywhere from big cities to old forts. She is an avid collector of Western history books. With a master’s degree in English, Sara writes historical romance, mainstream fiction and contemporary romance. Books are beloved treasures that take Sara to magical worlds, and she loves both reading and writing them.

Look for Sara Orwig’s latest novel, Seduced by the Enemy, in Desire™ in June 2009.

Laura Wright, Kathie DeNosky, Cindy Gerard, Cathleen Galitz and Kristi Gold – it was fun to work with you. Also, thanks to Liz Schultz and special thanks to my editor, Stephanie Maurer.

One

Intuition told him that something was wrong. The last time he had felt this way was ten minutes before he had been pinned down by a sniper in a land far from home.

In spite of the good food and the great company, David Sorrenson shifted on his seat with an uncustomary restlessness. On more than one occasion, such hunches had saved his life, and he didn’t like the hunch he was getting now. He tried to shrug it off as ridiculous. He was home safe and told himself to stop worrying.

The cold night on the third of November made the weekly chilifest at the Royal Diner even more appetizing. While vintage rock and roll played on the jukebox, the enticing smell of Manny’s frying burgers permeated the local greasy spoon. Only a few booths were filled, and none of the red vinyl stools at the counter held customers.

In such a relaxed atmosphere, David couldn’t explain the nagging uneasiness he was experiencing. It was good to be in his hometown of Royal, Texas, to be through with Special Ops, out of the air force and back with old friends.

David laughed at a joke Alex Kent was telling. His friend’s green eyes sparkled. David had known Alex since they were kids. They were both thirty-five now, and their lives held a lot of similarities—no mother growing up, going all the way through school together, David involved with Special Ops and Alex, the FBI. Then, there were big differences. Alex, who drew the ladies like a flower draws bees, appeared completely comfortable with his life, while David didn’t know why lately he had felt as if he were at a crossroads in his.

“David, you look like you’re out in the south forty,” Clint Andover said, curiosity in his blue eyes.

“Nope, I’m right here, but I was in the south forty all day hunting steers and it’s good to sit and eat Manny’s chili and listen to you two.”

“Too bad Ryan couldn’t join us,” Alex remarked, referring to another of their friends.

“He’s got a hot date tonight,” David answered dryly, shifting his jeans-clad legs beneath the table. “He’s going to rival you with the ladies, Alex.”

The tiny brass bell over the front door tinkled, and David glanced that way. The door swung wide, causing a stir of the muslin curtains at the windows and allowing a blast of cold air to sweep into the restaurant. A woman clutching a baby and a diaper bag staggered into the diner.

“Oh-oh,” David muttered, already sliding out of the booth, bracing himself on his booted feet, aware in his peripheral vision that his friends were up and moving as well.

Beneath a tangled mass of long, dark brown hair, the woman’s head was bleeding—she looked as if she had fallen out of a car. Over a wrinkled blue-denim jumper, her bedraggled gray cloth coat was mud-spattered and torn. She was as pale as snow and looked on the verge of collapse.

Even as they rushed to her side, she began to fall. All three men reached for her.

Clint Andover caught her in his arms, and David grabbed the tiny blanket-wrapped infant. Alex took the bulging diaper bag and already was on his cell phone calling for an ambulance.

When they caught her and the baby, the woman’s eyelids fluttered. Large, thickly lashed violet eyes gazed up at them, and the only reason David heard her was because he was bending close as she whispered, “Don’t let them take… my baby… don’t let them get Autumn….”

Her eyelids fluttered again and closed as she went limp in Clint’s arms.

Swaddled in a blood-spattered, torn pink blanket, the baby began to cry. While David gently patted the infant, Clint lowered the woman to the floor. Manny charged up with a grease-spattered topcoat.

“Here’s a coat—”

While Clint took it to cover her, David continued patting the baby. To his surprise, the infant stopped crying, gazing up at him with wide, dark blue eyes.

“An ambulance is on its way,” Alex said, and Manny moved away. Giving them plenty of room, diners stared in frozen shock while the three men tried to take care of the woman and baby.

Alex leaned down to the woman and took something crumpled from her fingers. David watched Alex straighten out the card. Startled, David met Alex’s solemn gaze. When both men looked at Clint, a silent communication passed among them. David knew the other two also recognized the Texas Cattleman’s Club card that the stranger had clutched in her hand.

As a member of the prestigious social club, David knew, as well as his friends, that the Texas Cattleman’s Club was a facade. Its members worked together covertly on secret missions to save innocent lives. Tonight, two more close friends would have been with them, except Travis Whelan and Sheikh Darin ibn Shakir were out of the country on a confidential task. The woman lying on the floor of the Royal Diner was evidently here because she was seeking a Texas Cattleman’s Club member to help her.

She had a dark bruise on one cheek, and Clint had his handkerchief pressed against the wound on her head. In the distance a siren wailed.

All of the diners still stood back so David didn’t feel anyone could hear them if they talked softly. “She’s here for help from the club,” he said. “We can’t just leave her.”

“I agree,” Clint replied, and Alex nodded.

“We have to ride in that ambulance with her. And we can’t let them take the baby away from her,” David continued.

“I’ve glanced in this bag she was carrying,” Alex added quietly, with a grim note in his voice. “It has diapers and bottles and a little formula, but it’s also stuffed with money. A damn lot of big bills.”

David mumbled an expletive and tucked the baby into the crook of one arm. He hunkered down to take the woman’s wrist and feel her pulse. When he looked at her pupils, he saw one was dilated more than the other.

“She’s in bad shape,” David said, looking at Clint and Alex. “Her pulse is weak.”

“If something happens to her, we can’t let the state take the baby until we know who gave her that card,” Alex said.

“Call Justin Webb,” David suggested, thinking of a fellow club member physician. “Tell him to meet us at the hospital and let’s get him to check the baby. Even though babies aren’t his usual patients—as influential as he is at Royal Memorial, he can step in and help us.”

While Alex punched numbers, David said to Clint, “Take the baby.” With his pararescue training, David didn’t want to wait for the paramedics if the woman needed help. Before he could hand the infant to his friend, the bell over the door tinkled and two paramedics swept into the room. David recognized one of the medics and stood to speak to Carsten Kramer.

“Did anyone see what happened?” Carsten asked as the other paramedic knelt over the woman. David filled him in quickly while Clint put away his phone and nodded at David, indicating, to David’s relief, that Justin Webb would meet them at the hospital. David watched while the medic checked the woman’s airway, her pupils and her pulse.

Soon the paramedics had her hooked to an IV, and had an oxygen mask in place. They carefully put her on a transport board with a neck stabilizer and Clint Andover got permission to ride in the ambulance while David and Alex planned to follow in their cars. David passed the baby to a paramedic, feeling a peculiar reluctance to give up the infant even for a short time.

“Manny, we’ll get the bill later,” David called over his shoulder as he and Alex grabbed their jackets and rushed out behind Clint and the medics. Manny waved them away, following them outside and standing in his shirtsleeves, a spattered apron tied around his waist while he watched them.

Bright streetlights pushed back shadows and a sliver of moon hung in an inky sky above David’s car, which was speeding toward Royal Memorial Hospital. The ride seemed interminable, yet David knew the hospital was located within walking distance of the Royal Diner. Where had the woman come from? Who had given her the card? Questions plagued him during his dash toward the emergency entrance.

Carrying the diaper bag, Alex jogged to join him and together they rushed into the hospital just as the paramedics were wheeling the unconscious woman down the hallway through double doors. David and Alex met Clint and were told they would have to wait.

In less than three minutes, a familiar tall, brown-haired man, Justin Webb, M.D., came striding through the door and shook hands with all three men.

“Thanks for coming so quickly,” David said. “They’ve already taken the woman and baby to an examining room.”

“Who is she?” Justin asked.

David quickly filled Justin in on what had happened at the diner.

“Sounds like what started out as a peaceful night in Royal has turned out to be a big problem dumped on you guys,” Justin said quietly. He nodded at David. “Okay, I’ll see about the baby.”

“Thanks!” David exclaimed with relief. “Just let us take care of the baby until the mother can.”

Justin frowned. “If the mother can’t keep the infant for a few days, I’ll see to it that y’all can,” he stated, his solemn gaze sweeping the other three Texas Cattleman’s Club men before he turned to stride away.

“He’ll keep that promise if humanly possible,” David said, staring after the tall doctor who was one of the Southwest’s leading plastic surgeons and responsible for Royal Memorial’s Plastic Surgery/Burn Unit.

“He’s been through this with his own,” Alex added as the three men headed for chairs to sit and wait.

David knew that the others were as aware as he that Justin’s oldest child, Angel, now adopted, was left on his wife’s doorstep before Justin and Winona were married.

“Justin and Winona adore that little girl of theirs,” Clint said.

“I think Justin will do everything in his power to see to it that this baby doesn’t have to go to the Child Protective Services,” David added.

As the three men waited, Alex Kent pulled out his cell phone. “Even though we need to keep a low profile on this as much as possible, it’s only a matter of time until the police are notified. I’m surprised they’re not here now. I’ll call Wayne Vicente and talk to him because we’ve worked together before.”

“Good idea, Alex,” Clint said.

David leaned back and crossed his long legs, listening to his friend talk to the police chief. Even though they were the only people in the waiting room, Alex spoke in a low voice. David glanced at his friends. They were in jeans, Western shirts and boots just as he was—standard dress for chili night at the diner.

As soon as he finished the call, Alex put away his phone. “Vicente will be here shortly.”

“I’ve been thinking about the woman,” Clint said. “If they hold her here at the hospital—or if she’s unable to leave—with all that money and a head wound and the card, she must be in danger. When they put her in a room, I think one of us should guard her.”

“That’s good,” David said. “What about it, Clint? You’re our security guy, anyway.”

Clint shrugged. “I can arrange my schedule so I can stay. Sure. I’ll do it.”

“Okay,” Alex said, shifting the diaper bag underneath his chair. “I’ll deal with the police and put the money in a safe place unless Vicente takes it. Or until the mother can manage on her own.”

“I can help you,” David volunteered.

“David, you take care of the baby,” Clint said. “One of us has to.”

“If it comes to that,” David answered, expecting the baby to be put in the room with the mother before the night was over.

The three friends fell silent, each lost in his own thoughts until Alex stood and crossed the room to the door. A uniformed man entered the waiting room, and David watched as Alex greeted the stocky, brown-haired police chief.

Talking briefly, the two men crossed the room. David stood to greet the chief.

“You remember David Sorrenson and Clint Andover,” Alex said.

“Sure do. Talked to you, Clint, what—was it just three or four days ago?” Chief Vicente said as he extended his hand.

“Something like that,” Clint answered, shaking the police chief’s thick hand.

“Here’s the bag with the money,” Alex said, and all four sat down while Vicente unzipped a turquoise-and-pink diaper bag. The police chief whistled. “The lady must be in a heck of a lot of trouble. This is a fortune.”

“We don’t know anything about her, but we want to help her,” Clint replied solemnly. “There must have been a reason for her to come to Royal.”

Chief Vicente rubbed his forehead. “Okay, Alex. I’ll file a report and let you know if I have to do anything else. If not, go ahead and put the money in a safe place and keep me posted on what’s happening. I’ll talk to the doc now and see about the woman and baby.”

“Thanks,” Alex said.

All three men stood, offered thanks, and then sat down as the chief left and headed through the door marked for hospital staff only.

It was another half hour before a nurse appeared, crossing the room to face the men. “Dr. Webb sent me to get you. Are you the men he wants to see?”

“We are,” Clint replied as they stood and followed her down a brightly lit hall into an examining room. She closed the door behind them and they were alone with Justin and the baby. Holding her, Justin was giving the baby a bottle.

“This little girl is healthy and hungry,” he said. “I’m glad you called me. This baby can’t be more than five to ten days old, because the umbilical cord hasn’t dried up yet. The mother is in a coma so she can’t care for her baby right now.”

With a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach over Justin’s gloomy news, David looked at the tiny baby, knowing he wasn’t the one to take charge of a baby. He tried to focus on Justin as the doctor continued talking.

“The doctors don’t have any identification. They don’t know how she got into town or where she came from. She wasn’t carrying a purse?” Justin looked at them questioningly.

David shook his head. “We don’t know any more than you do, Justin.”

“When they move her, I’m going to stay and guard her room tonight,” Clint said. “We think she’s in danger. And it looks like this is going to take longer than we thought. We expected her to clear up all the questions within the next few hours.”

“I don’t think so,” Justin replied. “They’ll put her in ICU, the Intensive Care Unit, but it’s still a good idea to stand guard. If someone was intent on harm, he could get to her. Her condition is listed as critical.”

“Oh, hell,” David exclaimed, remembering the desperate look in her violet eyes.

“Her doctor, Harry McDougal, thinks she suffered the blow to the head by a blunt instrument, so you’re probably right that she’s on the run, trying to get away from someone,” Justin continued.

“She called the baby Autumn,” Clint said, and all four men looked at the baby.

“Ah, little Autumn,” Justin said, smiling at the little girl in his arms. “Okay, guys. Clint’s staying at the hospital to guard our mystery woman.”

“I’m taking care of the money, and I’ll use my resources to find out what I can about her,” Alex explained.

“Okay,” Justin said. “So who gets little Autumn?”

“I guess I’m the guy, but I don’t know one thing about babies,” David admitted. “Any of you want to trade jobs?” he asked, a desperate feeling growing inside of him.

“We’ve got our assignments,” Alex answered, looking amused. “C’mon, David, it’s time you have some shaking up in that orderly life of yours.”

“Yeah, orderly,” David remarked, staring at the baby. “Last year I was getting shot at and feeling thankful just to be alive.”

“It’s quiet here in Royal,” Alex said. “You get the baby. Besides, neither one of us is a baby expert. Nope, we’ve got our assignments, and we’ll leave you with Justin now so you can get your instructions.”

“Hey! You two, wait a minute,” David exclaimed, feeling a momentary panic as his friends walked toward the door. “No kidding. I’ve never even held a baby.”

“Then it’s time you did,” Alex said. “We’ll head out to do our jobs and leave you to yours. We better plan a meeting, though.”

“Right. Tomorrow morning,” David replied darkly, staring at the bundle in Justin’s arms. All he could see was a small round head with wisps of light brown hair showing. “You guys meet me at the club at noon tomorrow.”

“We’ll be there,” Clint promised as the two walked away. “Thanks, Justin.”

“Yeah, thanks, man,” Alex added, and closed the door behind them.

“I don’t know what to do with a baby,” David repeated, his hands on his hips. “I’m trained for the stuff those guys are doing.”

“Just feed and change her and hold her and you’ll do fine,” Justin said.

“When do I feed her? Breakfast, lunch and dinner?”

“Where’ve you been living—under a rock? Don’t any of those gorgeous women you date have babies around?”

“No, they don’t. And there were none in my family,” David added tersely, wondering if there was any way to get out of keeping her.

“I imagine this little girl is going to want a bottle every couple of hours.”

“Every two hours!” David exclaimed, astonished and appalled and wondering how he was going to cope.

Justin looked as if he was struggling to keep a straight face. “Yes, David. Now, let me show you how to change a diaper and the umbilical cord dressing,” Justin said, turning to carefully place the baby on the examining table while David moved close beside him.

After fifteen minutes, Justin let go a guffaw. “Damnation, man! It’s simple. I’ll bet that even blindfolded you could put that rifle you carried, night scope and all, together in seconds and take it apart again, so I know you’ve got the dexterity and brains to catch on how to put these little diapers on this tiny little person.”

“A rifle is a hell of a lot simpler,” David snapped. “And she keeps kicking her legs all the time. A rifle just lies there.”

“You’ll get it. You made it through U. S. Air Force Special Ops training so I know you’ll get this. I seem to remember a degree from Harvard, too. So come on, pull your wits together and try again. And by the way, she’s being very good-natured about this. By now, most babies would be complaining loudly enough to be heard on the next floor. You’ve got a little doll here,” Justin added, his voice changing to a gentler note. “I miss having a baby.”

“Well, why don’t—”

“No way. Don’t even suggest it,” Justin said firmly, shaking his head. “Winona would throw me out the door. I can’t go home with a baby that we know we’d have to give up soon. Now, you change that diaper. Put all your Special Ops skills and your years of education into this.”

“I’m beginning to be sorry I called you. Nothing at Hurl-burt Field or anywhere else prepared me for this. Look how tiny she is. I’m scared I’ll hurt her.”

“No, you won’t. She isn’t going to break,” Justin replied with a grin. “Just be careful—like you were with your M16 or whatever lethal weapon you carried. David, I read somewhere that the Air Force Special Ops training dropout rate is almost eighty percent. That means only a little more than twenty percent make it. You’re one who did. Now, if you can do that, you can do this.”

“A baby is entirely different,” David said grimly through clenched teeth. “She won’t stay still.” He struggled with the diaper, finally getting it in place and watching, letting out his breath when it didn’t spring loose. “There!”

“Congratulations! You got it! I knew you could do it!” Justin exclaimed, slapping David lightly on the back.

“Can it, Webb,” David snarled, frowning. “Now, what else do I need to know?”

“Do you know how to mix her formula?”

“Her what?”

“Why does your question surprise me?” Shaking his head, Justin picked up a six-pack of cans. “Here’s formula. I’ll send you home with a goodly supply. The directions for mixing it are on the can. I’ll give you a supply of diapers and bottles— the hospital has plenty to send home with new mothers. And I guess you’re as new a mother as anyone could be.”

“She can’t just drink milk from the fridge?” David asked, holding up a can of formula and reading the instructions.

“No, she can’t drink milk from the fridge,” Justin replied patiently. “And there are other things. Tomorrow, you’re going to need to get the little girl some clothes, unless there are some things buried in the bag with all that money Alex was talking about.”

“Great balls of fire! How could a little tiny person require so much stuff and so much attention?” David exclaimed, shocked by all that was going to be required and wondering what he had gotten himself into.

“My friend, if you have her more than three days, you’re never going to want to tell her goodbye.”

“I don’t think so,” David said, eyeing the baby, whose eyes had closed. “Is she all right?”

“She’s asleep. I’ve fed her, and you wore her out with your diaper practice. Now, let’s pack you up and let me get home to my own family.”

“Justin, thanks for this. And can I call you if I have questions?”

“Yes, but just relax. She’s a sweetheart.” Justin slanted him a quizzical look. “You don’t have a baby carrier, do you?”

“A what?”

“I don’t know why I even asked. You can’t just set her in the car seat beside you. You need something to hold her safely. I’ll bet I can find a nurse with one that you can borrow. Just stay put until I get back.” David was handed the sleeping infant. He took her, cradling her with his arm and marveling at how tiny she was.

“How can she possibly be so complicated when she’s small enough to hold in my hands?” David asked, but his friend had already gone through the door. David stared at the infant.

“I’ll do my best, and I’m sorry you’ve got someone who doesn’t know one thing about a baby,” he said softly. Her tiny hands were folded over her middle and David was awed by her. So tiny, yet so perfect and so pretty. He touched her cheek lightly with his finger. “So soft and sweet,” he whispered.

In minutes Justin was back to give David final instructions. “Stop worrying,” Justin said, smiling. “You’ll get along fine.”

“Right. See you, Justin.” David went to find Alex and get whatever in the diaper bag belonged to the baby. And then he told his friends goodbye and left the hospital, stepping out into the chilly Texas night. He looked at the sleeping infant.

“What am I going to do with you?” he asked her softly.

He drove through the dark night, thankful she slept, but with his nerves on edge. He dreaded when she would wake because he had zero experience in baby care.

His sprawling ranch house had motion lights that came on as he approached the back of the property. At the back gate David parked and got out, taking baby, carrier and supplies with him. He crossed the wraparound porch and unlocked the back door, dropping supplies on a credenza in the back entryway while he turned off the alarm and switched on lights.

In minutes he was in his big bedroom with the baby carrier in the middle of his king-size bed.

Baby and carrier looked out of place, he reflected, in this masculine room with its hunter-green-and-brown decor. He scratched his head, wondering what to do when she wakened and began to cry. As he thought about it, the tiny girl stirred and in seconds was crying.

David unbuckled her and picked her up, changing her with a little more ease this time in spite of her crying and kicking.

He got her a bottle, fed her and placed her in his big bed, climbing in beside her. Exhausted, he fell asleep for what seemed like ten minutes and then the infant was crying again.

By three in the morning, the kitchen was a shambles of half-full bottles, cartons the bottles came in, baby clothes that she had spit up on. While she screamed and cried, he paced the floor, and in minutes warmed another bottle to try again to get her to quiet down.

“Oh, little baby, what do you want?” he asked wildly, knowing if he called Justin, he would just get laughed at.

At four he placed her in his bed again. She had fallen asleep and David eased down on the bed beside her, scared he would either wake her or roll over on her, but totally exhausted. Once more, he felt he’d only slept a few minutes, but it was an hour later that her cries woke him.

The night seemed three hundred hours long and by morning, David knew he had to find a nanny.

Through the sleepless night he had racked his brain for any woman he had dated whom he could call for help, but he couldn’t come up with one likely candidate who would want to deal with a baby.

He turned in an ad to the paper for a nanny, knowing that it would take days before the ad would produce inquiries. His full-time cook and housekeeper arrived and tried to help, but at sixty, Gertie Jones was still single and knew almost as little about babies as David.

As soon as possible, he drove into Royal, heading to a local baby store to get supplies.

Since getting out of the military and returning home, David usually took pleasure in driving through his hometown of Royal, Texas. Main Street was a bustling place in the exclusively rich West Texas town, which was surrounded by oil fields and ranches. Today, under bright skies and sunshine, he passed the Royalty Public Library, a one-story, Georgian-style brick building in the center of town, and the Royalton Hotel on Main Street, a fancy old hotel that dated back to 1910, but he didn’t see any of his surroundings. He was a man with a mission, as dead set on getting help as he had ever been on accomplishing any assignment in his life.

David waited in his car until the baby store unlocked and opened its doors, then he and other customers rushed inside. Feeling lost, he hurried down aisles past tiny dresses and small suits until he reached a section with diapers, little shirts and rattles. While he was searching for a clerk, Autumn began to cry.

“Oh, please don’t cry,” David said. Frantically, he hunted for a clerk, turning a corner and starting up another aisle, jiggling Autumn in his arms as she refused the bottle and continued crying.

“Little baby, don’t cry!” David was desperate. He hadn’t shaved this morning and was barely dressed; he’d thrown on whatever shirt he could grab and old jeans. He suspected his hair was sticking straight up in the air, but that was of small consequence at the moment.

“Aw, Autumn, baby, don’t cry,” he pleaded. He heard someone moving and saw a clerk bending down behind a counter. He rushed for her as if he were drowning at sea and had spotted a raft.

“Can you help me?” he asked, hoping he didn’t sound too alarmed.

The clerk straightened, and David stared at her in shock while she gazed back wide-eyed at him.

Two

The woman was wearing a pink sunbonnet the likes of which he had seen only in movies or in pictures of his great-great-grandmother. She had on a flowered, frilly dress covered with lace and pink velvet bows. Her dark blond hair was tied in long pigtails with pink bows and each cheek had bright rose circles. Her lashes looked too thick for her to be able to open her eyes, black feathery lashes that framed lively chocolate-brown eyes that gazed at him with a curious intensity. She had a luscious, deep red rosebud mouth.

In turn, Marissa Wilder gaped at David Sorrenson, taking in all six feet two inches of the ruggedly handsome man. Her heart thumped faster, and her temperature rose. How old had she been when he’d first had this effect on her? She was probably eleven years old. At eighteen, he had barely known she was alive. As a matter of fact, she suspected that right now he didn’t have a clue who she was. But was he a sight for female eyes! More handsome than ever with his thick, wavy raven hair and sexy sea-green eyes.

Then she became aware of the tiny baby in his arms. The little one was bawling at the top of its lungs and he simply stood there and looked helpless and desperate. Where was the man’s wife? Coming out of her spell, Marissa reached out.

“Let me hold your baby,” she said, taking the infant from his hands.

“Is there a microwave oven in this store where I can heat a bottle for her?” he asked. He fumbled in the brown paper sack he was carrying and fished out a bottle.

“Yes, there is,” Marissa answered, taking the bottle and motioning to him to follow her. David trailed after her to a tiny lounge with chairs covered in yellow vinyl and signs to employees lining the walls. He watched her warm the bottle and then take it out of the microwave to give it to the baby.

She cuddled the baby in her arms and placed the bottle close, letting the nipple touch the baby’s cheek. The little one turned her head the fraction needed, found the nipple and began to suck.

Quiet settled and Marissa gazed down at the baby. Longing filled her. How much she wanted her own baby! She yearned for a child. She forgot the man watching her as all her attention settled on the child. Yielding to her imagination, she wished the baby was her own precious darling.

“You’re a natural with her,” said a deep voice that yanked her out of her reverie, and she looked up into green eyes that now were fully focused on her. David Sorrenson looked as if he wanted to devour her, and her breath caught.

“A natural?”

“With babies,” he said, nodding his head as he looked at the baby in her arms.

“Oh, well, I’ve been around a lot of them. I have one niece and three nephews and two younger sisters,” Marissa answered. “She’s a precious baby. Where’s your wife?”

“I’m not married. And she’s not my baby. Well, she is for now.”

Marissa stared at him, realizing the man was distraught. This was rather shocking, because she had been to more than a few football games when he had been a senior and quarterback of the Royal High team and he had always remained cool and unflappable. She had been much younger, but she had heard her older sisters talk about him and she had seen him play football. She studied him. He needed a shave. His shirt wasn’t buttoned correctly. He ran his fingers through his tangled mop of black hair while he continued to stare at her as if she were a bug under a microscope.

“Are you married?” he blurted.

“No, I’m not,” she answered, beginning to wonder if he was under some kind of mental pressure that was causing him distress. “I’m divorced.”

Her answer seemed to relieve him, but she couldn’t imagine why, because she knew all too well, he didn’t want a date. He thrust out his hand.

“I’m David Sorrenson.”

“Yes, I know,” Marissa said, feeling her hand enveloped in his large, warm one. The contact was as disturbing to her jangled nerves as his steadfast gaze. “You were in school with one of my older sisters. I’m Marissa Wilder. You were in high school with Karen.”

“You don’t say. I didn’t recognize you. You’re a natural with babies, though. And you seem to like them.”

“I love babies,” she said softly, looking at the little girl in her arms. “What’s her name?”

“Autumn,” he replied.

“Autumn. That’s a lovely name. How old is she?”

“Five to ten days probably, give or take a few.”

Give or take a few? What kind of daddy was he? she wondered, some of her illusions about David Sorrenson shattering. “And you’ve been sent out to buy some diapers?” Marissa guessed.

“Something like that. Have you worked here long?”

“About two years,” she said. If she didn’t know whom she was talking to, she would summon the store security guard. David’s questions were weird, and she clearly recollected a lot of female discussion through the years about David Sorrenson. Never once had the description “weird” been included.

“Would you like a job as a nanny?” he blurted. “I need one badly and I’ll pay extremely well. Whatever you’re making here, I’ll triple it.”

After moments of silence ticked past, Marissa realized she was staring at him with her mouth open. Dumbstruck by his offer, she was momentarily speechless. “Triple my salary?” she repeated finally.

“Yes. You seem to know how to deal with a baby and I don’t. I need help.”

If it had been anyone else on earth, Marissa would have sent him packing, but for the better part of seventeen years of her twenty-eight-year-old life, she had had a schoolgirl crush on David Sorrenson. Once again, she was speechless. Work for him? Triple her salary?

“This is sort of sudden. Do you mean to come to your house every day?”

“No. I mean to live in my house and care for Autumn daily.”

“Oh!” Live in David Sorrenson’s house? “Be still my beating heart,” she whispered.

“What’s that?” he asked sharply, studying her even more closely.

Her brain began to function again. “I’m sorry, but I can’t do that. My folks are out of the country, and I take care of my grandmother and my younger sisters.”

“Maybe they can all move to my house. How old are your sisters?”

“My grandmother won’t move,” she replied, thinking he had the most sinfully seductive eyes she had ever seen. Cool, clear green with a thick fringe of long, black lashes. “Greta is a junior in college, and Dallas is a senior in high school.”

“The junior in college is old enough to take care of your grandma and your youngest sister.”

“Well, that’s true,” Marissa reasoned. “When do you want someone to go to work for you?”

“This morning.”

Again she stared at him. The man’s mind must have slipped a cog in the past few years. Although, physically, he still looked extremely well put together. Those were very broad shoulders. “I have a job. I can’t walk out on the store.”

“I’ll pay you to walk out. I’ll talk to the manager and straighten it out with him,” David said decisively. “I’ll give you an extra thousand-dollar bonus to leave your job this morning.”

“A thousand dollars? Just like that?” She stared at him, still stunned by his sudden offer and his snap decisions.

“Just like that. I’m desperate,” he replied.

“I’m beginning to believe you are.” Her head swam now. He had stepped into her world and turned it upside down. Triple her salary. Live with David Sorrenson. A thousand dollars. She had heard the man had retired from Air Force Special Operations. He was independently wealthy, living on his ranch. There were two or three women in town whom he had been seen with—wealthy, sophisticated beauties. Marissa hadn’t heard any remarks about his mental condition. Or that he had a baby.

Triple her salary. A thousand dollars. Live in his house. The offer spun in her thoughts repeatedly. That last thing—live in his house—she knew she should avoid, because that was the road to heartbreak. As distraught as he was and as rumpled and unshaved and uncombed, he was still a hunk. But weird. On the other hand, enjoy the moment, she thought.

“I don’t know about leaving my job right this minute,” she replied cautiously, her mind racing over the possibilities. “This is a drastic decision. I think you and I need to sit down and discuss your offer.”

“Okay. Tell the manager that you’re taking a break and we’ll go confer about the nanny job. It’ll be very temporary, probably only a day or two at the most.”

“A day? Then you don’t really need a nanny.”

“Oh, yes, I do!” he snapped. “I can’t go through another night like last night. Actually, I don’t want to go another hour without help.”

The man was unhinged, but nonetheless, for the money he was offering, she was interested.

“We do need to discuss this,” she said, leading him out of the employees’ break room and going back to her station.

“We can go to the Royal Diner to talk. Have you had breakfast?”

“No, I didn’t eat breakfast this morning,” she replied, dazed by what was happening and barely thinking about breakfast.

“Want me to tell your manager?” David asked, looking around the store.

“Oh, no!” she gasped, imagining her supervisor’s reaction to all this. “I’ll tell him. You take Autumn.”

“No,” David replied in a no-nonsense, take-charge voice. “You hold Autumn and keep feeding her because she’s happy. I’ll tell the manager and square it with him and I’ll drive. What’s your manager’s name?”

“Jerry Vickerson, and his office is in the southeast corner of the store.”

“I’ll be right back, Marissa Wilder. Don’t go away,” David ordered, giving her a look that immobilized her as he started to walk away. “And when I get back, I need to buy a baby carrier for her before I leave the store. I don’t care about the price. You pick it out.”

Turning to stride away, he combed his fingers through his hair and squared his shoulders.

“Baby Autumn, you have a very decisive, persuasive caretaker. Where’s your mommy, sweetie?” A nanny with triple her current salary. Wow. It wasn’t going to do her 401K any good, but to take care of this little baby would be wonderful. To live at David Sorrenson’s would be—exciting? Heartbreaking, most likely. She probably would spend half her time fantasizing about him. Although, his behavior this morning hadn’t made him too adorable. Still, the man had gotten what he wanted in no time flat.

As she cuddled the baby close against her, Marissa hummed to herself while she selected a carrier. She remembered the brown paper sack David had had in his hand and picked up a pretty pink diaper bag with teddy bears on it.

In minutes he came striding back. “It’s settled. Your job is terminated. You can have it back whenever this nanny job ends—which may be soon.”

She stared at him in amazement. Her boss was just a step away from being a modern-day Ebenezer Scrooge to his employees. To have him suddenly become so cooperative surprised her, and she wondered what incentive David Sorrenson had offered her boss.

“All right,” she said cautiously. “I picked out this carrier and here’s a diaper bag. You look as if you need one,” she said, eyeing the paper sack.

“Oh, yeah, I do. Good.” He pulled out his wallet and glanced at the price tags. “That’s good. I’ll transfer this stuff from the sack to the bag and then, when we get to my car, we’ll put Autumn into the carrier. I’m using a borrowed one that I need to return.”

Marissa rang up his purchase with one hand, completing the transaction and watching him empty the sack and toss it into the trash.

“Do you want to get your things and leave your name tag?” David asked. “I told your manager I would bring you back later to pick up your paycheck. He said he would have it ready in an hour.”

She realized David was waiting and she hurried to get her purse. “You’ll have to hold the baby for me. I need both hands free to get this name tag off.”

“Let me do it,” David said, stepping close.

Her pulse jumped as he moved within inches. His warm fingers brushed her collarbone and her shoulder. He stood close and she looked at his unshaven jaw covered in black stubble, his mouth with his slightly full lower lip, the sight of which stirred a bushel of curiosity about how those lips would feel on hers. He deftly removed the pin and placed it under the counter. “Anything else?” he asked.

“Oh, yes!” she answered dreamily while looking at curls of dark chest hair at the open neck of his blue, short-sleeved western shirt and thinking she could let his fingers flit over her for another half hour or so.

“Yes?” he repeated, his voice filled with curiosity while he stared at her with arched brows. Then she realized what she had just said.

“I meant no!” she replied swiftly, feeling her cheeks flush. She turned away, but not before she saw his eyes narrow and his gaze became more piercing than ever.

He took her arm. “My car is this way.”

She had a ridiculous feeling she had just lost control of her life. All because she knew how to feed and hold a baby. “Don’t you like babies?”

“I don’t know anything about them. Well, now I know they cry a lot and I know how to change a diaper.”

Marissa hurried beside him, trying to keep up with his long-legged stride as they left the store and crossed the parking lot to his low-slung, dark green sports car. Sunshine spilled over them on the crisp November day, and Marissa still couldn’t believe what was happening to her. She glanced over her shoulder at the store and it seemed as if she were in a dream. Why wasn’t she back there working?

She looked at the tall man beside her. In less than thirty minutes he had changed her life. Now here she was outside, invited to breakfast with an unbelievably appealing man and she was going to get to care for a precious little girl and make a lot of money doing it. She had to be dreaming, yet the sunshine was warm and very real. Enjoy the moment, she thought.

He held the door for her. “I’ll take Autumn now and put her into her carrier.” Once again, their hands touched and she was too aware of each tiny contact. What was happening to her? She didn’t usually have that reaction when she handed things to men at the store.

She looked down at her clothes. Did she want to go to the Royal Diner in her Bo-Peep costume she had worn for the store special today? Deciding she would, she sighed. It was her own outfit, not the store’s, and it would be too complicated to go home to change.

Climbing into the car, Marissa watched David put the baby into her new carrier in the back seat. He buckled the infant and the carrier in and then slid behind the wheel.

Beware of charming, appealing men, she reminded herself silently, glancing at David. She remembered how she had fallen head over heels in love—or had it been infatuation?— for her handsome ex-husband who had turned out to be a crushing disappointment in her life. A man who had used her for his own purposes, cheating on her while she worked to help put him through medical school. When he’d achieved his goal, he had discarded her, hurting her badly.

When Autumn began to cry, Marissa twisted in the seat to talk to the baby and to try to give her the bottle. As soon as she did, Autumn became quiet.

“Thanks for doing this,” David said.

“She’s an adorable baby. So pretty.”

He didn’t answer, and in minutes they whipped into a parking place in front of the Royal Diner. “I’ll take the carrier inside with us,” he said, climbing out to unbuckle the carrier. While he held the door for Marissa, she entered the warm Royal Diner. With every step she was aware of David’s presence, aware of brushing against his arm as she went through the open door.

When the smell of frying bacon and brewing coffee assailed her, she realized that she was hungry. Sliding into a booth, Marissa smoothed her skirt and petticoats and patted the seat. “Put Autumn’s carrier here beside me. When she finishes this bottle, I can watch her.”

He didn’t need any arm-twisting for that one. Instantly, he set the carrier with the sleeping baby beside Marissa and then he slid into the booth and sat facing her.

Feeling nervous and self-conscious, Marissa smiled at him. She glanced around the diner and saw a familiar waitress heading toward them.

Popping gum and giving a tug to her tight, pink polyester uniform, Sheila Foster brought them glasses of water and plastic-coated menus. “Hi, Marissa. Hi, David,” she greeted them, looking again at Marissa. “Cute dress and cute baby.”

“Thanks, Sheila,” Marissa said with a big smile that revealed a dimple in her right cheek.

“Would you like coffee?” Sheila asked.

David nodded, still staring at Marissa’s dimple. “What about you, Marissa?”

Every time he said her name in his deep voice, a tingle slithered through her middle. She shook her head. “No, thanks. I’ll have a glass of orange juice.”

“I’ll have orange juice with my coffee,” David added.

As soon as they were alone, Marissa asked him, “So, David, how are you related to Autumn?”

David met Marissa’s gaze squarely. “I’m not,” he answered carefully, realizing that for once in his life, he hadn’t thought ahead to explanations.

“She’s not related to you,” Marissa repeated, and there was no mistaking the surprise in her voice. “So how come she’s in your care?”

The woman might dress strangely, David thought, but her brain was clicking right along. And those dark brown eyes of hers were slicing into him. He weighed what to reveal and what to keep to himself.

“I was here last night with friends, and while we were eating, a woman came rushing in and collapsed.”

“This is her baby?” Marissa demanded. “That was on last night’s news. How did you get the baby? Why isn’t she with her mother?”

He had been so distraught over feeding and caring for Autumn, he hadn’t considered how fast the word would spread in Royal. Royal might be a town filled with some of the greatest wealth in the Lone Star State, but it was still a small place and news traveled like wildfire.

“I know Dr. Justin Webb,” David answered carefully. “When my friends and I took the woman and her baby to the hospital, we met with Dr. Webb. Instead of turning the baby over to a state agency, he said I could take care of her until her mother is able to,” he explained.

“Wow! No wonder you looked a little upset.”

“Yeah, well, I haven’t spent time around a baby before. I haven’t ever even held one before last night.”

Marissa looked at sleeping Autumn as if she was filled with sympathy for the little girl. “Well, I’m here now and I’ve held plenty of babies,” she said, with a confident tone that was reassuring to him. “We better discuss this job I’m supposed to do. I guess you want me to move in today.”

“Damn straight I do,” he said with heartfelt sincerity. “I’ll be counting the minutes.”

“I have to go home, break the news to my family, pack, get my family arranged and then I’ll be over. Maybe four today. How’s that?”

“Fine, but if you get there sooner, it’ll be great.”

“You don’t have a girlfriend who could do this?” she asked curiously.

“No, I don’t. None of the women I date is into babies and diapers and formula. Not even remotely.”

“I can imagine,” she said, and again, David wondered what she thought of him. In her eyes he might be an irresponsible playboy. “The mother is all alone in a coma in the hospital?” Marissa asked.

“Not altogether alone. One of my friends, Clint Andover, is standing watch.”

Marissa nodded in approval. “What are my hours?”

Startled, he stared at her. “All the time, I thought.”

She shook her head. “I have a family and I want some time off.”

He tilted his head to study her, desperation looming inside him again. “This may be a short-term job, but I really need the help. I’ll pay you extra if you’ll stay on the job twenty-four-seven.”

“Double my pay on weekends,” she suggested.

“Done,” he said, nodding. He would have agreed if she had demanded that he quadruple it. Money wasn’t the problem here. He glanced at the little baby who slept so serenely and looked angelic, yet he knew that was a mere facade.

David’s gaze shifted to Marissa Wilder, and he was unaccustomed to the feeling of losing control to a slip of a girl who, in her frou-frou dress, appeared to be all of twelve years old. And the dress looked like something no female past the age of five would want to wear. With the glob of makeup on her face, she was ready for the stage. But he didn’t care if she wore feathers and pajamas and had purple hair. She knew how to take care of a baby, and he had a dim recollection of her family and her older sister Karen, so she wasn’t a complete stranger.

“Now, at night, am I to get up with Autumn?” she asked.

“Yes,” he answered instantly, and held his breath to see if she was going to refuse.

She nodded. “Of course, I’m giving up all my benefits, my health insurance, my 401—”

“Marissa, I’ll not only triple your salary—which, by the way, I found out from your manager what you’re making— but I will pay your premiums for health insurance and I’ll put in whatever the store contributed to a savings plan,” he said, deciding she had a mind for money as well as a knack with babies.

“Thank you,” she answered, brightening. “That’s generous.”

“It is, but I’m desperate.”

“Why did you want to take Autumn if it was going to be such a big deal to you?”

“It’s a long story,” he replied, “but I’ve told you the main reasons—I didn’t think she should become a ward of the state and her mother should be able to take her very soon. It hasn’t been twenty-four hours yet.”

“Here comes Manny,” Marissa said, and then smiled. “Hi, Manny.”

“Hi, there, Marissa,” he said, wiping his hands on his apron, wearing his customary white undershirt that revealed his bodybuilder’s muscles. “Look at you. Aren’t you cute today.”

“Thanks, Manny,” she answered, her dimple showing again.

“Hi, Manny,” David said.

“Hi, David.” Manny looked at the baby. “This is the baby from last night, isn’t it?”

“Yes, little Autumn,” David said, still marveling how news circulated in the small town. He pulled out his wallet. “Let me pay you for the chili and for the other guys’ dinners.”

Manny waved his hand. “Forget it. It’s on the house. You earned a free dinner last night. The chili is on me,” the man said gruffly.

“Thanks, Manny, but you don’t need to do that.”

“Forget it. Did you see me on the tube last night?” Manny asked.

“No, I missed that. I was probably still at the hospital.”

“Yeah. I got interviewed by a Midland station, too. Wanted to know all about the woman and baby.”

So much for keeping a low profile, David thought. “How did Midland pick up the story?”

Manny shrugged muscled shoulders. “You know how news gets around in this part of the world. How’s the mother?”

“I don’t know,” David replied. “I’ll probably go by the hospital this afternoon.”

“Yeah, well, hope she recovers real quickly. It’s good you’re helping her out. Good Samaritan Sorrenson. What are you folks having? I’ve got a breakfast special—eggs, grits, sausage, biscuits and gravy.”

“Sounds fine,” David said. “Okay, Marissa?”

“I think just eggs and toast for me,” she replied.

“Aw, come on, Marissa. You need to put some meat on your bones,” Manny urged. “I’ll send out two specials plus some toast. You eat what you want.” He turned and left, passing Sheila at the counter and giving her a pat on the behind. Sheila giggled and sashayed away with platters of steaming bacon and eggs.

“Where do you live, David? You have a house in Pine Valley, don’t you?” Marissa asked, mentioning an exclusive gated area in Royal.

“That’s where my dad lives—when he’s in Texas and when he’s not traveling somewhere. Right now, he’s out of the country. I live on our ranch, just west of town.”

They talked about the job until Sheila brought platters of eggs, sausage, pale yellow grits with cheese and fluffy golden biscuits.

“I need to get some supplies for Autumn—she has very few clothes,” David said, putting salt and pepper on his eggs.

“I can help you select some clothing,” Marissa volunteered.

“Can we go back to the store from here and you show me what to get for her?”

“Sure. With your powers of persuasion, maybe you can talk my boss into letting me use my employee discount,” Marissa teased.

“That’s no problem.” David waved away her suggestion. “You just pick out what we need, including diapers and a crib.”

Marissa sat back and daintily wiped her mouth. David idly noticed that her mouth was delectable. He glanced at her platter.

“You didn’t eat much,” he said.

“I couldn’t possibly eat all that. I only ordered eggs and toast.”

“Yeah, well, Manny has never been known for small helpings. Ready to go?” he asked.

“Yes.” She paused when he picked up the bill. “I can buy my own breakfast, David.”

“You’re my employee now, and I’ll pay for your breakfast,” he said, picking up the carrier. He glanced at Autumn. “She’s sleeping better now than she did any time last night.”

“She may be more relaxed now. Babies can sense when someone is tense, I think.”

“Yeah, well, I was tense, all right, and so was she,” David admitted.

They left the Royal Diner and drove back to the store, where Marissa made selections. David bought far more than she thought was necessary, but he insisted that he didn’t want to have to come back and do this again. As soon as they finished making selections he arranged to have everything delivered to his house.

Outside in the parking lot, she turned to face him. “I’ll go home and pack. Would you like to come meet my grandmother?”

“I’d like to and I will sometime soon. I don’t want her to worry about your new job, but I have a meeting at noon and we shopped longer than I thought we would.”

“That’s because you almost bought out the store. Well, I’ll be at your ranch at four o’clock.”

He looked into her eyes, and he wondered if she had ever told a lie in her life. She didn’t look as if she possibly could. Idly, he wondered how Grandma Wilder dressed. She couldn’t be one degree more eccentric than her granddaughter. What was the house like? Visions of a gingerbread house danced in his mind.

“Okay, Marissa. See you at four. And thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” she said, giving him one of her big smiles. She turned and walked away, pigtails bobbing and her full skirt and petticoat flouncing with each step. She wore some kind of striped stockings and what looked like pink ballet slippers, and he wouldn’t have been surprised to see her start skipping to her car. Before he climbed into his vehicle, he glanced over his shoulder again and saw her behind the wheel of a very ordinary-looking four-door sedan.

“Well, little Autumn, you have a nanny now. One I think you like and whom I certainly like,” David told the sleeping infant. “Tonight ought to be livable. Now, just keep sleeping, please. I have to go to the club to meet the guys, and babies aren’t usually allowed in the clubhouse. You sleep through that and I’ll buy you a rocking chair on the way home.”

In minutes David parked in the Texas Cattleman’s Club lot. The simple exterior of the clubhouse belied the elegant interior. With the carrier in hand, David entered the sprawling clubhouse, which was built in 1910 by Henry “Tex” Langley.

David strode through the familiar foyer, where walnut paneling was lined with oil paintings of past members. He continued through a lounge that held crystal brandy decanter sets, leather chairs, mounted animal heads and cases of valuable antique guns.

He finally entered a smaller room, reserved for their meeting. He was the first to arrive and settled down in a maroon leather chair, placing Autumn and her carrier on a chair next to him. Sunlight spilled through the long windows across the lush oriental carpet and over the pool table that stood on one side of the room. Along the opposite wall was a credenza holding another crystal brandy decanter set. A waiter quietly entered the room.

“Good afternoon, sir,” he said, smiling at David. “Ah, and how’s the little one?”

“She’s fine at the moment, Jimmy.”

“Can I bring you something to drink?”

“You might as well bring us some coffee and probably some pop.”

“Fine. Anything else? Lunch?”

“Not for me. You can ask the others when they get here.”

“Fine,” the tall, graying man said, and left the room. No sooner had he disappeared through the door than Alex Kent came striding in. One look in his green eyes and David knew that Alex was bringing bad news.

Three

They shook hands, and Alex’s solemn look disappeared as he eyed David. “Good grief, man! What happened to you?”

David rubbed his whiskered jaw. “I didn’t have time to shave.”

“Yeah, so I see. Try buttoning your shirt right, too.”

“Oh, hell,” David mumbled, looking down at himself. “I just grabbed something to put on.”

“Rough night, huh? Did you have someone over and party after the wee one went to sleep?”

“Alex, you’re pushing your luck now. Hell, no, I didn’t party. I was up all night with her.”

Alex leaned over the sleeping baby. “She’s quiet enough now. I find it hard to believe that this little doll kept you up through the night.”

“You want to trade jobs?”

Alex grinned. “Nope.” He touched the baby’s arm lightly. “She’s a cute little thing.”

“Yeah, well, it was a hellacious night. And don’t you wake her,” David snapped.

Alex grinned, turning to look at David. “Good thing it was you. I don’t have a clue about kids.”

“You think I know anything about them?” David demanded. “I just hired a nanny. Have you heard anything about the mother?”

“No, I haven’t. Here’s our man now.”

Wearing the same clothes he had worn the night before and needing a shave, Clint strode into the room and shook hands with his friends. The waiter returned, bringing drinks and snacks, taking sandwich orders and then leaving.

With a long, purposeful stride, Ryan Evans entered and greeted them, and David shook hands with his quiet friend who, at thirty-two, was a few years younger than the rest of them. All the men clustered around the baby to look at her.

“I’ve got a nanny,” David announced again for the others.

“You may need her for a while,” Clint said solemnly as the men sat in leather chairs and David sat in a chair by Autumn. Curiosity was in Ryan’s brown eyes. “All right, guys, fill me in. Sorry I missed our usual chilifest.”

“I’ll bet you are,” Alex teased. “Who was she this time?”

Ryan grinned and shrugged. “I had a good time. Now, what happened last night?”

“You missed a lot,” David answered, relating the events starting with the woman’s rush into the Royal Diner the night before. When he finished he asked, “Ryan, you didn’t give this woman a Texas Cattleman’s card, did you?”

“Me? No, I didn’t.”

“Just checking. You get around.”

“I’ve been contacting members,” Alex said, “to see if I can find who might have known her and given her the card. So far, nothing.”

“I saw Manny this morning,” David informed them, “and he told me about being interviewed for television last night.”

“That was inevitable in a town this size,” Ryan said. “Anything unusual happens here and it’s all over town within the hour, much less something happening in the Royal Diner.”

“It’ll pass, though,” Alex remarked, taking a swig of pop.

David turned to Clint. “Now you need to bring us up to date on our mystery woman. Is she without a guard right now?”

“No, our Jane Doe has a guard. I called Aaron Black, and he said he could come into town and stay while I meet with y’all. He told me to take a few hours and get some sleep.”

“Aaron’s a good one to call,” David said, thinking of the tall Texas Cattleman’s Club member and fellow rancher.

“That’s the great thing about our members,” Alex said, stretching out his long legs. “They’re always willing to help.”

“That’s what we all want to do,” David added quietly. “Tell us about the woman, Clint. How is she?”

“Her condition doesn’t look good. She’s still in a coma. She’s malnourished and dehydrated. She just gave birth not long ago and she’s had a bad blow to her head,” Clint replied.

“Thank goodness I hired a nanny this morning,” David said, his hopes disappearing that the mother would be able to have her baby returned to her right away. He glanced at Clint, who had one jeans-clad leg propped up with his booted foot on his other knee. “What else?”

“She’s in ICU and they told me they’ll run tests all the rest of the week and probably into next week if she doesn’t come around. They did an EEG, an electroencephalogram, to check her brain because there’s some swelling.”

“It doesn’t sound good,” Ryan said.

“We better say some prayers that she survives,” Clint said, looking grimly at the baby. “That little girl can’t lose her mother,” he added, with worry in his blue eyes, and David was reminded of Clint’s loss of his wife when fire claimed her life. Clint always seemed to have the hurt bottled up inside him, and David knew Clint carried scars from the fire. David looked down at the two crooked fingers on his left hand, knowing that he had his own scars. Perhaps every man in the room did.

“We have to do all we can for both of them,” Alex said, bringing David’s thoughts back to the problem at hand.

“The hospital is concerned. They’re giving the mother a lot of attention, and we have an excellent staff here,” Clint added.

“That’s right,” David agreed. “With all the wealth that people in Royal have poured into Royal Memorial, it rivals big-city hospitals.” He shifted and looked at Alex. “Alex, what’s your report? Any information on her identity?”

“None,” Alex replied grimly. “There was a list of names in the bag she carried and I’ll investigate them. This morning I checked with Wayne Vicente and there’s no one on the missing person’s report who fits her description. So far I haven’t found out anything about her. Except one thing.” His green-eyed gaze circled the room as he looked at each man. “She was carrying about half a million dollars in that bag. Most of it in large bills.”

“Damn, that’s a lot of money,” Ryan remarked.

“I’d say it sounds like she’s in a lot of trouble,” David said, and the others nodded agreement.

“Half a million—what in blazes can she be mixed up in?” Ryan asked, and the men gazed at one another.

“Something dangerous,” Clint said grimly.

They fell silent when Jimmy returned with more drinks and sandwiches on silver trays. Another waiter helped him, and in minutes, the men were alone. As soon as each had what he wanted to drink and eat, David returned to their subject. “Let’s get back to business. Alex, go ahead with what you were saying.”

“I haven’t found anyone who remembers seeing her come into town. Not at the airport or the bus station. I don’t have a picture to show anyone. I can only give them a description, but so far nothing. I’m just beginning to work on that list of names and dates she had in the diaper bag. Since she’s malnourished, I’m guessing that the money hasn’t been in her possession long. Her clothes were bought off the rack. Her nails aren’t done professionally. If that money is hers, then she’s one of those eccentrics who stashes every penny, but she’s too young to accumulate that kind of money. My guess is that she’s on the run,” he said, and the others agreed.

“That means you need to continue to guard her if you can,” David added.

“I can help out when y’all need me. I can spell you at the hospital, Clint,” Ryan offered. He looked at Alex, whose thick brown hair was windblown. “I’ll help you, too, Alex, if you need me for anything.”

“Thanks,” Alex replied as Ryan’s gaze shifted to David.

“You’re on your own with the baby, though.”

“So I guessed,” David replied with resignation. “When are Travis and Darin getting back?”

“I don’t know, but we could certainly use their help,” Ryan answered. “I’ll get in touch with Travis and find out.”

“So where do we go from here?” Clint asked.

“I’ll keep trying to find out our mystery woman’s identity and who gave her that card. I can ask here at the club and everyone will keep things confidential,” Alex offered. “I put the money in the club safe and I’m staying in contact with the police chief.” His green eyes twinkled. “So, David, you’re our surrogate daddy. You just keep taking care of little Autumn. Looks as if she’s happy.”

“She is happy. She’s got a nanny coming soon.”

“Who’s the nanny?” Alex asked.

“Marissa Wilder.”

“I know her sister,” Ryan said.

“Karen Wilder,” Alex agreed. “I dated her once. She’s a hoot. I think she was more of a party girl than her little sister. Karen’s married now and has a passel of kids.”

“So my nanny has a good background?”

“You didn’t check?” Clint asked. “I can run a check on her background, but sounds like we’ve already got enough if you guys know her family. You didn’t check on her?” he repeated.

“Hell, no, I didn’t,” David snapped. “If you’d been up all night trying to get formula down and a diaper on a baby and stop her crying, you’d snap up the first nanny you could find, too. Marissa has a knack with babies.”

“Well, so might have Lucrezia Borgia,” Alex teased.

“You guys. Give me much flak and you can take this baby and then we’ll see who runs out and gets a nanny,” David answered, thinking about the night he’d just spent.

“Just keep it up, Dad. You’ll do fine,” Alex said. He rubbed his forehead. “Seems to me I remember Marissa Wilder being married.”

“She’s not married now,” David said. “I asked her.”

“Yeah, she was,” Clint broke in. “A guy who was a doctor. After his divorce from Marissa, he and his new wife moved to Midland.”

“I don’t care if she’s had five husbands,” David said firmly, and the others laughed.

“I’m going,” Clint said, standing and taking a last long drink of pop. Clint was as solemn as ever, looking worried and concerned. David was sorry Clint was mixed up in this because he didn’t need any more hurt in his life.

“Frankly, David,” Clint remarked, “you look like you had a rough night.”

David merely waved his hand at Clint as if shooing away a fly.

Ryan stood. “I’ll walk out with you, Clint.”

“I better go while she’s still sleeping,” David said. “If she wakes and is hungry, they’ll hear her all over this clubhouse.” David picked up the new diaper bag and the carrier with the sleeping baby. She jumped, her tiny fingers spreading, and then she became still again.

“Looks like you have a peaceful baby,” Alex said, falling into step with David. They walked out into bright sunshine. “I think we’ve got our hands full,” Alex continued. “I just wonder where Jane Doe got that blow to the head. And who is trying to take her baby and why. It could be the father. Or relatives. I have a lot of questions and so far, no answers. Too bad that baby can’t talk.”

“She’s vocal, just not into conversation.”

Alex smiled. “You’ll get the hang of it, and now you have help. From what I remember, the Wilders are a pretty good family. Her folks do some sort of charity work—I don’t recall, exactly.”

“She said they were out of the country. I think we know enough about the Wilders. Keep us posted, Alex.”

“I will. The minute I find out anything, I’ll let you and the others know. Jane Doe didn’t pop into Royal from a void. And somewhere in her background there’s someone from the club. I’ll keep asking. And you keep up the great baby care. This will make you an expert so when you marry and become a dad, you’ll know what to do.”

“Yeah, right.” David snorted. “Marriage has always been out for me—now I’m absolutely sure it’s out. Growing up without a mom and my dad away half the time, I don’t know anything about this family stuff.”

“You’re learning. You’ll let all that knowledge go to waste,” Alex teased. “What a shame.”

“Yeah, right.” David left his friend and hurried to his car.

“This car wasn’t even made for a baby,” David remarked to himself, struggling to get the new carrier buckled into the back seat. He looked down at the tiny baby, who still slept peacefully. He brushed her wispy hair with his fingers. “Darlin’, you’ve been an angel. Now I’ll live up to my promise and we’ll buy a rocking chair on our way home.”

As he closed the door carefully, he saw Clint approaching on his way out of the lot. David flagged Clint down, got the borrowed carrier and hurried to Clint’s car, to ask him to return the carrier to its rightful owner at the hospital.

As Clint drove away, David climbed into the front, starting the engine and glancing into the rearview mirror at Autumn. “Sleep, little one,” he said softly. “’Course, you’re probably resting up for tonight, but that’ll be between you and your new nanny. I’m going to hit the sack and pass out for twelve hours.”

To David’s relief Autumn continued to sleep through his purchase of a rocker and promise of delivery later that day.

Praying that she continued to sleep until he was home, he took the shortest route and sped home, finally turning from the county road onto his own ranch road. Iron gates were opened wide. Pipe-and-wire fencing ran up to two tall posts and a sign on one of the posts read TX S Ranch. He looked at the familiar TX S brand that made up the name. Stirring up a cloud of dust, he raced the car along the gravel drive.

He let out another sigh of relief when the sprawling house came into view. He loved the ranch. This was home, the happiest memories of his childhood had been here. In tight spots in far corners of the world, this was the place he dreamed about.

Made of sandstone, the house was built before the turn of the century in the late 1800s. David had often climbed up its shake-shingle roof, swung from the branches of the tall oaks that shaded the fenced yard and spent hours on the wraparound porch. Now the house was his haven from the world.

Beyond the house stood a barn, a bunkhouse, other outbuildings and a corral. In the distance several other houses could be glimpsed.

As he neared the four-car garage, a brown-and-black shaggy dog came tearing out of the shadows and ran to meet the car, jumping and wagging his tail, staying back a safe distance away from the car.

David parked and climbed out, idly scratching the dog’s head briefly. “Now, General, you scoot. We’ve got a sweet baby who has come to live with us, and she’s too little for you to play with.”

Just then Autumn stirred and blinked, and for a few moments, gazed at the world in silence.

“We’re home, little one. I’ll have you changed and fed in no time. I’m getting to be an old hand at this,” he said, hurrying into his house.

As he passed a rocker on his porch, he eyed it, and half an hour later he went back outside to pick it up and carry it into his spacious kitchen, which had a large living area at one end of the room. He picked Autumn up from her carrier and put her on his shoulder, patting her as he crossed to the counter to get her bottle he had just readied.

“Now, darlin’, your diaper has been changed. We can rock and you can eat and that ought to make you happy.” He sat down and shifted her carefully in his arms, holding the bottle for her as he had seen Marissa do. In seconds Autumn was happily sucking away and David rocked, marveling that he had a baby to care for.

“I’m getting the hang of it,” he said in amazement. “I’ll still be mighty glad to see your nanny arrive.” He glanced around the kitchen. His housekeeper, Gertie, had cleaned his disastrous kitchen from last night. Imported tile countertops were once again immaculate, as was the terra-cotta floor. He looked around the room. It had rich fruitwood cabinets with fruitwood covering the refrigerator. A workstation island separated the kitchen area from the living area, and one end of the room held a large stone fireplace with a sofa and two comfortable chairs. On the other side of that end of the room stood a fruitwood oval table and twelve chairs beside a wide bay window. Practical and comfortable with state-of-the-art equipment, the room was one of David’s favorite places. Now the rocker was in the center of the living area.

David looked at the baby in his arms. Could he have ever been this tiny? Before she died, in those early months, had his mother rocked him? There was a rocker at the Pine Valley house and it was old. He was certain his father had never rocked him. He couldn’t imagine his father dealing with a baby. His father had always hired someone to do that job.

He glanced at the clock. Five until four. Would Marissa be prompt? He didn’t care, as long as she just showed up. He had called home from the club and told Gertie to get a bedroom ready, that he had hired a nanny who was moving into the ranch house.

He heard an approaching car and sighed with relief. When the doorbell rang, David got up, careful to avoid disturbing Autumn, who was still busily drinking from her bottle. He carried the baby with him and swung open the front door, staring in amazement.

He wanted to ask, “Who are you?” Instead, he gazed into the same chocolate-brown eyes and saw the same delectable full lips.

Gone were the strange clothes and makeup. Before him stood a stunning woman who was all curves and long legs with a narrow waist. Shining dark blond hair fell in a silky curtain below her shoulders to frame her face.

Her skin was flawless, with only the faintest pink to her cheeks. She wore a simple blue cotton short-sleeve shirt that was tucked into a navy skirt. David reflected he’d be able to span her waist with his hands. He realized he was staring.

“You don’t look the same,” he blurted, and then wondered what had happened to his finesse.

She smiled, the same adorable, dimpled smile, only now it turned his insides to steam.

“No. I guess we never got around to discussing my clothing this morning. The store had a special sale going and they asked all the employees to dress as Mother Goose characters. I was Little Bo-Peep.”

“Bo-Peep?”

“You don’t know your nursery rhymes—Bo-Peep who lost her sheep?”

“No, I don’t.”

Marissa’s brows arched, but she kept her comments on his lack of knowledge of nursery rhymes to herself. She looked at the baby. “I see Autumn is doing just fine,” Marissa said, and David realized they were still standing at the door; he was still staring, and he had not invited Marissa inside.

Hastily, he stepped aside. “Come in. Are your things in your car?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll help you bring them in. Let me finish feeding Autumn and then I’ll show you around. I was in the kitchen feeding her. I carried a rocker in from the back porch,” he said, wondering at himself. He was babbling—a first in his life. His mind reeled. He had hired what he thought would be a competent nanny. Now he realized he had hired a very appealing woman. How was he going to live with her under his roof and ignore her?

With one hand he pulled the rocker near the fireplace. Between the oval breakfast table and the fireplace was a plaid-upholstered sofa. He motioned toward the sofa. “Have a seat.”

He sat as Marissa sat and crossed her long, shapely legs. He was in a sweat, and he realized he was staring again. He yanked his gaze up to meet her steady look.

“I bought a rocker on the way home today. It’ll be delivered this afternoon. This one belongs on the porch and, frankly, I forgot I had it.”

“Autumn looks more than halfway through that bottle. You might want to stop and burp her,” Marissa suggested.

“Do what?”

“Little babies get air bubbles in their tummies when they take a bottle. Here, I’ll show you. Where do you keep the kitchen towels?”

“In the third drawer by the fridge.”

With a sexy sway of her hips that he could watch all afternoon, Marissa crossed the room, found a towel and returned to stand in front of David. “Lean forward slightly, and I’ll put this over your shoulder.”

He did as instructed and was acutely aware of her bending down to place the towel across his shoulder. He felt her hands flutter over him, caught a whiff of an enticing perfume that smelled a little like roses, and saw silky strands of hair close in front of his face. Her skin was creamy smooth. Damnation, he didn’t want to be attracted to his nanny. That seemed bad business all the way around.

“Now, lean back and put her on your shoulder.”

“I hate to stop her.”

“She won’t mind for a little while and she’ll feel better. It might make her cry less if her tummy doesn’t hurt.”

He took the bottle from Autumn and set it on the floor beside the rocker. He carefully put the baby on his shoulder and she snuggled against him.

“That’s it,” Marissa said, watching him. “Now, pat her back gently.”

Marissa returned to the sofa to sit, and crossed her fabulous legs. He hadn’t noticed her legs in those striped stockings this morning. Now he had to struggle to keep from staring at them.

Autumn gave a little burp that startled him. “She burped.”

“Now you can go back to feeding her.”

“I wish I’d known that last night,” he said with a sigh.

“She probably wishes you’d known it, too,” Marissa told him with a smile.

“You said you’re not married, Marissa. I didn’t ask about a boyfriend.”

Her dimple flashed. “No boyfriends.”

“A friend of mine said you used to be married.”

Her expression didn’t change, but David sensed he had touched a sensitive subject. “I was,” she answered evenly. “To Reed Grambling. He’s remarried and moved to Midland now.”

“I knew him,” David said, recalling a guy who was on the basketball team. “He was a year behind me in school and I remember that he was a popular guy. Sorry it didn’t work out.”

“I fell for his looks and charm, and beneath all that was a man purely interested in himself. And women. After I put him through medical school, he walked. He was through with me. But that’s over, and I have my maiden name back,” she replied.

“You had a rotten deal.”

“I’m forgetting about it,” she stated firmly. “Did you go by the hospital before you came home?” she asked.

“No, I checked with Clint Andover and there was no point in going to the hospital. Clint said the mother is still in a coma. She’s listed as critical.”

“How awful! Oh, my goodness, that poor little baby!” Marissa exclaimed, biting her lip and staring at Autumn.

“We’ll all pray the mother pulls through this. In the meantime, Autumn is in good hands now.” He looked down at the baby. “She’s asleep. If you’d like, I can give you a tour of the house.”

“Sure,” Marissa said, standing when he did. “This is a beautiful kitchen.”

“Dad had it done over several years ago. I was away in the Gulf War, so I didn’t know until I came home. Some of the house has been remodeled and some of it is the original that was built when my great-great-grandpa Sorrenson settled here.”

Marissa listened to David’s deep, husky voice, which was enticing all in itself. Was there a woman in his life? He had said there wasn’t one to help with the baby. It didn’t matter, she reminded herself. He was another man like her former husband—charming, handsome and interested in women who were beautiful and far more worldly than she could ever hope to be.

The house was spacious with large rooms, high-beamed ceilings and polished plank floors. David led her into a wide hallway, where oil seascapes hung along the walls and potted plants stood on the floor.

“Grandpa rebelled when he was young and ran away and joined the navy. He came home after a few years, but he never lost his love for the sea and he collected all these paintings.”

David took her arm lightly and steered her to the right. “In here is the family room—this and the kitchen living area is where I spend most of my time.”

He dropped her arm, yet she could still feel the warm touch of his fingers and she was too aware of him at her side. Since her head barely came to his shoulder, he had to be a foot taller than she was. Tall, handsome, charming. As dangerous to a woman’s heart as her ex-husband had been. Maybe even more so because she had thought David was cute since she was a kid. How was she going to be able to resist him? She was all but drooling on him right now.

Trying to focus on his family room instead of the man beside her, she looked at an enormous room with picture windows that gave a panoramic view of an expanse of ranch land. Bookshelves with books and pictures lined one wall. An immense stone fireplace had an oil painting of a schooner in stormy waters mounted above the mantel. A jumbo-size television screen was at one end of the room. A game table and four chairs stood in another corner. The ceiling was high with massive beams, and she wondered how much stone and lumber it took to build the house.

As she looked around, she suspected she was going to get to know too much about this sexy man—more than enough to fuel that old crush that had been dormant for so long.

They strolled through an elegant living room and large dining room with a long mahogany table that seated twenty easily. She saw the billiard room, the library, his office, and then they walked down the hall to the bedrooms.

“You’ll be in this room,” he said, leading her into a room with a four-poster bed and antique maple furniture. “I haven’t considered where I’ll put Autumn.”

“Put her bed in my room if you want. I’ll be up with her at night. Unless that’s too far from your bedroom.”

“Nope, my room is on the other side of yours.”

“Oh, my!” she gasped.

His head whipped around. “Is something wrong?” he asked, looking at her intently.

“No, of course not,” she answered quickly, feeling her cheeks flush. In the next room. How would she ever get a wink of sleep knowing that he was sleeping so close?

When she had driven to his ranch and had first seen the sprawling house, she figured she might see him only rarely because the place looked so big. But now she realized that wasn’t going to be the case at all. He slept in the next room. There goes my sleep, she thought.

“Fine. The baby bed goes in here,” David said cheerfully, unaware of the effect he had on her. “They promised to deliver it this afternoon.” As if on cue, the doorbell rang.

“Give me Autumn and you can get the door,” Marissa said. Brushing his hands again with hers, he handed her the baby and left in long, springy strides.

She let out her breath. “Oh, my!” she repeated softly, and then looked at the sleeping baby in her arms. The little girl was precious, and Marissa couldn’t wait to get her bathed and dressed in some of the things they had picked out at the store earlier.

She sat in a chair and cuddled Autumn, talking softly to her until she looked up and saw David standing in the door watching her.

“The crib is here,” he said in his husky voice that held a peculiar, solemn note. “You can put her on your bed until it’s set up. She can’t roll off yet.”

“I know. But I believe in holding and loving little babies. Even if she’s asleep, I think she likes being held.”

“She can’t possibly know you’re holding her.”

“Oh, I think she does. And if she stirs, she’ll know. This is more comfy than on the bed.”

“I can’t argue that one,” he remarked dryly, and hauled an enormous box into the room. “I was going to put the bed up, but I don’t want to wake her.”

“You won’t.”

“I’ll make a lot of noise,” he said. “I may have to hammer.”

“Babies can sleep through all sorts of noise,” she assured him.

“I wish I’d known that last night,” he remarked.

“Go ahead and set up the bed. If she wakes, we’ll move to another room.”

Marissa watched him work, noticing the play of muscles in his back and arms as he put the bed together. His hands were strong and well-shaped, except she noticed two of his fingers on his left hand were crooked and scarred and she wondered what had happened to him.

“I didn’t sleep any last night, so after supper tonight, it’s la-la land for me.” He slanted her a look over his shoulder. “That okay? Can you manage by yourself this first night?”

“I certainly can,” she said, watching the taut pull of his jeans over his long, muscled legs as he hunkered down to put the pieces together.

“Good! I’ve been dreaming of hitting the sack since midnight last night. And believe me, I’ll be dead to the world. She eats every two hours or maybe more often than that.”

“We’ll be fine. You just go ahead and sleep,” she said, thinking about him sprawled in bed, too aware that her pulse jumped at the mental picture conjured up by her mind. Knowing she better stop finding him so fascinating, Marissa still couldn’t keep from watching every move he made.

Swiftly, he set up the crib and then left to find the bedding they had purchased together. In another few minutes he had a sheet on the mattress, a bumper pad secured inside and a mobile of colorful animals fastened to hang over the crib.

The next time the doorbell rang, he left and returned carrying a large, cherry-wood rocker. “I thought I might as well put this in your room. Where do you want it?”

“I don’t know. Just set it down, and we’ll figure out the best place later.”

“If you’ll give me the keys to your car, I’ll bring it around to the back and unload your things.”

“Sure.” She fished in her pocket and held out keys, and his fingers stroked hers as he took them. It was the most casual touch, yet she tingled to the tips of her toes. He was gone again and back in minutes carrying boxes and suitcases.

He made three trips and then stood with his hands on his hips looking at her belongings. “You don’t travel lightly, do you?”

“You didn’t make it clear how long this job will last,” she said pointedly.

He shrugged. “I didn’t mean to question you about your things. I don’t care if you move your grandma and sisters here and bring the entire household. I’m just so thankful to have a good nanny, anything you do will be fine.”

“I’m here now, and she’s a sweet little baby.”

“When would you like to eat? If it’s all right with you, we can eat while she’s asleep. And later, Gertie leaves. It’ll be just the two of us.”

Just the two of us, spoken in his deep voice that all by itself was like a caress, sent another tingle spiraling in her. She hadn’t been here two hours and she was having reaction after reaction to him.

“It doesn’t matter to me.”

He looked at his watch. “If Autumn is sleeping about seven o’clock, we’ll eat, and then I’m bidding you adieu to sleep.”

“Fine.”

“I’m going to clean up, unless you want me to hold her while you unpack?”

“No. That’s all right. She’s asleep, so I’ll put her down for a little while and get some of my things unpacked.” Marissa moved to the crib, placing Autumn on her back. She stood looking at the baby, brushing her wispy hair with her finger. “She’s a beautiful baby.”

“She’s a little miracle. I don’t know how she put up with me last night,” he said softly. He had moved to the other side of the crib, and Marissa looked up to see him studying Autumn intently. He touched her lightly with his large fingers. His skin was dark brown next to the baby’s pale skin. “She is pretty. I never thought that about a baby before, but then I’ve been around very few babies.”

“It was good of you to take her in.”

He looked up to meet Marissa’s gaze. “Her mother needs all the help she can get. And some prayers. These two are in deep trouble. Well, I’ll leave you alone and see you at dinner. Holler if you want me.”

“Sure, David,” she replied, and watched him go. I’m going to fall for him, she thought. Head over heels. He’s sexy and handsome and he cares. She looked at the little baby again and experienced a rush of tenderness. “Just think about the money,” she whispered to herself. The money would help her fulfill her dream. A dream she had shared with no one else so far, and until today, it had seemed years away. But now, with the money she’d earn from David Sorrenson, she might be able to get her wish.

She touched Autumn’s tiny hand tenderly and then she turned around to unpack.

When she went to supper, David had on a fresh navy T-shirt and jeans. With his hair combed and his jaw clean-shaven, he took her breath away, and he looked more like the David she had always known—only twice as appealing. She remembered him as a slender boy. He was a man now, muscled, tall, handsome. He flashed her a smile that revealed his even, white teeth, a winning smile that accelerated her heartbeat. When he crossed the hall to her to take Autumn from her arms, she caught a whiff of aftershave. “Come meet Gertie,” he said. “She made dinner and tomorrow morning she’ll be back to clean and cook. All you have to worry about here is Autumn.”

Marissa entered the kitchen and faced a tall, thin, graying woman who smiled broadly.

“Marissa, this is Gertrude Jones,” David said. “Gertie, meet Marissa Wilder, our new nanny.”

“Ah, that’s good,” Gertie said, smiling at Marissa. “And you like little ones?”

“I love them,” Marissa replied.

Autumn stirred and began to cry, and the next hour was a busy one as Marissa changed and fed her and David hung around to help. Gertie offered to stay and serve dinner, but both Marissa and David reassured her that they could manage. As soon as Gertie was in the yard, David returned to the kitchen and locked up the house.

Supper was hectic, because Autumn woke up cranky even though she had just eaten and slept. Marissa and David took turns holding her and eating. Afterward, David cleaned the kitchen quickly and efficiently while Marissa soothed Autumn.

“I’m surprised Gertie doesn’t want to care for Autumn,” Marissa said as she rocked Autumn to sleep.

“Gertie knows as little about children as I do,” he replied, drying his hands and crossing the room to kneel down and stack logs in the kitchen fireplace. “She lives here, just across the road on the ranch. Several employees live in their own houses. She worked for my dad. She’s been here since long before I was born.” As soon as he had a fire blazing, he turned. “Give Autumn to me and I’ll hold her.”

“I thought you were headed for bed to catch up on sleep,” Marissa remarked, handing him the baby. David moved a few feet away to sit in a large leather chair, holding Autumn in the crook of his arm.

He shook his head. “Now that I know I can sleep, I’m not so tired. I want to get to know my nanny,” he said, and she smiled, hoping he had no clue how simple remarks like that could send her pulse galloping. He tilted his head to study her. When she had been sixteen years old, she thought he had the sexiest eyes she had ever seen. As she looked at him now, she still thought so. His sea-green eyes with thick, black lashes had always fascinated her.

“You said there’s no boyfriend. How do you spend your time?”

“With my family,” she replied. “I take care of my niece and nephews. I take care of my sisters and grandmother. I jog and swim. Just ordinary things. What about you, David?” she asked. “Didn’t you just get out of the air force?”

“Yep. Enough of that life,” he said, stretching out his long legs and crossing them at the ankles.

“So now you’ll take care of the ranch,” she remarked, trying to keep her gaze from drifting down over him again.

“Not really. I’m taking some time, but eventually I’ll move to Houston and go to work in my dad’s oil company.”

Marissa regarded his air of worldliness and could easily imagine him in a big city. In spite of his boots and jeans, he seemed the type more suited to city life than country life. But maybe that image had been conjured up by pictures in the paper of him with some socialite beauty on his arm.

“Are you going to live in Royal all your life?” he asked. All afternoon and evening he had given her his full attention and she decided he was a good listener. Too good, because he was very easy to talk to.

“I hope to always live here. I like being close to my family.”

“So what’ll you do with your windfall fortune if this nanny job lasts more than a week or two? What do you want?”

She thought of multiple answers she could give him, but then she saw no reason to avoid the truth with David. Their lives were touching only briefly, and then they would go separate ways and never see each other again.

“I haven’t told my family, but I’d like to go to a sperm bank and have my own baby.”

A twinkle came into his green eyes. “There are cheaper and easier ways—and more exciting ones—than to go to a sperm bank.”

She laughed. “But other ways always mean getting involved with a man. I’ve done that and I don’t want to do it again.”

“I’m sorry that you got burned in that marriage.”

“Yes, I did. While Reed went through medical school, I worked all six years of our marriage. As soon as he could stand on his own, he was off with another woman. And I found out that he was cheating on me almost from the beginning. So I’m not interested in dating again.”

“You shouldn’t lump all guys in with your ex.”

“No. If I meet a real saint, I won’t lump him in with Reed.”

“A real saint is a pretty high standard,” David remarked, looking at her so intently she began to regret revealing her deepest, most private wish to him.

“Well, a saint is about all I’m interested in, and the sperm bank sounds like the happy solution. What about you? You’re still single.”

He shrugged. “Marriage isn’t for me. I didn’t grow up in a house where there were good role models. My mom died when I was very young and my dad hired people to take care of me. Then I acquired a lifestyle that definitely wasn’t for a married man. Nope, no marriage in my future.” He grinned. “But I do like to date.”

She smiled at him. “Well, I don’t see another marriage in my life.”

His gaze trailed over her. “I’d bet the ranch that you marry again.”

Her curiosity overwhelmed her. “Why do you say that, David? You hardly know me.”

“You’re too attractive to stay single.”

“Thanks, but loads of pretty women stay single. I think you date some of them.”

“True. But you look like the marrying kind. You love babies, for one thing. You like guys, for another.”

“I’m not touching that one. We really should keep things impersonal, sort of always on an employer-employee basis.”

His eyes gleamed. “I thought that when you arrived, but now I don’t know why we have to remain so businesslike. This may be a short-term employment.”

She shook her head. “There’s a good reason to keep our dealings with each other businesslike. I don’t want another relationship. No, impersonal is much better. So what are your hobbies, David?” she asked, growing hot beneath his blatant scrutiny and trying to get the conversation back to impersonal grounds, still too aware that he had just told her that she was attractive.

He smiled as if fully aware of her abrupt change in topic. “I like to jog and swim and ski and do calf roping and go dancing with pretty women. You like to go dancing, Marissa?”

“Yes, with a saint,” she replied, and his brow arched.

“A mere mortal won’t do? Dancing’s a pleasure. It doesn’t have to lead to binding entanglements.”

“You know the old adage about playing with fire,” she said.

“I think maybe you’re missing out on some enjoyment in life.”

“And you’re ready to fill in what’s missing?” she teased, unable to resist.

He grinned. “Saturday night. Let me take you dancing.”

“Whoa, cowboy! You’re going way to fast. Like you did this morning. No dancing Saturday night, thank you,” she replied, shaking her head but wanting to say yes instead. “David, I’ve been burned badly and I don’t want any kind of relationship.”

“I promise. Just a few hours of dancing. Think about it and I’ll ask you again later,” he said.

“Why do I get the feeling that you’re very accustomed to getting what you want?”

“Sometimes,” he said, giving her a level look, and she wondered when he hadn’t gotten his way.

“For now, we’re better off if we keep this situation very businesslike,” she repeated firmly.

“Whatever keeps my nanny happy is fine with me.” He shifted, placing one foot on his other knee. “What do your parents do?”

“They have a ranch near here for abandoned and mistreated animals.”

“Wow! That’s charitable. Is it a nonprofit business?”

“Yes. They have someone who runs the ranch for them. Actually, a staff of people. My parents spend most of their time either lobbying in Washington or on the lecture circuit.”

“How did they get into saving animals?”

“Dad is a veterinarian. Also, he had some patents that caught on and that gave them the income to start the ranch. The ranch has taken most of their income. Because it’s nonprofit, it’s cost them a lot.”

“That’s commendable, I suppose,” he said, and lapsed into silence.

“Want me to take Autumn now so you can go to bed and get some sleep?” she asked.

“That’s not a bad idea,” he said, coming up out of his chair with a fluid movement. She stood to take Autumn from him. He stood very close, gazing down at her.

“Good night, David,” she said emphatically, and took Autumn, walking quickly away from him to the rocker.

“’Night, Marissa. Holler if you want me, but holler loudly.” When he left the room, she wanted to wipe her hot brow. He was already flirting, and she could imagine that he saw her as an easy conquest and an easy way to pass the time and then go on his way and forget her. Too much like her ex-husband. David had said he had no intentions of ever marrying. No interest in commitment.

She did not stir the heart, soul and passion of men like Reed and David Sorrenson. She looked at the baby in her arms. No, she was the practical, somebody-to-rely-on-for-necessary-jobs person.

“Heart, stop beating so fast,” she whispered. She had to summon more resistance to David Sorrenson. Especially if he hung around the house and flirted, because she knew he meant nothing by it except the most casual fling. Why had she told him about the sperm bank and opened herself up to suggestions? He hadn’t come on so strong until after that tidbit of information.

She looked down at Autumn, who was blissfully sleeping. “Sweet baby, you’ve complicated my life, but I love you, anyway.” For the first time she realized that she might have a double heartbreak. If she had this job very long, she would suffer when she had to give Autumn up, even though she wanted the little baby to be with her mother.

They fell into a routine, with David leaving early in the morning to work on his ranch and coming in at night. But as the days of the first week in November passed and moved into the second week, he began staying at home more, coming in earlier, leaving later in the morning, spending time with Marissa and Autumn.

Under the same roof with David, spending increasing time each day and evening with him, Marissa knew she was attracted more than ever to him. Moments together, casual contacts, all were building banked fires of longing in her that she tried to ignore, yet failed miserably. She found his smoldering gaze on her often and wondered what was running through his thoughts. He flirted, he charmed, he entertained her, and he was becoming more irresistible than ever. Yet she knew she needed to guard her heart against all that sexy charm and appeal, or she’d suffer the same hurt she had before.

Dodging sniper’s bullets, David gritted his teeth and ran through the darkness across the uneven ground, away from the burning house that was a death trap. Even with the firefight going on, he heard the pistol shot ring out. Pain stabbed through him. He couldn’t move his feet, couldn’t breathe. He gasped for breath, wanting to scream, instead just gulping for air.

With a jerk, David sat up in his bed, disoriented for only a second, and then knowing he was in his room at the ranch, not halfway across the world, running for his life, having his heart torn out by the violent death of his best friend. He was sweating, the covers tangled where he had thrashed around during the familiar nightmare. He raked his fingers through his hair and studied the surroundings of his room, trying to get back to the world he was living in now and away from that hell that he couldn’t shake out of his memory. Would the nightmares ever end? he wondered. Then he became aware of a baby crying.

He listened, stretching out again and putting his hands behind his head. Finally silence settled, but images of Marissa, only a room away, scantily clad in a see-through nightie, danced in his mind. Sperm bank. It was more than a week ago that she had told him about her secret wish, but he couldn’t get it out of his mind. She shouldn’t have to go that route at all. Not with her looks.

“Yeah, right,” he said aloud in the dark. “Ready to volunteer?” he said to himself. He’d volunteer in a flash. She was sexy and appealing, and he knew there were times that he’d come on too strong, but he couldn’t resist flirting with her. Yet he had better curb that flirting. If he overcame her reluctance and they started dating, Marissa was looking for a long-term relationship. And he would never marry. He didn’t know how to deal with a family—except the way he was raised—and he would never do that to a wife or child. Some years he had rarely seen his father. That, and his dangerous lifestyle was still too close, too real. He was definitely not marriage material and Marissa definitely was.

Sperm bank—that was ridiculous. More images of Marissa in a nightie in bed in the adjoining room taunted him, and he turned on his side and closed his eyes and willed sleep to come.

After thirty minutes of tossing and turning he heard Autumn crying again and remembered what a time he’d had with the little baby the first night. He was tempted to go see if he could help, but he didn’t want to set a precedent that he would regret later.

Why couldn’t he sleep this past week when that first night all he had dreamed of was sleeping? And why had he put the baby bed in Marissa’s room? Now if he went to see about Autumn in the night, he’d be in Marissa’s bedroom. The thought made him hot.

Then the baby got quiet. Relieved, David stared at the ceiling while visions of Marissa in a nightie, rocking Autumn, plagued him. He tossed and turned for the next hour, finally falling into a fitful sleep. He stirred long before dawn, showered, dressed and left the house to pour himself into work.

Before going, he wrote a note for Marissa that he would return about six for supper.

“Get her out of your mind,” he said, striding across his yard through the early morning darkness.

During the morning and early afternoon, he managed to get her out of his thoughts for a few minutes at a time and finally decided he was going home at three.

He made all sorts of excuses to himself, but deep down, he knew he wanted to see Marissa.

When he entered the kitchen, Gertie had supper in the oven, the table set and she had gone home.

“I’m home!” he yelled, hanging up his hat and coat and feeling his eagerness grow to see Marissa and Autumn. There was no answer, so he went to the family room. Finding it empty, he walked through other rooms.

He climbed the stairs and at the top of the staircase called to her again, “Marissa.”

Wondering where Marissa and Autumn could be, he strolled down the hall. He was dusty from work and as he headed for a shower, he yanked off his T-shirt while he glanced into empty bedrooms.

Marissa’s door stood wide-open and David knocked lightly.

“Marissa?” he called. When no one answered, he stepped inside. Autumn lay on her back in the crib, sleeping, her tiny hands doubled into fists. Marissa was nowhere in sight. He crossed to the crib to look down at the sleeping baby.

“Hey, sweetie,” he said softly, and heard a gasp behind him.

He turned and froze as he faced Marissa.

Four

He had been hot before thinking about Marissa. Now he was on fire. With her hair in a towel, Marissa stood wrapped in a large, navy bath towel, and his imagination ran rampant. The only thing beneath that towel was Marissa’s warm, luscious body.

“You said you wouldn’t be home until six,” she said, the words little more than a whisper. She gazed back wide eyed at him. Under his steady, green-eyed scrutiny, Marissa was uncomfortably conscious of her state of undress.

“I didn’t know you were in the house,” she added, realizing she should move, get some clothes, do something except what she was doing—staring at him.

“I called and knocked on your door,” he said, but she was barely aware of his words.

He was shirtless and she couldn’t keep from staring at his muscled chest, which was sprinkled with curly black hair that tapered in a line to disappear into his jeans that still had the top button unfastened. The man was all solid muscles and tanned skin and sexy, male perfection. Her mouth went dry and her heart pounded. He was sinfully appealing.

As he crossed the room to her, she looked up to meet his gaze, which had unmistakable flames dancing in it. He stopped only inches from her.

She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t swallow, couldn’t talk. Why had she taken this job? She hadn’t been here long and already she was turning to mush. Worse, he hadn’t touched her and she was melting. But the way he was looking at her would make any woman melt.

“Autumn’s asleep now,” he said in a soft, husky tone.

“Yes, she is,” Marissa whispered as his gaze dropped to her mouth. “I have to get dressed—”

“Marissa,” he interrupted, his voice dropping a notch deeper. Stepping closer, he slipped his hand behind her head, pulling away the towel that was around her hair. Thick locks of her dark blond hair spilled over her shoulders while his fingers wound in them and every touch stirred tingles.

With David’s hands on her, she couldn’t move away from him. All she could do was look into his eyes and see desire, a need for her that overwhelmed her.

“Move back, David,” she whispered finally, certain he could hear her heart drumming.

“Why? A kiss is inevitable.”

“No, it’s not,” she argued while her pulse raced. “Not while I’m standing here in a towel.”

“We could remedy that,” he said, and she clutched the towel she had knotted around her.

He hadn’t moved and stood looking at her with that hot, hungry gaze that immobilized her. He leaned down, and his lips brushed hers so lightly, a feathery touch, yet it was a flame. “David, we shouldn’t…” she whispered, trying again to find some resistance to him.

“Why the hell not?” he asked. “Don’t tell me no when you want to. I can see desire in your brown eyes. Ah, Marissa,” he drawled softly, “we’ve been headed this way since I opened my door to you.”

I’ve been headed this way since I was eleven years old, she thought, unable to put up any more argument.

He leaned close again, his mouth settling on hers, and Marissa knew she was lost. And for a few minutes she didn’t care. Stop him in a while, she thought. But for now, she was going to satisfy a lifetime of curiosity about the man. How many times she had dreamed of this moment! How many times she had imagined his kiss, fantasized that he noticed her, wanted her. This was something she had wanted too long, too badly to say no to instantly. Enjoy the moment, she told herself, and then the thought dissolved, replaced by feeling.

David slipped his arm around Marissa’s waist, moving closer, his tongue touching her lips and then sliding into her mouth, stroking her tongue. She tasted sweet, hot, a golden torment, and a satisfaction that settled in his heart in a way he could never have imagined would be possible. She was a softness in his life that had been hard and harsh and on an edge. Yet here was sunlight, warmth, a woman to savor.

He tightened his arms, his kiss trying to devour his discovery, a blinding moment that transformed and shook him to the foundation of his being. Her softness was a promise of warmth that he had searched for as far back as memory stretched.

Marissa slid her hands across his sculpted chest, which was hard with muscles, coarse chest hair tickling her palms. Her hands went over his strong shoulders, feeling the slight ridge of scar tissue along his left shoulder, and then she wrapped her arms around his neck. Her toes curled, her heart pounded and her willpower crumbled.

When she wound her arms around his neck, his arms tightened around her and his kiss deepened. She kissed him in return, the roaring of her pulse drowning out all sounds, fiery tingles spinning inside, her world and her senses turning upside down.

She stood on tiptoe, past fantasies firing her kiss. David’s kiss was all she had dreamed of and so much more! She had opened Pandora’s box today and trouble of every kind was cascading down on her, yet what delicious trouble for the moment!

Feeling his reaction to her body and her kiss, she trembled, clinging to him.

This was David Sorrenson kissing her. David—man of dreams, girlish and otherwise.

He raised his head slightly. “Marissa,” he whispered, and then he ducked down again, his mouth covering hers, his kiss as hot and passionate as the one before.

He bent over her, his fingers winding in her hair, his one arm still tightly banding her waist. She continued to return his kiss as need escalated, a sweet torment. She knew she should stop, yet she knew she couldn’t stop. She had waited a lifetime for this moment and it had been worth the wait. Dreams burst into spectacular life.

Never had a kiss been like this. Never before had a kiss made her tremble, turned her insides instantly to jelly.

He had brought her into a world of fireworks and thrills. She tangled her fingers in his thick, soft hair, felt the warm column of his neck. She wanted to run her fingers across his marvelous chest, to make him react to her the way she was reacting to him.

As she stood on tiptoe and held him, she kissed him back, putting all she could into her kiss. And then, as if coming out of a fog, she realized what she was doing. This was the rush to heartbreak, to falling for another man who didn’t take relationships seriously.

Clutching the towel around her, she pushed lightly against his chest, feeling his rock-hard muscles, wanting just the opposite of what she was doing.

Gazing intently at her, he backed away. The hunger in his green eyes made clear how much he wanted her, and his breathing was as ragged as hers. He ran his hand from her neck, down her back to her waist, and she was too aware that she wore only a bath towel.

“We have to stop now,” she whispered.

“Maybe,” he answered, stroking her cheek. He picked up tendrils of her hair and wound them in his fingers, and her scalp tingled from the faint touch. “It’s just kisses, Marissa,” he said. “It’s exciting to get to know each other.”

“It’s safer to avoid getting to know each other very well.”

“Safer?” His brows arched. “Don’t take life so seriously. You liked being kissed and I liked it. Deny that one.”

“I can’t. But I don’t want to get all involved,” she said, too aware she was standing arguing with him when she was almost naked.

“How about I promise that we won’t. Just kisses, some good companionship. Where’s the harm in that?”

“The harm is wanting more. Your kisses might be addictive.” She was becoming annoyed with him now. “You think there’s no danger of either of us getting hurt or falling in love or anything that complicates life?”

“Absolutely not. Remember, you want a saint. I’m no saint,” he answered lightly.

“Somehow that doesn’t reassure me.” She stepped back, sliding her hand down to his forearm. His hands dropped to her waist as they stood gazing at each other. “You’re so sure you won’t get hurt when I leave?”

“Past history tells me I’m sure,” he said, his expression becoming solemn. “The last years of my life, I’ve avoided commitment because of the dangers I’ve faced. I’ve done that until it’s a habit. I don’t want commitment. You don’t want commitment. So let’s relax and enjoy each other’s company and have a little pleasure in our lives.”

“David Sorrenson,” Marissa began, her temper spiking, “someday, whether you want to or not, you’re going to fall in love. You can’t always go through life starting relationships and then waltzing out of them. Sometime, somewhere, you’re going to get your heartstrings snagged and then you’ll see why I’m wary, why it hurts so much.”

He traced his fingers along the top edge of the towel, across the soft rise of her breasts, and she inhaled, gasping for air as if the walls were closing in on her. “You’re way too solemn. Lighten up,” he said quietly while his caresses were stirring her again and making her want to step right back into his arms.

She ran her fingers lightly over the jagged scar on his left shoulder. “How’d you get this?”

When his expression changed, she knew he had just shut part of himself off from her. “In the military. I was shot,” he said brusquely.

She inhaled sharply, realizing how tough he could be and what risks he had probably taken. His terse answer led her to believe he didn’t want to talk about what had caused his wound. It had broken through the spell he had wrapped around her in the past few minutes.

“I have to get dressed,” she declared. “You need to go.”

“Ah, give me one more minute,” he said softly, and she knew he was going blithely on with his intentions just as he had the morning when he had hired her on the spot and gotten everything he wanted.

Slipping his arm around her waist again, he lifted her curtain of long hair and moved it to one side. When he trailed kisses across her nape, she closed her eyes. Her breasts tingled, an ache deep inside her increased, and she had a fiery need to turn into his arms.

With deliberation she stepped back and pointed at the door.

“Now, leave my room.”

His gaze drifted slowly over her, taking in every inch and setting every nerve in her body quivering. “If you insist,” he said. When he kissed her, he had dropped the T-shirt he had been carrying. He scooped it up and gave her another lingering, hot look. “I’m going to shower. Looks and smells like you just did. We could have done it together,” he added with a twinkle in his eyes.

“You’re wicked, David.”

With a cocky grin, he turned to saunter out of her room.

She rushed to close the door behind him as if demons were after her and felt as though her own little demon of desire was threatening to catch her.

Marissa moved around the room, getting dressed in fresh jeans and a blue shirt, thinking about the past few minutes, remembering the most fabulous kisses she had ever experienced, wondering what David was thinking.

Breathtaking kisses or not, she had no intention of falling in love with him. He would be another heartbreak. He had made it painfully clear that he wasn’t into commitment. She wanted a relationship and she knew she wasn’t going to change. But what kisses! Her heart pounded as she remembered them. He was sexy and charming and he cared about Autumn, a baby he barely knew.

Could she do what he had suggested—lighten up on life? Go dancing, kiss, walk away in a week or whenever the time came and not care? She knew she couldn’t. She sighed. He probably saw her as stiff-necked, fearful, holding out for a commitment. She didn’t know how he saw her, but she couldn’t stop being the way she was.

If they parted tomorrow, how long would it take for him to forget her—a day, two days, a week? On the other hand, now that they had kissed, how long would it take her to forget him? A lifetime, she suspected.

Marissa shook her head. Life wasn’t fair. But it would be a lot more fair to her if she took care to guard her heart the way David did his. His was locked in the deep freeze and no one woman was going to get close to it.

In the past few minutes he had fixed it so she was in knots, and tonight would probably be dreadful. This past year she had been sleeping soundly night after night because she had gotten over the trauma of her divorce. And now she would have to do something to shut out memories of David’s kisses. But not quite yet. For a little while she could enjoy the moment and remember. They weren’t in love, and she wasn’t in any danger yet.

“David,” she whispered, pulling on her clothes and turning to comb her hair.

In the shower David washed his hair, letting his thoughts run free. He was going to talk Marissa into going out with him this Saturday night. He couldn’t wait to get her all to himself.

“Slow it down, buddy,” he told himself beneath the splashing water. He knew Marissa’s whole intent would be marriage and he didn’t want that. Why couldn’t the woman just go out for a few dates? That’s all.

The thought conjured up memories of her kisses, and the nether regions below his waist grew hot again, desire tormenting him as he remembered her soft body in his arms. The bath towel was too slight a covering, he had felt her warmth through it. When he had let his hand drift down to her waist, he had wanted to slide his hand beneath the towel, down over her bottom and back up. Just thinking about her, he was getting all hot and bothered again. David tried to shift his thoughts elsewhere to chores he needed to do on the ranch. Thoughts of cattle lasted about ten seconds until memories of Marissa nudged them away again.

She was so scared of getting hurt that she had shut herself away from the world. Her divorce was two years ago—that was plenty of time for her to get on with life. David sighed and shook his head. Why was he having such a reaction to her? He had dated dozens of beautiful women and he hadn’t been all tied in knots by them.

Marissa was different from all those women. There was a down-to-earth manner about her, a deep sense of nurturing where Autumn was concerned, a practical, no-nonsense approach to life. And there were her kisses that had all but melted him into a puddle. He couldn’t recall having as intense a reaction to any woman’s kiss as he’d had to Marissa’s.

With a groan he finished showering and toweled off, dressing in clean jeans and a fresh T-shirt, moving automatically, lost in thoughts about his nanny.

He wanted Marissa in his arms, in his bed. The thought revved up his temperature another notch and erotic images tormented him even though common sense told him that he would never get her into his bed without some promise of marriage. And that wasn’t going to happen.

He thought about Ellen Drake, whom he had dated some since being home again. She was amusing, lighthearted, sophisticated, and she didn’t take things seriously. Ellen wanted to have a good time and to be seen in the proper places with the proper people. He suspected Marissa didn’t give a fig about such things. He ought to forget Marissa before he found himself caught in a sticky mess with a weepy female.

Memories still too hot to handle rushed into his mind and he knew he couldn’t just forget Marissa or ignore her. He wanted to persuade her to go out with him, which he suspected would not be an easy task.

A saint was what she said she wanted. Well, he wasn’t one. But since he had no intentions of getting deeply involved, why should it matter?

Marissa was ruining his sleep as effectively as Autumn had her first night with him. He’d thought he would have long, peaceful nights. Now every night, sleep eluded him, and he wasn’t thinking clearly during the day. Females! Get a grip, he told himself. She was just a pretty face. If she went out with him, fine. If she didn’t, fine. Two weeks ago he hadn’t even known Marissa Wilder existed. Forget her.

“Right,” he grumbled aloud, trying to ignore his eagerness to spend the coming evening with her.

All evening Marissa kept him at arm’s length and David had another miserable, sleepless night. Tuesday he was up before dawn, putting on coffee,

When he heard Autumn crying, he fixed a bottle and headed toward Marissa’s room. He knocked lightly on the closed door and heard her cheerful voice call for him to come in.

“Good morning,” he said, swinging open the door. His gaze swiftly took in her jeans and red T-shirt that clung to her delectable figure. She looked as refreshed as if she had slept around the clock, but she had reacted intensely to their kisses, so he knew there had to be some effect. When he looked into her lively brown eyes, his body temperature rose.

“’Morning, David,” she said happily. “Thanks for getting Autumn’s bottle ready. I’ll feed her in the kitchen.”

He handed Marissa the bottle, aware of their hands brushing, wanting to wrap his arms around her and take up where they left off yesterday. Instead, he trailed into the kitchen after her and asked what she wanted for breakfast.

While Marissa was busy feeding Autumn, he left, heading for her bedroom, where he crossed to the closet to quickly peek at the size in one of her dresses and to look at a pair of her shoes. Before leaving the room, he paused a moment, glancing around the bedroom that had been a guest room all his life and a room he barely recognized now. Gertie kept the house tidy and spotless and that was the way David had always known it. Not so any longer.

The bedroom was filled with Marissa’s possessions: everything from two pots of blooming begonias to books, from makeup to a clock. Pictures of her family adorned the dresser. He picked up a picture of a smiling couple and decided they must be her parents even though they looked younger than he would have guessed. Hats were hung on the bedposts and he could picture her in the Bo-Peep dress again. This room fit more with that image. He smiled and left, wondering if Gertie would be in a huff. He might have to pay her a little extra for dealing with Marissa.

When he returned to the kitchen, Marissa was sitting in the rocker with Autumn. While she fed the baby, he called his foreman, Rusty Bratton, to tell him that he wouldn’t see him today. They talked about ranch matters for a while and then David replaced the receiver.

“You’re not staying here to help me with Autumn, are you?” Marissa asked. “If you are, you don’t need to.”

“Nope.” He poured a cup of coffee and crossed the room to sit near them. He tried to keep from staring at Marissa, but he liked looking at her. Her hair was tied behind her head with a red ribbon, and he wanted to go untie the ribbon, and run his fingers through her silky hair.

She had put him off last week about a Saturday night date. He wasn’t going to let that happen again.

“I’m going to town, so give me a list of anything you need or anything I should get for Autumn,” he said.

“I’ll do that before you go. I’d like you to pick up a Chutes and Ladders board game if it’s convenient. My nephew Mitch will have his fourth birthday soon.”

“Sure, that’s an easy one,” he replied, still thinking more about running his hands through her hair than the day ahead of him. “Get your list. I’m going to make some phone calls before I go,” he said, and left the room before he did reach for her.

Less than an hour later, dressed in jeans, boots, a shearling jacket and a broad-brimmed Western hat, David left, glancing back over his shoulder to see Marissa standing at the window, holding Autumn close to her shoulder. She waved and he returned the wave.

In town after he had run his errands, David stopped by the hospital to talk to whomever was guarding Jane Doe. On Jane Doe’s floor, nurses passed David with soft steps while farther down the hall, a door wheezed shut. He saw a familiar jeans-clad figure at the end of the hall. Clint nodded in greeting and came toward David.

David shook hands with Clint. “I had to come into town and I thought I’d stop to see if there’s any change.”

“Nothing,” Clint replied, glancing at his watch. “Ryan will relieve me soon. And I talked to Alex and he still hasn’t come up with any significant leads on her identity or the money. The police don’t have anything on the missing persons list, either, that fits her description. No change. No progress.”

“Damn, that’s bad.”

“How’s the baby?” Clint asked.

“She’s fine. She likes her nanny and vice versa, so no problem there. So there’s nothing?”

“There was one little incident that might not have anything to do with Jane Doe,” Clint said, rocking back on his heels with his hands jammed into his pockets.

“What was that?” David asked.

“Ryan was on watch in the early hours of the morning today. He went to the pop machine and was out of sight of her door for maybe less than a minute because it’s right down there a few yards,” Clint said, pointing behind David. “When he stepped back into the hall, a man was almost to her door. When Ryan appeared, the guy turned and left in a hurry.” Clint shrugged. “It may mean something and it may have been sheer coincidence. Had it happened in the middle of the day, Ryan wouldn’t have thought anything of it.”

“If someone who’s searching for her has found where she is,” David said, “that’s not good news, either.”

“I agree with you, but we may be jumping to the wrong conclusion.”

“Under the circumstances, you guys take care,” David urged, glancing down the hall and seeing nurses and aides bustling in and out of hospital rooms. Two visitors strolled along the hall, looking at room numbers and disappearing into a room.

“We’ll be careful and we’ll keep watch over her,” Clint promised.

“Can I do anything?”

“Nothing besides taking care of the woman’s baby,” Clint replied. “That’s enough.”

“I’m heading back to the ranch now. I hope something changes here or someone learns something. Our Jane Doe didn’t just come out of a void. Someone must be searching for her. Someone must know her.”

“Yeah, there may be a lot of someones.”

David nodded and left, striding through the hospital and to his car with an uneasy feeling. The minute he stepped outside, he looked at his surroundings. His skin crawled as if he were being watched, yet he knew that was probably a foolish feeling. Still, his basic instincts about danger had protected him often in the past.

He sat behind the wheel of the car and waited, his gaze searching the hospital grounds and parking lot as he watched for anything unusual. People came and went in the most ordinary way. Finally he switched on the ignition and left.

It was late afternoon when David returned home. Marissa was in the family room on the floor changing Autumn, who was lying on a blanket. As David passed the open door, he called a greeting. His arms were ladened with boxes, and for a few minutes she could hear him making more trips to his car and returning with sacks. Then Marissa heard him talking to Gertie in the kitchen.

Finally he came into the room, his green gaze meeting hers with the force of a blow. She was breathless, staring at him, reacting to nothing more than his gaze, but that was enough. The navy sweater and jeans complemented his black hair, and made him look very sexy.

Knowing she shouldn’t stare, Marissa turned to pick up Autumn. When she did, David crossed the room to take the infant from her. “Let me hold her for a little while. I missed both of you,” he said quietly.

“Did you get all your errands run?” she asked him, trying to ignore his remark about missing her. She smoothed her pale blue T-shirt into her jeans and then caught him watching her.

“Yes, and I got that game you wanted for your nephew,” he said, mentioning the game she had on her list.

“I can’t believe that you never played it,” she said, recalling their discussion earlier. “You don’t know some of the basic kid stuff. You didn’t know Bo-Peep. What kind of childhood did you have?”

“Maybe not your run-of-the-mill nursery-rhyme-filled one,” he said lightly, “but I had a childhood.”

“I’m beginning to doubt it. I need to get Autumn a bottle,” Marissa said, and David walked with her to the kitchen, which was filled with enticing smells from Gertie’s afternoon cooking. Marissa’s appetite had taken a nosedive, brought on by a running current of excitement over being near David, a condition she wished she could control.

“I’m through now,” Gertie said, shedding her apron and getting her coat. “The table is set, everything is dished up and covered and ready. I’ll go, unless you have anything else you’d like done before I leave.”

To David’s amusement, Gertie said all this to Marissa without once glancing in his direction. How had Marissa become the boss in his kitchen when he had been in charge here for years now?

“No, thanks so much,” Marissa said. “Anything else that you want, David?”

“Oh, no. Thanks, Gertie. We’ll see you tomorrow.”

In seconds, she was gone, cold air wafting in from the door being opened. David stepped to the door to watch her walk to her house. He studied his surroundings until he was satisfied everything was safe.

Autumn stirred and Marissa took the baby from him.

“It’s time for her to eat. If you’re hungry and don’t want to wait, go ahead without me.”

“I wouldn’t think of going ahead without you,” David drawled. “I’ve been looking forward to dinner with you all afternoon.”

“Oh, my!” she sighed, giving him a wide-eyed look that made David’s pulse jump. She reacted, all right. In spite of her protests and logic and caution, she responded to him. He drew a deep breath, glancing at Autumn and knowing they had to take care of the baby right now and flirting with Marissa had to wait.

“I’ll get her bottle ready,” he said, and left the room.

Marissa watched him, her heart racing over his words and the look in his eyes. Since yesterday, she had lectured herself to keep her guard up. Did she want another heartache like her divorce? She knew the answer to that one. I nstinct told her that David would never be into anything lasting and she knew she would never be into anything casual.

When David handed her a bottle for Autumn, Marissa sat in the rocker, settling the baby and watching her take her bottle. David moved around, turning on music, building a fire, finally sitting down near Marissa.

“While you were in town, did you find out anything about Autumn’s mother?” Marissa asked.

“I went by the hospital. Her condition hasn’t changed.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry! Poor baby and poor Mommy,” Marissa said, tightening her arm slightly around Autumn, who was taking her bottle and watching Marissa with an intent stare.

“I don’t suppose they know any more about your Jane Doe’s identity,” Marissa said. “If they did, I’m sure you’d tell me.”

“That’s right. Every search is a dead end, and no one has popped up on missing persons lists who fits her description. It’s still a puzzle. She has to have family somewhere.”

“Maybe not. Not everyone does.”

He shrugged. “There are times and places I’ve been completely out of touch with my family, so if something had happened to me, no one who knows me would have learned about it for quite some time.”

“I don’t know how you did that kind of work. Or why.”

“Maybe to avoid the regular job that is waiting for me in Houston,” he replied, raking his fingers through his thick black hair. “When you’re young, right out of college, life looks different. At the time, I didn’t want to sit in an office day after day.”

“And you do now?”

“I’m resigned to it more than I was then.”

“Resigned?” she asked, surprised. “Why are you doing it if you don’t want to?”

“I’ve been aimed that direction all my life with a detour to the air force. Dad expects it of me, and there’s no big reason to disappoint him. That’s not my habit. I figure I’ll get used to it.”

“That’s a dutiful son,” she remarked, seeing another side to him. “It’ll be different from what you’ve been doing.” All the time he answered her, Marissa was aware of his rugged handsomeness. She probably should have avoided this job and David Sorrenson at all costs. But then she glanced down at Autumn in her arms, and warmth for the baby filled her. The job was fabulous pay and the baby was adorable. She should just guard her heart no matter how sexy he was.

“I pray your Jane Doe recovers soon so she can get her baby back. Autumn’s a wonderful little girl, David.”

“I’ll bet you say that about every baby you’ve taken care of,” he said, smiling at her.

She smiled in return. “I might have.”

Crossing the room to the wine rack, he held up a bottle. “Want to celebrate? Want a glass of wine?”

“Fine. After Autumn is fed and asleep. What on earth will we celebrate?”

“That you’ve become Autumn’s nanny.”

“Good enough,” Marissa responded, laughing, a tiny inner voice telling her that she should have refused the wine, should stop chitchatting with him, should keep this all business. Even as she argued mentally, her inner voice was losing the battle.

In the living area of the kitchen, David stoked the fire. Then he finished getting dinner on the table and took Autumn for a time until finally the baby was asleep and he put her to bed.

The moment he walked back through the kitchen door, his gaze met Marissa’s, making her breath catch. Watching her, he brought a glass of wine to her and held out his in a toast, his riveting gaze still on her. “Here’s to little Autumn coming into our lives.”

“That’s reason for us to celebrate, but I hope her mother recovers soon.”

“I do, too. But I’m glad we met,” he said, his voice lowering, giving her a thrill she knew she should be wary of.

David touched her glass lightly and watched her over the rim of his while he took a sip. She drank the red wine, thinking nothing could be as heady as the desire she saw in his green eyes.

“Ready to eat?” he asked in a coaxing voice, as if he were asking her something entirely different.

When she nodded, he took her glass, setting it on the table, and then held her chair for her, his hand grazing her shoulder lightly, yet a contact that she felt to her toes.

David sat facing her, and as she looked at him across the table, she remembered dreams of girlhood. Now here she was, living in his house, having dinner with him, and had exchanged passionate kisses with him. It’s just a temporary job, she reminded herself.

He passed her a platter with thick slices of roast beef. “Roast beef, potatoes and gravy are Gertie’s specialty. You’ve won her over. I’m not sure she remembers I live here.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. She’s just very friendly.”

“She was as thankful to get you as I was. I was too distraught the first day to remember my name.”

“I’m still surprised at that. A baby is simple.”

“Not to me. Where babies are concerned, I’m green as grass, as you well know by now.”

Marissa bit into tender roast and chewed. “This is delicious.” She tilted her head to study him, wondering about his life. “How come you don’t know Bo-Peep or the game I asked you to buy today? Did they keep you locked in the attic?”

“No. My mother died when I was a baby. I was raised by a very fine man who knew little about children and didn’t care to get to know much about them. He hired nannies and tutors and sent me to school and took care of my needs and I did what was expected of me, but there are big gaps in my childhood background. I didn’t do a lot of playing like some kids did.”

“You weren’t exactly lacking,” she said, glancing at his surroundings.

“We always had material things,” he said, shrugging, then continued. “Dad inherited money and made still more money, but I just kept quiet, did as I was told, and enjoyed myself in my own quiet way. I loved to read and play soccer and swim. I played tennis, too. Later, I played football. I kept busy, but whoever my nannies were in the early years, I guess they weren’t into cute games and nursery rhymes. There were so many of them, I can’t even remember them until I was about six. Gertie was always around, but she’s not into kids any more than my dad was. Still, she was good to me and slipped me treats whenever I wanted them.”

“What about other relatives?” she asked him, thankful she’d had the childhood she’d had, thinking about her sisters and her other relatives.

He shrugged. “I have my grandparents, who are not into kids, either. Even less than my dad. I suppose it’s passed from generation to generation.”

“Surely not!” Marissa exclaimed, her brows arching. “You’ve done quite well with Autumn.” She sipped her wine and took another bite of roast beef. “Don’t you want to marry and have a family?”

“With my career in Special Ops, I scratched marriage off the list when I went into danger. That’s no life for a married man.”

“I thought you were through with that now,” she pointed out, buttering a fluffy roll and taking a bite.

“I’m through with the military, but I’m older, set in my ways, and don’t know anything about a happy marriage or family life as you know it. I’ll probably stay single,” he replied, and Marissa wondered how many broken hearts he had left in his wake. “Maybe someday…” David said. He paused to eat and then said, “I’m getting the hang of baby care with Autumn. She’s a lovable little thing. Maybe I’m seeing her through your eyes.”

“No, you’re not! You haven’t known me that long.”

“You make your personality felt. When you were growing up, I’ll bet you played all sorts of games and had all sorts of kids around,” David said, watching her and imagining her life, which was a contrast to his.

“You’re right,” she said, giving him a dimpled smile. He touched her cheek.

“Your smile makes me want to smile.”

Marissa warmed to his words, but didn’t want to. As far as resisting him, on a scale of one to ten, she knew she was definitely one.

As they continued eating a long, leisurely dinner, they talked about their lives. She learned a little more about his background, listened to him talk glowingly about the ranch, and she realized he was a cowboy at heart and loved ranching.

She was unaware of time passing, but finally he pushed away from the table. “We’re finished, let’s move to the sofa.”

“We should clean this up.”

“That’s what I pay Gertie to do. Just leave everything and come here.” He held her chair and then took her arm, leading her to the sofa.

Too aware of his fingers lightly touching her arm, Marissa felt her heart race, and she had a silent argument with herself whether to sit down beside him or move away to a chair and keep some distance between them. While she debated, he stopped and faced her. “Now, close your eyes. I brought you a surprise today.”

Five

“A surprise for me?” Marissa asked, startled. “David, you barely know me!”

He framed her face with his hands and her heart thudded as she gazed up at him. “I intend to know you better,” he said, his honeyed voice escalating the reactions to him that she had already been having. His hands were warm on her face while his expression showed unmistakable desire. Her lips parted and she drew a deep breath, finding it difficult to get any air.

Torn with conflicting emotions, she caught his wrists. “This is a job. You’re my employer. David, we should keep this businesslike.”

“Give me one good reason,” he said quietly.

“So one of us doesn’t fall in love and get a broken heart.”

“Are you ready for a serious relationship?” he asked.

“No! That’s what I’m trying to tell you!” Marissa exclaimed. “I trusted my ex-husband completely, and he used me and broke that trust. He was unfaithful and I don’t think he ever intended to stay married. He was just waiting while I worked to help put him through medical school. Right now, I don’t want to get involved with anyone again.”

“I don’t, either,” David replied. “That makes us immune to hurts. Just relax and lighten up. You were hurt, you need to get out and live a little, and some of the hurt might go away.”

“You should be in sales,” she said dryly, wondering if he was more than barely listening to her. “That’s the argument of someone who’s never been hurt.”

“I’ve never been through divorce,” he admitted, “but you can’t shut yourself off from life. Not you. You’re too filled with life yourself to withdraw from the world.”

“Argue all you want,” she said with exasperation, too aware of his thumbs moving lightly on her cheeks. “I’ve had enough experience with getting hurt and I know what I’m talking about.”

“You’d think I’m getting ready to propose. This is no big deal. Relax and enjoy yourself. I don’t think you’ve done that for a long time. Now, close your eyes, Rissa,” he instructed softly.

The nickname was a lick of fire along her veins. No one had ever called her Rissa or any other nickname. Said in his husky voice, it was special, filling her with warmth. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

“I’ll be right back. Keep your eyes closed.”

She never heard him leave, realizing he could be very quiet when he wanted, but she knew when he stopped touching her. Why did she have such an intense reaction to the man? Why couldn’t she see him like she saw other men? Her excitement grew, more over David than over possibilities of a surprise. Why was he giving her a surprise? He had continually caught her off balance from the first moment she had looked across the counter into his green gaze.

“All right, open your eyes.” He stood in front of her holding a stack of boxes. “These are for you. Open the big one first,” he suggested. “Then the others make more sense.”

Conscious that he stood nearby watching her, she moved aside smaller boxes and lifted the lid on the largest box. Shuffling aside layers of tissue paper that crackled to the touch, she held up a lightweight black wool dress. It was slim, tailored and beautiful. “David, it’s gorgeous!” she exclaimed, and then realized all the implications.

“I can’t take this!” she gasped, turning to look at him. “This is a bribe, David Sorrenson!”

“Of course you can take it. It’s yours now. It’s not something I want,” he added dryly. “And it isn’t a bribe. It’s a gift.”

“You know I can’t take this. Sneaky and underhanded is what I’d call this,” she said, feeling as if she were drowning in his persistence and her own needs, knowing she was hurtling headlong into hurt with every moment they were together.

“Sneaky and underhanded sometimes gets you what you want. Now, stop arguing. It’s yours. Wear it with me Saturday night. I want to take you out. The Texas Cattleman’s Club has dinner dances twice a month on Saturday night. I want to take you to this one. Now, open your other presents.”

“You’ll go to any lengths to get your way,” she muttered, exasperated and delighted at the same time. He was coming on too strong, too fast, and she was too attracted to him, too susceptible. “Absolutely—”

He placed his fingers lightly on her lips. “Shh. Think it over before you disappoint both of us.”

He stepped close, sliding his hand around her waist and tilting her chin up to look down into her eyes. “As to going to any lengths to get my way—guilty as charged. Especially when what I’m after is a beautiful, sexy woman who has ruined my sleep and is driving me wild with her arguments. Wear the black dress and go out with me,” he coaxed softly in a seductive voice. “Let’s go out Saturday night.”

“What about Autumn?”

“I already have that taken care of,” he answered.

“How can I say no to that?” she whispered, lost in the depths of his gaze.

“Good!” he replied, taking the dress from her hands and tossing it on a chair. He leaned down to switch off the lamp, leaving only the flickering light from the fireplace and the light in the other part of the kitchen behind them.

Her breathing altered as he straightened, letting his gaze drift down to her mouth. “I’ve been waiting since yesterday, Rissa,” he whispered.

“I know I should say no to you.”

“Never,” he whispered, trailing kisses along her throat and over her ear. She inhaled deeply, looking at him so close. He was clean-shaven, his thick raven hair neatly combed.

“David, listen to me,” she protested, placing her hands on his forearms, a tactical error because every physical contact turned her brains to more mush.

“You listen to me,” he whispered, brushing her lips lightly, so tantalizingly, with his.

She could barely listen to anything except the thunder roll of her heart. “No, no and double no.”

“Yes, yes and triple yes,” he replied. “There’s no good reason to avoid a few hours out together, a few hours of dancing, good food and companionship, that has us both relaxed and content. Deny that one, Rissa.”

How could she deny him anything? “I’m lost,” she whispered without thinking. “Hopelessly.”

“Ah,” he said. Vaguely, she heard the satisfaction in his voice and knew she was defeated. How could she persist in a fight about going out with the man she had dreamed of having a date with for years?

His mouth possessed hers, his tongue stroking and playing until the blinding spiral of heat tightened and burst into searing longing. He had stormed her barriers and won the battle. She couldn’t resist. She wrapped her arms around his neck and returned his kiss, snuggling against the solidity of him and hearing a groan caught deep in his throat.

“You dirty fighter,” she whispered, coming up for air and running her fingers through his hair.

“If I win, it’s worth it,” he answered, and then his mouth covered her reply and her battle ended. With a thrill she felt his hard length pressed against her, her thighs against his muscled thighs, her breasts against his sculpted chest.

While he caressed her nape with one hand, his arm held her tightly. Their breathing became ragged; his kisses deepened.

She knew she was playing with a fire that sooner or later was going to burn her to cinders, but she couldn’t stop. Not when his heady kisses melted every impulse to resist.

His hand slid down her back, and then he tugged her T-shirt out of her jeans and slipped his hand beneath her shirt. His hand was warm, callused, delightful. While fiery tingles increased, his hand slid around to cup her breast.

She gasped as new sensations shot through her, heating her further, driving her wild. When she pressed her hips against him, she felt his hard response to her.

He tugged away her T-shirt and flung it aside, unsnapping her wisp of a bra and pushing it off her shoulders. Then he cupped her breasts in his large, tanned hands, his thumbs circling and caressing her taut nipples.

She cried out, holding his strong upper arms, closing her eyes and immobilized by nerve responses that streaked from his touch. Trembling, she grasped him, wanting him, wanting everything, knowing she shouldn’t be wanting any of his loving.

Enjoy the moment danced through her mind. Just for a time. A time to lose her heart completely. She slipped her hands beneath his sweater, running her fingers through coarse chest hair, over his hard muscles, stroking his nipples and hearing him groan again, a sound lost in their kisses.

In seconds, he tugged his sweater over his head and tossed it away, pulling her close against him while he continued to kiss her.

She caressed his smooth back, wanting to touch and be touched, unable to believe that this was David who was kissing her and wanting her to go out with him. How many dreams had been spun around him, how many nights of fantasy! Now he was here, his strong arms around her, and he wanted her. He was wicked temptation and irresistible desire.

His hands were at the belt of her jeans when she realized where they were headed. She caught his wrists in her grasp, twisting slightly to look up at him.

“David, you have to stop. You’re going way too fast,” she gasped, melting under his gaze.

“You’re beautiful, Rissa,” he whispered, stepping away slightly.

Quickly, she picked up her T-shirt, yanking it over her head. As soon as she pulled it down, she again met his smoldering gaze, which was as potent as a caress.

His jeans bulged with his evident arousal, and he reached out to stroke her cheek. He stepped close and pulled her into his arms to kiss her again.

Even though Marissa intended to push him away, she wrapped her arms around his neck. David leaned back to look down at her. “Come out with me Saturday night,” he rumbled. “Say you’ll go.”

“I’ll go,” Marissa said finally. “But let me catch my breath. You go far too fast for me, David.”

Suddenly he grinned, an infectious, white-toothed grin that dazzled her.

“Yee-ha!” he exclaimed, throwing back his head and letting out another whoop. “We’ve got a Saturday night date!”

She couldn’t keep from laughing. “You browbeat me into it.”

“You call that browbeating?” he asked. “I have another name for it.”

“Seduction,” she said. “Watch out, David. You’re playing with fire.”

“I’ll be careful.”

“I guess with a Special Ops background, you like risks and life on the wild side, but I don’t. I don’t want more hurt.”

He tilted her chin up, lifting long strands of dark blond hair away from her face. “My last intention is to hurt you,” he said, and his voice held such an unmistakable note of tenderness that it made her knees weak.

“Maybe, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen,” she replied. “And slow down with the seductive kisses, because I have no intention of finding myself in your bed.”

“Is that right? I’ll remember that. At the same time,” he drawled, letting his hands slide down her arms and settle on her waist while his gaze drifted leisurely over her, “maybe my goal is to get you into my bed.”

Marissa sighed. “Half of me thinks you’re teasing and half of me thinks you’re serious and both halves are right.” She leaned over to snatch up her lacy bra and jam it into her jeans pocket. She turned to find him still watching her.

“Sit over there, and I’ll sit over here and we can talk,” she announced, trying to summon as much force into her voice as possible, knowing she was failing and he wouldn’t care, anyway.

“Darlin’, how about a compromise?” he asked, sweeping her into his arms and going to the sofa to set her down in one corner. He turned and sat in the other corner, twisting to face her and smile at her. “How’s this? There’s space between us, but I can still touch you a little.” Stretching out his long arm, he caught tendrils of her hair and twirled them in his fingers.

He was too close if he was in the same room with her, but at least she had slowed him down enough that she could gather her wits. She tried to ignore the fact that her body ached and tingled and burned for more. She could happily drown in his kisses for the rest of the night, but she knew where that would lead and that wasn’t what wisdom indicated she should do.

And that magnificent chest was still bare and still in touching distance. And far too distracting for a regular conversation. “Aren’t you cold?” she asked him, giving his chest a once-over again.

His brows arched. “You want me to put on my sweater? My chest disturbs you?” he asked with great innocence.

“You know what you’re doing,” Marissa snapped. “Go without your sweater. I can resist your chest,” she added, and he grinned, snaking out his long arm to grab his sweater and pull it over his head. He raked his fingers through his hair and it sprang back in thick waves. Marissa knew it didn’t matter a whole lot whether he had on his sweater or not because everything about him stirred her hormones.

“So if we go out—” she said.

“You said yes. When we go out—not if,” he reminded her.

“When we go out, who is taking care of Autumn?”

“I have that all worked out,” he replied smoothly, his fingers caressing her nape as he shifted a few inches closer to her. “I have a neighbor and fellow Texas Cattleman’s Club member and friend, Jason Windover, and his wife, Meredith. They have a little boy who was born in June of this year. We’ll take Autumn to their house. Meredith is great, and Jason is ex-FBI so Autumn will be safe. How’s that?”

“Ex-FBI? Autumn needs an FBI or Special Ops person around? Is she in danger?”

“She could be. No one knows because we don’t know anything about the mother,” he replied, letting strands of Marissa’s hair slide through his fingers. She found it difficult to keep her focus on their conversation. Tingles and aches tormented her while her attention was drawn like a magnet to David, and even though his chest was covered by his sweater, she knew it was there, temptingly close to touch and kiss.

“But you do know something,” she pressed.

“Yes, a little,” he replied, and related all the incidents of the night Autumn and her mother came to town.

“Half a million dollars! David, someone is probably after that money!” Marissa tilted her head to study him. “Out of the goodness of your hearts, you guys are guarding her, caring for her baby, safeguarding the money and trying to find out her identity?”

“Something like that,” he answered solemnly.

Memories flitted to mind, dredged up from the past as she studied him. “I remember some rumors about Texas Cattleman’s Club guys helping people in trouble. It’s true, isn’t it, David?”

“That’s what we’re trying to do here.”

“You don’t have any idea how much danger Autumn is in?”

“No, we don’t. Chances are, someone is after the mother and the money. Unless she kidnapped the child and took the money. Then that’s different. But I think it’s probably the mother who is in the greatest danger.”

“Well, I’m glad you told me,” Marissa said, wondering what she had gotten herself into.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “You’re safe here on the ranch. I have alarms all around the house and the outbuildings. I have dogs.”

“I met two of the dogs last week, and they’re as ferocious as pudding,” Marissa pointed out.

“They bark and they’re good about strangers,” David replied. “And I have six dogs on the place. The guys who work here have been alerted and Gertie is always cautious. My Dad wanted this ranch to be a shelter from the world and he started all this security stuff. Then, when I was in the military, I added to it.”

“You might have warned me.”

“You’re not in danger, or I would have. Besides, I’m close at hand.”

“You may be my greatest danger,” she replied breathlessly, because he was lightly caressing her nape.

“I’m no threat to you,” he replied blandly. “Wait until Saturday night and you’ll see that all your fears were for naught.”

“Right,” she replied, suspecting she was going to regret her Saturday night date with him for a long time. “And regarding Saturday night. Will we pick Autumn up on the way home?”

“Yes,” he replied, leaning a little closer and letting his fingers skim across her back and shoulders as he twirled long strands of her hair in his hand. “Or, Meredith said we can leave Autumn all night.”

“No way. We pick her up,” Marissa said firmly, trying to ignore the effect he was having just playing with her hair and lightly touching her. She was aware of each little tug and pull, aware when his hand stroked her. “Autumn is too little. I want to bring her back here.” She did not add that she also didn’t want the temptation of being alone with David.

He smiled. “I think I picked the best nanny in all of Texas. You’d think you were her mother.”

“She’s too little to leave with someone else all night long.”

“I won’t argue about it. As long as we have Saturday night, I’ll be happy to pick her up. As far as leaving Autumn with someone else—she’s here with us, instead of being with her mother, and she spent one night with just me, a totally inexperienced male, which was not the greatest for her. But if you want to bring her home Saturday night, that’s what we’ll do,” he said, and smiled at her.

“Thank you. It’s definitely what I want to do.”

“She’ll be in good hands, I assure you.”

Marissa stood and picked up the black dress and held it up. “This is beautiful,” she said. “You shouldn’t have done that.”

“I did what I wanted to do.”

“I’m sure you did!” she exclaimed, laughing and he shrugged. “I haven’t opened my other presents.”

Returning to the sofa, she picked up another box and opened it to find a pair of black pumps. She looked at him quizzically. “How’d you know what size to get?”

“Do I have the right size?”

She studied the pump. “Yes, you do.”

“My special magic.”

“Yeah, right,” she said, eyeing him and wondering when he had peeked at her things. “Well, they’re perfect. Now, what’s this?” She opened a fancy small box tied in a pink bow.

She opened the tiny box and lifted out a shimmering gold bracelet. “David, it’s beautiful! You shouldn’t have done all this.”

“I wanted to,” he said, taking the bracelet from her in his large fingers. “Hold out your arm.”

She did as she was told and he fastened the bracelet on her wrist. It caught glints of light from the fire as she twisted her wrist back and forth. “It’s beautiful!” She looked up at him. “Thank you for everything,” she said, deciding she would stop arguing with him about keeping his gifts.

“Wear it all Saturday night. That’s what I bought it for.”

“If you have seduction in mind, I can tell you now—”

Once again he stopped her, placing his hand on her lips. “Shh, Rissa. Just wear them and look pretty. That’s all. There will be time later for seduction.”

She didn’t know whether to be angry or pleased, and his words spun in her mind and she knew she would remember this moment forever. “The presents are a delight,” she said, turning the bracelet and watching it reflect glints of light in the gold. “Your motive might not be. You’re very sure of yourself.”

“Would you rather I bite my nails when I ask you to go out with me?”

“It would be a change.”

“I’ll try to be on my best behavior.”

She shook her hair away from her face, crossed her legs beneath her on the sofa and turned to face him. “Thanks, again. That was a delightful surprise.”

The phone rang and David crossed the room to pick it up. He talked softly and Marissa’s thoughts were on the gifts he had given her and the coming Saturday night date.

When he replaced the receiver and sat down, his expression was solemn. “That was Clint Andover. A man tried to slip into our Jane Doe’s room tonight.”

Six

“To harm her?” Marissa asked, chilled by David’s news.

“Probably, otherwise why try to sneak in?”

“Did he get away?”

“Yes. Clint had to see about our mystery Jane Doe and the intruder got a head start on Clint.” David raked his fingers through his hair and frowned while he thought about someone attempting to get to Autumn’s mother.

“That’s dreadful!”

“Someone is after her and now he knows she’s in Royal. He’s getting brazen about going after her. But then, for the money she was carrying, a lot of people would be willing to go to drastic lengths to get the money back.”

“Do the police know?”

“Yes, they’re at the hospital now, but my friend Clint will stay to guard our mystery Jane Doe.” David shifted slightly closer to Marissa. “I’ll need to go to town tomorrow to meet with my friends.”

“David, I’d like to go see this woman and take Autumn.”

“The mother’s in a coma. She’d never know her baby is there,” David pointed out.

“I know she’s unconscious, but maybe deep down in some depths of her mind or heart, having Autumn there might make a difference. Will you ask if we can do this?”

“She has a nurse, Tara Roberts, who’s taken an interest in her. We can ask Tara,” he decided. “But it seems like an exercise in futility.”

“I know Tara,” Marissa stated. “My niece and nephews were born at Royal Memorial, so I’m familiar with some of the people there. Tara’s great, and I’m glad that she’s interested in this Jane Doe. Can you please find out when Tara Roberts is on duty?”

“Jane Doe’s in ICU. She can’t have visitors,” David cautioned.

“She can have family for brief visits,” she told him confidently. “And Autumn is family, more than Tara or your friend Clint who guards her.”

He stared at Marissa while he appeared to mull it over. “It may not work out, but if you want to try, I’ll ask. I’ll go along with you, though.”

“That’s fine. Thanks. I’ll feel better about it if mother and baby are united briefly.”

“You’re hopelessly optimistic,” he said lightly, and she smiled.

“That’s what my sister Greta always says. According to her, I’m the optimist, she’s the pessimist, Karen is the party girl and Dallas is boy-crazy.”

“Do you concur with the analysis?”

“Sort of,” she said, smiling again.

“When I met you in the baby store and introduced myself, you said you knew me through your older sister. You look a lot younger than your sister.”

“I’m twenty-eight. I often went with her to football games and I watched you play ball.”

“And you remembered me from that?” he asked, and she knew her cheeks were hot and she knew he was going to persist with his questions until he found out the answer.

“Yes, David, I remembered you. I thought you were cute. It was a schoolgirl crush. Satisfied? I got over it.”

“I hope not,” he said, leaning forward. “And whatever it is between us, I feel it, too.”

“I suspect what you feel is lust.”

“Damn straight. My pulse is racing right now. How about yours?” He placed his hand against her throat and waited.

She twisted away slightly. “I can’t help it if my body responds to you, but that doesn’t change my mind,” she said, taking his hand and removing it from her throat where he had been checking her pulse. “Now, you scoot back where you were.”

He grinned and scooted away a few inches, increasing the distance between them only slightly. “So tell me more about your life. How come you were working in the baby store?”

“I majored in sociology in college and that’s what my degree is in. I had a job with the clinic, and after doing that for a few years, I knew I didn’t want to do it forever. I have a minor in public relations and I’ve got applications out right now, so the store job is temporary. So where did you go to college?”

David talked about college and life on the ranch, safe topics that didn’t dredge up emotions or bad memories, yet gave her a glimpse of his life. When Autumn began to cry, Marissa brought the baby to the kitchen and she and David took turns caring for her. As Marissa held and rocked her, they talked. Later that night Autumn had a second bottle, but this time when Marissa got Autumn back to sleep, she stood.

“It’s almost two in the morning, David. I’m going to bed.”

“Want me to carry Autumn?” he offered, standing and crossing the room to Marissa.

“No need. She’s a featherweight,” Marissa replied.

“I’ll bring your things, then,” he said, picking up the boxes of gifts he had brought her. As they left the room, he switched off the kitchen light.

“So when will we go to town tomorrow?” she asked.

“My meeting is at ten in the morning. After that, I’ll talk to Clint and Tara about taking Autumn to the hospital. I don’t want you wandering around alone with her. I’d rather drive back here in the afternoon and pick you two up and take you into town then.”

When they reached her bedroom, he followed her inside and placed her presents on the bed. She crossed to him and caught his hand in hers. As his brows arched in surprise, she said, “Come here, David.”

He went with her and she led him into the hall, pausing at the door. “Thanks for the interesting evening and dinner. Good night.”

He looked amused. “You don’t want me in your bedroom?”

“Not yet,” she answered, and his chest expanded as he inhaled a deep breath.

“That wasn’t the answer I expected, since you tricked me to get me out of your room.”

Marissa smiled. “What was it you said? Sneaky and underhanded sometimes gets you what you want, or some such. Good night,” she repeated with emphasis, glancing toward his bedroom.

He braced one hand against the doorjamb, blocking her way. “Just one kiss.”

“You’ve had a kiss, and I have a baby in my arms.”

“Neither matters,” he said, catching her chin in his other hand and leaning down. Before he could touch her lips, Marissa ducked under his arm and stepped quickly into her bedroom.

“See you in the morning.” She closed the door in his face and let out her breath. How she ached for his kisses! Every inch of her wanted to be standing outside her door in his arms. Thank heavens she had shown some restraint. Now, if she could just hang on to that restraint throughout this job.

She put Autumn in her crib, standing over the baby. Autumn was one of the most beautiful babies she had ever seen. She touched Autumn’s cheek lightly with her finger. Marissa closed her eyes and said a prayer that Autumn’s mother would have a full recovery. When she opened her eyes, she smoothed the baby’s wispy hair. How it was going to hurt to say goodbye to Autumn!

That was one more thing she could postpone thinking about. Better to go home crying over the loss of Autumn, than to go home brokenhearted, crying over the losses of both Autumn and David. Just keep remembering that one, she told herself.

“This is no big deal. Relax and enjoy yourself.” His words haunted her. It was no big deal to him. To her, it was enormous. The dream of half a lifetime. His sexy appeal was irresistible now. If she let the man seduce her, she would be absolute and hopeless mush around him all the time.

“Marissa Wilder, learn now to say no,” she ordered aloud, remembering her ex and how charming he had been at the first. “No, no and no.”

Repeating no, no, no to herself, she crossed the room to open the boxes and look again at the beautiful dress he had given her. She peeled off her T-shirt and jeans and stepped into the dress, pulling it on and sliding up the zipper, turning to look at herself in the mirror. The dress was perfection. Simple, sleek lines, short, figure-hugging, soft. She unzipped it and changed into the oversize T-shirt she slept in.

In the dark, she lay in bed and remembered David’s hands on her, his touches, his fabulous kisses. Tingling, she ached and wondered whether he was really losing sleep over her or if it was just a line he used when it suited him.

She thought about the danger to the mother and to Autumn. By insisting on going to the hospital, would she put Autumn at risk? She hoped not, but she felt certain that, even though the mother wasn’t conscious, she should have her baby near her for a few minutes.

Before dawn the next morning, David left the house to take care of ranch chores. He wanted to see about two of the horses and he needed to talk to his foreman.

He hadn’t slept more than a couple of hours and those few hours had been fitful, waking and falling asleep again, having erotic dreams about Marissa. He suspected that she had no idea of her effect on him—that she had him tied in knots. He was looking forward eagerly to Saturday night.

He realized he better get his mind back to the possible danger they might face when they left his ranch. The attempt to get the mother was sobering. He would see Clint later today when they met at the club and he would get the details. Someone wanted that money badly. Or maybe wanted her. Or wanted to silence her. He hadn’t wanted to alarm Marissa, but it seemed someone was in Royal, intent on harming their Jane Doe. None of their questions about her had been answered yet, and more had been raised.

David’s thoughts jumped back to holding Marissa in his arms. Never had a woman’s kisses stirred him the way hers had. He wanted so much more than kisses. He wanted her in his bed. And if she ever agreed, she knew he wasn’t into lasting commitments. Just thinking about her responses to him drove his temperature skyrocketing, even in the chilly November morning. Saturday night. He groaned, knowing he had to get his thoughts elsewhere.

He wouldn’t be fit for any kind of ranch work in the morning. Think about horses, he told himself. Little baby Autumn had set his life spinning like a tumbleweed in a high wind and he didn’t see any chance of changing that anytime soon.

Two hours later he returned to the house to eat breakfast, shower and shave to go into town. When he headed through the house, Marissa was rocking Autumn while Gertie bustled nearby, getting things ready for supper that night. Marissa wore a dark brown sweater that clung to her figure. She had on hip-hugging jeans, and he wished Gertie was a million miles away so he could be alone with Marissa. Autumn already had her eyes closed and would soon be asleep.

“I’ll call you after our meeting and let you know whether we can visit the mother today or not,” he said, standing across the room from Marissa and realizing that he enjoyed watching her with Autumn. Someday she would be a great mother, he reflected. It was a notion that made him remember her intention to go to a sperm bank, which he did not want her to do. How many times was he going to have to tell himself that it was none of his business?

He left, knowing if he gave Marissa even the most casual kiss, Gertie would have word spread all over the ranch and town and Marissa would be in an uproar over the gossip.

At ten he walked through the deserted Texas Cattleman’s Club to a private room to join his friends. A fire burned low in the fireplace and the coziness of the room was a contrast to the grim reason they were gathered together.

“Now we’re all here,” Clint said, leaning back in a large leather chair. “Howdy, David.”

“How’s Daddy?” Alex asked, his green eyes flashing.

“I’m fine now that I’ve hired Marissa Wilder.”

“I’ll bet you are,” Ryan said. “I know Marissa. She’s quite a good-looking woman.”

“If she’s half the party animal her sister is, you should be having a good time out there at the ranch,” Alex added.

“Marissa’s not a party animal. She’s reliable and practical. I’m having a good time watching her take care of little Autumn. The baby is a sweetie just like Justin said, and Marissa knows babies and I can relax and enjoy my life once again.”

“You didn’t have to take care of that tiny baby singlehandedly for even twenty-four hours and you sound like you were overworked for a month,” Alex teased.

“Can it, Alex. I’m thankful to have a competent nanny. Haven’t even noticed her looks.”

Ryan whistled. “Either he’s lying or someone needs to take his temperature because he’s the walking dead,” he joked, and David grinned.

“All right, we’re all here,” David said. “Let’s hear what happened, Clint.” David sat on another leather chair, his friends already seated around the room.

“I caught him by the bed,” Clint said, his long legs stretched in front of him. In a black sweater he looked dark, brooding and formidable. David thought the intruder was desperate to try to sneak past someone as dangerous-looking as Clint.

“It looked like to me that the guy was starting to pick her up,” Clint said. “I don’t know whether he meant to hurt her or if he intended to kidnap her. He had already looked in her locker because her few possessions were in disarray. I tried to grab him, but in the scuffle, he broke loose. It was a choice of chasing him or seeing to Jane Doe. I stopped to see if she was all right. She had top priority,” he said, and the others murmured agreement.

“I yelled for help,” Clint continued, “so nurses arrived in a hurry. As soon as they were in the room, I went after the guy, but he’d had a head start and got clean away,” Clint finished grimly.

“You can’t identify him?” Ryan asked, his brown-eyed gaze on Clint.

“No. He was tall enough—around six feet, not heavy, plenty muscular, I could tell that when we struggled for a moment. He had a ski mask pulled over his face so I didn’t get hair color or features before he ran away.”

“Did you ever see him in the light? Even at a distance?” David asked.

Raking his dark brown hair away from his forehead, Clint shook his head. “The only time I glimpsed him in the light was when he was running down a hallway. His back was to me and he wore jeans, a denim jacket and a black ski mask. How generic is that? He had on sneakers. There was nothing distinguishing. All I got was his approximate height, not too heavy, and he was damned strong.”

“Did he get in a car?” Ryan asked, and Clint shook his head.

“He doubled back and I think he went into the hospital again. There are entrances all over that old hospital. It’s been modernized and built onto. I hate to say it, but, guys, I lost him.”

“Nobody’s blaming you,” David said quickly. “You think he went back inside the hospital?”

“Who knows? I told the police about him, and they searched the building and grounds for hours. Some of them are probably still searching. They have guards stationed at various places and one took over for me so I could leave for a time.”

“Do you think the guy was armed?” Alex asked.

“If he was, I didn’t see the weapon,” Clint replied. “I don’t know what he was trying to do with her.”

“Either way, she’s in danger, as we suspected,” David remarked, thinking about Autumn, Marissa and Gertie at his ranch house. Was it as safe as he had led Marissa to believe? he wondered. He shifted in his chair. “Alex, any leads? Have you found out anything else?”

Alex shook his head. “I haven’t turned up one clue. The police haven’t, either. No one seems to be legitimately searching for her. No woman and baby with their description are on any missing persons lists the sheriff has.”

“What about that list of names that was in the bag she carried?”

“I’m working on it, but I can’t find a trace of them.”

David nodded. “I’ve warned Marissa, Gertie and the guys who work for me. Dad’s out of the country and I see no reason to contact him over this.”

“Naw, your dad isn’t mixed in this, I’m sure. But you are,” Clint remarked grimly.

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