Danger and intrigue plague an oil-rich Texas ranch

Who’s trying to kill a rancher’s long-lost daughter?

When a beautiful woman unexpectedly shows up at HG Ranch, foreman Travis Warren gets suspicious. City slicker Scarlett Kistler claims she’s there to meet her dying father—Travis’s boss—but is she just looking for a payday? Several attempts on her life convince Travis she’s innocent, and as unexpected feelings surface, the rancher and the belle must find who wants her dead...at all costs.

KAREN WHIDDON started weaving fanciful tales for her younger brothers at the age of eleven. Amid the gorgeous Catskill Mountains, then the majestic Rocky Mountains, she fueled her imagination with the natural beauty surrounding her. Karen now lives in north Texas, writes full-time and volunteers for a boxer dog rescue. She shares her life with her hero of a husband and four to five dogs, depending on if she is fostering. You can email Karen at kwhiddon1@aol.com. Fans can also check out her website, karenwhiddon.com.

Also By Karen Whiddon

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Texas Secrets, Lovers’ Lies

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The Texan’s Return

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The Texas Soldier’s Son

Texas Ranch Justice

The Coltons of Red Ridge

Colton’s Christmas Cop

The Coltons of Texas

Runaway Colton

The Coltons of Oklahoma

The Temptation of Dr. Colton

The Coltons: Return to Wyoming

A Secret Colton Baby

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk.

Texas Ranch Justice

Karen Whiddon

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-09385-9

TEXAS RANCH JUSTICE

© 2019 Karen Whiddon

Published in Great Britain 2019

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

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Version: 2020-03-02

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“Would you like to learn how to ride?” Travis asked, surprising himself. “It’s not that difficult and I have a couple of older, well-trained horses that would be perfect for a beginner to learn on.”

Tilting her head, Scarlett considered his offer. “And you’d be willing to teach me?”

“Yep.” Though doing so would entail them spending more time together, he didn’t reckon it would take that long. She just needed to know the basics, not anything fancy.

“I think I’d like that.” The mischievous sparkle in her emerald eyes should have warned him. “As long as you promise to be civil.”

“Civil?” He frowned. “I’ve gone out of my way to be—”

“I’m kidding.” She cut him off with a wide grin. When she placed her hand on his leg, he knew he was in trouble. “You don’t have to take everything so seriously.”

Though logistically impossible, her fingers seared his skin through his jeans. He was staring down at her, her lovely face raised to his, laughter curving her sensuous mouth...

* * *

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Dear Reader,

Imagine growing up without the slightest idea of your father’s name. And then, in the midst of grief over losing your mother, she gives you one last gift—his identity. This is what happens to Scarlett Kistler, and when she travels to the small town of Anniversary, Texas, to meet him, she gains so much more than a father.

Travis Warren has been a rancher ever since he could walk. Raised by his stepfather, Hal, he has taken on everything during Hal’s illness. With big oil companies wanting to drill on the land and disrupt their way of life, the last thing Travis wants or needs is a Southern belle showing up on their doorstep claiming she’s Hal’s daughter.

In the days that follow, when it seems like someone is trying to either scare Scarlett off or hurt her, will Travis step up and do what he always does, take someone in need under his wing? Or will the sexual lure she presents be too much for him since he’s already had his heart broken by a city girl? The ranch is his life and he’ll do whatever he has to in order to preserve that.

Trying to make up for lost years with a dying man, Scarlett, too, tries to resist the pull of attraction Travis presents. But she’s never been a quitter and any attempts to scare her off make her more determined to stay. The rewards are greater than she ever could have imagined.

If you like a good mystery, a Texas ranch and a sexy rancher, you’ll enjoy this story. I sure enjoyed writing it.

Happy reading!

Karen Whiddon

To the caregivers. All those nursing a parent, spouse or child through a serious illness. I know how hard it is. It’s the purest demonstration of love.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Introduction

Dear Reader

Dedication

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

About the Publisher

Chapter 1

The next time he heard the words oil well mentioned with the same sort of breathless tone used when speaking of “sweet tea” or Jesus, Travis Warren thought he might just lose what little shred of self-control he had left.

It wasn’t bad enough that he did the work of three men along with a small, handpicked crew of ranch hands, trying to keep the HG Ranch afloat. Or that he’d given up his privacy and allowed his mother, sister and five-year-old nephew to move in with him in the small foreman’s house he previously occupied alone. In addition to that, he had the monumental worry about his stepfather, Hal Gardner, who appeared to be wasting away while not a single doctor could come to a consensus as to what might be wrong with him.

Hal was just as opposed as Travis to allowing an oil company to take over even one-half acre of his land. In fact, as owner of the HG, he’d insisted he didn’t want to hear another word about allowing drilling.

At least that decree shut everyone up. As long as Hal was around. But the rest of the family as well as most of the neighboring townsfolk felt no compulsion to be quiet around Travis. In fact, his own mother, Vivian, continued to act as if making a deal with Wave Oil Company would be their salvation. Quite frankly, the notion made Travis feel sick.

For Travis, working hard and looking after his own was a matter of pride. For over fifty years, his seventy-eight-year-old stepfather, Hal, had managed to keep the HG Ranch going as a profitable cattle operation. Travis planned to do the same, without any help from any oil company or their money. Right now, a company called Wave Oil was pushing hard for the right to drill on Hal’s and several of the other ranchers’ land. Hal had already said no, privately confiding to Travis that he’d continue to do so until the day he died. Which unfortunately might be sooner than either of them would like.

Wave Oil and their offers of easy money had managed to divide the town. The townsfolk, those without stakes to the land, were all for it. They liked the idea of more jobs and money being spent in downtown Anniversary. As for the ranchers and farmers, almost every single one of them had refused. They’d even banded together in order to present a solid front. Travis just kept hoping the commotion would die down, the oil people would move on to another town and life could return to normal. Or as normal as it could be with Hal so sick.

Ideally Travis preferred to spend most of his time outside, whether working cattle or repairing fences, but these days he made sure to take breakfast, lunch and dinner a couple of times a week at the main house, so he could make sure Hal ate. They’d hired a day nursing-housekeeping aide named Delilah, who helped out between ten and five. She’d turned out to be irreplaceable.

The rest of the time either Travis’s mother, Vivian, or his sister, Amber, poked their heads in to check on Hal and keep things running smoothly.

Even though Vivian and Hal had been divorced for five years, they’d remained friendly. Which was helpful, especially since Vivian continued to live on the ranch, staying with Travis in the foreman’s house. Travis had just started to get used to having her there when his sister, Amber, had arrived back home a year ago. She’d been sad and angry and a little needy, smarting from her own failed relationship, and Travis couldn’t say no. Especially since she’d come with her young son, Will, in tow. Having a five-year-old boy around had been an unexpected bonus, and Travis treasured the relationship he had with his nephew.

These days, the only peace and quiet Travis could find was on horseback, working on the ranch. He had a full house and no one seemed to have the slightest inclination to move out. To be honest, Travis wasn’t sure he wanted them to. He’d gotten a little lonely with the place all to himself, especially after his fiancée had broken off the engagement. These days it felt good to have family to spend time with. Between the ranch and his stepfather, Travis considered his life to be mostly full, even if he didn’t have a life-mate to share it with.

Pulling up to the main house at the end of a hard day’s work, he sat in his truck for a moment and admired it. The stately Victorian farmhouse could use some work, but it still managed to appear inviting. He particularly loved the wide front porch. As a kid, he’d spent plenty of time there, watching while Hal made homemade ice cream, or rocking in one of the big rockers while watching a storm sweep in from the west. If he ever built his own place, he planned to make sure it had a porch just like it.

He entered the main house just as Hal slammed the old-fashioned rotary telephone back in its cradle. The old rancher slumped in his wheelchair, wheezing for air. Immediately, Travis rushed over, kneeling down next to him. “Are you all right? Where’s Delilah?”

“I banished her to the kitchen.” Straightening, Hal frowned and scratched his head. “I told her to go away and quit treating me like an invalid. That goes for you too, so get up and quit acting like I’m about to keel over at any second.”

Hal preferred everyone to pretend he wasn’t sick. Travis got it. He figured he’d probably be the same way if he were in Hal’s shoes. Pushing to his feet, he squeezed his stepfather’s bony shoulder. “She should know better,” he said. Hal’s breathing seemed better, so Travis relaxed a little. “Who called?”

“Damn oil company again.” Grimacing, Hal wheeled himself over to his spot in front of the television, which was currently off. “Nightly News with Lester Holt comes on in a few minutes.”

Which was his way of saying he wanted to be left alone. Fine. As long as daylight remained, there was work to be done. Travis glanced at his watch, then headed outside to check on the barn. One of his best mares was due to foal at any time, and he’d stationed a couple of teenagers inside the barn, with instructions to fetch him immediately if she showed signs of labor.

Once outside, Travis dragged his hand across his jaw and then strode out toward the barn. He’d been keeping tabs on Hal for years, even before the older man had gotten sick. They were close, in the way of firm-jawed, silent types. Travis admired him and looked up to him. Though not related by blood, he considered the older man his father, and knew Hal felt the same.

Several times over the last few years, Travis had stepped in and kept Hal from getting bilked of what remained of his savings. The older man believed in living simply, much to the dismay of his ex-wife, Travis’s mother, Vivian. And since she’d signed a prenup agreement before they’d married, once they divorced, she could do nothing to change that. Still, as Hal aged, he became a frequent target for scammers.

So far, Travis had managed to fend off two religious organizations, one long-lost cousin who’d claimed to have millions in a foreign bank and a few gold-digging women looking for a sugar daddy. It wasn’t that Hal was stupid—far from it—but the old man had a heart of gold. He always tried to see the best in everyone. And if he could help, he’d do his damndest to try.

At least this time, he refused to listen to Wave Oil with their false promises of untold riches and undisturbed land. Travis would be eternally grateful for that.

At the barn, he interrupted the teens giggling and playing games on their phones. Though they assured him nothing had changed, Travis checked on the mare anyway. She still wasn’t ready, though he had a feeling it would be soon. Maybe even tonight. He reminded the boys of their responsibilities, reiterated that they were to call him at the slightest sign of the horse going into labor and left.

Walking back toward the house, he stopped and stared at the cloud of dust heading his way. A little red car, moving much too fast, barreled down the private road toward the entrance to the ranch.

What now? He cursed. He figured it would head past the main house, toward his place, most likely to visit either his mother or sister. One of them likely had made a new friend or something. Though usually they took care to give him advance notice so he could stay far, far away.

But no, the car pulled up in front of the main house instead and parked. He couldn’t make out if the visitor was a man or a woman due to the tinted glass.

Until she opened her door. Definitely female. Moving with a long-legged grace that reminded him of a thoroughbred filly, she got out of her little compact car. Huge sunglasses in place, perfectly curled, long black hair swirling around her slender shoulders, everything about her screamed north Dallas. In other words, high society.

A chill snaked up his spine, sweeping over him. He shook it off, still staring, since he was not a man who believed in intuition or omens. Picking up his pace, he beat her to the house and waited, watching as she strode up the sidewalk, her high heels clicking on the cracked cement.

She didn’t acknowledge him until only a few feet separated them, and then she pulled off her dark glasses and met his gaze. Her vivid green eyes were both startling and familiar—he knew only one other person with that exact, unusual shade. Hal.

Again, a feeling that everything was about to change swept over him. He squared his shoulders. Not if he could help it. Like everything else in his life, he’d meet this challenge head-on. Head tilted, he crossed his arms, waiting for her to speak first. When she didn’t, he shook his head. “No point in wasting time. I don’t know how many times we have to tell you people to stay off our property. The answer is still no. Now go on and get back in your car and head back toward town.”

With that, he turned and went inside, closing the door behind him with her still standing silently out on the front porch.

And then he waited. Though he doubted it, he really hoped she’d get back into her car and leave, exactly as he’d told her to.

Of course she didn’t. A sharp knock on the front door made him curse under his breath. The sound startled Hal awake in his recliner. “Well?” he demanded, his faded green eyes bright as he stared at Travis. “Are you going to answer that?”

Damn. He’d been hoping to keep Hal out of yet another confrontation with someone from Wave Oil. Reluctantly, Travis nodded. Though both he and Hal had told them in no uncertain terms to stay off the property, clearly they’d once again completely ignored his wishes.

Taking a deep breath, he yanked open the door to glare at the dark-haired young woman standing there, coolly composed in her formfitting dress and high heels. Ignoring the instant tug of attraction, he glared at her.

“I thought I asked you to leave,” he said. The coldness in his tone should have warned her he wouldn’t be amenable to a sales pitch, no matter how much she fluttered her pretty green eyes.

“Well, that’s not really up to you, now is it? I’m here to see Mr. Hal Gardner,” she drawled, appearing not the least bit put out. He couldn’t place her Southern accent, though it definitely wasn’t East Texas, that’s for sure. Out of state, most likely. Alabama, Tennessee, maybe even Mississippi or Georgia. Another spark of interest, which again he immediately quashed.

“For the one hundredth time, he isn’t interested. Stay off our land.” He started to close the heavy door, but she slipped one pointy-toed, clearly expensive, patent leather high-heeled shoe inside to prevent him from doing that.

“What do you think you’re doing?” He stared at her foot in disbelief.

“So sorry,” she drawled. Her clearly false smile lit up her heart-shaped face, making her emerald eyes sparkle. “While I’m not sure why you think I’m here, I can tell you Mr. Gardner isn’t even aware of my existence. Therefore, there’s no way you can truthfully state he’s not interested. Maybe you should give him the chance to meet me and decide for himself. Now if you don’t mind fetching him...?”

Fetching? Any other time, any other place, any other man might have fallen for her over-the-top feminine charm, but Travis was immune. He’d learned the hard way that women like her and men like him wouldn’t work.

“For Pete’s sake, Travis. Let her in,” Hal ordered, his cantankerous tone curious. “I want to hear what she has to say.”

Though he didn’t want to, Travis opened the door wider and stepped aside so she could enter.

“Thank you,” she said, confidently moving past him, close enough that he caught a whiff of her scent, something exotic and floral. Heels clicking on the wood floors, she walked with an easy sort of grace, both innocent and confidently sensual. Desire hit him low in the gut, which irritated him, though it didn’t come as a surprise. No matter what she wanted, she was a gorgeous, sexy woman. Even men like him couldn’t ignore such flawless beauty.

* * *

Heartbeat echoing in her eardrums, Scarlett stepped into the old Victorian house, admiring the polished wooden floors. A million times she’d pictured the man who’d sired her, even though her childhood fantasies eventually became replaced with teenaged bitterness and, finally, adult acceptance. She’d never met him and hadn’t even known his name. Until she’d found her mother’s diary after her death and finally learned his name and address.

Hal Gardner of Anniversary, Texas.

Though at first she’d been frozen in fear, how could she not go meet him? She’d made the trip out west as fast as she could. Finally, here she stood. Hopeful, and trying not to be. Yearning, yet telling herself she’d made it thirty years without him, so it wouldn’t hurt at all if he refused to acknowledge her and ordered her to leave as the handsome younger man had.

“In here,” the tall, grumpy guy ordered, turning and leading the way. “He’s in the living room.”

Trailing along after him, she caught her breath at her first glimpse of a man who could only be her father. Sitting in front of the TV in a wheelchair. He looked frail, old, and she could see that he was ill from the pallor of his skin, the way his green eyes—the exact shade as her own—seemed to burn too brightly in his wan and lined face.

He wore his thinning gray hair combed to one side. His too skinny body appeared almost skeletal, though his smile seemed friendly enough. She caught a hint of skepticism in his expression, as though he also believed she might be here to try to sell him something.

Deliberately, she kept her expression neutral, though her steps faltered for a second before she regained her equilibrium.

“Well, ain’t you a pretty one,” the old man drawled. “Now tell me you ain’t with Wave Oil so I don’t have to throw you out.”

Suddenly struck dumb, she shook her head. “I’m not,” she managed. She’d rehearsed a speech a bunch of times while she’d searched for him. All of that seemed woefully inadequate now.

Cocking his grizzled head, he continued to study her. “You look awfully familiar. Like someone I used to know, many years ago.”

Finally, she found her voice. “My name is Scarlett. Scarlett Kistler. People always said I’m the spitting image of my mother, Maggie. Maggie Kistler.”

When she said her mama’s name, Hal stiffened. Suddenly alert, watchful even as he slid his gaze over her once more. “Maggie,” he breathed. “You do look an awful lot like her. Maggie Kistler was the love of my life.” He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat. “Now there’s a name from the past. I always wondered what became of her.”

For the first time she realized her mother’s death might come as a shock to him. “She passed away,” she said softly. “Not all that long ago.”

He stared at her, disbelief and perhaps a brief flash of pain in his expression. “Was she ill? She wasn’t very old.”

Younger than he, that’s what he meant, Scarlett figured.

“She had breast cancer,” she said, her voice still going shaky when she said the awful words. She’d think she’d be used to the idea by now. She’d helped her mother fight for the last year and a half, and the word cancer had become an integral part of their vocabulary.

A shadow crossed his face. “Cancer. I hate cancer,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. He turned his face, giving her his hawklike profile while a muscle worked in his too-thin cheek.

Wondering if he also had some sort of cancer, she waited silently, not sure what to say. Her mother’s passing had drained her, made her realize she was now completely and utterly alone in the world. Without family. Until she’d found the diary, buried deep in a box of old photographs and mementos in the back of her mother’s closet. She’d realized she wasn’t actually alone. She had him. Her father. Whether he wanted to be or not. For the first time she wondered if he’d even been aware of her existence.

Finally, he swiveled his head to look at her again. “Why have you come here?” he rasped. “Surely you didn’t travel all this way to bring me news of her death.”

“No,” she admitted, glancing toward the doorway to see that the other man had remained, standing in a defensive stance just inside the doorway. As if he thought she might attempt bodily harm on the old man and he might have to jump in and perform a rescue. She wished he would leave, but lacked the nerve to ask him to go. Instead, she squared her shoulders and turned back to face the old man in the wheelchair.

“When my mother left you, she was pregnant,” she told him, holding her chin high and hoping her voice didn’t quiver with nerves. “I’m realizing you might not have been aware of that.” Another deep breath. Steady, steady. “That’s why I’m here. I wanted to meet you. I’m your daughter.”

Hal stared, his mouth working. “No,” he said faintly. “She wouldn’t have done that to me.”

Behind her, she was conscious of the other man moving into the room and toward her. A gesture from Hal’s age-spotted hand stopped him.

Scarlett refused to look away from her father, fully expecting him to deny her, demand proof, a DNA test. She wouldn’t blame him. Here she was, showing up after thirty years, a grown child he hadn’t even known he had.

“Why?” The plaintive question tore at her heart. “Why wouldn’t she have at least let me know?”

“I’m not sure. She was a proud woman,” she said softly. “She never even told me your name. All she would say was that she’d loved you once.”

Pain formed new creases in the loose skin on his face. He swore, looking away and covering his face with his shaking hands.

“You need to go.” The younger man grabbed her arm. “Don’t be bothering him with your ridiculous claims.”

Furious, she jerked away, glaring up at him. “Don’t even think you can sum up my life that way. I came here to meet this man—my father. This has nothing to do with you, whoever you are.”

Eyes hard, he started to speak.

“Wait,” Hal interceded. “She’s right, Travis. This is private, between the two of us.”

The other man shook his head. He wouldn’t go easy, she saw. “Don’t let her come in here and try to con you. I’m not sure what she wants, but she wants something. I can see right through her. She’s a gold digger, nothing more.”

“A gold digger?” She glanced around the room with its threadbare carpet and worn furniture in disbelief.

He snorted, opening his mouth again. Hal’s sharp bark of laughter forestalled him.

Her first reaction was hurt, that he found her somehow amusing. Her second, alarm as his laughter segued into a wheeze, then a round of jagged coughing that appeared to steal his breath away, making him gasp for air.

She rushed over, ignoring the other man completely. Once she reached the wheelchair, she wasn’t sure what to do. She settled for patting Hal’s hunched back as if he was a small child, making soothing sounds while praying he wouldn’t choke to death or something.

After a moment, he recovered. Swiping at his eyes with his gnarled fists, he flashed her a wan smile. “I want you to stay and visit awhile.”

The other man made a sound of protest, which both Scarlett and Hal ignored.

“You must be hungry,” Hal said. “After such a long trip. Let’s go into the kitchen and I’ll have my nurse’s aide make you something to eat.”

Nurse’s aide. She wanted to ask out loud if he was ill, though the question seemed so superfluous since he clearly was. With what, she didn’t know, though maybe he’d tell her.

Her mother had been much younger than him, so much so that Maggie had written in her diary that the two of them had kept their affair secret. She’d wanted to marry, but Hal had refused, saying it wouldn’t be fair in the future, when he’d become an old man and she remained a young woman still.

This had only served to break Maggie’s heart. She’d believed their love could easily have survived such a test. Clearly, Hal had felt otherwise.

Scarlett followed the wheelchair into the kitchen, marveling at how easily he controlled it with his stick-thin arms. This room too had clearly seen better times. The faded linoleum had begun to crack and chip, and the wooden cabinets were scratched and dull.

She almost shook her head at the other man’s earlier comment. Why would she attempt to take anything from someone who clearly had so little? Her mother had left her wanting for nothing—their little home paid for, along with the proceeds from a nice life insurance policy. She had more than enough to open her own art gallery, a long-term goal of hers.

The nurse appeared, a stout, dusky-skinned, stern-faced woman with a mop of curly black hair. Seeing Scarlett, she smiled, which totally transformed her face. “A visitor!” she exclaimed, sounding delighted. “It’s been so long since someone came to see Mr. Hal. Have a seat, let me get you a tall glass of sweet tea.”

Smiling back, Scarlett pulled out a chair. “Thank you, I’d like that.”

“And something to eat,” Hal put in. “Please, Delilah. She’s come a long way to get here and I’ll bet she’s starving.”

“Definitely.” Delilah glanced toward the other room. “What about Travis? Will he be joining us?”

Travis. So that was the other man’s name. Who was he exactly? Did he work for her father or was Travis Hal’s son, her half-brother? She watched Hal carefully, curious to hear his answer.

“I think he went out to the barn,” Hal finally said. Catching Scarlett’s gaze, he grimaced. “Don’t mind him. He feels he has to look out for everyone, particularly me.”

“Does he work here?” she asked.

Hal smiled. “He’s my stepson and, yes, he runs the place.”

Stepson. So not related. She only nodded.

“Tell me about yourself,” Hal urged, covering her hand with his. The gnarled and age-spotted fingers made her inexplicably feel like crying. “After all, I have thirty years to catch up on.”

Delilah placed two plates in front of them. Huge sandwiches, overflowing with chicken and lettuce and tomato, as well as a generous dollop of potato salad, and a pickle. She beamed at Scarlett as she placed tall, sweating glasses of iced tea on the table. “Y’all let me know if you need anything else, okay?”

“This looks fantastic,” Scarlett said. “Thank you so much.”

Looking from one to the other, Hal nodded. “Yes, thank you, Delilah.”

“You’re welcome. Now, Scarlett, how long are you staying? Would you like me to make up one of the guest beds for her, Mr. Hal?”

“Please,” he rasped, before eyeing Scarlett. “If that’s all right with you? I’d really like you to stay as long as you like.”

“I’d love that,” she responded softly. “And Delilah, I don’t want to make extra work for you. If you’ll just leave the linens on the dresser, I can make the bed up myself.”

“As if,” the older woman sniffed. “Not in my lifetime. I’ll get everything ready for you myself.” She bustled off without a backward glance.

Hal chuckled, but his smile disappeared the instant the nurse was out of sight. Grimacing, he pushed his plate away. “She keeps trying to get me to eat, even though she’s a nurse and should know better. It’s hard for me to eat much these days.”

Scarlett squeezed his hand. “Please try, for me. You’ve got to keep your strength up so you can get better.”

Though a slight frown creased his forehead, as if her comment baffled him, he didn’t argue. Instead, he released her fingers and made a show out of lifting up his own sandwich. He took a huge bite, winking at her, and then nearly gagged as he tried to swallow.

Concerned, she jumped out of her chair and went around to pat him on the back. “Are you all right? Should I call Delilah?”

“I’m fine,” he rasped, eyes watering as he waved her away. “Just swallowed wrong. Sit down and enjoy your food.”

Heart still pounding, she sat back down. Still watching Hal closely, she picked up her sandwich, struggling to keep parts of it from falling out. Her stomach rumbled as she took a big bite. Not wanting to appear ravenous, which she was, she chewed slowly, even though she wanted to wolf the entire thing down.

Some of the tightness in her chest eased as Hal took another, much smaller bite. Maybe this was going to be all right after all.

It appeared she’d be staying. As she walked out to her car to retrieve her bags, she resisted the urge to do a happy jig. Honestly, she’d been hoping her father would invite her to spend some time getting to know him. There was nothing like the death of the person you believed to be your only parent to make one feel rudderless and alone.

Grief slammed into her. She missed her mama. Maggie had been fascinating and lively, a bright light in Scarlett’s world. She had also been mercurial, flitting from one thing to another as her interest dictated. But she’d loved Scarlett fiercely, and the two of them had been close. Maggie had supported Scarlett’s interest in the arts, even when another parent might have insisted she get her degree in something practical, like business or education.

And now Maggie was gone too soon, though she’d fought long and hard. Scarlett had been forced to bury her terror and sorrow, offering her support as she watched her vivacious flame of a mother burn down to a smoldering ember, and finally ashes.

Learning about her father had pulled Scarlett away from the depths of her grief. Even though she hadn’t realized Hal was sick. From the looks of him, whatever ailed him was serious.

Dagnab it, she wasn’t sure she had the fortitude to go through this again. Right now, she knew she’d do whatever it took to get Hal well. With or without the taciturn Travis’s support.

Chapter 2

After Hal informed him Scarlett would be staying in the main house for as long as she wanted, Travis took himself home. He didn’t say a word to Vivian or Amber about Hal’s visitor. They’d find out about her soon enough and he didn’t feel up to attempting to answer all their questions. Especially since he knew so little himself.

Scarlett Kistler. Gorgeous, sexy and totally out of her league on a working cattle ranch. Was she really Hal’s daughter? Her eyes were the same shape and color as his, but otherwise Travis saw little resemblance. Regardless, this woman, with her bright green eyes and her false air of sincerity, had come at the worst possible time, right as Hal appeared to be losing his battle with whatever mysterious illness attacked his body.

To be objective, on the plus side, as Hal neared the end of his journey, Scarlett’s appearance offered him the one thing he’d always craved and never had. Family. Despite the fact that Travis considered Hal his father, and vice versa, Travis would always only be a stepson. He wasn’t blood, wasn’t true kin. Though Hal had never said so to Travis, he’d told Vivian that the lack of a son or daughter of his own was one of his biggest regrets. Vivian, who never could keep a secret to save her life, had passed this on to Travis without a thought for how this knowledge might make him feel.

Most days, Travis tried not to think about not being Hal’s actual son. When he’d been younger, he’d often hoped the rancher would adopt him, but Hal never had. And now, it was too late. He couldn’t change anything, and things were what they were. He’d do as he always did—work hard and take care of Hal and the others as best he could. If this dark-haired newcomer brought Hal happiness, Travis wasn’t one to begrudge him that.

And if Scarlett had ulterior motives for being there, hopefully she’d look around the decaying Victorian and realize Hal didn’t have ready access to huge sums of money. Most of his savings had been depleted trying to find out what was wrong with him.

As for his assets... There was the ranch, of course. And the livestock. Oh, and the fact that oil had been found on neighboring pastures. Once she learned about that moneymaking potential, she’d probably be all over the oil company’s offers like a flea on a dog. Vivian and Amber certainly were.

Travis couldn’t worry about that. He had enough on his shoulders as it stood. No matter whether Scarlett was the real deal or not, her very presence had the potential to break Hal’s heart.

Damned if he’d let it get to that. For now, he’d keep an eye on her. But the second she gave the slightest inclination toward trying to use Hal in any way, Travis would immediately put a stop to it. He’d get rid of her, offer her money, whatever it took. And make sure she told a good, believable story so Hal would be none the wiser.

The next morning, up before sunrise as usual, he chugged down a large cup of strong black coffee and ate his usual breakfast of eggs, bacon and toast. Though he normally stopped by and had breakfast with Hal, he wasn’t up for dealing with Scarlett first thing before starting his day.

Like always, he had a long list of chores to take care of. Today, he planned to repair some fence line on one of the remote pastures. Most of those were best accomplished on horseback. Eager to get started, he saddled up his best gelding and headed out.

Riding always soothed away any ill temper or worries. The motion of the horse under his saddle, the connection he shared with the animal, felt better than driving any machine made by man. He checked on some fence line under repair before joining up with a couple of ranch hands bringing in a herd of cattle. By the time they’d gotten them into the new pasture, he was tired and dirty and hungry. And it wasn’t even much past noon yet.

He headed back in, figuring he’d stop by and see Hal and have lunch. Might as well check on how things were going between the old rancher and his new daughter.

When he reached the barn, he saw Scarlett perched on a bale of straw. Today, she wore another brightly colored dress and bright red high-heeled shoes. She looked both exotic and completely out of place. And much more beautiful than she had a right to be.

For all intents and purposes, she appeared to be waiting for him. Ignoring the way his heart skipped a beat at the sight of her, he rode past, deliberately ignoring her while he dismounted. He tied the reins to a hook outside the stall and removed his saddle, which he carried over to the saddle rack. Returning, he dipped his chin in a small nod of greeting and began brushing down his mount.

He knew the instant she got up and came around to stand silently behind him, though he pretended not to notice. He hated the way his body hummed with hyperawareness of her presence, as if he’d merely been sleepwalking and only came awake when she was near.

But then again, beautiful women had always been his weakness. A blessing and a curse. Once, when he’d cared enough to actually try to attract them, they’d flocked to him like moths to a flame.

Now he knew better. Beautiful women were nothing but trouble. Trouble and a world of hurt. These days, he managed to avoid them. He’d even stopped dating, having neither the time nor the inclination to have his heart shattered again.

Luckily, he kept an iron grip on his self-control.

Still, having Scarlett watch him without speaking managed to make him feel uncomfortable. He pretended to be entirely focused on his task, refusing to allow her to bother him.

Only once he had the horse taken care of and back in the stall did he turn and face her.

“Hi,” she said, offering a friendly smile. “You seemed so engrossed in brushing your horse that I didn’t want to disturb you. I’m guessing you love working with your hands.”

Suggestive? Whether intentional or not, when he raised one eyebrow at her comment, she blushed. Strangely enough, this actually made him like her a little better.

He decided to ignore what she’d just said. “Is there something I can help you with?” Direct and to the point. Much better than asking her what the hell she was doing in his barn.

“Yes.” She met his gaze dead on. “I came out here to talk to you. Hal said you’re his stepson as well as his foreman. I guess that kind of makes us kin.”

“Kin?” He shuddered. “Not hardly. Hal and I aren’t related at all. Now what did you need to talk to me about?”

When she didn’t immediately respond, he braced himself, figuring whatever it was would probably be a doozy.

“I just thought...” She looked down, twisting her hands as she let her words trail away. He almost felt a pang of sympathy—almost—before reminding himself that he needed to be wary around her.

“I just thought we might be friends.” When she lifted her face to his, the raw vulnerability in her green eyes had him taking a step toward her before he realized.

“Friends?” he repeated, dazed at how close he’d come to letting down his guard. “Why?”

“Why not?” She smiled, the beauty of which made his mouth go dry. “I’m getting to know my father. I didn’t even know about him for most of my life, so he and I have a lot of catching up to do. Hal asked me to stay awhile and I’ve accepted. Clearly, you care about him. And he you.” Still smiling, she shrugged. “I just think it would be easier if we all got along.”

“Delilah mentioned that you’d be staying awhile. Let me ask you something. Did Hal ask for a DNA test?”

She recoiled, almost as if he’d slapped her. “No. But if he does, I’ll be perfectly willing to have one done.”

“Good. I’ll be sure to mention it to him.” He kept his tone friendly. “After all, that’s the only definitive way to know you’re actually his daughter.”

Though she narrowed her eyes, she still didn’t look away. “Why don’t you like me? You don’t even know me.”

“Does it matter?” he asked.

“Yes.”

He shrugged. “Look, I don’t dislike you. As you pointed out, I don’t know you. I just don’t trust you.”

“Again, I have to ask why?”

He decided to be blunt. “I protect Hal. That’s what I do. I might not be able to stop his illness, or even identify it. But I can keep him away from people who want to hurt him or use him. Do you understand?”

“I do.” She didn’t even blink. “And since I have no intention of doing either, you have nothing to fear from me.”

“Fear? Interesting choice of words.”

This made her groan, clearly frustrated. “Oh, please. Give me a break.”

To his surprise, he realized she’d managed to coax a reluctant smile from him. He immediately turned that into a frown. “I’m guessing you feel I should just take you at your word. I promise, I’ll be watching you. So help me, it won’t look good for you if you try to take advantage of a dying man.”

She froze. “Dying? What do you mean, exactly? I know he seems ill, and he has a nurse, but...”

“We don’t know what’s wrong with him. We’ve had every test run and the doctors can’t figure it out.” He decided to be brutally honest. “We’ve had him checked out at MD Anderson also. It’s definitely not cancer. But whatever it is, it’s killing him. We’ve hired a nurse to be here during the day since he’s not yet at the point of needing help 24/7, but he’s already been authorized for hospice care.”

“Hospice care?” She blanched as she said the words. “But that means...”

“Yes, his doctor has certified that he probably has less than six months to live.”

“Damn.” Closing her eyes, she swayed. “I went through this with my mother.” When she opened them again, he was surprised to see the sheen of unshed tears. “It’s horrible,” she said, her mouth working. “And hard. So damn painful.”

“Yes. It is.” At the powerful urge to hold her and comfort her, he clenched his hands into fists, resisting. “Which is why someone—a total stranger—showing up claiming to be his daughter is the last thing he needs.”

“I disagree. He’s my father,” she insisted. “And I might be a stranger right now, but once he gets to know me, things will be different. We’re family.” She lifted her chin. “You know, everyone needs family, especially in times like these.”

He guessed she had no way of knowing that sounded exactly like something Hal might have said.

“I’m not getting through to you,” he began.

Crossing her arms, she stared at him, disappointment and confusion warring in her expression. “No, you’re not. I don’t see your point. If I can bring a little happiness to Hal when he’s so ill, then what’s the harm?”

“What do you get out of it?”

To his surprise, she considered his question seriously. “Me? Well, I missed out on having a father my entire life. I really want to get to know him while I can.”

Still, he couldn’t help but notice the way she said nothing about an inheritance. People just didn’t show up out of the blue at the very end of a formerly rich man’s life without a good reason. And in most, if not all, cases this reason was money.

His only consolation was that Hal was no fool. If anyone could be convinced to see through a shakedown, Travis would convince Hal. He’d done it before. He’d do it again.

“Don’t you have your own home to go to?” Another cruel question, another deliberate attempt to get her to reveal the truth. “I know you said your mother had recently died, but surely at your age, you’d long ago moved out.”

Rather than annoying her, this made her smile. “Like you have?” she asked. “Or is my impression that you still live on the premises entirely wrong?”

“Touché.” He gave a two-finger salute to the brim of his cowboy hat. “But I’m the ranch foreman and I live in the foreman’s quarters. Which is where the foreman always lives. In addition, I support my mother and my sister and her son. They moved in with me.”

She jerked her head in a nod. “You know, for someone who claims to care about Hal, you appear to be focused on the negatives. I think having me here will be good for him.”

“Maybe,” he allowed. “I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.”

“Exactly. Until then, how about we call a truce?”

A truce. “I’ll think about it. How long are you planning on staying?”

The tension in her shoulders softened. “I don’t know. As long as he’ll have me.”

He nodded. “A truce it is.” He allowed himself a slight smile. “Since you’re going to be around here awhile, you’ll need to meet the rest of the family.”

“The rest of the family?”

Clearly, she hadn’t expected there to be others. He nearly laughed out loud. “Yes, there’s Hal’s ex-wife, my mother, Vivian. And my younger sister, Amber, and her son, Will. He’s five. As I mentioned, they all live with me.”

Her expression cleared. “That means I have extended family, sort of. I know you find this hard to believe, but I’m delighted.”

Delighted?

“You haven’t met them yet. Come on.” He reached a rapid decision. Maybe once she met the others, she’d realize it wouldn’t be so simple to scam the old man.

He held out his arm. “There’s no better time than the present.”

“Now?” She didn’t move. “You want me to meet them right now?”

“Sure, why not?” He gave her a look plainly daring her to chicken out. “You want family, you’ve got family. My house is on the property. It’s not far at all.”

Since he hadn’t really given her a choice, she took his arm. “I’d rather freshen up first,” she said.

“No need. They won’t be expecting you and even if they were, we don’t put on airs. We’re just down-home country people.” Sort of. His mother was an avid churchgoer who loved to gossip, drink, smoke and play bingo. His sister was...he didn’t know what. A vampire wannabe? And then there was his nephew, Will. Most awesome five-year-old ever. Travis loved that kid.

He took Scarlett over to his truck, opening the passenger side door and helping her climb up before going around to the driver’s side. She seemed slightly nervous, twisting her hands over and over in her lap. She didn’t speak again as he started the truck and they drove down the bumpy dirt road toward the part of the ranch where he lived.

The foreman’s house had once been the main ranch house, sixty some-odd years ago. Hal had been born in the rectangular wood-and-stone house. He had built his own house and moved out. His parents had lived there until their deaths, at which time Hal had decided to use the place for his ranch foreman. Travis was the third foreman to take up residence there. He’d had the place to himself for a couple of years before Hal and Vivian had divorced. These days, Vivian considered the place hers.

A few minutes later, they pulled up in the short gravel drive and he killed the engine. She didn’t move, not even to unbuckle her seat belt.

“Are you okay?” he asked quietly, resisting the utterly strange urge to reach out and cup her chin in his hand.

She blinked. “Sure.” Shooting him a brilliant smile, she unclipped her seat belt and opened the door.

Shaking his head, he got out after her. She waited at the end of the sidewalk, her shoulders back and her head held high. He got the strangest sense she was putting on an act, playing a role, though he didn’t know her well enough to say for sure.

Whatever. She’d need all the help she could get once Vivian got a hold of her.

At the front door, he glanced once more at Scarlett. She flashed him an eager smile, looking as if he was about to give her the best Christmas present in the history of the world.

Inhaling, he squared his shoulders and opened the door.

Once inside, the sound of the television blaring greeted them. Judge Judy or one of those other courtroom shows his mother and sister seemed to find so fascinating. But the small living room was empty.

Travis debated calling out, but Vivian hated being called Mom or Mother, so he didn’t. “Maybe they’re in the kitchen,” he said instead. They trooped into the kitchen, where his sister, Amber, sat at the table playing games on her phone. With black lipstick and fingernails, her fondness for heavy eyeliner and mascara, and bright red lipstick, she looked as out of place on the ranch as Scarlett did, though for entirely different reasons.

“Hey,” Travis said, resisting the urge to irritate her and ruffle her hair like he used to when they’d been younger.

“Hey,” she grunted, without even looking up.

“Where’s Will?”

At the sound of his name, the five-year-old dynamo rushed into the room, throwing himself at Travis’s legs. “Unca Travis!” he squealed.

Travis picked him up and swung him around. Will giggled, his brown eyes wide and excited. They grew even rounder when he caught sight of Scarlett when Travis set him back on his feet.

“Who are you?” he demanded, tilting his head and studying her. “You’re pretty.”

“Thank you,” she replied, smiling. “My name is Scarlett.”

The sound of another female voice must have registered. Amber glanced up from her phone, frowning. “New girlfriend?”

Travis laughed. “No. She’s a friend of Hal’s.”

“A friend?” The emphasis Amber put on the word made Travis laugh again.

“Not that kind of friend.”

“Good.” Amber raked her gaze over Scarlett once more. With her heavy black eyeliner and several layers of mascara, the effect made her appear owlish rather than menacing. “She looks kind of young to be his friend.”

“She is standing right here,” Scarlett put in coolly. She held out her hand. “I’m Scarlett.”

After a second’s hesitation, Amber shook her hand. “Amber. And this is my son, Will.”

“We’ve met.” After ruffling the boy’s hair, Scarlett looked around the cluttered kitchen with interest. “I love the color scheme.”

Travis managed to suppress a snort. Right. With green cabinets, orange walls and beige countertops, the kitchen looked like it had been decorated by an insane artist on drugs. For all he knew, it had.

“Where’s...?”

“Vivian?” Amber yawned, making her disdain and boredom clear. “She’s getting ready for bingo. I’m guessing she didn’t know we were having company.”

“Oh, you’re not,” Scarlett put in. “Having company, that is. Don’t think of me as company. After all, I’m going to be staying here awhile.”

“Here?” Amber’s eyes widened in black-smudged horror. “Where are you planning on sleeping?” She cut her gaze to Travis and then back again. “Oh. Sorry. I didn’t realize you two were a couple.”

Travis couldn’t help laughing again as he waited for Scarlett to deny it.

“We’re not.” Scarlett sounded calm, rather than flustered, which disappointed him. “I’m staying at Hal’s place.”

“Hal’s place?” Amber narrowed her heavily made-up eyes.

“That’s right.” Scarlett glanced at Travis. “We should probably go. I promised to help Delilah this afternoon.”

“But you just got here,” Amber said.

“And you haven’t met Vivian,” Travis put in. “You definitely need to get to know her if you plan on hanging around the ranch. She knows everything and everyone.” He raised his voice to be heard over the TV. “Vivian!”

“What?” Vivian came bouncing into the room, the movement graceful despite her recent knee replacement surgery. She stopped short the instant she caught sight of Scarlett. “Who’s this?” she asked, glancing from Travis to Scarlett and back again. “Do you have a new friend?”

Even though friend was how she referred to her gentlemen callers, Travis knew Scarlett had no idea. Even so, he shook his head. “She’s here to visit with Hal.”

“Hal?” Vivian’s perfectly arched brows rose even higher. “You can’t be serious.”

Again, Travis found himself laughing out loud. He hadn’t had so much cause to find things humorous in a long time, at least since Hal had gotten sick. “Not like that,” he began.

Scarlett, who still had no idea of the underlying meaning to Vivian of the word friend, looked perplexed. “I’m his daughter,” she said.

Travis nearly groaned aloud. Now the S was sure to hit the fan.

“His daughter?” Vivian sounded as if she was choking. She glared at Scarlett for a moment before turning her stare on Travis. “Is this your idea of a joke?”

He opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, Scarlett spoke again.

“What is wrong with you people? Why do you all find the idea that Hal could have a daughter—me—so threatening?”

“As if you didn’t know,” Amber drawled, barely looking up from her phone.

“I don’t.” Scarlett crossed her arms. “So please, someone enlighten me.”

“This is ridiculous,” Vivian put in. “Young lady, who do you think you are? How dare you perpetuate a scam like this on a dying man?”

“For the last time,” Scarlett said, a thread of steel hardening her voice. “I am not scamming anyone. Or joking. Hal Gardner is my father. I just learned about him after my mother died. Now if any of you want to tell me why that’s a problem, I’m all ears. If not, I need to get back to the main house.”

Despite himself, Travis admired her backbone. His mother could be intimidating to people, especially those she didn’t like.

Vivian opened and closed her mouth with a snap. Without saying another word, she spun around and strode back to her room, her huge dangling earrings swinging.

Staring after her, Amber laughed. “I think I like you, Scarlett,” she said. “You’re the first person I’ve met who can get Mama to stop talking.”

Clearly not sure how to respond to that, Scarlett nodded.

“I like you too,” Will declared, coming out from behind Travis and bestowing a quick hug. Scarlett smiled down at the little boy, her expression somewhere between enchanted and uncertain.

“Thank you,” she said, once Will had released her and stood staring expectantly up at her. “You’re very nice.”

Will beamed at the compliment. He went and grabbed one of his favorite toys, a large plastic dump truck, and brought it over to her. “Do you wanna play?”

Scarlett looked at Travis, clearly asking for help. He could venture a quick guess that she didn’t have a lot of experience around children.

Finally, Travis took pity on her. “Come on,” he said. “I’ll take you back. We’ll try introductions again later when everyone isn’t acting like they’ve lost their minds.”

“Hey,” Amber protested. “Just because Mama went off on a tear, don’t lump me in that category. Scarlett, there aren’t a lot of women our age out here in the country. I think you and I could become friends.”

Travis shook his head. “She’s probably not going to be here that long,” he told his sister, which earned him an angry glare from Scarlett.

“Thanks, Amber,” Scarlett said. “And despite what your brother thinks, he has no idea about any of my plans. Hal gave me an open-ended invitation, which means there are no time constraints on my visit. So yes, we should hang out. There’s no such thing as too many friends.”

Amber’s answering snort of laughter made Travis frown, which she ignored. “Good for you, Scarlett. I like that you refuse to let my big brother intimidate you.”

“Intimidate?” Travis protested. “Your choice of words wounds me. I’m just trying to help.”

“You’re just trying to control the situation,” Amber shot back, her eyes still sparkling with humor. “Lighten up, Travis. You’ve been taking care of everyone for so long, you’ve clearly forgotten how to act toward a guest.”

He shouldn’t have been surprised when Scarlett nodded. “You’re right about that. Your brother hasn’t been the slightest bit welcoming.”

“He doesn’t like change.”

Travis rolled his eyes. “Enough already. Scarlett, are you ready to go?”

When her gaze locked on his, again he felt that tingle of awareness. “I guess so,” she said, her voice full of reluctance.

“Don’t worry,” Amber interjected. “Both Mom and I are frequent visitors up at the main house. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Scarlett immediately brightened. “Okay. That sounds great.” She started for the door, glancing back over her shoulder at Travis. “Are you coming?”

He couldn’t keep from grinning as he followed her out. Best to keep his distance, because if he got too close to her, he’d do something stupid, like kiss her.

Chapter 3

As she trudged outside back to Travis’s truck, stunned and a bit shell-shocked, Scarlett had to bite the inside of her mouth to keep from demanding answers from him. She couldn’t help but feel like he’d enjoyed himself a bit too much in there.

Kind of like his mother was a piranha and Scarlett newly trapped bait he’d hung dangling above the water for Vivian to snap at.

But since he’d already made it clear he didn’t trust her, she kept her thoughts to herself.

At least his sister had been friendly.

Everyone else’s reactions were far too weird, with the exception of Delilah and Hal himself. She could understand her presence was a shock and they’d need time to adjust, but still. Why no one could even pretend to be happy that Hal had a long-lost daughter, she didn’t understand.

Whatever she had expected, it hadn’t been this. She’d entertained dreams of being welcomed into a new family; a bit naive, clearly. Truthfully, she hadn’t thought much beyond getting to know her father and, while she’d never expected to find him with a terminal illness, she saw no reason for Travis and his kin to doubt her.

Maybe she should have expected some resistance. After all, to these well-established existing members of Hal’s family, she’d just come up out of the woodwork. Clearly, Hal hadn’t even known Maggie was pregnant when she’d walked out on him. Though nothing could make up for the years without a father, knowing he hadn’t deliberately ignored her all this time felt like salve upon her wounded heart.

Still, Vivian was Hal’s ex-wife. Why would she care if Hal had a daughter from a prior relationship? Why would this bother anyone? They all acted like Hal was a multimillionaire whose fortune Scarlett had come to steal. What they didn’t seem to understand was, if she’d truly been a gold digger, she’d have taken one look at Hal’s worn and battered furnishings and turned around to beat a retreat as quickly as she could.

These people didn’t know her, but if they’d take the time to try, they’d realize money was the last thing she cared about. Her mother had left her enough to ensure her comfort. And even before Scarlett had left the art gallery where she worked to care for her mother, she’d been able to save a significant amount with the goal of eventually opening her own gallery someday.

She’d temporarily put that dream on hold. What she wanted more than anything was a relationship with the man who’d sired her.

Bittersweet now too, as his time on this earth was apparently limited. She’d be damned if she’d let anyone take that away from her.

“Wait,” Travis said, just as she reached the side of his truck.

She spun around to find him right there, mere feet away from her. Handsome as sin and sexy as hell. She reached up, cupped her hand along the side of his ruggedly chiseled cheek. Desire flared. It must have shown in her eyes or on her face because he muttered her name and then hauled her up against him, covering her mouth with his.

Too stunned to react at first, she froze, heart pounding, blood pumping. As he slanted his lips over hers, a jolt of fire shot through her. In the same way that had compelled her to touch him, he acted as if he couldn’t help himself. She could relate. Punishing and angry, true. At first. Opening her mouth to him, she kissed him back with a hunger that surged up from deep within her and surprised the hell out of her.

When he finally lifted his head from hers, her entire body quivered.

“Let’s go,” he rasped, releasing her so quickly she stumbled backward.

What the actual hell? Yanking open the truck door, she swung up and clicked the seat belt into place without saying a word.

Travis cleared his throat, probably intending to apologize. She ignored him. He turned the key, started the engine and put the vehicle in gear. They headed back to the main house in silence.

Lost in her own thoughts, she couldn’t help but wonder if the kiss had affected him as deeply as it had her. Honestly, his behavior completely baffled her. She alternated between anger with him and annoyance at herself for enjoying the kiss far too much.

The truck had barely stopped rolling when she unhooked the belt and jumped out, striding into the house without a backward glance. Though technically, she and Travis really needed to discuss what had just happened, right now she felt way too frustrated to even attempt to deal with him.

Hal waited in the living room, his wheelchair parked in front of the television. His tired face lit up the instant she walked into the room, which instantly banished her exasperation.

“Hey there,” she murmured, crossing the room to crouch near him.

“Delilah said she thought she saw you and Travis go off in the pickup,” he said, smiling.

“We did.” Travis came inside, his gaze flicking over Scarlett before returning to Hal. “Since she says she’s staying awhile, I took her out to meet Vivian, Amber and Will.”

“Excellent.” Hal chuckled. “Well, Scarlett? What’d you think?”

“They all seemed...nice,” she said, aware she sounded lame but aware she had to be careful what she said.

Hal burst out laughing, which quickly turned to a rasping cough. Delilah bustled into the room. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” Hal managed, trying to straighten up. “My daughter is funny.”

Behind her, Scarlett swore she could hear Travis grinding his teeth.

“I’m sorry,” she ventured. “I wasn’t trying to be amusing or anything. I didn’t actually spend a lot of time with them, so can’t really form an opinion.”

For whatever reason, this comment had Hal and Travis exchanging looks.

“It’s okay,” Hal finally told her. “Vivian can be a handful, but she has a good heart. I’m not sure about her new boyfriend, Frank, but if she likes him, that’s okay with me.”

“I didn’t meet him,” Scarlett replied.

“He doesn’t live on the premises,” Travis interjected. “He just visits.”

Despite trying not to, she found she kept sneaking looks at his mouth. The raw sensuality of his kiss had taken her by surprise. Worse, she found herself wanting to kiss him again.

Which made her think she must be losing her mind.

“What’s for supper?” Hal asked, eyeing Delilah. Since she was a nurse-type aide, Scarlett wondered why everyone seemed to expect her to cook.

If cooking wasn’t supposed to be in her job description, Delilah didn’t seem to mind. She simply smiled and told them they’d have to wait and see. When she disappeared into the kitchen, Scarlett jumped up and followed her.

“Let me help,” she offered.

“What?” Delilah shook her head. “That wouldn’t be right. You’re a guest.”

“I’m family,” Scarlett insisted firmly. “And as far as I can tell, your official capacity here is something like a nurse’s aide. Am I right?”

“Sort of. I cook, clean and do whatever I can to help Hal feel comfortable. You might call me a jack-of-all-trades.” She chuckled at her own joke. “And tonight I’m just making sloppy joes and french fries. It’s a simple matter of browning the meat and baking the fries. I bake them so there won’t be as much grease. Hal’s stomach can’t handle a lot of fat.”

“Do you use ground beef or ground turkey?”

“Turkey or chicken. It’s healthier. But don’t tell Hal or Travis. Since they run a cattle ranch, they tend to frown on any meal that doesn’t include beef. Now go back in the other room and keep your father company. I’ve got this handled. I’ll let y’all know when it’s time to eat.”

Scarlett did as she was told. This time, she took a seat on the end of the couch closest to Hal’s wheelchair. Travis had lowered his big body into the recliner and both men seemed intent on watching the news.

Half an hour later, Delilah announced it was time to eat. She’d set everything out on the dining room table, along with plates and utensils. She’d also poured four tall glasses of ice water. “Dig in,” she said, standing back and beaming.

The simple meal tasted delicious. When Travis went back for seconds, Scarlett gave in to temptation and did the same. When Delilah brought out a fresh pan of brownies for dessert, both Scarlett and Travis groaned.

Naturally, they had to sample the brownies, especially when Delilah offered vanilla ice cream to put on top.

“That was great,” Hal said, even though he’d only taken a few bites out of his food. Scarlett noticed the way both Delilah and Travis exchanged worried glances. As soon as possible, she planned to ask Hal more detailed questions and do her own research. She found it hard to believe that not a single doctor could figure out what ailed Hal. There had to be something they were overlooking. She at least had to try to find it.

After taking a nibble of his brownie, Hal wheeled himself into the living room, parking his chair in front of the television. He used the remote to turn the set on, ready to be engrossed in whichever of his favorite shows might be about to come on.

Delilah mentioned she needed to get home, so Scarlett shooed her out of the kitchen and took over washing dishes. A moment later, Delilah said goodbye and left.

When Travis appeared and grabbed a dish towel, Scarlett glanced up at him in surprise, but didn’t argue. They worked side by side in silence, she washed and he dried. The simple camaraderie of the chore almost made her think they could be friends. Almost. If she didn’t think about the kiss, that is.

The kiss. Handing him the last clean plate, she chanced a sideways glance at his profile. Rugged and masculine, he looked steadfast and strong, like someone you could count on in a storm. She’d never have guessed that firm mouth could also be tender and passionate. But why? He clearly disliked her. So why’d he kiss her like a man dying in the desert getting his first mouthful of rainwater?

He looked up and caught her staring, so she hurriedly busied herself rinsing out the sink. Should she ask? Or would that be making too big of a deal over a single kiss? While she dithered, he hung up the dish towel to dry and left the kitchen, taking the opportunity with him.

When Scarlett went back to the den, she realized Hal had fallen fast asleep in front of the TV. Chin on his chest, he looked fragile, parchment-thin skin stretched too tight over hollows and bones.

Heart aching, she sighed, catching Travis’s gaze. “I want more time with him,” she murmured.

“I do too,” Travis quietly responded as he got to his feet. For one startled second, she thought he might kiss her again. Instead, he grabbed his cowboy hat off the coatrack and dipped his chin in a goodbye nod. Then he slipped out the door to head home. He left without speaking, or even giving her a chance to ask the question that had bothered her ever since he’d kissed her.

Disappointed but not surprised, Scarlett locked the door behind him. Interesting how the instant he left, so did her restless tension. Now that he was gone, maybe she could finally relax. It had been a long day.

Kicking her heels off, she sat and swung her legs up on the couch. Massaging her aching feet, she thought maybe the time had come to invest in a pair of flats or, heaven help her, some boots. Though she adored shoes and had managed to amass quite a collection of heels, what worked in downtown Atlanta seemed foolish out here in the middle of nowhere on a cattle ranch.

Settling into the comfortable sofa cushions, she looked around the room and marveled at how quickly this place had come to feel like home. Despite the weathered furniture and a decorating style that screamed early 1980s, the ranch house gave off a genuine, rustic vibe.

Though most of that was probably due to the man dozing in his wheelchair. Her father. Words she’d never believed she’d be able to utter.

Watching Hal sleep in front of the TV, her throat felt tight. She’d gone thirty years of her life without a father. It didn’t seem fair that she’d finally found him, only to learn he was dying from a terrible, apparently incurable and completely unknown disease.

All she could do was make the most of the time he had left. Travis and his family may not want her here, but Hal did. That was what mattered.

Since Delilah had gone, Scarlett wondered if she needed to take Hal back and help get him ready to sleep. Earlier, when Hal had shown her the room that would be hers, Scarlett had seen the hospital bed that had been set up inside the master bedroom. She’d also seen the oxygen tank and IV pole. She wouldn’t have any idea what to do.

And, since everyone had gone, Hal must be used to doing it all himself.

But she wasn’t sure. As she pondered, Hal opened his eyes and blinked. “Are you still awake?” he asked. “What time is it?”

“Nearly nine,” she told him. “Travis went home and I’ve been sitting here relaxing. I’ve been wondering—do you need help getting from your chair to your bed?”

“Nope. I’m not there yet, sweetheart.” He wiggled his bushy eyebrows at her, making her laugh. Right after that, he yawned, not even covering his mouth with his hand. “I am tired, though. I think I’ll turn in. Will you be okay with me leaving you alone?”

Impulsively, she jumped up and gave Hal’s weathered cheek a soft kiss. “I’ll be fine. Good night,” she said softly. “Sleep well.”

Beaming, he nodded. “You too.”

Once he’d wheeled into his room and closed the door, Scarlett shut off the TV and retreated to her room. Once there, she closed her door and pulled out her laptop. She linked to Hal’s Wi-Fi—secretly surprised he had one, and then went in search of his router so she could get the password. Once she’d done that, she accessed the internet so she could research Hal’s symptoms.

Cancer seemed most likely, but Travis had said that had been ruled out. The weight loss and lack of appetite, the wasting away, those were all serious symptoms. And she figured the doctors had thoroughly investigated each potential disease.

Things didn’t look good for Hal. Travis had tried to tell her, but she didn’t want to believe him.

Her throat ached. She’d stay here as long as Hal would let her, no matter what Travis or his family thought. She’d look on the positive side and consider it a blessing she’d get to spend time with Hal at all and that she hadn’t located him after it was too late.

And she’d continue looking. Just because there were a thousand possible illnesses, she wouldn’t give up easily.

* * *

Travis started the morning the same way he’d done for the last ten years. Got up, showered and dressed, and made a single cup of coffee, taking care not to wake anyone in the house. Then he hopped into the cab of the truck and Travis drove himself to Hal’s house to have breakfast.

In the old days, Hal would have the meal ready before Travis arrived, but as Hal got sicker, Travis had taken over the duty. He had two specialties—scrambled eggs with onions, peppers and hot sauce, and biscuits and gravy. Both of them were pretty darn good, if he said so himself.

As he made the turn into the drive, he saw Scarlett’s little red car. At least he wouldn’t have to deal with her this morning. He doubted she got up before ten.

But when he strolled into the kitchen, he stopped short at the sight of her sitting at the table with Hal, heads bent close over steaming cups of coffee. His traitorous heart skipped a beat. She wore no makeup and she’d pulled her glossy black hair back into a jaunty ponytail, which showcased the delicate lines of her features.

Before he could help himself, he managed to zero in on her kissable mouth, until he quickly dragged his gaze away. She managed to look lovely and sexy and natural, all at once.

And way too damn cozy with Hal.

Suppressing a sharp stab of resentment, Travis worked on manufacturing an easy smile. “Good morning,” he said, nodding at her before looking at Hal.

“Mornin’.” Hal grinned. “Scarlett here was just fixin’ to fry up some eggs.”

Though he wondered if she really knew how to cook, Travis nodded. “Sounds great.”

His tone mustn’t have been too convincing, judging from the narrow-eyed glance Scarlett sent his way. Travis shrugged and poured himself a mug of coffee before taking a seat at the table. “You know you don’t have to cook,” he said. “That’s usually my job, at least for breakfast.”

In the act of placing a large skillet on the stove, she turned. “You can cook?”

“Barely,” Travis allowed. “Judging from your tone, you don’t believe it.”

“Show her,” Hal said, grinning. “She’s our guest and really shouldn’t be making her own meals.”

“Nonsense.” Scarlett stood her ground. Those ridiculously high heels of hers had the effect of making her legs look even longer. “I don’t mind helping.”

Travis debated getting up and asking her to sit down, but if she really wanted to make breakfast, he truly didn’t mind. “Knock yourself out.”

Shaking his head, Hal went back to reading the paper. He passed the sports section over to Travis, just like he always did, but Travis barely glanced down at the page. He couldn’t seem to tear his gaze away from the woman standing in front of the stove.

With her back to him, she moved with a sensual grace, despite the tall shoes. Today, instead of her usual fancy dress, she wore a pair of formfitting blue jeans. He had to admit, she filled them out a heck of a lot better than he’d imagined.

When she glanced over her shoulder, as if she’d felt his gaze on her, he blinked and hurriedly looked down at his newspaper. He read the cover story three times, not absorbing a single word.

A few minutes later, she set a plate down in front of him. Three perfectly cooked eggs, two slices of bacon and toast. She placed an identical plate in front of Hal, before returning to the stove to fetch her own.

“Did you want some orange juice?” she asked, her direct gaze and her sweet tone daring him to find something wrong with his breakfast.

“No thanks,” he replied, changing his mind when Hal asked for some.

Finally, all three were seated, the hot meal in front of them. “This looks great,” Hal enthused, before digging in.

Again, Scarlett glanced at Travis, as though she expected him to make a snide comment. Instead, he nodded. “It does look great. Thank you.”

He ate, trying not to be too obvious about the fact that he was also watching Hal. The man had to take nourishment sometime. If he didn’t, he’d not only continue wasting away, but he risked having heart and kidney issues.

To Travis’s relief, Hal ate most of one egg and an entire piece of toast. He only nibbled on a slice of bacon, but that was definite progress.

When Scarlett caught his eye, he realized she was thinking the same thing. A sudden image of his hands tangled in her hair, pulling it loose from the ponytail, before he placed his mouth over hers and tasted her once more.

What the... Quickly glancing down at his plate, he concentrated on sopping up the rest of his egg with his toast. Why the hell had he given in to impulse and kissed her in the first place? Now he couldn’t get her out of his head.

But he would. Immediately.

“What’s on the agenda today?” Hal asked. Travis looked up, realizing the older man was addressing him. Relieved, he listed all the chores he had in mind for today. Though they were remarkably similar day to day, Hal knew this all too well. Running a ranch entailed supervising various ranch hands and making sure they did what needed to be done. There was always fence needing repair, cattle needing rounding up or feeding. Though Travis preferred spending his day on horseback, taking care of a ranch this size often entailed using his pickup.

As he wound down, he became aware of Scarlett watching him. The hunger he thought he saw in her gaze rekindled his own desire, simmering flame igniting into an instant inferno.

Look. Away. Mindlessly, he reached for his coffee cup, gulping down the last two swallows. “I’ve got to get going.” He pushed back his chair, scraping it on the linoleum floor.

Trying not to rush, he strode to the coatrack, grabbed his hat and crammed it on his head. He slammed outside without another word.

Though today was one of those days when he probably needed to take the truck, instead he went to the barn and saddled up his favorite gelding. He needed to clear his mind and get himself straight. Not only did he still not trust Scarlett Kistler, but he couldn’t help but be aware of how the lure of a sexy woman had brought stronger men than him to their knees.

And it wasn’t just that he wanted her. He could tell she wasn’t the kind of love ’em and leave ’em woman who could handle a strictly sexual fling. Which was all it could ever be between them. She definitely wasn’t the type who’d thrive on a ranch, with a simple man like him. Angry that his thoughts had even gone down this path, he shook his head. His horse snorted, sensitive to his mood.

Calming himself, he slipped the bridle on and adjusted the bit. Working the familiar motions of saddling his horse helped. Climbing up, swinging his leg over and settling into the saddle helped even more.

When he rode out onto the dirt trail, he felt like himself again. The easy rhythm of hooves hitting the earth, the warm spring breeze and the birdsong from the nearby trees helped to erase his tension.

His cell phone rang, startling him. Caller ID showed the landline from his house, which meant either his mother or his sister needed something. Despite the fact Travis had told both of them numerous times not to call him during the workday unless it was an emergency, they still did.

Since he still had a few more minutes before he reached the area where he knew the men would be working, he went ahead and answered.

“Good morning, son,” Vivian chirped. “I tried to catch you before you left, but I overslept.”

In all the time she’d been living with him, he’d never once seen her up before sunrise, so he didn’t reply.

“Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about that girl.”

Of course she did. She’d been out late the night before, so she hadn’t gotten the opportunity to bring it up before bedtime.

“What about her?” he asked, unsuccessfully trying to keep from letting his annoyance show.

“Do you think she’s for real?”

“What I think isn’t important. Hal believes she is, so that’s all that matters.”

Her expressive sigh told him what she thought of that.

“I’d planned on going over there today to visit with Hal, but now I’m not sure I should,” she said. “But I need to try to get to know her. I feel like I should try to keep Hal from getting hurt.”

“I feel exactly the same.” Inwardly wincing, he went ahead and said it anyway. “It wouldn’t hurt for you to get to know her. You and Amber might be able to learn things about her more easily than I would.”

Vivian laughed. “Okay, you twisted my arm. It’s always best to keep your enemies close.”

Poor Scarlett. He almost felt sorry for her, as if he’d unleashed a horde of locusts or something. His mother definitely could be a force to be reckoned with.

“You never know,” Vivian continued. “She might be for real. Anyway, I’ll keep you posted.”

“You do that,” he agreed, and ended the call. He fought back the desire to call the main house and warn Scarlett. Where had that notion come from anyway?

He’d just settled back into the saddle, enjoying the natural beauty of the landscape, when his phone rang again. He groaned, especially when he realized it was from the same number.

“What now, Mom?” he asked, by way of greeting.

“It’s not Mom, it’s Amber,” his sister replied. “Did you really just sic Mom on Scarlett?”

“I wouldn’t put it quite that way. If Scarlett’s planning to be around awhile, which she said she is, she needs to get to know everyone.” His answer, while true, sounded weak, even to him.

Amber snorted. “You have a point, but maybe you should have let it happen a bit more gradually instead of having Mom go at her full strength.”

Ahead, he could see the group of ranch hands, loading cattle into chutes in preparation for the work they had to do.

“Look, Scarlett’s a grown woman. I’m sure she can handle anything Mom throws at her. Now, unless there’s anything else you need, I’ve got to get to work.”

“Nope, I’m done. But a word of warning, big brother. Don’t be surprised if this backfires on you.” She ended the call before he could ask her what she meant.

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