Читать книгу At the Rancher's Request - Sara Orwig - Страница 9

Three

As Mike walked down the hall to his suite, he raked his fingers through his hair. Savannah had defused the moment, eased them both away from memories that hurt and put their kiss in a better perspective. Even though it was meaningless to both of them, he shouldn’t have kissed her. Her kiss had stunned him, but it had been a long, long time since he had kissed a woman other than Elise—or wanted to. Nearly two years. It was natural for Savannah’s kiss to rock him. Along with their kiss came guilt, a feeling of betrayal of Elise’s memory and most of all, horrendous longing for Elise, the love of his life.

He walked into Scotty’s room and looked at his sleeping son who was curled on his side with his knees drawn up. Dark curls framed his face. Mike’s love for Scotty overwhelmed him. He ran his knuckles lightly along Scotty’s cheek, feeling his soft, smooth skin while love for his son held him by Scotty’s bed. He wished Elise could be with him to look at Scotty. “Your baby is beautiful,” he whispered to the empty room, thinking of her. “Elise,” he said, missing her, wishing she could see her son, wanting her with him and wishing he hadn’t kissed Savannah, yet their kiss hadn’t carried any significance. He loved Elise and Scotty with all his heart and always would. Tears stung Mike’s eyes and he blinked them away, drawing a little blanket up over Scotty’s shoulder.

“I love you, Scotty,” he whispered.

He left the room, leaving the door between their bedrooms open. Ten minutes later Mike returned with a blanket and stretched out on the brown leather sofa to sleep near his son.

He thought again of Savannah. In spite of a twinge of guilt, he’d had fun just being with her tonight—something that hadn’t happened in a long, empty time.

* * *

Sunshine spilled into the bedroom through sliding glass doors that opened onto a balcony. Savannah stepped out of bed, surprised she had slept until the sun was up. She showered, pulled on jeans and a red shirt, slipping her feet into loafers. She hurried down the hall. Half a dozen mornings lately, she had had morning sickness and she prayed she didn’t this morning. At the moment she was hungry, but in minutes she caught the first whiff of coffee and her stomach tightened. Surprised when she heard voices from the kitchen, she debated going to her room and waiting until Mike and Scotty were out of there, but she suspected they would come find her eventually. With a deep breath, she entered the kitchen.

Mike sat at the table across from Scotty, who was in a high chair that was pulled up to the table. Mike came to his feet as soon as he saw her.

“Good morning,” he said, smiling at her.

Tingles increased her awareness of him. How handsome he looked in jeans, a navy Western shirt with rolled back sleeves and his cowboy boots. His thick, black curls were as tangled as they had been last night and he looked appealing, handsome.

“Please sit,” she said, smiling at him. “Hi, Scotty. How are you on this beautiful morning?”

“I’m hungry,” he answered, smiling at her in return and she laughed.

She turned to Mike. “I thought you had some chores this morning and were going to be gone.”

“I’ve already been out. Scotty was still asleep. I’m going back to join them again after breakfast if you meant what you said about watching Scotty.”

“Sure I did if that’s all right with Scotty.”

“Scotty?” Mike prompted. “You’ll stay with Miss Savannah, won’t you?”

“Yes, sir,” Scotty said and smiled at Savannah again.

“That’s nice, Scotty. Did you see the snow this morning?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he answered politely. “This afternoon Daddy will help me make a snowman if I eat my breakfast.”

“A little bribe,” Mike said, grinning. “And it’ll be after I get some more chores done,” he added to Scotty who nodded. Mike turned to Savannah. “What can I fix you? We have bacon, eggs, orange and/or tomato juice, coffee, hot biscuits, dry cereal, blueberries, oranges, dried apricots—”

“Stop,” she said, laughing. “You’re naming way too many things. I just want cereal and a glass of milk. I can get my breakfast. You stay with Scotty.”

Mike reached the cabinets when she did and he retrieved a glass, turning to get the milk and pour it for her. “Tell me when.”

“When,” she said. “Not too much. Thanks.” She was so aware of Mike beside her, of his dark eyes intently on her. The sight of him made her remember last night, standing in his arms while they kissed.

In minutes she had cereal and a glass of milk as she sat beside Scotty and across from Mike.

“Please go on with your regular routine today and don’t let me change it,” she said.

“Will you help us build a snowman later?” Scotty asked.

“Sure, I will,” she said. “A snowman sounds like fun.”

Mike had a covered bowl on the table and when he raised the lid, she saw scrambled eggs.

“If those aren’t still hot, tell me. I’ll scramble some more,” he said.

She shook her head. “No, thank you. What I have is plenty.” She sipped her milk. “Do you know if it kept snowing into the night?”

“Oh, yes,” Mike replied. “The boys keep up with it and Ray said we had a record-setting eight inches.”

“Oh, Mike. I’m sorry—I’m sort of the houseguest who came for a night and stayed for a week. Eight inches—I won’t be able to get my car out of that and I doubt if the state road will be cleared.”

“You’re right on all counts. We’re glad to have you, so just relax, Savannah. This is a break in routine winter days.”

“Thanks,” she said, drinking some milk and eating cereal. After a few bites, her stomach lurched and worry gripped her. She didn’t want to be sick in front of Mike. She turned to talk to Scotty.

“I have a scarf you can use to put around your snowman’s neck,” she said, trying to ignore her queasy stomach.

“Savannah, are you all right?” Mike asked, studying her.

Feeling worse by the second, she shook her head. “Where’s the nearest bathroom?”

He stood and came around the table swiftly, taking her arm as she stood. “We’ll be right back, Scotty,” Mike said, leading Savannah away from the table. Mike headed to the hall and opened a bathroom door.

“Thanks.” As soon as the door closed, she lost the small breakfast she had eaten. She washed her face and hands with cold water and waited while her stomach settled slightly. When she opened the door, Mike leaned against the wall with his arms folded. Studying her, he straightened.

“Better now?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Do you need a doctor?”

“No, I’ve been to one. Don’t worry, this isn’t contagious.”

“I didn’t think it was,” he said quietly.

“You better get back to Scotty. He’s in a high chair.”

“He gets himself into that chair a dozen times a day and he gets himself down. Scotty is a climber so there’s no worry. He’s an easy kid to have around, and he’s an only child and that makes it easier. C’mon. You probably want to sit.”

“Yes, I do.”

They went to the family area where Scotty sat on the floor playing a game on a laptop.

“Mike, are you sure Scotty isn’t a bit older than you told me? He’s on a computer.”

“He has some games he likes and I’ve taught him how to pull them up. He catches on fast.” He studied her again. “Can I get you anything?”

“No, thanks. I’m feeling better now. I’ll get my dishes in a while.”

“Forget them. When’s your baby due or would you rather not talk about it?”

Startled, she focused on him. “I didn’t think my pregnancy showed yet.”

“It doesn’t. Elise had morning sickness. I recognize the symptoms.”

“I’m surprised you were able to tell by just one morning with me. I’m glad I found you yesterday—you were a lifesaver, but being saved by a mind reader is a little disconcerting.”

“I’m no mind reader, just observant. I assume your pregnancy is the reason you wanted to get out of Little Rock and go to California.”

“You’re right. You might not be a mind reader, but you’re definitely astute,” she said. His calm acceptance of discovering his guest was pregnant put her more at ease. If he had been shocked, worried about a pregnant woman on his hands or worse—acted disgusted the way her ex-fiancé had, she would have been embarrassed and upset. Also, his enthusiasm over his son helped put her at ease because it was obvious he liked kids and was filled with love for his son. She still hurt when she thought of the last conversation with Kirk and how he had stared at her, his gaze raking sharply over her after she had announced her pregnancy.

Get rid of it, Kirk had said. His first words to her had stabbed as if he had plunged a knife into her heart. His words had hurt, but the blunt dismissal had made her protective of her baby from that moment on. She brought her attention back to Mike.

“Your ex-fiancé didn’t want babies—what did you tell me—for another fifteen years? Or he really doesn’t ever want children?”

“He said he doesn’t want children for at least another fifteen years. I’m twenty-six and I don’t want to have my first child when I’m fifteen to twenty years older. I really don’t think he ever wants kids, but he wouldn’t say that. He didn’t want this baby at all. He didn’t care what I did as long as I didn’t keep the child.”

“That’s a hell of a thing,” Mike said, a note of steel in his voice that made her feel better. “Scotty is my whole world. I love him with every ounce of my being,” he said, looking at his son and a tender note coming into his voice that gave a twist to her heart.

“That’s wonderful for both of you. And the way I’d hoped it would be.”

“Sorry, but it’s good you found out now before you said vows. He gave up his baby and let you walk away—that’s the mistake of his life.”

“He didn’t view it that way. When he found out I was pregnant, I think he wanted to be rid of me. He signed over all parental rights, too. He wouldn’t have given any financial support anyway, but I didn’t want any from him.”

“I’d say you’re a hell of a lot better off without this jerk.”

“I feel as if I am. I don’t miss him—or if I do, I just think of the hurtful things he said to me about the baby and that changes any feelings I have for him.”

“That’s tough. So when’s your baby due?”

“I’m into my second month. I’ve been given an October date. We’ll see. What shakes me is my poor judgment about a man I had such a close relationship with and planned to spend my life with. I’ve known him since we were about eight or nine. I misjudged him in the worst way and that’s frightening.”

“Looks to me like you’ve learned from the experience.”

“It shakes my faith in myself. I don’t trust myself to fall in love again.”

“I imagine next time you’ll get to know the guy better in ways you didn’t the first time.” Mike stood. “Now I’m going to put the dishes into the dishwasher. You sit tight and don’t do anything. Then I need to get back to help the guys. When I return, Scotty,” he said, looking at his son who waited expectantly, “we’ll go build a snowman.”

Scotty grinned and returned to his computer game.

“My foreman said he has plenty of help, but I want to make sure. Usually, Nell, our nanny, is here and I work on the ranch with the others. They were still breaking ice and dropping bales of hay for feed when I left this morning. We need to make sure animals don’t get cut off and lost from the herd.”

“Don’t let me interfere. I’m happy to stay with Scotty.”

Mike loaded the dishwasher and cleaned up the kitchen, working efficiently. “I’ll be back in a few hours. I have my phone and the number is written clearly there on a piece of paper. Scotty knows how to call me, too.” He gave his son a kiss on the head, then left.

“Well, aren’t you the smart boy, Scotty,” she said, glancing at him and receiving another smile. “After you finish your breakfast in the kitchen, we can play a game if you’d like,” she told him.

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied.

* * *

While Scotty was happily drawing, Savannah walked to the mantel to pick up the picture and look closely at Mike with his arm around his late wife as they smiled at each other. Elise had been a beautiful woman. Mike was still deeply in love with her. Last night, their proximity, maybe hurt and loneliness, made them both vulnerable.

She sighed. It wouldn’t matter this time because she would soon tell Mike goodbye, but she would have to be cautious in the future. She never wanted to be hurt the way she had been. If she couldn’t trust her own judgment about men, then she should stay out of a relationship. How could she have been so blind to Kirk’s shortcomings? He had never liked her nieces and nephews, never cared to hear about them or ask about them, yet she hadn’t stopped to think about his lack of interest.

Her pregnancy had been a surprise. They had taken precautions, but she had gotten pregnant anyway. She still couldn’t bear to think about the night she told Kirk and how hurtful he had been.

With a long sigh, she picked up her phone and took a couple of pictures of Scotty drawing to try to get Kirk out of her thoughts.

Mike arrived home after one, stomping his feet to shake snow off his boots and finally sweeping into the room, bringing cold air with him. He swung Scotty up to hug him.

“Sorry to be gone so long.”

“We’ve been fine and I had a good time with your smart son.”

“I’ll grab a bite to eat and then take him out to build a snowman. You don’t have to go.”

“It sounds like fun,” she said, glancing outside at the snow-covered ranch.

He headed into the kitchen. “Did you and Scotty have lunch?”

“Yes. I made some macaroni for us both.”

Fifteen minutes later, after a quick sandwich, Mike returned to the family room. “So, Scotty,” he said, “we can go outside now if you want.”

“Yes,” Scotty answered, jumping to his feet.

“Get all your snow gear on and whatever we’ll need for a snowman. I’ll get two lumps of coal for eyes and a carrot nose. How’s that? You find an old hat, okay?”

“Yes, sir,” he said over his shoulder as he ran out of the room.

“Are you going out with us?” Mike asked. “You don’t have to.”

“Right now, the cold air sounds refreshing. It’ll be fun,” she said, standing. “I’m not fragile. My stomach is fragile at breakfast time—that’s all.”

“Better get bundled up, then. It’s cold out there and the wind is blowing.”

“Sure,” she said and they walked down the hall together and again she was aware of him so close beside her. “I’ll see you and Scotty where—back door, outside?”

He nodded. “Scotty is about to pop to get out in the snow. It all looks wonderful to him.”

She laughed. “Oh, to be a child again—”

He grinned. “I kinda like some of the things that come with adulthood,” he said, a teasing note in his voice that made her think of their kiss and her cheeks grew warm. “I think you do, too, or you wouldn’t be blushing now,” he added softly, looking at her mouth.

“I’ll see you outside,” she said, her voice breathless, betraying her feelings.

“Sure,” he said, heading for his suite.

Lost in thought about him, she stared at his back. She didn’t need another attraction in her life and she was risking one every hour she spent with Mike. His kiss set her on fire and made her forget everything else. He was likeable, fun, discerning, capable—caring—something that wrapped around her heart at this moment in time when she was vulnerable from being hurt. Mike held far too many appealing qualities all contained in over six feet of sexy male with thick black hair and dark brown eyes. Or was she just making another misjudgment based on assumptions and wishful thinking, projections of her hopes?