brides for brothers 04 - cowboy surrender (6 page)

She squared her shoulders. It didn’t matter. He would be loved.

“His bedroom is the last one,” she whispered as she held open the door for Jake. Toby’s bed was ready. She’d turned down the covers before they’d left.

After Jake laid him on the bed, she murmured her thanks, hoping Jake would leave, and tucked the covers around Toby, gently touching his flushed cheek as he lay sleeping. When she straightened and turned around, she discovered Jake leaning against the door frame, watching her.

He stood back to allow her to precede him, then followed her down the hall to the front door.

“Toby’s a lucky boy,” he said softly as she stopped.

“What do you mean?”

“His mom loves him very much.”

“And yours didn’t love you?”

His brows arched, as if he were surprised by her response. “Of course she did, but she died.”

“How old were you when she died?”

“Eight.”

“Toby’s father died when he was one. So he’s only had one parent—and who knows what the future holds?”

“That’s kind of morbid.”

“No, realistic.”

“I was trying to pay you a compliment, B.J.,” he said with exasperation.

She shrugged her shoulders and looked away. The tenderness in his voice was too much to bear after the events of the night. “Sorry. It’s been a difficult evening.”

“I appreciate what you did for Red.”

“I didn’t do anything for Red. I was trying to help Mildred. She deserves to be happy.”

“Doesn’t everyone?”

Sighing, B.J. gestured to the door. “It’s late, Jake. Too late for a philosophical discussion.”

“Okay. I can take a hint.” He reached out toward her, but she jerked back. “I was only going to touch your cheek, B.J., not retaliate.” His lips curved in a teasing grin.

“I’ve already apologized,” she returned abruptly.

“But not explained.” Something in her expression must’ve warned him to save his breath. He held up his hands in surrender and backed out the door. “Okay. I won’t mention it again. Good night… partner.”

She ground her teeth as she watched his long stride cover the distance between their homes. No, she hadn’t explained—and she wouldn’t. But she intended to make sure she never got that close to Jake Randall again.

J
AKE WAS FEELING
pretty pleased with himself as he walked back to his house. He’d foiled the plans of the females of the house. Ceci was as wrong for him as all the other women they’d pushed forward. But thanks to B.J.’s and his fast thinking, he hadn’t had to spend the evening avoiding Ceci.

As an extra bonus, he’d shared some interesting moments with B.J. She was sexy as hell—which he’d known the first moment he’d met her. But he’d never been this close to her before. Or tasted those soft lips.

With a rueful laugh, he rubbed his chin. He’d never paid such a price for a kiss before, either. The memory of the emotions that filled him when he’d held her in his arms chased away his amusement.

It was just as well she’d hit him. It was a good warning to keep in mind. He should keep his emotional distance from B.J. But he might forget that fact if he spent much more time kissing B. J. Anderson.

As he stepped up on the back porch, the door opened and Red and Mildred emerged. The only light on the back porch spilled out from the house, but it was enough for Jake to see the bemused expressions of happiness on the couple’s faces.

“I’m gonna walk Mildred home,” Red said, his gaze meeting Jake’s only briefly. The man could hardly keep his eyes off Mildred, whose cheeks were bright red.

“Good. See you in the morning.”

The couple passed him, their arms wrapped around each other, and faded into the night. Jake stood there, his hands on his hips, his eyes staring at nothing in the darkness. Looked like Red, too, would be joining the married state. Pretty soon he’d be the last bachelor on the Randall spread. Quite a change from last year at this time, when they’d been all men, all bachelors.

Jake dismissed the feeling of loneliness that assailed him. He was happy. He didn’t need the complication of a woman to make his life worthwhile. In fact, in his experience, contrary to his brothers’, adding a woman to his life would only bring misery.

Some men weren’t meant to be married.

He was one of them.

“M
OMMY, YOU DIDN’T KISS
me good-night last night,” Toby protested from the door, rubbing sleep from one eye.

B.J. smiled at her little boy, in his pajamas, still young enough to enjoy a cuddle from his mommy. Her heart swelled with love as she opened her arms to him. When he raced across the kitchen, she lifted him up and pressed her lips to his cheek.

“Oh, yes, I did. But you were sound asleep.” And she’d been glad. After that kiss she’d shared with Jake the night before on the dance floor, she hadn’t wanted to face either Toby or Mildred.

“Where’s Aunt Mildred?”

B.J. took a deep breath. It was unusual for her aunt not to be in the kitchen first thing in the morning. Was she angry about last night? “I’m not sure.”

Toby didn’t show much concern for Mildred’s absence. His mind still seemed to be occupied with the previous night. “How did I get in my bed last night? I went to sleep on Mr. Jake’s couch.”

According to Toby, everything on the Randall ranch belonged to Mr. Jake. B.J. had tried to explain that all four brothers shared the ranch, but Toby knew who was boss.

“Mr. Jake carried you to your bed.”

“He did?” Toby asked with awe in his voice. “Just like he was my daddy?”

“No!” B.J. answered sharply, and then regretted her response. Hugging her little boy to her, she kissed him again and said, “Like a friend, Toby. Mr. Jake is a friend.”

“I guess he is,” a familiar voice said.

B.J. whirled around to find Mildred standing where Toby had been when he first claimed her attention. Thankfully Mildred had a smile on her face.

“I was afraid you were angry with me.”

“I should be,” Mildred said, but she was still smiling.

Pudgy little hands covered each of B.J.’s cheeks as Toby turned her face to him. “Why would Aunt Mildred be mad at you, Mommy? Did you do something bad?”

B.J. laughed, relief filling her. “Nope.” She kissed his nose and then set him down. “But if I don’t turn the bacon, I’ll burn it, and you wouldn’t like that.”

Mildred joined her, apologizing for oversleeping, and together they finished breakfast and sent Toby off to get dressed.

Mildred said nothing about the previous evening, and B.J. hesitated to ask. She’d interfered enough in her aunt’s life.

But the look on Mildred’s face told of her happiness. B.J. hoped that meant Mildred and Red had worked out their differences. Before she worked up her nerve to ask, Toby burst back into the kitchen in jeans and shirt, his sneaker laces flopping.

“Whoa, young man, you’re going to trip if you don’t tie your shoes,” she warned, and knelt down to provide some motherly assistance.

“Have you told Toby yet?” Mildred suddenly asked.

“Told me what?” Toby asked.

“I thought your mommy might have told you that you’re going to have a grandpa.” Mildred’s cheeks were bright red, but a big smile was on her lips.

“A grandpa?” Toby asked, his eyes round with surprise.

“Would you like that?”

“I guess so,” There was doubt in his voice. “How would I get a grandpa?”

“Well, I’m not really your grandma, but that’s how I think of myself. So when I marry Red, I guess he’ll be your grandpa.”

Toby’s eyes got even bigger. “You’re gonna marry Mr. Red?”

Mildred nodded and let her gaze meet B.J.’s for the first time since she’d announced her intentions.

Still seeing the hesitation in Mildred’s eyes, B.J. gave her her biggest smile. “I’m so happy for you, Mildred.”

“You’re sure we can work things out?”

“Of course we can.”

“If you marry Mr. Red, Mr. Jake will be part of our family, too, won’t he, Mommy? Will he be my brother?”

B.J. leaned over to smooth Toby’s dark hair from his face. “No, sweetie, Mr. Jake won’t be your brother.”

“But we have the same birthday, and he’s my bestest friend. Mr. Jake said he’s going to teach me to be a cowboy. The other day he showed me how to rope,” Toby said, his face beaming, “’cept I didn’t learn too good. But Mr. Jake said—”

“I think maybe we’ve heard too much about what Mr. Jake said,” B.J. said. “But I didn’t know your birthdays were the same. Are you sure?”

Toby nodded vigorously.

“Well…that doesn’t mean anything. Mr. Jake isn’t kin to Red,” B.J. hastily explained.

“Don’t worry, child,” Mildred said, still smiling. “Mr. Jake may be part of your family before you know it.”

“Yippee!” Toby shouted.

“Mildred!” B.J. protested.

“Now don’t go all coy on me, young lady. I wouldn’t have accepted Red’s proposal if I hadn’t seen the way the winds were blowing last night.”

Chapter Five

Last night all Jake’s problems had seemed solved. But this morning he wasn’t so sure.

B.J. had cooperated, but she’d also indicated her cooperation was a one-shot deal. Jake had thought last night that he could go along with her decision. After all, he wasn’t looking for anything permanent.

Now he realized he was going to look like an idiot.

Ever since sunup, his men had been teasing him about B.J. He’d tried to make light of his behavior last night, telling them he still intended to play the field.

They’d laughed at him.

He’d told them he’d never marry.

They’d agreed, then winked at each other.

He had in mind to tell them that B.J. was nothing special.

They wouldn’t have believed him. And he didn’t blame them. That’s why he couldn’t say those words. Because he knew B.J. was special. She was a beauty. She was intelligent. She was a great mom.

And the best kisser he’d ever run across.

“Still daydreaming about B.J., boss?” one cowboy called out, and then maneuvered his horse to the other side of the herd they were moving, to make sure he kept some distance between himself and Jake.

“Get to work, you mangy cuss,” Jake called back, but he couldn’t be angry with the man. He’d brought the teasing on himself by the show he’d put on last night.

Pete pulled up beside him. “The boys are having a lot of fun at your expense, brother. You okay with that?”

“I’ve teased a few of them in my time. Turnabout is fair play.”

“You’re better at this game than I am. I guess I was pretty hard to live with before Janie married me.”

Jake chuckled. “I believe you could call that an understatement, Pete. You were meaner than a mama bear protecting her cub.”

“Aw, I wasn’t that bad.”

Before Jake could assure his brother that he had been impossible to live with, they were distracted by a shout from one of the cowboys, pointing into the distance.

What had drawn his attention was a truck crossing the pasture, heading in their direction.

“Something wrong at the ranch?” Pete wondered aloud, watching the truck.

Jake frowned as he stared at the approaching vehicle. He was pretty sure he’d identified the driver. He couldn’t figure why B.J. felt they should settle their differences in front of his entire staff, but he was afraid that was what she had in mind.

He cleared his throat. “That’s B.J. She probably needs to talk to me. You wait here with the boys.”

“But it might be something about my herd for the rodeo,” Pete said.

“Then I’ll call you. Wait here,” Jake barked. If he didn’t start toward B.J. now, she’d have her truck right next to the herd before she stopped, and they’d have an audience interested in whatever she had to say.

He eased his horse into a lope toward the approaching truck, but he could still hear Pete as he hollered, “I guess you’re not as calm as I thought.”

He was calm, he assured himself. He just didn’t want B.J. telling everyone he’d drafted her into playing a role last night. That was all.

She pulled the truck to a stop and waited for him to reach her. She must not be any more interested in an audience than he was. He swung from the saddle and strode the couple of feet to the door of her truck as she opened it.

“Good mornin’, B.J.,” he drawled, but his heart sped up as she looked at him, her hazel eyes wide, an anxious look in them. “Everything okay?”

One thing he’d always given B.J. credit for: she was a straight shooter whether you liked it or not. Now his heart double-clutched when she looked away from him.

“Um, not exactly.”

“What do you mean? Do they need us at the house?”

“No! Everything’s fine.” She flashed him a quick look and then stared at the cattle behind him.

“Something wrong with the herd?”

“No.”

“Then what in blazes are you doing here, woman?” he asked in exasperation. She was driving him crazy with her evasions…and her soft lips. The urge to kiss her, in broad daylight, startled him.

“I need to talk to you.”

“You don’t seem to be doing much of that.”

Finally she turned to look at him, but anger drove her if her expression was anything to go by. “Give me a break. This is awkward.”

“Couldn’t it wait until this evening?” he asked testily, figuring he knew what was coming. But he darn sure couldn’t see any urgency.

“No! Tonight might be too late.”

He cocked one eyebrow at her and took a step closer, moving almost inside the door where she was standing. Just close enough to catch her scent.

“Too late for what?”

“Jake, I have to ask a favor,” she said, her voice low, that throaty purr that drove him crazy. She reached out and caught the front of his jacket.

His hand closed over hers, feeling the soft warmth of her skin, wishing she’d slide her hand inside his shirt. Clearing his suddenly hoarse throat, he muttered, “Yeah?”

She drew a deep breath, and he watched the rise and fall of her bosom, feeling like a seventeen-yearold boy, afraid to breathe in case he completely lost control.

“Could we—could we pretend a little longer?”

His mind was so clogged with sensations it took him a minute or two to understand what she’d said. “You want to continue pretending to date?” He shot a quick look over his shoulder to make sure no one could overhear their conversation.