“It’s not fair to keep you out of your own home, Wyatt.

“It’s just that I don’t want the kids to get any ideas.”

He turned to find Maura standing there in her long cotton gown, the candle casting a soft glow over her face. “What kind of ideas?”

“I don’t want them to think that you’ll always be a part of their lives,” she confessed. “I also don’t want them to think that you’re a live-in boyfriend.”

Wyatt stepped closer. “You don’t want people to think you’re giving me special favors.”

Even in the dim candlelight, he could see her blush.

He wanted so badly to pull her into his arms. “Maura, please believe me, I would never ask you…. I care about you and the kids too much. But with this situation, I can’t see there’s any other answer. If you’re worried about what people will think, tell ’em…that we’re engaged.”

Dear Reader,

Here is an acronym that explains why you should not miss the opportunity to enjoy four new love stories from Silhouette Romance so close to Valentine’s Day:

L is for the last title in Silhouette Romance’s delightful MARRYING THE BOSS’S DAUGHTER six-book continuity. So far, Emily Winters has thwarted her father’s attempts to marry her off. But has Daddy’s little girl finally met her matrimonial match? Find out in One Bachelor To Go (#1706) by Nicole Burnham.

O is for the ornery cowboy who’s in for a life change when he is forced to share his home…and his heart with a gun-toting single mom and her kids, in Patricia Thayer’s Wyatt’s Ready-Made Family (#1707). It’s the latest title in Thayer’s continuing THE TEXAS BROTHERHOOD miniseries.

V is for the great vibes you’ll get from Teresa Southwick’s Flirting With the Boss (#1708). This is the second title of Southwick’s IF WISHES WERE…terrific new miniseries in which three friends’ wishes magically come true.

E is for the emotion you’ll feel as you read Saved by the Baby (#1709) by Linda Goodnight. In this heartwarming story, a desperate young mother’s quest to save her daughter’s life leads her back to the child’s father, her first and only love.

Read all four of these fabulous stories. I guarantee they’ll get you in the mood for l-o-v-e!

Mavis C. Allen

Associate Senior Editor

Wyatt’s Ready-Made Family
Patricia Thayer

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To the family newlyweds:

John and Annie Davenport

Alissa and Tim Rawlins

Daniel and Nora Powell

May this be the beginning to a wonderful life together.

PATRICIA THAYER

has been writing for the past sixteen years and has published eighteen books with Silhouette. Her books have been nominated for the National Readers’ Choice Award, Virginia Romance Writers of America’s Holt Medallion, Orange Rose Contest and a prestigious RITA® Award. In 1997, Nothing Short of a Miracle won the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Special Edition.

Thanks to the understanding men in her life—her husband of thirty-two years, Steve, and her three grown sons and two grandsons—Pat has been able to fulfill her dream of writing romance. Another dream is to own a cabin in Colorado, where she can spend her days writing and her evenings with her favorite hero, Steve. She loves to hear from readers. You can write to her at P.O. Box 6251, Anaheim, CA 92816-0251, or check her Web site at www.patriciathayer.com for upcoming books.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Epilogue

Chapter One

Why hadn’t she gotten the lock fixed?

Maura Wells huddled with her young children in the upstairs hallway, her hearing honed in on an intruder scavenging around downstairs in the house. Oh, God, why doesn’t he just leave? There was nothing down there worth stealing.

The slamming of another door pierced the silence. Jeff and Kelly jumped and she hugged them tighter. Then the sound of the intruder’s booted steps passed by the staircase. She held her breath, trying to control her shaking. At the same time praying he wasn’t coming up. She closed her eyes and the image of outraged Darren formed in the blackness. Her heart hammered in her chest. Could he have found her…so soon? Her lawyer had assured her…

Maura drew several breaths, listening as the unwelcome guest went into the kitchen, then began opening cupboards. It was just like her ex-husband to make her suffer—make her wait for her punishment.

She’d always known someday he would come after her. Well, she wasn’t just going to stand here helpless. No more. If she’d learned anything at the shelter, it was that she couldn’t let Darren make her a prisoner again, in her own home. But living in the country meant she couldn’t expect a quick response from the police. At least she’d had the presence of mind to call her neighbor, Cade. He was on his way. But how long would it take for him to get here?

“Mommy, I’m scared,” her daughter whispered. “Make the bad man go away.”

“I will, honey.” Fighting her own fears, Maura pushed the kids into her bedroom. “You two wait in here. I’m going to make him go away. Don’t come downstairs no matter what. Promise?”

With nods from both her six-year-old son and her three-year-old daughter, Maura closed them inside her bedroom, then crept cautiously to the hall closet and took out an old rifle that had been left behind before she’d moved in. She suspected it wouldn’t shoot, not that she could pull the trigger anyway, but she wasn’t going to let the intruder know that.

Maura started down the stairs. With each step, she struggled to slow her breathing. A small table lamp was on, casing a soft glow over the large sparsely furnished living room. Most everything in the house had been given to her secondhand, except the black duffel bag beside the front door.

That belonged to the visitor.

She stayed back in the shadows, knowing that if it was her ex-husband, there would be no reasoning with him, but she would do anything she had to do to keep him away from her kids. She listened at the sound of cupboard doors being opened and closed. Then the sound of boots on the bare floors told her he was coming toward her. Here was her chance to catch him by surprise.

The huge shadow appeared, too big to be Darren. A strange relief ran through Maura, then she realized she faced a different kind of danger. He was a thief, maybe worse. She pointed the rifle at him. “Just hold it right there, mister.”

“What the hell?” The man stopped at the entrance of the room.

Maura bit back a gasp as she took in the tall, handsome stranger. He was dressed in a Western shirt and jeans with a big silver buckle on his belt. He had midnight-black hair long enough to brush against his collar. His eyes were a brilliant blue hooded by dark brows.

“Raise your hands,” she said, fighting to keep the quiver out of her voice, and her hands steady.

To say the least, Wyatt Gentry was surprised to find this pretty interloper in his house. By her state of dress, the long nightgown and her mussed, honey-blond hair, she’d been awakened from sleep. And she looked sexy as all get out. So she was the reason the inside of the house had looked so neat…so welcoming. Too bad the woman holding the rifle didn’t.

He sure-as-hell didn’t want to talk to anyone holding a weapon at him. “I’m not here to cause any harm, ma’am.”

“Then you shouldn’t have broken into my home in the first place.”

Her home? “Why don’t you put the rifle down and we’ll talk about it?”

“No! We’ll just wait until the sheriff gets here.” Her chocolate-brown eyes widened as she waved the rifle toward the sofa. “Go and sit down.”

Wyatt started to walk across the polished hardwood floor, but decided he didn’t like this situation at all. And he needed to do something about it. Now. He swung around, grabbed the barrel of the rifle and jerked it from her hands. What he didn’t expect was for her to fight him like a sharp-clawed cat. Her small size didn’t diminish her strength as she pushed him off balance, but he took her with him when she refused to let go of the rifle. They ended up on the floor. When he finally got leverage, he rolled her over beneath him, then straddled her. She still didn’t give up the fight, causing her shapely body to rub against his, reminding him that she was nearly naked and very much a woman. The friction between them was like a jolt of electricity.

“Will you stop fighting me so we can talk about this?” he asked when suddenly something hit him from behind.

“You leave my mother alone,” a youngster said as a small fist plummeted him. Hard. Wyatt reach back and pulled a boy off him as he stood up.

“Hey, kid. I’m not going to hurt anyone.” He held the small flailing body away from him. He glanced at the woman as she scurried from the floor to the little girl crying on the stairs.

“Please, release my son and just take what you want,” the woman pleaded. “I have a little money in my purse. Just don’t hurt us.”

Seeing the fear in the woman’s eyes, Wyatt hurried to reassure her that he wasn’t going to harm her or her family. “I’m not going to hurt anyone,” he insisted and tossed the rifle on the sofa. He doubted it would fire anyway. “And I don’t want your money. I’m only here because I own this house and property. I have a key.”

Shock turned to puzzlement on the woman’s pretty face. “You bought this ranch?”

He nodded. “As of three o’clock this afternoon when I signed the papers.”

“Jeffrey, stop!” she commanded her still struggling son. “The man isn’t going to hurt us.”

The boy finally stopped fighting, but continued his threatening stare as he was lowered to the floor and backed away toward his mother.

Wyatt straightened. “I’m Wyatt Gentry. Sorry, I had no idea anyone was living in this house.”

“I’m Maura Wells, my daughter, Kelly and son, Jeff. We’ve been staying here for a while…”

“A while. You’re renting the place?”

Her incredible dark brown eyes rounded before she glanced away. “I had an agreement with the owner—previous owner. But since you’re here now we should leave.”

Wyatt had no idea he would be greeted by a full house. Why hadn’t the lawyer told him about the renters? How could he toss this woman and her kids out in the middle of the night? And where was her husband? He glanced at her ringless left hand.

“There’s no need for you to leave—” he began.

Just then the front door burst open and a tall man rushed in and headed straight for Wyatt. He grabbed a handful of his shirt. “If you laid one hand on any of them you’re going to be sorry—”

“No, Cade, please, don’t,” Maura said as she stepped between them, then reached for the man’s arm. “It’s okay. This is Wyatt Gentry. He just bought the place.”

Cade released him. “You bought this ranch?”

Wyatt nodded. “As of today when I signed the papers.” He went to the duffel bag, pulled out the property title and handed it to him.

Cade glanced over the legal agreement. “Well, I’ll be damned.” He looked at Wyatt as a ruddy color covered his cheeks. “I guess I owe you an apology,” he said and gave him back the documents. “I’m Cade Randell. We had no idea the property had sold.”

A strange feeling came over Wyatt as he stared at Cade Randell. This was not how he’d planned to meet his half brother. He glanced away, fighting to stay focused on the problem at hand.

Cade Randell turned to the woman. “Maura, why don’t you pack your things and you and the kids come home with me?”

Wyatt stepped in. “Like I was telling Mrs. Wells,” Wyatt began, “there’s no need to leave in the middle of the night. Besides, I’m not going to toss out renters.”

Maura spoke up. “I’m not exactly renting…this house,” she said timidly. “Cade got permission for me to live here until the place was sold. I guess that’s right now.”

So Cade Randell had once again been her champion. Was something going on between these two?

“It was like this,” Cade said, “I know the owner, Ben Roscoe, and he agreed to let Maura and her kids stay here for a while. I guess when he went on vacation, he neglected to explain the situation to his lawyer.” Cade exchanged another glance with Maura. “It’s just that this old place has been up for sale for over four years. No one thought it would be a problem for Maura to take the job of house-sitter.”

Wyatt had had a long day, a long week with his drive from Arizona, not counting the endless arguments he’d had with his brother, Dylan, about him purchasing the once-Randell property. Now it was nearly midnight and he was exhausted.

“Why don’t we hash this out tomorrow?” he suggested. “I can get a motel room and stay there tonight. And we can discuss the living arrangements in the morning.”

He studied Maura Wells carefully. Why would a woman and her two kids be living in a deserted house? He didn’t like the scenario he came up with.

“Mr. Gentry, I can’t make you leave your own house.”

Wyatt took another look at her. Not a good idea. She had big brown eyes and fair, flawless skin. Her silky hair was the color of honey. When his body took notice of her attractiveness, he forced his gaze away and glanced around the room.

“Listen,” he began, “I was told to expect to have to spend a lot of time cleaning to make this place livable so I wasn’t planning on moving in tonight anyway.” He placed his black cowboy hat on his head. “I’ll stop by in the morning.” He picked up his duffel bag and headed out the door.

Maura was thrown by the stranger’s kindness. But that didn’t change the fact that she and the kids would be homeless in the morning. That meant she would need to find another place to live. Easier said than done. She didn’t have the kind of money it would take to relocate and to pay rent.

“I still say you should come home and stay with Abby and me,” Cade suggested.

Maura ignored the suggestion and turned to her son. “Jeff, take your sister back upstairs to bed. You can put her in my room.” She kissed Kelly, then her son. “Go, Kelly, I’ll be up soon.”

“Promise?” her daughter asked.

“I promise. You’re safe now.”

After they both hurried up the steps, Maura turned back to Cade. “I can’t come home with you. You already have a houseful with Brandon and Henry James. I won’t intrude any more. I’ll think of something.”

“I have a foreman’s cottage you could use. Not exactly in the best shape, but we could fix it up.”

Maura had been lucky to find people like Abby and Cade Randell. Between her job and the house, they had helped her so much. She’d never be able to repay them. “I think you know I’m not afraid of hard work. But let’s talk about this in the morning. Sorry to bring you out so late.” She turned him toward the door. “Now, go home to your family.”

Maura finally got Cade to leave. She started to turn off the light, but decided she’d leave it on just for tonight. She climbed the steps, realizing she’d done what she’d promised herself she wouldn’t do. She had gotten attached to this house, knowing full well that she couldn’t stay forever. But two months had been too short a time. She wanted to hate Wyatt Gentry, but she found she couldn’t. Instead, surprisingly, she was looking forward to his return tomorrow, especially since that meant her departure.

Wyatt had been up since dawn, but he doubted Maura Wells had. So he hung around the motel café trying to come up with a solution for all of them. There weren’t any answers, especially if the woman and her kids couldn’t afford rent for another house.

About seven-thirty, he pulled his truck up in front of the once white, two-story house. Home sweet home. His first ever. He raised an eyebrow at the peeling paint, the sagging porch, the weed-infested yard and flower beds.

It was all his.

No more trailer, no more campgrounds and traveling around. Wyatt was finally putting down roots. He had his dream, his own ranch. Best of all, none of it had Earl Keys’s name on it to remind him that he and Dylan were never wanted, they just came along as excess baggage with their mother. Twenty years ago, Sally Gentry had married a man who promised to take care of her and her twin sons. She believed that Keys was the answer to their prayers until they discovered that he only wanted them to help work his rough-stock business.

No more. He’d worked for years riding in rodeos and working for rough-stock contractors. Now, the Rocking R was his. He belonged here, and never again would he feel like a hired hand. If he was going to work his fingers to the bone it would be because this land was his.

He chuckled. He hadn’t come to Texas to buy land but to find his real father. After getting a letter from a man named Jared Trager, telling him about Jack Randell, Wyatt headed to San Angelo. That was how he ended up at the Rocking R. Although the place had been deserted by the Randells, fate had practically handed him the home he’d longed for, and at a price he couldn’t pass up. All that was left for him was to move in.

But first he had to evict the squatters. Wyatt climbed out of the cab and walked up the rickety steps and around the rotted wood on the porch, making a mental note to replace them first thing. He knocked on the door and within seconds heard the scurrying of shoes on the floors. The door jerked open and the boy, Jeff, appeared.

“Oh, it’s you.” The kid looked grim.

“Is your mother around? I told her that I’d be back this morning.”

The kid opened his mouth and yelled, “Mom!” Then he ran off leaving the door ajar.

Wyatt took a step inside and closed the door behind him. He heard a commotion upstairs and the cry of a child. A few minutes later the small girl slowly descended the stairs. She was wearing bright-pink shorts, a white T-shirt and canvas shoes, her blond curls were in a ponytail tied with a pink ribbon. There were tears in her eyes and she was making a hiccuping sound.

Wyatt wondered if she were hurt. Feeling a little awkward, he went to her. “What’s the matter?”

Kelly stopped on the third step from the bottom. “Mommy’s mad with me.” Her tiny fists rubbed her eyes.

Wyatt squatted down. “And just why is that?”

“’Cause I got into her makeup and I’m not s’pose to. I want to be pretty like Mommy.”

Wyatt had to bite his lip to keep from smiling. He figured Maura Wells didn’t need to wear any makeup for that. She was already a natural beauty. “You’re just as pretty with your curls.” He gave a tug on the ponytail.

She giggled. “What’s your name?”

“Wyatt.”

She studied him closely. “Are you a mean man?”

He shook his head. “I hope not.”

“Jeff says you’re going to throw us out.” The girl’s lower lips quivered as if she were going to cry again.

Wyatt suddenly felt like the meanest man on earth. Before he could say any more Maura Wells appeared at the top of the stairs. “Kelly Ann Wells, did you brush your teeth?”

The girl swung around and looked up at her mother. “I forgot.”

“Well, you better get to it. We have to leave soon.” The girl hurried up the steps, past her mother and ran down the hall. Maura descended the steps. She was dressed in a flowery skirt and a white cotton T-shirt and wore strappy sandals on her slender feet. Her golden-yellow hair was curled under just brushing her shoulders. No. She definitely didn’t need makeup to enhance her beauty.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Gentry. Mornings around here are a little hectic.” Before he could answer a horn sounded and she called out, “Jeff, the bus is here.”

Within seconds the boy came tearing through the house. He grabbed a backpack and a lunch sack off the table by the door. “Bye, Mom.” He threw Wyatt a stony glance and ran out the door.

Peaceful silence. “Sorry, like I was saying the mornings are a little busy. Would you like some coffee?”

“That would be nice,” Wyatt said and followed her into the kitchen.

On the way Wyatt took the opportunity of daylight to look around. The rooms obviously needed paint, but everything was clean and neat. Maura Wells had taken care of the place. In the kitchen, she pulled down two mugs from the knotty pine cupboard, then poured the brew from a coffeemaker. “Please, sit down.”

Wyatt watched as she moved around the old-fashioned kitchen. He didn’t take Maura to be much older than her late twenties. She was small, maybe a little on the thin side, but she didn’t lack curves. He watched the sway of her hips under her skirt.

“I’m sure you want to move in as soon as possible,” she said as she sat down at the table and motioned for him to do also. “I’m sorry if we created a problem.”

“Not a big deal.”

She sighed. “We can be out…today.”

Wyatt looked out the window and saw the sorry-looking station wagon parked by the back door. The woman definitely didn’t have much. Where was her husband? He looked back at her. “Do you have a place to go? I mean, I didn’t give you much notice.”

“We’re not your concern, Mr. Gentry.”

Then why did he feel as if they were? “Please, call me Wyatt.”

She nodded. “Wyatt. We’ll probably stay with Cade and Abby Randell for a few days. If it’s okay, I’ll have to leave my furniture here temporarily, until I find another place.”

Why did he feel like such a rat? He couldn’t do this. “Huh…that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I was wondering if you could do me a favor?”

She nodded. “Of course.”

“There’s so much work to do around the place. I was thinking there’s no reason why you and the kids couldn’t stay in the house.” He rushed on seeing her start to protest. “You’d be a big help to me with decorating the inside. And you could take your time finding another place to live.”

“Oh, Wyatt,” she gasped. Her breathy tone caused his stomach to tighten. “I can’t do that. Where would you live?”

“I thought I’d move into the Rocking R’s foreman’s cottage while I was doing the work. I don’t need much room.”

Maura couldn’t believe it. She could stay. But for how long? She didn’t care. Right now, she couldn’t afford to go anywhere. There wasn’t enough money in her emergency fund to rent a house. She didn’t even have an emergency fund. Besides, she hated to pack up Jeff and Kelly again. “But how would I be helping?”

“I know zilch about decorating. I’m a bachelor. Spent a lot of my life living out of a single-wide trailer with my mom and brother.” While my stepfather shouted orders from back at his ranch, he added silently. “I don’t know anything about colors and styles and I can see how well you’ve taken care of the place.”

“How much rent would you want?”

He shook his head. “I don’t want any rent, but if you could include me at mealtimes, I’d be grateful.”

“That doesn’t quite seem fair. Us living here and you in the cottage.”

“I was planning to move into the cottage anyway while I did the work, so the house will be empty if you and the kids move out.”

Maura knew he was probably lying, but bless him, he was trying to help her. She never wanted to be beholden to a man again. It had taken her a long time to stand on her own and not be afraid. But the truth was, she had to think about the kids, keeping a roof over their heads. They loved it here. How could she uproot them again? Besides, she had nowhere to go but back to the shelter once she wore out her welcome at Abby and Cade’s. At least, Wyatt Gentry was offering her time to figure out where to go.

“I appreciate your offer, but I feel that if I’m going to stay I need to do something more.”

“What is that?”

“I’ll not only cook your meals, but do your laundry, too.”

When he started to argue, she stopped him with her raised hand. “Take it or leave it, Mr. Gentry.”

A slow smile came over his handsome face and a strange feeling erupted in her stomach. “Lady, you got yourself a deal.”

Chapter Two

Maura ended up running late for work. But she couldn’t just walk out on Wyatt Gentry. After all he was going to be her landlord. She was both excited and relieved that they could come to terms so she and the kids could stay…for a while.

She pulled her car into the parking lot of the Mustang Valley Guest Ranch Center, and escorted Kelly through the doors of the bright red-and-blue building of the employee’s day care. Since summer had ended and the seasonal workers were gone until next spring, there were only four other children there.

The Little Pony Day Care had been a lifesaver for Maura. She had very few skills for today’s job market and could never have made enough money to be able to afford someone to watch Jeff and Kelly, let alone a licensed day care. But Maura had been offered the free service along with her job. Best of all, Kelly loved staying here.

“Give me a kiss, sweetie,” she said to Kelly.

Her daughter puckered up and kissed her. Not long ago, Kelly wouldn’t willingly leave Maura’s side. Now, she was a happy, independent child.

After last night, Maura was afraid her daughter might revert into her former shell, but she relaxed when Kelly ran over to her friend, Emily, and began to play. So Wyatt Gentry’s surprise arrival hadn’t caused the child any lasting problems. Maura wished the same was true for herself. She now had a man practically living in the house, and he’d be sitting at her dinner table every night.

“Bye, Mommy. I love you.”

“I love you, too, pumpkin.”

With a wave goodbye, Maura hurried out the door and across the complex to the strip mall that included a general store and the cabin check-in and rental area for the guest ranch. There was also a souvenir shop, a video arcade, the Mustang Western Clothing Store, then came Abby’s Treasures that carried nice collectibles and freshwater pearls from the local Concho River. And last in line was the flower shop.

Maura unlocked the front door to the Yellow Rose. She stepped inside and a wonderful floral fragrance engulfed her, causing her to smile. She loved working with the flowers, loved to arrange bouquets for the ranch guests. And if that weren’t enough, she was lucky to work for a wonderful family like the Randells, especially Abby. With virtually no experience, Abby had taken a chance on Maura and given her a job. The few things she had known about flowers had come from Carl Perry, her parents’ gardener.

A lonely, only child, Maura used to follow Carl around the estate. The poor man answered every question she’d ever asked and taught her everything about flowers, from pruning to fertilizing. Her mother had always insisted there be fresh bouquets in the house daily. What Grace Howell hadn’t known or cared about was that Maura was the one doing the floral arrangements. But her parents hadn’t noticed much about their daughter until she’d married Darren Wells. And then they’d disowned her completely.

Maura pushed the bad memories from her head and thought about how lucky she was. She had Jeff and Kelly with her, and even received a salary for what she loved to do. Thanks to Abby’s encouragement, for the past few months, she had created special bouquets for the guest cabins, and just recently, Maura had been approached to do a local wedding in San Angelo. And she had appointments to talk with prospective brides about doing two more. The Yellow Rose’s business was growing and it was more than Maura could handle by herself. She needed to hire an assistant.

Maura put her purse away in the small office. Grabbing the rose-monogrammed apron off the hook, she tied it around her waist. She went to open the shutters, turned the Closed sign to Open, then picked up the fax with the list of today’s bouquets. There was an asterisk beside the cabin number of the bridal suite and the name of the couple who would be arriving this afternoon. Maura smiled. Her favorites were the newlywed arrangements. She went down the list of the four other cabins that would be occupied by three o’clock. She needed to get busy.

Maura started toward the work area when the bell over the door sounded. She turned around expecting to find a customer, but instead Abby Randell rushed through the door.

“I didn’t think you’d ever get here,” Abby said, her green eyes sparkling.

At thirty, the beautiful woman wore her auburn hair short with the ends flipped up. A pair of hoop earrings hung from the tips of her earlobes. Tall and slender, she was dressed in tailored navy slacks and an ecru crepe blouse. Abby was the mother of two young boys, Brandon and James.

“Sorry I was late, but I needed to talk with Wyatt Gentry.”

“I know. I wanted to come by the house, but I had an appointment with an artist this morning. He’s agreed to let me sell his paintings at Abby’s Treasures. Forget about that.” She waved her slender hand. “Look, Maura, you and the kids can move in with us. Cade and Travis will come by later and help get your things. Don’t worry, we’ll find you another place. It was a crazy idea to put you in the old Randell house, but at the time it seemed the best and fastest solution.”

Maura tried to interrupt her friend, but she couldn’t get a word in. Finally Abby ran out of steam. “Really, there’s no need,” Maura said. “I’m going to stay where I am.”

“What?”

“Wyatt Gentry insisted we continue living in the house…for now.”

Abby crossed her arms. “And just where is this…Mr. Gentry going to live?”

“In the foreman’s cottage,” Maura announced. “At least while he finishes the repairs to the outside of the house.”

“Why would he let you stay?”

Maura was puzzled herself. “I’m not exactly sure.”

Abby studied her for a while. “And you’re okay with this?”

What choice did she have? “He seems like a nice man.” She also had to admit that Wyatt Gentry was a very handsome man. That was, if she paid attention to those things. “And he’s giving me time to find another place to live.”

“Then we’ll go looking for another place as soon as possible.”

Maura reached for her friend’s hand. “Look, Abby, I need this time. I haven’t had a chance to save much money.” She turned back to the work area.

Abby followed her. “Then Cade and I will loan it to you.”

Maura shook her head as she pulled open the cooler’s glass door, stepped just inside and picked up the canister of fresh-cut roses that had been picked up by Abby earlier that morning.

“No. I can’t take any more from you, Abby. Both you and Cade have done so much for us already. Really, we’ll be fine. Thanks to Mr. Gentry, I have a little breathing space. This morning we worked out an arrangement. He’s not going to charge me rent, and all he wants in return is some decorating help and…meals.”

Silently, she watched as Abby studied her. This woman was more than her employer, she was her friend. They’d met few months ago at a women’s shelter in San Angelo, where Abby was a volunteer. Maura had come seeking refuge from her abusive ex-husband. Even though Darren had been sent to jail for robbery, he’d threatened to punish her because she had been the one who turned him in to the police. After leaving Dallas, she’d moved around until her money ran out, then ended up at the shelter’s door.

It had been Abby Randell who counseled her, who’d helped her feel good about herself. During the hours they talked and cried together, Abby confided to Maura about her abusive first husband and how long it had taken her to leave the man. Now, she was happily married to Cade Randell, the man she’d always loved and the father of her two sons.

Maura reached for the flower clippers. Starting with the roses, she handled them with great care as she began to trim, then added wire to each long stem. She placed the first rose in the crystal vase, deciding she would go with all white, representing purity and innocence, for the bridal suite. Maybe tomorrow, she would move onto the passionate bloodred roses. Suddenly her thoughts turned to the dark-haired man who’d burst into her life. Why didn’t she feel threatened by him?

“You say you’re going to help him decorate the house. Does he have a family?” Abby asked.

“He’s a bachelor. And he spoke of a brother.”

A long pause. “And you’re cooking his meals for him?”

“Yes, and I’m also doing his laundry.” She rushed on, “That was my idea.”

“And I’m not sure if it was a good one.”

Maura understood that Abby was just being protective. They both knew how hard it was to trust anyone, or not to worry about falling for the same type of man and end up in the same brutal situation.

“Just promise me that if you feel you don’t like this arrangement, you’ll come to me for help,” Abby insisted.

“I promise, I will,” she said. “Besides, it’s only going to be for a month, or so. By then, I’ll have another place.”

“And you always have a place to stay with us,” Abby added.

Tears rushed to Maura’s eyes. Never in her life had anyone cared about her like Abby and her family. “And I thank you for that. You’ve always been there for me, you also taught me to stand on my own and realize my inner strength. And I think it’s about time I did.”

Later that day, Maura drove home with Jeff and Kelly in tow. Her son’s school bus had let him off at the day care where he spent the past two hours with his sister until Maura closed the shop.

Now, Jeff had time to finish his homework while Maura fixed dinner. She was a little worried. Darren had complained a lot about her lack of culinary skills. Not that they could afford much more than ground beef.

Taking the grocery bag out of the car, Maura started up the walk toward the house. The kids had stopped at the door, but they weren’t waiting for her. They watched as Wyatt Gentry pulled rotten floorboards from the porch.

She wasn’t as disturbed about the condition of the floorboards as much as she was with Wyatt’s lack of clothing. Shirtless, beads of sweat covered his bronze skin, clinging to his broad shoulders and chest. He turned around, tipped his black baseball cap and smiled. Her entire body grew warm, and a warm blush covered her face.

“Hello, Maura,” he said in that low husky tone. “I hope you don’t mind, but I figured this was a good place to start the repair. I’d hate for one of you to fall and hurt yourselves.”

“We’re not stupid,” Jeff growled. “We don’t walk in holes.” With a glare, he stomped into the house, letting the screen door slam in his wake.

Maura started to apologize for her son’s behavior when Kelly sat down on the step and announced, “My brother’s scared of you.”

“Kelly!” Maura was mortified at her child’s openness.

“He is?” Wyatt asked as he grabbed his shirt from the railing and slipped it on. “I guess that’s because I came into the house last night.”

Kelly nodded. “But I’m not scared of you.”

“You aren’t?” Wyatt asked, studying the child.

The girl’s large brown eyes roamed over him and he felt himself holding his breath, waiting for her to make a judgment. He hadn’t had much experience with kids. Just the ones who hung around the rodeo. They were more interested in his horse than him.

“Nope, ’cause your eyes don’t look mean.”

It was crazy but her appraisal pleased Wyatt. “Good.”

“You’re nice.” Her ponytail danced against her shoulders. “You let us stay here. And now you’re fixin’ the broked porch so I don’t falled down again. I got an owie. See.”

Wyatt leaned down and examined the tiny red mark on her knee. “Well, Miss Kelly, I’m sure sorry about that. I’ll just have to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

He was rewarded with a giggle. “Can I help you fix it?”

Her mother stepped forward. “Oh, no, honey. You better come inside and stay out of Mr. Gentry’s way.”

Wyatt straightened and Maura Wells took a step back. Her eyes widened, causing him to freeze in place. She was frightened of him.

“I don’t mind if Kelly wants to stay out here,” he assured her. “I’ll leave the door open and you can hear her from the kitchen.” He smiled. “I wouldn’t want anything to hamper your progress on dinner. May I ask what’s on the menu?”

She shrugged. “It’s just meat loaf and baked potatoes.”

“There’s nothing ‘just’ about home cooking, ma’am. Not when you’ve been eating restaurant food, or your own cooking for as long as I have.”

“I hope you’re not disappointed.” She started up the steps. “Just send Kelly inside if she gets in your way.” Maura opened the screen door and went inside.

Wyatt’s gaze followed the gentle sway of her hips as she walked through the house. Maura Wells did have a cute backside. He shook away the direction of his thoughts. That was as far as he could go, admiring her from afar.

Wyatt had been fitting some of the pieces together, and he didn’t like how they added up. Someone had put that sadness in Maura’s eyes, more than likely her ex-husband. Wyatt assumed he was an ex—if not, the man deserved to be hog-tied and hung out to dry for deserting his family, leaving them to live in a run-down house.

“Wyatt.” The little girl tugged on his hand. “You gotta tell me what to do so I can help.”

Wyatt already knew he’d gotten in over his head when he allowed Maura and her kids to stay in the house. He’d always been a sucker to help out. So he’d done his good deed and it wasn’t putting him out that much. She’d be gone in thirty days, and out of his life.

He picked up the board he’d sawed to size earlier. “Why don’t you hand me those nails, Kelly?” He pointed to the box of finishing nails.

Kelly’s tiny fingers reached into the box and pulled out one. “Thank you,” he told her and she rewarded him with a smile so sweet it caused his chest to tighten.

Wyatt couldn’t let this idyllic moment detour him from contemplating his troubles. First of all, his new neighbors, the Randells, had no idea that he was their half brother. When would be the best opportunity to drop the bombshell? He needed to talk with the man, Jared Trager, who had sent him the information about Jack Randell being his father, before he made any announcements. Of course, Wyatt had confronted his mother when he’d gotten Trager’s letter. And after more than thirty years, Sally Gentry Keys finally told him and his twin the truth.

When Wyatt first arrived in town, he’d stopped by the Lazy S, but the foreman had told him that Jared Trager and his family were out of town. So it looked like he had to wait it out a little longer.

In the meantime, there were other Randell brothers around the area. He’d met Cade already. Would one of them recognize him? Not likely. He’d always been told he looked more like his mother’s family. Dylan and he were fraternal twins, and his brother was the one who resembled Jack Randell.

Wyatt pounded in the nail and Kelly handed him another. Nothing had turned out the way he’d planned. Even with Dylan urging him to let the matter go—to stay away from a man who hadn’t wanted them—Wyatt still found his way to San Angelo. Not only had he come here, but he’d bought the old Randell homestead.

Did he need to belong so badly that he had to buy his old man’s land? Wyatt had told himself over and over it was just a good deal—a great deal. He’d only made a ridiculously low offer and the seller accepted it. How could he not want the place?

He had wanted his own ranch for years. Unlike Dylan, he hated all the travel on the circuit and he’d always wanted to put down roots. A home. The old Randell place might not be in the best shape, but it was his. And with the money he’d saved over the years, from rodeoing and working stock, soon he’d be able to start his business as a rough-stock contractor. Over the years he’d made several contacts in the rodeo business. So once he rebuilt the ranch, repaired the corral and the stalls in the barn, he could begin. He already owned six horses now that a friend was boarding until he had the place ready. One in particular a bucking horse, Rock-a-Billy. He just needed to concentrate on his business.

His attention went to his distraction, pretty Maura Wells. Hopefully by the time he brought his stock here, she and her kids would be long gone.

“That was the best meal I’ve had in a long time,” Wyatt said, scooting back from the table.

“Thank you,” Maura said. “Would you like some coffee?”

“That would be nice,” he replied, smiling at her.

Feeling a little tingle, Maura got up from the table and took two mugs out of the cupboard. After filling them, she walked back to the table. “Cream or sugar?”

“No, just black.” He took a sip. “Good coffee.”

“Thank you,” Maura said again, then was distracted when Jeff dropped his fork on his plate.

“I got homework.” He stood and started out of the room.

“Jeff, you didn’t ask to be excused and I think you forgot about your plate.”

“Can I be excused?” He came back to get his plate and all but tossed it into the sink.

Maura didn’t want to call her son on his rude behavior, but she wasn’t going to let him get away with it, either. She’d talk with him later. Jeff had had these bouts with rudeness on and off since they’d left Dallas…and his dad. Of course, he had blamed their separation on her, but she couldn’t bring herself to discipline him, especially in front of a stranger.

“Mommy, I ate all my green beans. Can I be ’cused?” Kelly flashed a bright smile at Wyatt. “I want to play with my dolly. Her name is Suzy.”

“That’s a nice name,” Wyatt said.

Again Kelly smiled. If Maura didn’t know better she’d say her daughter was flirting with Wyatt Gentry. “Just remember that your bedtime is in one hour and you still need a bath.”

“Can I have a bubble bath?”

Maura was too tired. “Not tonight, honey. Mommy has to do dishes.”

“Why don’t you go on with Kelly? I’ll clean up,” Wyatt suggested.

Maura shook her head. “No, I can’t ask you to do them.”

“You didn’t ask, I offered.” He got up and carried his plate to the sink. “You just need to tell where things are.”

Maura got up, too. “Kelly, you go play, I’ll be up in a while.”

The little girl took off.

“You’ve worked all day, Mr. Gentry. I can’t ask you to do dishes.”

“And you have worked all day, taken care of two kids and fixed dinner. And I thought you were going to call me Wyatt.”

Wyatt closed the drain in the sink and began running water, then he looked in the most obvious place for the soap, under the counter. That was where he found the small off-brand bottle of green liquid. The room might have needed paint and the pine cupboards were scarred, but everything in the house had been cleaned within an inch of its life. He squirted a generous amount of soap in the water, creating bubbles. “I guess Kelly could have helped me and played in bubbles here.”

“The operative word is play,” she said. “She’d make a mess.”

Maura tried to scoot in front of the basin so he would move, but the man didn’t budge at all. She wasn’t comfortable standing so close to him and stepped back.

“You mean like this?” He slashed bubbles at her.

She gasped. “Mr. Gen—Wyatt!”

He cocked an eyebrow, looking far too handsome…and dangerous. A warning went off. She didn’t like the feelings he created in her.

“If you don’t want more of the same, I suggest you head upstairs to help your daughter. Don’t worry, Maura. I can manage a few dishes. But you have a lot more to handle.” He stared at her a moment, then said, “I’m not trying to pry, but in case he shows up one day, is there a Mr. Wells?”

She felt herself tense. God, no. “There is… I mean was, but he’s not in our lives any longer. I’m divorced and I have full custody of the children.”

“The man must have been a fool to let you and the kids go.”

“He had nothing to do with it,” she said. “It was my decision to leave, and it was a good decision.” She felt her anger building and she took a calming breath. “If you don’t mind, I will go upstairs and help Kelly with her bath.” Maura turned and walked out, nearly running was more like it. She never had much experience with men, and definitely not men like Wyatt Gentry.

She’d be better off to stay far away.

After two bedtime stories and a back rub, Kelly finally went to sleep. Maura had gone into her son’s room. Jeff was reading, and he never even looked at her, but with some coaxing, she left with a good-night kiss.

Coming down the stairs, she brushed a tear from her eye, telling herself that although Jeff hated her now, she knew she’d done the right thing leaving Darren. Her ex-husband’s abuse had gotten out of control long ago. Although she’d protected the kids most of the time, she couldn’t stay and watch as Jeff turned into the same type of person. All he ever saw from his father had been cruel and abusive behavior, especially to women.

Worse, Maura knew that if she stayed, Darren would someday kill her. And her kids would be left alone. So she had to do something, even if it meant turning her husband in to the police.

Maura knew it hadn’t been the best thing to steal her children away in the middle of the night, but it had been her only escape, the only way she could leave Darren. After the police took him in, she grabbed everything she could put in the station wagon and got out of Dallas. The small amount of money she’d managed to save only went a little way. And what was she supposed to do for a job and a place to live? She’d gotten the help at a women’s shelter in San Angelo.

Maura turned off the lamp in the living room, then walked into the kitchen. She gasped when she found Wyatt sitting at the table, reading the newspaper.

“I didn’t realize you were still here.”

He smiled at her. “I hope you don’t mind. I’m having another cup of your good coffee.” He stood and offered her a chair. “Care to join me?”

So polite, but so had been Darren…at first. “I really should get to bed.”

“I know, but I only want a few minutes.”

Maura made her way to the table and sat down. “Is there a problem?”

“That’s what I want to know, Maura. Did I do something to upset you? I mean, if it bothers you to have me at the dinner table, I can eat in the cottage.”

“No, of course not. You’ve been so generous letting us stay here. I mean, you could have insisted we leave.”

He shook his head, blue eyes piercing into hers. “I couldn’t do that.” He took a breath. “I don’t want to pry, Maura, but it’s obvious that you’ve had some hard times. I don’t want to make them worse. So you take your time. I promise I won’t get in your way.” The chair scooted against the worn floor when he stood. Then he headed out the back door.

Maura wanted to call after him, tell him the truth, but she couldn’t, not yet. She still had a long way to go before she trusted a man.

Maybe never.

Chapter Three

The next morning, Wyatt rolled over on the lumpy mattress and groaned as bright sunlight came through the bare, cracked window, reminding him where he was. His new home. Unable to get back to sleep, he decided to get up. He swung his legs over the edge and rubbed his eyes. He glanced at the travel clock on the table and realized it was nearly six-thirty.

He released a long sigh, thinking about what he had to do today…and tomorrow, and the next day. He was already tired but it had nothing to do with his endless list of future chores, and more to do with his lack of sleep last night. No matter how many times he’d told himself to forget about Maura Wells, she still had managed to keep him awake. He was breaking his own rule—to never get involved with a woman with kids…again.

Memories of Amanda Burke and her son, Scott, flooded into his head. He’d fallen hard for the pretty barrel racer. So he’d knocked himself out trying to win the kid over, too. Thanks to the example of Earl Keys, he hadn’t known about being a father figure, but he’d tried his damnedest. In the end he’d lost them both when Amanda went back to her ex-husband.

Maybe that was what intrigued him about Maura. She didn’t seem to want anything to do with him. From the moment they’d met, she’d acted as if he had the plague. But that hadn’t stopped the attraction. He was drawn to her. Maybe it was the sadness in those big brown eyes of hers, or the fear he saw every time he got too close. At the dinner table last night, he’d felt the tension with Maura. And she couldn’t get him out of the house fast enough.

Wyatt never had trouble getting female attention, not since he and Dylan had been fourteen and grown to six feet tall. They’d learned quickly how to charm the ladies. But he had outgrown conquests with the buckle bunnies at the rodeos long ago. He’d passed thirty now and wanted to put his full concentration on the ranch and start his business. He had no time or desire to get involved with someone else’s problems. So he would put up with the minor inconvenience for the next month, then she and her kids would be gone.

Wyatt slipped on his jeans and walked to the small and shabby kitchen area. It needed a good cleaning, and a lot of work. He tried to close one of the cabinet doors, and it swung back open. Yesterday, he’d chased out a family of squirrels and broke up several spiderwebs. This morning he would call an exterminator and have the cottage sprayed. Probably wouldn’t hurt to do the house, too. He’d just have to make sure that Maura and the kids would be gone for the day.

There was a soft knocking sound. He went to the door and found Kelly standing on the stoop. She looked cute dressed in a pair of blue shorts and white top, her hair in a neat ponytail. In her hands she had an insulated coffee mug covered securely with a tight lid.

She smiled. “Good morning, Wyatt. Mommy says you prob’bly need this.” She handed him the coffee. “And breakfast is in ten minutes.” Her brown eyes rounded as she shook her finger at him. “And you better not be late.” The child turned around and skipped off toward the house.

Wyatt couldn’t help but smile at the thought of both the daughter and the mother. So maybe he had charmed his way back into the house. He frowned. Maybe that shouldn’t get him so excited.

Maura tried not to make too much of the invitation, reminding herself she was just following through with her agreement. After all, fixing the man a few meals was a great trade for a month’s free rent.

There was a knock at the back door and she looked up to find Wyatt standing on the porch. Right on time. Even a little rumpled from sleep, he was a gorgeous man. Tall, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. Seeing him yesterday without a shirt, she knew he didn’t have an ounce of fat on his body. It was all muscle. Her gaze moved upward to his face to catch his grin. Another blush warmed her cheeks.

“Wyatt, come in,” she said.

“Thank you, ma’am.” He opened the screen door and walked in, then winked at Kelly as he hung his hat on the peg by the door.

“Have a seat.” Maura turned back to the stove and the pancakes. This was one thing she could make without fail. “Kelly, go get your brother.”

The little girl scurried off, leaving them alone. Maura took a deep breath and released it, then picked up the plate of pancakes and carried them to the table. “Help yourself.”

“Don’t mind if I do.” He stabbed into the stack, taking four.

She slid into the chair across from him. “I want to apologize for last night.”

Wyatt stopped pouring syrup. “There’s nothing to apologize for. I overstepped my bounds.”

“You have every right to ask questions. You’re letting us stay here.”

He shook his head. “Listen, everyone is entitled to their secrets.”

Maura didn’t want to talk about her past. She wanted to move on. But she also needed to make Wyatt understand.

“My husband, Darren…we didn’t…the divorce was hard on all of us, especially Jeff. With the move from Dallas to San Angelo, he’s having difficulty adjusting.”

Wyatt knew that Maura was leaving out a lot. Just the look on her face when she talked about her ex told him she was terrified of the man. That only meant one thing—the man had abused her. He felt himself tense. In his book there was nothing lower than a man who used his fists on a woman.

“Maura, I have only one question, then I’ll drop the subject altogether. Is there a chance that your ex-husband will come here and bother you?”

“No! He doesn’t know where we are,” she admitted, terror in her voice. Wyatt wanted nothing more than to take her into his arms and assure her that he would take care of her.

“And as long as you and the kids are under this roof,” he said, “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Maura started to speak when Kelly came running into the room, crying. Soon to follow was her pleased-looking older brother.

“Mommy, Mommy, Jeff said my freckles were ugly spots.”

The little girl ran to her mother. She sobbed as if her heart were broken.

Wyatt glared at the boy, who looked satisfied that he caused chaos. “You’re not ugly, Kelly. You’re the prettiest little girl that I know.”

The girl wiped her eyes. “Really?”

“Do you know what your freckles mean?”

She shook her head causing her ponytail to swing back and forth.

“You’ve been kissed by the sun.”

A bright smile appeared as she looked at her brother. “See, I’ve been kissed.”

Jeff started to speak, but thought twice when he saw Wyatt’s challenging look. He turned to his mother. “Mom, I want some pancakes, too.”

“Please,” Wyatt added.

The boy remained silent for a few seconds, then added, “Please.”

Maura dished up two large cakes, then directed Kelly to her chair and put one on her plate and began to cut it up. “No, I want Wyatt to do it.” Kelly smiled. “Please.”

This was a new experience for him. He had never cut up a child’s food. Maura nodded as she sat down. He picked up a fork and began cutting the cake into bite-size pieces.

“There you go, princess. Want some syrup?”

She smiled at him sweetly, then looked at her brother. “Wyatt called me princess.”

Jeff mumbled something under his breath, then continued eating his breakfast.

Maura finished her own pancakes and carried her plate to the sink. She hustled her daughter along, then upstairs to brush her teeth. Handing her son his lunch, she sent him off to find his backpack.

When she returned, she discovered Wyatt running water into the sink basin. The man didn’t give up. “I told you, you don’t have to do those.”

“House rules,” he said. “You cooked breakfast, I do the dishes.”

Maura started to argue but he looked at her with those seductive blue eyes. A warm tingle pulsed through her, settling deep in her stomach and she forgot all about everything. It wasn’t until the school bus honked that she realized she was staring. She rushed off to get Jeff out the door.

Wyatt watched as Maura scurried from the room. Seemed the pretty blonde was in constant motion. He couldn’t help but appreciate the soft curves of her backside.

Whoa, just rein in those thoughts, buddy. She’s off-limits.

Just then little Kelly came into the kitchen. She dropped her backpack on the table. “I go to school, too. But I don’t hafta leave yet.” She dragged a chair over to the sink. “So can I help you?”

Definitely off-limits. “That would be nice, but I don’t want you to get wet.”

“I can wear Mama’s apron.” She darted to the drawer and pulled out a colorful floral apron and tried to put in on. She went to him. “I can’t do bows yet.”

Wyatt dried off his hands and after only two attempts, he managed to tie the too-big apron on the child. He handed her a towel and she started drying the flatware, and placing each piece carefully on the counter.

“I help Mommy a lot,” the child began. “She lets me dust.”

“That’s very nice of you to help your mother. And you’re only three years old.”

Her head bobbed up and down in agreement. “I’m going to be four on Thanksgiving. Mommy says I’m not a baby anymore. That I’m growin’ up.” She eyed him. “Do you have any little girls?”

Wyatt shook his head, wondering when the questions were going to stop. “No. No kids.”

“You all by yourself?”

Again he nodded.

“You get scared?”

“I have a mother and my brother.”

“Is he mean to you?”

Wyatt had to smile, remembering how he and Dylan had fought when they were kids. “We had fights, but not too many anymore.”

“Jeff is a mean brother. He calls me a dumb girl all the time.” Tears filled her eyes. “I’m not dumb.”

Wyatt wiped off his hands. No sooner had he turned to the girl than more tears began to run down her angel face.

“Now, don’t go cryin’ on me, princess.” He took the towel and dried her wet cheeks. He’d never felt so awkward and clumsy in his life as he patted her back trying to soothe her.

Maura stood in the doorway and watched the touching scene between her daughter and Wyatt Gentry. Kelly had never known the gentleness of a man. Her own father had never wanted her around. So Maura had done everything to keep out of his way. She was surprised that her daughter would seek a man’s attention.

Just then Wyatt looked at her and their eyes locked. A spark of desire shot through her and she wondered what it would be like to have this man’s arms around her.

Just as quickly the moment ended. “Kelly, look, your mother’s here.”

The child suddenly brightened. “Mommy, I’m helping Wyatt do the dishes.”

“I can see that.” She walked to the sink and asked her daughter, “Are you okay?”

Kelly nodded. “Jeff hurt my feelings.”

“I’ll talk to him after school.”

Maura saw Wyatt tense. She knew her son’s behavior wasn’t perfect, but he’d gone through a lot in the past months. She would deal with it…later.

“It’s time to leave for work.”

“Okay,” Kelly said as she climbed off the stool, then looked up at Wyatt. “I liked helpin’ you.”

“Thank you, princess. See ya after school.” He waved as she started out the back door.

Maura braced herself for Wyatt’s criticism for her not disciplining her son, but he didn’t say a word.

“If it’s okay with you,” he began, “I’m going to have an exterminator out to spray the place.”

“How long will we have to be out?” she asked.

“I’m hoping I can get someone out today, tomorrow at the latest. At any rate you should be able to come into the house the same evening.”

How considerate. There was a kindness that showed in his eyes, along with something else that she didn’t want to examine. He looked strong and dangerously masculine. Maura felt a shiver of awareness and realized she was a little breathless. “I’d appreciate that,” she managed to say.

“So you won’t mind if I use my key?” he asked.

“Of course not. It’s your house,” she said.

“No, it’s your house for the time being. I won’t come in here unless you say so.” He studied her for a moment. “I realize you don’t know me very well and I guess that’s my fault. There’s not much to tell, though. I was born Wyatt Alan Gentry thirty-one years ago, five minutes before my twin brother, Dylan.” He cocked an eyebrow at her. “He claims he’s the good-looking one. I’ve lived on a ranch outside Tucson, Arizona, all my life. My mother is Sally and my stepfather is Earl Keys. They’ve been a rough-stock contractor to the rodeos for years. So most of our lives were spent traveling around Arizona and California. Most of the time we lived out of a trailer.”

“It must have been crowded.” Maura had lived in a mansion growing up, and had been so lonely.

He tossed her one of those easy grins. “That’s one of the reasons I bought this ranch. I got tired of traveling. So I plan to stay put. My goal is to board and train rodeo stock here, hoping when Dylan retires from bull riding he’ll join me.” He sighed. “That’s about it. Unless you want some references, then you can call any rodeo grounds from Arizona through southern California. They’ll vouch for the Gentrys.”

Wyatt held his breath while Maura took her time studying his face. She looked so pretty in her crisp white blouse and bright flowered skirt. Her blond hair shimmered as she tugged the long strands behind her ears.

“You don’t need to provide me with any references,” she insisted.

“I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable with me around. Like I said, I can eat in the foreman’s cottage.”

“I’m not uncomfortable,” she said. They both knew she was lying. “And you’ll eat your meals—at this table—with us. That’s our arrangement.”

He folded his arms across his chest and peered back at her. “What about you?” he asked. “Where you from? Your accent doesn’t ring native Texan.”

She shook her head. “I’m originally from the east, New York State. I’ve been here for nearly eight years, but we’ve moved a lot…” Her gaze moved around the room, anywhere but at him. “I should get to work.” She pulled her car keys out of her purse and headed for the door. “Speaking of our agreement, just let me know when you want to discuss any ideas or color scheme. I could help you with the painting inside.”

“I still have so much to do outside,” he said. “I need to get the place repaired and painted before winter gets here. But I would like to hear some of your suggestions for the inside of the house.”

She nodded. “I’ll be home around five-thirty. Any suggestions on supper?”

He smiled. “Surprise me.”

For the first time she returned his smile. “Oh, it will definitely be that. See you tonight.” She turned and walked out.

Wyatt realized that he was looking forward to when she came home, to seeing her again.

That was not good.

Just as Maura had said, she and the kids arrived home about five-thirty as he worked tightening the hinges on the screen door.

Jeff was the first out of the car. He ran up to the porch without even a word of greeting.

Not Kelly. She jumped out of the car, smiling. “Hi, Wyatt.” She took off her backpack and pulled out a piece of paper, the corners a little bent. “See what I made today? A picture. That’s you.” She pointed to the colorful rough stick figure on the page.

“Really? You made a picture of me?”

She nodded proudly.

“No one has ever drawn me a picture. Thank you.”

She twisted her fingers together. “You’re welcome.”

“Where should we put this? How about on the refrigerator? That way I can see it every day when I eat.”

“Okay, I can hang it up for you.”

With a grocery bag in her hands, Maura climbed out of the car. Wyatt knew she was shopping for extras with him there. She made her way up the steps and looked around at the progress he’d made. He’d replaced nearly a third of the porch in front of the door. He was now working on the broken railing.

“You’ve gotten a lot done,” she said. “It’s going to look nice.”

Wyatt felt his body warm with her words, realizing he’d wanted her approval. “Thanks. It was a lot of work, but this old house is worth it.”

“It is a wonderful house, just neglected. Except for the roof, it’s new,” she said. “Cade said that was the one thing I didn’t have to worry about when it rained. The house had been built by his grandfather.”

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