“Thank you for everything, Piper,”

Kyle said, his tone sincere. “I don’t quite know what little April and I would have done these past two weeks if you hadn’t been here. If there’s ever any way I can return the favor, all you have to do is ask.”

Piper’s heart thudded to a standstill at Kyle’s words. Her nerves were jumping, her pulse racing.

Slowly she turned to meet his gaze. “Well, actually, there is something you could do for me,” she said.

“Name it,” Kyle responded.

“Marry me.”

Dear Reader,

Looking for sensational summer reads? All year we’ve been celebrating Silhouette’s 20th Anniversary with special titles, and this month’s selections are just the warm, romantic tales you’ve been seeking!

Bestselling author Stella Bagwell continues the newest Romance promotion, AN OLDER MAN. Falling for Grace hadn’t been his intention, particularly when his younger, pregnant neighbor was carrying his nephew’s baby! Judy Christenberry’s THE CIRCLE K SISTERS miniseries comes back to Romance this month, when sister Melissa enlists the temporary services of The Borrowed Groom. Moyra Tarling’s Denim & Diamond pairs a rough-hewn single dad with the expectant woman he’d once desired beyond reason…but let get away.

Valerie Parv unveils her romantic royalty series THE CARRAMER CROWN. When a woman literally washes ashore at the feet of the prince, she becomes companion to The Monarch’s Son…but will she ever become the monarch’s wife? Julianna Morris’s BRIDAL FEVER! persists when Jodie’s Mail-Order Man discovers her heart’s desire: the brother of her mail-order groom! And Martha Shields’s Lassoed! is the perfect Opposites Attract story this summer. The sparks between a rough-and-tumble rodeo champ and the refined beauty sent to photograph him jump off every page!

In future months, look for STORKVILLE, USA, our newest continuity series. And don’t miss the charming miniseries THE CHANDLERS REQUEST…from New York Times bestselling author Kasey Michaels.

Happy reading!

Mary-Theresa Hussey

Senior Editor

Denim & Diamond
Moyra Tarling

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Books by Moyra Tarling

Silhouette Romance

A Tender Trail #541

A Kiss and a Promise #679

Just in Time for Christmas #763

All About Adam #782

No Mistaking Love #907

Just a Memory Away #937

Christmas Wishes #979

Finally a Family #1081

It Must Have Been the Mistletoe #1122

Twice a Father #1156

Marry in Haste #1242

Wedding Day Baby #1325

The Baby Arrangement #1367

*A Diamond for Kate #1411

*The Family Diamond #1428

*Denim & Diamond #1458

MOYRA TARLING

was born and raised in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It was there that she was first introduced to and became hooked on romance novels. In 1968 she immigrated to Vancouver, Canada, where she met and married her husband. They have two grown children. Empty-nesters now, they enjoy taking trips in their getaway van and browsing in antique shops for corkscrews and button-hooks. But Moyra’s favorite pastime is curling up with a great book—a romance of course! Moyra loves to hear from readers. You can write to her at P.O. Box 161, Blaine, WA 98231-0161.

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

Chapter One

“Sorry! I didn’t mean to startle you.”

Piper Diamond felt her breath catch when she recognized the deep resonant voice.

She’d been visiting the stables at her parents’ California ranch located on the outskirts of Kincade, when she heard footsteps approaching. She’d expected to see her brother, but the tall black-haired man standing before her wasn’t Spencer.

Though she hadn’t seen Kyle Masters in eight years, she’d have known his darkly handsome features and stormy gray eyes anywhere.

“I thought you were Spencer,” Piper said as the baby nestled beneath her heart give a sharp kick.

“He’ll be along in a minute,” Kyle replied as his gaze dropped to where her right hand rested on her rounded stomach, and for a fleeting moment she caught a flicker of emotion in the depths of his eyes.

“You must be here to see Firefly,” Piper said, wondering about the sudden erratic beat of her pulse.

“Yes,” Kyle replied, but he made no move toward the mare’s stall. “So the rumors I’ve been hearing in town are true,” he said. “Congratulations.” His gray eyes held hers, their expression unreadable.

“Thank you,” Piper said, wondering not for the first time, what it was about Kyle Masters that stirred her senses. Years ago she’d had a monumental crush on him, and she remembered all too well during those fun-loving, carefree days that she only had to catch sight of him for her heart to kick into high gear, just like it was doing now.

“When’s the baby due?”

“Mid-November,” she replied, wishing now she hadn’t ventured down to the stables. Being around horses had always helped soothe her, but finding herself alone with Kyle Masters was having the opposite effect.

“Piper! So this is where you got to,” Spencer said as he joined them. “Ah…I see you’ve met Kyle. Kyle, you remember my sister, Piper?”

“Yes, I remember Piper,” Kyle replied, and hearing the hint of amusement in his voice, Piper felt a warmth creep up her neck, as the memory of her last encounter with him returned.

“If you’ll excuse me,” Kyle added, “I’d better take a look at Firefly. Nice to see you again, Piper.” He opened the door to the mare’s stall.

“Come on, Sis. I’ll walk you back to the house.” Spencer put his arm through Piper’s and led her out into the afternoon sunshine.

“Does Kyle come to the ranch often?” Piper ventured to ask as they headed down the path to the security gates.

“He’s here once a week during the racing season or if one of the mares is pregnant,” her brother explained.

“I suppose he’s working with Henry Bishop now,” she said, remembering Kyle had been helping out at the veterinary clinic the summer she graduated from high school, the summer she made a complete and utter fool of herself.

“Henry retired. He moved to Arizona to live with his sister three years ago,” Spencer said. “They worked together for a few years, then Kyle took over the clinic.”

“Is he married?” she asked in a casual tone, curiosity getting the better of her.

“Divorced.”

She threw her brother a startled glance as he punched in the security code and opened the gate.

“He doesn’t talk about it much,” Spencer continued as they climbed up the path. “He has a daughter, April. She’s a real cutie. She’s four.”

“How often does he see her?”

“Every day,” Spencer replied. “Kyle has sole custody,” he explained. “You might remember his wife, Elise Crawford. She was a couple of years ahead of you in high school.”

Piper cast her mind back, recalling the striking blonde. “Didn’t she go off to New York to take up acting?” she asked.

“That’s right,” Spencer confirmed. “She didn’t have much luck and came home shortly before her mother died. I think that’s when she hooked up with Kyle.”

“I see.”

“But, it turned out she was still hankering for a shot at the big time after all, and a few days after April was born she packed her bags and hightailed it back to New York.”

“That must have been hard on Kyle, being left with a newborn baby to care for,” she commented.

“He’s not one to complain,” Spencer said. “And believe me, he’s had his share of things to complain about. I don’t imagine it’s been easy running a business and raising a daughter alone.”

“Other people seem to manage juggling family and a career,” Piper said, strangely reluctant to feel any sympathy for him.

“That’s true. But he was just telling me earlier that ever since his receptionist quit a month ago he’s had trouble finding a replacement. He’s put an ad in several newspapers, but so far he’s had no response.”

They approached the stairs leading to the wide veranda that surrounded the two-story ranch house.

“Enough about Kyle. I’m more concerned about you,” Spencer continued. “You’ve been here a week, and you’ve hardly said a word,” he chided gently. “I know we didn’t get a chance to talk much back in June, what with the wedding and everything, but you must have been pregnant then, right? So why didn’t you tell us?”

Piper flashed a smile. “Because, silly, it was yours and Maura’s big day, and I didn’t want to steal your thunder,” she said teasingly.

Besides she’d had a lot on her mind at the time, not the least of which was the fact that prior to her departure from London to attend Spencer’s wedding, she’d broken up with Wesley Adam Hunter, the baby’s father.

She’d been grateful that the bustle and activity surrounding her brother’s wedding had kept the focus away from her. Barely three months along, no one had noticed she was pregnant, and she hadn’t volunteered the information, still trying to come to terms with the news herself.

When the doctor told her that the cause of her continuous nausea wasn’t flu-related, she’d been stunned. In fact the idea of becoming a mother sent her anxiety levels soaring.

Being the baby of the family herself, she’d had very little contact with small children. She’d never even had a baby-sitting job. Her career had always come first; that’s why she’d risen so far so quickly, and while she’d watched several of her friends get married and start a family, that hadn’t been on her own list of priorities.

Truth be told it was actually the impending birth itself that terrified her. She hadn’t spoken of her fears to anyone, not even her mother.

She knew that giving birth was a normal and natural occurrence, and women did it all the time, but Piper couldn’t seem to get her mind around it.

She’d tried to tell herself she was being ridiculous, that it would be a wonderful and memorable experience but that did nothing to diminish the fear embedded deep inside her.

“What about Wes? He must be pleased.” Her brother’s comment brought Piper’s thoughts back to the present. “He is going to join you isn’t he, or is he off on another one of his daring assignments? I hope you told him you caught Maura’s bouquet and that means you’re next in line to get married.”

Emotion suddenly clogged Piper’s throat threatening to choke her. “There isn’t going to be a wedding,” she told him. “Wes is dead. He was killed in an accident in Asia while I was here at your wedding. I didn’t find out about it till I got back to London.”

Spencer’s shock was evident on his face. “Piper…My God! I’m so sorry.” He hauled her into his arms and held her for several long seconds before pulling away to look at her once more. “I don’t remember seeing anything in the papers.”

Piper’s smile held a hint of bitterness. “His family had it hushed up.”

“Why? What happened?”

“Apparently he’d been drinking with a group of young militant students,” she began. “You know Wes, always looking for a new angle, always trying to pry information from someone, somehow. Billy Brown, another reporter chasing the same story, came to see me in London after I got back. He told me the students had challenged Wes to a drag race.”

“And, of course, he accepted.”

Piper nodded. “Wes could never turn down a challenge.”

“But, how…?”

“He missed a turn and drove off the road. And because of the circumstances surrounding the accident, all that appeared in print was a small announcement saying he’d died in a car accident.”

“You should have called us.”

“And say what?” Piper countered. “Besides, you and Maura were on your honeymoon, and I needed time to deal with the news in my own way.”

“But you shouldn’t have had to go through it alone,” he chided softly. “That’s what families are for, to help you through the bad times.”

Piper couldn’t speak as emotions she’d been trying hard to keep in check threatened to bubble to the surface.

She hadn’t told her brother about the terrible row she’d had prior to Wes’s departure for Asia. Though the discovery of her pregnancy had been a shock initially, she hoped that carrying his child would help bridge the gap steadily forming between them.

Her announcement, however, had the opposite effect. Piper doubted she’d ever forget the look of icy disdain on Wes’s face when he’d asked if she was sure the child was his. At the memory, fresh tears, never far from the surface these days, gathered in her eyes.

“Awe, pip-squeak,” Spencer said, using the nickname he’d bestowed on her when she was a little girl desperately trying to keep up with her bigger, older brothers. Pulling her into his arms, he held her tightly. “We love you, you know that. We’re here for you no matter what.”

She eased out of his arms. “Why do you think I came home?” she replied, her voice thick with emotion.

“Oh…here comes Kyle.”

Piper hurriedly brushed the moisture from her eyes and turned to watch Kyle approach, noting as she did that he hadn’t changed much in the past eight years.

Slowly she let her gaze travel over his six-foot frame from his jeans-clad legs and powerful thighs, his flat stomach to his big, broad shoulders, hidden under a black T-shirt. Silently she acknowledged that he was still the most handsome man she’d ever known.

“Everything all right with Firefly?” Spencer asked.

“She’s in great shape,” Kyle assured him. “I’ll be back to check on her again next week.”

“Fine. See you then. Oh…good luck in your hunt for a receptionist,” Spencer said.

“Thanks.” Kyle smiled ruefully. “Right about now, I’d settle for someone willing to come in for a couple of hours a day, just so I can get caught up with the paperwork.”

“Maybe Piper could help you out,” Spencer said turning to her. “What do you say, Sis?”

Startled, Piper couldn’t think of a suitable response. The air seemed to crackle with tension.

Kyle broke the silence. “Thanks, Spencer, but I’m sure your sister doesn’t appreciate you volunteering her services.”

“Nonsense!” Spencer replied. “Besides, she could use the distraction. Isn’t that right?”

Both men turned to her, and she felt her face grow warm as they waited for her to speak.

“Well, I…” she began, her thoughts in chaos as she tried to frame a polite refusal. She met Kyle’s steady gaze and knew by the resigned look in his gray eyes that he was expecting her to brush him off. “I’d be happy to help out, on a temporary basis, of course.” With some satisfaction, Piper noted the flicker of surprise that danced across Kyle’s handsome features.

It was Kyle’s turn to stutter. “Uh…well, thanks, but I couldn’t impose. Besides, I really need someone with accounting experience.”

“Piper’s your gal,” Spencer assured him. “She and a friend are partners in a small photo studio in London. Piper knows all about bookkeeping. Isn’t that right?”

“Yes, I do,” Piper replied.

“Really,” Kyle commented, though he didn’t sound in the least impressed. “I appreciate the offer, but I—”

“I thought you said you’d be glad to have someone to help. Besides, you’d be doing me a favor,” Piper said, annoyed that he’d been about to turn her down. She flashed what she hoped was a winning smile. “The baby isn’t due for another eight weeks, and as Spencer said, I could use the distraction,” she added suddenly realizing it was true.

“I…well…” Kyle ground to a halt, and Piper almost laughed out loud at his expression.

Spencer slapped his friend on the back. “I’ll leave you two to sort out the details. I have to get back to the stables. See you next week,” he added, before heading off.

“So, when would you like me to start?” Piper asked sweetly, knowing by the tightening of his jaw that Kyle wasn’t exactly pleased with the way things had turned out.

“Are you sure your husband will approve of you taking on a job, especially this late in your pregnancy?”

At his cutting words Piper drew a sharp breath. She knew she’d annoyed him, and that was the reason for his gibe, but the knowledge did little to diminish the pain and sadness washing over her.

“There is no husband to approve or disapprove. The baby’s father is dead,” she announced in a voice that wavered slightly.

“I’m sorry,” he said, his tone contrite.

“So, when would you like me to start?” she asked in a challenging tone.

“The clinic is open every weekday from nine to noon.”

“Fine. I’ll see you tomorrow morning at eight-thirty.” Turning away she climbed the stairs to the veranda.

It was eight-fifteen the next morning when Piper pulled into the parking lot alongside the two-story building that housed the veterinary clinic, two blocks west of Kincade’s Main Street.

She sat for a moment in the station wagon she’d borrowed from her brother, remembering the time she was twelve when she’d found an injured cat on the road as she walked home from school. She’d picked up the bleeding animal and carefully carried it all the way back to town.

Although the clinic had been closed, Henry Bishop had answered her frantic knock and immediately ushered her inside. After treating the injured animal, he’d praised her quick action. She’d burst into tears, and he’d comforted her, before calling her parents to tell them where she was and why she was late.

Somehow Piper had trouble seeing Kyle Masters in the role of comforter, but that was probably because he had been neither kind nor understanding the night she’d made a complete and total fool of herself trying to seduce him.

Piper pushed the embarrassing memory aside. She wasn’t sure now why she’d agreed to help the man who’d humiliated her years ago. Maybe she just wanted to prove to herself and to him, that he no longer had the power to affect her.

With a sigh she climbed from the station wagon and made her way across the parking lot. As she rounded the corner of the building, two dogs, a Doberman pinscher and a Jack Russell terrier, came racing to greet her, their tails wagging.

She noted with some surprise that the Jack Russell terrier was missing a hind leg, but that didn’t stop him from reaching her first.

She smiled. “Well, hello there, you two.”

“Mutt! Jeff! Come!” The authoritative voice belonged to Kyle. As he stood in the open doorway, his jet-black hair, still wet from the shower, glistened in the morning sun. He wore a white lab jacket atop his T-shirt and jeans, adding just the right air of professionalism to his appearance.

Piper ignored the leap her pulse took as she walked the short distance to the door. The dogs disappeared inside.

“Good morning.”

“Good morning,” Piper replied. “Mutt and Jeff. Surely you could have been a bit more creative?”

“That was the best I could come up with at the time,” he replied, a hint of a smile on his face. “You’re early.”

“If it’s a problem I can leave and come back,” Piper quipped.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked abruptly, his gray gaze locking on hers.

Her heart skipped a beat, just as it had years ago each time she’d set eyes on him. “Yes, I’m sure.” She needed the distraction, needed to occupy her mind with something other than the problems facing her.

Tension, like a living, breathing thing, arched between them. Kyle was the first to look away.

“You’d better come in then,” he said. “I’ll give you the quick tour.”

Piper slowly released the breath she’d been holding. She moved past Kyle careful not to brush against him, not an easy task when at seven months pregnant she already felt awkward and cumbersome.

“The waiting area is down the hall on the right, and there are two consulting rooms on your left,” he said.

“The clinic looks different than I remember.” Piper opened the door to one of the consulting rooms and peeked inside where she saw a chair, a stainless steel examination table and a shelf with an assortment of instruments.

“You’ve been here before?”

“It was quite a few years ago.” Piper withdrew from the examination room and bumped into him. “Sorry!” A shiver of sensation danced across her nerve endings when his arms instinctively came around her in what was nothing more than a protective gesture.

“No problem.” Kyle quickly released her. “The waiting room and reception desk are through here.”

“When did your receptionist leave?” Piper asked as she followed him through the doorway.

“A month ago,” he replied. “She left a message on the answering machine saying she was leaving town. No reason, no explanation.” He shrugged his shoulders.

“You weren’t joking when you said you’d fallen behind with your paperwork,” Piper commented, nodding at the growing pile of mail and files on the desk.

“You got that right.” Kyle flashed her a grin that sent her pulse skittering. “I started going through it. Paid a few bills, but I didn’t get very far, what with the interruptions. I haven’t had time to tackle it again.”

“I’d better get started,” Piper said, picking up a handful of unopened mail.

“Thanks, I really appreciate this.”

“No problem,” Piper replied, warmed by the sincerity she could hear in his voice.

“Keep track of your hours,” he told her. “And put yourself on the payroll.”

Piper opened her mouth to tell him she neither wanted nor needed his money but closed it again when she saw the glint of determination in the depths of his eyes.

“Fine,” she said.

“Daddy!” The sudden cry startled Piper, and she turned to see a golden-haired little girl dressed in bright-red pants and a white shirt, followed by the two dogs, come running toward them.

Kyle bent to scoop his daughter into his arms, and Piper felt her heart jolt against her rib cage as a look of adoration and love softened his handsome features.

“Hello, squirt…what are you doing down here? Where’s Nana?”

“Upstairs, on the phone,” his daughter replied with a grin. “Who’s that?” The child twisted in her father’s arms and pointed to Piper who was once again fending off the two dogs.

“It’s rude to point,” Kyle scolded his daughter as he captured her hand. “This lady’s name is Piper.”

“That’s a funny name.”

Piper laughed softly, charmed by the smiling cherub-faced child. “What’s your name?”

“My name’s April Franshish,” the little girl replied.

“April…ah…Francis,” Piper repeated in sudden understanding. “That’s a lovely name.”

“That’s Mutt,” April said, pointing to the Doberman. “And he’s Jeff.”

“We’ve already met. Hi, Mutt. Hello, Jeff.” Piper scratched Mutt’s ear while Jeff sat at her feet wagging his tail frantically.

“You’re going to have a baby, aren’t you?” April asked and at her question, Piper almost burst out laughing.

“April!” Kyle spoke a little sharply.

“That’s okay,” Piper said, thinking Kyle must indeed have his hands full with such a precocious child. “Yes, I am going to have a baby.”

“Kyle. Something’s happened and I—”

They turned to the newcomer, a woman in her midsixties Piper recognized as Kyle’s aunt. Vera looked anxious and upset.

“What’s happened?” Kyle asked, as he lowered April to the floor.

Vera hesitated, her glance shifting from Kyle to Piper and back. “Mary Bellows just called from Frank’s office.”

“And?” Kyle prompted.

“She thinks he might have had a heart attack. The ambulance is there now. They’re taking him to the hospital.” Her hand came up to cover her mouth, and Piper saw tears gathering in her eyes.

Kyle led his aunt to a nearby chair. Frank was obviously a close friend of his aunt.

“Do you want me to drive you over to the hospital?” he offered.

“Would you?” Her relief was obvious.

“Of course,” he assured her.

“Can I come, too?” April asked.

Kyle turned to his daughter. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, sweetie. You better stay here.”

“Who’s going to look after me?” the child asked.

Kyle’s gaze shifted to where Piper stood by the desk. She’d watched the entire exchange, unaccountably touched by Kyle’s concern for his aunt.

“Piper’s here. She’ll look after you till I get back. Won’t you, Piper?”

“Well…yes, I—” Piper began, but the rest of her reply was drowned out by the wail of the siren as an ambulance, lights flashing, drove past the window and down the street.

Kyle turned to his aunt. “Get your things. I’ll meet you outside at the truck.”

Vera rose from the chair and hurried from the room.

“Can’t I come with you?” April asked her father again.

Kyle lifted his daughter into his arms. “I’ll be back before you know it. You stay with Piper and show her around the clinic. Put the dogs out back in their run. Okay?”

“Okay,” April reluctantly agreed.

“Atta girl.” He kissed her forehead before setting her down.

He glanced at his watch and turned to Piper. “I have a few appointments this morning, they’re marked down in the blue book,” he told her. “I shouldn’t be more than half an hour, but if anyone wants to reschedule that’s fine. And thanks, I really appreciate this.”

“I’m ready,” Vera said as she reappeared in the doorway. With a reassuring smile, Kyle ruffled April’s hair then joined his aunt.

Piper tried to quell the butterflies fluttering madly inside her. She’d never been left to look after a four-year-old child before. What if something happened?

Suddenly she felt a hand slip into hers and glanced down to see April staring up at her.

“Is Uncle Frank going to be all right?” April asked with a slight hitch in her voice.

Piper drew a steadying breath and managed to smile. “They’re taking him to the hospital where the doctors will take care of him,” she said, sounding more confident than she felt.

April frowned. “I was in the hospital once.”

“Really?” Piper commented, finding the conversation both interesting and distracting. April didn’t appear to be upset at having been left with her, and the fact that the child had confidence in her somehow dispelled her initial anxiety.

“Daddy told me. He said I was born too early, and I had to stay in a cubator for a little while, until I got bigger, then he took me home,” she explained solemnly.

Piper smiled. “Well, I’d say they must have taken good care of you.”

April nodded. “And they’ll take care of Uncle Frank, too.”

That she was a well-behaved, well-adjusted child was apparent, and Piper admired the wonderful job Kyle was obviously doing as a single parent.

Surely if Kyle Masters could do such a good job, there was hope for her.

Chapter Two

Half an hour later Piper glanced over at April who was sprawled on the floor flipping through a coloring book. As her father had instructed, April had taken the dogs outside and put them in their run.

Being around April was proving to be educational, and it helped that Martha Cummings and her cat Gypsy had arrived early for their appointment with Kyle.

“I think I saw Kyle’s truck pull in,” Martha Cummings said, cutting into Piper’s wandering thoughts.

Since arriving at the clinic ten minutes before nine, Martha had been casting disapproving glances at Piper.

When Kyle entered, Piper felt a mixture of relief and joy at the sight of him. His mouth curved into a polite smile, but she could see the lines of worry around his mouth.

“Daddy, you’re back!” April hopped up and ran to her father. “Is Uncle Frank all right?”

“Hi, sweetheart! I’m afraid I don’t know how Uncle Frank is. I’m sure Nana will call and let us know. Have you been a good girl?”

April nodded. “When is Nana coming back?”

“I told her we’d pick her up later. Right now I need to take care of things around here.” He turned to the small group of people seated with their pets. “I’m sorry I kept you all waiting. If you’ll give me a few minutes, we’ll get started.”

He crossed to where Piper sat at the desk. She held out a file folder. “Mrs. Cummings and Gypsy are first.”

“Thanks. How was April? No trouble, I hope.”

“None at all,” Piper replied.

“I see you managed to find your way around the filing system,” he said, waving the file at her. His smile this time reached his eyes, and Piper felt her heart kick into high gear.

“In a fashion,” Piper answered. From what she’d been able to determine as she sifted through the papers on the desk, major reorganizing was necessary.

“Thanks,” he said before turning away. “Mrs. Cummings, if you’d like to bring Gypsy into examination room one, please.”

“Daddy, can I come with you?” April asked.

“Sure,” Kyle replied easily. For the next hour Kyle, with his daughter’s help, took care of the pets brought in by their owners.

Relieved of her responsibility to watch over April, Piper turned to her task of sorting through mail and searching for pertinent files.

Without a computer to keep track of billing or an updated list of clients and their pets, his system seemed somewhat archaic. From what she could discern after a quick perusal of his filing cabinets, his previous receptionist had devised a system all her own.

And as for his financial records, his receptionist had had to run things the old-fashioned way, using ledgers. A search of the desk drawers had uncovered several years’ worth, along with a metal cash box with a key taped to its underside.

Each time Kyle emerged from an examination room, he dropped the departing patient’s file into the wire basket on Piper’s desk. Clipped to the outside was a sheet of paper with a breakdown of the reason for the visit and the charges.

“Okay, Mrs. Baxter,” Kyle said a little later as he escorted the middle-aged woman carrying a cat cage to the door. “Give Whiskers one pill with his food for the next five days. That should take care of the problem. Bring him back next week, and I’ll check him again.”

“Thank you, Dr. Masters. What do I owe you?” Mrs. Baxter asked.

Kyle shook his head. “There’s no charge.”

“Thank you…that’s very kind of you.”

From her vantage point behind the desk Piper watched the exchange, noting the look of relief that appeared in Marion Baxter’s eyes. She remembered the Baxter family. Their son, Ricky, had been a grade behind her in high school. Ricky had been the eldest of six children, and Piper remembered hearing some of the kids in school saying Ricky’s father liked to drink, and that he often drank his wages away before his wife had a chance to buy food for her family.

“Daddy, I’m hungry!” April announced when the door closed behind Mrs. Baxter.

“Me, too,” he replied. He glanced at his wristwatch. “It’s almost time for lunch. What shall we have?”

“Hot dogs!”

Piper heard Kyle sigh and tried not to smile. His rapport with his daughter was so relaxed, so natural and loving, she envied his easygoing manner.

“Hot dogs it is,” she heard Kyle say. “Just as long as you promise to drink all your milk.”

“I promise!” April ran up to Piper. “Wanna have a hot dog with us?” April stared at her expectantly.

Piper had planned to walk over to Main Street and grab a bite at one of the cafés before driving home.

“If you aren’t into hot dogs, I make a mean cheese-and-tomato sandwich.”

Kyle’s comment brought her gaze up to meet his. His gray eyes sparkled and Piper felt her pulse skip a beat. “It would be my way of saying thanks.”

Piper felt her face grow warm. “I’m glad I could help.”

“So, what do you say? Hot dog or sandwich?” he persisted, a hint of challenge in his voice.

“A sandwich, please.”

His smile flashed once more, and this time her heart slammed against her rib cage.

“Good! I’ll lock up here, and we can go upstairs.”

April was already off and running.

Piper hadn’t known what to expect as she climbed the stairs to the apartment, certainly not the spacious living area with windows stretching its entire length.

“What a lovely apartment,” she commented.

“Thank you. We like it,” Kyle responded. “April, bathroom please, and don’t forget to wash your hands,” her father ordered. “Make yourself at home, Piper. I’ll give you a shout when lunch is ready,” he said before following April down the hall.

Piper glanced around the room noting the old but well-cared-for sofa and easy chair, two small oak tables at either end of the sofa, and a matching coffee table.

Every surface was shiny and dust-free. The room was warm and welcoming with only a few toys scattered around, a gentle reminder that a child also occupied the space.

On top of the television set in the corner Piper spotted a row of photographs. Each picture was of April taken at various stages in her young life, from infancy up to a recent shot of her sitting on a grassy lawn with Mutt and Jeff.

She studied it more closely, deciding from the bad lighting and relatively poor color quality, it was an enlarged snapshot. Whoever had developed it hadn’t done a very good job. But even so, the photographer had captured the essence of the blue-eyed, golden-haired child whose smile was a replica of her father’s.

It had been a long time since she’d done any developing work, but Piper was sure that if she had access to the negative she could produce a better quality picture.

The only trouble was, she didn’t have any of her equipment with her. She’d packed everything, including her cameras, into a crate then arranged to have it shipped home.

Piper replaced the photo and crossed to the window. She’d forgotten that the property stretched as far back as it did, tapering off down a gentle grassy incline to a gully beyond.

On the left was a small vegetable and herb garden, and nearer the building a fenced area housed a row of kennels as well as a small dog run. Piper could see Mutt and Jeff lying in the shade of some blackberry bushes near the bottom of the garden.

“Wanna see my room?” April asked as she came running up to join her.

“Uh, sure, I’d love to,” Piper replied. “But, could you show me where the bathroom is first?”

“Okay!”

When Piper emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later, she could hear Kyle talking to his daughter. She headed in the direction of his voice and found them in the kitchen, a small but decidedly modern room with cupboards painted white, a countertop in deep Wedgwood blue and walls the color of the sun.

A small pine table with four chairs already set for three, sat in a corner by the window overlooking the street. Kyle glanced up from the counter and flashed another of his killer smiles.

“Lunch is almost ready.”

“Can I do anything?” she asked, trying to ignore the leap her pulse had taken.

“You can put these on the table for me, and I’ll bring April’s hot dog.” He handed Piper two plates.

April had already scrambled into her chair and booster seat. Piper sat down next to April and Kyle joined them, placing a hot dog and bun in front of his daughter.

Piper bit into her sandwich surprised to discover she was starving. Kyle was right. The sandwich was delicious. He’d added crisp lettuce, slivers of sweet onion as well as a hint of Dijon mustard.

As she savored the tangy taste she studied Kyle from beneath lowered lashes. Two weeks ago she’d never have dreamed she’d be having lunch with Kyle Masters, the man she’d had a giant-size crush on eight years ago, the man who’d rejected her so coldly and completely.

He’d brought her crashing down to Earth, deliberately humiliated her, telling her he didn’t go in for eighteen-year-old virgins who thought sex was a game. With a few choice words and several cutting phrases, he’d sent her packing.

That he’d found her lacking was an understatement, and she could only speculate that blue-eyed brunettes were definitely not his type. Beautiful blondes like Elise had been much more to his liking.

But according to Spencer, Elise had walked out shortly after April was born. Did he still yearn for her? she wondered.

Kyle suddenly glanced up and caught her staring at him. For a heart-stopping moment their gazes locked and she felt her breath snag in her throat as his stormy gray eyes held her captive.

“Daddy, can I have some ketchup?” April asked, effectively breaking the spell.

“Sure!” Kyle rose and opened a cupboard nearby.

Piper let her breath out in a slow and silent exhale and took another bite of her sandwich. Her thoughts drifted back to the summer she’d first noticed the devilishly handsome Kyle Masters. She’d been sixteen and she and a few girlfriends had been hanging around the local hamburger stand when Kyle walked by carrying a stack of books. One of her friends shoved her, and she’d accidentally collided with him. The books had tumbled to the ground, and Piper herself would have fallen had it not been for Kyle’s quick action.

With lightning reflexes, he grabbed her and hauled her against him, knocking the breath out of her. Embarrassed, she’d started to apologize, but the words had fizzled and died in her throat when she found herself gazing at the most gorgeous male specimen she’d ever set eyes on.

She could have sworn her heart did a cartwheel, and when she’d glimpsed the twinkle of amusement in the depths of his silvery-gray eyes, she’d been a goner.

A shiver danced across Piper’s nerve endings at the memory.

“Want me to…” Kyle began as he returned to the table with the ketchup bottle.

“I can do it!” April reached for the bottle.

Kyle gave his daughter the ketchup bottle and was about to resume his seat when the phone rang.

He spun on his heel and picked up the receiver from the counter nearby.

“Kincade Veterinary Clinic, Kyle Masters speaking,” he said. He listened for a moment. “Yes. No problem, I’ll leave right away. Walk him around till I get there.” Frowning, he replaced the receiver.

“Something wrong?” Piper asked.

“When it rains, it pours,” he commented. “A sick horse, possibly colic.”

“Not at the ranch…?” Piper began, knowing how dangerous colic could be.

Kyle shook his head. “No, that was Shannon out at Nelson’s Riding Stables. She boards a few horses now and then, and one of her newest additions is showing typical signs of abdominal stress.”

“I see.” Nelson’s Riding Stables was located fifteen miles east of town.

“Listen, I know it’s a lot to ask,” Kyle began. “But could I impose on you to—”

“Stay with April?” Piper finished for him.

“Is that a problem? Did you have other plans?”

“Uh…no, I don’t have other plans,” she spoke hesitatingly. “When will you be back?” she asked trying not to sound anxious.

“An hour, maybe two.” He responded. “I realize your offer to help out at the clinic didn’t include baby-sitting, but with Vera over at the hospital, I’m really in a bind,” he concluded, urgency in his tone.

“I understand,” she said. “And yes, I’ll stay,” she added and was instantly rewarded by a smile that sent her pulse racing.

“Thanks!” He sounded relieved. “I’ll be as quick as I can.”

Piper glanced at the little girl, oblivious to their conversation, immersed in the task of smearing ketchup on every inch of the half-eaten wiener.

Kyle was already on the move. Gathering his keys and cellular phone from the counter, he reached for his jean jacket.

“I’ll pick up what I need downstairs,” he said. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this.” He turned to April. “Sweetheart, Daddy has to go out and see a sick horse. Piper is going to stay here with you till I get back. All right?”

“Okay,” April replied, unperturbed by the news, no doubt accustomed to her father being called out at short notice. “The number for my cell phone is on the fridge if you need me,” he said. “I’ll call if I think I’m going to be longer than two hours.”

“Fine,” Piper said.

“April sometimes needs a nap in the afternoon, but only if she gets cranky.”

“Right. A nap if she’s cranky,” Piper parroted and felt her heart pick up speed. What constituted cranky she wondered? She hoped she wouldn’t have to find out.

“What do you and your Nana do when your daddy isn’t here?” Piper asked a few minutes later as she began to clear away the dishes.

“Sometimes we walk to the park, and sometimes she reads me a story,” April replied. “Could you read me a story?”

“Sure,” Piper said, liking the idea immensely.

April grinned. “My storybooks are in my room. I’ll get one,” she said as she started to climb down from the table.

“Oh…hang on a minute,” Piper said, realizing April’s hands and face were smeared with ketchup. “I think we should clean you up a little first.”

April grimaced and wriggled like an eel while Piper attempted to wipe away all traces of ketchup from the child’s face. “You’re very lucky to have someone to read to you and help take care of you,” Piper said as she washed first one sticky hand then the other.

“Nana is nice, but I wish I had a mommy of my very own.” April’s tone was wistful.

Piper’s heart went out to the child. “Maybe one day you will have a new mommy,” she said after a moment’s pause.

“Nana thinks Daddy could easily find another Mommy if he’d just look for one,” April told her.

Piper had to fight not to smile. “I don’t think it’s quite that easy,” she said, silently wondering if Kyle knew about his daughter’s secret wish.

Chapter Three

Kyle slowly climbed the stairs to the apartment. For the past two hours he’d been out at Nelson’s Stables treating a horse with a propensity to eat its own bedding.

After diagnosing colic, he’d administered a water-and-oil concoction as well as a pain reliever. He’d stayed long enough to see the results he’d been hoping for, but now after a stressful day he was feeling bone weary.

He listened for the sound of voices from inside but all was quiet. Maybe April had persuaded Piper to take her for a walk to the park around the corner to play on the swings.

Opening the door, he came to an abrupt halt when he spotted Piper and April fast asleep on the sofa. Piper had an arm around his daughter while her head rested on Piper’s swollen tummy.

One of April’s favorite picture books about a rooster named Brewster lay on the floor nearby. Kyle quietly closed the door behind him and smiled when he noticed the pile of picture books scattered atop the coffee table.

His gaze returned to the sleeping figures, and for a brief moment he indulged in the foolish fantasy that this was his family, his daughter and his pregnant wife.

It was a dream he’d always harbored, to come home to a loving wife and a house filled with children. After his marriage to Elise, he’d had hopes theirs would be the perfect marriage, and the perfect family.

Their first year together had been rocky to say the least, but when she became pregnant, things had grown progressively worse. She’d been less than thrilled at the idea of starting a family, and it was then that he learned she still yearned for a career in acting.

A few days after April’s premature arrival, Elise had discharged herself from the hospital. She’d hopped on the first bus out of town.

Her departure hadn’t really surprised him. What he hadn’t been able to fathom or forgive was the fact that she’d never asked if the baby was all right, or bothered to look at the child she’d brought into the world.

A year later his lawyer tracked her down in New York where she was working in an Off Broadway production. She’d signed the divorce papers and the papers granting him full custody of their daughter. His only regret was that April would grow up without brothers or sisters.

He’d been an only child, a lonely child. His parents died in a train wreck on their way to a wedding when he was six years old. A few months later, he was shipped to Kincade to live with his widowed aunt.

At the time, Vera Masters had worked in the administration office of Kincade Mercy Hospital. At first she hadn’t been at all pleased to be saddled with an orphaned child. But her attitude changed, and their relationship deepened and strengthened.

His aunt’s house was across the street from Henry Bishop, the local veterinarian. Henry became a friend and father figure. His kindness and encouragement had helped Kyle through some difficult times. Henry had shown him the rewards of working with animals, and that’s where his dream to become a vet was born.

After Elise walked out he’d been determined to manage on his own, but he acknowledged that he’d never have gotten through it without Vera’s support.

The fact that she lived across the street had made things easier. But during the past year Vera had started spending more and more time with Frank Yardly, a widowed lawyer, who’d moved to Kincade with thoughts of retiring.

Kyle had a feeling Frank also had marriage in mind, but Vera never brought up the subject and Kyle was guiltily content to avoid it, knowing he relied on her too much.

He’d stopped by the hospital to see Frank on his way home, and was relieved when Vera had tearfully told him Frank would recover, but that the process would take time.

Kyle had an idea Vera wanted to spend more time with Frank and help with his recovery, and he couldn’t blame her. But if he couldn’t depend on Vera to look after April he’d have to hire a nanny, an option he couldn’t justify in terms of cost.

Besides, what April really needed was a mother, someone to spend time with her, play with her, a caring, loving woman who would discipline with a firm yet loving hand and be encouraging and supportive and…fun!

His gaze lingered for a moment on Piper and her rounded abdomen. There was something incredibly sexy about a pregnant woman, about this pregnant woman.

Not for the first time he wondered what would have happened eight years ago if he’d taken what she’d been so eager to offer.

Breathtakingly beautiful and decidedly desirable, it had taken every ounce of willpower to send her packing. She would probably laugh if she knew that for quite a while afterward he’d been plagued with a recurring fantasy of making passionate love to her.

But he’d known then just as he knew now, Piper Diamond was a woman like no other he’d ever known, a woman with strength, determination and a free spirit, a woman he doubted would ever regard him as a suitable life partner.

Kyle sighed, and tossed his jacket on the chair. It slid to the floor knocking a book off the table.

At the soft thud Piper’s eyes flew open. For a moment she couldn’t remember where she was. Glancing up she saw Kyle gazing down at her and suddenly it all came rushing back.

“Oh…hello!” she said, her voice threaded with sleep. “I’m sorry. I guess we both fell asleep.”

Kyle smiled. “It looks that way.”

“Daddy!” April sat up slowly rubbing her eyes.

“Hi, sleepyhead.”

“I have to pee,” April abruptly announced and hopping down off the sofa, she hurried off in the direction of the bathroom.

Piper tucked her hair behind her ears and eased into a more comfortable position. “I’m afraid afternoon naps seem to go hand-in-hand with being pregnant. What time is it?”

“Almost three o’clock,” he replied.

“I’d better be heading home,” she said as she attempted to get to her feet.

“Here, let me help.”

Piper hesitated, but only for a moment. “Thank you.” She took the hand he offered. His grip was strong and firm, and as he helped her up she caught the familiar scent of horses as well as another decidedly male scent that was his alone.

Suddenly the urge to lean into him, to feel the strength of his arms around her, assailed her. She swayed, and her stomach brushed against him sending a ripple of sensation through her.

“Are we going to get Nana at the hospital now?” April asked as she ran back into the room.

Piper felt the blood rush to her face. She released Kyle’s hand but as she moved away the baby, undoubtedly unhappy about being disturbed, kicked her.

“Oh…ouch,” she murmured softly, putting her hand on her abdomen in an action that was purely reflex.

“What’s the matter?” April asked. “Does your tummy hurt?”

Piper smiled. “No, the baby kicked me, that’s all,” she explained.

April’s eyes widened. “You can feel it?”

“Yes.”

“Can I feel it, too?” April asked, her blue eyes wide with interest.

Piper’s gaze darted to Kyle, standing only a few feet away. He nodded in anticipation of her question.

Turning back to April, she smiled. “Sure. Come and put your hand here,” she instructed, charmed by the child’s curiosity.

April moved closer, and tentatively put her hand on Piper’s tummy. Seconds later the baby kicked several times.

“Wow!” Startled, April jerked her hand back and glanced at her father. “Daddy, the baby kicked me,” she said excitedly. She grinned at Piper. “Can my daddy feel the baby, too?”

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