“If you need anything, I’m here.

All you have to do is ask.”

Posing as personal chef to protective billionaire rancher Jared Stone is the perfect cover for Bella Reid. She must hide her identity and protect her baby at all costs. To Jared, she’s just a struggling single mother. Yet as heat sizzles in the kitchen—and the bedroom—her past catches up to her. Will Bella risk everything to tell Jared the truth?

CHARLENE SANDS is a USA TODAY bestselling author of more than forty romance novels. She writes sensual contemporary romances and stories of the Old West. When not writing, Charlene enjoys sunny Pacific beaches, great coffee, reading books from her favourite authors and spending time with her family. You can find her on Facebook and Twitter, write her at PO Box 4883, West Hills, CA 91308, or sign up for her newsletter for fun blogs and ongoing contests at charlenesands.com.

Also by Charlene Sands

Her Forbidden Cowboy

The Billionaire’s Daddy Test

One Secret Night, One Secret Baby

Twins for the Texan

Sunset Surrender

Sunset Seduction

The Secret Heir of Sunset Ranch

Redeeming the CEO Cowboy

The Texan’s Wedding Escape

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

Heart of a Texan

Charlene Sands

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-07664-7

HEART OF A TEXAN

© 2018 Charlene Swink

Published in Great Britain 2018

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

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

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

By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

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www.millsandboon.co.uk

To my sweet daughter Nikki,

you are an amazing mother of

two precious daughters. Every day you

make us proud with your abundance

of love and kindness.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Extract

About the Publisher

One

Francesca Isabella Forte was hiding out. Not from an evil stalker, an old boyfriend or even a shady loan shark. No, that would be too simple. It was her father. During their last argument, he’d been so furious with her, he’d disowned her. Out-and-out cut her off without a dime. Even worse, he’d threatened to take custody of her child. All because she didn’t want to marry a man he’d chosen for her and she didn’t want to run the Forte Foods empire.

So she’d packed up her belongings and headed straight out of San Francisco’s elite Pacific Heights’ neighborhood to Dallas. Using her middle name, shortened to Bella, and her married name of Reid, to all the world, she was just a young unemployed widow. Her best friend from college, Amelia Gray, had taken her in, no questions asked.

Now, Bella drove along the interstate in her rented Ford Focus, noting how different the flat Texas landscape was from her hilly hometown.

And Bella felt free.

“Hey, Bella,” Amy said. “What did Cinderella say when her photos didn’t show up?”

“Uh...someday my prints will come.”

They giggled at the silliness and then Bella put a shushing finger to her lips. She didn’t want to wake the love of her life, her twenty-two-month-old baby, Sienna, who slept peacefully in the car seat behind her.

Everyone said Sienna was the exact replica of her mommy, with shiny dark hair curling at the tips and pretty meadow-green eyes. Bella ate those compliments up, but always reminded people that Sienna was also bright, and sweet, and kindhearted, and she’d gotten all those traits from her father.

Sienna was the best thing she and Paul had ever done in their lives.

That’s why she’d been so stunned when her father had threatened to sue her for custody of her baby. Marco Forte claimed she was an unfit mother. That she couldn’t provide for her baby. That she’d had a mental breakdown after her husband died.

Marco had the money and influence to start the proceedings. But he couldn’t do that if he couldn’t find her. Her father would never get his hands on her baby. Ever.

They were fifteen miles outside Dallas proper, the road dark, the beam of her headlights the only illumination as they headed to Amy’s brand-new high-rise condo. But just then a cloud of smoke billowing up from the side of the road caught Bella’s eye. She blinked to make sure she was seeing correctly and, sure enough, she wasn’t mistaken. A car was on fire. “Oh, no!”

She braked immediately.

“Bella, what?” Amy asked, looking up from her cell phone. “Oh, wow. You think someone’s in there?”

Bella froze. Her husband’s helicopter crash flashed through her mind. Paul had died on the job, in a fire just like this one, while returning from an aerial excursion in the Bay Area that he gave to tourists. She’d lost her husband; Sienna had lost her father. It had been a year ago and she still couldn’t believe he was gone.

Paul, I’m so sorry.

Popping sounds from the burning car shook her out of her own head. She had no time for self-pity. She needed to do something. She couldn’t just sit there. And finally it all registered.

“Amy, watch Sienna. I’ve got to check it out. Someone might be in that car.”

God, she hoped not.

Amy blinked her eyes as if making up her mind about something. “I’ll go.”

“No. I have to do this myself.” She couldn’t explain it, but a force was driving her on. Something told her she needed to be the one to check out that car. “Please, just watch my baby.”

“Okay, but be careful and don’t worry about Sienna.”

“I’ll be careful,” she said, already out of her seat belt. She could hardly believe this was happening. But she had to go. She couldn’t sit back and wait for help to arrive.

She was the help.

If someone had gotten to Paul in time, maybe he would’ve survived to see his baby take her first steps, to hear her beautiful babble that was beginning to sound like real words.

Bella’s feet tapped the ground lightly as she raced as fast as she could. The car must’ve spun off the road at high speed; it was a good ten yards off the shoulder. By the time she reached it, she was out of breath. The vehicle was overturned and someone was sitting upside down at the wheel. A man. He wasn’t moving.

She whispered a silent prayer. She needed as much help as she could get. “Amy, call 9-1-1,” she shouted.

“Okay!” Amy shouted back. “I’m calling now!”

The fire hadn’t reached the front seat yet; at the moment, the hot flames were still confined to the engine. Was she crazy to think she could pull the man out? Probably, but she had to try. The smoke was thick, burning her nostrils, blurring her eyes. She wiped at them and took the biggest breath she’d ever taken, filling up her lungs.

The door refused to budge no matter how hard she tried. Breaking the window was her only option. She wrestled herself out of her hooded jacket and wrapped it around her fist. She’d seen this done countless times in movies and hoped it really worked. Then she squeezed her eyes closed, hauled her arm back and punched the window with all of her strength. The window shattered and crumbled into tiny pieces, like broken ice crystals. She shook out her hand. It throbbed like crazy. She’d have to deal with that later.

Still praying, she wedged herself into the window and frantically used her fingers to find the button for the seat belt. It was strange working inside the flipped car, but finally she pressed her thumb down hard on the buckle button and the belt released. The man fell onto her like deadweight. God, he was heavy. Too late, she realized the belt had been preventing him from falling and now he was crushing her. A grunt rose from her chest as she strained to grab hold of his arms and pull him rather gracelessly out the window. He was cumbersome and it was awkward, but finally she yanked him free of the car.

Wonder Woman would’ve been proud.

The man’s face was bloodied and bruised, yet even through all that she could tell he was handsome and young. He couldn’t be much older than Paul had been when he’d died.

Only, this man wouldn’t die today. Not if she had anything to say about it.

The heat was unbearable. She had to get him away from the fire. The car could blow at any second. She grabbed his arms and dragged the man closer and closer to the road, falling a few times, scraping her hands and legs over the bumpy terrain. She did her best to keep his head from further injury. Using every ounce of her strength, she finally made it a safe distance away. She gave a quick glance at the car; she could tell the blaze was traveling toward the gas tank. She held her breath and prayed. And then boom! The explosion echoed on the empty road, the blast like a rocket in flight. She sat back on her butt, immobilized as she watched the car go up in smoke.

“Oh, my God,” Amy shouted. “Are you okay, Bella?”

She nodded and yelled back, “I’m not hurt. But he is.”

“Paramedics are on the way!” Amy remained close to the car. Hopefully, baby Sienna was still asleep in the back seat. The little one was a great sleeper.

Bella got a grip then and looked down at the man she’d pulled from those flames. He would’ve died in that fire. Her body began to tremble uncontrollably.

She heard the faint sound of sirens off in the distance and her shoulders relaxed slightly in relief. But she had more to do. She couldn’t wait. In this case, every second counted. This man wasn’t conscious and she was pretty sure he wasn’t breathing.

She knelt by his side, thankful for the summer lifeguard camp she’d attended as a teen.

I know CPR and I can help.

* * *

The scent of soot burned in Jared Stone’s nostrils, putrid and strong. It felt like a big rig was sitting on his chest, making it damn hard to breathe. And something powerful hammered in his head. Everything ached and the hurt was wicked. He couldn’t open his eyes. He probed his mind for clarity and...nothing. He was looping through a black hole of emptiness. What in hell had happened to him?

The last thing he remembered was driving along the highway and...

He searched and searched, straining to recall something, anything. His cell phone beeped and the beeping continued to drone in his ears. The sound grated on his nerves and then it hit him. It wasn’t a phone at all. He fought to open his eyes but lost that battle. His eyes fluttered like a baby bird’s but ultimately remained shut.

And then a delicate hand covered his. So soft, so gentle. The single touch comforted him in inexplicable ways, soothing his distress, taking away some of the pain. He’d never felt anything softer or more welcome. His skin responded immediately to those fingertips, feeling life again, feeling brightness where there had been only darkness.

“You’re going to be all right.” A woman’s lilting, angelic voice seeped inside him, her tone as sweet, as memorable, as the hand that still held his. It hurt to move and his eyes wouldn’t open, but that gentle voice gave him hope. Actually more than hope: he believed her. That serene voice wouldn’t lead him astray.

“You’ve had an accident. I rode with you in the ambulance and now you’re in the hospital. They are taking very good care of you.”

He was relieved to know an angel sat by his side. Who was she? He had no clue, but she’d been with him at the accident scene and, man, he wished he could remember what had happened. The incessant beeping rang in his ears. Now he knew he was hooked up to a monitor and those beeps meant breath and heartbeats and all good things.

Jared remembered being attached to wires on a hospital machine once, after he’d been tossed off a wild stallion on the ranch. His father had told him not to go near that horse, but the daredevil in him had decided dear ole dad was being overprotective. And at the age of twelve, he took on that wild stallion and...lost. Nearly broke his neck trying to tame Balboa. He’d been unconscious for a little while, but he’d wound up walking away from that ordeal with big purple bruises all over his body, a slight concussion and wounded pride.

His dad had sold Balboa the very next day.

That had hurt more than his injuries.

Now, Jared tried to acknowledge the woman with the melodious voice by nodding his head. But the dizziness it caused shut down his attempt.

“Don’t worry,” she said softly. “I won’t leave you. I’m here for as long as you need me to be. You were very lucky.”

He didn’t feel lucky. Every movement he made caused some sort of pain. But he clung to the angel’s words.

I’m lucky.

I’m lucky.

I’m lucky.

* * *

Bella opened her eyes as thin streams of sunlight filled the hospital room. She’d asked for permission to visit the patient last night and the staff had been lenient, letting her since she’d saved his life. But she had fallen asleep in the chair by his bed at some point. Stretching out her arms and gently swiveling her head back and forth on her shoulders helped remove the kinks. She rose, ran her hand through her long hair and stopped midway when a thick wad of gauze got stuck in the strands. The right hand she’d used as a battering ram last night was bandaged past the wrist and partway up the arm. She’d almost forgotten how she’d broken that window to drag the man to safety.

She was certain everything underneath the bandage was bloodied and black and blue. She wiggled her fingers and felt the blood return to them, but she was pretty sure her knuckles would never be the same. It was a small price to pay. Last night the nurses had made a big fuss, insisting she have her hand x-rayed. They’d found out the patient lying in the bed nearby wasn’t the only one who’d gotten lucky last night. Her hand was not broken. Hallelujah!

She grabbed her cell with her left hand and read a text from Amy.

Sienna is sleeping soundly. Not to worry.

Her baby was in good hands. Amy loved her dearly and Sienna was smitten with her mommy’s best friend.

After the paramedics showed up at the accident scene, Bella had taken one look at the patient lying on the gurney and decided the man whose life she’d just saved wasn’t going to the hospital alone. He had to know someone was there for him. When Paul died, he’d taken his last breaths alone. It had gutted her.

She’d asked Amy to put Sienna to bed for her. Her baby was a solid sleeper. Thankfully she hadn’t inherited her mother’s insomnia.

Now, in the light of a new day, she studied the man lying still on the bed. His forehead was bandaged, as were both arms. She’d overheard talk of broken ribs. She hoped the chest compressions she’d given him hadn’t caused the damage. She hadn’t heard or felt any breakage, but then she’d only been focused on getting the man to safety. All else had sort of blurred in her mind. Tests done last night showed no sign of internal bleeding. That news was gratifying. He would survive the terrible crash without any permanent damage. And, the nurse had assured her, no matter the broken ribs, her fast action had saved his life.

The man was handsome, almost to a fault. The dark bruises under his eyes and along his chin did nothing to hamper how striking he was. His jawline was angular and strong, covered by a light dusting of dark blond scruff. He was tall and lean, his arms muscular.

Just then, the patient moved, rustling the bedsheets. Her breath caught in her throat as his eyes fluttered open. Eyes that were intense and captivating and ocean blue. Eyes that at the moment appeared completely confused.

“Hello,” she whispered. “I’m glad to see you’re awake.”

“You’re the angel,” he said, his voice weak and barely audible.

She smiled and shook her head. “I’m...not an angel. I’m very real. And happy to see you’re better.”

He winced and pain reflected in his eyes. “Not sure about better,” he whispered. “Feels like I was hit by a bus.”

“Well, I didn’t see a bus. But something like that.”

“What happened to me?”

“I’m not sure,” she said. “I was driving along the interstate and saw your car in flames quite a distance from—”

“Jared, my God. You had us scared half to death.” A blond man strode into the room looking too much like the patient not to be related. Up until this point, she had no idea of his name; the hospital wasn’t sharing that information.

But...Jared? That was a good name for a strong man. It fit.

The man walked straight up to Jared, looking like he wanted to crush the patient tight in an embrace and at the same time rip him a new one. “Hey, bro.”

“Yeah, hey, bro.”

The man peered at the bandages covering Jared’s body and shook his head, tears welling in his eyes. It was a touching scene and she felt like an outsider. She was ready to slip out of the room now that Jared had his brother here to look after him. “Sorry I wasn’t here sooner. The authorities had trouble tracking me down. But, man, you almost died last night. You have no idea how close you came to buying the farm.” He inhaled and paused, as if regrouping his emotions. “Are you in a lot of pain?”

Jared nodded gingerly. The movement was probably too much for him right now.

“You have two broken ribs and some contusions, but honestly, bro, if it wasn’t for this young lady, you wouldn’t be here right now.” He turned to her and put out his hand, finally acknowledging her presence. “I’m Cooper Stone. Jared’s brother.”

“I’m...Bella.” She gave him her uninjured hand.

“I understand you pulled my brother out of the car and got him to safety.”

She nodded.

“And the car was on fire at the time?”

She nodded again.

“Thank you. You were very brave,” he said, his eyes misting up again. “And you were injured, too.” He glanced at the bandage on her right hand.

“It’s nothing. Just some scrapes.”

“You did that?” Jared’s voice was a little stronger now. It contained a hint of disbelief. “You pulled me out of the car?”

She understood his surprise. She stood five feet five inches tall and wore a size five dress. Hardly a match for such a big man. “How?” he mumbled.

She shrugged, her face warming from Cooper’s and Jared’s awed expressions. She couldn’t go into the whole Paul thing or the fact that she couldn’t have left him to die in that car without trying to help. Her conscience wouldn’t have allowed it. “Protein, every day.”

Cooper smiled.

Jared tried to smile, too, but pain seemed to grip him and he frowned instead. “Thank you,” he managed.

“I’d better let the nurses know you’re awake,” Cooper said. “Excuse me for a second.”

Bella waited until he was gone before walking over to Jared. His eyes were clear and locked on her. Having his full attention gave her the good kind of chills, and she ignored them because the bond she had with Jared Stone would be broken now. He no longer needed her.

She covered her hand with his, careful not to cause him further pain, and gave him a smile. “I’m glad I was able to help you.” She nibbled on her lower lip, thinking of Paul and somehow feeling that she’d evened out the score, in a way. Jared Stone would survive. “But since your brother’s here...well, I’ll be leaving you in good hands.”

“You stayed because I had no one else.” It was a statement not a question.

“Yes, and to make sure you’d survive.”

“I did, thanks to you.” He applied pressure to her hand, the squeeze only slight but enough to convey his emotions. Fatigue pulled the lines of his face down and his eyes began to close.

“I’ll be going now. Have a good life, Jared.”

She wasn’t sure if he’d heard her goodbye. Yet when she walked out of his hospital room, an odd sensation stirred in her belly. As she approached the nurses’ station, she noticed Cooper in a discussion with a floor nurse.

Looking out the window, she saw a news van from a local Dallas station pulling up to the hospital. It wouldn’t do to be here when the journalists started doing interviews. She couldn’t afford to be recognized. She slipped past Cooper without being noticed and then exited the hospital.

Two

Sienna sat in the middle of Amy’s living room, stacking colorful plastic blocks on top of each other. “I make castle,” she announced.

“It’s beautiful,” Bella said. The formation tilted far to the left, and as soon as Sienna’s chunky little hand attached the last block—shaped like a blond-haired princess—the whole thing toppled over.

Sienna broke out in giggles and Bella laughed along with her. “Oh, no!”

“Do again, Mommy. Do again.” Sienna’s wide green eyes beseeched her.

“Okay, sweet baby. We’ll do it again.”

Bella took a seat beside her daughter on the floor and helped gather up the blocks.

Amy came out of her bedroom and plopped down on the sofa. Her home was the epitome of class and elegance, with its white furniture, glass fixtures and beautiful light-slate flooring. Amy had worked hard since their days at Berkeley, becoming a successful real estate agent. Bella could fit her small rental home where she’d lived with Paul twice over into this big luxurious condo. Yet, she’d never minded living on Paul’s salary alone. Her father’s form of punishment in withholding her funds had backfired on him. She’d actually loved living on a budget, as long as she and Paul were together.

“No luck on that job interview, I’m afraid,” Bella told her, grabbing a few blocks and starting to build again. “I won’t be the new sous chef at the Onion Slice.”

“Did you do as I said?”

She shook her head. “No, I didn’t cover up my bruises with makeup. It wouldn’t have worked anyway. They would’ve seen right through it. Literally.”

“I bet you didn’t tell them the truth, either. That you got those scrapes from saving a man’s life two days ago.”

“The subject didn’t come up.”

“You’re too modest.”

“I just don’t see how telling them about the accident has anything to do with my culinary skills. If they don’t think I’m qualified for the job, then I’ll find someplace that does. I have another interview tomorrow.” She placed a pink block over Sienna’s lavender one.

“Good for you. With Christmas coming, I’m sure the restaurants are busier than usual. You’ll find something. But you know you can stay here as long as you like. I love having Sienna and you here for as long as it takes. Makes this big place feel more homey.”

“I do know that. You’ve been wonderful. But I need a job. I need to get back on my feet.” What she really wanted was to open a restaurant of her own. She’d worked toward that goal for a while. Now that dream had to be put on hold until she could make sense of her life.

“Have you heard any news of your father at all?”

“No, thank goodness. I didn’t leave a forwarding address with anyone I know in San Francisco and I have a new cell number. Your place is so brand-new that even if he wanted to find me through you, he wouldn’t be able to. He’s a stubborn old mule. And Yvonne is no help. She’s probably grinning from ear to ear that we’re out of Marco’s life now.”

“The evil stepmother.”

“Hardly a mother. She’s only thirty-eight, ten years older than me. The thought of that woman ever raising my daughter makes me sick to my stomach.”

“Your dad would never take Sienna away from you,” Amy said. “It’s an idle threat, Bella.”

“I don’t know that for sure. He was eager to accuse me of having a mental breakdown when Paul died. I did my best to hang tough, but it was difficult for me.”

“You were grieving. That doesn’t make you unstable,” Amy said. “And you bounced back, for Sienna’s sake.”

A sigh blew from Bella’s lips. “We’re better off now. Starting fresh. Starting over. At least I won’t have to worry about Dad announcing my engagement in the society page to a man I’d barely dated. That was the last straw.”

“That was pretty underhanded,” Amy said, lifting up the Dallas Tribune. “But it seems like you made the newspapers again, Bella. I found this last night on page three and thought maybe you’d like to see it.”

Amy handed her the newspaper. The black-and-white photo of the accident scene jumped out at her first. It pictured what was left of the hot red Lamborghini and next to it was an image of Jared Stone. She skimmed the article, learning that the victim was an entrepreneur and rancher who lived on Stone Ridge Ranch quite a few miles outside the city limits. It went on to say that Jared Stone had multiple holdings and companies in and around the Dallas area and shared his ranching business with his brother, Cooper. The piece hinted at a privileged lifestyle, portraying a man who courted danger with fast cars, racing boats and motorcycles.

“Seems like your guy has a need for speed,” Amy said, grinning.

“Yeah, well. Hopefully he’s learned his lesson. When I think about what could’ve happened to him, I get flustered.”

“Oh, yeah, that was a pretty gruesome scene. But you pulled it off. That guy doesn’t know how darn lucky he was that you were driving on that road at that exact moment. There’s a mention of you in there, but they didn’t print your name. You’re the brave mysterious woman who pulled him to safety and saved his life.”

“Yeah, well, I ducked out of the hospital before the news crew arrived, I guess.” She tossed the newspaper aside. “I don’t want to think about it anymore. I have enough trouble sleeping at night.”

“Oh, man, Bella. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize it was keeping you up.”

“It’s nothing new. I’m a terrible sleeper. I envy people who can lay their heads down and fall asleep. That’s so not me.”

She helped Sienna put the princess block on the very top of the castle and this time it didn’t topple over. “Yay! You did it!” She clapped her hands and Sienna mimicked her.

“I did it, Mommy!”

She hugged the baby to her chest. Sienna was growing up way too fast. She deserved a good life in a place she could call home, with a dog or a cat or a goldfish, and a backyard instead of a high-rise elevator.

But for now, they had to make do living in Dallas.

* * *

Jared leaned against Cooper, his brother bracing him under the arm as they strode into the house. He was banged up pretty badly, but after two days in the hospital, he refused to enter his home in a wheelchair. He’d make it under his own power, with a little help from Coop, and that was that.

“Man, I wish like hell you would’ve let me take you to my place,” Cooper said for the tenth time. “Lauren is a great nurse.”

“Your new bride is also pregnant. She doesn’t need me underfoot and neither do you. Besides, I’ll be more comfortable here.” The last thing he wanted was to be a burden to the honeymooners.

Jared’s home was on Stone Ridge land, a good half mile from Cooper’s place. They shared the stables and pastures and got along that way just fine. They were brothers and business partners, but they both needed their own space. “You can barely walk. And even if Marie could help you around the house, she’s getting too old to keep up with everything. It’s not fair to her.”

“Don’t argue with me, Coop. It’s hard enough just to breathe with these cracked ribs, much less get in a pissing match with you.”

“Fine, but think about Marie.”

Their housekeeper shared duties between the two houses, splitting her time between both. Jared’s injuries would make it much harder for her to keep up. “Don’t worry. I won’t let Marie tax herself. I’ll think of something.”

They left the foyer and Jared gestured toward the great room, wincing slightly. “Just help me to the chair.”

His favorite leather armchair faced the back window, where he had a view of the vast amount of land he called his backyard. His home was modern in most respects, but this room with throw rugs over hardwood flooring and a massive flat-screen television was more lived in, a place he could unwind and not worry about disrupting the fine order of things.

With Cooper still supporting him, Jared slowly lowered himself into the chair. He felt a sharp jolt in his chest and it took a good few seconds before the ache subsided. “I’m...okay,” he said breathlessly.

Cooper’s lips pulled down in a stern expression.

“You look like Dad when you do that,” Jared whispered.

“And you look like a man who’s...in pain.”

“Good observation. Sit a minute, will you?”

Cooper took a seat on a matching leather sofa facing him.

“Tell me about the woman.” The angel, whose voice calmed him, whose touch gave him solace when he might’ve panicked. The angel who’d risked her life to save his.

Cooper immediately knew what he was asking. “The nurses told me her name is Bella Reid. She was driving on the interstate with her friend and saw the car catch on fire. Her friend called 9-1-1 and Bella rushed over to get you out of the car before...” Cooper let out a noisy breath. “You know.”

Jared gave a tiny nod. He was aware of his limitations right now, what he could and couldn’t do. Mostly, he couldn’t do anything, but a nod he could manage. “I can’t stop thinking about it.”

“Are you having nightmares?”

Jared blinked. “No. I can’t remember anything about the crash. Or after, really. Except that Bella was there, holding my hand, saying all the right things to keep me calm. I need to thank her properly. See how she’s doing.”

“She slipped out of the hospital after I showed up, Jared. I didn’t get her number. I have no way to find her. Maybe you should let it go.”

“No,” he said forcefully enough for Cooper’s eyes to snap up to meet his. “I need to see her, Coop. My God, that woman saved my life. I need to talk to her. Just once. I can’t let it go.”

“What do you want me to do, ask the sheriff to give me private information. Or how about I hire a detective?”

Jared’s lips quirked up. “Nothing that drastic. You have a wife. And she’s a nurse. And if she happened to see Bella Reid’s medical chart...”

“I can’t ask Lauren to do that.”

“You don’t have to. I will. She owes me a favor.”

* * *

“Paul, what am I going to do?” Bella mumbled under her breath, staring at the phone in her hand. She’d just hung up with the Beaumont Club. They’d needed a chef and she’d been a day late and a dollar short. They’d just called to inform her the job she hadn’t even had a chance to interview for had been filled.

Whenever she needed guidance, she’d talk to her husband. If anyone heard her, they would understand. She was a widow with a beautiful child to raise, a woman whose heart was broken the day that helicopter crashed, and she liked to think that Paul was listening to her. That he would somehow see how hard she was trying.

Her dream of working as a chef in some capacity was slowly fading.

Yesterday she’d seen an ad online for a dental receptionist. Maybe she should apply for that. The salary wouldn’t buy her a house, or rent her an apartment, but it would allow her some financial independence.

Her shoulders sagging, she walked in to check on Sienna. Her baby was napping peacefully, her little olive-skinned cheeks rosy at the moment. Bella was ready to slide in next to her child on the tiny bed and try to catch a nap.

If only.

She was still debating that, watching Sienna’s chest rise and fall rhythmically, when someone buzzed from the lobby. She pushed the button before it buzzed twice. “Yes?”

“It’s Cooper Stone. I’d like to speak to Bella Reid.”

“This is Bella.”

“May I come up to see you?”

Bella leaned her shoulder against the door. “What is it? Is everything all right with your brother?”

“That’s what I want to speak to you about. I promise it’ll only take a minute.”

Her curiosity more than anything had her beeping him in. “Come up.”

“Thanks,” he said.

And just a few minutes later she was showing Cooper Stone to the sofa in Amy’s living room.

“Hi,” he said, taking off his black cowboy hat as soon as he sat down. Bella sort of loved that about Texans. They wore hats like other people wore shoes. And only took them off when absolutely necessary.

“Hello, Cooper.” She sat, too. “I have to admit I’m a little bit shocked that you’re here. How did you find me?”

“Don’t be frightened,” Cooper said sincerely. “It’s nothing bad. It’s just that my brother—”

“What about Jared?” She had a vested interest in his well-being and was anxious to hear about his recovery. It was sort of strange how she’d bonded with the person whose life she’d saved. She’d only been with him a few short hours, yet images of that night popped in and out of her mind at all times of the day and night. Thoughts of his health nagged at her.

“He’s doing as well as can be expected,” his brother said. “He’s young and strong and he’ll heal eventually.”

“I see. That’s good news. So then why are you here?”

“It’s just that—” Cooper scrubbed a hand over his jaw “—he can’t seem to get you off his mind. He wasn’t all too coherent that first night and he can barely remember you at the hospital and...well...I think he needs to see you and thank you personally. It’s important to him.”

“I, uh, understand, but that’s not really necessary.”

“It is to him,” Cooper said, his face somber. “Believe me, if it wasn’t I wouldn’t be here right now.”

“You still haven’t told me how you found me.”

Cooper’s mouth twisted and he let out a deep sigh, making it obvious he didn’t want to divulge the information. “My wife...is a nurse.”

He didn’t have to say more. Though she was surprised that her personal contact information had been breached, she wasn’t angry. She should be, but she just plain wasn’t. Cooper wasn’t there for nefarious reasons. He was there on behalf of his brother, who could’ve died a few days ago.

“Lauren, my wife, is a good woman,” he began, “and she loves Jared, too. It took a lot of arm-twisting, if that makes you feel any better. I hope you’ll consider coming to the ranch to see my brother. I can drive you myself or I can send a car for you.”

Suddenly, Sienna ambled into the room, her soft black hair mussed. She clutched her stuffed bunny rabbit in one hand and rubbed her eyes with the other. “Hi, baby girl. Did you have a nice nap?”

Her child eyed the stranger cautiously, making a wide berth around him to get to her mommy. Bella knew the look; her daughter was wary and shy of strangers. She considered that a good thing and picked her up. Immediately, Sienna buried her face in her chest. “Sorry, she’s a bit shy.”

“She’s adorable,” Cooper said, a twinkle in his eye. “My wife, Lauren, is pregnant. Our baby is due in early spring.”

Lauren, the wife who’d rifled through her personal files. “Congratulations. It’s exciting. Is this your first?”

He nodded. “Yep, it’s our first. How about you? Do you have any other children?”

“No, my husband died last year. It’s just the two of us.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Must be hard being a single mother.”

“It is. But I have great friends who help out. Amy, the woman who was with me the night of the accident, is letting us stay here until I can find employment. She’s been wonderful.”

“So this isn’t your home?”

“It’s where we live, for the time being.”

His head slanting to the right, he studied her as if puzzling something out. “What kind of work do you do?”

I’m the disowned heiress of Forte Foods. “I’m a cook. Well, a chef really, but right now, I’d sling hash in the local diner if it would pay my bills.” She smiled to wipe away Cooper’s concerned expression and furrowed brow. That’s all she’d say on the subject.

“Mommy, I hungry.” The tiny voice echoed against her chest.

“Okay, sweetie. I’ll make you something to eat.”

Cooper rose from his seat and grabbed his hat.

She stood and gestured to Sienna. “So now you see why I can’t just pick up and come to your ranch today?”

“I do see. But please consider driving out. Soon. And bring the little one. I bet she’d love to see the horses. We’re at Stone Ridge Ranch. Here’s my brother’s card. It has his address and phone number on it.” Cooper walked over to place the card in her hand. “And thanks for not freaking out about how I found you. It went against every shred of Lauren’s sense of propriety, but at the same time she agreed that the only way Jared can heal mentally from the accident is to speak to you.”

“That’s putting a bit of pressure on me.”

Cooper’s brows lifted, his face the picture of innocence. “Is it working?”

She tilted her head and admitted, “Maybe.”

* * *

You’ve got to go. I know you’re dying to. Just go and satisfy your curiosity, Bella. See the man whose life you saved.

Amy’s words burned in her ears as she stood on the doorstep of Jared Stone’s home. There was a chill in the air and she cradled her bundled-up daughter even tighter. Mesquite trees surrounding the property were strung with big colorful ornaments. The door she’d just knocked on a moment ago was bedecked with twin pinecone wreaths reminding her that Christmas was just weeks away.

Funny, it didn’t seem like Christmas. When Paul was alive it used to be such a fun time of year. Those four Christmases she’d shared with him had been the best. Now it was something she’d have to get through. But for Sienna’s sake, she was going to make it special.

Her little girl was taking in the decorations in wide-eyed wonder. She pointed at an old-fashioned red buckboard wagon decorating the grassy portion of the front yard. The bed of the wagon was filled with buckets of thriving poinsettias. “Want ride, Mommy.”

“Oh, sweetie, I don’t think that wagon works.”

“Why?” Everything lately required an explanation. Her little one was a curious soul.

“It’s kind of old.”

“O-kay. Is pretty,” she said, still fascinated by the wagon.

“Yes, the flowers are pretty.”

So was Jared’s house, which was accented with thick beams of light wood and beautiful stone siding. It was modern with rustic flair. As she’d come upon it, passing stables and barns, horses and cattle along the way, somehow she could picture Jared living here. It fit. Which was a weird thing to think, since she didn’t know the man. At all.

The door opened and a sixtysomething woman greeted them. “Why, you must be Bella Reid. Come in. We’ve been expecting you. I’m Marie, Mr. Stone’s housekeeper.”

Last night, after she’d made the decision to come by, she’d called Jared but the phone call had gone straight to voice mail. At least, she’d given him fair warning she was coming and was glad the message had been received. “Hello, Marie. Nice to meet you.”

“And who is this little darlin’?”

“This is my daughter, Sienna.”

“She’s a beautiful child.” Marie didn’t waste time. “Please come inside. Jared’s in the other room, waiting for you. He’s very glad you came by.” The affection in Marie’s voice was unmistakable. “And I’m tickled to meet you. You saved his life. The entire family is in your debt.”

Marie stopped outside a closed door and suddenly wrapped her arms around her and Sienna and gave them a hug. “Thank you.” She pulled away quickly. “Don’t mind me, I’m a silly woman,” she said, wiping an unshed tear from her eye. “But I just had to do that.”

“No, it’s fine,” Bella said. “It’s obvious you care about Jared.”

“Since he was a boy.”

“Marie?” an impatient male voice called out.

“They’re here, Jared.” Marie swept an arm toward the door. “You’d best go inside. I left a pitcher of lemonade and a plate of cookies on the table. I sure hope you like chocolate chip,” she said to Sienna. The toddler grinned at the mention of cookies. “If you need anything else, please let me know.”

“Thank you.”

Marie walked off slowly and Bella caught her grimacing, placing a hand to her back as she exited.

With a bit of trepidation, she entered the room to find the tall man slowly, carefully, unbending his body and rising from his chair, his expression etched with sheer determination. But there was no masking the pain he was in. “Bella Reid?”

“Hello, Jared. Please sit down,” she said softly.

His face seemed to mellow, some of the strain melting away as soon as the words were out of her mouth. He wore comfortable clothes, black sweats and a T-shirt with Stone Corp printed over a graphic of a rugged mountain peak. Their company logo, she assumed.

“After you,” he said. Texas manners being what they were, she wouldn’t argue. She took a seat, holding her shy daughter on her lap.

“Thank you for coming,” he said, his voice low and deep and much more commanding than when he’d been in the hospital. He winced as he lowered himself down. There was a bandage draped over his left eyebrow; some reddish scrapes peeked through his dark blond stubble. His longish straight hair seemed to fall in a natural part, Brad Pitt–style. His eyes were alert, deep blue and mesmerizing, the kind of eyes it was hard to turn away from. “Is this your child?”

“Yes, this is Sienna.” Her daughter wouldn’t look at Jared. But it was okay. She wouldn’t force the issue. “She’s in a clingy stage right now.”

Jared smiled. His entire face brightened and she could see the man beneath the pain now. “How old is she?”

“She’s twenty-two months.”

“She looks like you. And that’s a compliment.”

“Thank you. How are you feeling, Jared?”

“I’m breathing and alive, getting by okay. I’ll probably be laid up for a couple of weeks.”

“You look...much better than the last time I saw you.”

“I suppose I do.” Again, he smiled. “I, uh, wanted to thank you properly for what you did. No, that’s not entirely true. I needed to thank you. You dragging me out of the car and bringing me to safety saved my life. I can’t thank you enough. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to repay you.”

“Heavens, you don’t need to,” she said on a breath. “I’m just glad we were coming down that road at that particular time.”

“So am I. It was a lucky day for me. All I remember of that night was a soft hand covering mine, giving me comfort and soothing the panic that was building up inside. And then you spoke and the sound of your voice was like a gentle balm, an angel’s call telling me I was going to be all right.”

He inhaled and his face wrinkled up in pain.

“Does it hurt to talk?”

“No. Just to breathe,” he said, his eyes half twinkling.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’m Texan. You know how we are.”

She smiled.

“Cooper filled me in a little about you. You’re a widow. I’m sorry for your loss, Bella.” He spoke with reserved respect that made it seem less like prying, less like opening up old wounds.

“Thank you. It’s been a bit tough, but Sienna and I are managing.”

“That’s good. I understand you’re between jobs right now. Is that by choice?”

“Heavens no. I’ve been interviewing but...well, it’s not going—” She paused and shook her head. “It’s not important.”

“I think it is.”

She blinked, gazing at his solemn face. “You do?”

“Of course I do.” His gaze traveled over to Sienna, who’d begun to warm up a little. She was peeking at him through her spread little fingers.

“You don’t owe me anything, Jared. Honestly.” God, if he wrote her out a check, she’d be mortified. She hadn’t saved his life for a reward.

“Well, the truth is, I’m thinking you can help me and I can help you.”

“How?”

“You met Marie. She’s a sweetheart, but she’s getting on in age and my present condition is taking a toll on her with all the extra work she has to do. For years, she’s worked part-time here and part-time at Cooper’s place. Now I’m afraid the chores are too much for her.”

“What are you saying to me? How can I help?”

“I understand you’re good in the kitchen and it just so happens I’m in need of a personal chef.”

She gulped air, totally surprised. “You need a personal chef?”

“Yes. I’ve been thinking about this for a long time. Marie’s got too many chores around here as it is. She could use the break and...well, I’m offering you the job.”

“To...be...your...personal...chef?”

He smiled, his eyes lighting up again, as if he was glad she was catching on. Oh, yeah, she was. He was indebted to her and this was how he was going to repay her. “Yes.”

“But, you don’t even know if I’m qualified.”

“You can send me a résumé at your convenience. But I don’t need one. I trust you’re up to speed on your cooking skills.”

“Oh, yeah? And how would you know that?”

“Because...I already know what kind of person you are. Besides, I’m not fussy. Just put a burger and fries in my face and I’m happy.”

She laughed. “I’ll remember that.”

“So you’ll take the job?”

“I didn’t say that. There’s a lot to consider.”

“You need a job and I need a cook. What’s to consider?”

“You’re forgetting that you live way out here, miles away from Dallas. Working out babysitting arrangements would be difficult, if not impossible. I don’t want to be gone from Sienna for too long during the day.”

“That’s the beauty of this great big ranch house.” He spread his arms wide. The gesture cost him physically. Her heart went out to him, seeing him so bravely mask his pain. “You can have your own wing of the ranch house, two rooms just for you and Sienna upstairs. I’m basically living down here right now anyway since climbing the stairs is like a Ninja Warrior obstacle for me. You’d have all the privacy you’ll need.”

“My goodness, Jared. You want us to move into your house? I mean, that’s generous and all, but I can’t—”

“Don’t say you can’t. Think about it. You’ll have a job where you won’t have to leave Sienna at all. She’ll be right here while you’re working. She’ll have a yard to play in and wide-open spaces to run at her heart’s content. Don’t get me wrong, I’m thankful that you saved my life, but I really do need some more help here. My solution is a good one, for all of us.”

He had a good heart but her pride was getting in the way of her good sense.

“I don’t know...”

“Give it a try, Bella.” His voice cut into her senses. So deep, so sincere. He really wanted to help her and she appreciated that. “If it doesn’t work out, there’ll be no hard feelings. It’ll be up to you.”

He was offering her something better than she could ever hope for: employment, a home and a way to stay close to Sienna. Taking the job would buy her time to sort out her life and make some long-range plans. “Let me talk it over with my best friend. I, uh, just need a little bit of time.”

“It’s a deal,” he said and then glanced at her daughter. “Would you like a cookie, Sienna? You can have as many as your mommy says you can have.”

Sienna faced him and smiled, her sweet dimples lighting up her cheeks.

“One,” Bella said in her mommy tone.

“Like I said,” he began, “you can have one cookie. And I bet your momma would spring for some lemonade, too.”

Sienna giggled, nodding at the man who could barely move on the chair opposite her.

He was in bad shape right now and seemed genuine in his job offer.

Could she take a leap of faith and accept the job? Could she go through with it, concealing her true identity from Jared Stone in order to keep Sienna safe?

Or maybe the real question was, could she afford not to take the job?

* * *

Later that night Amy plunked down on the sofa next to Bella and handed her a glass of pinot grigio. “Here, take this and sip at will. There’s plenty more where that came from.”

Bella stared at the wine bottle sitting on the cocktail table in front of her. She probably would need to empty it before she could come to a decision.

Amy crossed her legs under her, sinking into a conversational posture on the sofa and sipping wine. “Not that I’m trying to get rid of you but, honestly, Bella, this man is offering you a golden opportunity. Why not jump at it?”

Sienna had fallen asleep an hour ago. And this was supposed to be Bella’s Zen time. Where she could find some peace in the quiet surroundings and shut her mind down a little bit. But Jared Stone’s offer kept interrupting her serenity. Amy was on board with the idea, but there was still a nagging notion that wouldn’t go away. “Because I know why he’s offering me a job. Or making up a job. He sees me as the poor widow, a single mom raising a baby all by myself. It’s charity.”

“For one, you are all those things and more.”

Bella stared at her friend.

“What I mean is, he sees you as a widow raising a child alone, but also as the courageous person who saved his life. It’s so not charity. If he was going to hire someone—and you said it yourself, his housekeeper really seemed like she could use the help—why can’t he hire you? I’d bet he’d much rather hire someone he trusts, someone who really needs the work, than a total stranger.”

“I am a stranger. He didn’t even want to see my résumé.”

“Lucky for you, he didn’t. What would you put on there? Former heiress of Forte Foods.”

“I did go to culinary school, you know. Even though I didn’t finish, I learned a lot and what I didn’t learn I taught myself. I have been around the food industry and chefs all my life.”

Amy smiled. “There, you see, you just made a great argument for yourself. You are qualified for the job. My goodness, he’s one man. You could cook for him with your eyes closed.”

“I’d have to move to his ranch. And I’d be deceiving him the entire time. Could I really do that?”

“For Sienna’s sake, you have to. It’s a darn good reason.”

“I don’t know.”

“What don’t you know? It’s perfect. What do I have here for you and Sienna? Concrete and glass. My balcony is too dangerous for Sienna, so the poor kid can’t even get some sunshine or breathe fresh air. Sienna would love being in a place where she could run wild. She’d be around cattle and horses. Maybe a dog or cat or two. And how long do you think it would take your father to find me, if he really wanted to? He knows we’re friends. If he came looking for you, you’d be out of luck. But this way...”

“I’d be on a ranch in the middle of nowhere.” Amy’s arguments made sense.

“Take the leap,” her friend said. “I’ll be right here if it doesn’t work out. You have nothing to lose.”

Bella finished her pinot in one large gulp. “Okay, I’m gonna do it. I’ll take the leap and call Jared Stone tomorrow.”

Three

On Saturday morning, three days after meeting with Jared Stone, Bella followed a good-natured Marie up to her new rooms at Stone Ridge. The woman seemed genuinely glad to have her there. “I’ll be staying today to help you get settled in,” she said with a smile. “If you need anything, or have any questions, be sure to ask. Mr. Stone is down in his study. He’s anxious to get back to work. If you ask me, it’s too soon, but that boy is determined. He said as soon as you feel up to it, he’d like to see you.”

Jared Stone had arranged for her things to be moved into the house this morning. All she’d had when she’d walked out of her father’s house in Pacific Heights was a few pieces of luggage and three boxes of baby gear. She’d traveled light...well, as light as she could with a toddler in tow. Sienna had toys and special blankets and dolls that she couldn’t live without. Really, Bella could have boxed it all up and placed it in her car, but her new employer had insisted on sending someone to help move her.

“Thank you, Marie. I should be down soon. As you can see, I don’t have too much to unpack.”

Marie’s kind eyes warmed as she took in the meager boxes and suitcases on the floor.

Oh, goodness, she didn’t want to give the woman the wrong impression. She didn’t mean she was so destitute that these were all the things she owned in the world. Too late. Marie turned her attention to Sienna. “How’s the little princess today?”

“Sienna, say hello to Marie.”

Sienna wiggled her fingers in a shy wave. She didn’t want to cross the cookie lady.

“She’s going to have a bit of fun here on the ranch. You be sure to take her around and explore. There’s a lot to see through a toddler’s eyes.”

“I will. Thank you.”

“I’ll be off now,” Marie said. “Remember to ask if you have any questions. I’m just tickled as can be you’re here. You two will bring some life into these four walls.”

“You may get more life than either of you bargained for.”

“Nonsense. Children only bring the world joy,” Marie said as she made her way out of the room.

With Sienna latched onto her hip, Bella looked around the second floor of the house. Two adjoining bedrooms, both with queen-size beds, and a good-sized bathroom would be her new home. The rooms were lovely and in shades of light blues and lavenders with bleached white-oak contemporary furniture. She was pretty certain no one had ever stepped foot inside these immaculate guest quarters. Sienna would give the place a lived-in look within a matter of hours. Poor Jared Stone didn’t know what he was in for, inviting a toddler almost two years old into his home. And poor her, trying to keep Sienna’s antics down to a minimum. Jared didn’t know it yet, but his quiet existence would soon be replaced with chaos and noise.

Bella walked over to the window and peered directly down into a backyard full of thick green grass and a flowery garden. There was a pool with a rock slide and trickling waterfall. All of the pool chairs and tables were protected and covered, but she could just imagine how inviting the pool would be on a scorching-hot Texas day. Her gaze traveled farther out to a pasture. Those tiny specks across the vista had to be a herd of cattle.

She glanced around the room again and sighed. “Well, Sienna, time to unpack our stuff.”

Fifteen minutes later she’d organized the bathroom, complete with an Elmo toothbrush set, child-safe shampoo and body wash and Princess Jasmine towels. Sienna would sleep with her, until she got acclimated, and one way to do that was to put all of her toys in the second bedroom. All of their clothes combined didn’t take up one-tenth of the generous walk-in closet space.

It was weird coming to live here with a total stranger, though Amy had done a thorough Google search of Jared Stone and eagerly shared that he was a successful rancher, an astute businessman and a budding entrepreneur. Recently he and his brother Cooper had funded the building of a playground for the local community. And his charitable donations didn’t stop there.

He’s hardly an ax murderer.

Amy’s words sunk into her skull and she immediately felt better about coming to live here. “Okay, baby girl,” she said. “It’s time to say hello to the boss.”

Taking hold of Sienna, she climbed down the stairs and went in search of the study. The house wasn’t hard to figure out; it was as sprawling as a two-story ranch home could be, and after stepping into the beautiful gourmet kitchen, excitement stirred as she ogled her new “office.” Sienna babbled loudly in her own sweet language as she made her way past the kitchen to the hallway leading to the study. Sienna squirmed and fussed to be let down. She had yet to have her nap. “Here you go,” Bella said, setting the baby on her feet, “but please don’t touch anything.” She knocked on the partially shut door.

“Come in.” The pitch of Jared’s voice was deep and welcoming.

She opened the door and found Jared sitting behind his desk, closing down his laptop computer. Color had returned to his cheeks, his bandages were off and the scrapes on his face appeared to be healing. He wore a black snap-down shirt and jeans, looking much better than he had just three days ago.

He was handsome, there was no denying that. He now had a healthier glow about him; his eyes, less shadowed by pain, were deeper, bluer, mesmerizing.

Her heart raced. She would be living with him now, in this house, and all the awkwardness she’d felt the other day came back in full force. This would be her new normal.

He began to rise and she gestured for him not to. He did it anyway. He had to be six foot two if he was an inch. “Welcome to Stone Ridge.”

“Please sit down, Mr. Stone. If you get up every time I walk into a room, you’ll make yourself dizzy.”

He chuckled and then his face hardened and his hand automatically went to his broken ribs. Of all his injuries, that one must be the most painful. “I will, if you call me Jared from now on.”

“Okay...Jared.”

“Please, take a seat.”

She did, sitting opposite him. Sienna stood next to her chair, looking all around, taking in the big room with windows facing the groomed yard and books stacked on a wall of shelves. But her eyes found and stayed on two packages decorated with pastel balloon wrapping paper on the floor beside the desk.

“Hello, Sienna,” he said. “I hope you’ll like it here.”

Sienna took one look at Jared, forgot about the packages and climbed up on Bella’s lap, hanging on to her neck with a death grip. Bella pried her off her neck as gently as possible and her baby settled into a fetal position in her arms. “She’ll warm up. This is all so new for her.”

“I figured,” he said.

“You’re feeling better?” she asked.

He nodded. “Every day gets a bit easier. I should be one hundred percent in a few weeks or so.” He paused as if speaking of his injuries made him uncomfortable. “I hope you like your accommodations. If there’s anything you want changed, anything you need, just let me know.”

“Thank you. That’s very generous of you. The rooms are lovely and we’re going to manage just fine.”

“Good to hear. Marie will be here today to show you around the kitchen and the rest of the property. Feel free to use anything on the ranch, including the horses, if you like to ride. And if you need something—”

“I’ll be sure to ask,” she said.

Jared smiled, a much easier smile than the one he’d attempted a few days ago. He wrote something down on a piece of paper and slid it over to her. “Here’s your starting salary. I think it’s in line with the going rate.”

She glanced at the number and was relieved to see he wasn’t overpaying her. “Yes, it’s perfect.” It was a fair sum considering she was also getting room and board. If that number was even slightly higher, she’d feel less legitimate. The salary he offered allowed her a measure of pride. And Jared Stone seemed to be sensitive to that. “Thank you.”

“I don’t expect you to work every day. You’ll have Sundays and Mondays off, if that’s okay with you.”

“That’s fine. I, um, have a few questions for you, though, if you don’t mind?”

“I don’t mind at all,” he said.

She sat a little straighter in the chair; Sienna was happy as a clam to continue to cling to her. “Well, since I’m cooking for you, I’d like to know how you see yourself food-wise.”

“How do I see myself?”

“Yes. What’s your culinary landscape?”

“In English, please?”

She held back a grin. “Okay. Are your food tastes conservative, traditional, adventurous, exotic, selective...”

“I’m definitely adventurous. There’s nothing I won’t try. Except liver. No liver, please.” He made a little-boy face, scrunching up his mouth, and she laughed.

“No liver, check. Spicy?”

“Yes, but not necessarily all the time.”

“Do you drink alcohol?”

“Does the sun shine?” he shot back.

She laughed. “Okay, got it.”

He was basically a cook’s dream. He liked to try new things and he ate everything, pretty much. She’d put that to the test very soon.

The healthy cast on his face when she’d walked in was beginning to fade. How long had he been at his desk working? She knew the look of fatigue. Being a single mom, she’d had many a sleepless night. And even when she did catch some winks, it wasn’t for very long. Not all of that had to do with Sienna. She had a classic case of insomnia, an inherited trait. Thank you, Marco.

Too late, she averted her eyes. She’d been staring at Jared. And he’d been quietly staring back.

“If there’s nothing more—”

“Actually, there is,” he said.

Gingerly, he rose from his seat to full height. When standing, he was a solid presence in the room, a man who commanded attention. She’d noticed that about Cooper, too. “I have something for you both. It’s a little welcome gift.”

“You didn’t have to do that.” Goodness, she meant it. How awkward was this? What could he have possibly gotten the two of them?

“Would you like to open Sienna’s first. It’s in the big box.”

He moved over to the two boxes by his desk. “Sienna, this is a present for you. Do you want to help your mother open it?”

Her daughter’s eyes went adorably wide and she eased off her lap, took her hand and pulled her over to the wrapped box.

“Christmas isn’t for a few weeks,” she told Jared.

Jared only smiled.

Sienna grabbed at the paper and Bella helped her the rest of the way until all the wrapping was off. When the box was open, Jared explained. “Some assembly required.”

Sienna took one look at her gift and started flapping her arms like a little bird. “Bike! Bike!”

“I can see that,” Bella said.

The balance tricycle was hot pink with streamers on the handlebars and a chrome bell. It was already assembled except for the long rod that attached to the back step, so that it could be pushed and guided from behind. The training bike of tricycles.

Sienna found the bell and that was that. The ringing lasted at least thirty seconds before Bella took her hand away. “Sienna, do you like the tricycle?”

She began nodding. “Me yike it, Mommy.”

“Can you say ‘thank you’?”

“Tank you,” she said without hesitation. Her eyes were transfixed on her new trike.

Jared grinned. “You’re welcome. Now you can ride around the ranch in style.”

“It’s very generous of you,” Bella said.

“There’s a helmet for her, too. Lauren, my sister-in-law, said she couldn’t ride outside the house without one.”

“Yes, that’s true. Again, very thoughtful.”

Bella took the trike out of the box and set it on the floor. Immediately, Sienna, thrilled beyond belief, lifted her leg and tried to climb up. Bella gave her a little push and then she was all set, her butt settled on the padded seat.

“Your feet touch the pedals. Oh, my baby is getting to be such a big girl.”

“I’ll attach this thing,” Jared said, a screwdriver suddenly appearing in his hand. He lifted the rod out and bent on his haunches. His body creaked and his face went white, but his jaw was tight, determined. Bella bent, too, and suddenly she was inches from Jared, breathing in a light musk scent, seeing the tiny lines of pain around his eyes. And for a second, the briefest of moments, she saw not the victim whose life she’d saved, but a beautiful, bone-melting, blue-eyed man.

Amy would say he was a hunk to the hundredth degree.

“Can you hold this?” he asked.

“Oh, uh, yes.” She secured the rod while he screwed it to the back step of the trike.

“There,” he said, his breathing labored. He was taxing himself, but there was a gleam of accomplishment in his eyes that shouldn’t be shot down. “That should work.”

“Yes, it’s nice and tight.”

“And now for your gift.” He began to rise and wobbled a little. She was there immediately to catch him, putting her arm around his waist. He used his other hand to brace himself on the desk and then gazed at her. “I’ve got it,” he said quietly, the sexiness in his voice playing tricks on her.

“Yes, you do. Sorry.”

“For trying to rescue me again?”

“For—” She shrugged. “I don’t know why.” The words tumbled out of her mouth and, too late, she took her arm off his waist. Jared Stone definitely made her nervous.

He smiled. A killer this time, showing white teeth, handsome lines around his mouth and a twinkle in his eyes.

Sienna was patiently examining her new trike. Once again the temptation to ring the bell was too much for her and clanging filled the room. “A set of drums might’ve been less noisy,” Bella remarked.

A chuckle rumbled from his chest, one that caught him off guard. He winced, but it was brief and soon replaced with a smile. “I’ll remember that next time. This one is for you,” he said, pointing to the other wrapped gift. “I’m told every chef should have a good set of these.”

She stared at him for a moment and then carefully unwrapped her gift. It was an attaché case and inside she found a twenty-four-piece set of executive chef knives. They were beautiful, of the finest caliber, the handles made of rosewood.

“Oh...” A lump formed in her throat. She’d grown up with privilege and had had the finest of things, but this gift was special. It was the first time she’d been recognized as a legitimate chef. Other than by Paul. Her husband had believed in her and was awed by her talent, but her father and his wife had never taken her seriously. “It’s too much. I love it but—”

“No buts. Marie told me our kitchen was sorely lacking in equipment, and you should have all the tools you need at your disposal.”

“You mean for those burgers and fries I’m going to toss your way.”

Jared laughed.

“Thank you. It’s a beautiful set.”

Sienna went for the bell again and the ringing echoed off the study walls. “Well, we’d better get out of your hair now. Do you have more work to do?”

“Actually,” he said, running a hand down his face, “I’m getting hungry for lunch. I’m up early most days, so I’m usually hungry about this time.”

It was a little after eleven in the morning. She made a mental note of Jared’s timetable. “It’s good to know. I can make up a simple lunch, if you’d like.”

“No. That’s not necessary. Marie’s got it covered today. You can join me, or you can let the little one play on her trike.”

“In the house?”

“Sure...it’s fine. She can’t hurt anything.”

“Obviously you haven’t been around a two-year-old before.”

“Can’t say that I have,” he said good-naturedly. “But between Sienna and Cooper’s kid, I’m gonna get a real fast education.”

That much was very true.

She opted to let Sienna ride up and down the hallway, guiding her with the rod and praying she wouldn’t take out anything super expensive in her wake.

* * *

Dawn popped its way into Jared’s window much too soon to his liking. He usually wasn’t a bad sleeper, but the afternoon naps he’d been taking since the accident had a way of messing up his schedule. Dr. Corona had told him to rest as much as possible, and by the middle of the day, he was too wiped out to disobey. Who knew broken ribs could cause so much grief to his body?

Feeling helpless wasn’t his style. He was mentally ready to get back behind the wheel. He had a garage full of vehicles, two motorcycles and several cars, as well as a speedboat docked at the nearby lake. He wasn’t about to let what happened scare him away. But he had to heal first, and all the tossing and turning during the night did nothing to help his busted-up body repair itself. Today, even if he had to pry his eyes open with miniature pitchforks, he was going to fight the nap, tooth and nail.

Slowly he hinged himself up from the bed and drew a lungful of air into a diaphragm that was tight and sore. Those first few moves after being bedridden during the night were the hardest. He managed to stand without the help of a cane. Call it ego, but he’d have to be on his last breath before he’d submit to using that thing.

He managed to get his jeans on, grunting with each tug burning straight through his rib cage. The sting lingered like an unruly drunken uncle on Christmas day.

He’d never take getting dressed for granted again. “Marie,” he called out. He hoped like hell she was there. He hoped she’d heard him.

He heard the sound of footsteps approaching, down the hallway and just as he was zipping up his fly, help arrived. It was Bella. She took two steps into his room, and budding sunlight cast a circular light around her head like a halo... His angel.

He blinked.

And was struck by her absolute beauty. She wore white jeans and a silky jade blouse that made her soft green eyes really come alive. With all that blue-black hair cascading down her back in a braid and her face shining and free of anything unnatural, Bella made his breath hitch. His rib cage hurt like hell, but as he slowly released pent-up breaths his focus never wavered. He was totally aware of her now and a spark of excitement strummed inside him, obliterating the pain.

Why now? It wasn’t as if he hadn’t noticed how pretty she was before. Of course he’d noticed, but he’d never let his mind go there. She was an employee, a widow and a mother of a small child. Three very solid reasons why the thought hadn’t entered his mind. But right now, in an unguarded moment, when he wasn’t expecting to see her, suddenly he’d become very aware of her appeal.

Her eyes seemed stationed on his bare chest and her face colored as red as an apple, a tough feat for a woman with olive skin. He’d shocked her, no doubt, but he also witnessed a glint of admiration in her eyes.

“Jared?”

“Mornin’.”

“Good morning. Do you, uh, need something? I heard you call out for Marie. She’s at your brother’s today. But if you need her, she told me to be sure to call her.”

“No. Not necessary. Guess I forgot it was her day with Coop.”

Bella looked straight into his eyes, as if she’d be set on fire if he caught her staring any longer at his chest. He could almost smile at that.

“What did you need?”

“Nothin’.”

“You called for Marie for a reason.”

“It’s not in your job description.”

She glanced at the shirt on the chair. “You need help getting your shirt on?”

There was no sense denying it. “Yes. But—”

“Heavens, if you need help with it, I can do it.” She sounded slightly annoyed, as if she were scolding a child. She stepped farther into the room, picking up his shirt as she approached, keeping her eyes level with his. No more sneak peeks at his chest.

“Here you go.” She held out one arm of the shirt. “We’ll take it slow.” Her angelic voice, soft and accommodating, came back. If only he could close his eyes and listen to her all day long.

She smelled like cookies, a sugary vanilla scent teasing his nostrils. And then he gazed at her mouth, heart-shaped and rosy-lipped. She’d given him rescue breaths with that mouth. Oh, man.

She guided his right arm into the sleeve first and scooted it up his arm as he ever so slowly pushed his arm through. “Now comes the hard part,” he said.

She wound the shirt around his back and he had to stretch his left arm way out to push it through the sleeve. By the time they were through, beads of sweat trickled down his forehead.

“Maybe a T-shirt would be easier,” she said, tilting her head, analyzing the situation.

“That would be a no. I tried that already.”

“Are you okay?” Her green eyes held sympathy.

“I’m fine. Thank you.” He sniffed the air. “Besides you, something smells wonderful out there.”

“Besides me?”

He grinned. “Sorry, thinking out loud. You smell like a cookie.”

An angel with a tranquil voice who smelled like cookies...good thing he had his head on straight about Bella Reid. She was a no-go. He was gun-shy anyway. He’d had his heart ripped out by Helene and some wounds just refused to heal.

“Thank you, I think,” she said, standing in front of him now, keeping her eyes on the snaps she was fastening on his shirt. She stood a few inches from him and as soon as she was through took a big step back. “The drawbacks of a being around food all the time. But smelling like vanilla is much better than smelling like garlic. Or, God forbid, liver.”

He smiled. “So true.”

He was glad she’d moved away. He was injured but he wasn’t dead. If anyone could bring a man back from the dark depths, it was Bella Reid. She’d done that literally for him once already. He wasn’t going to push his luck.

“So what is that delicious smell?” he asked.

“I made apple crostata this morning.”

“Already?” He had no idea what an apple crostata was, but it sure sounded good.

She nodded. “I’ve got it cooking in the oven for breakfast or a midmorning snack. I bake while Sienna is sleeping. I hope I didn’t wake you.”

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