NOT A FAMILY MAN...

Mandy Richardson has always wanted a husband and lots of kids. She knows Ben Hartley isn’t a forever kind of guy, so she struggles to keep her feelings for him friends only. But she can’t help her growing attraction. Then one night their relationship blossoms into more, and soon Mandy discovers she’s pregnant.

Ben still bears the scars of a painful past—a past that has him avoiding love and commitment. When Mandy tells him he’s going to be a dad, he worries he won’t measure up. After all, his own father was far from a role model. But he’s fallen hard for Mandy, and now it’s up to him to prove he’s a better man—a stronger man—than he thought.

“Cut it out...”

Ben whispered close to Mandy’s ear, “You’re going to make me start laughing, too.”

“Sorry,” she whispered as she looked up.

Her laughter froze when their eyes met. The brightness staring back at him stole what was left of his breath. And from the way she was gazing up at him, he knew he wasn’t alone.

Come on, lungs, breathe!

Honestly, how could someone forget how to breathe? But as Mandy looked up at Ben’s face, it was as if someone had flipped the switch on her respiratory system to Off.

Damn, he was even more handsome up close. Thank goodness they were in near darkness. If he looked this good hiding in the shadows, this type of proximity in full light might just be her end.

His mouth parted, and she felt her traitorous body start to move toward him...

Dear Reader,

One of the hallmarks of a good romance story is that the hero and heroine have to overcome some significant obstacle to achieve their happily-ever-after. Sometimes that obstacle is so big that it doesn’t seem possible for them to get past it.

Such is the case for Mandy and Ben in The Rancher’s Surprise Baby. And yet true love always finds a way to change the hearts and minds that need to be changed.

I hope you enjoy Mandy and Ben’s journey to their happily-ever-after.

All the best,

Trish

The Rancher’s Surprise Baby

Trish Milburn

www.millsandboon.co.uk

TRISH MILBURN writes contemporary romance for the Harlequin Western Romance line. She’s a two-time Golden Heart® Award winner, a fan of walks in the woods and road trips, and a big geek girl, including being a dedicated Whovian and Browncoat. And from her earliest memories, she’s been a fan of Westerns, be they historical or contemporary. There’s nothing quite like a cowboy hero.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

Title Page

About the Author

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 Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

Forget out of the frying pan and into the fire. Stepping out of the arctic air-conditioning of the Primrose Café into the suffocating heat of a Texas afternoon in August was like drilling a hole in the North Pole deep enough to fall straight into hell.

Mandy Richardson hurried toward the edge of the parking lot, where she’d nabbed the last spot in front of Blue Falls’ oldest eating establishment and the hub of town gossip. In the time it took for her to pick up dinner for her mom and herself, she’d heard that Franny Stokes had gone on a blind date with a guy she met online through some dating site for senior citizens, Bernie Shumaker had launched his newest in a string of business attempts—wind chimes made from everything from silverware to driftwood this time—and Loren Whitman’s grandson had caught a fish so big that he fell out of their boat into the middle of the lake. To add insult to embarrassment, the fish got away.

Honestly, a dunk in the middle of Blue Falls Lake would feel really good right about now. In addition to it being hot as blazes outside, her feet ached from being on them since early that morning. It’d been another busy day at A Good Yarn, the yarn and sewing shop her best friend, Devon, owned and where Mandy worked. The combination of the tail end of summer vacationing combined with it being the weekend of the local monthly rodeo had filled the downtown shops from the time they’d opened their doors at 8:00 a.m. Good for business but tiring. All she wanted was to eat her fried chicken, drink about a gallon of her mom’s homemade lemonade and prop up her poor feet. A foot massage would be fantastic, preferably one given by an incredibly hunky guy, but she figured that, sadly, wasn’t in her immediate future.

The sound of squealing tires, followed immediately by a bang and the screeching sound of metal on metal, caused her to startle so much she fumbled the food containers she held.

“No, no, no,” she said as she tried to maintain her hold, but all she managed to do was flick the bottom container open as it fell. The top one followed its twin to the newly paved parking lot. She’d swear she heard the chicken sizzle as it sat there amid a sea of splattered mashed potatoes and green beans.

As she lamented the loss of her dinner, she glanced up to figure out what had precipitated it. That was when she noticed half of that metal-on-metal sound had come from her car. The other half belonged to the pickup truck all up in her car’s grille.

“You have got to be kidding me,” she said as she shook her head slowly in disbelief. “I know I’m a good person. Karma, you took a wrong turn.”

She looked down at the mess of food at her feet. She needed to clean it up, but first things first. As she approached her car, the driver’s side door of the pickup opened and the first thing she saw was a cowboy boot and the bottom of a pair of jeans. When the man stepped out from behind the door, looking dazed, she immediately recognized him. She’d bet her meager savings that there wasn’t a woman alive in Blue Falls—young, old, single, married or even half-blind—who hadn’t at some point in time given tall, blond, blue-eyed Ben Hartley a second look. And a third. And...

Oh, stop thinking about how dang handsome he is and ask him why he decided to have his truck give your car an unwanted smacker.

As she drew closer, he shook his head as if trying to clear it. Was he drunk? DUI seemed to be more TJ Malpin’s thing, not one of the raised-right Hartley clan.

He glanced at where his truck had hit the car then up at her. His forehead wrinkled for a moment, as if he was trying to figure out who she was, before it seemed to click. Maybe he was drunk. Or high. Though neither of those options rang true at all.

“Are you okay?” she asked, suddenly wondering if maybe he’d banged his head and given himself a concussion. He did have a red mark on the edge of his forehead.

He pointed at her little compact. “Is this your car?”

“Yeah. But you didn’t answer my question.”

“I’m fine.”

He didn’t seem fine. He seemed downright addled. As if trying to piece together what had happened, he looked at his truck for a moment before turning back toward her.

“I know this will sound as if I’m off my rocker, but a bird made me do it.”

For a long moment she just stared at him, wondering if the heat had cooked her brain so much that she was hearing things incorrectly. “A bird made you do it?”

Several seconds passed before he seemed to realize the absurdity of what he was saying, but then he straightened and appeared more confident in the truth of it.

“I had the windows down, and all of a sudden something hit me in the side of the head. I jerked the steering wheel without even thinking.” He rubbed at the reddened spot above his temple. “I think I swatted it. Right before the crash there were feathers in my face.”

If her car wasn’t sitting there crunched, she’d have a difficult time deciding whether to laugh or call to have someone take him for a mental evaluation. But then a racket behind him drew her attention, and suddenly a pigeon flew out of the open window of his truck.

“See, not crazy,” he said.

She had to admit the pigeon looked almost as addled as Ben.

“That leaves me with one pressing question,” she said.

“How bad your car is damaged?”

She glanced at her poor little car. “Well, yes, but more important, why in the name of all that’s holy you were driving with the windows down on a day like today.”

“The air-conditioning went out halfway to town.”

She couldn’t help the laugh that burst out of her. “Not your day, is it?”

For a moment, he looked at her as if she’d taken leave of her senses, as if she’d been the one addled by a pigeon. But then he offered a hint of a smile. “Nope.”

“Me neither.”

* * *

“A PIGEON? THAT’S THE story you’re going with?” Greg Bozeman asked Ben as he hitched up Mandy Richardson’s car to his tow truck. The little thing hadn’t stood a chance against Ben’s pickup. The truck had a nice dent in the grille, but at least it was still operational. Mandy’s car, not so much.

“I can vouch for the pigeon story,” Mandy said. “Saw it fly out of the truck looking as if it’d had a few too many drinks at the Frothy Stein.”

Greg laughed. “You’re not living this one down.”

“If I didn’t have such a headache right now, I’d think of some snappy comeback,” Ben said.

He caught a sudden look of concern on Mandy’s face.

“Do you think you should have your head checked out?” she asked.

Greg howled even more at that, and Ben gave him a dirty look.

“No, the only thing that would make this worse is strolling into the ER and telling them I got beaned by a pigeon.”

“You could have a concussion.”

“I’ve had a concussion before. This ain’t one.”

Greg walked toward the driver’s side of the tow truck. “Bring your truck by the shop and I’ll check out your AC for free just for making my day with this pigeon story.”

Greg was saved from being the recipient of a rude gesture because Ben was enough of a gentleman not to be that crude in front of Mandy. He knew her, but not that well. He’d already crunched her car. He didn’t need to risk offending her sensibilities on top of it.

As Greg drove off with Mandy’s car in tow, Ben wondered exactly how long it would be before everyone in the county—hell, the entirety of the Hill Country—knew about his bird encounter. If someone had snapped a photo, he’d no doubt be the top story in the next edition of the Blue Falls Gazette.

He turned back to where Mandy stood holding up her ponytail and fanning her neck with her other hand. Her face was flushed with the heat, even though the sun was sinking in the western sky. Not that it cooled off that much after sunset this time of year.

“Where were you headed before a crazy birdman ran into your car?” He’d noticed her cleaning up a couple of spilled to-go containers while he’d waited for Greg to arrive with the tow truck.

“My mom’s place, but all I want to do now is go home and collapse. It’s been one of those days. I told Mom we’d get together a different day.”

“Let me give you a ride.”

“Okay, if you’re sure your truck is safe to drive.”

He placed his palm atop the hood of the truck. “She has a new dent, but she’s drivable. Sorry, but you got the raw end of the deal today.”

“At least I didn’t suffer a bird to the head.”

He smiled. “True. I don’t recommend it.”

They climbed into the truck, and that little skirt with the big bright flowers she was wearing rode up her thighs a bit. She didn’t seem to notice or care, but that few extra inches of skin caused it to grow even hotter inside the already roasting cab.

“Sorry I can’t offer AC, but at least we’ll have some moving air in a minute.”

“I might just have you drop me at the lake so I can jump in.”

The last thing he needed was the image of her with that skirt and her light blue sleeveless top plastered to her body.

Damn, maybe he did have a concussion. He’d never thought about Mandy that way before. Heck, he hadn’t thought about her much at all. She was just someone he knew casually. Or maybe it was seeing his older brother, Neil, having a hard time keeping his hands off Arden, his fiancée, that had him thinking it’d been a while since he’d gone out on a date. But wrecking a woman’s car seemed like a bad precursor to asking her out to dinner.

Asking Mandy out? That was it, he was going home and sticking his head in his mom’s freezer, maybe pressing a bag of green peas against his aching temple.

“So, where to?” he asked, focusing on the road in front of him.

“Actually, out toward your place. The former Webster ranch.”

He looked over at her. “You bought the Cedar Creek? Maybe I need to start working in a yarn shop.”

“Yes, I’m sure you know loads about yarn and knitting needles.” She shook her head. “I only bought a couple of acres on the creek. They subdivided so they could sell off the land quicker.”

“Huh. I’m surprised one of those bigwigs looking to invest in large tracts for hobby ranches didn’t snap it up. We had one sniffing around ours until my soon-to-be sister-in-law sent him packing with the threat of some not-so-nice press coverage.”

“Well, I heard that was a secondary reason for subdividing. The Websters wanted their place to go to people who could afford a more reasonable price tag and appreciate it more. Got the feeling they didn’t like rich ‘bigwigs’ too much.”

He laughed at that. “I always did like the Websters. Hated they had to sell, but they had a rough time this past year.”

Ranching was always a touch-and-go way to make a living. That was why he and his brothers and sisters did their best to keep expenses low and to bring in other income to make sure the Rocking Heart stayed afloat for their parents—and for future generations of Hartleys. Of course, he wasn’t going to be providing any of those munchkins—even though his family didn’t know that. Luckily, his sister Angel already had a daughter, and he’d bet Neil and Arden popped out a few rug rats before long.

“Do you need to stop anywhere before we leave town?” he asked Mandy. “Grab some dinner?”

“Nah. I might just pour a glass of wine and sit in the creek.”

“Make it a beer and that doesn’t sound half-bad.”

“You’re welcome to the creek, but I don’t have any beer.”

“I better stay away from the creek. The way my day’s going, I’d probably fall and drown in an inch of water.”

“I’d save you. I might have to leave you there if you’re unconscious, but I’d at least roll you faceup.”

He laughed. “How very kind of you. Have to say you’re being pretty nice to the guy who crashed into your car.”

She shrugged. “Being mad wouldn’t make it any less crunched. Plus, at least I didn’t get whacked in the head by a bird.”

Her smile transformed her face from merely pretty to stunning. Why had he never noticed how gorgeous she was before? Perspiration made damp wisps of her hair curl around the edges of her face, and he thought maybe there was a dusting of freckles across the bridge of her nose. He experienced the oddest urge to lean closer to find out. Of course that was a bad idea on a lot of levels, not the least of which was he’d probably end up driving his truck into some other stationary object. Or she’d whack him on the other side of his head.

He jerked his attention back to the road. That damned pigeon had obviously knocked his brain loose, causing it to bounce around inside his skull.

Mandy leaned her head over on her forearm where it rested along the open window, letting the wind whip the loose strands of her hair. She closed her eyes in a way that made him realize how tired she must be after a day of work then standing out in the heat while they dealt with first Deputy Conner Murphy, who’d also had a not-well-hidden chuckle at the bird attack story, then Greg. For a moment, he thought maybe she’d fallen asleep. But then she opened her eyes and pointed ahead.

“Turn at the next road on the left.”

He turned onto a smaller county road and then into a new gravel drive flanked by lines of cedar trees. Through them he spotted the trickle of the creek, one that ran wider, deeper and faster during spring rains like the creek on his family’s ranch. Up ahead, a little wooden shed sat with a miniature front porch pointed toward the creek. When he noticed that the gravel drive ended next to it, he glanced over at Mandy in confusion.

“Where’s your house?”

She pointed toward the shed. “That’s it.”

“Ha-ha, very funny. The pigeon didn’t hit me that hard.”

“No, seriously, that’s it.”

“You live in a shed?”

She turned partially toward him. “It’s not a shed. It’s a tiny house.”

It was tiny, all right. How did she fit anything in there? He didn’t think it was any bigger than his bedroom.

“Come on, I’ll give you the ten-cent tour,” she said as he stopped in a wider gravel area that appeared to be where she normally parked and turned her car around.

“More like the ten-second tour,” he said as he put the truck in Park and cut the engine.

Mandy smiled. “That, too.”

His boots made a crunching sound on the gravel when he stepped out of the truck. The low slant of the sun made her little spot on the creek look appealing, even if she did live in a house that would probably give him claustrophobia despite the fact he’d never suffered from it before. He noticed the little porch held a bright blue metal chair, a pot of purple and white flowers and a small metal wind chime. Next to the front step sat one of those concrete yard ornaments, this one a green frog wearing a crown.

He pointed at the frog. “Do I even want to ask?”

“I kiss him every day in case he’s a prince in disguise.”

He looked over at her. “Are you sure you aren’t the one who got a bird to the noggin?”

“I’m not a believer in taking life too seriously,” she said.

Obviously. But he had to admit there was something really appealing about her attitude.

As she headed toward the front of the little house and he got a good look at her bare legs, he thought they were pretty darn appealing, too. Whether or not she really did kiss that stupid frog every day, she did now, then stood back and watched it as if it might really turn into a prince. If it did, he was changing his mind and driving himself straight to the emergency room.

“Darn, still no luck.” She smiled at Ben and practically skipped up the step to the porch.

“You ain’t right, Mandy Richardson.”

“I take that as a compliment.”

If she only knew a couple of the other compliments that had popped into his mind, she might hit the other side of his head with a frying pan.

By the time she unlocked the front door, he’d stepped up onto the porch behind her. When she opened the door, a blast of cold air hit him. She stepped inside and took the three steps necessary to bring her to the small AC unit in one of the windows. She bent and kissed the thing.

“You go around kissing inanimate objects often?”

She glanced at him. “Only when they produce cold air or might turn into a prince.”

He shook his head. “Not right at all.”

When she laughed, it seemed as if it was as much at herself as his words.

“Would you like something to drink?” she asked as she moved toward a small fridge. “I’m afraid your choices are wine, water or cranberry juice.”

“I’ll take a water, thanks.” When he noticed a couple more inches of her bare legs revealed as she reached down into the fridge, he forced himself to avert his gaze. A quick glance allowed him to view the entirety of her home—the living area and kitchen making up the main room, a door that led to a bathroom he was pretty sure he couldn’t even fit in and a narrow staircase that led to a loft that served as her bedroom if the edge of the mattress he saw was any indication.

“So what do you think?” she asked as she handed him the cold bottle of water.

“It’s...cozy.”

“I know, right?” She surveyed her home with a satisfied look on her face.

“You really don’t mind living in such a small space?”

“Nope. It’s all I need for now.”

“For now?”

“It’s okay for a single person, but even I don’t see fitting an entire family in here.”

An entire family? Was she dating someone? And why on God’s green earth did that thought irritate him? The miniature room seemed to shrink even more, their proximity to each other suddenly feeling awkward, and he had to forcibly keep himself from beating a retreat.

What the hell? That pigeon really had scrambled his brain.

He screwed the top off the water bottle with one quick motion and downed about half the contents.

Mandy laughed. “You must be as hot and thirsty as I am.”

She had no idea how right she was. As if to make things even more uncomfortable, when she took her own drink he couldn’t take his eyes off the column of her neck or the trickle of water that escaped and ran down it.

“Well, I better get going.” Thankfully it only took him two strides to get from her living room to the front porch of her little dollhouse.

Mandy followed him out, closing the door behind her, no doubt to preserve the precious chilled air. “Thanks for bringing me home.”

He descended the step and had started toward his truck but then he turned halfway back toward her. “Least I could do. I was the one who put your car out of commission.” Then it hit him he was basically stranding her here alone with no mode of transportation. “How are you going to get back into town to work?”

“Maybe Devon can pick me up.” She gestured toward the side of her tiny house. “Or I have a bike I can ride.”

The idea of her trying to safely ride into town on a road with a nonexistent shoulder sent a big bolt of “nope” straight to his brain.

“You are not riding a bike on that road,” he said. “You’re liable to get taken out by a horse trailer or some fool driving too fast.”

“You volunteering to be my chauffeur?” The little teasing smile on her face had him thinking he might do whatever she asked of him.

“Yeah. As a matter of fact, I am.”

Her smile fell away in obvious surprise. “I was kidding, Ben.”

“I know, but it’s my fault you don’t have your car, so I’ll take you wherever you need to go until Greg can fix it.”

“It’s actually the pigeon’s fault.”

“Unless he’s got a driver’s license and a pigeonmobile, you’re stuck with me. When do you have to be at work next?”

“Um, eight in the morning.”

“Then I’ll see you at seven forty.” He tapped two fingers to the edge of his hat in farewell then made for his truck before he could think too hard about why he’d just committed himself to who knew how much time away from his work.

As he started the truck and made the turn to leave, Mandy was still standing in the same spot looking every bit as surprised by the day’s turn of events as he was.

Chapter Two

Mandy had just finished her salad and was enjoying a second glass of wine when her phone rang. She’d been so lost in her thoughts that the sound startled her, causing her to nearly slosh wine over the rim of her glass. That was just what she needed to end this day, to waste perfectly good cabernet.

The phone display showed it was her best friend, Devon, calling. “Hey.”

“Are you okay? Cole said you were in an accident.” Cole being Devon’s superhot husband.

“I’m fine. I wasn’t in an accident, though my car was.”

“Huh?”

Mandy explained what had happened and that her car was currently sitting at Greg Bozeman’s repair shop so he could assess the damage.

“Take whatever time off you need,” Devon said.

“I don’t need time off. I told you I’m perfectly fine.”

“Well, okay. I’ll pick you up in the morning, then.”

“It’s your day off. I’m sure you have sappy married-people things to do. Besides, I already have a ride.”

“Oh, well, tell your mom I said hi. I need to swing by and see her soon.”

Mandy considered letting Devon think her mother was the one chauffeuring her, but she was curious how her friend would react to the truth. Would it be no big deal? Or would her reaction validate how Mandy had sort of been freaking out since Ben made his offer and drove away with a promise to see her in the morning? She took a deep breath. Only one way to find out.

“Ben’s actually going to be taking me to work.”

“Feels guilty, huh?”

Okay, so no big deal. Mandy chalked up her overreaction to Ben’s kindness to a long, tiring day and heat exhaustion. Oh, and the fact he was superhot.

“Yeah, I guess.”

“What are you not saying?”

That was the problem with being friends with someone most of your life. They could even read your thoughts, no eye contact required.

“Nothing. I’m worn out and I’ve had some wine. I just need to go to bed and sleep today away.”

“Do you know how to party on a Saturday night or what?”

“Not all of us have a sizzling-hot cowboy to get frisky with.”

“Maybe you could,” Devon said. “Last I heard, Ben was single. And you gotta admit he’s not hard to look at.”

She’d walked right into that one, hadn’t she?

“I’ll be sure to tell Cole you think so the next time I see him.”

“Listen, chickie, I received no end of teasing from you about Cole, so it’s my turn to dish it out.”

“Good night, Devon.” Mandy hung up and knew exactly how Devon would react the moment she did. They’d been through many similar scenarios since the moment they both acquired their first cell phones.

As if on cue, her phone buzzed with a text. With a sigh, she looked at the display.

You know you just confirmed you like Ben by hanging up on me, right?

Mandy took a swig of wine and texted back. Sorry, wrong number.

She imagined Devon laughing as she read the reply. Why hadn’t she just let Devon think her mother was the one driving her?

Because there was a part of her, the part that inhabited all giggly teenage girls and evidently never went away, that wanted to talk about a boy she thought was cute. And Ben Hartley was way beyond cute. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, picturing how he’d looked standing there next to her car, talking to Greg. Tall, lean, his blond hair peeking out from under his cowboy hat. Her body temperature had gone up more than even the scorching heat of the day could account for, and it did so again now just thinking about it. Even the blissfully cool interior of her home wasn’t enough to prevent the flush to her skin.

Maybe this was all Devon’s fault. After all, her best friend wore a permanent grin of satisfaction on her face these days. It was only natural to want a little of that for herself, right? And she could do worse than Ben Hartley. Not that he was even interested. They’d lived in the same town for as long as she could remember and they’d never been more than classmates as kids and passing acquaintances as adults. But couldn’t the same be said about Devon and Cole? And look how that had turned out—wedded bliss.

Mandy shook that thought away. Ben was only going out of his way to help her because he felt responsible for the accident.

But a bit of fantasizing never hurt anybody, did it? No one ever needed to know what she thought about while sitting here in her own home enjoying her wine. Enjoying imagining what it might be like to kiss Ben Hartley.

* * *

OF COURSE HALF his family was outside and able to see his return in a truck more damaged than when he’d left earlier that afternoon. That was just how his day was going. And when he parked and got out of the truck, the amusement on his brother Adam’s and sister Sloane’s faces told him the pigeon story was already winging its way around the county.

“You’re just in time for dinner,” Sloane said. “We’re having pigeon pie.”

He moved quickly, grabbing her and tossing her over his shoulder and spinning her round and round.

Sloane banged on his back. “Put me down!”

He just laughed until the toe of her boot connected with his thigh. That caused him to release her so quickly she stumbled and nearly fell when her feet hit the ground.

“Can’t take a little teasing?” she asked.

“I’ve already had more than a little.”

“You had to see this coming the moment that bird flew in your window,” Adam said as he leaned against the front of his own truck.

Ben walked past his siblings. “Some days I wish Mom and Dad had adopted only one kid.”

“That would have been me,” Neil said as he appeared at the edge of the front porch, evidently on his way home to Arden.

Ben growled at his older brother as he shoved past him, as well, on his way inside. He’d retreat to his leather shop if he wasn’t so hungry he was afraid he might eat one of the saddles he was making.

As soon as he stepped into the kitchen, his mom hurried over to him and clasped his chin in her fingers then turned his head sideways the same way she had when Billy Castner had given him a shiner in the sixth grade.

Ben took a step back from her. “I’m okay. It was just a little fender bender. Stop worrying.”

She placed her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at him. “I’m your mother. It’s what moms do. I swear, I thought I’d get you kids grown and you’d stop giving me gray hairs.”

He tilted his head at that comment.

His mom held up a finger. “Not one word about how would I even be able to tell.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

She patted his cheek. “Smart boy.”

He’d stopped being a boy a long time ago, but he loved his mom enough to let her call him whatever she wanted. She and his dad had saved him from a life of way worse than overzealous mothering, after all. Not that he’d made it easy for them.

Damn, that was the last thing he wanted to think about. He’d rather deal with jokes about head-butting a pigeon every day for the next year.

“Doesn’t look like too much damage to your truck,” his dad said as he entered the kitchen.

“No. Mandy’s car got the worst of it.”

“How bad?” his mom asked.

“It’s crunched in the front. Probably the radiator is done for. Greg’s looking at it.”

Sloane snorted. “He’ll probably charge her a few dates to pay for it.”

Ben’s jaw clenched at the thought of Greg with his hands all over Mandy. What in the—

“Nah,” his youngest sister, Angel, said. “They already went out once. No spark.”

“Really?” his mom said. “Mandy’s such a pretty girl, and it’s about time Greg stopped flitting around like a butterfly and settled down.”

“Not everyone wants to get married and have two-point-five kids, Mom,” Adam said.

Their mom ruffled Adam’s thick, dark, wavy hair as she passed behind where he sat at the table. “They do when they find the right person. You’ll see.”

Ben disagreed in his mind but kept quiet. He’d never told anyone about his decision not to have a family. He knew it’d upset his mother especially, that she’d try to talk him out of it. Best just to avoid the topic altogether.

With the food on the table, they all settled into their places. All except Neil. Ben still hadn’t quite gotten used to his older brother no longer living under the same roof. He was pleased for Neil and Arden—they’d both been through a lot and deserved to be happy. It was just odd to be the oldest sibling at the dinner table now.

“Did you know the Websters’ place got subdivided?” he asked, steering the conversation away from settling down and producing heirs.

“I did hear that,” his dad said. “Seems as if it’d be a mighty big headache dealing with lots of deals instead of just one.”

“Mandy said they didn’t want to sell to anyone like Franklin Evans.” The man had thought the simple fact that he wanted the Rocking Heart was enough that Ben’s parents would just up and sell a ranch that had been in the family nearly a century. Ben still smiled every time he thought about how Arden had put the self-important jerk in his place.

His dad chuckled. “I always did like Tom Webster.”

“So Mandy bought part of it?” his mom asked, a little too much loaded curiosity in her tone.

“Yeah, couple of acres on the creek.”

“She got one of those tiny houses, didn’t she?” Sloane asked. “I saw them towing it through town some time back.”

“Yeah, not much bigger than our doghouse.”

“I think they’re fascinating,” Angel said.

“Not very practical, though.”

Angel shrugged. “Depends on what you’re looking for.”

“You sound like Mandy,” he said.

“That right?” There was no denying his mom’s curious tone.

Sloane elbowed him in the ribs, not hard but enough to draw his attention. “Now that she’s got Neil headed toward happily-ever-after, you know you’re next, right?”

“Never heard a rule that said marriages had to go in birth order. Maybe you’re next.” He glanced down the table. “You’d like to be the mother of the bride, wouldn’t you, Mom?”

This time the jab to the ribs was a bit more forceful.

“Indeed I would. And both of my girls will make beautiful brides.”

“I’m going to kill you in your sleep,” Sloane said under her breath to him.

He just smiled wide at her, grateful the conversation had veered away from him and Mandy. Not that there was a “him and Mandy.”

But after dinner, his thoughts kept straying to her as he headed to his workshop to log some progress on a saddle he was making for a rancher over in Kimble County who’d seen the feature Arden had written on his custom saddles in the Blue Falls Gazette.

He couldn’t stop thinking about how nice Mandy’s legs had looked below that flowered skirt. How many times had he seen Mandy Richardson in his life? Even spoken to her? Dozens. Hundreds, probably. Why today, of all days, was he suddenly attracted to her?

He’d just finished tacking a circle of leather to the top of the saddle’s horn when his phone rang. He tossed his hammer down on the workbench and pulled his phone from his back pocket. Greg Bozeman’s name stared up at him. Why was Greg calling him?

“Hey, what’s up?”

“You with Mandy?”

“No. I dropped her off at her place on the way home. Why?”

“I tried calling to talk to her about her car but got no answer. Thought you two might be together.”

Ben rolled his eyes. “Nope. Try her again.”

“Can’t. Hot date tonight. Can you call and tell her it’s going to be a few days before I can get her car fixed?”

“There’s this thing now called voice mail.”

“It was full. Couldn’t leave a message.”

“Fine, I’ll tell her.”

“Thanks. Gotta run.” As the call ended, Ben couldn’t help but wonder who in the world Greg was going out with. He had to have run through every eligible female in the Hill Country by now. The dude was either very careful or very lucky that he didn’t have miniature versions of himself running over all of central Texas.

Ben shoved the phone back in his pocket and picked up a thick, circular piece of leather that would hide the nail heads. But as he made his way through the familiar successive steps—carving a groove around the top of the leather, punching holes around the edge for the stitching, and sewing the layers together—he couldn’t help wondering why Mandy hadn’t answered her phone. Maybe she’d simply gone to sleep early. Or turned off her phone because she was just done with her rotten day. Possibly drunk herself into a stupor. Oh, hell, what if she’d wandered outside and fallen off that little porch and broken something? Or toddled down to the creek and ended up drowning in, like, a teaspoon of water.

What could it hurt to give her a call to pass on Greg’s message? No, he wasn’t calling just to make sure his suddenly overactive imagination wasn’t correct and that she hadn’t managed to meet her undignified end.

The phone rang three times before she finally picked up, sounding out of breath.

“You okay?”

She hesitated for a moment. “Ben?”

“Yeah. What have you been doing, pushing your little house to a new spot?”

“No, I was out trying to chase off what I swear was a mountain lion.”

“What?”

“I saw it out the window. At first I thought maybe I’d just had too much wine, but then the thing turned and looked at me. I was feeling a little bit too much as if he was sizing me up for his dinner.”

“So you went outside? I hope you had a gun.”

“No, but I made an unholy racket with a couple of cooking pots. Good thing I don’t have close neighbors.”

“You did have too much wine if you went outside without protection. Good Lord, woman. I’ll be right there.”

“It’s gone now.”

“Yeah, I’m coming anyway. Do not go back outside.”

“Huh. You always this bossy?”

“When the occasion calls for it.”

His parents, Angel and his niece, Julia, looked up when he burst into the house less than a minute later. When he unlocked the gun cabinet and pulled out his rifle, his dad stood, probably thinking there was some danger to their cattle herd. If Mandy really had seen a mountain lion, there very well could be.

“Going to Mandy’s. She says she saw a mountain lion outside her house.”

“Oh, be careful,” his mom said as she scooted to the edge of the couch.

“I’ll go with you,” his dad said.

“No, it’s okay. The thing’s probably gone by now. Just want to make sure. You might want to check that the animals are secure here, though.”

His dad gave him a nod.

“I’ll give you a hand,” Adam said to their dad as he walked into the room.

“If you don’t think Mandy will be safe there, you bring her back here.” This time, there was no teasing in his mom’s voice, telling him that her chief concern was Mandy’s safety, not his dating life.

On the drive to Mandy’s, he watched for any signs of the big cat along the sides of the road but saw only a deer bound into the trees and a dead armadillo belly-up on the narrow gravel shoulder.

When he turned into Mandy’s driveway, the lights from her little house were like a beacon in the surrounding darkness. He slowed and scanned the entire area illuminated by his headlights. As he pulled up next to her house, Mandy stepped out onto the small porch. The moment he got a full view of her, he forgot about the mountain lion. She’d changed into skimpy little pajama shorts and a matching orange top with thin lacy straps.

This day was trying its damnedest to kill him.

The reason for his visit came crashing back into his mind, and he hurried out of the truck and motioned her inside.

“I’ll check around, see if your visitor’s gone.”

She ignored him and continued to stand on the porch as he pulled his rifle out of the gun rack in the back window.

“I’d feel a lot better if you went inside,” he said.

“Well, I’d feel a lot better if you didn’t go poking around in the dark looking for the big kitty cat.”

He did a mental eye roll as he scanned the area, hoping she’d just imagined seeing a mountain lion. She’d been drinking wine, after all. But she didn’t seem overly intoxicated, so he took the possibility of the predator seriously. It wasn’t until he reached the slope that led down to the creek that he got confirmation she hadn’t been imagining the cat.

He glanced back at where she stood, the porch light putting her in silhouette. Using his flashlight, he looked beyond the reach of the truck’s headlights and the illumination coming from her little house. He didn’t see any eyes shining back at him, but that didn’t mean the animal wasn’t lurking nearby. He’d report the sighting to Parks and Wildlife in the morning and spread the word to other area residents. Ranchers would need to keep an eye on their animals, and anyone with small children and pets needed to be alert, as well.

He took a few steps backward, ready to raise the rifle if necessary, before turning and walking toward Mandy.

“See anything?”

Ben did his best to keep his eyes fixed on her face, but it was damned hard not to let his gaze drift downward. Those little pajama shorts made her legs look a mile long even though she was only of average height. For a really ill-advised moment he imagined running his hands up all that bare skin.

Remembering she’d asked him a question, he said, “Tracks down by the creek. Mom suggested you come stay at our place tonight.”

Mandy’s eyes widened a little and she glanced toward the creek. “That’s not necessary. He didn’t bother me before, just scared the daylights out of me.”

“No guarantee he won’t come back.”

“I’ll just stay inside.”

Ben put one foot up on the single porch step and extended the gun toward her. “Then I want you to keep this here tonight just in case.”

She was shaking her head before he even finished speaking. “I won’t use that. I doubt the mountain lion is going to open the door and stroll inside. Besides, I’d be more likely to shoot off my own foot.”

With a sigh of frustration, he turned and sank down onto the edge of the porch.

“What are you doing?”

“If you won’t do anything to protect yourself, guess I’ll have to do it for you.”

When he heard her exhale in exasperation, he didn’t know whether to laugh or brace for a frying pan upside his head.

Chapter Three

Mandy stared at the back of Ben’s head. “You know you’re being ridiculous, right?”

“You don’t seem overly concerned that a mountain lion walked across your front yard. You don’t even have a vehicle here in case something happened.”

“I figure if he didn’t try to eat me after hearing me squeal at the sight of him out the window or when I made all that racket with the pots, I’m safe. He probably hightailed it away from the crazy lady.”

“Maybe.” He didn’t sound terribly convinced.

“You’re not seriously going to sit there all night, are you?” She wouldn’t get one wink of sleep. Of course, after seeing a mountain lion only a few yards away, she doubted she would anyway. But Ben didn’t need to know that.

“I don’t feel comfortable leaving you alone, especially since it’s my fault you’re stranded here,” he said.

“If I consent to keeping the gun here, will you stop worrying?”

“I’d feel better.”

“Fine, then. Now, I’m sure you have better things to do than sit on my front porch and stare at nothing.”

A long moment passed before he said anything. “I’ll leave in a bit.”

As he continued to scan the darkness surrounding her home, Mandy wondered when she’d ever had such an insane day. The ringing of her phone drew her back inside. This time it was her mom.

“Hey, Mom.”

“Hi, hon. Wanted to make sure you got home okay.”

“Yeah, Ben dropped me off on his way home.” She wasn’t about to tell her mom he was currently playing sentry on her front porch because she’d seen a mountain lion lurking about. Her mom would be out here in no time, despite the fact she needed to go to sleep soon in order to be up early for work. Mandy had planned to talk to her mom tonight about cutting back her hours, but it was a conversation best had in person.

“Have you heard how bad the car is?”

“Not yet.” Even if she had, she wasn’t going to divulge those details either and give her mom something else to worry about. “It’s not too bad, though.”

“I’m more than happy to come get you in the morning.”

“Mom, it’s taken care of. You don’t need to worry about me, okay? I’m a big girl—have been for a long time.”

Her mom laughed a little. “Old habits die hard, I guess. Well, I’ll let you get back to whatever you were doing. Have a good night, hon.”

“You, too. Love you.”

Her mom reciprocated the sentiment then hung up. No doubt she was tired from another day of cleaning rooms at the Wildflower Inn followed by a shift as a dishwasher at a café over in Fredericksburg.

Mandy placed her phone back on the countertop and stared at it for several seconds before glancing toward the porch. She could barely see the top of Ben’s head through the glass in the front door. She wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and put an end to a day filled with one frustration after another. She was normally a cheerful person, and she hated feeling irritated at every turn.

She closed her eyes and took a slow, deep breath, then let it out just as slowly. It was still within her power to make something positive out of what was left of the day. She should just do that in something other than her skimpy summer pajamas. She wasn’t even wearing a bra!

After hurriedly pulling on a T-shirt and gym shorts, and replacing the bra she’d ditched about five seconds after Ben left earlier, she grabbed a couple of bottles of water from the fridge and went back outside. She plunked herself down beside Ben and extended a bottle toward him.

“Figured if you were going to sit out here, you at least should have something cold to drink.”

He took the bottle. “Thanks. And sorry if I came across as bossy. Been one of those days.”

She smiled. “Yeah, I know.”

A grin tugged at the edge of his mouth, and that small change in his expression made her middle feel funny. Not funny as in ha-ha or “I’m going to be sick,” but rather “Oh, that’s a nice hint of a smile on a really nice face. I wonder what those lips would feel like on mine.”

Yep, she’d officially gone bonkers.

“Guess we both could use a do-over,” he said.

“My mom has always said if you’re having a bad day, don’t focus on it. Just remember there’s a brand-new one coming in a few hours.”

“Your mom sounds very Zen.”

“Just practical. She doesn’t see the point in wallowing in self-pity. Chances are it won’t change anything and will only make you feel worse.”

“If life gives you lemons, make lemonade?”

“Oh, great. Now I want, like, a bucket of lemonade.”

“I’m not sure you have room for a bucket in there,” Ben said, gesturing over his shoulder with his thumb.

“That’s it. It’s now my mission to make you a tiny-house fan.”

He shook his head and chuckled as if she was setting herself up for a Sisyphean task.

“Was that Greg calling again?”

Again? “No, my mom.”

“Guess I didn’t get to that part earlier. Greg called and said that it would be a few days until he could fit your car into his schedule.”

She sighed. “Well, that’s about par for today. Why didn’t he call me instead?”

“He said he did, that you didn’t answer and that your voice mail was full.”

Mandy’s forehead wrinkled. “No, it’s not. And there were no missed calls.”

Ben shook his head.

“Let me guess. Greg is messing with us.”

He nodded. “Guess he got infected with the matchmaking virus that seems to be spreading all over town.”

“You say that as if it’s the bubonic plague.”

“At least people don’t go around trying to give you the plague.”

“Wow, remind me to tell the single ladies of Blue Falls to give you a wide berth.”

“And there went my dating life, pitiful as it is.”

Mandy laughed. Who knew Ben Hartley was so funny? And dang if being funny wasn’t one of the things that really attracted her to a guy.

“We should totally mess with Greg, convince him he’s the best matchmaker ever. Go in tomorrow and tell him we’ve set a date. I could take a bridal magazine and ask him to help me pick out a dress.”

“I’ll ask him to be my best man.”

“Oh, oh, I’ve got it! Tell him we want him to get ordained online so he can marry us.”

Ben snorted. “Greg Bozeman an ordained minister. And that’s where you lost me.”

“Yeah, that was the step no one would actually believe.” She stared out into the darkness. “We could always toilet-paper his house as payback.”

“Shrink-wrap his truck.”

“No, wrap it in pink streamers. We just happen to have a couple of cases in the back of the shop.”

Ben slowly turned his head to look at her, and up this close, even in the half-light, his blue eyes threatened to make off like a bandit with her ability to breathe.

“Already stocking up on decorations for Valentine’s Day?”

Valentine’s Day. Romance. Kisses in the moonlight.

Oops, keep your brain in the present if you don’t want to look like a dimwit.

“No. They were delivered to the wrong place. Were supposed to go to a party store in Austin.”

“That mix-up doesn’t make sense.”

“Nope, but the company said to just keep them and they’d send new ones to the right address.” She smiled wide. “I’m thinking that’s the universe telling us they have a greater purpose here in Blue Falls.”

He lifted a dark blond brow. “You’re serious?”

“I am.”

“And if we get caught?”

“We won’t.”

“You know this is going on the front page of the Gazette if we do,” he said.

“I expect you to use your connection at the paper to keep that from happening.”

He chuckled and shook his head. “What the hell? Not as if I’m going to get any work done tonight anyway.”

“And it’ll be a lot more fun than sitting out here waiting for Mr. Kitty to make an appearance.”

“Mr. Kitty?”

“Makes him seem less scary.” She jumped to her feet. “Be right back.”

Mandy hurried inside and pulled on her sneakers, trying not to think about how excited she was to go out pranking with Ben. Or how the idea of it seemed to dispel her earlier fatigue and frustration. She didn’t dawdle, not wanting him to have second thoughts. Maybe she should let him go home. Maybe she could ignore how much she liked being around him. But she simply didn’t want to.

He looked up at her approach. “We’re really doing this?”

“Come on. Live a little.”

She expected him to call a halt to her crazy plan, but when he didn’t, she nearly sprinted to his truck. Granted, that probably wasn’t the wisest move when a mountain lion could be lurking about. She’d probably just made herself look even more like dinner. But she made it safely and breathed in a quick, deep inhalation while Ben took one more look at the surrounding area before opening his door.

His truck smelled like him—a mixture of horses, leather and another striking scent that reminded her of pine trees and long, tall Texans making Wranglers the sexiest piece of clothing on the planet.

Ben secured the rifle in the rack in the back window then slid into the driver’s seat. “I must be crazy doing this.”

“Sometimes you need a little crazy in your life to make things interesting.”

As Ben turned the truck around and headed down her driveway, she watched his hands on the steering wheel. They looked strong, probably also a little rough from his work on the family ranch. She really needed to find a safe topic of conversation before he caught her staring or, heaven forbid, drooling. Maybe she ought to toilet-paper Devon’s house instead for putting these kinds of hot-and-bothered thoughts in her head in the first place.

“So, did Greg happen to say what all he was going to have to fix on my car?”

“No, just that it would take a few days.”

“Well, that’s frustratingly vague.”

“Just part of the frustrating theme of the day.”

“It wasn’t all bad.”

Ben glanced across the cab at her. “Which part exactly didn’t make you want to crawl under the covers and start over tomorrow?”

Now, why had he gone and mentioned crawling under the covers? Images that had no place taking up residence in her head strolled right in and made themselves at home.

“Let’s see. I may have been on my feet all day, but at least I have a job.” She held up two fingers. “I did have some nice wine before my feline scare.” She pointed out the windshield at the road in front of them. “And this will be fun. I haven’t done anything like this since high school. Oh, but don’t tell my mother that. I don’t want her image of me as the perfect child to be shattered.”

He chuckled. “I doubt my mom thinks of me as the perfect child.”

“I was under the impression you and your mom have a good relationship.”

“We do. There’s no doubt she loves me. She’s just not blind.”

“My mom isn’t blind,” she said with mock offense.

He looked over at her, eyebrow raised. “Uh-huh.”

Mandy playfully swatted his upper arm with the backs of her fingers, which just made him laugh even more.

When they rolled into town, she directed him to the alley behind the strip of stores along Main Street. He parked outside the back door of A Good Yarn. She fumbled with her ring of keys when he stepped up behind her. She’d swear she could feel his warm breath on her neck and wondered what would happen if she turned to face him.

Oh, get a grip on your hormones, woman.

She managed to finally slip the right key into the lock. A rush of cool air wafted over her when she opened the door. She flicked on the light to the storage room just inside the door and Ben entered behind her.

“You’d think we live in North Dakota judging by how much yarn you’ve got here.”

She noticed him eyeing the shelves of brightly colored yarns stretching up one wall. “Knitting is enjoying a resurgence in popularity.”

“It must be, to support a store in a town this size.”

“We have other things, too.” She pointed toward the shelves filled with bolts of cloth, sewing notions, candles, soaps and a variety of other craft items. “And tourism is growing by leaps and bounds, which really helps.”

He nodded. “I’ve gotten a bit more work because of the rodeos.”

“Saddles, right? I saw the article Arden did about them.”

“Yeah.”

Realization hit her. “That’s what you were going to work on tonight, isn’t it? I’m sorry. I get myself caught up in stuff sometimes.”

“It’s okay. The way today has gone, I would’ve probably just nailed my thumb to the saddle anyway. Or cut it off.”

“So I’m actually performing a service, then, saving you from yourself.”

He huffed out a laugh. “Where were you when that pigeon attacked me?”

“I can’t be everywhere at once.” She kicked one of the boxes that contained the streamers. “Let’s usher this day out on a fun note.”

* * *

MANDY WAS RIGHT. Turning Greg’s truck into what looked like a pickup-shaped piece of cotton candy was just what he needed to lift his mood. The only problem was he was having a hard time not cracking up. From the light in Mandy’s eyes and the way she kept having to cover her mouth, it appeared she was having the same problem. When she snorted after tying a big pink bow on the truck’s trailer hitch, he nearly lost it.

“You know, this can also be a long-time-coming payback for when Greg got me in trouble in high school. He hung those pictures of swimsuit models all over the school and put Mr. Kushner’s face on them, then swore up and down that I did it.”

“I remember that. It was hilarious. Well, not that you got in trouble if he did it.”

“Oh, he did it, all right.”

“Why didn’t you tell everyone it was him?”

“Let’s just say it was better to take the heat for that than deny it.”

“That sounds as if he had something on you.”

Ben shrugged. “Maybe.”

“You know I’m going to bug you until you tell me, so you might as well go ahead.”

“It was a long time ago. Not relevant anymore.”

Mandy shook her finger at him “Oh, no you don’t. You can’t start that story and not finish it.”

Why had he opened his mouth?

Mandy shoved his shoulder in a playful gesture matched by the mischievous grin she wore. The sudden urge to kiss that grin right off her mouth challenged his willpower not to act on that thought.

“Come on. Fess up.”

He used the last of his roll of streamer to completely cover the driver’s side mirror. “I had a thing for Shantele Drayton, but I knew I didn’t have a chance so didn’t want her to know. The only reason Greg knew is I let it slip one night when a bunch of us were out camping. Luckily no one else heard me.”

When Mandy didn’t respond, he glanced toward her and found her staring at where she’d managed to cover the rear tire in pink. He got the impression, though, that she was staring instead at a memory.

“Mandy?”

“I think that about does it.” She took a step back and admired their handiwork.

The mood had changed, and he had no idea why.

“You okay?”

“Yep.”

“Uh-huh.” He didn’t think he’d ever heard anything less convincing. It must have shown on his face, too.

“Fine. I just think Shantele was a self-centered twit. Every time she found out somebody wanted something or liked someone else, she either took it for herself or spilled the beans.”

“You sound as if you’re speaking from experience.”

“It’s possible.”

“And that experience would be...?”

Mandy propped her hands on her hips. “If you must know, Devon and I were shopping for homecoming our freshman year and there was a dress I really wanted. But I had to save up to buy it. The lady who owned the store agreed to set it aside for me for a week until I got my babysitting money. When I went back to get it, not only had Shantele bought it, she was wearing it out of the store as she walked by me. She’d been in the store that first day and overheard Devon and me talking about the dress.”

“But the lady said she’d save it for you.”

“The dress was on sale, but Shantele offered her full price. Money talks. Devon was so mad because she could have bought it for me, but I wouldn’t let her.”

“Did Shantele have something against you?”

“I won the spelling bee in third grade and she came in second.”

“You think she held a grudge that long? Over a spelling bee?”

“She’s probably still walking around now with that grudge. Shantele is used to getting what she wants. But I smile every time I hear the word tantrum. Kind of appropriate that she couldn’t spell it. So I personally think you were better off without her.”

“Sounds as if you’re probably right. I never said teenage boys were smart.”

Mandy laughed at that, then pulled out her phone and aimed it at the truck. “This would be better in the daylight, but I’ve got to at least try to take this for posterity’s sake.”

When she snapped the photo, it felt as if the flash lit up half of Blue Falls. And moments later, Greg’s front porch light came on.

“Oh, crap!” Mandy said as she fumbled her phone, nearly dropping it.

A shot of adrenaline mixed with laughter went through Ben as he grabbed Mandy’s hand and pulled her away from the truck. “Come on.”

Mandy squealed then laughed as she kept pace with him. The sudden appearance of headlights caused her to yelp. He switched their direction and pulled her into a darkened area on the opposite side of Greg’s garage, which sat a short distance from his house, surrounded by cars in need of repair—including Mandy’s.

They were both breathing heavily, but the sound of Greg’s surprised “What the...?” was still clear and caused Mandy to descend into a fit of giggles.

“Shh or you’re going to get us caught.”

When she dropped her forehead against his chest, his breathing screeched to a halt. He resisted the urge to place his hand against her back to bring her closer. Instead, he smiled as he felt the laughter shaking her body.

“I’ll find out who you are!” Greg called out, which only made Mandy shake harder with suppressed laughter.

“Cut it out,” Ben whispered close to her ear, trying to ignore the flowery smell of her. “You’re going to make me lose it, too.”

“Sorry,” she whispered as she looked up.

Her laughter froze when their eyes met. The brightness staring back at him stole what was left of his breath. And from the way she was gazing up at him, he knew he wasn’t alone.

Chapter Four

Come on, lungs, breathe!

Honestly, how could someone forget how to breathe? But as Mandy looked up at Ben’s face, it was as if someone had flipped the switch on her respiratory system to Off.

Damn, he was even more handsome up close. Thank goodness they were in near darkness. If he looked this good hiding in the shadows, this type of proximity in full light might just be her end. His mouth parted, and she felt her traitorous body start to move toward him.

But the sudden sound of footsteps on gravel caused them both to jump. Ben’s arms came around her and pulled her even deeper into the shadows. Greg might very well be about to find them, but all she could think about was the warmth and weight of Ben’s palms against her back, the faint smell of laundry detergent clinging to his shirt even after a long, hot day. The way her breasts were pressed against his chest and how much she liked how that felt and wasn’t in any hurry to end the contact.

It seemed to take forever for Greg to give up with a muttered curse and head back toward his house. That he hadn’t looked in just the right spot to see them was no small miracle. Ben didn’t move until the sound of Greg’s footsteps totally faded. When he did, part of her wanted to whimper.

But he only eased his hold on her, not totally releasing her.

“That was close,” he said.

“It was.” Every part of her wanted him to kiss her. Before that afternoon, she couldn’t even say when she’d last had a passing thought about Ben Hartley. Now she was having thoughts that would make the knitting club that met at A Good Yarn blush. Or maybe they’d remember their own youth and cheer her on. Was she daring enough to steal that kiss herself? She was just beginning to lift onto her toes when Ben set her farther away and stepped out of the nook where they’d hidden.

“We better get out of here while the getting’s good.”

He didn’t take her hand, and she had a ridiculously hard time not reaching for his. That was it—she needed to go home and get a good night’s sleep. Maybe she’d wake up and not feel on the edge of throwing caution to whatever wind happened to blow by.

They stayed quiet as they walked back to where he’d parked his truck. She opened her door and hopped in before he could open it for her. Best to leave her sudden attraction to Ben back there in their dark hiding place. If he wasn’t interested, she sure didn’t want to make a complete fool of herself. Not in a town the size of Blue Falls, anyway. Somehow someone would be able to read the truth on her face and she’d never hear the end of it. Worse, town matchmaker Verona Charles would move the potential pairing to the top of her matchmaking list regardless of Mandy’s or Ben’s feelings about getting together.

When the quiet stretched too long for her comfort, she said, “Well, I think the streamer antics have finally worn me out. I’ll probably conk out before my head hits the pillow.”

“Looking forward to some sleep myself.” He didn’t even glance toward her and sounded more distant than he had a few minutes before.

Maybe he was simply as tired as she was, but it was also possible that he was concerned she’d felt more in that up-close-and-personal moment than he had and perhaps expected something from him. She didn’t force any further conversation, instead leaning her head back against the seat and staring out the window. Before the lights of Blue Falls even faded into the darkness of ranch country, she felt herself drifting and her eyelids drooping.

* * *

MANDY JERKED AWAKE when something shook her. Had she been having a bad dream? About to fall out of bed? Movement out of the corner of her eye startled her so much that she jumped and in the process banged her elbow.

“Ow!” She rubbed the offended body part as the truth settled in her mind. “Oh, jeez, I fell asleep?”

“Vandalism is tiring.” Ben smiled a little, relieving the awkwardness that had settled between them as they’d left town.

“Yep. That excursion will probably last me another decade. Thanks for taking part in my temporary insanity.”

“I’m blaming the pigeon.”

She laughed. “That excuse expires at midnight.”

“I’m going to expire before then.”

“Me, too,” she said as she clasped the door handle. “Good night, Ben.”

“Wait.”

Her heart leaped, but then she saw him reaching for the rifle.

“I’ll walk you to the door.”

That sounded very chivalrous. Part of her wished it had romantic overtones, but she’d picked up enough of who Ben was in the last several hours to know it was instead his need to make sure she was safe before he left. Of course, that was nice in and of itself. She needed to focus on that and not on the part of her that was disappointed.

They walked side by side up to the porch. When she passed her frog statue, she thought about how he wasn’t who she wanted to kiss tonight. Just a few more minutes and she’d be safely inside her house, away from her sudden abandonment of good sense. One didn’t end the day by kissing the person who wrecked your car earlier in the day, especially when you’d known that person forever and would likely know them the rest of forever.

“You know how to use this?” he asked.

She eyed the rifle. “Only in the vaguest of terms.”

Somehow she managed to pay attention to the instructions, enough that she was confident she wouldn’t, in fact, shoot off her foot. That had to be an A plus for effort, considering how much her senses were demanding she ignore his actual words and instead focus on the warmth coming off his body, his undeniably male scent, the deep rumble of his voice, the memory of how it had felt to be pressed close to him with his strong arms around her.

“Got it,” she said too suddenly, judging by the startled look on Ben’s face. “Sorry, but Cinderella is about to turn back into a pumpkin.”

“I know I’m a guy, but I’m pretty sure Cinderella wasn’t the one who turned into a pumpkin.”

“Whatever—it sounded better than ‘poorly dressed, mistreated orphan girl.’”

Ben’s amused smile caused a fluttery feeling inside her, as if she’d swallowed a migration of butterflies who’d taken up square dancing.

“I’ll see you in the morning,” he said.

“Yep.”

Yep? Really? She supposed that was better than the other thought that had been near the tip of her tongue—that he might as well stay over since it was only a few hours before he had to be back here. Instead, she gave him a nod and stepped inside the house. She resisted the urge to bang her head against the wall, instead storing the gun safely in the corner.

She finally let out a long breath and sank onto the couch when she heard Ben start his truck. As the sound of the engine retreated into the night, an aloneness she’d never felt since moving to her own piece of land descended. The night surrounding her tiny house seemed darker, quieter, more filled with potential danger.

How could she feel so different from when she’d gotten up that morning? She was the same person with the same job, the same home. And yet as she sat there, there was no denying that something had changed within her sometime since she’d looked up at the sound of her car being crunched.

And she wasn’t sure what she was going to do about it.

* * *

WHEN BEN REACHED the porch of his family’s home, his sisters were sitting in two of the rocking chairs in the dark.

“Thought maybe the mountain lion had eaten you,” Sloane said.

He leaned against one of the porch supports. “Glad to see you were so concerned you decided to lounge out here with a glass of lemonade.”

“What? I’ve got two other brothers.”

“Sloane!” Angel said and kicked at her older sister’s foot.

“What? He knows I’m just giving him a hard time.” Sloane looked over at him. “Seriously, though, did you find the mountain lion? I’m not about to bring any more kids out here to camp in tents if it’s still running around.”

“I didn’t see him, but there were tracks. He’s not a small animal.”

“Did you follow the tracks in the dark?”

He shook his head.

“Then where have you been all this time?” The teasing crept back into Sloane’s voice.

He considered brushing off her question, but that would just make her more persistent, like a dang mosquito buzzing around his ear, determined to draw blood. Better to tell her the truth. Well, partial truth. He wasn’t about to tell anyone about his unexpected reaction to Mandy, how he’d dang near kissed her as they’d hidden from Greg. She’d felt so good in his arms. Warm, soft, full of a zest for life.

“You remember that time Greg got me in trouble in high school?”

“How could I forget? Those pictures were epic. I thought Mr. Kushner was going to pop a vein.”

“Mandy may have given me a way to finally get some payback.”

“Okay, now I’m intrigued,” Sloane said.

He told them about the wrongfully delivered pink streamers and how Mandy had suggested they wrap Greg’s truck in them and how he, in an evident moment of insanity, went along with it. He mentioned how they’d almost been caught but skipped right over how he’d held Mandy in the dark, feeling her soft curves and her chest rising and falling against his, how he’d experienced the almost irresistible urge to drop his mouth to hers.

“I’d give good money to have seen Greg’s face when he saw that truck,” Sloane said.

“Heck, I’d settle just for seeing the truck.” Angel laughed.

Ben pulled out his phone and scrolled to the photo Mandy had sent him then extended the phone to Angel.

“Oh, my, that’s awesome,” she said before handing the phone to Sloane.

Sloane snorted. “I cannot wait to tease Greg about this.”

“Don’t tell him who did it.”

“I won’t, but probably half the town knows about this by now. People are probably hopping in their cars to cruise by to see it.”

“He may have it all off by now.”

“Trust me, a fair number of people would have gone to gawk before he managed to remove all that. You and Mandy did an excellent job.” She shook her head then looked up at him. “One thing I don’t understand, though. How did that prank on Mr. Kushner even come up in conversation?”

He shrugged as he took his phone back. “Don’t remember how we got on that topic.”

“Nice try but you’re lying.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Yep, you are, and I’m going to figure out what you’re hiding.”

“You live to annoy people, don’t you?”

“Side benefit of being part of a big family.”

He shook his head in annoyance. “Good night, Angel.”

Sloane just laughed as he headed inside. He wished he’d gone straight in when he arrived instead of confessing what he’d been out doing. This day just needed to end before the house caved in on him.

* * *

MANDY DRANK THE last bit of coffee in her cup as she stared out the window over her sink, which gave her a good view of the driveway. She wasn’t normally an anxious person, but waiting for Ben to arrive had her fidgety. She’d only been able to eat a piece of toast. There was probably a trip to Mehlerhaus Bakery in her future about midmorning.

She recognized how crazy it was to have a fear of morning-after awkwardness when it really wasn’t a morning after. There’d been no sex. Not even any nakedness.

No! She did not need to think about Ben and being naked. Not when he would be arriving any minute.

It had taken her forever to fall asleep the night before, but she’d had the hope that she’d wake up and feel perfectly normal this morning. That all the unexpected attraction to Ben had simply been an odd side effect of the crazy day before she’d had. Ha! The attraction had followed her into sleep, where she’d had dreams about things that could have happened in that darkened corner next to Greg’s shop if he hadn’t come close to discovering her and Ben.

Mandy’s face flushed and she splashed it with water for the umpteenth time that morning. Good thing she was a minimalist when it came to makeup—it only took her about thirty seconds to reapply it.

The sound of Ben’s truck sent her heart into overdrive. That was it. She would call Greg when she got to work and tell him she needed her repaired car, like, yesterday.

She dumped the last dribbles of coffee into the sink, rinsed the cup and placed it on the counter. After a deep, calming breath, she grabbed her purse and headed outside. She didn’t give him time to get out of his truck, stepping up to the passenger door as soon as he came to a stop.

“Good morning,” she said with perhaps too much enthusiasm as she pulled herself up into the truck.

Ben looked across the cab at her, the area between his brows furrowed. “You always this peppy in the morning? If so, I’m going to have to rethink my offer to drive you to work.”

“Grumpus.”

He just growled at her and proceeded to back out of the driveway.

“I appreciate you taking me to work. You won’t have to again. I’m calling Greg today to tell him I really need my car back.”

“I don’t mind,” Ben said as he pulled out onto the road. “I just didn’t sleep well.”

A pang of guilt hit her. “I’m sorry I dragged you out last night.”

“No need to apologize. It was actually the best part of my day.”

The guilt in her middle got shoved aside by a zing of excitement. Acting normal would be so much easier if he didn’t say things like that, even if he didn’t mean it in the way she’d like him to.

“Admittedly, it only had to clear a really low bar,” she said.

“True. Still, I wish I could have been a fly on the wall—or in the tree, I guess—while he was removing all those streamers.”

Mandy smiled at that image in her mind. “Heaven help us if he finds out we did it.”

She fidgeted when the conversation died. Normally, she didn’t have trouble chatting away with people whether they were friends, casual acquaintances or complete strangers. But the buzzy feeling she’d gotten around Ben since the previous day had her second-guessing everything she might say. The fact that it was still hanging around this morning after a night of sleep and several hours away from him had her feeling equal parts antsy, thrilled and confused. How could you go basically your whole life knowing someone without feeling more than a passing knowledge that he was good-looking and then one day, whammo, your heart rate refused to behave itself around him?

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