A Rancher of Her Own

“Why? Are you camera-shy?”

The real answer would take too long and tell her much more than he wanted her to know. “Let’s make things perfectly clear, the way you like ’em.” He tugged gently on her silver chain and watched her eyes darken. “Honey, I’m not shy about anything.”

* * *

IGNORING PETE’S BOOTS clomping behind her, Jane walked down the hotel’s stairs to the first floor on legs that weren’t quite as steady as normal.

In the suite upstairs, his teasing hadn’t meant a thing; it had just been his way of yanking her chain. Of trying to get the upper hand, the way he had always done—though years ago, he’d certainly never attempted that by moving in close enough for a kiss. To her shock, his nearness had made her pulse pick up. Now the idea of kissing him made it spike.

She needed to get a grip on more than her camera.

As they reached the lobby, Tina came out from her office behind the registration desk. “There you are. Pete, Rachel’s in the dining room.”

Jane noticed Pete shoot a glance toward her before looking back at Tina. “The kids are home already? I didn’t realize it was that late.”

“They were just dropped off a few minutes ago.”

“I’ll check in and say hello.”

Before he could turn to go down the hallway to the dining room, they heard footsteps approaching from that direction. She hadn’t seen Pete’s daughter for quite a while, but she recognized the small, blond-haired girl dressed in a red T-shirt and denim shorts who entered the lobby, followed by Jed.

To her surprise, the girl gave her a big grin.

“Hi, Jane!” she shrieked. “I knew you would come back because you have to be in the wedding. And we have to try on our dresses. Mine’s soooo pretty. Like your dress and Andi’s and Ally’s—well, but mine’s smaller. Ally’s is different because she’s the best maid and—”

“Maid of honor,” Pete put in.

“—maid of honor and she gets to be special. But I get to be special, too, because I’m going to carry flowers. Nobody else gets to carry flowers like mine—did you know that? And nobody else gets to drop them on the floor. Only me, right, Daddy?”

“Right,” Pete said.

“So that makes me extra-special!” She twirled, her backpack swinging wide, her shoulder-length blond hair fanning out behind.

Jane’s fingers involuntarily tightened on her camera.

“You’re extra-special every day, sweetheart.”

Now Jane’s chest tightened, as if her heart had swelled just a bit. A man who loved his daughter couldn’t be all bad. Could he?

Rachel laughed and turned to Jane again. “Miss Loring said it’s good to practice for very special things. Can you come and help me practice with the flowers?”

It took Jane a moment to respond. “Uh...well, yes. We could do that.”

“Today?”

“Well...today or tomorrow.”

“Promise?”

“Yes, I promise.”

“Good!” Rachel grinned at Jane again, then tugged on Pete’s hand. “I got the invitations, Daddy.”

“She sure did,” said Jed, holding up a small yellow envelope. “In fact, I’m the first to receive one. Isn’t that right, Rachel?”

“Yep. I gave one to Grandpa Jed first, Daddy. Is that okay?”

“Fine by me,” Pete said.

Rachel dug into her backpack. “Here’s one for you. And one for Tina. And one for Jane.” She handed them each an envelope. “And now I have to give one to Paz.”

“She might be busy getting supper ready,” Pete told her.

“But she told me she wants her invitation right away.”

“Did she?”

As he looked down at his daughter, Pete’s half smile softened his features. His dark eyelashes highlighted his hazel eyes. Jane’s fingers tightened on the camera again. It took a conscious effort to relax her grip.

“C’mon, Rachel,” Jed said. “Let’s go see Paz.”

“I’ll go with you.” Tina stepped from behind the registration desk. “Robbie ran right into the kitchen to talk to Abuela when he and Rachel came home.”

Before Jane could blink, she found herself alone in the lobby with Pete, who stood watching his daughter skip down the hallway. In profile, his eyelashes looked long and thick, his lips firm, his jaw solid and beginning to darken with stubble.

She wondered what she would have done if he had taken her up on the suggestion to climb into the bubble bath.

But of course, she would have gone for the best angle—while hoping her shaking hands wouldn’t destroy the results.

At photo shoots, she sometimes saw people—female and male—wearing nothing but scraps of clothing. She was used to that. She saw what the camera showed her, filtered through the lens. Yet simply the thought of seeing Pete Brannigan undressed seemed to be a whole other story.

Maybe it was that sexy shadow on his jaw...or the light brown hair that turned golden in sunlight... Or maybe it was his broad shoulders and muscular chest...his sculpted arms and flat abs... Whatever it was, the man had what it took to grace the cover of any magazine.

He turned his head and caught her looking at him.

Normally, that wouldn’t have bothered her, but after their close encounter and his attempt to rattle her in the suite, she felt the need to say something. “It’s only an occupational hazard.”

“Staring at me?”

“In your dreams, cowboy. No, not you. Not even men specifically. Faces. Male or female. Cats, dogs, you name it.”

“Even horses.”

She nodded. “Even horses. Like Daffodil. And I wasn’t staring at you. I was observing.”

“There’s a difference?”

“Yes.” She reached for her camera, then realized she still held the envelope his daughter had given her. She raised it to his eye level. “Rachel’s a little young to be handing out wedding invitations, isn’t she? And if it’s for Tina’s wedding, I thought the bride had that covered.”