Lights, Action...Family!

In the ranch kitchen, Emily sat on the hardwood floor with Sophie. The child played silently, putting a dress on one of Emily’s old dolls that they’d found in the attic. Emily tried to interact, but the little girl seemed more comfortable on her own.

“Too bad you’re having a boy,” Emily said, glancing up at her pregnant sister-in-law. “All these dolls are going to waste.”

The petite blonde ran her hand over her protruding stomach. She was due in a couple of months. “We might just have a girl one day.”

Emily studied her sister-in-law’s smile. Nate and Tori were so happy, but that hadn’t happened easily. Although Nate had fallen in love with the San Francisco heiress almost immediately, Tori had men issues, a dominating father and a bad relationship with a man who cared only about her money. Nate had changed all that. And even though she’d been raised in the city, Tori took to ranch life as if she were born into it.

“So, you’re already thinking about another baby?”

Tori glanced at Sophie. “Who wouldn’t want a child like this little one? She’s beautiful.”

The girl looked up. Her eyes showed her excitement as she held her doll up to Emily.

“Oh, what a good job you did dressing Sunny,” she praised her. When the child didn’t move the doll, she realized she was giving it back. “Sophie, you can keep her,” she said.

There was a glimmer of joy on Sophie’s face and Emily decided she’d do almost anything to see that look again. Just then the back door opened and Nate walked in along with Reece. Tori went to her husband and kissed him. Amazingly Emily found she wanted to go and greet the brooding man standing stiffly in the doorway. She told herself it was to see if she could get a reaction from him. Her gaze went to his mouth, wondering how it would feel to kiss him. She raised her eyes to his and heat rushed to her face.

It was Sophie who distracted them. She got up and ran to her uncle. She held up the doll and whispered his name. “Unca Reece. See? Her name is Sunny.”

He looked confused. “She’s pretty.”

Nate brought his wife closer. “Tori, this is Reece McKellen, the stuntman on the movie. Reece, my wife, Tori. And she’s carrying our son, Jake.”

Reece removed his cowboy hat and nodded. “Nice to meet you, ma’am. And congratulations on the baby.”

“Thank you. And please, call me Tori.”

“I hope Sophie hasn’t been too much trouble.” He tossed a quick glance at Emily.

“Oh, no,” Tori said. “She’s been a joy. She’s so well behaved.”

Smiling, Nate placed a glass of iced tea on the counter for Reece. “And Tori should know about kids, she’s taught school.”

Reece liked the Hunters. They’ve graciously welcomed him and Sophie into their home, but it didn’t change the fact that he always felt like an outsider. He hadn’t fit in many places, especially ones like this. He glanced around the beautiful kitchen as he took a long drink of tea. Man, it was something. He admired the honey maple cabinets and dark granite counters. The hardwood floors gleamed with high-gloss polish.

There was a knock on the door. It opened and an older woman peeked inside the room. “Hi, I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d stop by.”

“Mom, you don’t need an excuse to come by,” Nate said as he went to the woman and hugged her.

“She’s here to check up on me,” Emily began. “Sam called you, didn’t he?”

The attractive older woman smiled innocently. “He may have mentioned that you didn’t finish your shift.” Mrs. Hunter glanced at Sophie. “Well, who do we have here?”

“Sorry, Mom,” Emily began. “This is Sophie and her uncle, Reece McKellen. He is working on the movie. Reece, this is our mother, Betty Hunter.”

Mrs. Hunter had short gray hair and a slender build. “Oh, my, you’re one of the movie stars, aren’t you?” she said. Her blue eyes, so much like her daughter’s, widened.

Everyone laughed. “Sorry to disappoint you, ma’am, but I’m just part of the crew,” he said.

“Reece is the stuntman on the movie,” Nate offered.

“Oh, so you’re doing Camden Peters’s stunts.”

“Yes, ma’am. A little trick riding.”

“What happens if you get hurt?”

Reece couldn’t help but smile. “I don’t plan on that happening. I learned how to fall during my rodeo days. Believe me, those broncos have so many creative ways to toss you off, I’m pretty sure I’ve learned them all.”

“Oh, I hope so.” She glanced down at Sophie. “Is this your little girl?”

“My niece. She lives with me now.”

Betty Hunter smiled. “Just look at all those beautiful curls. You remind me of Emily. She had hair like this. And she was such a precocious child.”

Emily groaned. “Mother, I’m sure Mr. McKellen doesn’t want to hear about my childhood.”

Reece found he enjoyed Emily’s blush. Damn, if it wasn’t as appealing as the rest of her. He placed a hand on Sophie’s shoulder. “I think it’s time we get settled. Thank you, Nate, for your hospitality.” He looked at Emily. “And thank you for watching Sophie. Would you happen to have Jason’s cell phone number?”

“Sure.” She went to the purse on the counter and searched the for a business card. She handed it to him.

“Is there a problem?”

“Just a little mix-up with living arrangements.” Reece didn’t want to involve the Hunters in his problems. “Thanks again for watching Sophie.”

“It was my pleasure,” Emily said. “Bye, Sophie.”

When he turned to the door, Nate stopped him. “I’ll bring some bedding down to the bunkhouse later. Say, why don’t you and Sophie come up for supper tonight? There’s always plenty.”

Reece knew Nate meant to be neighborly, but he hated feeling obliged to people. “Thank you, but we’re both pretty tired after the long drive today.”

Sophie started to hand back the doll and Emily came down on her knee. “Oh, sweetie, remember, I gave Sunny to you, to keep. Maybe we can play again.” She touched the child’s cheek. “See you later.”

Reece saw the longing in his niece’s eyes. He knew she was lonely, how much she’d missed her mother. And someone like Emily and her family would be easy to turn to, but he had to remember the stop at the Double H was only temporary. He stole one last glance at Emily Hunter, knowing if he stayed the next few months were going to be full of temptation. For both of them.

At seven-thirty that evening Emily made her way toward the bunkhouse, all the time telling herself that she was only bringing them the bedding. She was not doing it because she wanted to see Reece McKellen again. Okay, so he was a drop-dead sexy man, who didn’t seem to like her, she reminded herself. Why? Was he just not attracted to her? Okay, she could accept that. She shook her head. Why was she even thinking about him? She didn’t need to get involved at this time in her life. Not with her career just taking off. She needed to stay focused on Hunter’s Haven.

She’d worked too hard to get through school and spent too many hours on her feet as a waitress to let a man come along and turn her head now. But it wasn’t just the man, it was Sophie. Emily was drawn to her, too. And that was even more dangerous. Just as soon as she dropped off the sheets and towels, she’d stay away from them both.

Emily stepped up on the wooden porch and glanced through the bare window. Sophie at the table playing with her new doll. Emily knocked, then opened the door.

“Hi, Sophie.”

“Emily.” The little girl stood up. All ready for bed, the child was wearing pink pajamas, her damp hair in ringlets.

Emily’s heart tightened. “I brought you some towels and sheets.” Just then she heard running water in the other room. Well, she wasn’t about to interrupt the man’s privacy to give him a towel.

She glanced around the ranch hand’s new quarters that Shane had built this past spring. The efficient kitchen had a stainless-steel stove, an oversize refrigerator and a long table that could seat twenty men. On either side of the room a hallway led to the two bedrooms. She knew that the large bathroom was designed in two sections with several walk-in shower stalls, separate from the sinks and toilets. She didn’t want to think about the naked man now using one of the stalls, or the water spraying over his muscular body.