Second Chance Rancher

“It’s not important now.”

“The hell it isn’t. Dammit, Johanna had no business in keeping your call from me.”

Gus raised his hand. “I won’t speak ill of the dead, and she was your wife.”

If his father only knew. Kase sighed. “And she was Addy’s mother, too.” That had been what Gus had done over the years after Kase’s mother left them. He’d never breathed a bad word about Liz Rawlins.

Gus nodded, then he abruptly changed the subject. “So what do you think of Laurel?”

He wasn’t ready to talk about this. “What’s to think about?”

“Maybe how pretty she is? And how she’s building a pretty good reputation around here with her training horses.”

Kase didn’t want to think about how good she looked, or how he reacted to just seeing her again. “She was always pretty, and she’s always loved horses. Remember how she used to watch you work the horses, and ask you dozens of questions?”

Gus grinned. “That she did. And looks like she got herself a good-looking stallion.”

“He doesn’t seem to be trainable. Look how he took off.”

Gus laughed. “Now, I know you’re not that old, son. That horse caught whiff of a mare in season, and nothing could stop him from getting to her.”

Kase’s thoughts suddenly turned to the teenage boy who had ridden off with his girl to steal some time alone. Laurel Quinn in his arms was like a dream. The taste of her mouth...

Suddenly he heard the sound of his daughter’s giggles as she rushed into the kitchen. “Daddy! Daddy!” The tiny girl stopped in front of his chair. “Laurel and me had so much fun.”

“I’m glad.” He hugged her. But his gaze went to the woman who stood in the doorway, her long slender frame—but her subtle curves were visible to him. Even years later, he remembered her body. Those long legs, and how those firm breasts brushed against his chest. A sudden stirring began low in his gut.

His daughter’s small hand nudged at him. “Daddy?”

He blinked back to the present. “What, sweetie?”

“Can Laurel spend the night with us?”

* * *

LAUREL FELT THE HEAT rush up her neck. She couldn’t even look at Kase. Would he think she put his daughter up to asking? The man holding the child wasn’t the same boy who’d left here years ago, and she wasn’t the same person, either. The last thing she wanted was to get more involved with the man who’d already broken her heart.

She quickly made her feelings known. “Addy, I’m sorry, but I can’t stay tonight.”

The little girl went to her, wrapping those tiny arms around her legs. “But you’re my friend, you said so.”

Laurel knelt down. “I am your friend, but that doesn’t mean I stay here all the time. I have to go work my horses, but I’ll come back to see you. But tonight, I have a date with a very special man.”

Addy’s eyes lit up. “Is he a prince?”

Laurel couldn’t help but smile. “I think he is. He’s my dad, but I have to share him with another princess, my sister, Brooke.”

“Your sister?” Kase said.

She stole a glance at the man and nodded. “A long story, but a happy one.” She kissed Addy’s cheek. “My daddy is taking me out to dinner with my sister.”

Addy jumped up and down. “Can I go, too?”

Kase stood. “Addison Marie, it is not polite to ask to be invited.”

“Maybe another time,” Laurel said, wondering how she would get out of this. “I think your daddy and Papa need you here to help with supper. How about when I come back to check on the mare in a few days?”

“To see if she has a baby in her tummy?”

“That’s right.” Laurel fought a grin as she hugged the little girl. “So we’ll say goodbye for now. You be good and I’ll see you soon.”

“I’ll be good, I promise.”

Laurel stood. “I better get back before they send out a search party.”

“Glad to see you again, pretty girl,” Gus said and hugged her. “Don’t be a stranger, you hear?”

She forced a smile. “I won’t. You take care of yourself.”

She looked at Kase. “Goodbye, Kase.” She started for the door.

“Daddy, you didn’t hug Laurel.”

Laurel tensed, seeing the stern look on Kase’s face.

“You’re right, Addy, I didn’t.”

He went to her, wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. At the feel of Kase’s hard body against her, the years suddenly melted away. His familiar scent, which she’d know in the darkness, nearly brought tears to her eyes.

As he finally released her, he said, “I’ll walk you out.”

“There’s no need, Kase.”

He tensed. “I said I would walk you out.” He opened the screen door and motioned for her to go through.

She stiffened, but she wasn’t going to argue with this man, not in front of his daughter. She stepped off the porch and started toward the corral where the ATV was parked.

“Hey, slow down.”

She didn’t look at him. “I don’t take orders from you or any man.”

“Whoa, I didn’t give you orders... Sorry, I guess I did, but I wanted to talk to you.” His long stride easily kept up with her pace. “I wanted to thank you for what you did for Addy.”

Darn it. That took the fight right out of her. “She’s easy to be nice to. Sorry about your wife. That’s got to be hard on both of you.”

“Yeah, it’s been a difficult year.”

Those gray eyes met her gaze. She could see the pain. He must have loved his wife a lot. She wasn’t sure she could deal with him being around again. Not that she had any remaining feelings for the man. “So being home might help you both.”