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When she stepped outside into the sun, not much appeared to be happening on this hot afternoon in the yard between the back door of the huge main house and the various outbuildings within walking distance. Carley wondered if everyone took a siesta after lunch in this part of the world.
“Excuse me, ma’am, you looking for something?” A cowboy in jeans, a plaid shirt and straw hat appeared out of the shadows and ambled toward her from one of the big, barn-like structures.
“Uh…yes. I’m looking for someone.”
“And who would that be? You don’t look like you’d be knowing anybody in these parts…if you don’t mind me saying so, ma’am.”
Carley looked down at herself. Still dressed in the wool-blend pants suit and short heels she’d worn for the trip, she guessed she probably didn’t look much like she belonged in a barnyard. Now why hadn’t she taken a minute to change into her jeans?
Before doing anything about that mistake, she needed to find a way out of her more immediate problem. Carley couldn’t remember what name Reid had said Witt was using. Who the heck should she say she was looking for?
Suddenly she thought of another name she did remember. “Do you know the vet’s assistant, Manny…somebody?”
The cowboy eyed her warily. “Yes’um. He’s down to the stud barn just now. Would you like me to fetch him for you?”
The situation was getting worse and worse. Why hadn’t she thought this through before she’d jumped into action? How would she find Witt when she had no idea what name he used?
“I…” she stammered.
“¿Qué paso, amigo? Something wrong?”
Carley spun in the direction of the familiar voice coming from behind her. She thought she’d armed herself with knowledge. But nothing could have prepared her for the sight of the man who’d haunted her dreams day and night, as he sauntered across the dirt in their direction.
“Thank God…” Her knees buckled and the next thing she knew Witt had her in his arms, holding her against his body for support.
She’d given up on ever feeling Witt’s arms around her again. Months ago Carley had truly lost all hope. And now that she could feel his muscles rippling under her grip, could smell his own beloved musky scent as he held her near, the hope flared.
Witt stared down at her in his arms as if he was holding a complete stranger. The flame of hope quickly died again.
“Feeling all right, ma’am? You delirious or dehydrated, maybe? Being out here in the sun without a hat isn’t too smart.” He set her unsteadily on her feet and backed away—leaving one hand on her elbow for support. “How about if I take you back to the main house? Maybe a glass of water will help?”
Her parched body desperately needed to drink in the sight of him. She’d been thirsty for his embrace for far too long.
Reality splashed her like a cold shower. Nothing would help. Witt’s first sight of her had not stirred any memories—in him.
Unfortunately, the sight of him brought stunning images crashing in on Carley. She fought the tantalizing memory of his kiss, so full of irresistible passion and erotic hunger. Her head swam with remembering his touch on her skin—the touch that could heat the blood in her veins and send shivers dancing down her spine. A fierce craving to draw them both into the inner fire nearly brought her to her knees for the second time since getting an initial glimpse of him after all these months.
“You need my help, Houston?” The ranch hand’s question broke into her daydream.
Witt turned to the other man but moved his steadying hand to Carley’s shoulder. “Naw. You go on back to work, pal. I think I can handle things here.”
Witt eyed her with a sideways glance. “I can handle you, can’t I, little lady?” He bent to whisper in her ear and the feel of his warm breath on her cheek suddenly seemed comforting.
For one fleeting moment Carley wondered if Witt could be faking a memory loss. But within an instant she knew, deep inside her bones, that the man she’d loved could not disguise his real identity—at least, not while he stood so close. When she didn’t respond, his eyes narrowed to slits. He firmly gripped her elbow, leading her to the main house.
“Oh, Wi—” no sense confusing him by calling him a name he would likely not recognize “—cowboy,” she choked. “I imagine you can handle me just fine.”
If I can manage to control myself around you.
By the time Witt ushered her into the kitchen of the main house, Carley had regained, at least, partial control of her emotions. First things first. She needed to address him by a name that wouldn’t be disorienting.
When he handed her a glass of water, she noticed her hands were shaking, but decided to ignore them.
“The name’s Carley,” she said, with more emphasis than necessary. “Carley Mills. What’s yours?”
“Carley?” He took her free hand in both of his. “Nice name for such a dainty lady.”
He grinned at her and she smiled back, not feeling the least bit happy.
“I’m known as Houston…Houston Smith, ma’am. I kinda run the ranch operation around here. You know…the horses and cattle?”
He’d suddenly spoken with cool politeness. She sensed it was as if he’d just remembered that strangers could mean trouble…even “dainty” strangers. His wary distance shattered her heart.
Would she be able to keep herself from pouring pent up desires and dreams all over him?
“And just what brings such a delicate flower to our little corner of Texas, Carley?” He released her hand and motioned for her to take one of the twelve chairs at the wooden kitchen table.
“I’m hardly what one might call delicate… Houston.” She continued to stand but swallowed a big gulp of water to soothe her raspy throat. It didn’t help. She was feeling dizzy, shaky and…delicate. Darn it.
At well over five-eight and a former world-class swimmer, delicate and dainty had never before been words used to describe her. But just now she felt weak-kneed and small.
“I’ve come to Casa de Valle to take over the psychologist’s job while he’s on temporary leave,” she managed past the huge lump in her throat.
“You’re a head doctor?”
“I have a doctorate in child psychology, yes.”
“Should I call you Dr. Carley?”
“Some people address me as Doctor, but I’d prefer you call me Carley.”
“I see. But what were you doing out in the—”
Houston was interrupted by a young girl’s voice coming from the hallway. “Miz Mills?” The teenager appeared in the kitchen doorway carrying the one-year-old, currently whiny, Cami. “Oh, there you are, ma’am.”
When Cami recognized her mother, she started to shriek. “Ma…Ma…Yeee!”
Carley pulled her daughter from the teenager’s arms. “Hush, baby. Mama’s right here.”
“I’m sorry, Miz Mills. I tried to put her down for a nap, but she wouldn’t have any part of it. Then she started to cry and I couldn’t find anything to make her happy.” In Carley’s professional opinion, the round-faced girl appeared to be feeling guilty.
“Don’t worry about it, Rosie. It’s just the new place and strange people. You didn’t do anything wrong.” Carley wiped a few crocodile tears from Cami’s cheeks, but nothing she did consoled her daughter. “I’m sure she’ll adjust just fine after a few days. Until then, don’t hesitate to bring her to me if she seems distraught.”
“Yes’um. I gotta get back now. You want me to take her again?” The earnest young girl looked panicked at the thought but was brave enough to ask.
“No, thanks.” Carley found herself nearly shouting over Cami’s cries. “Tomorrow is soon enough for a repeat performance. I’ll keep her with me for now.”
Rosie beamed with relief and beat a hasty retreat.
Carley inspected Cami until the toddler became uncomfortable with the perusal and buried her face in her mother’s shoulder, still sobbing and heaving heavy sighs. Carley patted her daughter’s back and stroked Cami’s hair as she turned to the man who’d been so silent through the whole scene. He looked rather shell-shocked.
“Anything wrong, Houston?” Carley tensed in anticipation. Witt had never seen his daughter before—hadn’t even known of her existence before his disappearance, but Cami’s resemblance to him was unmistakable. Had he suddenly noticed? Had the sight of his daughter triggered some inner memory?
Two
The man who used to be Witt Davidson drawled a question in his languid, Texas accent. “That your daughter?”
“Yes. Her name is Camille. I named her after your—her grandmother. Her father’s mother.” Carley always wondered what Witt would say the first time he saw their daughter.
“Another pretty name for another pretty little thing.”
That wasn’t the way her dreams had gone. “Thank you. We call her Cami.” Carley did her best to hold back the burning tears suddenly welling at the corners of her eyes.
With the first sound of Witt’s voice, Cami had quieted. Now, at the mention of her name, Cami raised her head to stare at the new person making the baritone sounds. When she spotted him, her whole face lit up. She pointed a finger in his direction. “Da!”
Carley grabbed Cami’s hand and held it to her chest. “Don’t point, sweetie. It’s not polite.”
Houston Smith narrowed his eyes and studied the baby who was inspecting him with matching intensity. Something about this woman’s child seemed familiar.
During the long months he’d lived in the Rio Grande Valley he’d learned to cope with the distressing feeling that everything, and everyone, seemed somehow familiar. But the sensation was particularly strong with Carley Mills and her baby.
As Gabe and Doc Luisa had kindly pointed out, a man without a past might easily mistake an enemy for a friend. He couldn’t imagine Carley being an enemy, but everything was not as it appeared with her, either.
After all, what was a refined and citified-looking woman doing at a children’s home in rural South Texas? The suit she wore probably cost more than she’d make working here in six months. And then there was the matter of her being out in the yard in the middle of the day, dressed to kill and without an obvious purpose.
Still…Houston was strangely drawn to her. When he’d put his arm around her shoulders to steady her, he’d felt a searing heat. Her nearness caused his flesh to jump, and he had a nearly uncontrollable urge to drag her against his chest and smother her with kisses.
He’d controlled his urges with a powerful effort. He’d been so careful up to now. So watchful all this time. His condition, when Dr. Luisa found him close to death and dumped along the side of a farm road, led both of them to believe someone had meant to finish the job and kill him. If that were true, somewhere in the world someone might still be after him. Was it possible this woman was a threat to him?
The baby raised her arms toward him. “Up. Pick me…me…now.”
Carley tried to grab her daughter’s attention. “No, honey. The man can’t hold you right now. You mustn’t beg strangers to pick you up, Cami. It could be dangerous.”
Houston smiled at the baby, but there was no way he was touching that kid. She made him uncomfortable without his really knowing why.
Carley turned to him, an embarrassed smile on her face. “Sorry. She’s usually timid around people she’s never seen before. I do thank you for quieting her down, though. I’d hate having to wait for her to be still on her own.” She scrutinized him with an unsettling gaze. “You must be good with kids.”
“No.” He backed up a step and changed the focus of the conversation. “The baby sure does look like you. Especially when she smiles.”
“You think so? Most people say she’s the spitting image of her father. Except for the eyes, of course.”
Yes. Both the females in front of him had the same exotic shade of green eyes, the same slightly slanted looks when they gazed in his direction. But he could see that the child didn’t carry the mother’s complexion or hair coloring. And he couldn’t imagine that smattering of freckles adorning the baby’s nose ever marring the perfect face of the woman who held her.
In fact, something about the baby gave him the same eerie feeling he’d gotten when looking in a mirror. She sort of looked like the strange reflection he’d been seeing gazing back at him. But his own face was so unfamiliar he figured her resemblance must be his mind playing tricks on him. A few moments later he was sure of it.
“Where is the baby’s father?” he blurted out before thinking. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude. You don’t owe me any explanations.”
He turned to the door, halting when the same old ache stabbed at his temple. Fighting the urge to rub his hand against the pain, he squeezed his eyes shut for a second instead. Would these headaches never go away?
Carley laid a hand on his arm. “Are you okay? You weren’t being rude. That’s a perfectly natural question.”
She shifted the baby to her other arm. Houston could see she was tiring, but he’d be damned if he would offer to hold her child. He’d never held a baby. At least, he didn’t think he had. And he certainly wasn’t about to start with one who could make him feel so strange and disoriented.
Cami looked right into his soul—and he had no idea what she’d find there.
“Cami’s father disappeared before she was born. He doesn’t even know about her.”
There were those tears again. The same ones he’d glimpsed the first time she’d made a remark about the baby’s father. Houston reached for her face before he could think about what he was doing. He stroked his thumb lightly under her lashes to brush away a tear. When he felt her satiny skin beneath his fingers, the intimate friction excited him, made him want to grab her tightly and…
What in God’s name was he thinking? Houston jerked his hand away but continued standing there studying her.
Her eyes had widened at his touch, and she looked like a frightened little rabbit. He figured someone had hurt her badly. He suspected it was the baby’s father. Disappeared was the word she’d used. Was that a polite word for ran off?
Houston Smith couldn’t imagine a more cowardly act, or any reason on earth that might drag him away from a woman who looked as good as this one did. He hoped someday to come across the bastard who’d run off and left a beautiful, pregnant wife. Houston had a few things to teach him.
The more he gazed at her standing there, holding the now quiet child to her breast, the more he had to fight the urge to take them both in his arms while he placed a searing kiss on the mother’s delectable lips. Whew. Where did that come from? Maybe it was the heat.
For a moment he’d thought…he’d imagined…
The crack of the screen door slamming behind his back made him snap to attention. But before he turned to the sound, he saw Carley tense and stiffen her spine. All of a sudden the frightened rabbit was gone. Something in her eyes went taut, and he caught a steel-edged toughness that he’d missed until now.
No question. His first hunch must have been right on target. There was more to this lady than met the eye.
Dr. Luisa Monsebais stepped into the kitchen and strolled to Houston’s side with her usual familiar ease. The doctor might have gray hair and wrinkles on her face, but she was as spry and agile as a teenager.
“Everything going okay here?”
“Howdy, Doc. Sure thing. I’ve been getting acquainted with our newest employee.” He turned to Carley and the baby, urging them forward to greet the crotchety, sharp-eyed woman who’d just come through the screen door.
“Dr. Carley Mills, meet Dr. Luisa Monsebais, the ranch’s favorite pediatrician.”
Luisa found her voice first. “Doctor?”
“Ph.D. in child psychology, Dr. Monsebais. I’m here to relieve Dan Lattimer, who’s taken a personal leave.”
Luisa stuck a hand in Carley’s direction, but her sun-spotted face never crinkled into a smile. “Call me Luisa. Did Houston say your first name was Carley?”
Carley nodded and took Luisa’s hand, but Houston noted that her solemn face held no welcome, either.
Their terse exchange might have made the women uncomfortable, but whatever bothered them didn’t seem to include him. Their problem broke the clutch of tension that had gripped Houston since the baby’s first appearance in the kitchen. Luisa’s steady presence always calmed him when things became oppressive.
Luisa wrapped her arm around Houston’s and spoke to him with twinkling eyes. “You taking the afternoon off?”
Houston grimaced. Trust Luisa to cut to the practical. Every move she’d made since she’d found him, unconscious and bleeding alongside the deserted levee road, had been logical and utilitarian.
He had no memory of Luisa finding him. In fact, no memory of anything before he awoke in her guest bedroom ten days later. It was two more weeks after that before he could think through the haze of pain long enough to question what had befallen him and why.
Doc Luisa had made the decision to bring him to her little home clinic instead of the nearby hospital. When he’d finally asked, she’d explained about his gunshot wounds and the empty ankle holster she’d found. This close to the border, her first assumption had been that he was some kind of drug runner or smuggler and wanted by the sheriff. But with his life hanging in the balance, she hadn’t been able to face turning him over to the authorities. She’d figured if he were to die, there would be plenty of time for all the questions and forms.
