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He studied her for a moment with those baby-blue eyes that suggested a softness she doubted he had. “You’re probably right about that.”
His agreement took her aback, and she tucked an unruly strand of hair behind her ear.
“What did she tell you about me?” he asked, watching her intently. Too intently.
“Not much. Just that you reminded her of your father, a man she adored. And that she’d give anything to make you feel comfortable enough to visit the ranch more often.”
“I was busy.”
“She’d said that, too.”
He shifted his weight to one foot. “I made it for Christmas and holidays. It’s not like I was a complete stranger.”
Token visits, Desiree had told Chloe. And if she’d ever had any regrets about her marriage to Gerald Braddock, it was the fact that she’d unintentionally caused a rift of sorts between father and son.
“What else?” Jake asked.
“Actually, we didn’t discuss you all that much. I’d heard you were driven. And stubborn. But that you were handsome, too. Is that what you meant?”
He squirmed a bit at the physical description, which she couldn’t help spouting, even though it hadn’t really come up. But since Desiree had said he looked like his father, and Gerald Braddock was a gorgeous older man, Chloe had put two and two together.
However, her addition had come up short. She hadn’t realized just how attractive Jake was. How appealing she might find him. Or how she might, under different circumstances, be tempted to…well, maybe not pursue him romantically. But flirting was always fun.
She’d learned early on that men like him weren’t the kind to pin her heart on. Of course, she wasn’t sure just what type of man was the kind she could trust for the long haul.
“For what it’s worth,” Jake said, “I don’t know what negative things Desiree may have said about me, but I’m not a bad guy.”
Not entirely, Chloe supposed, but Desiree must have had a good reason not to give him full custody of Brianna.
“You don’t believe me?” he asked.
“Sure I do.” She tried to force sincerity into her smile, yet a veil of skepticism slid over his angular face.
He didn’t object, which she appreciated. She wasn’t up for a confrontation until after she’d had her morning coffee.
Still, her temporary housemate could be considered eye candy, with dark curly hair that brushed his collar, a complexion that suggested some Latin blood and eyes the color of Mission Bay.
Too bad he was so stuffy.
A rebellious spirit she sometimes used as a defensive ploy swept over her, and she decided to flirt and make him squirm—a game she’d played for years. Of course, she’d only mess with him like that when Brianna wasn’t around.
Before she could conjure a teasing remark, Barbara entered the room. “Coffee’s ready.”
“Good.” Chloe slid from her seat on the armrest and followed the housekeeper back to the kitchen.
She’d have to put the flirting on hold for the time being and take care of her morning caffeine addiction.
Yet, in spite of her craving for a hot cup of java, she glanced over her shoulder, only to find Jake rooted to the spot in which she’d left him, eyes locked on her. Or rather on her fanny, since his gaze had to travel upward to meet hers.
Apparently, she would be able to tease him without even trying, and a grin tugged at her lips. “Are you coming?”
“Not yet. I’m going to put away my things first.”
“Suit yourself.”
“I always do.”
She nodded, a full-on smile busting free, as she returned to her quest for coffee.
Jake Braddock would be fun and easy to taunt, but he probably wouldn’t be a good sport about it, which meant he was her favorite type of male challenge.
And he’d just thrown down the gauntlet.
Later that morning, after taking a walk out to the barn and talking to the ranch foreman, Jake returned to the house and headed into his father’s office, only to find Chloe seated at the desk, an open phonebook in front of her.
She’d showered and changed. Her hair, once wild and free, had been swept into a twist. And she’d applied makeup, which some women needed but she didn’t. That’s the conclusion he’d easily come to this morning, when he’d seen her fresh out of bed.
She had a wholesome beauty about her. Too bad she didn’t realize a cosmetic company couldn’t bottle and sell what she’d been blessed with.
Her dark pink lipstick had been applied carefully—and thick. She wore it in a way that would definitely smear when a man kissed her. And for a moment he wondered if she did that on purpose. To keep men at bay.
Come here, big boy. But keep your distance.
He leaned against the doorjamb, studying her until curiosity got the better of him. “What are you doing?”
She glanced up. “Checking on something and getting an address. As soon as Brianna finishes her breakfast, I’m going to take her into town.”
“You mean the city?” he asked. Dallas was more than an hour away.
“No. Into Granger. How far is it from here?”
“About ten miles.”
She didn’t seem to be the small-town type. And even though he didn’t like people prying into his life, his plans, he couldn’t help himself from wondering what she was up to. But, hey, that’s only because she wanted to take Brianna with her. “What are you going to do in Granger?”
Her green eyes glimmered like those of a child who’d just been told the bus was heading to Seven Flags Over Texas for the day, rather than school. “I’m going to do some window shopping.”
Okay, so she wasn’t the open and talkative sort. “For what?”
“I’m not sure yet. Let’s just say it’s a surprise.”
Oh, yeah? Jake didn’t like surprises. And it made him suspicious, something else he didn’t like.
Maybe she planned a shopping spree for herself, rather than Brianna.
Well, if that was the case, he’d put a stop to that pretty damn quick, especially if she planned to use money from the trust. Braddock Enterprises wasn’t going to support Chloe and her spending whims.
She closed the phonebook and put it back in the drawer. Then she stood, a pair of black jeans fitting like a sleek leather glove. “Don’t worry. We’ll be back in an hour.”
Well, he was worried.
But then again, he didn’t need to be. Not if he followed her into town.
“Suit yourself,” he said.
“I always do.” She tossed his own line back at him along with a playful grin, then swept out of the office, her denim-clad hips swaying as she headed for the kitchen.
Six friggin’ weeks. She’d drive him nuts by then—if he let her.
Twenty minutes later Jake had followed Chloe and Brianna into town and now waited in front of the Granger Animal Shelter.
He had no idea what in the world they were doing inside, but he had a suspicion. She’d said she was merely window shopping, and he hoped that was her game plan. She’d better not be getting a pet, not if Jake was the one who’d be taking full custody of Brianna.
Curiosity got the better of him, and just as he reached for the door handle to let himself out of his vehicle, Chloe and Brianna walked out the front door.
Chloe carried a cardboard box with holes.
Oh, for Pete’s sake. He climbed out of the Navigator and made his way toward them.
“Jake!” Brianna said. “Guess what we have!”
Instead of guessing, he focused on Chloe, on the sunglasses that hid her eyes, on the dimples her grin created.
“What a surprise,” she said. “We didn’t expect you to follow us.”
“No, I’m sure you didn’t.” He nodded toward the box. “I suppose that’s the surprise.”
Brianna grinned from ear to ear. “Want to see him?”
The fact that the critter, whatever it was, had placed the bright-eyed smile on his sister’s face was reason enough to make him back down. And even though something like a pet adoption should have been discussed with him first, it was a relief to know their purchase was small enough to fit in that box.
“His name is Sweetie Pie,” Brianna said. “And he’s the bestest dog in the whole, wide world.”
Jake didn’t have the heart to tell her no.
Chloe unhooked the edge of the box, allowing it to open, and a mangy, wire-haired, tri-color dog poked its head out, whimpering and squirming, its tail beating against the cardboard container.
“Oops,” Chloe said, juggling the box. “Settle down, Sweetie Pie. You’ll make me drop you.”
“We have to keep him in the box until we get back to the ranch,” Brianna said. “That’s the rules. But once he’s at home, he gets to run around all he wants.”
As Chloe struggled to tuck the scraggly dog back into the cardboard carrier, Jake opened the back door of the car for his sister. She climbed into her seat, and he secured her. Then Chloe put the box on the rear floorboard.
Once the door was shut, his redheaded nemesis crossed her arms and arched an auburn brow. “So, you couldn’t help but follow us, huh?”
“I don’t like secrets.”
“Too bad. You’ve probably had some boring birthdays, then.”
“They were just fine.” Truth be told, he’d never had a surprise party, if that’s what she was getting at. And she made it sound as though he’d missed something. “So what’s the deal with the dog?”
“All kids need a pet.”
“Oh, yeah? Don’t you think they should be old enough and responsible enough to take care of them? Of course, if you’re planning to transport that dog back to California with you in six weeks, I’ll keep quiet.”
“Sweetie Pie will go wherever Brianna goes.”
“Then I’ll have to kiss up to Mrs. Davies, since she’ll be the one looking after the dog for me.”
“That’s left to be seen.”
They were heading for a face-off, which wasn’t appropriate here and now. A glance into the backseat told him Brianna was happy with her pet, so he decided not to make an issue out of it…yet.
“By the way,” Jake said, as Chloe turned to open the driver’s door of her car. “That’s the ugliest mutt I’ve ever seen. If you’re going to turn the ranch into a zoo, why not choose a better-looking critter?”
Her motions slowed, and she turned to face him again, her stance softening this time. Their gazes locked, and her eyes glistened. If he didn’t know better, he’d suspect she was tearing up. Hell, maybe she was.
The breeze sent a strand of her hair across her cheek and she brushed it aside. She cleared her throat, and her voice came out softer than he expected. “Because that little dog needed a home more than the rest of them. His number was up today.”
Jake had never been an animal person. Well, not as a grown-up, anyway. He’d found a stray shepherd-mix once, but his mom had refused to let him keep it. And he couldn’t blame her. She lived in a town house in the city.
And so did he.
“That dog—” he began.
“Sweetie Pie,” Chloe corrected. “He has a name.”
Jake crossed his arms. “Either way, my place isn’t geared for pets.”
She leaned her hip against the car door and crossed her own arms. “Whatever.”
Damn that woman. She was going to be the death of him.
“Listen,” she said, softening again, it seemed. “A pet will be good for Brianna. Especially now.”
“She already has fish.”
“She can’t cuddle with them.”
“Yeah, well, she won’t get flea bites from them, either.”
Chloe stood there for a moment, eyes glaring and rigidity returning to her stance. Then she chuckled softly. “Six weeks won’t be long enough, will it?”
It seemed too long to him. But he wasn’t entirely sure what she meant. “What are you talking about?”
“You and I are going to have a heck of a time learning how to compromise and put Brianna’s best interests ahead of our own.” Then she tossed him another smile and climbed into the car.
Jake stood silently by, as he watched her drive away.
