Chapter 3

It wasearly Sunday morning and the light coming in her bedroom window promised another beautiful day. Scarlett laid still for a few moments, enjoying the quiet for as long as she could until, restless, she finally rolled out of bed.

She was anxious. Jittery. Or something. It felt like something big was headed her way and she didn't like it. Not one bit. Shaking it off, she padded over to the window and peeked outside. In the distance she spied Dallas Henhawk, the ranch foreman, with a couple of the cowhands, and heading toward them was Bent. They were near one of the paddocks; she was guessing they were up to horse business. They'd had a new stallion come a few days earlier and she knew he was going to be a big part of their breeding program.

Either way, it would be an early day for Benton, being Sunday and all. Since his accident in the fall, their brother Cal had stayed in Montana and was helping out with the day to day running of the ranch. He'd moved in with the love of his life, Millie Sue, got married, got pregnant—and not in that order. Scarlett smiled slowly. It was kind of weird, having the biggest country music star on the planet home with them. He was still doing the music thing, was in the process of building some fancy recording studio out near the river on the north end of the ranch where his new home was being built. But he was back here at the Triple B.

And so was she.

Her family, once scattered, had come together again—except for Vivian, who was somewhere in the wilds of Alaska, doing whatever the heck it was she did up there. They got the odd email, a note to let them know she was alive, but that was about it.

But more importantly, the boys had made peace with their father, who now resided up at the Founder's Cabin and for that she was grateful. She was a daddy's girl through and through in spite of Manley Bridgestone's shortcomings—of which there were plenty. But where the boys had seen a nasty dark streak, she'd seen pain.

A small noise had her turning toward the crib tucked away in the corner of her childhood room. Hank. She leaned over and, as always, the sight of him made her heart melt. Carefully she brushed away a lock of dark hair from his forehead and simply watched him. She couldn't help herself. Sometimes, she stared so long her legs cramped. But seriously, was there another more perfect baby on the planet?

Hell no.Not in this corner of the world anyway. She watched him a few moments longer, then grabbed the baby monitor before heading into the shower.

Two hours later she was in the kitchen, Hank strapped into his highchair gnawing on a biscuit, when her sister-in-law Millie Sue walked in, followed by her older brother Benton's daughter, Nora, who'd had a sleepover the night before. The little girl whizzed past, and Scarlett turned to Millie with a questioning look.

"She needs her purple dress and pink tutu for the party."

"Party?" Scarlett asked.

"Birthday party."

"Well, she sure needs the darn thing in a hurry."

Millie Sue laughed. "With Nora, everything happens yesterday and she's running to catch up. I find it exhausting sometimes." She plopped herself on a chair and rubbed her belly. "How did you make it to nine months?"

Scarlett shrugged. "You just do." She grabbed up a cloth and began to clean Hank's mess as the baby mumbled a bunch of nonsense and continued to make progress on the biscuit in his chubby hands. "You dropping Nora at the party and coming back here?"

"Nope." Millie took a bite of a pear and munched happily. "We're all going."

"All?" Scarlett paused. "Even Benton?"

Millie nodded. "It's a family affair. My friend's twins." She paused. "You can come if you like."

"Do I know your friend?"

"Not really. Not officially anyway."

"Now why would I go to a party for someone I don't know?"

"Oh, you two have met," Millie replied with a mysterious grin.

"We have?" Scarlett asked, scooping up another clean cloth to wipe excess food from Hank's face.

"Yes."

Intrigued, Scarlett took a moment and then frowned, dabbing his adorable cheek. "You going to fill me in? Who is this mysterious friend I don't officially know."

"Taz Pullman."

She stopped, her hand midway to her son's face, and turned to her sister-in-law. "Taz Pullman."

Millie nodded.

"Taz Pullman has a kid?"

"He adopted his sister's twins."

Scarlett vaguely recalled a story about his sister dying young.

"You seemed to make quite an impression on him." Millie Sue winked.

"I bet I did." An image of his eyes plastered to her milk-soaked chest came to mind and she swore under her breath.

"He popped into the Sundowner, and we got to talking about the party and he told me to invite you." Millie Sue picked at an invisible crumb on the counter. "I told him you wouldn't come."

Scarlett yanked up her head. "How do you know I won't go? Maybe I need to get out." She wasn't going. Hell, the last place she wanted to be was anywhere near Taz Pullman. But still, she didn't like anyone speaking for her.

"You haven't gone anywhere or done anything since you came home."

"I had a baby."

"That doesn't count." Millie Sue's watched her closely. "I suppose you did prance around town in a nightgown. That has to count for something. Please tell me you had something on underneath that thing."

"I don't remember if I did or didn't," Scarlett replied with a chuckle. "But judging by the look on Pastor Wheat's face as I walked by him and his wife, probably not."

"What's going on in here?" Cal Bridgestone walked into the kitchen and immediately planted a kiss on his wife's cheek. He stared down at her for a few seconds and then slipped his hand behind her neck as he turned to his sister.

They were so easy together. So right. Scarlett was a big enough person to admit that she envied them because they had something she wanted. To be loved back by the person you've given your heart to.

"Nothing," Scarlett replied lightly, pasting a smile she didn't feel to her face. "We're just talking."

"I asked Scarlett to come with us to the party for the twins."

"She won't come." Cal's reply didn't skip a beat.

More than a little annoyed Scarlett glared at her brother. "Why does everyone think that?"

He looked to his wife then back to Scarlett. "Because you won't?"

"Well, maybe I will." She thrust out her chin and looked down at Hank. "Maybe it's time I introduce this little man to the folks in town." A thought hit her. "Who else is going to be there?"

"A lot of people you'll know. Some of the girls you went to high school with. Taz has made a lot of friends since he's been in Big Bend," Millie Sue replied.

"That doesn't surprise me," she retorted, heavy on the sarcasm.

Just then Nora came running back into the kitchen like her pants were on fire. She was a sight indeed, a colorful mix of bright purple, a lot of pink and a dab of orange. She was a girl after Scarlett's heart with her odd sense of style.

"If you want a ride out to the ranch you best get your butt in gear." Cal looked at her questioningly. "I think you should come."

Scarlett bit her bottom lip and tried to ignore the jumping jack beside her.

"You're coming to the party Auntie Scar?" Nora whirled around in a circle, her pink tutu flopping up and down as she did so. "It's gonna be so much fun. Taz gots lots of donkeys and horses and…" Her eyes widened, her voice dropping to a whisper. "He even has a snake in the barn."

"A snake?" Scarlett said, eyes on Millie Sue.

"A huh, a big one."

"A rattler?"

"Boa constrictor." That was from Cal, who stood a few feet from her gesturing with his hands, indicating it was large.

"His name is Eddie." Nora grinned. "Eddie the snake."

"Well," Scarlett said, lifting Hank out of the chair. "I guess I have to come now."

"Really?" Nora squealed.

"Sure do. I've never met a snake called Eddie before."

She figured it was the snake's fault that nearly ninety minutes later Scarlett found herself at Taz Pullman's ranch. They'd pulled up exactly two minutes earlier, and while Millie Sue, Cal, Benton, and Nora had made their way over to the barn decked out with more pink balloons than she'd ever seen in one place, Scarlett lingered by the truck, Hank on her hip.

Matt Weaver had been older than Scarlett; she didn't know him all that well, but his family was not unlike hers with ties to Big Bend that went back generations. And though the ranch was nowhere near the scale of the Triple B, it was big enough. The main house was a two storey with a large front porch and had been updated with a new roof and windows, while the outbuildings sported fresh paint. It didn't look like a working ranch. In fact, it seemed more like a hobby farm to Scarlett. She noticed several paddocks that held cows, pigs, chickens, goats, a few ponies, and her niece was right, several donkeys. There was another barn farther away, and beyond that another paddock that housed several horses.

There were a lot of vehicles parked along the treelined drive, and she frowned at the thought of all those faces. Scarlett was more like her older brother Cal than she'd realized. She'd left Big Bend the minute she turned eighteen and had access to the trust fund her mother had set up. She was only twenty-five, but it felt as if she'd lived an entire lifetime since she'd been away. And though she'd never been one to care much about gossip, she had a little boy now and if anyone looked at him sideways, she wouldn't be responsible for her actions.

Her stomach fluttered nervously as Scarlett smoothed out the simple white dress she'd pulled on. Strapless, it was made of soft cotton and had an eyelet skirt. It was tight across the chest and could use a bit more room in the hip area but after having Hank, nothing she had in the closet fit like it should. The important thing was that it fell to just above her knees, wasn't see through, and there wasn't a pink unicorn in sight. Her hair was loose, the faded purple ends waving down her back and shoulders, and her makeup was minimal. Some mascara and gloss were pretty much it. Her skin held a healthy glow from all the time she'd spent out at the jumping rock, and aside from the baby weight around her hips she felt pretty good about herself.

She glanced down at her chest. She'd made sure to double up on the breast pads just in case and had nursed Hank an hour ago.

"Glad to see you made it."

Shit.Where the hell had he come from?

Scarlett took a few moments before she slowly raised her head. Taz Pullman stood not more than two feet away, a lazy smile on that too-handsome face of his. Facial hair suggested he hadn't shaved since she'd seen him the day before, and his thick, wavy, coppery-brown hair shone in the sunlight. Shot through with blond from the sun, it was a foil to his dark lashes and tanned skin.

He was so damn pretty it hurt to look at him. But look at him she did. Hell, how could she not? She'd never seen so much pink on a man before. Though truthfully, it sure as heck looked good on him.

"I think I was tricked," she replied easily, as she eyed up his outfit. Pink board shorts, slung low on his hips, coupled with a pink T-shirt that had Barbie Forever splayed across his impressive chest. "I'm going to guess there's a theme and I'm wearing the wrong color."

"The girls love Barbie," he chuckled, arms out to the side, "so here we are." He nodded. "That's a cute little guy you have there."

Pride welled up in her chest—she couldn't help it—and she smiled in return. Her son was nestled against her chest, his head tucked into that sweet spot between her collarbone and neck. He was fast asleep. "His name is Hank."

"Six months or around there?" he asked.

Surprised, she found herself nodding. "How'd you know?"

"He looks to be about the same size as the girls when my…" His smile faded a bit. "When I came to Montana."

"Oh," she said softly. "I'm sorry." An awkward few seconds passed and then Taz looked down.

"All good." A moment passed. "So the package."

"Package?" Confused, she gazed at him.

"From the post office. I suppose I shouldn't ask but I'm just wondering what was so damn important you drove to town in nothing but a see-through nightgown."

"It wasn't see-through."

"Your underwear was baby blue." He flashed a smile that could make a nun fall. "Skimpy ones."

"If you were a gentleman, you wouldn't have looked."

"I guess that's true. But then I'm no gentleman." His response was light. "So what was it?"

Scarlett considered not answering because really, it wasn't any of his business, but then she shrugged and picked at a piece of lint on Hank's shoulder. "Sweet and Sours."

Taz Pullman couldn't hide his surprise. "Candy?"

"All the way from Canada."

"Must be damn good candy."

"It is." A spark of something rifled through her. "And I don't share."

"That a challenge?"

She lifted her chin. "Just the truth." For a few moments there was silence between them, then Taz cleared his throat.

"I'll grab your bag." Before she had a chance to reply Taz strode over and scooped up the large baby tote at her feet. When he stood, he was inches from her. He was something else, no two ways about it. His pull was magnetic, and she realized being in his orbit was dangerous. Her breath hitched at the back of her throat, and she didn't breathe until he stepped back and winked.

"I have to warn you, the backyard and pool look like a Pepto Bismol nightmare and the barn's even worse."

"I can see that," she managed to murmur, glad to find her voice.

Just then a pink tornado grabbed him from behind. "Daddy, we want to go in the pool." Silky brown ringlets danced around a little girl with eyes that looked at Taz with the kind of adoration children can't hide. Dressed in a pink bathing suit that featured a ruffle around the waist, she jumped up and down excitedly, and pulled on his arm. It took her a few seconds to notice Scarlett, and when she did her eyes widened.

"You have purple hair," she whispered, yanking harder on Taz's arm. "I want purple and pink hair."

He laughed. "That's not going to happen."

"Who are you?" she asked shyly, leaning into her father.

"Manners," Taz said lightly. "We introduce ourselves to our guests, remember?"

"I'm Cameron," she replied, a small frown on her face. "I never seen you before."

Scarlett hid a grin. "I'm Scarlett."

"This is daddy's new friend," Taz said, eyes on Scarlett.

She hoped her cheeks weren't as red as they felt.

"Is that your baby?" Cameron asked.

"Yes."

"Is it a baby boy?"

Scarlett nodded. "His name is Hank."

"Does he like Barbie?"

"He's a boy." That was from Taz.

"Boys can like Barbies." Cameron looked up at Taz. "Mitchell at the daycare has four of them."

"Does he now." Taz slung Scarlett's bags over his shoulder and slid Cameron's hand into his. "Come on, let's get you in the pool." He glanced her way. "You coming Miss Scarlett Bridgestone?"

She didn't think this was a good idea but knew she was past the point of sneaking home with no one the wiser. "You have my bags, so I guess I am."

His smile was pure magic, and she felt the effects as she watched him stroll toward the house, the little girl at his side chattering the whole way. The bond between them was obvious, and there was something insanely attractive about the tall, handsome man and a daughter who made no effort to hide how much she adored him. Scarlett couldn't take her eyes off of them.

And that was a bit of a problem. These thoughts. That smile. These feelings.

She assumed her reaction was because she hadn't been touched in over a year. Not since…she scowled, nope, she wasn't going to say his name. But the fact that she hadn't had sex for so long was a concern when faced with a man like this one.

Taz Pullman was dangerous. Lethal even. The kind of guy a smart lady would stay away from which is why she should be headed in the opposite direction.

Yet here I am, she thought. She hesitated for exactly one second, supposing time would determine if she was about to make a big mistake.

And then followed Taz into his backyard.