Loving Laney
Harmony Evans
A Broward baby bump?A Broward–and a world-class athlete, no less–unmarried and expecting? Laney Broward is amazed she has kept her pregnancy a secret this long. Now headlines are blaring from the tabloids that she is in the family way. She can't believe that one impulsive, out-of-character night could have such lasting repercussions….The news that he's a soon-to-be father stops millionaire heartbreaker Austin Johns in his tracks. This internationally known horse breeder never planned to become a parent, but he is warming to the idea of his own family. Laney can talk all she wants about her independence; they now have a bond that cannot be broken. Austin will stop at nothing to ensure his place in his child's life–and he will not rest until he finds his way back to Laney's loving arms….
A Broward baby bump?
A Broward—and a world-class athlete, no less—unmarried and expecting? Laney Broward is amazed she has kept her pregnancy a secret this long. Now headlines are blaring from the tabloids that she is in the family way. She can’t believe that one impulsive, out-of-character night could have such lasting repercussions….
The news that he’s a soon-to-be father stops millionaire heartbreaker Austin Johns in his tracks. This internationally known horse breeder never planned to become a parent, but he is warming to the idea of his own family. Laney can talk all she wants about her independence; they now have a bond that cannot be broken. Austin will stop at nothing to ensure his place in his child’s life—and he will not rest until he finds his way back to Laney’s loving arms….
Austin certainly had Laney’s attention as he sauntered toward her.
Tux unbuttoned, black bow tie gone and black Stetson on. He stopped only a few feet away, and in the stable’s dim halo of yellowish light, his expression was unreadable, yet tantalizing.
“I’ve been wanting to talk to you all night.”
She touched her hair, styled into an elegant updo for the party, as his rich tenor swirled over her.
“Talk to me? About what?”
His eyes swaggered over her from head to toe, lingering here and there in places that caused her skin to warm.
“Your choice of attire for the gala,” he stated matter-of-factly.
Not sure if Austin was teasing or not, Laney met his gaze head-on. “What’s wrong with it?” she blurted out.
Austin shook his head. “It’s different from your usual T-shirt and jeans,” he stated, without a hint of a smile. “And on you, that gown is far too stunning to ignore.”
HARMONY EVANS
is an award-winning author for Mills & Boon Kimani Romance, the leading publisher of African-American romance. She is the recipient of the 2013 Romance Slam Jam Emma Award for Debut Author of the Year. In addition, she was a 2012 RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards double finalist (First Series Romance and Kimani Romance). She is also a member of Romance Writers of America.
Harmony is a single mom to a beautiful, too-smart-for-her-own-good daughter who makes her grateful for life daily. Her hobbies include cooking, baking, knitting, reading and, of course, napping. Her favorite place to visit is New York City. Her biggest dream is to someday live and write in Paris, France. Currently, she resides in Cleveland, Ohio, home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!
Be sure to connect with Harmony on your favorite social media network!
Loving
Laney
Harmony Evans
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
Dear Reader,
There’s something about wide-open spaces and small towns that inspire romance. Throw a superrich family, a surprise pregnancy and blackmail into the mix and you have all the fixings for a juicy scandal.
Equestrian Laney Broward is still basking in the glow of her gold medal win when millionaire horse breeder Austin Johns surprises her with a passionate New Year’s Eve kiss that turns into an all-night lovemaking session. When Laney becomes pregnant, she fears the stigma of being a single mom, and worries about disappointing the entire Broward family and losing her independence.
Austin Johns isn’t used to being tied down to anyone or anything except his prizewinning thoroughbreds. Now that he’s going to be a daddy, he’s willing to happily take on the responsibility. But will Laney let him?
Loving Laney, the third novel in the Browards of Montana series, is a story you will never forget.
Be blessed,
Harmony Evans
I would like to dedicate this book to moms everywhere. We have the most important job in the world. Stay strong!
Contents
Prologue (#uca21ed2d-0599-5de9-b75c-831e2f5e2994)
Chapter 1 (#ud3c9e5a2-55ae-5dd1-8174-446253c9427a)
Chapter 2 (#u3d8c4346-bcc6-5511-adb6-3d05d4a5d49d)
Chapter 3 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 4 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 5 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 6 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 7 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 8 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 9 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 10 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 11 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 12 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 13 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 14 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 15 (#litres_trial_promo)
Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)
Prologue
Dallas, Texas: New Year’s Eve
I’ve never seen anything so ridiculous, thought Laney Broward as she watched her friends openly fawn over Austin Johns. For almost the entire evening, Mara and Robyn had been taking turns narrating a play-by-play of his every move.
She glanced around the enormous room crowded with men and women kicking up their heels and tossing back drinks as they danced the night away to a live band.
Hundreds of glittering snowflakes were suspended from the ceiling supported by huge Greek-style columns wrapped in shimmery silver brocade. Round tables draped in white tulle with gray organza bows surrounded the perimeter, each topped with miniature candelabra where ivory candles provided a romantic glow in the dimly lit room.
It was the perfect setting for a New Year’s Eve gala. The effect was magical, mystical and filled with the promise of something special. Then why did Laney feel so out of place?
“What’s he doing now?” Robyn asked, craning her neck like an ostrich.
“Oh, he’s just being gorgeous,” Mara reported with a giggle.
Laney rolled her eyes. “I think that’s the worst line I’ve ever heard. I hope you weren’t going to use that one.”
Mara’s face fell momentarily and then immediately lit up. “I think he’s headed this way!” she exclaimed.
Laney planted herself in front of them, blocking their view.
“Both of you have been around horses too long,” she admonished. “Austin is just a man. He walks and talks and eats just like we do.”
Her friends, who had competed with her on equestrian teams throughout her career before Laney won the gold medal, stared at her like she was crazy. Both had consumed a fair amount of champagne, while Laney had been nursing the same glass of bubbly for over an hour.
“Well, at least we recognize perfection when we see it,” Robyn scolded.
Mara raised her glass. “I’ll drink to that!” she slurred.
Laney turned away slightly, refusing to concede to their good-humored jab. She eyed an oversize clock that hung just above the ballroom doors. It was thirty minutes to the “Big Kiss Moment” and she was dateless.
Worst, she had to be on her best behavior. On New Year’s Eve, no less! Not that she would have done anything really crazy. Her reputation was sound and she wanted it to stay that way.
Ever since Laney had won a gold medal, the media frenzy had been glowing—and rabid. For a while she basked in the attention, as any sane person would, but she also knew how quickly the media could turn from being your best friend to your worst enemy. She just didn’t want it to happen at a gala event sponsored by Austin, or anyone else for that matter.
Laney’s stomach knotted as she quickly scanned the perimeter of the room. There was no telling if or where the paparazzi were hiding. She was on high alert and not taking any chances. There was no way she was going to ring in the new year as the subject of one of those tacky celebrity viral videos. Laney took a sip of her lukewarm drink and almost gagged. “No man is perfect,” she scoffed, turning back to face her friends.
“Really?” Robyn accused, placing one hand on her hip. “You’d have to be a horse’s you-know-what not to see that Austin is the epitome of every woman’s dream.”
“Not me,” she insisted. “I barely know the man.”
A true statement, although it wasn’t like she’d never met Austin. On several occasions, he’d been out to the BWB, the Broward family ranch located in Granger, Montana, to conduct business with Laney’s mother, Gwendolyn. They’d also run into each other in London during the Olympics.
Mara peered down her nose at Laney. “You don’t have to know the man to appreciate, and take advantage of, everything he has to offer.”
Laney stifled a mocking laugh. Both times she’d seen Austin, he hadn’t given her anything more than a polite handshake and some friendly conversation. And she was supposed to take advantage of him? She might be dateless, but she wasn’t desperate.
One thing Laney did know about Austin, and did not appreciate, was his reputation as a ladies’ man. He ran through women like a wild stallion galloping through endless prairie grass. Tongues wagged that his conquests were as global as his appetite for travel: Paris, Barcelona, Rome.
But as far as she knew, no one in the little town of Granger had been able to saddle him—even for one night.
Laney pursed her lips to stifle a fierce retort. Defending herself to her friends would only lead to an argument, which was no way to end what had been a very successful year for the trio.
“Just look, Laney,” Robyn implored with a nudge of her elbow. “Start with his body, and go from there.”
“As if you’d want to go anywhere else,” Mara added with a wicked smile.
Laney tensed when Mara put her hands on her shoulders, forcing her to turn around and admit to herself what every other woman in the room already knew: Austin Johns was the most handsome man at the ball.
Her heart did a little skip as she watched Austin weave his way through the crowded dance floor. When he paused, the women gravitated toward him and the men just wanted to shake his hand, perhaps hoping some of the “Austin mojo” would rub off on them.
The millionaire horse breeder took all the attention in stride, as if he were just out for a stroll rather than combing through a sea of gyrating bodies. At about six feet three inches tall, he towered over all the women and many of the men. Laney cast her head over her shoulder toward her friends. They were both wearing I-told-you-so grins, but she wasn’t about to give them the satisfaction that they were right all along.
A waiter swung past with an empty tray and she handed him her champagne flute.
“I’m going to get some fresh air. Why don’t you two go out on the dance floor and mingle before we all turn back into pumpkins?”
“As long as Prince Charming is there to whisk me away into his carriage, I’m there,” Mara announced, kicking off her shoes. “C’mon, Robyn.”
Laney watched her friends get swallowed up into a line dance. They stumbled frequently, like two colts trying to get a sense of the ground. It was a comical sight and she found herself smiling, in spite of her cautious mood.
Prince Charming. There’s no such thing.
“Especially in Montana,” she muttered as she walked through the estate’s massive foyer. Being single definitely had its challenges in Big Sky Country, where there were more cattle per square foot of land than eligible men. Laney was thankful she had her horses to keep her mind off the lack of suitable dating options and she looked forward to returning home to Granger tomorrow.
Right now, though, she had to get through tonight.
After a quick visit to the ladies’ room, Laney hurried outside to the place where she felt most comfortable—no matter what city, state or country she happened to be visiting at the moment—the stables.
Earlier in the evening, Austin, the primary sponsor of the evening’s gala, had used the stable to unveil his plans for a new therapeutic riding center in Dallas. Laney and her friends had arrived late to the event and had missed his presentation, so she was eager to learn more. Now was as good a time as any to get a sneak peek.
She rubbed her bare arms as she followed the paved driveway around the estate. While it rarely snowed in Dallas, the evening’s low temperature was a chilly reminder to its inhabitants that it very well could.
Laney arrived at the stable moments later. It wasn’t far from the main house and the evening’s festivities were amplified through strategically placed outdoor speakers. She heard the lead singer from the band loudly informing the crowd that there were only ten more minutes to midnight. When she looked back, she saw that the ballroom doors were open and guests mingled outside on the stone terrace, chattering and laughing.
Eager for peace and quiet, Laney tugged on the service door of the stable and slipped inside. As she eased it closed, she breathed in deeply and smiled.
They were all here. The odors of pungent earth, of crisp hay and alfalfa, of sawdust and pine, of leather and oil. Real. Tangible. A part of the air, a part of her.
As a child, the gentle eyes of the horses had wooed her. She’d fallen in love and never looked back. In the stables, she didn’t have to hide. Not even from herself.
“It’s about time you showed up.”
The voice had the slow, easy drawl of a cowboy. None too hurried, and always sexy.
Laney heard her shocked breath whistle through her teeth. She blinked in the low light, but couldn’t see anyone. She took a step back and placed her hand on the door, ready to book at any moment.
“Austin?”
Seconds later, she heard a teasing chuckle and a neigh of disapproval.
“Don’t pout, Sadie, I’ll be back to check on you in the morning,” Austin soothed. He emerged from a large stall at the far end of the stable. “But right now, I must see why this beautiful young lady has been ignoring me all night.”
She let go of the doorknob. “How did you know I was here?”
Austin shrugged. “I didn’t exactly, but I figured if you were going anywhere on the grounds, it would be to the stables. I knew you couldn’t ignore me here.”
Ignoring him? Lord knows I’ve tried, she thought.
But Austin certainly had Laney’s attention now as he sauntered toward her. Tux unbuttoned and flaps secured behind hands stuck in his pockets. The black bowtie gone and the black Stetson on. He stopped only a few feet away and in the dim halo of yellowish-light cast by the fixtures above their heads, his expression was unreadable, yet tantalizing.
“You scared me!” she managed to whisper, not wanting to disturb the horses. “I thought you were some crazy journalist sneaking around wanting to take my picture.”
Austin squared his hands like a makeshift camera against his eyes and peered through them. “Say cheese.”
Laney’s heart raced against her will under his pretend lens. To be the subject of Austin’s “admiration” was the dream of most of the women in Granger, and likely all of the females at the party, but not her.
“How about I say goodbye?” she fumed under his intense gaze. She wasn’t mad at him, but her reaction to him confused her. His eyes seemed to burn a hole through her long-held image of him as a business associate of her mother’s.
He dropped his hands to his massive chest. “Whoa, girl. I’ve been wanting to talk to you all night. You can’t leave yet.”
As his rich tenor swirled over her, Laney knew she would never tire of hearing his voice.
She touched her hair, styled into an elegant updo for the party. “Talk to me? About what?” she asked, trying not to sound flattered.
His eyes swaggered over her from head to toe, lingering here and there in places that caused her skin to warm.
“Your choice of attire for the gala,” he stated matter-of-factly.
She froze and her mouth dropped open. First Austin unwittingly scared her and now he was openly judging her.
“Two minutes to midnight, folks!”
She ignored the singer’s gleeful warning and smoothed her hands along the side of her royal blue full-length gown. This wasn’t some department store knock-off, but rather it was custom designed for her. Not because she was a Broward and could afford it, but because she wanted to remain true to herself: one-of-a-kind. Unique. And right now, steaming mad.
Not sure if Austin was teasing or not, Laney met his gaze head-on. “What’s wrong with it?” she blurted.
Austin shook his head. “It’s far too different than your usual T-shirt and jeans,” he stated, without a hint of a smile.
How dare he insult me, Laney thought. As a child, her brothers, Wes and Jameson, had teased her relentlessly about her tomboyish wardrobe and the memories came flooding back. Now that she was older, she knew they hadn’t meant to hurt her, but the pain was still there.
Just as she was about to tell Austin where he could stuff his unwanted opinions, he tilted his Stetson back slightly with the tip of his thumb.
“And on you, that gown is far too stunning to ignore.”
10...9...8...
Was it the music or her heart that suddenly stopped as Austin stepped closer and draped his hands on her bare shoulders?
7...6...5...
Austin seemed not to hear the drum roll or the guests chanting the countdown. He tilted her chin up and she stared at his lips, slightly bewildered.
4...3
She’d never been this close to Austin, never smelled his rough, masculine scent, never dreamed she’d want to be even closer.
...2...
Laney closed her eyes, suddenly aware that she wanted to grasp onto something she wasn’t even sure was going to happen, but a part of her hoped that it would. The part that foretold regret.
...1...
Austin cradled her face in his hands and lowered his mouth to hers.
“Happy New Year, Laney.”
Ignoring all sense and logic, amid the fireworks and distant gun shots, she slipped her hands around his waist and caved into the spell of his kiss. He was gentle at first, exploring the edges, feathering the center, his movements tugging at long-buried desire. The nerve points of her mouth jolted awake, as if from a deep sleep, reminding her of how much she’d missed the touch of a man’s lips. Now the feel of Austin’s lips was branded upon her senses forever.
Their embrace was like a blanket they huddled underneath against the clamor of noisemakers and strains of “Auld Lang Syne.” They owned the dark, the passion and the promise.
The old was made new. And when Austin lifted his mouth from hers, she felt more than sudden, unexpected desire. There was also the innate fear that she might never be kissed that way by Austin again, and the excitement that maybe she would.
She bit her lip, plumper now from his kisses.
He tipped his hat, bowing slightly and her heart fell when he started to walk away.
Her independent spirit willed her not to run to him, while at the same time her caring nature compelled her not to disturb the horses she loved so much.
She dropped her voice to a whisper. “Where are you going?” she called out.
He turned around and seemed unperturbed by what had just occurred between them. His world was unshaken, while hers tilted crazily on its axis.
“Home.”
Laney arched a brow. She knew Austin had a large estate that included two huge stables just outside of Dallas. But she couldn’t just let him leave, at least not until she found out why he had kissed her.
“Now? But what about the party? Aren’t you a sponsor?”
Austin nodded, and then chuckled. “I think the festivities will go on without me.”
He was moving away from her again, easing toward the door, away from something he had started.
She took a few hurried steps and managed to tap his shoulder before quickly drawing back. It was hard and muscular under the black cloth of his tux.
“You probably shouldn’t be driving,” she advised. “It’s New Year’s Eve and it could be dangerous on the roads.”
Austin folded his arms and smiled. “Don’t worry about me, I’m staying close tonight.”
“Really? Where?” she asked, for once not caring if she sounded overly curious.
Austin pushed open the service door and leaned against it. “A couple of years ago, I sold the owners of this estate two of my best thoroughbreds, both of which have made them a ton of money recently on the circuit. In exchange, there’s a little cottage on the grounds and they let me stay in it.”
“Wow. That’s really nice. Much better than a hotel.”
He nodded and there was a sudden gleam in his eye. “Yeah, it comes in handy those times when I’ve partied a little too hard. But I’ve been good tonight.”
Laney thought back to the lukewarm champagne and smiled. “Me, too.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Well, in that case, would you like to see it?”
Although she didn’t know Austin very well, he wasn’t a total stranger. He was a friend of the Browards and highly regarded by her mother, Gwen. Still she knew it was crazy to go with him. But something inside her wanted to go against the grain of her own personal conventions. It was, after all, New Year’s Eve.
She let her eyes travel across Austin’s broad shoulders. If she couldn’t be in his bed, she had the odd wish to be positioned under it, hidden from view. She wanted to listen to him breathe and feel the weight of his body dangerously close to hers.
She looked into Austin’s eyes and nodded her answer.
What would Mara and Robyn think? she thought.
They’d be jealous as all get out.
Laney hid a brief smile as they emerged into the chilly air. She hitched up her dress slightly and followed him down a wide dirt path.
The sky was clear and brilliant with stars and the temperature seemed to drop even more as they walked. By the time they arrived at the little home, which was located adjacent to a large pasture, she was shivering.
Laney rubbed her bare shoulders and read the hand-carved sign on the door. “‘Shepherd’s Cottage.’ Cute name. What does it mean?”
She stepped inside and Austin closed and locked the door behind them.
“This place was built a long time ago for people hired to mind the cattle. If they didn’t want to go home, they could sleep here. Since this ranch is now primarily used for breeding and raising horses, the owners use it as a guest house.”
She rubbed her bare shoulders again and shivered when Austin ran his hands down her arms. Her skin immediately goose-pimpled under his gentle touch while his reassuring smile warmed her in places his eyes couldn’t see.
“I’m sorry it’s so cold in here. It will only take me a minute to get the fireplace going.”
He shrugged out of his tuxedo jacket and helped her into it. “In the meantime, you can wear this.”
His jacket was way too big, but it was warm. She wrapped it around her body and inhaled the hint of spicy cologne that came with it.
“Make yourself comfortable.”
She nodded and took a few steps forward. As she looked around, she realized that the cottage had only one room.
On her left, fairly close to the door, there was a sitting area facing the fireplace, a galley kitchen with a breakfast nook and a door she assumed led to the bathroom. The white-washed walls held various pen-and-ink drawings of landscapes, horses and mountains.
She pivoted to the right and spotted a small alcove with two steps leading up to an old-fashioned iron bed, covered in a thick ivory satin duvet.
Cozy was one word that came to mind.
The other caused her to bite her lip. She quickly turned back toward the living area. Austin was down on one knee, tending to the fire. The muscles beneath his shirt rippled under the white fabric as he arranged the kindling and the logs. Her breath caught in her throat as he struck a match and set the wood aflame.
But it wasn’t until Austin stood up, grasped his Stetson with one hand and placed it on a peg by the front door in one fell swoop, that she lost it. To her, that simple gesture meant that he was home, and just for tonight, she was right here with him.
“Why did you kiss me?” she blurted.
“I don’t know,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. “Why did you kiss me back?”
Laney opened her mouth, as if an explanation would simply form without any thought. Kissing Austin back wasn’t that simple. Neither was the reason.
She shrugged, a little too hard, and his tux jacket fell to the floor.
“I think we both need to find out,” he said, approaching her. “Don’t you?”
His low voice, a rich undercurrent to the pop and hiss of the kindling, made her knees shake.
A moment later, Laney felt herself nod, so intrigued by him that she found herself holding her breath as he unbuttoned his shirt.
He shed it quickly, not saying a word, not inviting her to look away. Somehow he knew that her eyes had been opened to something that needed to be explored.
The white T-shirt he wore cloaked those muscles that she knew were always there but could never touch. When he stood in front of her, so tantalizingly close, she couldn’t help herself. She reached out and ran a finger down the middle of his abdomen. The ridges there were tight and hard, yet pulsed with barely contained energy.
He groaned and his hands grasped her waist as he pulled her against him. At once, she pressed her lips firmly against his neck and froze, plying his salty skin with her tongue, while his fingers deftly manipulated the zipper of her evening gown. It slid to the floor and Austin stepped back, yet not so far that she couldn’t see the well of desire in his dark eyes as they swept over her lace bra and panties.
The answers they sought lay in the crackle of wood and the gentle hush of their breathing, yet for a moment, neither moved.
Austin took a step back, hesitating now, but Laney pulled him back, not willing to let him go.
For reasons she didn’t fully comprehend, she needed to know him. She needed to feel this. His hard length, still clothed, rolling against her bare stomach. She weaved her body against him until he grunted and threaded his fingers in her long hair. He kissed her deeply, his tongue on a mission with no map. She was his guide, opening herself to him, allowing him to drink of her, knowing innately that he would never be satisfied, wanting him to keep on needing.
His mouth worked down her neck, his fingers twisting in her bra straps, kneading her shoulders, unhooking her bra. That male energy pulsed tight against her, making her yearn to take him in her mouth, to feel that energy spread through her body.
He lifted his lips and his hands spanned her bare back, drawing her even closer to him, and her nipples rubbed against his bare chest.
Laney moaned and Austin lifted her up in his arms. She allowed herself to be carried by him, not fighting the primal urge to be dominated by this man.
She wanted this.
Although they couldn’t voice it to each other, deep down they had a common goal: to discover and to forget.
Austin laid her gently on the bed and she watched with wide eyes as he unzipped his trousers. Eased off his briefs. At the sight of him, she gasped. The length, wide as a river; smooth as glass on top, hard as a rock underneath, power coursing through unbidden. Her mouth began to water and she reached for him. Austin lay upon her, his smile almost imperceptible, his body elongated and seemed to never end. In the firelight, his skin was dark bronze, moist with sweat, firm with muscle. She trailed her fingers down his back and over his round buttocks and spread her legs in anticipation.
Their lips ground together again, tongues darting and playing, as they both sought to prolong their desire and their time together.
Austin’s fingers tweaked one of her nipples and she writhed beneath him, wanting more of his touch and more of him.
Sensing her need, he ended the kiss, cupped her breasts and lapped at her large nipples until they were hard. She looked down at the wet, swollen peaks and bit her bottom lip, as Austin pursed his lips and gently blew them dry.
Moving downward, Austin tongued her belly button, making her laugh. Her giggles quickly turned into gasps as he kissed her inner thighs, causing her muscles to quiver uncontrollably.
Laney moaned as his tongue hungrily darted across her skin, swirled briefly into her wet core, and out again, landing firmly on her ultra-sensitive pearl. Like a marionette on an invisible string, his gentle lips controlled her, beckoning her to buck. It only took a few moments and when she did, the satin sheets rolled underneath them. She cried out, fisting and clutching at the duvet, now a stage, barely able to contain her ecstatic agony.
After protecting them, Austin laid upon her once more, grunting low, murmuring softly in her ear. As he slowly, so slowly, inserted his length into her, she squeezed her eyes shut, her mouth going slack.
Laney opened her eyes and Austin stilled above her, breathing heavily, his arms stock-straight, palms flat against the mattress. The firewood shifted with a loud hiss, but neither of them flinched. His dark eyes gazed into hers and she bit her lip again at what she saw in them. No more a calm river, but a whirlpool of lust.
He began to move inside her so rapidly that she brought her hands to his massive shoulders, afraid she would fall off the bed. She tried to palm them, but gave up and settled on his shoulder blades. When she found a spot, she held on, like a mountain climber grasping sheer, slick rock, never letting go, never looking down, for fear of dying.
Her hair fell down around her face and she thrashed her head from side to side, moaning. She opened her legs wider, so Austin could climb higher, bore deeper.
He impaled her as his own, over one erotic threshold and then another, scaling and moving together, until she cried out again, desperate for more.
The freedom Austin was giving her, those undulating waves that were no match against fear, taking her outside of herself as their mutual pleasure rose to almost unbearable heights.
“Don’t hold back, Laney,” he urged, breathing hard. He found her lips and groaned. “Because I can’t.”
His neck corded as he slammed into her one last time and lifted his face to the sky. His chin jutting forth, eyes squeezed shut, as he froze in place.
Laney opened and closed her legs around his waist, and then finally locked them around his slick body. She moved her hips greedily to claim every drop that poured forth.
Emptying him.
Filling her.
So forbidden, so wanton, so unbelievably good.
The fire continued to crackle, and the beads of sweat that rolled from their bodies did not dampen their desire. No longer uncertain and not wanting to waste another moment, Laney and Austin began to eagerly explore each other again. Neither one considered, nor cared, what the new year would bring.
Chapter 1
“It was the kiss that changed everything,” Laney whispered.
Stella Rose nuzzled her neck. Named after her favorite lead character from the play A Streetcar Named Desire, and her favorite flower, Stella Rose was Laney’s prized thoroughbred and her closest confidante.
“Not yours, silly,” Laney exclaimed, giggling. “Austin’s!”
She gently patted Stella’s chestnut mane. “Only you know how I truly feel about him,” she whispered. “That’s a secret between us girls.”
Her newly minted sister-in-law, Brooke, who’d married Laney’s older brother Jameson, knew the biggest secret of all.
Laney was four months pregnant with Austin’s child.
All because of one night that she would never forget.
Ever since New Year’s Eve, Austin was the focus of her dreams, and they were naughty indeed. So much so, she’d often wake up in a sweat and it was difficult to control her thoughts for the remainder of the day.
But if she were honest with herself, the fact was that on most days she didn’t know how she felt about Austin. Only that she was scared to tell him the truth. First, she had to get through the process of telling her family.
“I sure wish they were as easy to talk to you as you are, Stella.” She grabbed the leather reins. “Come on, girl. Let’s get you groomed before you get as antsy as I am.”
Laney’s boots made a sucking sound as she led the horse through the pasture. Spring and early summer was rainy season in Montana. It was great for the soil and the vegetation, but terrible for her long, straight hair, which she kept tucked up under her taupe cowboy hat to try to avoid the frizzies.
When she reached the rough-hewn log fence, she leaned against it and took in the blessings before her eyes.
She had her own home on the huge Broward family homestead, complete with a large stable and plenty of pasture for her horses to graze. The white square-shaped clapboard farmhouse, circa 1930, was just the right size and suited her ideal of “organized simplicity.” Beyond, prairie grasses swayed gently as far as she could see. Farther still, a ridge of mountains jutted against the blue sky.
But it was the air she loved the most. Breathe in clean, fresh Montana air and everything seemed right again. At least for a little while.
Laney unhitched the fence gate and led Stella Rose out of the paddock. She was almost inside the barn when she heard tires crunching on the long gravel driveway.
She looked up and saw Brooke approaching. Everyone she knew in Granger had a truck or an SUV and at least one horse. Brooke had all three, plus a Jeep, the vehicle that she was slowly driving into the clearing just to the left of the stable.
“Hey,” Laney called out, patting her waist. Even though she was wearing jeans one size larger, she was oddly relieved that there was barely a bulge. It had become a habit to check and she was glad to know that even this far along, she still wasn’t showing.
Keeping a firm grip on the reins, she drew Stella Rose to one side and patted her nose with her other hand to calm her. Although with her ranch hands coming and going, the horse was used to cars in close proximity, Laney wasn’t taking any chances. Horses startled easily, sometimes for reasons that only they knew.
Brooke exited the car. “Hay is for horses,” she quipped, tossing her long curls over her shoulder.
Laney rolled her eyes. “Ha-ha. You creative types have the corniest sense of humor.”
Brooke, in jeans and an oversize yellow button-down shirt with a clay stain on it, put her hands on her slim hips. “That reminds me. Did I ever tell you the one about the elderly printmaker and the nude model?”
Laney held up her hand. “No, and please don’t. I’m pregnant, remember? My stomach is very sensitive.”
She loosened the cinch that secured the saddle. “Now enough with the jokes. Come help me get Stella Rose settled. She and I just finished a nice ride. It’ll be our last...until the baby comes.”
At the thought of not riding her horses for another five months, something welled up in her throat. The further along she got in her pregnancy, the more risks there were with riding, and at her last visit, her doctor had ordered her to stop.
Her eyes burned with tears and she turned so Brooke couldn’t see her face as she led Stella Rose away.
Riding was her life, and although the safety of her baby was her number one priority now, the sacrifice still hurt. She just needed some time to get used to it.
Back in the stall, Brooke’s hazel eyes flitted down to her abdomen. Laney wanted to squirm with unease. She guessed she’d have to get used to people looking at her stomach all the time, too.
She led Stella Rose into her stall, unbridled her and put on her halter.
Brooke followed. “Is everything okay? I haven’t seen you in a while and I’ve been worried.”
Laney took off Stella Rose’s cinch and hung it on a hook outside the stall, warming at the sentiment. Her initial reaction to Brooke’s sudden marriage to Jameson had not been positive. However, she’d lived up to her role as the “neutral” and “quiet” one in the Broward family and had not said a word.
Now she was glad she hadn’t voiced her opinion. If she had, she and Brooke would not be on their way to becoming good friends.
Laney nodded. “Yes, I saw my OB-GYN last week and he says everything looks good.”
“I’ll say it is. You’re not even showing yet,” Brooke said, admiringly.
For Laney, not showing early in her pregnancy was a blessing. It had given her some time to try to figure things out, without her family poking their noses into her life. Unfortunately, her answers only led to more difficult questions. One of which was how in the world was she going to raise her child alone?
“Yet is the operative word,” Laney emphasized. “The doctor says I could start to pop at any time.”
“Even so, I hope when I get pregnant, I’ll be as lucky and as beautiful as you are.”
Laney blushed and laughed. “Thanks. And I’m hoping to be an auntie sooner, rather than later.”
Brooke looked away, as if she were embarrassed. “I’ll get back to you on that. Jameson and I are just enjoying being a married couple right now. Throwing children into the mix would only complicate things.”
“Tell me about it,” Laney muttered.
In an instant, she felt ashamed at her statement. Although she was starting to get more excited about the baby as the days went on, she still felt guilty about keeping the little one a secret from her family for so long.
As for Austin, he was too busy traveling the world to even care about what was happening with her, not to mention the town of Granger.
Just last week, her father, Steven Broward, the most powerful man in Granger and one of the wealthiest in the state, mentioned that he had emailed Austin a few newspaper articles about all the land grabbing that was going on in Granger. Laney wasn’t at all surprised that her father had yet to receive a response.
Of course, Laney knew that not answering an email did not mean that Austin was unfit to be a parent. That would be ludicrous. But it did speak volumes about how easy it was for Austin to ignore her father, even though he had conducted business with the Broward family.
Or maybe Austin was trying to send the message that the Browards themselves didn’t matter, neither did the land grabbers and least of all, Laney. Although he’d contacted her a few times the week after their evening together, she hadn’t heard from him since.
Laney took off Stella Rose’s saddle and handed it to Brooke.
“I’m sorry. That didn’t come out right. I’m happy about the baby. It’s just that—”
“Nobody can blame you for being upset,” Brooke interrupted. She wiped the saddle down with a towel before placing it on a shelf. “You’re going to be a single mom. That’s a situation that would be difficult for anyone to face.”
Laney took off the saddle blanket. It was a little damp from the ride, so she hung it over the stall door to dry.
She sighed. “Yeah. I’m dealing with things the best I can.”
In truth, Laney was scared to death, but she tried not to think about it. If she did, she would never be able to gain enough courage to tell her family.
Laney grabbed a clean towel off a hook and started to wipe the saddle marks off Stella Rose’s back.
Brooke frowned. “Where’s Trey? Do you really have to do all this work?”
Trey Dawson, Laney’s equine manager, was in charge of running the stable and taking care of her seven horses. He also assisted with her breeding program, everything from fielding calls from interested buyers to monitoring test tubes.
Laney walked around Stella so she could rub down her other side. “He has the morning off. Besides, I can still groom my horses. It relaxes me. And Stella Rose is special to me.”
Stella Rose, the foal of Daphne Blue and Dante’s Inferno, both champions, was a beautiful chestnut thoroughbred. As her beloved horse had grown to adulthood, Laney had gotten closer and closer to her until one day she’d decided that she would never sell her or breed her. After her gold medal win, Stella was officially retired and seemed perfectly content to spend her days grazing and eating.
Laney raised an eyebrow. “You may not be a horse breeder, but you’re a rancher, just like I am. Do you mean to tell me that when you get pregnant, you’re going to stop being who are?”
Brooke paused. “I may be a rancher, but my heart is in being an artisan. When I have a baby, I certainly wouldn’t stop doing pottery.”
Laney pointed her towel at Brooke. “That’s what I’m talking about. Women don’t have to change who they are just to have a baby.”
Brooke nodded in agreement. “You’re right. I’m just worried about you, that’s all. When you told me you thought you’d had a miscarriage early on in your pregnancy, I—”
Laney wiped Stella Rose’s face, ignoring her neigh of disapproval. “Well, I didn’t,” she stated firmly. “I was mistaken and I’m fine.”
Brooke cocked her head to the side. “I wouldn’t expect anything less from a gold medalist,” she teased, trying to lighten the mood.
Laney laughed and tossed the towel into a basket outside the stall to be washed later. She started to check Stella Rose’s hooves for any rocks or pebbles that may have gotten in them during their ride.
“Where do you keep that thing anyway? Hidden in some hay?” Brooke asked. She looked around, pretending like she was on a hunt to find Laney’s gold medal.
Laney cast a secretive smile. “Don’t worry. It’s in a very safe place.”
Satisfied that her horse was appropriately groomed, she undid the halter. Both women laughed when Stella Rose immediately started nibbling at the hay pile in the corner.
They exited the stall and Laney secured the latch. Stella Rose’s ears pricked up at the sound.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart,” Laney cooed lovingly. “When Trey gets back in a little while, he’ll put you out in the pasture with everyone else. You need some time to cool down now, okay?”
Stella Rose stared at her owner and then dipped her head back down to her food.
Brooke giggled. “Good thing I speak horse, too. Otherwise—”
“You’d think I was crazy?”
Brooke nodded. “I haven’t gotten to the point where I talk to my pottery,” she joked. “And I hope I never will!”
They both roared with laughter as they walked outside.
“So, did you find anything out from Jameson? What’s the deal with the family meeting?”
Brooke pulled her hair back in a loose ponytail. “Other than more talk about the land-grabbers in Granger, he doesn’t know.”
Leave it to Jameson to have his head buried in the ground, Laney thought. Her brother wouldn’t know gossip if it hit him in the face.
“I bet Jameson will be the first one at the meeting,” Laney said wryly. “We both know how he feels about strangers buying up our town.”
Brooke nodded. “He’s a real hometown boy. He loves ranching and the town of Granger so much.”
“You know that better than anyone,” Laney replied.
Brooke’s family, the Palmers, were ranchers, too, but certainly not at the same level as the Browards, both land and profitwise.
She still couldn’t believe Jameson had married Brooke just so that she could keep her half of the family ranch. Due to an odd codicil in Brooke’s father’s will, Brooke had to be married to inherit her half of Palmer Ranch. And even though Brooke had no real interest in ranch life, she had felt compelled to carry out her father’s wishes.
Laney adored the BWB Heritage Ranch, the formal name for the Browards’ massive estate, but would she marry a man she hardly knew just to keep it in the family? She doubted it.
“Is Jameson still hoping to buy Meredith’s portion of the Palmer Ranch?” Laney asked.
Brooke’s sister, Meredith, who was estranged from the family and already married, owned the other half of the Palmer Ranch. Laney knew that Jameson wanted to purchase all of Meredith’s acreage in order to prevent Samara Lionne, one of Hollywood’s biggest movie stars, from buying it for herself.
Brooke nodded. “Yes, but he hasn’t had much luck yet. He’s really worried that Samara will one day own the entire town of Granger, and to tell you the truth, so am I.”
“My father has voiced the same concern,” Laney said. “He’s still hurt that Wes sold all of his land to her. Plus, there’s been no word on what she plans to do with it, so it’s a huge mystery. Not to mention the fact that no one knows what Wes is planning on doing with his life, now that he’s decided to stop being a rancher.”
Wes, Laney’s older brother, who was once dubbed one of Montana’s Most Eligible Ranchers, seemed to have his sights set on living and earning a living anywhere but Granger. He and his new fiancée, Lydia, who was Samara’s former assistant, had spent the past few weeks traveling in Europe. Their next move and the overall drama that had plagued the town for the past several months were the subject of many spirited conversations around the Broward family dinner table.
Laney and Brooke sauntered out of the barn to the fence, taking their time to enjoy the feel of the spring breeze against their skin. They were both country girls at heart. There was no need to rush. Not when everything around them was so beautiful and peaceful.
“I don’t think Jameson will ever truly forgive Wes for selling off his portion of the Broward land to Samara,” Brooke noted. “I’m sure my sister will sell Samara her half of the Palmer Ranch eventually.”
Laney turned toward her. “Why would Meredith do that?”
Brooke leaned against the fence and snorted. “Why wouldn’t she? She hasn’t set foot in Granger in ages! Plus, Jameson found out that Samara is offering way over market value for the land. My sister has never been one to turn down lots of cold hard cash.”
Laney sighed. “Wes can be the same way. Hopefully, married life will soften him and help him rearrange his priorities. I love my brothers and I can’t stand when they disagree. I know their little feud keeps my mom up at night. And my dad, he just retreats into his office in the barn.”
It hurt Laney’s heart to fathom the stress she was about to unleash on her mother and father. They were older now, and although they were still incredibly active, Laney worried about how everything that was going on in their lives was affecting their health. If anything happened to her parents, she didn’t know what she would do!
Brooke cleared her throat, interrupting Laney’s mental stewing.
“Jameson did tell me that you hired a private investigator, but he wouldn’t tell me why. Care to spill the beans?”
Laney glanced away and took in a deep breath of air, which normally would clear her mind, but now it only made her thoughts more muddy.
How could you, Jameson? she thought. She should have known better than to trust her brother with a secret. He was so damn honorable sometimes.
She turned back to Brooke. “He wouldn’t tell you why because he doesn’t know the reason. It’s my business,” she stated, struggling to keep her voice even. She didn’t want to offend Brooke, but she had to ask the question.
“As is my baby. Please tell me you didn’t tell Jameson my secret,” she implored.
“No! I didn’t tell him anything,” said Brooke in a shocked voice. “But after all that he and I went through to be together, we’ve had enough secrets to last us a lifetime. And we really don’t need any more.”
Laney bit her lower lip. “I know. I’m sorry to have put you in such an awkward position. I don’t want anything to come between you and Jameson. You guys are perfect for each other.”
Brooke crossed her arms. “Believe me, I can understand why you want to keep this all a secret. But when are you going to tell your family, Laney? And more important, when are you going to tell him?”
Him.
Austin. The man who was no more than a family friend was now more intertwined with the Browards than anyone realized.
Laney leaned over the railing. “Today. At the family meeting. Everyone will be there and you’re right. It’s time.”
She stared down at her riding boots, caked with mud. Just thinking about telling her parents and her brothers that she was pregnant made her want to saddle up Stella Rose and ride off into the sunset.
Unfortunately, she wasn’t sure that this time there would be a happy ending.
Chapter 2
By the time Laney arrived at the BWB Ranch that afternoon, she felt like she was experiencing morning sickness all over again. It was more than just a queasy stomach. There was the sense that something profound was going to happen and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
With one hand on her stomach and the other on the steering wheel, she eased her truck down the winding driveway. She drove as slow as her grandfather, who preferred the other kind of horsepower, and just as cautiously.
The Browards’ opulent lodge-style estate often attracted tourists, and out of habit, she ducked her head down a little to avoid being seen. However, today there was no one ogling, no one asking for autographs and no pushy photographers. For once, she wished there were so she could turn around and drive back home.
She pulled her truck around back, joining the other vehicles that were already there. Chokecherry bushes, neatly groomed, lined the private redbrick walkway to the garden entrance of the estate.
She got out and inhaled the sweet scent of lily of the valley, already blooming due to the pervasive rains that had assaulted Granger off and on for the past few weeks. Their delicate white petals were a cheery contrast to the still overcast skies.
She bit her lip and opened the door, but no one was there. Many of the more informal family gatherings were held around the enormous pine table in the kitchen. This meeting must be more serious, she thought, as she hurried through the dining room and to the Great Room.
When she arrived, everyone was seated, but no one was talking and no one looked happy.
Resisting the urge to put her hand on her stomach, she forced herself to walk down the two steps into what, on any other day, was her favorite room in the house. Now it felt like she was stepping into a ticking time bomb.
She popped a smile onto her face. “Why are we meeting in here today and not the kitchen?”
No one answered.
“Okay. Let me guess. Did Dad threaten to cook again?”
Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, making the room seem too bright. It was so quiet that she could hear the birds chirping outside.
Her stomach tightened again. “What’s wrong with everybody?”
Wes and Jameson looked at each other and snickered a little. Although Laney was glad to see that that they seemed to have put their disagreements aside, she had hoped it wouldn’t be in solidarity against her.
Gwendolyn, her mother, sat stone-faced in her favorite chair, and seemed to be waiting for something.
Her father strode up to Laney and thrust a newspaper in her face.
“This is what’s wrong,” he snapped. “Take a good look.”
LANEY BROWARD’S BABY BUMP?
Surely that can’t be me? Laney thought, her throat constricting in panic.
But there was no mistaking the headline plastered all over the front page of the Granger Daily News. It was as clear as the natural springs that dotted the Broward homestead, and as noxious as cow patties.
Even though she had her sunglasses on, the photo in the newspaper was also a dead giveaway. Her signature long hair, cowboy boots and the soon to be not-so-skinny jeans were her standard wardrobe.
Laney took a belated step back in shock. She’d been so careful, but obviously something had gone wrong.
She took hold of the newspaper and her heart thumped in her chest as she read the article.
Laney Broward, one of Granger’s most celebrated citizens and the daughter of Steven and Gwendolyn Broward, two of the wealthiest people in the state, was recently spotted in Bozeman, emerging from the office of Dr. Martin McCreedy, a prominent obstetrician who is known for treating Montana’s richest women.
Sources close to Ms. Broward, who is a successful horse breeder, reveal that she is currently studying for a master’s degree in animal science at Bozeman University. But we have to wonder...is she also enrolled in Parenting 101?
Despite the blaring headline, Laney opened her mouth in protest. But before she could say a word, her father grabbed the paper out of her hands.
“Don’t worry. I’ve already called our attorneys,” he sputtered, crumpling the evidence of her indiscretion in one large hand. “We’ll slap a libel suit on them quicker than the Granger Parks & Recreation Department can build a stop light!”
Wes sat up on the couch. “Hey, Dad, don’t tear up that paper. I want to scan it and post it to Laney’s Wikipedia page.”
Jameson took out his phone. “And I’ll take a picture of it and post it on Facebook. Maybe it will go viral!”
Her brothers high-fived and began to laugh hysterically.
Laney moved past her father and glared at her older brothers. They’d had a habit of picking on her when they were younger, and they still hadn’t grown out of it. She’d never been one to fight, but right now they were both asking for it. If only she wasn’t pregnant and if only her mother hadn’t taught her that ladies never raise their hands—except in class or in prayer.
She clenched her fists. “It’s not funny!”
Her grandfather, Charles Broward, the heart and soul of the family, shuffled into the room. He wore his trademark plaid flannel shirt and well-worn blue jeans, except he called them “dungarees,” and a deep scowl.
“What’s all the commotion about?” he roared, scratching at his chin. “You boys sound like two drunk roosters crowing at dawn.”
“Wiki-what?” Steven asked, knitting his brows in confusion.
Both of his sons roared even harder in amusement at their grandfather’s witticisms and their father’s lack of internet knowledge.
Steven whistled through his teeth. “Listen, Wes. I know you just got back from God-knows-where and, Jameson, you’re still high on life from your honeymoon, but, boys, this is no time for jokes. Right, Laney?”
She turned toward Gwendolyn, who was still sitting silently, a grim look on her face. Their eyes met and Laney saw that not only did her mother sense what was going on, she was very disappointed.
Laney’s heart sank, her anger at her brothers chased away by her mother’s disapproval.
“You’re right. This isn’t the time for jokes,” she replied quietly, never taking her eyes away from Gwen. “Especially when there’s a child at stake.”
Her mother covered her hand with her mouth and looked like she was about to cry.
Steven slammed his fist on a small table behind the sofa and tried to smooth out the wrinkles in the newspaper, as if by doing so he could erase the words that could destroy everything he, his father and his great-grandfather, Silas Broward, had built over the past one hundred years.
Jameson slipped his phone back into his pocket. He and Wes looked at each other guiltily, and then at their mother, who continued to frown and say nothing. Grandpa Charles whistled low and slumped against the wall.
And the only sound in the room was the gentle whir of the ceiling fans ten feet above their heads, as her father tried to change what could never be undone.
“I can explain,” Laney said quietly. She stared down at the polished wood floors, barely breathing.
Her father looked up from the wrinkled newspaper. “You better,” he replied through gritted teeth. His brows knit together and Laney could see that he was struggling not to shout. “Because we all deserve to know.”
“Go ahead, honey,” her mother urged, her voice remarkably steady. “We’re all listening.”
Laney took a deep breath and willed herself not to cry. She had to stay strong for herself and her baby.
“What the paper says is true. I’m pregnant.”
“Oh, my Lord,” Gwendoyln uttered. Her eyes slid shut at the pain she heard in her daughter’s voice.
Steven crumpled up the paper again, this time using both fists.
“Well. I’ll. Be. Damned.”
Wes elbowed Jameson. “So little miss perfect finally got herself knocked up.”
“Yeah,” Jameson snorted. “The only question I have is, who’s the baby daddy?”
Laney whipped around on her heels and stared at her brothers in disbelief at their reaction to her uncomfortable announcement. Gwendolyn clapped her hands, the sound so loud it echoed in the high-ceilinged room.
“Boys! I’m ashamed of you.” She spoke sharply, but somehow managed not to raise her voice. “I know this news is a huge shock to all of us, but this is my house and we’re still going to talk to each other and treat each other with respect.”
“Well said,” Grandpa Charles asserted with a stern glare at his grandsons.
Her brothers hung their heads in shame. “Sorry, Mama,” each muttered, one after the other.
Laney knew that deep down, Wes and Jameson loved her. They just never realized how much their teasing could hurt, and she knew that they probably never would.
Steven dumped the paper into a nearby trash can. “Well, Laney, should I call the lawyers and have them switch from pursuing a libel suit to chasing a paternity suit? Or are you going to tell us who the father is?”
Laney froze. She knew that her parents had the right to know that Austin was the father of her baby. She even pursed her lips, but was unable to gather the strength to form his name. She knew it was silly, but uttering Austin’s name aloud to her family would somehow make the one night they’d spent together feel cheap. When in reality their lovemaking was anything but meaningless, at least to Laney.
Gwendolyn stood and walked over to her daughter.
“Let Laney speak. You’re not giving her a chance to tell us what’s going on.”
She held out her hand and Laney took it, feeling like a little girl, wanting and needing her mother’s love. They walked over to the sofa and sat down.
“Now, how far along are you?”
Laney slipped her hand away, suddenly ashamed.
“Four months. The picture in the newspaper must have been taken after my last appointment with Dr. McCreedy.”
“Why didn’t you tell us?” Gwen put her arm around her shoulders, and Laney felt like crying again.
“I wanted to, Mom. I really did,” she choked out, struggling to keep her emotions encased in her heart.
“But with Wes and Lydia’s engagement, and then Jameson and Brooke’s wedding, plus everything else going on, it never seemed like the right time.”
She looked into her mother’s eyes, pleading with her to understand. “I’m sorry you had to find out like this. I’m sorry that I brought all this trouble and—”
Her words were cut off by the sound of the doorbell and everything stopped. Except the guilt. It reverberated throughout Laney’s body, like a harsh, recurring chime, an ache of warning.
“Are you expecting anyone, Gwendolyn?” Steven asked.
“No, I’m not.”
He turned to Wes. “Get the door,” he ordered. “Whoever it is, get rid of them. We still have a lot to discuss here.”
No one spoke, but if they had, it wouldn’t have broken the thick net of tension in the room. When Wes returned a minute or so later, all eyes were on their guest: Austin Johns.
What was he doing in Granger?
“Look what the tumbleweed rolled in,” joked Wes, glad to have a break from his sister’s latest drama.
Laney’s mouth parted at the sight of him. He wore neatly pressed khakis, a light blue button-down shirt and a very unfriendly frown.
Her eyes traced his lips and she distinctly remembered how they felt upon her skin, erupting the same passion that stirred within her now.
Laney noticed right away that he avoided looking at her, even though where she was sitting with her mother was directly opposite him. In fact, he seemed to be looking right through her.
I might as well be invisible, she thought.
In a way, it was good, and she quickly tried to think of a plan to escape this uncomfortable scene without arousing suspicion.
Laney straightened her body ever-so-slightly, so that her mother would not notice, even though inside, she wished she could flatten herself like a cartoon character and slide beneath the seat cushions.
Gwendolyn rose and went to greet him. “Austin! What a pleasant surprise.”
Austin swept his Stetson from his head and bowed. “Hello, Mrs. Broward.”
He turned and stuck out his hand. “Mr. Broward. I’m so sorry to disturb you on a Sunday afternoon, sir.”
“Austin,” Steven said, returning the gesture brusquely. His eyes slanted distractedly toward the trash container and then back again. “What can we do for you?”
“Are you here to discuss your horses?” Gwendolyn asked. “I hear you purchased a new foal. I’d love to hear more.”
Austin smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I have, and he’s a beautiful animal. As much as I’d like to, I’m not here to talk about my recent acquisitions.”
He turned toward Laney and her heart beat faster, yet his dark eyes regarded her with muted interest, as if she were no more than a mannequin in a department store window.
“Instead I was wondering if I might have a private word with Laney.”
Even though his eyes were on her, the question seemed as though it was addressed to her parents, as if she were a child.
Laney felt her stomach burn at Austin’s arrogance. Didn’t she have any say in the matter?
Anxiety sluiced through her insides. What could he possibly want to talk about?
She hadn’t seen him since New Year’s Eve. Though she’d dreamed about him frequently, she wasn’t sure she wanted to see the father of her baby, or be alone with him.
He deserves to know.
Laney pushed the thought to the back of her mind.
Not now. Not here!
Steven crossed his arms and twisted his chin toward his wife. Gwendolyn shrugged, as baffled as her husband.
Austin was businesslike and professional, just as he normally was, yet the tone of his voice and his polite yet distant manner seemed imbued with deeper purpose.
They could count on two fingers the times when Austin had been at the Granger homestead and had not wanted to talk about horses. Both were after he had suffered some unfortunate losses in his stables. He’d come to Gwendolyn and Steven, fellow ranchers and horse breeders, not so much for advice, but for comfort.
This third time was different and they both knew it, but they had no idea why.
After an awkward pause, Gwendolyn spoke first. “Well, if it’s okay with Laney...”
“It’s fine, Mama,” Laney told her mother firmly, even though it wasn’t.
She stood, her knees wobbling a bit. The spring mini-dress she wore wasn’t form-fitting. It had tiny pink roses on a black background that hid any pudginess around her middle. But she still had to resist the urge to run her hand across her abdomen to check if she was showing.
Her father sat down in a wide leather chair. “Make it quick,” he grumbled, sounding defeated. “Remember, we’re in the middle of a family meeting and we all have a lot more to discuss.”
Laney avoided looking at her older brothers, still upset by their teasing. “I’m sure we won’t be long,” she replied as she walked out of the room.
Only as long as it took to make sure that Austin stayed out of her and her baby’s life.
* * *
Austin watched Laney’s slender frame carefully as she led him to another part of the house. He had to hand it to her—she certainly didn’t look pregnant.
Her dress, which fell midthigh, swished across her long, bare legs. He let the memories flow back and he felt himself go hard, remembering their feverish lovemaking. How her thighs had locked around his torso, as he’d charged like a train roaring through the night, as if she’d wanted him to stay there forever. And he would have, had she not let him go.
Austin was glad Laney couldn’t look at his face right now and see how much he still wanted her. Being this close after so many months apart was like seeing a mirage in the desert. Thirsty with a lust he’d tamped down for months, he welcomed the sight of her, despite the fact that he was angry.
Maybe it’s not true.
Austin wedged the paper even farther under his arm. That’s what he was here to find out, and he wasn’t going to let his attraction to her distract him from finding out the truth.
He didn’t know if the Browards had seen the headline yet. When he’d read it that morning, he was so shocked that he nearly choked on his protein shake. He had to talk to Laney before they did. His whole future depended on it.
“Where are we headed?”
Laney tossed her long brown hair over her shoulder. “To the library. It’s in another wing of the house. We’re almost there.”
“No worries,” he responded. It gave him more time to enjoy the view, as she moved down the hall with athletic grace.
Hadn’t he read somewhere that women got wider when they were carrying a baby? Laney appeared to be the same size and beautiful shape that she’d been on New Year’s Eve. Of course, he’d have to feel her to find out and he wouldn’t have any problem doing that experiment. Austin wasn’t the type to beg. However, if that’s what it took to be with Laney again, he just might.
Seconds later, they arrived and he waited while Laney opened the mahogany double doors.
He stepped inside the room. It was wall-to-wall books, but he was willing to bet that none of them contained the secret to winning this woman’s heart.
She eased the doors shut, turned and crossed her arms. “What are you doing in Granger?” Her words tumbled out of her mouth, as if she were in a rush. She hadn’t even bothered to offer him a seat.
But Austin had all the time in the world.
He took the paper from under his arm and unfolded it. He’d only brought the front page. It was the only section that mattered.
Austin held the newspaper in front of him and watched her stare at it without blinking. And when her brown eyes moved to his face, he ignored the pull of desire.
Then he pointed at her belly. It was time to stop being polite. It was time for answers.
“It’s mine, isn’t it?”
“You can’t possibly believe—”
He strode up to her and held the paper next to his ear.
“Just answer the question, Laney.”
She turned away from him, refusing to look at it. “You’re being ridiculous. How can you believe that trash?”
“It’s mine, isn’t it,” he repeated in a clipped voice. “How far along are you?”
She swiveled around and folded her arms at her chest.
“Wow, Austin. You don’t say hi or ‘How do you do,’” she said coolly. “You just storm into my life with a question that’s out of context and quite frankly, none of your business.”
He tossed the paper down on the leather couch. It immediately slid to the floor, the headline mocking them both. Even so, both were prideful and neither of them moved to pick up the newspaper.
His eyes flitted down to her stomach and immediately back up to her face.
“Let me paint a picture for you. New Year’s Eve. You and me. In my bed. Banging each other like it was Armageddon outside and we were the last two people on earth. Is that enough context for you?”
Her eyes flickered with subdued rage. “How dare you! Is that all that night was to you? You screwing me like an oversexed frat boy?”
She spun around and his groin tightened as he watched her walk away.
God, no, he wanted to yell. One night with her had changed his whole life, but he knew she wasn’t ready to hear that yet, much like he wasn’t quite ready to completely believe it himself.
He hadn’t touched another woman since, even though he’d had plenty of opportunities. Abstinence wasn’t his strong suit and he still wasn’t completely used to it. But a man could change, for the right woman, and that’s what he was here to find out.
There’s still so much I don’t know about her.
“Now, I’m going to ask you one more time. Is the baby mine?”
He tightened his jaw and waited. After a few moments, he strode over to where she stood by the window and touched her elbow.
She twisted away roughly, as if her skin were on fire.
“Four months,” she hissed.
His mouth dropped open. “Wh-what?”
For once, he was able to push the sensual memories of Laney out of his mind, so he could do the math.
“Four months,” she repeated more curtly. “That’s the answer to your question.”
Austin stared at her, stomach roiling, his mind almost numb with shock. He was glad he’d skipped lunch.
“So it is mine.”
His voice sounded garbled in his ears, as if his words were spoken underwater.
Laney tilted her chin up. “Correction,” she asserted. “It’s mine. This baby doesn’t concern you.”
If her defiant tone was meant to let him off the hook, it backfired. Instead, it only served to anger him.
He squared his hands on his hips. “What are you talking about, Laney? I’m the father.”
Her eyes crept over his body, as if she still couldn’t believe it was true, making him contemplate the gravity of that one word:
Father.
That one word led to a world of diapers and daycare and sleepless nights. It also led to Laney.
Her shoulders slumped in defeat. “This wasn’t supposed to happen, okay? I was protected. You were protected.”
She stared at him and shook her head, before facing the window and closing her eyes. Austin wondered what was going through her mind. Had she thought about him since?
That night, neither of them was drunk. They were both fully cognizant of what they wanted and what they were doing.
Austin hadn’t bothered to ask if she were on birth control, he’d just used a condom as he always did. It was just the right thing to do.
But something must have gone wrong.
He thought back to the utter veracity of their coupling. It was like he’d lost his mind or something and she’d kept urging him to go faster and faster, and plunge deeper and deeper. Willingly he’d complied. All night and far into the morning until she’d said goodbye and he’d never heard from her again.
He swallowed hard as his desire for her once again swept through him. How he longed to place his hands on her bare legs, lift her dress and—
Austin cleared his throat and forced himself to concentrate. “It wasn’t supposed to happen, but it did. The question now is—what are we going to do about it?”
She glanced back over her shoulder. “We aren’t going to do anything. I’m not holding you to any obligation here. It happened. Let’s just leave it at that, okay?”
He arched a brow at Laney’s tone, hardly believing that she could be so casual about this situation. His question was a sensible one. Not only that, unlike the college frat boy that she obviously thought he was, it was responsible.
He stared at her. “Does your family know?”
She turned and nodded. “That’s what we were discussing when you came in.”
He took a deep breath. That’s what he’d been afraid of.
Steven and Gwendolyn Broward were powerful influencers in the Granger community and he’d heard that nothing worthwhile happened in town without their complete buy-in.
Steven had even emailed him some articles about a new influx of wannabe ranchers that could threaten their stronghold. However, even as an outsider looking in, based on his past dealings with them, he was confident that the Browards would prevail. He also had no doubt that the wealthy couple had the same strong influence on their family.
Suddenly, his heart clenched in his chest and he steeled himself to ask the most difficult question of all.
“You’re keeping it, right?”
Her eyes widened in shock. “Of course I am,” she cried out, aghast. “How could you even have the gall to ask me that? This baby is mine.”
Austin breathed an inward sigh of relief. “I didn’t mean to offend you, but you know I had to ask because this baby is my responsibility, too.”
A scowl marred her pretty face and he hated to see it. Would he ever be able to make her smile again?
“I don’t want anything from you, Austin.”
“That’s not what I mean and you know it. As the child’s father, I have legal rights, not to mention a moral obligation.”
Not to mention that I’m still attracted to you.
Still, having been played for a fool before, he had to be cautious. Due to the Broward family wealth, he was confident that Laney was not after his money, and right now, that’s all he had to give her.
His heart was off-limits.
He moved toward Laney, wanting to embrace her, unsure if she would accept him. He wasn’t about to go chasing after a woman who wasn’t interested in him. That is, unless that woman was carrying his child.
“Moral obligation aside,” Laney insisted, her voice tight. “It’s not like I can’t afford a baby. We’ll be fine.”
“That may be so,” he said, moving closer. “But I still want to help.”
Suddenly she whirled away, out of his reach, taking his gentle feelings with it.
“Stay away from me, Austin,” she warned, her brown eyes flashing dangerously. “Stay away from me. And my baby.”
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