Claiming The Cowgirl's Baby

Three

Pippa considered the empty space beside her on the bed. The spot was cold so Kade had likely been gone for some time. She couldn’t decide which was more awkward—waking up to the man she’d made love to for the first time, or waking up to his absence. Their relationship had changed—obviously—but for better or worse?

She listened but caught no sounds. Pushing off the covers, she rolled out of bed and stood, waiting to see if her head was going to cooperate this morning. For the first time in over a week, she had no vestiges of a headache lurking. Excellent. She grabbed her clothes and scuttled into the bathroom. She freshened up, using her finger for a toothbrush, dressed and headed toward the main part of the house. Which was empty. There was no sign of Kade but for a pot of hot coffee and a tented piece of paper propped up in front of it.

Opening cabinet doors until she found a mug, she poured a cup, rummaged for milk and sugar, fixed her coffee just the way she liked it and settled at the breakfast bar with Kade’s note in front of her. Pippa swallowed a few sips while working up her nerve to read it.

“You’re a big chicken,” she chided herself out loud. And she was. The fact that he hadn’t stuck around to face her the morning after—and they were in his house—didn’t bode well for their relationship to continue. If he was blowing her off, she’d have to figure out a way to salvage things. She still needed his expertise to get Camp Courage up and running.

Pippa stalled another couple of minutes while she fixed a second cup. Finally unable to put off the inevitable any longer, she opened the note.

Morning, Pip. You were sleeping sound so I didn’t wake you. I have some work this morning and need the early start. I left coffee. Hope it’s not too strong by the time you get up. Talk to you soon. KW

Well, alrighty then. Pippa had no idea what to think. It wasn’t a Dear Jane letter. Not exactly. But it wasn’t a declaration of undying love, either. Not that she really expected such a thing. She just wanted a chance to explore their relationship—especially after last night. Her whole body heated just thinking about it. He was... Her brain short-circuited and she puffed out a deeply feminine sigh of appreciation. He had real muscles and his hands were work-roughened. And his...oh yeah, his was something to behold. And enjoy. She thought about splashing cold water in her face then glanced at the paper on the breakfast bar.

She reread the note. He’d called her Pip. Which is what her best friend called her. Plus, it sounded like what a guy might call his best friend’s little sister. While Pippa might be an only child, her best friend, Carrie Longford, had two older brothers. Carrie had bemoaned the guy code loudly and often. Guys didn’t date their friend’s sisters. Nor did they date their sister’s friend. Good thing Pippa had never been attracted to Carrie’s brothers. But where did that leave her with Kade? She wasn’t in the sister zone. Was his reticence due to her friendship with Chase and Cash? He’d also written that he’d talk to her soon. What did that mean? She obviously needed her BFF’s advice.

She finished her coffee, rinsed out the mug and put it in the dishwasher. Her stomach rumbled from hunger. She also hadn’t mentioned she was on birth control in the heat of the moment, nor had he brought up the subject. Wondering if she should wait until he came back so they could talk, she stared out the window. Movement at the ranch office building drew her attention. Uh-oh. A black SUV was disgorging tall, handsome men. Four of them. The only Barron missing was Clay.

Yikes! She had to get out of here. She could avoid driving by the office, though it involved a circuitous route. Kade’s truck was still parked in front of the house and she figured the brothers would be headed here next. She located her purse and keys, glanced around to make sure no other evidence of her presence remained and boogied outside. She twisted the lock on the door handle, hoping it would secure the door, and pulled it shut behind her.

Skulking to her car, she scrunched down behind the wheel, started the engine and eased away from Kade’s house. Taking the back road toward the houses where other ranch hands lived, she eventually circled around toward the big house, gained the driveway and rocketed down it. Pippa didn’t take a deep breath until she’d hit the section line road headed toward I-35. Then she started laughing. She was so ridiculous sometimes.

* * *

Kade sat on his horse. The small hill gave him a good view of the ranch buildings on the left and the grass range where a herd of Black Angus cattle grazed. He’d ridden out before dawn looking for some peace. He hadn’t found it. He took off his Stetson and turned his face toward the sun. Wind teased his hair, loosening a few strands from the cord he used to tie it back.

He loved this land. Every scrap of it—the river to the south, the scrubby trees and rocky hills, the sweeping grasslands. He could admit to himself that he’d once wanted his own spread but after all the years here at the Crown B, this was home and he was satisfied. Until now.

Cyrus Barron. The man had been a master manipulator and he’d led Kade like a lamb to slaughter. Land management? You’re the expert, Kade. Cattle breeding program for high-yield, Grade A beef on the hoof? I trust you, Kade. Want a “super horse” stud? Do whatever you need, Kade. And he’d fallen right into the old man’s nasty web. Everything Kade worked for had been done to further the Barrons’ brand. And he’d been proud of what he’d achieved.

Then the truth came out.

Shoving the hat back on his head, he judged the time by the height of the sun on the eastern horizon. Was Pippa awake yet? And man, wasn’t that another can of worms he needed to sort out. He shoved that problem to the back of his mind. At the moment, he didn’t have the time or energy to sort out his feelings for Pippa. But he worried last night had been a mistake. A big mistake.

Kade shifted in the saddle to ease the pressure in his jeans. Physically, last night had been amazing. Emotionally? He wasn’t ready to go there. He liked Pippa. She was funny and cute and smart and sexy and sweet. Very sweet. She came from money—lots of it—and was the type of woman a Barron would date. Which brought him right back into that mental box he’d been trying to escape. He was a Barron. According to Cyrus’s will. But he wasn’t. He was Kaden Waite, half Chickasaw son of Rose Waite, grandson of William and Ramona Waite. He was a cattleman. He worked with his hands. He did not wear an expensive suit and tie.

But he’d put down roots in this place and it could all be his. His horse nickered and pawed the ground with a front foot. Kade loosened his grip on the reins. He’d freaked and stormed out of Barron Tower—and wasn’t that one of his finest moments. Not. He shook his head, feeling rueful. His half brothers had risen to their feet, all of them talking to him at once as he’d lost his cool. Chance had blocked the door, tried to manage the situation. Kade scrubbed at his face as he remembered the scene. He’d threatened to coldcock Chance if he didn’t get out of the way.

Chance held him in that conference room just long enough to say a few things—things he didn’t want to hear. Take some time, Chance had said. Think things over. Kade heard the murmurs of agreement coming from the rest of the Barron brothers. Yeah, easy for them to say. They’d grown up as Barrons, knew who and what they were.

Since coming to work at the ranch, he’d walked a fine line between employee and friend with the five brothers. Looking back, he recalled the sideways glances and the hints. They’d suspected all along and he’d been... What? An idiot? Stupid? Clueless? Pretty much. He’d definitely been blind. He was still too angry to call his mother and too unsure to call his grandparents.

How could she not tell him? And why hadn’t she gone after the sonavagun for child support? She’d worked hard all his life, sometimes two and three jobs until her paintings started to sell. His grandparents had all but raised him. All that time his father—Kade spit on the ground. Cyrus Barron had money. Lots of it. And he’d known of the bastard son living in Davis, Oklahoma.

The cell phone in his shirt pocket pinged. Jerking it out, he read the text from Selena Diaz, the ranch secretary. The Barron brothers had descended like locusts on the office. When was he coming back? He hated texting and she knew it. Stewing over whether to text back or call, and what to say, he chose to just ignore it.

He urged his horse off the hill and pointed him toward the far northwest side of the ranch. Selena’s husband Pedro and several other hands were moving cattle today. They needed supervision, he decided. There was something soothing about pushing cattle, even with the dirt and grit. Kade was good at this job. It settled him. He was desperate for that right now.

Six hours later, Selena caught him in the barn as he unsaddled his horse. She was full of sass as she stomped toward him, face twisted into her version of a snarl—mostly crinkled nose, pursed lips and narrowed eyes. She stopped several feet from him, planted her fists on her hips.

“Did you lose your phone?”

Kade didn’t look up. “No.” He carried the saddle and pad he’d just stripped off into the tack room and returned with a curry brush.

She opened her mouth to start again, but Kade beat her to the punch. “Don’t want to hear it, Leenie.”

“Seriously? Then don’t listen. Just stand there and don’t pay any attention to me while I talk.” When he continued brushing the horse, she launched into a speech. “Dude, you do not want to be jacking the brothers around. I know things have been really weird since Mr. Barron died. I mean the Crown B has always been sort of a...a sideline. Oh, sure, Cord was nominally in charge as president of Barron Land and Cattle but that was just a thing on a line of a corporate tax return because we all know he’s into all that oil and gas stuff. You have no idea how excited Pop was when old Mr. B hired you.”

Her father, Manuel Sanchez, was his ranch foreman now. Leenie and her sister, Rosalie, grew up on the Crown B. He tuned out her voice while he curried the horse. Then he turned his mount out in a big stall and set about watering and feeding the animal. Selena dogged him every step. He finally paid attention again when she grabbed his arm and jerked him around to face her.

“You could have at least replied to my text so I could tell them what was what so they’d get the heck out of my office. There was so dang much testosterone in the air even Dusty was hiding under my desk. What the heck is going on between you and them?”

Head lowered, he studied the tips of his boots. “Long story, Leenie.”

She ducked and twisted so she could look into his face. “They didn’t threaten to fire you or something, did they?”

How was he supposed to answer that? “Not your business.”

Leenie straightened and glowered. “Seriously? I work for you, dude. If you get fired, it is most definitely my business. And FYI, they’d be stupid if they did. I grew up on this ranch. I know what it was before. And what you’ve done with it? Absolutely no comparison, boss man.”

Kade removed his hat and scrubbed his fingers across the top of his head, loosening long strands of his hair. “It’s not my work ethic being questioned.”

“Then what the heck is going on?”

“Again, not your—”

“Business. Yeah, yeah. I call BS. I grew up with those five. Granted, I’m closer to the twins, but Cord and Chance spent a lot of time here too. You can talk to me, Kade. And if I can help, I will.”

Shaking his head, he stepped around her, though he wasn’t surprised when she pivoted and matched him stride for stride. He halted at the barn door, staring at the demarcation line in the dirt. Where he stood remained in shadow. One step and he’d be in sunlight. Was that a metaphor for something? He didn’t have the energy to be philosophical and he was tired of the emotions bottled up so tightly inside that his whole body hurt.

“I’m Cyrus Barron’s illegitimate son.”

Four

Selena stared at him, her eyes almost as wide as her gaping mouth. “Holy cow. Talk about dropping a bombshell! Do the boys know?” She grimaced and rolled her eyes. “Of course they know. Hence the rugby scrum in the office today. Dang, boss. Talk about a tangled web. When did you find out?”

“Yesterday.”

“Wow. Just...wow.” She pushed his arm aside and moved close, her arms snaking around him. “Welcome to the family.”

That startled him—both her action and her declaration. Leenie laughed and hugged him tighter as he tried to disengage. “I meant that in the figurative sense, not literally. Rosalie and I are sort of...” She smirked before finishing. “Kissing cousins.” Laughing, she added, “Big John caught us in the barn with the twins when we were kids.”

She turned him loose and stepped into the late afternoon sunshine. “When you’re ready to talk, I’ve got big ears and a closed mouth.” She offered a jaunty wave as she headed back to the office. He started to follow her. He probably had work piled up on his desk but he didn’t want to think about the ranch, the will, the Barrons or anything having to do with his predicament. He turned toward home. And stopped. That was the heart of the matter.

“It’s just a house,” he muttered, walking forward again. “Just a place where I sleep at night.”

Not surprisingly, Pippa’s Highlander was gone when he got there. That was a good thing, right? He didn’t want to deal with her, with the inevitable questions she would ask for which he had no answers. He stomped up the stone steps and across the wide porch to his front door. Kade pushed through and stopped. The place was empty—as it was every time he returned. Why it bothered him now, he couldn’t say. He hung his Stetson on the rack next to the door and headed to the kitchen. He’d missed lunch—his own fault. His stomach growled and he felt a little stupid for avoiding the Barrons. He still hadn’t listened to their voice mails on his phone.

He grabbed a TV dinner and tossed it in the microwave, then popped the top on a long-neck beer. Retrieving his phone, he stared at the number of missed messages. He’d finished the beer by the time the oven dinged. He snagged another beer, peeled the plastic off his dinner and prepared to listen to what the Barrons had to say. He clicked on the speaker icon and opened voice mail.

“This is Chance. I wish you’d stayed to talk with us, Kade. I know this is a shock. Let’s discuss things.”

“Clay here. Welcome to the family, Kade. Talk to Chance.”

“Dude, don’t be stupid, says your big brother Cord. We’re here when you’re ready.”

“Don’t make me hunt you down.” There was laughter and somebody said Cash’s name. “Seriously, let’s go get a beer, talk about this.”

“Kade, this is Chase. Bad news, bud. You realize the wives are gonna be all over this. Fair warning. You know where to find me when you’re ready.”

Huh. Nothing at all like what he’d expected. He knew what the Crown B was worth. Millions. Why wouldn’t they be upset at losing control of that kind of money? Wouldn’t he, if he was in their shoes?

The messages from the Barrons continued in a round robin, before clicking over to the angry then conciliatory messages from Pippa. A stab of guilt burned in his chest and he glanced at the coffee maker. The note he’d left for her was gone. Yeah. He’d definitely taken the chicken way out of that deal. He didn’t know why he’d kissed her...and more. He swallowed a gulp of beer. He was a guy and Pippa was gorgeous. He’d thought about getting her into bed—and the experience had been everything he could have hoped for. Well, almost everything. He still had a fantasy about her mouth that hadn’t been fulfilled.

He didn’t bother listening to the rest of the messages. He switched to the number pad and tapped in Pippa’s phone number.

* * *

Pippa leaned her head back against the pool lounger and sipped her wine cooler through a straw. “Was I stupid?”

Her best friend occupied the next lounger, a frozen margarita in her hand. Carrie slurped from her glass. “Are you attracted to him?”

Tipping her sunglasses to the end of her nose, Pippa glowered over the top of them. “Is this where I say d’uh?”

“Then no. You weren’t stupid. You saw what you wanted and you went for it. Rock on!” Carrie held up her empty hand, index and pinky fingers stabbing into the air while her thumb held down her two middle fingers.

“Seriously? You’re flashing the Hook’em Horns sign at me?”

“That wasn’t the University of Texas Longhorn salute—state college football rivalries aside.” Carrie carefully set down her drink, sat up, extended her arms and waved both hands in the same gesture. “Rock and roll, babe! It’s all about the rock and roll.”

“Uh-huh.” Pippa wasn’t convinced but then again, Carrie had always been the wild child.

Carrie settled back on the lounger. “Look, Pip, you’ve always been uptight.” She waggled her brows in mock apology. “You know I’m right. And Kade is hot. I mean really hot. Frankly, I’m confused about why he hasn’t put the moves on you before now. I mean, seriously. Most guys get grabby on the first date. Not that you two have been on a real date. But, dudette, all those working lunches and dinners? Less work, more play.” She rolled her eyes. “Leave it to you to find the last true gentleman in the state.”

“There is nothing wrong with being with a gentleman.” Pippa was slightly affronted.

“True that. I’m just saying they’re few and far between. And I admit, I’m a little jealous. Look, did he have a good time?”

Pippa blushed to the roots of her hair. “I don’t even know how to answer that.”

“Well, he didn’t kick you out after the big climax, right?”

“Carrie!”

“You two had some spectacular sex—at least I’m assuming it was because, girlfriend, I’ve seen that man in tight jeans.”

Her face flaming, Pippa sucked down the rest of her cooler and pushed up out of the lounger. “I am not going to sit here while you embarrass the socks off me.”

“You aren’t wearing any. Just nod yes or no, okay? Was he good?”

Pippa chewed on her lips but jerked her chin to her chest in a brief nod. Carrie pumped her fist and uttered a breathless, “Yes!” before continuing. “And the man is a rancher. They’re up before the chickens. I think it’s sweet he let you sleep in. Frankly, I don’t know many guys who would leave a girl in their bed the morning after their first time. Most dudes are too insecure or private or weird or something. Just doesn’t happen.”

“So...you think he’ll call me? Ask me out on a real date? Or is this just one of those friends with benefits things?”

“Hmm...” Carrie pursed her lips and stroked her chin in an exaggerated gesture. “Yes.”

Huffing out a breath, Pippa resisted the urge to throw up her hands in frustration. “Yes what? Yes, he’ll—” Her phone rang.

Carrie let out a whoop at the ringtone. “Pip! Jason Aldean’s ‘Burnin’ It Down’? That’s gotta be Kade.” She flicked imaginary tears from her eyes. “You make me so proud.”

Scrambling, Pippa found her phone and winced at her breathless “Hello?” She made a face at Carrie while shushing her.

“Hey, Pippa. Uh...are you busy?” Kade’s voice sounded uncertain.

She glowered at Carrie and made a shut-it motion with her hand. “No. Not busy. I’m just sitting out by the pool.”

“Oh.”

And didn’t that word just drop into a void of uncertain meaning. Pippa suddenly felt the need to defend herself. Or make excuses. She wasn’t sure which. She lived at home because her parents’ Heritage Hills mansion was huge, and also had a separate guesthouse. While she had a trust fund that would pay her expenses, she was putting all her money, time and effort into setting up her riding therapy foundation.

“It’s a nice evening so I thought I’d sit out here and enjoy the weather.” Okay, that was totally inane.

“Are you wearing a bikini?” His voice had gone husky.

She glanced down her body and considered lying. “Um, no. Capris and a camisole.”

“Oh.”

And this time, there was a whole different tone and meaning to that syllable. A giggle bubbled out before she could stop it. “Okay. Guilty. Only it’s not really a bikini. Just a two-piece.”

“Mmm uh.”

Pippa wasn’t sure how to translate that and without thinking, she blurted, “Would you like to come over? We could swim. Maybe grill some burgers or something?”

Carrie gave her big eyes while covering her mouth with both hands as Pippa waited. Kade’s answer finally came.

“Yeah. That’d be cool. Thanks. I’ll be there in about an hour. Okay?”

Her heart was pounding so hard in her chest she was afraid Kade might be able to hear it. She nodded, realized she needed to speak. “That’s great. Yes. Perfect.”

“’Kay. See you then.”

Dead air hummed between them and she panicked. “Oh, crud, Carrie! What am I going to do? I’m not prepared for a cookout.”

“Breathe, babe. I got this. I’ll run to Whole Foods, grab stuff. You go fix your hair and get out of that granny suit and into the hot bikini you bought for our trip to Aruba. The one with the sexy little wrap. And put on makeup.”

“My parents.”

Carrie was already at the door leading into the house. “What about them? They won’t care.” And then she was gone.

Would her parents care? She might live in close proximity but they most often went their own ways, very seldom crossing paths. Her mother always had some event or party and her dad was a workaholic. Pippa glanced at the Cartier watch on her wrist. She didn’t have time to procrastinate.

* * *

Kade smoothed back his hair, feeling a little naked without a hat on his head. Despite being invited to a “pool party,” he wore jeans and boots, and a crisp Western-style shirt over a clean white T-shirt. Pippa’s parents had always seemed staid and traditional whenever he ran into them. While one of the Barrons might have gotten away with showing up in board shorts, he just wasn’t comfortable. Again, he wondered what it would have been like growing up with the kind of money that guaranteed entrance and acceptance no matter where.

Not that he’d trade. Growing up on his grandfather’s homestead outside of Davis had been perfect for a wild kid. He’d had horses to ride, ponds to swim in, trees to climb. He’d learned to hunt and fish and be a good steward of the land. Bill Waite had taught him to take responsibility, to work hard, to be an honorable man. Those lessons were priceless and there wasn’t enough money in the world to get him to change. And that was the core of his dilemma.

The door opened, catching him off guard. Mrs. Duncan stared at him for a moment before saying in an icy voice, “May I help you?”

Offering a smile, he introduced himself. Again. “Evening, Mrs. Duncan. I’m Kaden Waite. Pippa invited me over.”

“I see.”

“Mom! Is that Kade?”

He heard pattering footsteps and then the door opened wider to reveal Pippa wearing... He blinked and tried to work up enough spit in his mouth to swallow. She wore a scrap of a bikini top with some sort of swirly see-through scarf thing tied around her waist. If it was meant to cover her up, it totally failed.

“Mom, you remember Kade.” Pippa reached out and snagged his hand. “I invited him over for a swim and burgers on the grill.”

“I see.” The woman’s tone hadn’t warmed any.

“You and Daddy have that deal tonight at the art museum. You’re gonna be late.” Pippa was all bouncy and sweet as she maneuvered her mother out of the doorway so she could draw Kade into the house.

He wondered, briefly, if his reception would have been so chilly if he’d been introduced as Kaden Barron. The news hadn’t hit the media yet, for which he was grateful and also curious. He wondered how the Barrons were keeping the story quiet.

He watched Mrs. Duncan leave. The woman didn’t walk so much as glide and when she climbed the sweeping curve of stairs, he’d take bets that she could balance a book on her head, her posture was so stiff.

“C’mon out back.” Pippa tugged his hand and glanced down at his clothing. “You did bring a swimsuit, right?”

He nodded, and indicated the small backpack slung over one shoulder. “I figured you had somewhere to change?”

“Of course! You can change at my place.” She continued to hold his hand as she drew him through the house to a set of glass-paned doors leading to a terrace and pool. He caught glimpses of fancy furniture, antiques and artwork that probably cost as much as he made in a year. “What would you like to drink? I have that beer you like in the ice chest.”

“That’d be great, thanks.”

While the big house on the Crown B was expensively furnished with Pendleton rugs, leather furniture and Western art, it was comfortable—looking and feeling lived-in and homey. This house reminded him of a show home—each room decorated in a different style and looking pristine. No self-respecting speck of dust would dare land on any of the furniture.

Out on the patio near the pool, Pippa pointed him toward a second building—which had probably been either a carriage house or servants’ quarters when the mansion was built at the turn of the last century. Two stories tall, it was made of the same yellow-and-buff bricks and stone with matching red tile roof.

“Technically, it’s the guesthouse, but it’s where I live.” She offered a crooked grin. “Just so you know? You don’t have to go to the front door. You can come straight back here and knock.” She opened the door and he found himself standing in a combined living area and dining room. He glimpsed a full kitchen beyond the stairs. “You can change in here.” She opened a door to a bathroom with a shower.

Quickly changing, he emerged and set his folded clothes on the couch. Pippa had disappeared but the outside door was open. He headed out and found her waving at him from the door to the main house.

“Beer’s in the ice chest over there in the outdoor kitchen. I’ll be back in just a sec. Mom needs something.”

The outdoor kitchen was every bit as impressive as the one at the ranch, but for the life of him, he couldn’t find an ice chest. Kade finally resorted to opening cabinet doors because he really needed a beer. After searching the entire kitchen, he discovered the built-in ice chest, with its own ice maker. This is how rich people lived—people like his half brothers. That’s when he knew. Half his DNA might be Barron, but he’d never be one of them.